Local, national civil rights organizations to host statewide redistricting takeover

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BATON ROUGE, La (BRPROUD) — Black Voters Matter, along with a coalition of local and national civil and voting rights organizations will host a redistricting takeover across the state of Louisiana beginning on Feb. 8.

The takeover will take place during the legislature’s 2022 First Extraordinary Session for Redistricting.

This two-day statewide event will be a bus tour that will include an outreach caravan to raise awareness about the upcoming redistricting session, a pep rally in Baton Rouge to mobilize college students and community members, and ending with a press conference on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol building.

The takeover will culminate with a day of action in Baton Rouge where grassroots organizations from Monroe, Shreveport, Lafayette, the West Bank, Baton Rouge and other parts of the state are expected to convene, deliver testimony before the House and Senate Governmental Affairs Committees, and meet with lawmakers.

Historically, the redistricting process has led to the disenfranchisement of Black communities in Louisiana. This year is no different as the HGA adjourned upon seeing over 200 Black folks from across the state at the opening session. Efforts to block public testimony and participation are rampant during this Extraordinary Session. Overall, Black people make up nearly one-third of Louisiana’s population, but only one of the state’s six U.S. House seats is in a majority-Black district.

Here is a list of organizations that will participate in the takeover: