Southern Students show Support in Fight for Fair Districts

The two-day Redistricting process held last week in Downtown Baton Rouge at the Hilton Ballroom taught Southern University students and people within the community how they can participate in various events to make sure their voices are being heard in the voting process. Here at Southern University, students can participate in various events to make sure their voice is being heard in the national and local voting process. The Southern University NAACP is teaming up with the Power Coalition for Equity & Justice to ensure that students learn the importance of redistricting.
Throughout its history, America has been rife with examples of voting representation disparities, which particularly disadvantage minority racial groups. The representation of the Black community within the national Census is one of these disparities. The U.S. Census Bureau, that is updated every 10 years, determines how the government distribute funds and assistance to states. The Census also affects representation in the government. States will begin to draw their district lines once the Census has been updated and these district lines play a major part in the voting process. Unfortunately, many students don’t understand the importance that redistricting can have on their voice when voting. Southern University’s NAACP chapter recently participated with the Power Coalition for Equity & Justice at their redistricting event hosted at the state capitol.
“The NAACP at Southern is volunteering with the Power Coalition so we’re helping them with the redistricting event.” said Marcus Virgil, the president of the chapter. “So, we will be able to hear the students’ voices on what should happen with this redistricting and how they can stop gerrymandering and other issues like that.”
Gerrymandering is when states will manipulate the boundaries or districts to favor a certain party or class. This is an issue that actively affects Southern University students since their voices are the ones to most likely be silenced by this action. “I think that most students don’t know a lot about the redistricting process or why it’s important.” said Valerie Johnson, a junior English major. The Louisiana Power Coalition for Equity & Justice strives to teach students how to allow not unfair representation to happen during redistricting.
“We’re teaching about stacking, packing, and gerrymandering. We’re teaching about all the tools, tips, and tricks that they use in order to make up the redistricting process here in Louisiana.” said Carlton Jones, Baton Rouge redistricting fellow for the organization and Vice President of SU Alumni Federation. “Students are going to be educated in how to speak truths to parts of that process.”
“We have a redistricting mini guide that explains the definitions of redistricting. Whether its cracking and packing communities into district or what it means to have compactness.” States Ashley Shelton, the Executive Director of the coalition. “It is really critical that young people have their voices heard during this process, because it will impact just as much as anyone else. The coalition has multiple resources available on their website so that students at Southern University can look more into how the redistricting process and ensure their voice is heard in the many elections to come.