There are several states that revoke a persons right to vote after a felony conviction. Florida is one of those states, and according to Judith Browne Dianis its laws are in place to silence black voices.
Dianis tells Roland Martin that The Advancement Project is working to restore voting rights to convicted felons. Because, “if you lack Political voice, you can’t change the climate of your community,” she says.
When they are released from prison people return to neighborhoods with “high poverty rates, high unemployment” and little opportunity, Dianis says.
She went on to explain that a conviction also “impacts jobs” because if you can’t vote you can’t get certain licences; like a barbers license or cosmetology license.
The Project released a new report called Democracy Disappeared, that goes into detail about how Florida silences black voices.
An amendment that will change the laws will be on the ballot in Nov, and Dianis believes “it will give people their voice back.”
