% >>> WELCOME TO "NO ""NOON
% WEDNESDAY"," I'M MARISA WOJCIK
% WITH "HERE & NOW" ON PBS
% WISCONSIN.
% TODAY IS OCTOBER 20.
% WISCONSIN IS IN THE THROES OF
% REDISTRICTING, DONE ONCE EVERY
% TEN YEARS.
% THE PROCESS IC USES THE LATEST
% CENSUS DATA TO REDRAW STATE
% SENATE DISTRICTS AND ASSEMBLY
% AND COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL LINES
% AS WELL.
% A GROUP OF RESIDENTS IS
% PARTICULARLY LEFT BEHIND IN THE
% PROCESS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
% INCARCERATED AND LOST THEIR
% RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT THEY ARE
% COUNTED -- BUT THE WAY THEY ARE
% COUNTED STILL HAS BIG IMPACTS.
% WE ARE JOINED JEROME DILLARD AND
% PATTY WEST-SCHRODER, THANK YOU
% BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
% >> JEROME, I WANT TO START WITH
% YOU.
% A NEW REPORT RELEASED THIS PAST
% WEEK SAYS WISCONSIN INCARCERATES
% BLACK ADULTS AT A RATE MORE THAN
% DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
% WISCONSIN IS THE WORST FOR THE
% RATES.
% ROUGHLY 1 OUT OF EVERY 36 BLACK
% RESIDENTS ARE INCARCERATED.
% DID THIS COME AS A SURPRISE TO
% YOU, AND HOW DID THIS STATE GET
% TO THIS POINT?
% >> WELL, IT DID NOT COME AS A
% SURPRISE TO ME, AND ALTHOUGH IT
% IS A NEW REPORT, I BELIEVE THAT,
% TRULY, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN THE
% SAME FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES FOR
% THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% WE'VE WITH ALWAYS LINGERED IN
% THE TOP TIER OF ONE OF THE WORST
% STATES IN THE COUNTRY TO BE
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND RACIAL
% DISPARITIES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL
% JUSTICE SYSTEM.
% SO --%>> AND, AGAIN, HOW DID
WE GET
% HERE?%>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL,
YOU KNOW,
% IT IS NOT JUST THOSE WHO ARE
% INCARCERATED BECAUSE I WANT TO
% SAY THAT CORRECTIONS ONLY
% RECEIVE THOSE THAT THE COURTS
% SENT TO THEM.
% THE COURTS ONLY RECEIVE THOSE
% WHO ARE ADJUDICATED BY THE
% DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
% THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ONLY IS
% CHARGING VOLITION, DOING
% ARRESTS.
% SO IT STARTS EARLY ON.
% IT STARTS WITH POLICING ALL THE
% WAY UP TO THOSE WHO ARE
% SUPERVISED UNDER WHAT WE CALL
% "COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS," WHICH
% IS A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT
% OF CORRECTIONS.
% I FEEL THAT THE SCHOOL TO PRISON
% PIPELINE IS STILL ALIVE AND
% GOING HERE IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.
% I ALSO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
% RACIAL DISPARITIES ARE SOMETHING
% WE ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS, AND ON
% SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AROUND THE
% STATE, THERE WERE RACIAL
% DISPARITIES TASK FORCE WHO DID
% PLANNING, LOOKING AT THE
% DISPARITIES IN THEIR COUNTIES,
% AND THE MUNICIPALITIES, AND I'M
% IN DANE COUNTY, AN WE CAME UP
% WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AFTER 18
% MONTHS OF MEETING AS THE DANE%
COUNTY RACIAL DISPARITIES TASK
% FORCE, AND WE CAME UP WITH MANY
% RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT VERY FEW
% WERE IMPLEMENTED.
% I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE
% MISSING THE BOAT HERE AS
% IMPLEMENTING THOSE RESULTS THAT
% COME OUT OF THEE PARTICULAR WORK
% GROUPS.%>> AND, PEGGY, WHY D
OES THE
% CENSUS COUNTING THE HOME ADDRESS
% OF SOMEONE WHO IS CURRENTLY
% INCARCERATED AT THE ADDRESS OF
% WHERE THE PRISON OR JAIL IS
% LOCATED AND NOT WHERE THEY LAST
% LIVED?
% WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN?
% >> --
% >> PEGGY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
% >> OH, YEAH, I CAN.
% SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS
% DIRECTED TOWARDS ME.
% WHAT HAPPENS IS IN THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN, YOU ARE COUNTED AS --
% YOU ARE COUNTED IF YOU ARE
% INCARCERATED IN THE FACILITY%
THAT YOU ARE INCARCERATED IN.
% SO THAT BOTH HAS FINANCIAL AND
% POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS TO THOSE
% COMMUNITIES.
% SO YOU GET MONEY ACCORDING TO
% HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU'RE COUNTING
% IN YOUR CENSUS, WHICH IS THE
% MOTIVATION, OBVIOUSLY, FOR
% COUNTING THEM THERE, BUT
% POLITICALLY, WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
% AND THIS CENSUS IS A GREAT
% EXAMPLE OF THAT.
% SO MILWAUKEE COUNTY HAS LOST
% 17,000 PEOPLE FROM ITS CENSUS.
% ALL OF THOSE 17,000 PEOPLE,
% MAJORITY OF THEM, ARE INCOURSE
% RATED IN OTHER PART --
% INCARCERATED IN OTHER PARTS OF
% THE STATE.
% MY HUSBAND IS AN EXAMPLE.
% HE'S INCARCERATED IN RED GRANITE
% AND COUNTED IN THE CENSUS IN RED
% GRANITE, RETURNED HOME TO
% MILWAUKEE COUNTY IN APRIL.
% HE'S ONLY LITERALLY LIVED IN RED
% GRANITE FOR FOUR MONTHS, AND NOW
% THAT MONEY AND THOSE RESOURCES
% THAT COME WITH THAT MONEY AND
% HIS POLITICAL, YOU KNOW -- THE
% POLITICAL CLUB THAT COMES WITH
% THAT MONEY OR WITH THAT COUNT
% ALSO STAYED IN RED GRANITE, AND
% SO WE ARE IN A SITUATION, AGAIN,
% HERE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WHERE
% WE WITH ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO
% LOSE PEOPLE OF COLOR
% REPRESENTATION, DISTRICTS OF
% COLOR BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS NO
% LONGER SUPPORT WHAT, YOU KNOW,
% WHAT OUR POPULATION IS.
% SO OUR POPULATION NO LONGER
% SUPPORTS OR GIVES US THIS
% NUMBERS, BUT, AGAIN, WE KNOW THE
% PEOPLE WILL BE RETURNING AND
% MOST LIKELY BEFORE THE TEN YEARS
% ARE UP TO AN ADDRESS IN
% MILWAUKEE COUNTY, AND THIS
% HAPPENS ACROSS THE STATE.
% THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT THEN
% SKIES YOUR RACIAL DISPARITY
% NUMBERS.
% IF YOU LOOK AT 28%
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN, WELL, THE
% MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE COMING
% BECAUSE THEY COUNTED PEOPLE IN
% THE PRISON, AND NOT BECAUSE IT
% IS ORGANIC TO THE COUNTY.
% SO IF THERE'S GRANT MONEY
% AVAILABLE, RESOURCES AVAILABLE,
% FOR COMMUNITY OF COLOR, YOU CAN
% PICK OUT A DISTRICT, LIKE, OH,
% YEAH, THERE'S PEOPLE OF COLOR
% HERE, AND THEY SHOULD THEN HAVE
% ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES, WHEN,
% IN REALITY, THEY DON'T HAVE
% ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES BECAUSE
% THEY ARE INCARCERATED.
% >> AND, PEGGY, WHAT IS THE
% DEMOGRAPHIC OF WHERE THESE
% PRISONS ARE LOCATED IN THE
% STATE?
% WHAT IMPACTS DOES IT HAVE IN
% THAT COMMUNITY THAT LIES WITHIN
% TO COUNT INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN
% THAT DISTRICT?%>> YOU'RE TALK
ING VERY SMALL
% COMMUNITIES.
% MOST PRISONS IN THE STATE OTHER
% THAN MILWAUKEE SECURE DETENTION
% FACILITY AND RACINE CORRECTIONAL
% FACILITY ARE IN VERY SMALL
% COMMUNITIES.
