Cleveland, Ohio- “Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity, Defeat Poverty” outlines the initiatives under the National Urban League’s “D3.” The initiatives are designed to advocate against civil injustice, discrimination, and organize protection for a democracy that is under attack.
On Tuesday, during the ‘Advancing Civil Rights and Economic Empowerment in Cleveland and Beyond’ forum at The City Club of Cleveland, National Urban League President Marc H. Morial stated, “Democracy will die under self-suppression.” League affiliates and their communities can use their new report, State of Emergency: Democracy, Civil Rights and Progress Under Attack, to understand the national organization’s plans to enact D3 initiatives to rebuild democracy and secure the legacy of Black America’s contributions.
The 49th edition of State of Black America report discusses the reversal of progress, liberty and the rise of authoritarianism. It also details the origins of these social pushbacks, how they are being executed, and the National Urban League’s plans to address this “state of emergency.”
In this particular edition of ‘State of Black America,’ the report defines itself as a warning to readers and declares that 2025 “has seen the most volatility in modern history.” Page three explains how the report was initially going to be a Voting Rights Act of 1965-centered commentary but morphed into an exposition of critical insights and initiatives to be taken under the current political and social landscape.
On page four, “From The President’s Desk,” President Morial writes, “A democracy willing to destroy itself rather than deliver justice is a democracy in crisis.” Morial focuses on this “state of emergency,” differentiating it from political disputes or shifting politics, and acknowledges the current political efforts as a “deliberate, coordinated effort to deny the future of a more just and inclusive America.”
To Morial, it is a blatant backtrack for liberty and justice for all. Morial defines these pushbacks as an evolution in voter suppression tactics, the attack and vilification of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the repurposing of federal departments for harm. His concluding sentiments speak highly of Black America and the League’s relentlessness in the face of hardship and injustice.
What We Stand To Lose
Section one presents a timeline of “seismic cracks” to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the freedoms earned as a result of that landmark legislation. In 2013, the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby v. Holder discarded Section 5, weakening the Voting Act’s protection against discrimination.
Additionally, the Supreme Court’s decision to gut affirmative action, Section 2 of the Voting Act is also under increased scrutiny—the argument being that any mention of race in voting procedures is unconstitutional. These “cracks” allowed for major reversals of protections enacted to ensure equality. The report cites the denial of multilingual voting materials, gerrymandering, and bans on mail-in and early voting as contributors to discrimination.
‘How the War on “Woke” is Fueling Systemic Oppression and the Assault on Civil Rights
This section starts after the 2020 murder of George Floyd, explaining how this event became the catalyst for the “anti-woke” movement— a condemnation of social equality. This sparked political and legislative action against anything “woke,” including the dismantling of affirmative action and a crackdown on race-based grants and scholarships.
‘The Radicalization of the Civil Rights Division’
Section three. discusses the weaponization of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. It highlights how, through Trump’s presidency, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has enabled the destruction of democracy by pardoning the January 6th rioters, election tamperers, and attacking universities and companies with DEI initiatives. The radicalization and weaponization of the DOJ endangers the enforcement of civil rights.
‘Muted: How Digital Censorship & Misinformation Undermine Democracy’
Section four centers on social media. The report highlights how billionaires have tainted platforms with their own political agendas, propaganda, rhetoric and hate mongering.” Upon Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, now known as X, platform users saw an uptick in right-wing extremist content from inflated accounts while progressive accounts were shadow-banned. Additionally, platforms like Meta have gutted their moderation and safety teams in the name of “free speech” and also compromised user privacy.
Sections five and six speak to the public resistance of these injustices, as well as the Urban League’s response. In a lawsuit, the National Urban League, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Lambda Legal challenged three anti-equity executive orders enacted by the Trump administration. Those orders would impact groups like the National Fair Housing Alliance and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago from providing adequate resources to marginalized groups.
Moreover, the Urban League has enacted frameworks, advocacy plans, and campaigns in response to the pushbacks. The Equitable Justice and Strategic Initiatives division was installed after George Floyd’s death and the 21 Pillars for Redefining Public Safety and Restoring Community. To prepare for the upcoming fiscal year, the Urban League launched the Fair Budget Coalition with the mission of a “just and fair federal budget.”
‘How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Protects and Advances Democratic Ideals’
The report concludes by providing evidence that non-discriminatory practices result in better voter turnout. It cites that DEI practices championed equitable literacy and access to education. which led to educated constituents and increased representation in democratic institutions, and built a stronger relationship with underrepresented voters. The report also outlines how DEI-oriented initiatives spurred an increase in voter turnout: a 9% increase in young voter turnout when Colorado enacted vote-at-home voting centers. The report also highlights survey results where 81% of the people surveyed were in favor of ranked choice voting.
The National Urban League is kicking off its annual conference in Cleveland this week at the Huntington Convention Center while celebrating its 115th anniversary. During Wednesday’s State of the Urban League address, Morial reminded the audience of the organization’s and Black America’s resistance and resilience in the face of a state of emergency. The State of the Urban League address was used to unveil the organization’s ‘D3’ focus. Morial declared, “We’re gonna fight ‘til Hell freezes over…then we’ll fight on the ice.”
