The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Statement On President Biden’s Remarks To Protect The Right To Vote
Yesterday President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called on Congress to do everything in their power to protect Americans’ right to vote, including changing the rules of the filibuster, a Senate tool that has been used to thwart imperative and popular voting rights legislation. After we witnessed 19 states pass 34 anti-voter laws and Senators repeatedly filibuster pro-voter legislation in 2021, The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) applauds the President’s renewed commitment to voting rights, the very bedrock of our democracy.
During his speech, President Biden evoked the legacy of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, remarking that though he “did not live the struggle of Douglass, Tubman, King, Lewis, Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, and countless others,” their struggles “got me more engaged in the work of my life.” Founded in 1966, The Andrew Goodman Foundation exists today to live the legacy of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner by fighting against racial discrimination and making young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy.
Notably, President Biden delivered his address in the Atlanta, Georgia district of late Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights stalwart and AGF’s Advisory Board Member, and within the Atlanta University Center (AUC), a consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that participate in our Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program. Andrew Goodman Ambassadors at Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College are working tirelessly to register young voters and get out the vote ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections, as well as fight against unjust divisions that split AUC voters into various polling locations.
The Andrew Goodman Foundation urges Congress to bring the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act back to the floor and to let the will of the majority prevail. These pieces of legislation are vital to protect the right to vote of all Americans, no matter their race or age, against attempts to suppress their voices. At The Andrew Goodman Foundation, we remain committed to carrying forward the legacy of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner until our vision of a just democracy and sustainable future is a reality.
