The Louisiana Legislature’s Redistricting Roadshow stops at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University of New Orleans University Center. It’s open to the public, and the stakes are high.

Members of the Senate and House Governmental Affairs Committees will be in attendance. One way or another, we need to demand that when legislators map out new voting districts based on the 2020 census, they must be fair and equitable. One of the important issues to be decided is whether the Legislature will create a second majority-minority Congressional district to more equitably represent Louisiana’s black residents, who make up about one-third of the state. Yet black voters have been cynically gerrymandered into just one of six Congressional Districts.

Here’s how to make your voice heard:

++ Attend the Wednesday, Jan. 5, meeting or others remaining. (You can also watch a livestream at https://redist.legis.la.gov/live.

++ Submit a statement to h&ga@Legis.la.gov.

Redistricting will ultimately be decided in 2022 by the Republican-dominated Legislature, subject to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ approval. The remaining Redistricting Roadshow events:

++ New Orleans, Jan. 5 – 5:30-8:30 p.m., University Center, UNO.

++ Thibodaux, Jan. 11 – 5:30-8:30 p.m., Cotillion Ballroom, Nicholls State University.

++ Baton Rouge, Jan. 20 – 11 a.m., Louisiana State Capitol building.

The Power Coalition, a non-profit organization that supports voter rights, offers resources online to help you understand the issues and get involved. For more, click these:

https://powercoalition.org/redistricting/

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/#testimony

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/

https://powercoalition.org/redistrictingresources/#glossary

https://powercoalition.org/census-2020-data-takeaways/

All together now: Let’s support voter rights and fair and equitable redistricting — and let legislators know how we feel!