Angela Rye brings tour to Richmond to re-energize Black voters
Why it matters: Through her 10-city State of the People Power Tour, which stops here this weekend, Rye is working to re-energize communities where she says Black voters face rising political pressure and financial hardship.
State of play: The former Congressional Black Caucus adviser and CNN commentator kicked off the tour late last month in Atlanta with the goal of aiding local Black communities through direct relief and political training.
That means more than just speeches, Rye tells Axios.
It's helping with voter registration, utility bills, feeding families and expunging records.
It also includes banned book giveaways and talking to people about how policy changes are affecting them.
The big picture: The tour emerges as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs are dismantled, book bans spread, and federal funding is thrown into uncertainty — particularly in Southern states, where most Black Americans live.
Yes, but: This isn't D.C. encroaching on our city, though. The Richmond stop is hosted by Richmonders for Virginians.
What they're saying: "There's no way we were going to do this and not come to Virginia," Wes Bellamy, political science chair at Virginia State University, tells Axios.
Zoom in: Friday kicks off with a reception and call to action at The Len in Shockoe Bottom.
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