WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, for just the second time in history, the House of Representatives voted to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. With the passage of D.C. statehood, the House has voted to enfranchise over 700,000 mostly Black and Brown Washingtonians and grant D.C. residents one of the basic tenets of American democracy — equal representation in Congress.

Justin “Yaddiya” Johnson, Founder of Long Live Go Go and Coalition Member of Just Democracy issued the following statement in response:

"By excluding 700,000 mostly Black and Brown residents of D.C. from the promises of our democracy, Congress has stifled Black votes, silenced Black voices, and denied Black representation. The fight for D.C. statehood is also a fight against voter suppression and racial injustice, and the Just Democracy coalition celebrates House Democrats for recognizing statehood as the most crucial civil rights fight of our lifetimes.

The responsibility of granting Washingtonians a role in our democracy now falls to the Senate, where Republicans have embraced the racist overtones of the Senate filibuster. This Jim Crow relic will once again be employed by Republicans to deny Black and Brown Americans fundamental civil rights. If Senators want to honor voting rights, they must eliminate the filibuster and follow the House in granting D.C. statehood to ensure that every American is afforded the right to representation."

To speak with a Just Democracy spokesperson, please email press@justdemocracy.us.

# # #

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justdemocracy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/justdemocracy
Website: https://www.justdemocracy.us