Session 8: Leading at the Intersections: Voting Rights and Justice Reform

Presenter:

Natasha Robinson, Esq.

Theology and Voting: Consider William Augustus Jones' framework for understanding how one's theology informs how one treats other humans and how this understanding informs how people order society. How might you use this framework to help your congregation understand the importance of being civically engaged locally, which includes being an informed voter? In other words, how might this framework help Christians become well informed before stepping into the ballot box in 2024?
Disenfranchisement and Voting: Professor Robinson says that the right to vote has always been centered in disenfranchisement, or preventing certain people from accessing rights that are legally their own. What are some ways that you will do your part as a faith leader to help ensure that people's voting rights are protected? In particular, how might you work to ensure formerly incarcerated individuals' voting rights are protected? Do you know your state laws regarding felony convictions and voting rights after time has been served?

Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Tenth anniversary edition. New York: New Press, 2020.
Douglas, Kelly Brown. Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2015.
Gilliard, Dominique DuBois. Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2018.
Hattery, Angela, and Earl Smith. Policing Black Bodies: How Black Lives Are Surveilled and How to Work for Change. Updated edition. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021.
Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Spiegel&Grau trade paperback edition. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015.
Florida Rights and Restoration Coalition
Marshall Project- Incarceration and the 2024 Election
The Sentencing Project

Call to Action: Draft a proposal for a local initiative that addresses voting rights or justice reform in your community. Again, consider your theory of change. What is your desired long-term impact, what is the short term change or action you would like to see in your community? Who are you attempting to reach and what methods will you use to make the change? Consider partnerships, funding, and strategies for engagement.