* Justice and equity, main pillars of the new maps
By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Residents of several Louisiana counties live in uncertainty and constant struggle in the midst of the redistricting process that could benefit or harm them in their basic space needs for the next decade.
In this shift, it is minorities and communities of color, such as African-Americans and Latinos, who are most at risk of facing the prospect that over the next 10 years, their needs will not be heard by district representatives who, in many cases, have areas that benefit them in terms of votes.
This was pointed out by specialists on the subject during a media session held by Ethnic Media Services, where the challenges faced by minorities in the process of redistribution of that southern state were highlighted.
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, said Carlos Pollard Jr. of the organization. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice.
He noted that these changes "play a critical role in who gets elected, how they vote once in office and how they represent communities. However, he recalled that redistricting also occurs at all levels where there is representation.
Thus, having redistricting is important so 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, just 23, who said the process will also affect generations to come, such as his younger brother, who is only eight years old, and his teenage cousins.
For Royce Duplessis, Louisiana's state congressman, the design of the maps should be guided by Census data and population loss and increase.
"But it must go beyond simply looking at the numbers. Maps must be drawn so that communities of interest can stand together, and elect the candidates of their choice."
In that process, he said, Louisiana is at the "halfway point," where the needs of the community are being heard.
"We are promoting public participation to give legislators who will draw the maps the opportunity to hear from communities, because we shouldn't make decisions without hearing what's important to communities," he 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 for his signature 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 whole process and have a public record in order to be as transparent as possible and 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 a loss or increase in population, the maps have to change. It's like the law of physics and a redrawn map is going to impact the surrounding districts. It's a domino effect.
In his opportunity, Duplessis noted that northern Louisiana has registered population losses, while in the southeastern part of the state the effect has been the opposite by observing an increase in residents, which is why, he said, it is necessary for all districts to change in the House of Representatives and the State Senate.
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.
Given that, he reminded that Louisiana has six representatives in Congress, but only one African-American in the entire state, which equates 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 should be the main pillars when redrawing the district maps, as this can significantly impact the lives of the inhabitants.
Redistricting is not just about who gets elected.
According to Denise Ramos, a community organizer with NOLA Garifuna Community Services, redistricting also means that community voices must be 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 minority-led and minority-implemented policies and actions. "We should have a voice to improve the situation of our community and people."
Garifuna in 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 affect non-English speaking communities, a situation that also affects the Asian American community.
It is communities like the Garifuna that are being denied progress, because their needs are being left behind and if there are no representatives who take them into account, the delays will continue for the next decade.
"We owe a debt to our community and children to be able to vote, to be a part of it and to be taken into account to better themselves and be better represented."
For Jacqueline V. Thanh, director of the organization 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 more than 20 countries in Southeast Asia."
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