#TalkRadio – December 12: Holiday Love! One Organization’s Struggle of Love for Children & The Arts and Our Ongoing Fight for Voter Justice!

SPEAKERS:

Linda Wade: 12:00 PM – 12:28 PM ET
President, Above The Clouds, Inc.

Dr. Quintessa Hathaway: 12:28 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Founder And Chief Executive Officer at Q. Hathaway And Associates, LLC

INTRODUCTION:

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, December 12th, 2023, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “Holiday Love! One Organization’s Struggle of Love for Children & The Arts and Our Ongoing Fight for Voter Justice!”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and guests 

This week’s show will cover two very distinct but connected stories based on the fight to build a nation where all residents have an opportunity to live in dignity, reach their full potential and exercise unadulterated political power free of economic and racial discrimination.  The first half of our show will feature the inspiring story of Linda Wade and Above The Clouds, which she co-founded with Barbara Melsheimer to facilitate access to the arts and provide artistic development for children in Milwaukee.  The second half of the show will feature guest Dr. Quintessa Hathaway who will focus on what’s happening on-the-ground in the state of Arkansas following the 8th Circuit’s decision. Specifically, Dr. Hathaway will discuss other litigation involving racial gerrymandering in Arkansas.

“A Milwaukee organization that’s dedicated to connecting kids to the arts is in need of a little boost right now. Above the Clouds, Inc. helps hundreds of kids each year experience the arts. It’s funded through donors, foundations and grants. ‘We don’t want any child to feel different or left out, that’s why we give them what they need,’ Above the Clouds president Linda Wade. But lately, the money they’re used to seeing isn’t there. The nonprofit recently learned it was one of the latest victims of mail theft. Wade learned of the trouble when the bank called a few months ago. ‘To be honest with you, I was shocked,’ Wade said. ‘Their fraud department saying that some of our checks looked like they were washed.’ The problems didn’t stop there. Wade discovered that grant applications that were sent were never received. It’s estimated that the arts organization is now missing out on $25,000-50,000 in grant money…Above the Clouds, Inc. will remain in operation, but things might be a little different in the short term. ‘We’re not going to shut down, of course we’re not going to shut down,’ Wade said. ‘We’ve been here 22 years.’ Those interested in donating to Above the Clouds, Inc. can do so at their website.” You can learn more and help donate to Above the Clouds, Inc. by visiting the following links:

• Website: http://www.abovethecloudsmilwaukee.com/support-us.html 

• CashApp: https://cash.app/$ATC4U 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abovethecloudsmilwaukee?mibextid=9R9pXO 

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abovethecloudsinc?_t=8i6zlgKcQe2&_r=1 

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O93kmE1H22w 

• Linda Wade’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-wade-parcho-402ba87?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app 

The second half of the show will continue our discussion on the betrayal of the attorney generals from 14 states who urged the 8th Circuit to render a decision that there is no private right of action to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. On behalf of the Arkansas State Conference NAACP and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the ACLU, ACLU of Arkansas, the Law Office of Bryan L. Sells and Dechert LLP filed a petition asking the full Eighth Circuit to reconsider a split panel decision ruling that there is no private right of action under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in the case Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment. The ACLU states: “The panel decision is unprecedented and radical, contradicting sixty years of precedent, including from the U.S. Supreme Court and the Eighth Circuit itself, and we are hopeful that the full Eighth Circuit will take this opportunity to correct this wrong and dangerous ruling.” The Transformative Justice Coalition hopes the petition will be granted, a hearing scheduled and the 3 judge panel opinion reversed. Either way, this case is heading to the Supreme Court: TJC’s work is before us and TJC is continuing to convene other voting rights organizations and activists to address this threat to our ability to enforce the nation’s foremost voting rights law.

BACKGROUND ON 8TH CIRCUIT OPINION

While organizations like the Heritage Foundation now celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Shelby County v. Holder, this 8th Circuit Court ruling represents another strike to the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act that is even more dangerous to the future of voting rights than Shelby v. Holder was. On the cover page of this Opinion, under Amici on behalf of Appellants (State of Arkansas), the State of Florida and the States of Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah are listed as supporting the position that there is no private right of action to sue to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965! This is a betrayal of the voting rights of people of color in Florida and the 13 other states. It is an abuse of power to use State authority and public funding to deny African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans their right to sue to enforce and secure their voting rights. Since the rendering of this nefarious decision last month, there are already efforts to expand the doctrine of this opinion to other federal circuits, including the 5th Circuit. This case has caused a national uproar with many demanding that the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act be passed ASAP to prevent further erosion of the Voting Rights Act. It is widely expected that this matter will end up in the Supreme Court of the United States where the outcome is uncertain.

QUESTIONS:

SEGMENTS ONE AND TWO

• Hi Linda, welcome to your first appearance on Igniting Change. Please tell our audience how you came to create your brilliant Milwaukee arts organization “Above the Clouds, Inc.”
• For 21 years, you have successfully assisted hundreds of Milwaukee youth in assessing the arts; but, something tragic just happened. Can you tell our audience what happened recently?
• This is one of many frauds happening right now to a whole lot of people during this season. Please tell our audience how they can look out for these types of scams and/or prevent them?
• Tell us about some of Above The Clouds’ favorite successes?
• What are your future hopes and plans for Above the Clouds?
• Are there other organizations like yours around the country?
• If some of our listeners are from Milwaukee, how do they apply for your program?
• Right now, what can our listeners do? How can people help? What website do people go to for more information?
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

SEGMENTS THREE AND FOUR

• Welcome Dr. Quintessa Hathaway to your inaugural appearance on Igniting Change. Tell our audience about yourself.
• We have been covering the story of the 8th Circuit’s November 20th decision for the last few weeks. Please describe how this case has been received by people on-the-ground in Arkansas.
• We understand there are other cases also involving racial gerrymandering in the state of Arkansas. Can you describe some of these cases?
• On behalf of the Arkansas State Conference NAACP and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the ACLU, ACLU of Arkansas, the Law Office of Bryan L. Sells and Dechert LLP filed a petition asking the full Eighth Circuit to reconsider a split panel decision ruling that there is no private right of action under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in the case Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment. What do you hope will be the outcome of this petition?
• What should others in the country be doing about this horrific decision?
• [Daryl and Barbara discuss the Transformative Justice Coalition’s campaign to hold these attorney generals accountable.]
• What is the major work that you’re pursuing right now?
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

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