RACIAL JUSTICE
Racial justice lies at the heart of our nation's promise of equality and opportunity for all. Yet, systemic racism continues to plague our communities, perpetuating disparities in education, healthcare, employment, and criminal justice. Together, we can create a future where every individual, regardless of race or background, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the rich tapestry of our nation.
A Note from Tekesha
The fight for racial justice runs deep in my family. The trauma is generational, but so is the spirit and determination. My grandfather, Harold Martinez, was heavily involved in his community. During the Civil Rights Movement, he ministered in poetry (just like me) and wrote to the local newspaper regularly about the fight for freedom.
I feel his spirit in me along with those of my ancestors as we tackle the racial justice issues of today. The ongoing effects of centuries of prejudice against Black, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, and Asian people have not and will not go away without direct confrontation, mediation, and resolution. As racism reappears in different ways, from attempts to rewrite history to growing antisemitism and Islamaphobia, we must recommit to addressing these tough issues instead of ignoring them and wishing that they disappear.
As Congresswoman, Tekesha's goals will include:
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Continuing acknowledgment that racial justice issues permeate nearly every other priority area in politics, especially considering that marginalized communities are often the most affected by our system's shortcomings.
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Addressing persistent race-based disparities in healthcare outcomes, quality of education, and access to housing.
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Protecting the hard-fought right to vote by restoring the Voting Rights Act, ensuring automatic voter registration, and ending voter suppression tactics.
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Ensuring that the history of racial justice in America is learned by our students as it happened so that we may learn from history's mistakes and strive for a better future, together.
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Engaging with minority business owners to ensure that they feel supported, heard, and understood in their communities.
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Working to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to implement proper checks and balances for police departments, including limiting the principle of qualified immunity, national requirements for body and dash cameras, ending no-knock warrants for drug investigations, and mandating training and development of anti-discrimination and de-escalation practices.
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Supporting an overhaul of our criminal justice system that brings an end to the failed "War on Drugs," upholds restorative justice processes instead of the regressive punishment-focused practices of retributive justice, eliminates for-profit private prisons, and more.
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Recognizing that climate change will have its most harmful effects on our most vulnerable populations, especially Black and Brown mothers who want to leave a healthy planet to their families, by empowering them to organize via community-based approaches and take action through political participation. (See: A Women's Agenda)