Catholic Social Justice Lobby: D.C. Statehood is a Racial Justice Issue

For Immediate Release: June 26, 2020
Contact: Lee Morrow, lmorrow@networklobby.org, 202-601-7871

Catholic Social Justice Lobby: D.C. Statehood is a Racial Justice Issue
Sr. Quincy: “With a majority Black and brown population, the fight for D.C. statehood cannot be separated from the struggle for racial justice in our nation.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice applauds the House of Representatives for voting to make the 706,000 residents of Washington, D.C. full members of the American story by passing H.R. 51, the Washington D.C. Admission Act. Voting representation is the foundation of our democracy, and if passed into law, this legislation would finally extend it to the people of D.C. With a majority Black and brown population currently disenfranchised from representation, D.C. statehood is a racial justice issue.

Our nation was founded on the principle of self-governance, but the people of D.C. do not have control over their own laws or their own budget. Residents of the District must no longer be denied this sacred right and responsibility – it is time for the Senate to act.

Sister Quincy Howard, OP, Government Relations Specialist for NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice said:

“With a majority Black and brown population, the fight for D.C. statehood cannot be separated from the struggle for racial justice in our nation. Recent federal occupation by armed forces against the will of Mayor Muriel Bowser could only happen without statehood, and it is the latest example of the federal government ignoring the voices of people of color.

“As a Catholic Sister, I believe that it is every citizen’s right and responsibility to participate in the political process as an expression of their inherent dignity. But today, over 700,000 people, neighbors to our nation’s epicenter of democracy, are stripped of their most fundamental right to representation. This historic legislation brings us closer to achieving long-awaited racial equity and reaching a more just system of political representation.  We urge the Senate to take up H.R. 51 and grant Washington, D.C. the sovereignty, the rights, and the dignity of statehood.”

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NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters – educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a 46-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org