Roland Martin said it plainly: in the last election, people of color could have changed the outcome, but turnout wasn’t where it needed to be. We turned out, yes—but not with the numbers, energy, or coordination that the moment demanded.

So what now?

✅ Start Early—Not Last Minute: Political parties and grassroots groups need to focus now, not just weeks before the election. Voter education, registration, and mobilization should be happening year-round in every state.

✅ Empower Our Elders: Our elders hold influence. Let’s encourage grandparents, aunts, uncles, and community leaders to challenge and push the younger generation to engage, register, and vote—every election.

✅ Use Positive Peer Pressure: Friends pressuring friends to vote works. Organize voting circles. Text your group chat. Make voting plans together and hold each other accountable.

✅ State-by-State Mobilization: Every state needs a tailored plan—especially battlegrounds. Local organizers must be funded and empowered to connect with their communities, door to door, church to church, block by block.

✅ Stay Focused on the Stakes: We’re not just voting for a president. We’re voting for judges, school boards, laws, and the future of our rights. We can’t afford to sit out any election.

Let’s stop playing defense. Let’s organize, energize, and turn out—like our lives depend on it.

Because they do.