51 for 51 D.C. Statehood Coalition Gaining National Momentum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
CONTACT:
press@51for51.org
Major grassroots groups from early voting states join movement
Washington, D.C. — 51 for 51, the national D.C. statehood coalition that’s raising awareness about the District’s lack of equal representation in Congress is gaining support and momentum from advocacy groups from around the country.
51 for 51 wants presidential candidates to endorse D.C. statehood moving forward with a simple majority vote in the Senate. Several new partners have joined the coalition, including Blue Rising, Progress Now Colorado and Platform, as well as two groups from key early primary states—Granite State Progress and Progress North Carolina.
These organizations are partnering with 51 for 51 to support equal voting rights for all Americans, a clear sign that the debate over D.C. statehood is reaching far beyond the beltway.
“We need to do what’s necessary to ensure the tax-paying residents of Washington, D.C. get equal voting rights in our democracy. We support 51 for 51 to show the people of Colorado stand with all Americans, especially those who are currently disenfranchised,” said Ian Silverii, Executive Director of Progress Now Colorado.
“Young women and femme-identifying individuals have long been kept from the rooms where decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures are made. As a result, we are left with policies that fail to account for the realities and the intersections of young people’s lives. If we want real progress, if we want comprehensive change, we have to tear down the barrier that has kept 700,000 people from having their voices heard in Congress. Platform is proud to partner with 51 for 51,” said Jennifer Mandelblatt, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Platform.
“North Carolina voters are all too familiar with the fight for democracy and schemes to dilute the voice of the people,” said Gerrick Brenner, Executive Director of Progress North Carolina. “It’s time for Americans who believe in democracy to stand up and fight for it wherever we see democracy compromised. It’s absurd that those living in our nation’s capital have no voting representative in Congress. D.C. deserves statehood now. North Carolina voters will expect those running for president to prioritize the fight for democracy and have something to say about statehood for D.C.”
Blue Rising believes in causes and candidates that respect the rights of women, people of color, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community. The group’s co-founders Annette Moore and Dawn Reinfeld said, “It is wrong for Americans to call ourselves the strongest democracy in the world while we have people who live in this nation’s capital that are still fighting for equal representation in Congress. Blue Rising is in solidarity with the D.C. statehood movement.”
Eleven of the 2020 presidential candidates, as well as former candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell, have voiced their support for the 51 for 51 campaign so far:
- Senator Elizabeth Warren
- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
- Mayor Pete Buttigieg
- Secretary Julián Castro
- Rep. Tim Ryan
- Gov. Steve Bullock
- Rep. John Delaney
- Gov. Jay Inslee
- Andrew Yang
- Mayor Bill de Blasio
- Gov. John Hickenlooper
Five national gun violence prevention groups partnered with the coalition earlier this month including Brady, Newtown Action Alliance, Guns Down America, Survivors Empowered and March For Our Lives DC.
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51 for 51 is a coalition comprised of D.C.-based and national groups committed to equal representation rights for D.C.’s over 700,000 residents. The coalition of 20 progressive groups says American citizens living in the District deserve a voice in Congress and control over their own local laws.
Additional Information
Website: https://www.51for51.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/51for51