Citizen Workshop in D.C. Voting Rights

Thursday, September 8th: Citizen Academy Workshop
DC VOTING RIGHTS

“Taxation Without Representation!� We all know this as one of the rallying cries for advocates of American independence from Great Britain in the eighteenth century, but what is it still doing on the license plates of DC vehicles today? Some tourists may think that as the Nation’s Capital we don the slogan as a patriotic reminder of this great nation’s origins and how far we have come since then. Unfortunately, DC residents know better! This slogan is found all over DC, not to remind us of how far we have come, but to remind us that after more than 200 years we are still fighting the same fight: to be granted the right of democratic participation and self governance. That’s right, in the Capital City of the United States of America, the self-proclaimed bastion of democracy, we are denying tax-paying citizens their vote in Congress.

On Thursday September 8th from 7:00 to 8:30pm Kevin Kiger, the Communications Director for DC Vote, a local voting rights advocacy organization, will lead a workshop focusing on the history of DC’s voting situation, why DC residents are denied a vote, how the lack of voting rights has affected and continues to affect DC citizens, the arguments for why it should be changed, and how to get involved.

If interested, please contact Kilin Boardman-Schroyer at 202-777-4457 or via email at kschroyer@dc-cares.org. As always, space is limited so please sign up as early as possible.

Author: Rob Goodspeed