* Justice and equity, main pillars of the new maps
To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
Residents of various counties in the state of Louisiana live in uncertainty and constant struggle in the face of the redistricting process that is in the middle of the process that could benefit or harm them in their basic space needs for the next decade.
In this change, it is minorities and communities of color, such as African Americans and Latinos, who are most at risk of facing the fact that, over the next 10 years, their needs will not be heard by representatives of districts that, in many cases, have areas oriented to their advantage in votes.
This was stated by experts on the subject during a session with the media held by Ethnic Media Services, where they highlighted the challenges faced by minorities in the redistribution process in that southern state.
And it is that, after the 2020 Census, and with the information collected, a redistricting is carried out, which is nothing more than the process in which governments draw political districts, and applies to all levels of government where there are elections, recalled Carlos Pollard Jr. of the organization Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
In that regard, he noted that these changes "play a critical role in who is elected, how they vote once in office, and how they represent communities." However, he recalled that redistribution of districts also occurs at all levels where there is representation.
Redistricting is therefore important to ensure that all residents have a fair representation of their needs, he said.
“It’s important for me to get involved in this process right now because these maps are going to determine the next few years of my life,” said Pollard, who is just 23 years old, who explained that the process will also affect future generations, such as his younger brother who is only eight years old, or his teenage cousins.
For Louisiana state congressman Royce Duplessis, the design of the maps should be guided by census data and population loss and growth.
"But it must go beyond just looking at the numbers. Maps must be drawn in a way that communities of interest can stand together, and elect the candidates of their choice."
In that process, he said, Louisiana is “halfway there,” where the needs of the community are being heard.
"We're promoting public participation to give the legislators who will draw the maps the opportunity to listen to communities, because we shouldn't make decisions without listening to what's important to them," she said.
Duplessis, who is also a member of the redistricting committee, said the committee will meet in February, where members will discuss and consider alternative maps for state and congressional districts.
And once an agreement is reached, the maps will be made public and sent to the full legislature for consideration. Finally, once approved by the legislature, the maps will be sent to the governor to be signed into law.
From then on, the history of the districts will be written for the next 10 years, so he said it is important to document the entire process and have a public record in order to be as transparent as possible and to be able to explain to the communities why certain decisions were made or why the districts were drawn in a certain way.
Moving and changing district maps is not an easy task, because “when there is population loss or increase, maps have to change. It is like the law of physics and a map that is redrawn is going to impact the districts around it. It is a domino effect.”
Duplessis noted that northern Louisiana has seen population losses, while the southeastern part of the state has seen the opposite effect, with an increase in residents. Therefore, he said, it is necessary for all districts in the House of Representatives and the State Senate to change.
While it is not yet known what the congressional maps will look like, what is known is that the state is made up of 40 percent people of color, and of those, 33 percent are from the African-American community.
She noted that Louisiana has six representatives in Congress, but only one African-American in the entire state, which amounts to only 17 percent representation at the federal level. “So that’s a big part of the conversation we’re having right now.”
Thus, he said, justice and equity must be the main pillars when redrawing district maps, as this can significantly impact the lives of residents.
Redistricting is not just about who gets elected
According to Denise Ramos, a community organizer with NOLA Garifuna Community Services, redistricting is also about making the voices of the community heard. “In order for legislators to serve us, they need to be aware of our needs.”
He added that redistricting involves the creation and establishment of policies and actions led and executed by minorities. “We should have a voice to improve the situation of our community and people.”
The Garifuna people of Louisiana in modern times generally come from Belize and Honduras as their countries of origin, and Spanish is often their primary language. As such, the lack of linguistic access to information about vital services continues to negatively impact non-English speaking communities, a situation that also affects the Asian American community.
Communities like the Garifuna are being denied progress, as their needs are being neglected and if there are no representatives who take them into account, the setbacks will continue for the next decade.
"We owe it to our community and children to be able to vote, to be part of it and to be taken into account in order to improve and be better represented."
For Jacqueline V. Thanh, director of VAYLA New Orleans, meaningful representation is “essential.”
“According to Pew Research, between 2000 and 2019, the Asian American population has nearly doubled and is projected to exceed 46 million by 2026. What does that mean for Louisiana and New Orleans? I believe meaningful representation is essential for our diaspora with roots in over 20 countries in Southeast Asia.”
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