We’re Not Powerless. We’re Powerful.LBJ’s legacy and the movement that changed the course of history.
Every morning, we wake up to new stories about how the Trump Administration and Republicans across the country are undermining our democracy, rigging the system to rig the economy, and hurting the folks and communities we love. It’s unrelenting – and I know there are days when it feels impossible to stay in the fight. During these tough moments, I try to ground myself by thinking of all of the people and values that motivated me to get involved in the first place. More often than not, that list starts with my mom. While my mom and I didn’t have much when I was growing up, our home was filled with a whole lot of love and hope. In between teaching and taking on odd jobs to make ends meet, my mom was politically engaged – and she encouraged me to be as well. My first experience with politics was volunteering to hand out fliers for Democratic candidates at a local polling place. It was so simple, but it felt good to be out there actually doing something. The more I connected with voters, the more my beliefs took shape, and the more my desire to have an impact on the community grew. So when I was in law school, it was no surprise that I wanted to work in civil rights – a sure way to make a difference in the lives of at-risk communities . But I decided to focus on voting rights specifically, because of a line in a Supreme Court case that spoke to me: “The right to vote is preservative of all other rights.” Meaning, voting rights aren’t just another issue – they’re foundational to other issues. What also influenced me at the time was the ongoing and targeted attempt in Texas to make it harder for certain folks to vote. To me, it was un-American and deeply un-Texan. After all, it was President Lyndon B. Johnson, a great Texan, who signed into law the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
LBJ’s legacy is one that I’ve carried with me throughout my career and tried to build on – both as a civil rights lawyer and congressman. My mom, a so-called “classic Texas liberal,” loved LBJ, and she always taught me that the Democratic Party stood for equality. LBJ exemplified that in his fight for equal access to the ballot box for all Americans. But here’s the thing: President Johnson never could’ve achieved all that he did without the hard work of people like you and me.
People who advocated and raised their voices for decades. People who never gave up and who never let their weariness lead to inaction, even when it was the easy thing to do. People who stood strong every day and kept pushing, kept marching, kept believing. Progress doesn’t happen overnight. The folks marching in the ’50s and ’60s knew this better than anyone. But they also knew that their activism, when combined with thousands of other voices, could create a powerful force – and they ended up changing the course of history. So today, I hope you’ll act. Despite what the cynics say or how our opponents want us to feel, we’re not powerless in this fight. We’re powerful. We can phone bank, knock on doors, post on social media, attend campaign events, and show exactly who we are and what we stand for. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things – together. Thanks so much for reading – and for doing your part today. Colin Paid for by Allred for Texas
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Saturday, October 4, 2025
We’re Not Powerless. We’re Powerful.
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