Experts discussed issues, opportunities, and advice for Black Americans during this year’s Brookings Institution annual Black History Month program. The event, “Transcending and Thriving: Civil Rights in Black America,” took place virtually Feb. 13 and was led by the think tank’s Governance Studies program.
Nicole Austin-Hillery
The program featured panelists: Dr. Camille Busette, interim vice president of Brookings Governance Studies; Dr. Keon L. Gilbert, a David M. Rubenstein Fellow; Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for Technology Innovation; Yvette Badu-Nimako, vice president of policy for the National Urban League; and Nicole Austin-Hillery, president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Several key topics were discussed, including voting rights and guidance as the nation approach the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
“Ever since 2013, voting rights has been under even more attack than in our last 20 to 30 years, that's when the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act,” Austin-Hillery said. “And ever since then, we have seen many states attack voting rights by having state legislatures try to implement new voting laws and regulations that frankly make it harder for people to vote. And that has fallen predominantly Black and Brown communities and on poor communities.”
Although she noted that voter awareness and engagement was the best it has been in decades, Austin-Hillery advised voters to remain diligent and for more people to vote, saying that voter participation remained a key issue.
“If you are not aware of the changes that are pending and the changes that have actually been codified in your local jurisdiction, you may be in trouble,” Austin-Hillery said. “You may find yourself at a voting poll one day and thinking you're about to cast your ballot and you're going to be stopped for one reason or another because you haven't been able to adhere to these new rules and regulations."
Policing, panelists noted also remains a concern amid tragedies such as the recent killing of Ty Nichols.
