Senator Coons called for modernized voter protections at Saturday’s Freedom Forum, a panel discussion at Wilmington’s Hanover Street Presbyterian Church marking the beginning of Black History Month. The event brought local leaders from the education, faith, government, and judicial arenas together with members of the community for a discussion on freedom and ongoing economic, political, educational, judicial, and faith challenges in the community.
Chris used the opportunity to discuss his recent work in Washington to restore and modernize protections in the Voting Rights Act. The legislation — supported by a range of civil rights groups — is a bicameral, bipartisan response to the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision last June, which struck down a core provision in the Voting Rights Act.
“Of all the laws that passed during the Civil Rights Movement, the Voting Rights Act was pivotal because access to the ballot box also means access to the means to address many other issues,” said Chris. “The Supreme Court’s ruling challenged Congress to reenact a modern Voting Rights Act to deal with modern voting rights challenges, and that’s exactly what we’re working to do.”
In addition to Senator Coons, the panel, moderated by Wilmington City Council President Theo Gregory, included Dr. Yasser Payne (Associate Professor of Black American Studies, University of Delaware), Judge William Chapman (State of Delaware Family Court), Maria Cabrera (Wilmington City Council), Rasheedah Ahmed (retired teacher), and the Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson (Pastor, Calvary Episcopal Church).