As the days are winding down to Election Day this year, there are still a lot of people of color who are saying they’re going to “sit this one out”, which is baffling to me. It’s always been baffling to me when African-Americans don’t vote, knowing what our ancestors have gone through for us to have this privilege, then for us to turn around and just squander it, like it means nothing… but especially this year.
We have the first woman of color to ever make it this far running for the highest office in the land. Our very real freedoms are on the line in terms of a woman’s right to decide what happens with her own body, rolling back equal rights in education and in other sectors we’ve fought so hard to gain, and the very real threat of demolishing the constitution which affects our very way of living in this country! Why would anyone “sit this one out”?
Everyone thinks Donald Trump just spews a lot of rhetoric and idle threats. They brush it off by saying, “Oh, he’s just being Trump. He’s not going to do any of the things he says.” Hasn’t this man shown us in every way, who he is and what he’s capable of? Was Jan. 6 an idle threat? Anyway, I digress.
This is what I do know. Voting is not just a right; it’s a legacy forged through generations of struggle and sacrifice, especially for African Americans. It embodies our voices, values, and dreams for a better future—a future we continue to fight for today.
For much of American history, the privilege of voting was denied to us. In the early days, laws systematically excluded Black people, women, and Indigenous communities, keeping our voices silenced and our contributions to society marginalized. The fight for suffrage has always been intertwined with our quest for dignity and equality.
The path to the ballot box was paved with courage. From the abolitionists to the civil rights activists, countless individuals stood up, marched, and faced violence to claim their right to vote. The 15th Amendment in 1870 was a significant step forward, granting Black men the right to vote. Yet, this hard-won victory was met with fierce resistance—intimidation, violence, and oppressive laws aimed to keep us from participating fully in our democracy. The struggle continued, leading to the civil rights movement and the pivotal Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark achievement that aimed to dismantle the barriers we faced.
The fight for women’s suffrage was similarly hard-fought. Although the 19th Amendment passed in 1920, many Black women still encountered discrimination at the polls, facing obstacles that persisted long after. The right to vote was not easily won, and it’s crucial that we don’t take it for granted today.
If voting didn’t matter, we wouldn’t see ongoing efforts to suppress our voices. Tactics like closing polling places, limiting early and mail-in voting, and imposing strict ID laws are modern-day barriers designed to disenfranchise us. Since the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in 2013, many states have implemented laws that threaten our access to the ballot. The struggle for our rights has not been a straight path forward but we must remain vigilant. When we don’t show up, our needs and perspectives risk being overlooked in the halls of power.
It’s easy to feel that one vote doesn’t carry weight, but history has shown us that collective action has the power to spark real change. This is precisely why forces opposed to progress seek to diminish our voting rights, even today.
As we look to this election, we have a profound opportunity to influence the future of our country. Voting is our most potent nonviolent tool for shaping our communities and holding leaders accountable. When we cast our ballots, we assert our presence and contribute to the ongoing narrative of our nation—one where our voices matter and our experiences shape the future we envision.
Lena Wilson Claybon is Co-Publisher/Editor of The Grambling Connection. She is also a prolific Television and film Writer/Producer having spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry and a Grambling State Alum. You may reach her at lena@gramblingconnection.com.