July 17 to 19: “Good Trouble Lives On” National Weekend of Action Engages Black and Brown Voters Amid State Voting Rights Attacks
Washington D.C. — In remembrance of Congressman John Lewis, from July 17 through July 19, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to engage in “Good Trouble Lives On” a national nonviolent nonpartisan weekend of action to resist threats against the right to the vote.
For several months, Congress attempted to force through legislation that would block millions of Americans from voting and state legislatures have been working to advance similar bills at the state level. Now, many voters will face new rules and requirements to vote in November, including new documentation requirements, changes to vote-by-mail and more.
This year’s action is anchored by non-partisan voter engagement, civic education and faith-based organizing, under the banner of “Teach! Reach! Preach!” The weekend will bring together grassroots organizations, legal advocates, faith leaders and community members for a unified collective push to support one another in making our voices heard.
Find all events here.
Teach: (Friday, July 17)
- Teach-Ins · Non-Partisan Voter Education · Radio Broadcast · Candlelight Vigils · Faith Services
Reach: (Saturday, July 18)
- Civic Education & Community Events · Votercades · Faith Services
Preach: (Sunday, July 19)
- Faith Services · Civic Education
“We’re witnessing a Jim-Crow era effort from states across the country working to restrict our freedoms and silence Black and Brown communities,” said Christine Wood, Co-Director of the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, housed at Public Citizen. “In the face of this rampant voter suppression, we must teach our community members on the ways they can make their voice heard, reach out to our neighbors to bring them into this movement, and preach to our loved ones about the moral necessity to carry the torch of the civil rights movement.”
“Black voting rights have come under direct attack,” said Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones, Transformative Justice Coalition Co-leaders. “The disempowering of Black voting strength by watering down their voting power through Redistricting is an immoral act meant to dispirit Black voters. We must find within ourselves the determination, motivation, and focus to register voters, get Black, Brown, and Native American voters out to the polls, and increase voter turnout. While the John Lewis Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action is an appropriate time to reflect on the rights that our ancestors fought for and won, it is also a time to reflect on the fact that those hard gained voting rights were taken away by the U.S. Supreme Court and several state legislatures. The Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action is a time to stand up, register voters, learn how to overcome the challenges of new restrictive voting laws, and encourage every democracy devoted American to join us in these efforts. Together we can beat back the wicked hand of voter suppression and, as voting rights Champion John Lewis stated, we can, ‘help save and restore the soul of America.’”
“The fight started by John Lewis over 60 years ago on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Alabama still lives on like never before,” said April Albright, National Legal Director of Black Voters Matter. “With the onslaught of racist mid-century redistricting across the former confederate states, his prophetic call to action to get in good trouble is still relevant and needed. On July 17th, we are going to join so many others who have vowed to continue this fight like never before and just like John Lewis, we will win. Join us in Atlanta or wherever you are on July 17th and demand stronger and greater voting rights protections because our political power, or ability to build a multi-cultural democracy, hangs in the balance.”
“Congregations and communities of good conscience must continue the legacy of participating in this “Good Trouble,” not as partisan performance, but as covenant responsibility,” said Minister Christian Watkins, Senior Government Relations Advocate, Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. “We do this because democracy is not separate from discipleship, justice is not separate from worship, and civic engagement is not separate from faithfulness. We will preach, because the Good News must be more than comfort. The Gospel invokes courageous action. Good News must become participation that looks like registration, education, mobilization and public witness.