More Than a Vote, the voter-rights organization launched last year by LeBron James, announced Tuesday it was partnering with the NBA’s National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, the NBA Players Association and the Georgia chapter of the NAACP to combat recent Republican-backed measures to roll back voting access.
via: Revolt
LeBron James’ More Than A Vote organization is planning to fight voter suppression during All-Star weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
On Tuesday (March 2), More Than A Vote announced that they are teaming up with the state chapter of the NAACP, the NBA and the NBA Players Association to draw attention to efforts in Georgia to reduce voting rights — especially for Black people.
Georgia lawmakers are currently trying to pass laws that will make it harder for people to vote. According to AJC, the legislators want to “require more ID for absentee ballots, limit weekend early voting days, curb the use of ballot drop boxes, eliminate no-excuse mail-in voting and restrict mass-voting sites such as arenas.”
The groups will use this upcoming All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday (March 7), to bring awareness to what the legislators are trying to do to jeopardize future elections.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers star took to Twitter to encourage everyone to keep striving for change. “We all need to continue to use our platform,” he tweeted. “This last election won’t change anything if we don’t keep working. #Blackvotersuppression.”
Previously, James’ organization raised $100,000 to pay off outstanding fines and court fees of former felons in Florida who wanted to vote in the 2020 election. They also offered thousands of people free rides to the polls in an effort to increase Black voter turnout. Additionally, More Than A Vote played a vital role in pushing several NBA teams to convert their arenas into voting locations.
“The attacks on voting rights in Georgia are egregious, but they’re just one example of what is a nationwide effort to strip Black voters of our power,” said Addisu Demissie, executive director of More Than A Vote.
He continued, “Given that we’ll have a national audience tuning in to watch the All-Star Game this weekend in Atlanta, we have a unique opportunity to work together with our partners to shine a spotlight on these voter suppression efforts that target the league’s most loyal fan base and provide fans with the tools they need to fight back.”
Georgia and many states are so scared of Black people having their voices heard that they are trying to stop us. Good on LeBron for staying in the fight.
