The historic 18th Congressional District is among the districts on the coronary heart of Texas Republicans’ redistricting (gerrymandering) efforts, which have made nationwide information.
On Thursday, Aug. 28, most people will be capable of hear from and query 5 of the practically 20 candidates operating for the District 18 seat as they sq. off throughout the “CD18 Candidates Discussion board: Floor Zero for Justice.”
The 5 candidates that will likely be on stage on the discussion board are (in alphabetical order) Zoe Cadore, Amanda Edwards, Isaiah Martin, Christian Menefee and Robert Slater.
The 5 individuals have been chosen on Aug. 26 by the duly elected CD18 Precinct Chairs.
“These grassroots leaders have been interviewing candidates, attending boards and reviewing platforms for months,” mentioned Melanie Miles Bazil of the Harris County Democratic Occasion (HCDP). “They [voted] to determine the 5 candidates they imagine finest characterize the vary of concepts and viability for CD18.”
The ultimate slate of 5 candidates to take part within the discussion board was introduced at 8 a.m. on Aug. 27 on the CD18 Fb web page.”
The discussion board will likely be held at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church (3826 Wheeler Ave, Houston, TX 77004) from 6:30 p.m. to eight p.m.
“It is just becoming that [Wheeler] assist present a platform the place the group can hear straight from candidates who aspire to hold ahead the legacy of brave, principled management that has at all times been synonymous with CD18,” mentioned Dr. Angela Ravin-Anderson, director of Wheeler’s social justice ministry. Anderson referenced Wheeler’s “lengthy legacy of advocacy and civic management,” led by Wheeler’s founding pastor, Rev. Dr. William Alexander Lawson, throughout the Civil Rights Motion.
“At present, below the management of Pastor Marcus D. Cosby, we proceed that legacy by standing on the forefront of the combat in opposition to racist gerrymandering and all efforts to silence the voices of our group,” added Ravin-Anderson.
“This discussion board is not only about politics — it’s about justice, accountability and making certain that the voices of our group stay robust and unwavering.”
Dr. Angela Ravin-Anderson
District 18 residents have been with out illustration since U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s demise on March 5. That can change within the Nov. 4 particular election referred to as by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Turner gained the seat vacated by the demise of U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who held it for 29 years.
The discussion board is sponsored by the Harris County Democratic Occasion, Black Ladies of Better Houston PAC (BWGH) and Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
“As Black girls, we have now at all times been on the forefront of civic engagement and advocacy, making certain that our voices are heard in each house the place coverage is formed,” mentioned Argentina James, the BWGH VP of coverage. “By internet hosting this discussion board, we’re persevering with that custom, making a platform the place the group can hear straight from the candidates, ask the onerous questions and determine who will finest carry ahead a imaginative and prescient of fairness, progress and alternative for all.”
The discussion board’s media sponsors embody Fox 26 and the Defender Community.
“Since our founding in 1930, the Defender has amplified the group’s voices and civic participation,” mentioned Defender Particular Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha. “The discussion board continues that legacy by placing the candidates for the historic 18th Congressional District straight in entrance of our readers, centering the problems that matter to Houston’s residents and offering clear, nonpartisan data forward of the November election day.”
Fox 26 reporter Greg Groogan and the Defender Community’s writer and proprietor Sonny Messiah Jiles will reasonable the discussion board.
“This discussion board is not only about politics — it’s about justice, accountability and making certain that the voices of our group stay robust and unwavering,” acknowledged Ravin-Anderson.