% GREEN BAY'S A LITTLE BIGGER
% VISIBILITY, BUT YOU HAVE GORDON
% UP NORTH WHERE PEOPLE, A LOT OF
% TIMES, DO NOT KNOW WHERE THAT
% IS.
% CHIPPEWA.
% WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS CREATING A
% FALSE POPULATION THERE BECAUSE
% YOU ARE COUNTING PEOPLE THAT ARE
% INCARCERATED THERE.
% PEOPLE WHO DON'T USE THE ROADS.
% PEOPLE WHO DON'T, YOU KNOW, SHOP
% IN THOSE LOCAL -- THEY DO GET
% AMBULANCE SERVICE, OBVIOUSLY,
% BUT THEY, FOR THE MOST PART
% DON'T GO TO THE HOSPITALS IN
% THOSE AREAS.
% THEY ARE TRANSPORTED TO
% HOSPITALS THAT ARE CONFIGURED TO
% SERVE THEM, AND SO YOU HAVE
% RESOURCES, AGAIN, THAT ARE BEING
% ALLOCATED THROUGH THE CENSUS,
% THROUGH THIS COUNT, BUT IT IS A
% FALSE COUNT.
% SO PART OF WHAT UNLOCK THE VOTE
% LEGISLATION ASKS IS IT ASKS FOR
% THE STATE OF WISCONSIN TO CHANGE
% THE WAY THAT WE COUNT PEOPLE,
% AND TO ACTUALLY COUNT PEOPLE
% FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY
% HAVE TO RETURN TO WHEN THEY ARE
% RELEASED VERSUS WHERE THEY ARE
% PHYSICALLY LOCATED AT THIS
% MOMENT.%>> JEROME, ONE STATI
STIC
% REPORTED BY THE "JOURNAL SENT
% KNOLL" SAID IT IS EQUIVALENT TO
% THE ADULT POPULATION OF A
% TYPICAL ASSEMBLY DISTRICT.
% DOES THIS POPULATION HAVE ANY
% VOICE OR ABILITY FOR THEIR
% INTEREST TO BE REPRESENTED IN
% THAT DISTRICT?
% >> FORTUNATELY, NO, WE DO NOT
% HAVE ANY VOICE IN THOSE
% DISTRICTS.
% THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS
% INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN OUR
% COMMUNITY, PAYING TAXES,
% WORKING, TAKING CARE OF THEIR
% FAMILIES, BUT YET STILL HAVE NO
% SAY IN SCHOOL, WHO IS ON THE
% CHILDREN'S SCHOOL BOARD, WHO
% REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY THAT
% THEY LIVE IN.
% YOU KNOW, TAXATION WITHOUT
% REPRESENTATION HAS BEEN MY PET
% PEEVE.%THAT'S PART OF THE REA
SON WE
% STARTED UNLOCK THE VOTE CAMPAIGN
% IN 2019 -- 2017, WE ACTUALLY
% LOOKED AT IT, AND 2019, WE WERE
% ABLE TO GET SOME LEGISLATION
% WRITTEN ON THAT, BUT IT DID NOT
% GET ANYWHERE.%THE FACT OF TH
E MATTER IS THAT
% MANY INDIVIDUALS IN WISCONSIN
% ARE ROUGHLY 47,000, BETWEEN
% 44,000 AND 47,000 INDIVIDUALS
% UNDER THE CONTROL OF COMMUNITY
% CORRECTIONS IN WISCONSIN, AND AS
% LONG AS YOU'RE ON SUPERVISION,
% PAROLE, OR PROBATION, YOU CANNOT
% CAST A BALLOT.
