Can we create a just America?

Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II explains how we can build on the momentum of local victories for democracy reform, and unrig our system to build a truly just America.

It’s easy to feel downtrodden as every aspect of our broken system is laid bare. As the rights of millions of Americans hang in the balance, it feels more and more like the system is stacked against us.

But we can’t become cynics — we will not give up. Across the country, everyday people have secured structural democracy reforms that have led to major wins that move our country forward.

In Seattle, Missouri, Connecticut, and North Carolina, grassroots coalitions have risen up against the status quo and secured crucial victories in campaign finance reform, expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, and expanding access to the ballot box.

We can build on the momentum of these grassroots victories, and let these activists inspire us to get bold reforms enacted on the federal level. We have the potential to mobilize an historic turnout in this election, giving tens of millions of poor and low wealth eligible voters hope that their participation in this election could lead to real, transformative change.

2020 has awakened the country to the full breadth of the injustices that have plagued us for centuries, and pushed us to the point where transformational change is the only path forward. This election is just the beginning.