James Wright Jr.
10/05/22
(The Washington Informer) D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and four panelists talked about the future of the District statehood movement on Sept. 29 as the midterm elections loom in November at the 51st Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference. Norton convened the forum, “A Discussion of Next Steps for DC Statehood,” that took place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Northwest. Panelists for the discussion included: Jamal Holtz, a lead organizer for 51 for 51; Markus Batchelor, a former Ward 8 D.C. State Board of Education member who works as the deputy director for leadership programs for the People for the American Way; Meagan Hatcher-Mays, the director of Democracy Policy at Indivisible; and Porsha White, vice president of voting rights and state organizing at End Citizens United….White agreed with Batchelor that D.C. statehood has become a national issue but added her organization sees it in a different context. “We see denying D.C. statehood as a voter suppression issue,” she said. “Over 700,000 American citizens are being denied their right to fully participate in democracy. In our view, this is just as bad as the laws some states have passed to restrict voting.” White also termed the struggle for D.C. statehood as a racial justice issue saying that the District is still a majority minority city that deserves representation in the Congress and the right to govern itself without federal interference.