Fight for democracy in Tennessee isn't over, progressive organizers say

Published April 14, 2023 at 7:25 AM CDT

Expelled State Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, delivers remarks outside the state Capitol. (George Walker IV/AP)

A protest for stricter gun laws in Tennessee led to Republicans expelling two House members. Those two, Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, are now back in office.

But progressive organizers in the state say their work fighting attacks on democracy is not over. The removal of Black Democratic lawmakers will not be the last battle they fight against the state’s Republican supermajority.

Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes speaks with Tequila Johnson, executive director for the Equity Alliance Fund in Tennessee. Her group works to empower Black and brown voters across the state.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.