Photos: Facebook
The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) recently held a press conference to condemn voter suppression and demand protection of voting rights.
The press conference was held last Friday at the Rodino Federal Building in Newark, New Jersey on the day that marked the 56th anniversary of the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
“We Held this press conference to condemn voter suppression, demand passage of voting rights legislation, and the abolition of the U.S. Senate filibuster which we see as an obstacle to passage of those bills,” stated Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress.
The press conference was attended by a wide range of leaders and activists from across the state.
Among those speaking at the event besides Hamm were Rev. Joe Carter, New Hope Baptist Church, Atalaya Armstrong, Trenton based activist, Jerry Chambers, North Jersey Black Caucus for Social Justice, Rick Robinson, Newark Branch NAACP, Renee Baskerville, former Montclair Councilwoman, Kevin Pierre, NJ Chapter People’s Campaign, Cliff Arrington, 1963 March On Washington participant, Zayid Muhammad, writer and artist, Craig Stanley, former Newark Assemblyman, Dr Akil Khalfani, Essex County College, Sharon Baldwin, People’s Organization For Progress, and Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake.
Most of the speakers echoed the call for passage of the For The People Act (H.R. 1), and The John Lewis Voting Rights Act (H.R. 4) to protect, strengthen, and expand voting rights.
“While we are here to talk about voting rights we must also talk about economic rights,” Hamm said. He called for a $15 per hour federal minimum wage and the passage of the PRO Act to facilitate unionization.
He also announced that POP will sponsor a bus trip to Washington DC for the upcoming August 28th march for voting rights in the nation’s capitol. For more information call the People’s Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001.
