Somebody Has to Say It: The Maps Have Passed. Now What?

The maps have passed.

The Legislature approved them. The governor is expected to sign them. And unless the courts intervene, Louisiana will move forward with a congressional map that reduces Black voters' opportunity to elect candidates of their choice from two districts to one.

So what now?

First, let's be honest about what this moment is—and what it isn't.

This is not the time for despair. This is not the time for excuses. And this is certainly not the time to convince ourselves that voting doesn't matter.

If voting didn't matter, there wouldn't be such an aggressive effort to redraw maps, reshape districts, and control who has political power.

The truth is that Black people have always understood the importance of voting. We have been taught that lesson for generations. We know the sacrifices that were made to secure that right.

The challenge is not knowledge. The challenge is consistency.

Too often, we get frustrated. We get disappointed. We grow tired of seeing the same battles over and over again. And sometimes that frustration turns into disengagement.

But we cannot afford the luxury of disengagement. Not now.

Because while some of us are deciding whether it's worth showing up, others are showing up every single election without fail.

That is how power works.

The maps that passed did not appear out of thin air. The legislators who approved them were elected. The governor expected to sign them was elected. This outcome is the result of political power exercised by people who consistently participate.

The response must be more participation — not less.

Black people have always had two powerful tools: our vote and our dollar. Both matter. Both require discipline. And both require consistency.

We must become habitual voters. Every election. Every runoff. Every legislative race. Every opportunity.

Because if this moment teaches us anything, it is that political power does not disappear because people stop caring. It disappears because people stop participating.

The maps have passed, but the fight is not over.

And the next chapter will not be written in Baton Rouge or in a courtroom alone. It will be written by voters who decide that no matter how frustrated they become, they will keep showing up anyway.