% YOU HAVE NOT GAINED YOUR
% CITIZENSHIP, BUT THERE'S BEEN A
% TREND AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE
% WE ARE SEEING WHEN INDIVIDUALS
% LEAVE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES,
% AUTOMATICALLY THEIR VOTING
% RIGHTS ARE REINSTATED, AND OVER
% THE YEARS, I'VE JUST SEEN STATE
% AFTER STATE GRANT THESE RIGHTS,
% AND, RECENTLY, WE JUST HAD THE
% GOVERNOR OF IOWA, WHO DID AN
% EXECUTIVE ORDER TO GET GRANT
% VOTING RIGHTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO
% ARE PAYING TAXES, WHO ARE IN THE
% COMMUNITY, AND TAKING CARE OF
% THEIR FAMILIES, AND SO I THINK
% IT IS A THE RIGHT THING TO DO,
% TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AND WE
% SHOULD NEVER LOSE OUR VOTING
% RIGHTS, BUT WE ARE MAKING THAT
% COMPROMISE TO SAY, LET US VOTE
% ONCE WE ARE BACK IN THE
% COMMUNITY, AND I DON'T THINK
% THAT'S ASKING TOO MUCH, BUT I
% KNOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION,
% THEY HAVE NO SAY.
% >> AND, JEROME, WHAT ABOUT THOSE
% WHO SAY, WELL, SOMEONE IN PRISON
% HAS FORFEITED THEIR RIGHT TO
% VOTE, AND TECHNICALLY, THEY DO
% HAVE REPRESENTATION IF THEY ARE
% ABLE TO CONTACT THE
% REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT DISTRICT
% IS THAT ENOUGH OF AN ABILITY TO
% CONNECT WITH A REPRESENTATIVE IN
% THE AREA?
% >> WELL, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT
% THE AREA WHERE THEY ARE HOUSED,
% OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE AREA
% WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM?
% YOU KNOW, THERE'S --
% >> WHERE THEY ARE HOUSED.
% >> THERE'S A DISTINCTION THERE.
% DOCTOR YEAH.
% >> YEAH.
% >> WELL, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
% NOUN WHATSOEVER.
% I MEAN, WHEN YOU ARE SERVING
% TIME IN DODGE COUNTY, WHICH HAS
% SEVERAL PRISONS THERE, IT REALLY
% BOOSTS NUMBERS OF COUNTY
% RESIDENTS IN DODGE COUNTY
% BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUR ACTIVE
% PRISONS IN THAT COUNTY.
% YET, STILL, THEY CAN -- IF THEY
% CONTACT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE
% FROM ANYWHERE IN THAT AREA, THEY
% ARE NOT GOING TO GET A RESPONSE.
% THEY ARE LOOKED AT, BUT
% PRISONERS, TEMPORARY RESIDENTS,
% THEY COULD BE LOOKED AT FROM
% MANY DIFFERENT VIEWS, BUT, NO,
% THEY WILL NOT GET A RESPONSE.
% WE HAVE NO SAY.
% >> PEGGY, WHAT EFFECT DOES THIS
% HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY FROM WHICH
% THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED
% ACTUALLY CALL THEIR HOME?
% >> WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE
% WERE LOSING REPRESENTATION, AND
% SO IF YOU'RE NOT BEING COUNTED
% WHERE YOU ARE FROM, THEN YOU --
% YOUR REPRESENTATION STAYS WHERE
% YOU WERE INCARCERATED, AND AS
% JEROME JUST STATED, YOU KNOW, WE
% HAVE VERY ABYSMAL DOESN'TS TO
% GET A RESPONSE -- ABYSMAL
% OPPORTUNITIES TO GET A RESPONSE
% FROM OUR STATE SENATORS.
% THEY HAVE HIRED SOMEONE TO
% DIRECTLY IMPACT WORK IN HER
% OFFICE, AND SHE RETURNS PHONE
% CALLS.
% SHE'S ONE OF THE ONLY STATE
% REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE HAVE
% HEARD OF WHO DO THIS, AND THEN,
% YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE LITERALLY IN
% A SITUATION WHERE YOU COULD --
% WE COULD LOSE CONGRESSIONAL
% SEATS.
% THE WAY THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL
% MAPS ARE DRAWN IN WISCONSIN
% LEAVES A LOT TO QUESTION HOW
% EXACTLY THAT HAPPENS, BUT IF YOU
% TAKE A LOOK, AGAIN, YOU HAVE
% MILWAUKEE, WHICH IS THE
% LARGEST -- THE ECONOMIC ENGINE
% OF THE STATE, BUT YET WE HAVE
% THE SMALLEST CONGRESSIONAL
% DISTRICT, AND THEN YOU TAKE A
% LOOK AT THE OTHER PLACES IN THE
% STATE WHERE THERE ARE PRISONS,
% AND THEIR DISTRICTS ARE MUCH
% LARGER, AND, YOU KNOW, IT BEGS
% TO QUESTION, YOU KNOW, HOW DID
% THIS HAPPEN?
