Black organizers' mobilization effort was swift once it became clear that Black Georgians stood to lose political representation.

LaTosha Brown and other voting rights advocates sprang into action after Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on May 13 called a special session to redraw the state’s congressional and legislative maps in ways that could erode Black voters’ ability to shape election outcomes.

“Ultimately, pain births new possibilities,” said Brown, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. “What we’re experiencing right now are possibilities, and we have to shift from seeing ourselves just as citizens of this nation and start seeing ourselves as mothers of the new nation — we’re the architects."

By the time lawmakers prepared to convene on June 17, tensions had reached a fever pitch. Hundreds gathered at the Georgia State Capitol carrying signs reading “Protect Black Voters” and “Reject Racist Redistricting,” among other things. Then, a few hours before the session was set to begin, Republican leaders scrapped their redistricting plans. They cited administrative challenges, while advocates hailed the outcome as proof that public scrutiny could shift the political landscape.

It was a rare win for Black Americans following the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 29 decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and opened the door for Republican lawmakers across the South to erase heavily Black districts. Into this rapidly changing environment have stepped advocates determined to keep the country from further chipping away at voting rights.

Based in Atlanta and born in Selma, Alabama, Brown is a daughter of the South and a Black organizer. Brown carries with her the history of the region’s long and ongoing fight over the ballot.

While no single strategy will be a silver bullet, Black organizers have renewed their focus on several fronts: state Voting Rights Acts to preserve protections on a more local level, youth-led movements to ramp up public pressure, and grassroots organizing to help voters navigate an increasingly fraught election system.

Read the full article about protecting Black voting rights by Brandon Tensley at Capital B News.