#TalkRadio – May 7: The Fight Against Voter Suppression in Alabama: TOPS, Transform Alabama & Young Activists to The Forefront!

SPEAKERS:

Rodreisha Russaw: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Executive Director, The Ordinary People’s Society (TOPS); website: www.WeAreTOPS.org

Dr. Adia Winfrey: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Founder, Transform Alabama; website: www.TransformAlabama.org

Dominique Jenkins: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Alumni, April 2024 Class; Full-time student at Tuskegee University majoring in History; Navy Reservist; proud Mellon Mays Fellow and Member of the Frank Toland Historical Society

Eldric Coleman: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Alumni, April 2024 Class; Student at Alabama State University; serves as the State of Alabama NAACP President for the Youth and College Division; Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; has experience in getting individuals registered to vote

INTRODUCTION:

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “The Fight Against Voter Suppression in Alabama: TOPS, Transform Alabama & Young Activists to The Forefront!”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Rodreisha Russaw, Dr. Adia Winfrey, Dominique Jenkins, and Eldric Coleman.

Some of the most contentious national fights against voter suppression are being waged in the State of Alabama. Last year after years of resistance, the Supreme Court decisively ruled against the state for its adoption of a racially gerrymander congressional map. Despite the ongoing defiance of the Supreme Court’s ruling by the State Legislature, the Federal Court  had a master develop a non-racist map. Since the creation of the new Congressional District 2 (CD2), due to the intense efforts of voter advocacy groups, the voter participation in the CD2 2024 Primary more than doubled with African American voters finally seeing an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice. 

Not to be outdone, the Alabama State Legislature in April passed SB 1 one of the nation’s most nefarious voter suppression laws which creates awful barriers to the ability of a voter needing assistance to request an absentee ballot or to vote.

It is estimated that there are 200,000 unregistered formerly incarcerated persons in Alabama which disproportionately jails people of color and had to be sued to reverse its non-uniform “moral turpitude” standards randomly imposed by the 67 counties as they saw fit.  Still there remains a complicated process for restoration of rights, including a requirement for the payment of fines and fees, if the person was convicted of 45 crimes of moral turpitude. This daunting process is yet another form of voter suppression. 

One of the great justice fighting groups in Alabama is The Ordinary People’s Society (TOPS) which was founded by Rev. Kenneth Glasgow to fight for criminal justice reform and voter restoration.  

On May 3rd TOPS held its 23rd Founder’s Anniversary Gala celebrating Pastor Glasgow.  This beautiful and festive event featured a wonderful panel of leading organizers and organizations in Alabama which have been persistently fighting for Voting Rights and Voter Restoration!! Radio Show Host and TJC President Barbara R. Arnwine, Esq., served as the keynote for the Gala. 

Transform Alabama is a creative civic engagement and voting rights organization that uses Hip Hop Culture to stimulate the vote.  

Our show will examine the voter suppression fight in Alabama, the work of TOPS and Transform Alabama and the tremendous young voter organizing taking place in the State.  We will be joined by TJC Alumni from our Spring 2024 class who are actively working on their campuses and in the community to promote the vote.  

QUESTIONS:

• Rodreisha, Alabama is considered the birthplace of the modern voting rights movement. TJC joins thousands of people every year for the Selma Jubilee to reenact the Selma-to-Montgomery March. There is no Voting Rights Act without Alabama; yet, we have this current age of voter suppression. Alabama has been in the news a lot for voting rights infractions, issues, and problems. The state is literally located in the “Voter Suppression Crucible”, bordering Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee all of which have their own voting problems. Tell us about TOPS, The Ordinary Peoples’ Society. Why was it founded and what is its top line work? Tell us also a little bit about your background. 
• Rodreisha, on Friday you celebrated the 23rd Anniversary of TOPS. What, to you, were the highlights and the most enjoyable moments of the Anniversary?
• Rodreisha, the work of voter registration is very daunting. Please tell our audience about that particular struggle?
• Adia, welcome to your first Igniting Change show. Tell people about Transform Alabama and about yourself.
• Adia, you were involved in the Allen v. Milligan case. We have been blessed to have Evan Milligan on our show but can you please remind our audience what was at stake in this case and can you explain what it meant to you to be a Plaintiff in this case.
• Adia, you have focused a lot on using Hip Hop culture to motivate Black voters, especially young voters. Can you tell us about some of that work?
• Eldric and Dominique, as newly minted TJC Alumni from our April Phoenix Training, it is a pleasure to have both of you on this show.
• Eldric, welcome to your inaugural Igniting Change appearance. As a student at Alabama State University and the President of the State of Alabama NAACP President for the Youth and College Division, when you hear about the work of TOPS and Transform Alabama, how has that affected you and the larger student body at Alabama State University?
• Dominique, welcome to Igniting Change! You’re a student of Tuskegee University. I want to ask you the same question as Eldric: What has the work of TOPS and Transform Alabama meant to you and the larger student body?
• Eldric and Dominique, what has it meant to the two of you to live and work in this new Congressional District?
• Last month, Alabama adopted SB1, which is considered one of the worst voter suppression bills in the country. Can someone please tell our listeners what this bill does?
• Can each of you describe how this bill will impact the voting rights and civic engagement work that you’re undertaking?
• How are people fighting back against this law?
• What work is being done in Alabama to build knowledge and support for the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?
• How can our listeners get involved? What are the next steps for each of you?
• What are your one-minute final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you? (TOPS website: www.WeAreTOPS.org; Transform Alabama website: www.TransformAlabama.org )