Five years ago today, we lost one of our greatest civil rights champions – the late Congressman John R. Lewis. His tireless commitment to fighting for voting rights and breaking barriers erected to limit access to the ballot box, particularly for Black Americans and other marginalized communities inspired a nation and generations of Americans like me to do the same. When Congressman Lewis marched triumphantly across that bridge in Selma as a young man and then leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) having been beaten nearly to death for attempting to do it the first time, he taught us a valuable lesson – defending our democracy requires dedication. This work is not for the weary because the pendulum pushing back on progress remains ever-present.
Twenty years ago, I experienced that regression firsthand when I, as an 18-year-old freshman at the historically Black Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, was disenfranchised with many of my classmates during my first attempt at voting. There were no fire hoses this time. No poll tax or grandfather clause either. I was no longer enslaved nor lawfully considered 3/5ths of a person in this county, and I was living in what many consider one of the birthplaces of the civil rights movement, but I still couldn’t vote.
What I learned from that experience and from interning on Capitol Hill with Congressman Lewis and working on the reauthorization of the voting rights act was, that no matter the gains of yesterday, “our vote” is never safe. Communities of color, the differently abled, students, the elderly, and women are commonly the targets of voter suppression tactics. We must always remember to fight for our vote, reclaim it, protect it at all costs, and use it every single time and in every single election. The National Urban League (NUL) and its 92 affiliates across the country continue to remain steadfast in the push for protecting voting rights at all costs by carrying on the Congressman’s work and advocating for the passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act on the federal level, as well as championing legislation that protects or expands voting rights access on the state and local levels.
One segment of the population which remains particularly vulnerable to being disenfranchised or barred from the ballot box are individuals impacted by mass incarceration. Currently, in the United States one in three adults has an arrest record or criminal conviction. Black Americans are arrested and incarcerated at disproportionately higher rates than their actual representation in the overall population. The effects of mass incarceration are staggering, and it is having a devasting impact on our community, silencing the voices of so many of our people.
To address this challenge, NUL’s Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives Division (EJSI), which I lead, is “getting into some good trouble” as Congressman Lewis often called it. We are doing our part to advance voting rights by supporting this segment of our population through several strategic initiatives including NUL’s Reclaim Your Vote campaign and its Voting in Jails registration, public education and outreach project. Reclaim Your Vote is NUL’s flagship civic engagement and voter participation campaign. The campaign engages the entire Urban League movement in mass mobilization efforts for voter registration, election education, and get-out-the-vote. Our work also extends to people impacted by the justice system through our Voting in Jail Project.
In 2025, we are expanding on this work by empowering affiliates to integrate public education on how to continue civic engagement or, where applicable, pursue restoration of one's voting rights post-detention/post-incarceration into their existing re-entry work with individuals in jails and prisons. Studies show that voting reduces the risk of recidivism which is a vital part of re-entry. While centering detained or incarcerated individuals awaiting trial or those serving misdemeanor offenses, we are focused on ensuring ballot access for all Americans. We are closing civic equity gaps by partnering with local jails and prisons, legal organizations and advocacy groups to register voters, provide education on voting rights and increase ballot access.
Similarly, EJSI’s record relief work, including the establishment of our Urban Expungement Program (UEP) in 2023, legal clinics, and our participation in Clean Slate advocacy and legislative reform efforts in states like New York, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Massachusetts help to create a more inclusive society. UEP was created to establish a national model for record relief throughout the Urban League movement. It provides pro bono legal support to program participants navigating the expungement process and alleviates what often is considered a heavy financial burden for participants by paying their fines and fees.
At NUL we see our Clean Slate work as a powerful response to the deep injustices faced by individuals with criminal records, particularly those whose offenses were non-violent and who have shown signs of rehabilitation. The legislation we have supported aims to automatically expunge or seal criminal records, removing barriers that restrict access to opportunities such as employment, housing, and voting. For the Urban League Movement this effort is not only about providing second chances; it is fundamentally connected to the democratic ideals of equality, fairness, and the right to participate in civic life. NUL plays a pivotal role in advocating for such changes through state-level legislation and coalition building.
By expanding access to opportunity, EJSI’s initiatives help build a more inclusive society where everyone has the chance to thrive. Our state-level strategy focused on economic empowerment for impacted individuals not only benefits those individuals and their families, but the states in which they reside and our nation as a whole.
As the fight for voting rights and criminal justice reform continues, it is crucial to recognize the incredible role that these initiatives play in defending democracy, breaking barriers as Congressman Lewis did and protecting the rights of all citizens, regardless of their past. For a democracy to truly flourish, it must embrace second chances and ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to fully participate in the civic life of their country.
