While we celebrate America’s 250 years, let's recognize we are still in the fight for our freedoms
"As I love the freedom of summer, I don’t feel very free right now."
Letter from the Editor
Its July, and we are celebrating all of the freedom of summer. Longer days, schools out, shorten work weeks. But as a person of color, as much as I love the freedom of summer, I don’t feel very free right now.
I suspect many Americans feel the same, especially those who exist in marginalized communities. Our rights are being threatened more than ever now. With the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse key sections of The Voting Rights Act of 1965, many Black Americans who reside in the south are literally seeing their voting power stripped away in real time as states immediately gerrymander their districts.
And let’s not forget we just celebrated Pride month, and Juneteenth, though the current administration would like you to.
So this month as we celebrate America’s 250 years of freedom, let’s take some time to recognize that we are still very much in the fight so that every American can enjoy those freedoms our ancestors died for so long ago. Two things can be true at once, we can enjoy the freedoms of summer, but still fight for the freedoms of equality and democracy. Enjoy the longer days, use that extra hour of daylight to organize. Kids out of school: take them with you to vote in a primary. Take your neighbor on summer break with you to the state capital to protest or give public comment about proposed changes in the states. Use the freedom of summer to save your freedom. Because we are all fighting to be free right now.
Stay tuned, as we will be talking in future episodes about what it means to be a Black woman in America at its 250 years of inception. We will be speaking to Black women all over the country on what America means to them on its anniversary.
Black Girls Do Politics ya’ll.
Co-founder and Editor in Chief
Catch up on our latest podcast
Climate change is not a future problem — it is happening right now, in Black neighborhoods, Black bodies, and Black zip codes across this country. Black people are living on the front lines of a crisis we did not create, and the people making the policies that could save us keep leaving us out of the room.
In this episode, we’re joined by Elijah Perry, a 30-year veteran of environmental justice and clean energy advocacy, and Cyndee Harris, an environmental policy strategist fighting for water and energy equity in underserved Southern communities. We break down what environmental racism actually looks like on the ground, why Black political engagement on climate is not optional, and how we can engage to fight back. We also honor the legacy of the Mother of Environmental Justice — who changed federal policy forever with nothing but a clipboard and a refusal to be ignored.
The climate crisis has a color. And we are not going down without a fight. Black Girls Do Politics, y’all!
A Month in Politics
It’s still Primary Season! Here’s your state-by-state guide to what’s on the ballot this summer.
Fallout from the Voting Rights Act continues. One month after Louisiana v. Callais, Republican-led southern states are moving fast to redraw maps, with 12–19 majority-Black congressional seats at risk. Check out the NAACP Legal Defense Fund case page to find out what’s happening in your state and what can you do about it.
Alabama’s map is set — and it costs a Black Democrat a seat. The Supreme Court ruling allowed Alabama to use a new GOP-friendly congressional map for the midterms, cutting a seat currently held by a Black Democrat.
Maryland has entered the chat: Maryland’s Democratic legislative leaders announced a special session for August 3–5 to consider a constitutional amendment clarifying how congressional maps can be drawn, not a new map itself, but the groundwork to potentially pursue an 8-0 Democratic map in 2028. It would need voter approval on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
While Trump is looking for an off-ramp from the Iran war, his coalition is weakening — with only 49 percent of voters under 30 approving of his handling of the conflict. Even young Republicans questioning whether the “America First” promise has been broken.
Will Black Voters show up? A February survey of over 1,600 young Black men across six battleground states (Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina) found 92 percent say voting is important, but more than 1 in 4 are uncertain or unlikely to vote in 2026. Researchers call this population “politically misread, not politically absent” — worth noting this poll predates the Callais ruling.
What’s Trending on Social
Black Voters Matter is highlighting how what happens in the south spreads nationwide.
CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ studies honored Qween Jean with the José Muñoz Award. This Qween recently made herstory as the first openly trans woman to win a Tony Award for Best Costume Designer of a Musical for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” She is also a Dorian Award Winner for LGBTQ Theater Artist of the season, and founded Black Trans Liberation, an organization that provides fellowship, food, groceries, and housing resources for the transgender and gender nonconforming community.
Elizabeth Booker Houston talks about data centers and how they are effecting Black communities.
NextGen America attended Netroots Nation 2026 for a weekend of advocacy and getting young people civically engaged.
Political Education Corner – “No, But Really: What Does That Mean?”
Don’t understand why the streets are talking about the Supreme Court and the Voting Rights Act? The NAACP called an emergency briefing about it that breaks down what the ruling actually says, what it means for Black political power nationwide, and what we do next. Watch it Sis. Share it. Come back informed.
Black Men Do Politics
Pride Is More Than a Celebration. It’s a Coalition.
By Jad-Évangelo Nasser
Every June, rainbow flags appear across storefronts, city halls, and corporate campuses. Pride Month is a time of celebration, remembrance, and visibility. It reminds us how far LGBTQ communities have come while honoring those whose courage made today’s freedoms possible.
This year, however, Pride feels different.
Behind the celebrations is a quieter conversation unfolding across the United States. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais significantly weakened key protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, making it more difficult to challenge certain voting maps that communities of color argue dilute their political voice. Civil rights organizations have warned that the ruling could reshape representation for years to come.
At first glance, voting rights and LGBTQ rights may appear to be separate conversations. I don’t believe they are.
Ways to Show Up
The VRA got gutted. Here’s what you can do about it.
Keeping it 100, the Supreme Court didn’t just rule on Louisiana. They handed every Republican-controlled state a cheat code to erase Black political power, and those states are already running with it. Georgia’s special session started this week. Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas have already redrawn maps.
So here’s what you can do, wherever you’re at.
Sis, if you’re in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, or Texas:
Don’t sleep, your district could look completely different by 2028.
Find your public comment hearing and go. They have to let us speak. We gotta show up and say something. Find your state’s schedule at commoncause.org. Bring a friend. Bring the whole group chat.
Call your state rep. Not email. Call. Tell them you are watching every single vote on redistricting and you will remember it in November. Find your rep at openstates.org.
Know your current district before they change it. Screenshot it. Bookmark it. Check ballotpedia.org/redistricting and keep checking.
If they crack or pack your community with a redrawn map, report it. The lawyers are already fighting. Give them what they need. Report to NAACP LDF at naacpldf.org and Democracy Docket at democracydocket.com.
And if you’re not in one of those states — you’re not off the hook:
This is the Supreme Court vs Everybody. Here’s how you stay in it.
Fund the people in the courtrooms. NAACP LDF, Democracy Docket, and the ACLU Voting Rights Project are filing briefs and fighting redrawn maps right now and need money to keep going. Give what you can — even $10 matters.
naacpldf.org/donate
democracydocket.com/donate
aclu.org/voting-rights
Use your platform, even if it’s just your group chat. Most people have no idea what’s happening in the targeted southern states right now. If you read this far it means you do, so share it. Talk about it. Make it make sense for people who aren’t paying attention yet.
Run a voter registration drive in an affected state — virtually. You don’t have to be in Georgia to help register Georgia voters. Vote.org and When We All Vote make it simple.
Vote in your own backyard this November. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is the legislative fix to what the Court just broke — but it needs a different Congress to pass it. That starts with flipping seats in the midterms. Your race matters too.
Tools & Resources
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Let’s keep the conversation going. Tell us in the comments your thoughts on the attempts to erase Black history.
Black Girls Do Politics Civic Learning Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This content is nonpartisan and does not endorse or oppose any candidate or political party.