RI VRA Progress Report Panel Discussion, June 7

As we enter the last week of Rhode Island’s 2026 Legislative Session, The RI Voting Rights Act Campaign hosted this dynamic panel of experts to discuss the limited time for legislative session and the future of this bill. Hear from community leaders and experts! • Regina Clement, Community Leader (RI) • John Marion from Common Cause RI • Lata Nott from Campaign Legal Center, Washington DC • Susan Pires Esq., Community Leader (RI) Moderators: Jocelyn Foye (The Womxn Project) & Shahidah Ali (RI Coalition of Black Women) Starting off this discussion: "Today, our panel will speak a bit about the history of the federal voting rights act and what has happened due to Supreme Court Justices and the impact we foresee impacting RI. Then we will talk about what is happening with the RI VRA - which we have all worked towards passing together- and finally, where we will need to go together if it does or does not pass. I will hand the dialogue over to Shahidah Ali and be in the chat answering questions and adding links there too. We will do our best to answer them publicly at the end. Throughout the discussion, we will add the main call to action in the chat we all need to be doing consistently starting Monday through Friday- if possible every day. It is on one webpage so bookmark it and use it as your HQ these next few days. Our people's pressure is needed." Jocelyn Foye "Hello folks. We are in a moment right now where voter suppression is on the rise. We only have to look at the gutting of the Fed VRA and what southern states have done to gerrymander districts to see this is a matter of urgency for all voters.. Rhode Island has the chance to do something no other state in the nation can- that is pass a Voting Rights Act to protect our state from this Supreme Court Justices’ ruling this last Spring and last week. The voters want this, the people who run elections in each town and city came out as a body stating they want this, the Secretary of State of Rhode Island wants this, the Board of Elections – so what is holding us up? As I have written in a recent OpEd, it is a CODE RED moment. Let’s get into it…." Shahidah Ali .... In conclusion, we have a week left of Rhode Island’s 2026 legislative session. That means most of the deals are made and the plan is structured- but not always! We know that the voice of the people impacts change up to the last minute. This important bill makes all the other bills at the State House possible. We still have 5 days and need to maximize our energy together. We want to supremely thank our guest speakers and my co-host for their time and wisdom shared with us today so not only can we impact change for one bill, we can also do it as we focus on the 2026 election. We need you to: (1) set an alarm on your phone for 9am or 12pm and use it as a reminder to send an email and make a call to your rep and senator. Do not know who they are? Use this link. https://vote.sos.ri.gov/Home/PollingP... (2) Ask your elected officials to call Senate President Val Lawson to get the RI Voting Rights Act passed this year. Next year is too late! Our website link will provide the script for you to say and email. https://thewomxnproject.org/action-fe... (3) Join members of the Campaign at the State House on Tuesday outside the doors of the Senate and the House of Representatives at 3:30. Bring signs and wear bright blue. We will be in the company of the Immigrant Right Coalition and while they are chanting and calling for different bills to push forward, these are two topics that are not separate from one another. We can both rally for our own topics while supporting the other. https://thewomxnproject.org/action-fe... (4) Stay in touch with updates daily on our social media feed on Instagram and Facebook: RI Voting Rights Coalition:   / rhodeislandvra   RI Coalition of Black Women:   / ricbw1   The Womxn Project:   / thewomxnprojecthq   (5) Considering being a Poll Worker for an election that is one day earlier than usual. Preach the new date of September 8th and consider doing this day of paid service. More information at our informal training: https://thewomxnproject.org/events/po... - - - - Thank you for being with us and being a part of these last 5 days of people power for the RI VRA and then only a few months remaining for the Primary elections. #votingrights #rhodeisland #nonpartisian #gerrymandering #VRA #primaryelections