Across the country, lawmakers are teaming up with the Trump Administration to try to silence Black voters. By redrawing congressional maps to stack the deck with Trump loyalists, their plan is simple: weaken the voices of Black and Brown communities in Congress while protecting the wealthy few.

What they are simply doing is stripping power from our communities and making sure we cannot elect leaders who represent us. But here’s the truth: voters pick politicians, not the other way around.

When Black and Brown voters lose representation, we lose resources for our schools, neighborhoods, and families. It also opens the door for lawmakers to pass harmful budgets and laws that hurt our communities. These attempts to cheat the system are nothing new, but they are as dangerous as ever.

What is Happening in Texas?

Texas lawmakers recently approved racist congressional maps that cut into Black and Latino voting power. If these maps stand, they will weaken our voices in Congress for the next decade, making it harder to fight for fair resources and policies. And Texas is not alone. Similar efforts are happening in Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and Alabama.

Supporters of these maps like to claim they create “new Latino districts,” but history shows otherwise. Gerrymandering has always hurt Latino voters, and when they lose, we all lose. These maps are not about representation. They are about silencing communities of color.

Why Prop 50 Matters in California:

California is doing the opposite. Proposition 50 is our answer. It comes from ACA 8 (Rivas, McGuire) and creates a new temporary congressional map that protects fair representation until the next redistricting cycle. Unlike Texas, the California proposal does not harm Black or Brown seats. Instead, it strengthens our communities by adding five new districts.

Two bills help put this into place:

• SB 280 (Cervantes, Pellerin): Sets the November 4, 2025, Special Election.
• AB 604 (Aguiar-Curry, Gonzalez): Provides the temporary maps if Prop 50 passes.

California is showing the rest of the country what leadership looks like. Instead of silencing voters, we are protecting every vote and every voice.

Proposition 50 is a fair redistricting plan that reflects the will of Californians, including Black and Brown communities that deserve equal and powerful representation. That is why the NAACP California-Hawai’i State Conference is proud to say: Vote YES on Prop 50.

We will not be silenced. Our vote is our voice, and together, we will protect it.