In midst of meaningless All-Star Game, LeBron keeps eyes on voting rights

It’s no secret that Black and brown people hold immense voting power in this country, especially in the south, as evidenced in our most recent Presidential election.

However, since this display of democracy helped shift the nation, many Republican lawmakers have been trying desperately to pass more restrictive voting laws to keep minorities from controlling the voting power in crucial states.

As of February 19, The Brennan Center for Justice found 253 bills nationwide that could potentially limit voter access. All have either been carried, pre-filed, or introduced by state lawmakers throughout the country.

Enter LeBron James and his More Than A Vote organization. The group, which has made strides in helping former felons and other marginalized groups to vote, will use the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta as a platform to fight against new laws restricting the process in Georgia.

The organization’s new campaign, Protect Our Power, will look to increase Black voting in both municipal and off-year elections in addition to fighting these restrictive laws.

As you can imagine, James will be the face of this new campaign. The group says a 30-second ad will air during coverage of the All-Star Game on Sunday, part of a larger focus on voting rights during the event. The organization said it will also partner with the NBA and players union to bring attention to voter suppression tactics.

In Georgia, More Than A Vote will work with multiple groups such as the Black Voters Matter Fund, Fair Fight Action, Georgia NAACP, and the New Georgia Project.

For many, it was nice to take a deep breath after Joe Biden was able to restore some sense of normalcy in this country. Yet, the attacks on our democracy and citizens’ rights are never-ending. It will take support from athletes like James and others to help protect the fairness of these elections.