Detroiters, time to Fight for Democracy for Ourselves!
From Detroit People’s Platform NEWS, December 2020
We now stand in the wake of what is likely to be judged the most consequential election of our times, the November 2020 presidential election. It is an election where majority Black Detroit voters showed up and voted in numbers sufficient enough to deliver Michigan, one of the critical swing states.
Following November 3rd calls went out across the nation congratulating majority Black Detroit and other urban Black voters for delivering on behalf of democracy and saving the nation from full blown white supremacy and authoritarianism rule. And just two weeks ago, the win in Georgia, fueled by the leadership of Black women and a multicultural grassroots coalition, flipped the US Senate paving the way for what many of us hope will be an opportunity to win more progressive policies that benefit Detroiters and our neighborhoods.
At no time has the power of Black leadership and Black voters been more prominent. Without a doubt Black Americans have played and continue to play a critical role in safeguarding democracy for all.
This year, in August and November, Detroiters will head to the polls to elect the governing leadership of the nation’s largest majority Black city. We will also vote on the newly revised Charter, the constitution for Detroit. The urgent question now is will Detroiters show up and fight for democracy for ourselves.
What does FIGHTING for democracy look like for Detroiters in the era of Black Lives Matter?
For those committed to building a racially just and equitable Detroit it means:
- We CENTER the needs of majority Black Detroiters
- We ORGANIZE
- We make the COMMITMENT to hold public officials ACCOUNTABLE for their actions and votes during the past four years
- We BUILD and WIELD COLLECTIVE POWER with our VOTE
- We ELECT leaders that share our VISION and VALUES
DPP will publish an accountability score card for voters to use in the August and November 2021 elections to evaluate the performance of our public officials in the following priority areas: COVID response, Affordable Housing, Economic development and neighborhood improvements, Access to basic city services, Public Transit, Quality jobs and Budgeting.