Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Louisiana v. Callais. This is an important case for voting rights and I encourage you to closely monitor its outcome.
The case is about equal representation for Black voters and the role of race in the redistricting process. However, key protections of the Voting Rights Acts (VRA) are on the line due to supplemental questions posed by the Court regarding the constitutionality of the application of the VRA in redistricting.
Check out this explainer from LDF to further inform yourself about this important case. We must defend our voting rights!
Between 2020 and 2025, we saw a period of progress followed by a swift rollback. In reflecting on this change, I must remind us of the period of Reconstruction.
During Reconstruction, Black Americans experienced eight years of freedom, building businesses and communities, even becoming elected officials. After only eight years, these freedoms were taken away.
In the aftermath of the horrific killing of George Floyd, we entered into a similar period where it seemed as if we were making great progress. America was seeing itself and didn’t like what it saw. However, the country seemed to decide that it would only go so far. We did not get nearly enough systemic change, especially at the federal level.
All this means we still have to be engaged and ready to do the work of reconstructing the country we want to live in.
See an excerpt of my conversation on this topic with civil rights attorney Angela Groves in this video.
The new academic year is now in full swing. As a law professor, I am often asked if I have advice for incoming law students.
First, even with the new challenges in education, I still believe in the value of education and in the value of a law degree.
Second, I tell my students that you have to know why you’re here. Remember why you wanted to become a lawyer as you prepare to make sacrifices to reach your goal.
Check out this video for my conversation on this topic with civil rights attorney Angela Groves. Share this message with an incoming law student (and remember to support them along their journey)!
I am excited to announce my latest Substack newsletter, “In Good Faith”. I am co-authoring this Substack with political strategist and civil rights attorney Leslie Gross. You can subscribe and learn more here.
In Good Faith is a democracy-focused Substack that goes behind the headlines to explore the legal principles and broken promises shaping our civic life.
Every week, In Good Faith will spotlight one clear example of when power breaks its promise—whether it’s a violation of the Constitution, an abuse of public trust, or a failure of basic ethical leadership.
Each post will:
Explain what happened and why it matters
Show how it should have worked under law and principle
Offer practical ways you can respond, share, and help rebuild trust
Include a short 2–3 minute video conversation unpacking the issue
We’re creating more than a newsletter. In Good Faith is a community of people—professionals, parents, voters, and leaders—who still believe democracy can work when we hold it accountable. It’s a space for honest conversation, principled debate, and shared tools for defending the rule of law.
Together, we’ll model the very values we want to see in our leaders: openness, cooperation, consistency, and respect for the dignity of every person.
Last week, Congress clawed back $1.1 billion in funding that had previously been allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Public media sources like NPR and PBS help people stay informed about what’s happening in their communities and government. I regularly encourage people to educate, litigate, legislate, and participate to create social change. Trustworthy public media sources support the first prong – educate – by providing a way for all of us to stay informed about important developments that affect our lives.
A thriving democracy requires a well-informed public and strong civic engagement. Cuts to quality public media are strikes against our democracy.
Today is the John Lewis National Day of Action. Congressman John Lewis passed away five years ago on July 17th, leaving a remarkable legacy of civil and human rights advocacy.
Congressman Lewis was a leading advocate for voting rights and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) was named in his honor. The VRAA, which is yet to be passed by Congress, would strengthen legal protections of our voting rights. Given the ongoing attacks against these rights, the VRAA is as needed as ever.
Specifically, the VRAA would update the preclearance program that was gutted by the Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder (2013). The VRAA preclearance framework would require jurisdictions with a history of voting discrimination to get prior approval before implementing electoral changes. The VRAA would also strengthen Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which allows voters to sue to block discriminatory voting laws.
Last week marked the 61st anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 (“CRA”). The CRA was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 2024. This landmark civil rights legislation was passed as a result of coordinated organizing, litigation, protests, and other social movement strategies.
The CRA prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places and employment. The CRA also declared the integration of public accommodations and schools. Here are three resources you can consult to learn about more the CRA:
Today, the protections provided by the CRA are under attack as much as ever. We can commemorate the anniversary of the CRA by defending the principles it championed and fighting for the further expansion of our civil rights.