% AND, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER, PART
% OF THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION
% IS, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING
% COUNTED IN PLACES THAT THEY DO
% NOT LIVE.
% THAT WOULDN'T BE TERRIBLE IF WE
% WERE NOT -- THEY WERE NOT
% BENEFITING FROM BEING COUNTED IN
% THE DISTRICTS BOTH POLITICALLY
% AND FINANCIALLY.
% >> AND, SO, IS IT AN ISSUE OF
% THE CENSUS NEEDS TO CHANGE WHAT
% INFORMATION THEY ARE GATHERING?
% DOES IT NEED TO SAY WHEREAS IF
% YOU ARE INCARCERATED, WHERE IS
% YOUR PERMANENT RESIDENCE?
% WHAT IS THE LOCATION?
% >> YES.
% >> WHAT IS THE LOCATION OF YOUR
% PRISON OR DOES IT HAVE TO COME
% IN THE FORM OF MORE LEGISLATION
% FROM THE STATE SIDE OF WHAT THEY
% THEN DO WITH THE CENSUS DATA?
% >> WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOTH.
% WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM COUNT%
PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY.
% WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE
% COUNTED.
% AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE
% OF WISCONSIN, YOU HAVE TO RETURN
% TO THE DISTRICT THAT YOU WERE
% CHARGED IN.
% SO IT IS NOT AS IF SOMEONE HAS
% THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY.
% WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME.
% PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THE
% COMMUNITY, HAVE JOBS THERE, AND
% THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO STAY
% THERE.
% THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE
% COMMUNITY THAT THEY COME FROM.
% YET, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY
% AND RESOURCES THAT COME FROM
% THEM BEING COUNTED IN THAT
% CENSUS STAY THERE.
% AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE,
% YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT
% PROCESS CHANGED.
% WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE IT SET
% IN STONE THROUGH SOME
% LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
% >> JEROME, HOW MUCH OF THIS
% KINDS OF -- KIND OF ENDS UP
% BEING A FEEDBACK LOOP?
% THESE DISTRICTS LOSE
% REPRESENTATION THAT COULD LEAD
% TO REPRESENTATION IN THEIR
% DISTRICTS AND ENACTING POLICIES,
% OR IT COULD MEAN FUNDING, AND
% THEN WE GO BACK TO WISCONSIN
% HAVING SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES
% OF DISPARITIES IN MANY DIFFERENT
% WAYS.
% IS IT DIFFICULT WHEN LAWMAKERS
% ARE IN CHARGE OF PASSING THESE
% MAPS TO ACTUALLY MAKE ANY END
% ROADS ON THIS ISSUE?
% >> WELL, I FEEL THAT, NO,
% THERE'S -- THEY REALLY DON'T
% WANT TO MAKE ANY END ROADS.
% THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE
% CENSUS IS TAKING EVERY TEN
% YEARS.
% SAY, FOR INSTANCE, THAT FOX LAKE
% ARE DOING A CENSUS, DURING A
% YEAR THEY TAKE THE CENSUS, I'LL
% REMAIN ON THAT COUNT FOR THE
% NEXT TEN YEARS, ALTHOUGH I,
% THREE MONTHS LATER, I GET OUT,
% AND I HEAD BACK TO MILWAUKEE OR
% MADISON OR RACINE.
% I AM STILL COUNTED AS A RESIDENT
% FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS OF THAT
% COUNTY.
% SO, NO, YOU KNOW, DRAWING THE
% MAPS AND EVERYTHING IS JUST
% ANOTHER ADVANTAGE.
% I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF
% GERRYMANDERING.
% THE COUNT ON INDIVIDUALS
% INCARCERATED.%>> JEROME, WHA
T DOES Z THIS MEAN
% FOR WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THE
% CORNERSTONE OF DEMOCRACY AND
% GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF REDRAWING
% THESE MAPS WHERE ONE PERSON
% EQUALS ONE VOTE?
% DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WITH THE WAY
% MAPS ARE DRAWN AND THE CENSUS
% COUNTS THIS INFORMATION, THAT WE
% ARE TRULY HAVING ONE PERSON
% EQUALS ONE VOTE?
% >> OH, WELL, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
% THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE
% EVEN HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR
% COMMUNITIES, AGAIN, WHO ARE TAX
% PAYING CITIZENS, WHO CANNOT
% VOTE.
% I THINK IT'S BEEN DESIGNED TO
% IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES THIS WAY,
% AND THERE'S NO WILL TO CHANGE
% THINGS IN OUR STATE.
% I MEAN, THIS IS NOTHING NEW.
% YOU KNOW, I CAN RECALL, YOU
% KNOW, GETTING OUT OF PRISON AND
% SPENDING FIVE YEARS IN THE
% COMMUNITY NOT FEELING THAT I WAS
% A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY FOR THE
% SIMPLE FACT THAT I COULD NOT
% CAST A BALLOT.
% THAT BOTHERED ME.
% AND I'VE SEEN INDIVIDUALS WHO
% ARE ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT FOR
% THE FIRST TIME, HOW THAT
% REJUVENATES THEM AND FEEL THEY
% ARE A PART OF SOMETHING.
% OFTENTIMES, WE FEEL WE ARE NOT A
% PART OF AMERICA BECAUSE WE HAVE
% NO SAY.
% WE HAVE NO VOTING RIGHTS.
% WE HAVE NO SAY IN ANYTHING AS
% FAR AS REPRESENTATION GOES, AND
% I -- IT HAS TO CHANGE.
% I FEEL THAT REHABILITATION,
% BEING ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT,
% GETTING YOUR VOTING RIGHTS BACK,
% IT IS A HUGE PART OF THAT
% REHABILITATION, THAT REENTRY
% PROCESS.
% YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT THIS
% IS AN UPHILL CLIMB, BUT WE'RE
% GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND
% DEMAND THAT CITIZENS GET THEIR
% RIGHTS TO VOTE BECAUSE WE ARE
% CITIZENS.
% >> PEGGY, AS JEROME MENTIONED
% EARLIER, OTHER STATES HAVE MADE
% MOVES TO CHANGE THIS CYCLE.
% THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF HOW THE
% CENSUS COUNTS PEOPLE FOR A VERY,
% VERY LONG TIME.
% IS YOUR ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO
% GO THE ROUTE OF HOW OTHER STATES
% HAVE ADDRESSED THIS?
% WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE STEPS
% THAT EXPO IS LOOKING TO TAKE?
% >> WE HAVE LEGISLATION BEING
% DRAFTED AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND
% SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE
% PUSHING THIS.
% THE OTHER THING IS WE ARE DOING
% A TON OF EDUCATION LETTING
% PEOPLE KNOW SO THEY ARE AWARE OF
% WHAT IS HAPPENING.
% A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
% THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT
% COUNTED IN THE DISTRICTS THEY
% LIVE IN, BUT INSTEAD THEY ARE
% BEING COUNTED IN OTHER PLACES,
% AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
% PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S
% HAPPENING AND CAN SUPPORT THE
% LEGISLATION WHEN IT COMES UP.
% WE'LL DEFINITELY CONTINUE.
% WE HAVE A GOVERNOR'S ELECTION IN
% 2022, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY
% CONTINUE HAVING, YOU KNOW,
% CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POWERS
% THAT BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO
% HAVE FAIR MAPS IN WISCONSIN, AND
% THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HOLD ON TO
% REPRESENTATION IN COMMUNITIES OF
% COLOR.
% WE ALL WANT TO HAVE
% REPRESENTATION THAT LOOKS LIKE
% US.
% IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT,
% WE HAVE TO FAIRLY BE COUNTED
% PEOPLE WHERE THEY BELONG.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE,
% JEROME DILLARD AND PEGGY
% WEST-SCHRODER, THANK YOU BOTH
% VERY, VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US
% TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, YOU CAN VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG/NEWS, AND THANK%
YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON
% "NOON WEDNESDAY."