I am female! I am Educated! I am Black in America, and I will not let my vote go to waste. The future depends on my vote, and this is not the time or any other time to silence the voice so, I vote. I want to be part of positive and effective changes. I know my voice matters, and I want my voice to speak volumes. Several people fought with their lives, so I can show up and exercise my right to vote: Martin Luther King, Mary Church Terrell, Dorothy Heights, Malcome X, to name a few.

At one point, African Americans were not considered citizens and were not allowed to vote. In 1870 the 15 Amendment adopted the right to vote for African American men. However, mostly in the south, several discriminatory actions were taken and used to prevent African Americans from exercising their rights: Poll taxes, Literacy tests, Grandfather clauses, and violence. The unethical acts continued until President Lyndon B. Johnson established and signed The Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965. The Voting Rights Act pushed to defeat all legal restrictions at the state and local levels that refused African Americans their right to vote under the 15th Amendment. For decades the white supremacy put in work to silence African American voices, especially in the areas where the black communities outnumbered the white populations.
There was also a time women were not allowed to vote because they were to be seen and not heard. However, all of that changed on August 8, 1920, when the 19 Amendment was ratified.
I firmly believe my vote matters, and I have heard several people state they do not vote because their vote doesn’t count, and it’s all up to the electoral vote. However, the popular vote usually determines the electoral vote depending on your state. The unfortunate events we all have endured and witnessed in the past couple of years pushed me to stay aware of what’s going on in the world so I can push for change.
I want to see our country continue to grow and develop for all humanity’s betterment so, I vote. I believe our country needs strong representation that will fight for everyone as a nation. We currently have a leader who continues to humiliate others, make knee jerk decisions, and don’t appear to care about the injustice that continues to occur in the United States of America. We need leaders who will be devoted to progression, and that will allow us to progress and grow. I am a black, educated female who would not have had the chance to vote or be heard if civil rights activists did not advocate and fight for me in the past. My vote, My voice, It matters, and so does yours.

Credits:

History, 19th Amendment:https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/19th-amendment-1