Poder Latinx Reflects on First Anniversary of Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2022
CONTACT:
Jackie Elisa Smith | 989-576-1996 jsmith@poderlatinx.org
Poder Latinx Reflects on First Anniversary of Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol
WASHINGTON- At the one year anniversary of the white nationalist attack on the Capitol, Poder Latinx remains steadfast in the belief that those of us who value our democracy must do everything in our power to preserve it. As a result of the attack, five people died, dozens were injured, and over 700 have been convicted on federal charges based on a lie that the election was illegitimate.
“Democracy cannot be thwarted by violent actions taken by nationalist extremist groups, unwilling to accept people’s will. As the 2022 midterm elections near, Poder Latinx emphasizes the need to keep democracy at the heart of everything we do. We denounce the actions that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021, and fight to ensure that this does not happen again. We will continue to fight for communities of color and push our calls to action to get voters to the polls. Our response to the violent rioting incited at the United States Capitol is to continue mobilizing our communities, reminding us how crucial the work we are doing is. We will fight fear and violence with voter registration and education, voter protection programs, and all the resources we can provide to ensure everyone exercises their right to vote. Those who support the actions taken on Jan. 6 should not be put in office, and we will do everything we can to make sure that they are not. The Senate should act now to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act,” said Yadira Sanchez, co-executive director of Poder Latinx.
“A year ago, our participatory democracy was attacked, and the fragility of our democracy was pronounced. A minority representation of people, not representative of our country, our democracy, or the last election’s results, threatened the majority’s will, violently undermining a transfer of power while under the banner of a hateful and oppressive executive administration. An administration that consistently villainized and belittled our immigrant and Latinx communities. And what set this off was honest civic participation in record numbers that flipped the White House and the House of Representatives, where our Latinx community played a pivotal role. While our national symbols may not withstand the test of time and violence, our will and numbers are undeniable and inevitable. We are a concrete foundation of tomorrow’s democracy. We should thoughtfully reflect back and take action. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Build Back Better Act are obvious next steps that should be voted favorably on, because just as on Jan. 6, 2021, our community is watching,” said Esteban Garces, co-executive director of Poder Latinx.