#TalkRadio – October 21: The People United! Hundreds Rally At Supreme Court and 7 Million Take To Streets to Declare NoKings!

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “The People United! Hundreds Rally At Supreme Court and 7 Million Take To Streets to Declare NoKings!”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature Cliff Albright and Alderperson Jessie Fuentes.

This show will review last week’s rallies and conversation surrounding the national fight to save the Voting Rights Act of 1965 from the many attacks by state legislatures and individuals seeking to destroy our voting rights protections. On October 15th, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais. In this case, non-Black voters and the State of Louisiana seek to have majority minority districts declared unconstitutional and the Voting Rights Act itself declared unconstitutional!! In anticipation of the oral arguments in this critical case, on October 15th, NAACP LDF, TJC, Black Voters Matters and many other organizations rallied at the Supreme Court of the United States from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM during the Louisiana v. Callais oral argument to demonstrate in support of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and to say: “HANDS OFF OUR VOTING RIGHTS!” Our ancestors fought for this tirelessly so let us not grow tired protecting it!

There were several hundred people who participated, creating a multiracial crowd with a lot of young people with high energy and high enthusiasm. TJC Co-leaders, Attorneys, and Igniting Change Co-hosts Daryl Jones and Barbara Arnwine spoke at the rally. TJC along with the League of Women Voters, the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, and Black Voters Matters played a major role in planning the rally. The case was superbly argued by Janai Nelson, Chief Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The rally ended with a rousing cheer for her at the end of what was a contentious two-and-half hour court argument. Black Voters Matters brought 9 buses from 9 different states, mostly from the Deep South ( Louisiana, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and more). Igniting Change guest Cliff Albright will discuss why Black Voters Matter invested so heavily in bringing hundreds of people to the Court to the rally.

Simultaneously in Louisiana on October 15th, a prayer vigil and minor rally was held at the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol. This rally is sponsored by the Louisiana NAACP, the New National Christian Leadership Movement, and TJC. Igniting Change Co-Host Daryl Jones played a major role in inspiring the prayer vigil and rally.

As a quick review of this case, the hapless Supreme Court of the United States is at it again: This Time, it’s denying Black people voting power! Enough Black people moved to Louisiana to merit a second congressional district per the 2020 Census. But the Louisiana State Legislature didn’t want to risk a second Black member of Congress, so they refused to draw a district for a second majority-minority district. The Louisiana State Legislature’s attempt to not give up any power and underrepresent Black voters resulted in Black residents suing them and winning. This win prompted the Louisiana Federal Court to have to threaten that it would draw the second Black District if the State Legislature didn’t do it themselves. The Louisiana State Legislature, most likely wanting to protect Representative Steve Scalise and House Speaker Mike Johnson, drew a second Black district; however, some White residents in Louisiana protested this and alleged that the new Black district is “reverse racism” and denied them equal protection rights under the 14th and 15th Amendments. If their “reverse discrimination” case succeeds, then the Supreme Court of the United States would, for all intents and purposes, kill the Voting Rights Act’s purpose, which was to protect Black and Brown voters in electing representatives. This is the basis of the Louisiana v. Callais case.

During the October 15th, 2025 oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court justices and legal teams focused sharply on whether race-conscious redistricting—specifically Louisiana’s creation of a second majority-Black district under SB 8—violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendment. Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) is Louisiana’s 2024 redistricting law that redefined the boundaries of the state’s six congressional districts, including the creation of a second majority-Black district, and was enacted as Act No. 2 on January 22nd, 2024.
https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=245512). Louisiana’s legal team, despite being the formal appellant, declined to defend SB 8 and instead urged the Court to affirm the lower court’s injunction, effectively opposing the map it had previously enacted (Editor, 2025, Redistricting Online, https://redistrictingonline.org/2025/10/18/the-courts-second-look-inside-the-october-15-argument-in-louisiana-v-callais).

