The 2020 election is less than nine months away. With so much at stake, and with Black and brown communities holding so much voting power, efforts to place roadblocks in front of the ballot box seem to be never-ending. One of the major roadblocks came in 2013 when the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act—a law which had dismantled many of the barriers that kept people of color from voting. But despite the relentless efforts to mute the voices of underrepresented communities for years, women of color have been on the front lines of the movement to end voter suppression around the country. Through their persistence to gain equal access to voting, determination to hold lawmakers accountable, and tireless organizational work, women of color have influenced policy and consequential elections around the country.

“It is critical to bring together the talents, resources, and skills of people throughout every community to increase our collective power, transform our communities, and work for social change,” said Jeanette Senecal, senior director of mission impact for the League of Women Voters. “And when it comes to turning out voters and increasing participation in the Census, women of color are a major driver that determines if their families and communities participate.”

Though different communities of color have their own strategies to get out the vote, they all have one collective goal: ensuring every eligible person in the U.S. who wants to cast a ballot can do so without intimidation or interference. We’re shining a spotlight on the many ways Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American women are each fighting for the future of democracy for their communities and the nation as a whole. Dive into the stories below to learn more.  

• Native American women are defending voting rights and building power in the process

   

• Asian American women push to ensure ballot access for overlooked ‘model minority’

• Black women’s fight for the franchise is reshaping democracy

• Latinx women hold lawmakers accountable on right-wing voter suppression schemes