#TalkRadio – January 9: Walking in the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: TJC and Partners’ National Day of Action, Monday, January 15th, 2024

SPEAKERS:

Cynthia Robbins, Esq.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing and Racial Justice Fellow; Consultant GR

Rodreshia Russaw: 12:00 PM – 12:13 PM ET
Feminist activist; Human rights defender; Executive Director of The Ordinary People Society (TOPS)

Breanna Appling: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow, Class of September 2023; Content Creator who has worked with brands such as Under Armor, Amazon, Planned Parenthood, and others; Alumn of North Carolina Central University, Bachelor’s degree in History with a concentration in African American Studies

Andres Cubillos: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow, Class of September 2023; Campus Organizer and Senior at Florida State University; In 2020, Andres and the Student PIRGs team at Florida State University increased FSU’s voter registration rate to 90.3% and youth voter turnout to 76%; Currently works on community-centered issues with a variety of organizations, including Students Demand Action, the Student PIRGs, Campus Vote Project, and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition.

Ashley Shannon, Esq.: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow, Class of September 2022, after establishing a track record for political activism in the Chicagoland area, being recognized for her election protection work in Cook County Jail and leading a nationally recognized student protest at her law school; 2018 graduate of Illinois State University, and she earned her Master of Studies in Law from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Law in 2019; 2023 graduate of University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, where she graduated with honors and earned her J.D. with a focus in criminal law, civil rights and government; Passed the IL Bar Exam; Honors Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Published author in the Midwest BLSA Law & Policy Journal; former Law Clerk for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the Center for Law and Social Justice

INTRODUCTION:

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “Walking in the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: TJC and Partners’ National Day of Action, Monday, January 15th, 2024”, 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 Breanna Appling, Andres Cubillos, Ashley Shannon, Esq., Cynthia Robbins, Esq., and Rodreshia Russaw. Today’s show will focus on the Transformative Justice Coalition’s call for a Day of Action consistent with the theme of the 95th Anniversary of the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The King Center’s theme for 2024 is  “Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence”. 

Since November 20th, 2023, TJC has been covering the disastrous ruling of the 8th Circuit in Arkansas NAACP vs. Arkansas Board of Apportionment, which bars private citizens and organizations the ability to file racial discrimination cases in voting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Prior to the Holiday Break, TJC and its partners formed an organizing convening group to help create national awareness about this threat to our voting rights and to pursue a strategy to win this battle. Based on this work, TJC and its Partners are issuing a Call To Action for the 2024 MLK Day. 

Our guests have all been involved in the struggle for voting rights. Rodreshia Russaw is the head of TOPS and will be calling in from Tallahassee, Florida where she will be attending a Rally calling for the full restoration of rights as envisioned by the citizens of Florida when they passed Amendment 4 in 2018. Rodreshia will give Igniting Change’s national audience a 10-minute update on the fight for Voter Restoration in Florida and nationwide. Our other guests have been working strongly to advocate for the overruling of the 8th Circuit Opinion in several ways by: 1) educating the public; 2) exposing reactionary state attorney generals who have sought to support this horrific ruling; and, 3) organizing citizens to fight back. Cynthia Robbins, Esq. is the Chair of the Communications Committee of the Organizing Convening Group. Ashley Shannon, Esq. is a TJC Alumni and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Social Media. Breanna Appling and Andres Cubillos are TJC Alumn and members of the Organizing Committee Group and the Communications Committee.

QUESTIONS:

SEGMENT ONE

• [Throughout the show, Barbara and Daryl will give a brief reminder about the US Department of Agriculture’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. The Black farmers fund, from the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, is being funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act contains an assistance fund for farmers who were discriminated against. This fund has $2.2b to cover 75 million applicants and covers anyone who can provide proof that they were discriminated against by the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023. To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.]
• [Barbara and Daryl will remind the audience of the upcoming JANUARY 26TH DEADLINE to apply for the next Gen Z and Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training, April 3 – April 8, 2024. People may can find the application link to apply at tjcoalition.org]
• Welcome Cynthia and Rodreshia to this edition of Igniting Change.
• Rodreshia, you are calling us from Tallahassee, Florida. Tell people what’s going on in Tallahassee right now. Why are you there? What message have you been bringing to the people of Florida?
• Rodreshia, tell people about TOPS.
• Rodreshia, you’re actually from Alabama. Why have you come to Florida?
• Rodreshia, What is the major work that you’re pursuing right now?
• We look forward to seeing you in Selma, Rodreshia. Thank you for all of your hard work. What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• How do our listeners get in contact with you?
• Cynthia, tell people about your work as a CHOLI Fellow (Culture of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing and Racial Justice Fellow)?
• Cynthia, why have you been so motivated to fight against the 8th Circuit Opinion?
• Cynthia, why have you taken on leadership of the Communications Committee of the Organizing Convening Group?
• Cynthia, what has been the most challenging and fulfilling part of leading this Committee?

SEGMENTS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR

• [Throughout the show, Barbara and Daryl will give a brief reminder about the US Department of Agriculture’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. The Black farmers fund, from the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, is being funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act contains an assistance fund for farmers who were discriminated against. This fund has $2.2b to cover 75 million applicants and covers anyone who can provide proof that they were discriminated against by the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023. To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.]
• [Barbara and Daryl will remind the audience of the upcoming JANUARY 26TH DEADLINE to apply for the next Gen Z and Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training, April 3 – April 8, 2024. People may can find the application link to apply at tjcoalition.org]
• Why is it important for us to treat this MLK Day differently?
• What are some of the actions that the Organizing Convening Group is asking everyone to become involved in?
• Why is it important for people to take action on MLK Day instead of shopping and just getting a day off work? How do we honor his legacy the best?
• What motivated you to become involved in the work to champion voting rights?
• Ashley and Cynthia, as lawyers, what do you think of the attempted hijacking of voting rights law by the Supreme Court and the 8th Circuit and other federal courts?
• Breanna and Andres, why is this issue important to young voters? What does Gen Z and Millennial leadership mean in this time?
• Where can people go to get information about our MLK Day activities?
• Why is the national TeleTown Hall being held that evening important?
• 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 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?