Justice Clarence Thomas led the conservative wing in expressing deep skepticism about the constitutionality of race-based districting, questioning whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act permits such remedies at all. Justice Samuel Alito echoed concerns about racial predominance, suggesting that SB 8 may have failed strict scrutiny, the highest standard of judicial review applied to race-based government actions. Justice Neil Gorsuch probed whether the map’s design was narrowly tailored to meet a compelling interest, implying it may not be. Justice Brett Kavanaugh introduced the idea of temporal limits, asking whether race-conscious remedies should expire after a certain period, even if initially justified (Editor, 2025, Redistricting Online, https://redistrictingonline.org/2025/10/18/the-courts-second-look-inside-the-october-15-argument-in-louisiana-v-callais).

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett were more reserved, though Roberts asked whether the state’s approach aligned with precedent from Allen v. Milligan, which upheld race-conscious districting under specific conditions. Barrett inquired about the evidentiary basis for determining whether race predominated in the map’s design, suggesting she may be weighing whether the lower court’s findings were sufficiently supported.

Janai Nelson, arguing for the appellees, defended SB 8 as a lawful remedy under Section 2, emphasizing that the district was drawn in response to proven vote dilution and not racial quotas. She argued that the map met the Thornburg v. Gingles preconditions and was narrowly tailored to address historical discrimination. Nelson also pushed back against the notion of temporal limits, stating that enduring structural barriers to representation justify ongoing race-conscious remedies (Editor, 2025, Redistricting Online, https://redistrictingonline.org/2025/10/18/the-courts-second-look-inside-the-october-15-argument-in-louisiana-v-callais).

Later in the show, Igniting Change will continue its coverage of another topic from a previous show and update its listeners on what’s happening in Chicago and the ICE Raids with Igniting Change guest Alderperson Jessie Fuentes. On October 3rd, 2025, Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes of the 26th Ward was handcuffed and briefly detained by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inside Humboldt Park Health hospital. Fuentes had arrived to check on a 37-year-old man who reportedly broke his leg while being chased by ICE agents. The man was receiving emergency medical care, and Fuentes questioned the legality of ICE’s presence in the hospital, repeatedly asking whether they had a “signed judicial warrant”—a specific type of warrant issued by a judge, required for entry into private spaces under the Fourth Amendment. ICE agents refused to answer and instead accused Fuentes of “impeding,” a term used to justify obstruction charges when someone is perceived to interfere with law enforcement operations. Cell phone footage captured the moment agents grabbed and handcuffed her as she asserted, “That man has constitutional rights. I did not touch you. It is a public space. I am not trespassing” (Feurer, 2025, CBS News Chicago, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/ald-jessie-fuentes-arrested-ice-agents-humboldt-park-hospital).

Fuentes was released shortly afterward and continued advocating for the injured man’s access to legal counsel and uninterrupted medical care. She stated, “He deserves all the medical care without living in fear. He also has the right to an attorney” (Masterson, 2025, WTTW News, https://news.wttw.com/2025/10/03/chicago-ald-jessie-fuentes-handcuffed-federal-agents-while-asking-about-patient-s-ice; Picture Source: https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/15/ald-jesse-fuentes-gears-up-to-sue-after-being-handcuffed-by-ice-agent ). Her arrest sparked immediate backlash from city officials. Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the incident, emphasizing that elected officials have a First Amendment right to document federal actions and inform constituents of their legal protections. He called the arrest “a direct attack on democratic accountability” (Masterson, 2025, WTTW News, https://news.wttw.com/2025/10/03/chicago-ald-jessie-fuentes-handcuffed-federal-agents-while-asking-about-patient-s-ice).

The confrontation occurred amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in Chicago, where ICE operations have increasingly drawn criticism for their aggressive tactics. Fuentes later announced plans to pursue legal action against the federal agents involved, citing violations of her constitutional rights and the rights of the detained individual (Evans, 2025, Block Club Chicago, https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/15/ald-jesse-fuentes-gears-up-to-sue-after-being-handcuffed-by-ice-agent). The incident has reignited debate over the limits of federal authority in local jurisdictions, especially in sensitive spaces like hospitals, which are traditionally considered sanctuaries under medical ethics and privacy laws.

