STATEMENT: ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH ACTION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SARAH AUDELO ON BIDEN’S PHILADELPHIA VOTING RIGHTS SPEECH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 13, 2021

PRESS CONTACT:
Carmel Pryor
press@allianceforyouthaction.org

WASHINGTON — Today, Alliance for Youth Action Executive Director Sarah Audelo released the following statement in response to Biden’s voting rights speech in Philadelphia:

“It is clear that President Biden knows our voting rights are under attack, but he has yet to offer up solutions that match the real threat to our democracy.  In 2020, democracy was put to a test and it was young people who showed up in record-breaking numbers to propel President Biden and Vice President Harris to victory and clinch a Democratic majority in Congress. Now, young people across the country, like the youth organizers at MOVE Texas who are currently at the Texas State Capitol, are on the frontlines fighting back against racist voter suppression laws that Republican lawmakers are pushing to stop people of color and young people from voting. 

This fight cannot be left up to organizers alone. We’ve been putting in the work to welcome people into our democracy and ensure their freedom to vote despite years of legislation making it harder to vote. We need the President and Congress to be as bold as organizers on the ground because there is too much at stake. It is time to end the filibuster so legislation like the John Lewis Advancement Act and the For the People Act can pass. Biden’s renewed commitments to voting rights is important but we urge him and Senate Democrats to go even further. Name a plan. Use your influence. The future of our democracy hangs in the balance.”

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The Alliance for Youth Action grows progressive people power across America by empowering local young people’s organizations to strengthen our democracy, fix our economy, and correct injustices through on-the-ground organizing.