As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, I am reminded of Frederick Douglass’ powerful 1852 address. I encourage you to join me in reflecting on his speech this weekend, an excerpt of which is included below:
“I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
Last week, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 85 national civil rights organizations, submitted a powerful letter calling on congressional leaders to exercise their oversight responsibility over the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The letter is worth a read.
In the letter, the Leadership Conference outlines the unprecedented dismantling of the Civil Rights Division under the current administration. It explains how the mission of the Division, which has historically played an important role in advancing civil rights, has been abandoned. It also sounds the alarm on the significant loss of civil rights expertise within the Division, estimating that the attorney staff has been reduced by about 70%. Even more, the Division has withdrawn from litigating important pending civil rights cases.
We must stay educated about these troubling developments and do our part to speak out.
Understandably, many are in a moment of reset. Do not mistake a reset for a surrender.
In this moment, I’ve been encouraging people to resist and persist. You can resist the attacks on our rights wherever you are. For some, such as law students, their resistance is being exceptional law students. For others, it’s going to work every day and taking care of their families.
Wherever you are, you have a role to play. Rest, but don’t quit.
Check out the video on my LinkedIn page for more of my discussion on this topic.
We are in a moment where it is important to fight against feelings of hopelessness. In addition to the external actions that I’ve discussed on my platforms, there are also steps we can take by looking inward.
Three inward-facing actions that I have been sharing with my community are:
Leaning into your faith, family, and community.
Shoring up your economic capacity so that you can sustain yourself and help others.
Staying engaged at the local level.
Check out this video for more of my discussion on this topic.
My research identifies three cycles of voter suppression. Each cycle has lasted about 100 years. We are about 60 years into the current cycle, which began with the passage of the Voting Right Act.
Currently, we are seeing a roll back of rights on every hand. It’s going to take the same types of efforts that were used to overcome prior cycles of voter suppression to end the current cycle. That includes the four pillars that I frequently discuss: educating, legislating, litigating, and participating.
Those of us who operate in democracy will need to mobilize, organize, and realize our power as a collective people to ensure that we don’t lose ground and can keep moving forward.
I recently published an article in the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review titled, “Ending the Cycles of Voter Suppression”. I encourage you to read the full article here.
My article explains three cycles of voter suppression. The first cycle began with the founding of our county. At this time, enslaved Africans were counted as three-fifths of a whole person. From our beginnings as a country, there was a distinction between who would receive the full benefits of citizenship and who would not. This first cycle lasted for about 100 years and ended with the Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments).
During the second cycle, the Reconstruction Amendments were ratified, but then states also passed literacy tests, grandfather clauses, poll taxes, and other disenfranchising mechanisms. These mechanisms essentially eliminated the advances of the Reconstruction Amendments.
The third cycle began with the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which was passed following Bloody Sunday. The passage of the VRA was and continues to be followed by decades of increasingly aggressive efforts to dismantle it. We are about 60 years into this current cycle.
Check out the video below where I discuss the cycles of voter suppression with civil rights attorney Angela Groves.
With so much going on in the news, it can be challenging to figure out where to start or what to focus on. My advice is to start with the issue that bothers you the most.
Then, whether your issue is immigration, education, or criminal justice reform, there is an organization that’s been working on that particular issue. Do your research to find the organizations in your community that are doing the work and join them. You do not need to start from scratch.
Over time, hopefully, you will see that you are starting to make a difference and seeing changes in those areas.
Check out my conversation on this topic with civil rights attorney Angela Groves in the video below.
Across the country, educational institutions, corporations, and even law firms have been ending or scaling back their DEI programs. Often, the explanation given is that they want to comply with threats from the White House or SFFA v. Harvard. However, as I’ve said many times before, DEI is not illegal.
Institutions ending their DEI programs are demonstrating that they were never truly committed to DEI in the first place. Most of these programs were established after the George Floyd uprisings and have not even been in place for 10 years. To see institutions turning from their DEI programs so quickly is disheartening.
However, now the power is our hands. We can stand up and say that if an institution does not support DEI, then it does not deserve our support.
Check out my conversation on this topic with civil rights attorney Angela Groves in the video below.
Civil Rights Today 