This show will also discuss the hugely successful #NoKings Protests. On October 18th, 2025, nearly seven million people participated in the second nationwide “No Kings” Day of Action, staging over 2,700 peaceful protests across all 50 states to oppose President Donald Trump’s perceived authoritarianism and demand restoration of democratic norms. Organized by groups including Indivisible, MoveOn, and the ACLU, the demonstrations featured clergy, veterans, students, and small business owners united under the slogan “In America, we don’t do kings,” with organizers emphasizing the protests as a patriotic defense of the First Amendment and a rejection of executive overreach (No Kings Coalition, 2025, Nearly 7 million people attend overwhelmingly peaceful No Kings Day of Action, https://www.nokings.org/news/nearly-7-million-people-attend-overwhelmingly-peaceful-no-kings-day-of-action). Representing the Transformative Justice Coalition, TJC Co-Leaders Barbara Arnwine, Esq, and Daryl Jones, Esq. sit on the No Kings Steering Committee.

In the last 10 minutes of the show, Igniting Change Co-Hosts Daryl Jones, Esq. and Barbara Arnwine, Esq. will discuss Good Trouble Coming To New Jersey, TJC’s upcoming voter engagement activation in New Jersey. The Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), the People’s Organizing for Progress, some local municipalities, and our many partners will be spearheading a Get Out The Vote effort for the 2025 New Jersey General Election during Early Voting from October 25th through November 2nd, 2025, continuing its nationally acclaimed John Lewis “Make Good Trouble Vote!” Votercade GOTV concept.  A Votercade is a large procession of vehicles, horns blowing, lights flashing, covered with John Lewis image signage educating and encouraging voters that voting season has arrived in New Jersey.  The Votercades create substantial “hoopla”, anticipation, media attention, and community involvement all leading to greater voter awareness and turnout.

Since 2020, the Votercade concept has been successfully used by TJC and partners in over two hundred (200) communities and neighborhoods throughout America.  Every polling place at which a Votercade has been used to encourage voter participation has experienced a significant increase in voter turnout. The Votercades call attention to the GOTV activities and are most effective when coordinated with local Rides To The Polls/Souls to the Polls groups to generate mass grassroot public education to marginalized and targeted communities that the voting season is here!  Uniquely, New Jersey is one of the only northern states where the African American population has increased between 2012 – 2020 (up six percent).  From the 2020 Census, the current percentage of Black Voting Age Population in New Jersey is 12.86% of the voters. (New Jersey Voting-age Population By Race and Ethnicity from Census 2020).  New Jersey is renowned for historically being in the top 10 of Black voter participation nationwide.  In 2024 Black voter turnout in New Jersey was 69.5%. Our plan is to increase this number.

Votercading is especially powerful during Souls to the Polls Sundays.  TJC has successfully used this strategy in partnership with ministerial alliances and churches/mosques and other religious institutions in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, DC and other states. Clergy have joined our stops at polling places and engaged voters waiting in long lines in prayer, song, testimonials and comfort. As New Jersey will have 2 Sundays included in its early voting, we will focus heavily on this strategy.

Votercading has been used to combat voter suppression, especially by encouraging voters confronting long lines throughout the voting period.

If available, each Votercade concludes at an early voting center or at a polling station with a “Celebration Village.”  The “Celebration Village” is an area where free food trucks provide food for the community; a local deejay is playing music; voter status information is provided to attendees; Returning Citizens are advised by organizational voting rights lawyers regarding their ability to vote; and a Hoopbus is on site encouraging young voters to show off their basketball skills while attendees and/or their parents are encouraged to vote. Previous “Celebration Villages” have included free haircuts, school supplies for students, and free banned books.  The Votercade concept helps to make the voting process an enjoyable and inspirational experience for individuals and/or families and to celebrate voting.

This GOTV Campaign will also include TJC’s team of “Freedom Riders” composed of Gen Z and Young Millennials who will help to canvas, wave signs, activate other youth, help with setting up the Celebration Village, and perform other activities at each stop.  Members of partner organizations are encouraged to join the John Lewis “Good Trouble Vote” bus as Freedom Riders.

Proposed Questions

The questions included below are designed to provide a guide but are not the only possible questions, nor may they be asked in the exact same order. If a question does not have a specific name, then it is for everyone.