Texas Is the Battlefield — and Chicago Has Skin in the Game

LaDonna Raeh

Texas Democrats came to Chicago with a blunt message: the 30-day special session in Austin is being used to push a redistricting plan they describe as a racial gerrymander—a map designed to dilute Black and Brown voting power. Their argument wasn’t abstract; it was surgical.

What they say is happening.

Speakers described classic gerrymandering tactics—“packing” dense Black neighborhoods into a single district and “cracking” others across multiple districts—so communities can no longer elect more than one or two candidates of their choice. They warned that districts historically represented by Black leaders—Barbara Jordan, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and now Jasmine Crockett—are exactly the kinds of seats that get erased or weakened when lines are drawn this way.

Why Chicago should care.

To those who say “Texas isn’t our problem,” the delegation pointed to a recent example they view as precedent: North Carolina’s remap. According to the speakers, that racial gerrymander “stole four seats,” shifting policy outcomes that then hit everyday life—higher costs, fewer services, and Medicaid access reduced. Their through-line: when maps change, policy changes, and those shocks don’t stop at state borders.

Policy stakes they highlighted.

Education: They tied representation directly to federal protections, warning that dismantling or weakening the Department of Education (a goal they associate with Project 2025) would jeopardize special education supports many Black students rely on.
Health care: They linked seat losses to Medicaid retrenchment and local cost-of-living spikes.
National power: With five Texas seats in play, they argued a partisan shift could lock in a congressional majority and accelerate policies they say are “anti-Black.”

How Texas Democrats Answered “What Should Black Communities Be Doing in the Meantime?”

Barbara Gervin Hawkins reminded the audience that without representation in Congress, “there is no voice.” She tied this directly to defending programs like special education services and federal education protections, warning that dismantling the Department of Education—a goal of Project 2025—would hit Black students and families hardest.

Lauren Ashley Simmons stressed that the fight must be hyperlocal as well as national. She urged people to “show up everywhere decisions are made”—community meetings, legislative offices, school boards, and churches—so leaders can’t claim ignorance about community needs.

Jalonda Jones issued a blunt warning: silence equals consent. If communities don’t speak up, mapmakers and lawmakers will take that as a green light to keep cutting representation. “We can no longer be silent and think they know what we’ve got going on here… we have to take it to them,” she said.

Charlene Ward Johnson called for building sustained political pressure beyond protests. She urged attendees to consistently contact elected officials, church leaders, and school boards, stressing that ongoing engagement—not just during elections—is how agendas get advanced.

Rod Reynolds framed the moment as part of a national struggle, not just a Texas problem. He pointed to the North Carolina gerrymander as proof that a single state’s map changes can alter national policy outcomes and harm communities across the country.

Toni Reynolds emphasized solidarity and urgency. She linked their Chicago visit to a broader alliance forming between Democratic-led communities nationwide to resist gerrymandering. “If they succeed in Texas, Missouri is next, California is next, New York is next… this is the blueprint.”

Pressure on the walkout.

Members said they’re facing financial penalties aimed at forcing a return to Austin—$500 per day fines—and budget cuts they described as roughly 30%, which affect staff and operations. One speaker also referenced FBI attention around the standoff; no details were provided, and they framed it as part of the pressure campaign. (These are the delegation’s claims; they did not present documents at the mic.)

Not just a “Black and Brown” issue.

One lawmaker put it plainly: “This isn’t just a Black and Brown issue. It’s an American issue.” Another echoed Dr. King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” They also flagged that if this blueprint works in Texas, Missouri (naming Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s district) and other states could be next.

My First Question as WVON Media at a Press Conference

I sat directly behind Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and awaited my turn to ask my question. I was nervous because I knew what I wanted to know, but I had to ask a question for our community…for us. So, when that time came, it went like this: “LaDonna Raeh with WVON. We’re being painted into a corner, we all see that. And so much of this is obviously affecting us. There’s been a Project 2025, but now our Black agenda is lacking. What is it that we need to be doing in the meantime so that we can see a benefit from everything—all the protest and everything else that’s been going on to shine a light on this ugliness?”

Democratic Legislators’ Responses

They emphasized that the core solution is having representation in Congress that will advocate for the needs of Black communities—especially in education, healthcare, and other vital areas. Without that, they warned, there is “no voice.”

They gave examples:

If the Department of Education is dismantled, students—particularly those in special education programs—will lose essential supplemental services.
Without lawmakers willing to fight for these programs, those needs will go unmet, especially in districts that rely on federal support.

They urged community members to show up in every possible civic space:

Attend community meetings, legislative office visits, school board sessions, and church gatherings.
Make sure leaders know the specific concerns in your neighborhood.
Take the message into every local forum, not just protests.

They stressed that silence is dangerous: if communities stay quiet, decision-makers assume they have consent to continue harmful policies.

“We can no longer be silent and think they know what we’ve got going on here… we have to take it to them.”

The legislators called for a visible, consistent presence in civic life:

Go directly to your legislators and community leaders.
Mobilize around local issues as well as national ones.
Keep the pressure on year-round, not just during election seasons.

Their closing message: engagement is power. Without it, the Black agenda will continue to be sidelined.

What Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins – District 120 asking the public to do—now.

The delegation’s call to action was practical and local:

Show up—to community meetings, legislative offices, school boards, and churches.
State your issues on the record; don’t assume leaders know.
Organize your block; keep pressure consistent, not seasonal. Their point: without visible, sustained civic engagement, map-makers assume silence equals consent.

The bottom line from the room.

This is a time-boxed fight—a special session clock running at 30 days. The Texas delegation views national attention as leverage, and they came to Chicago to widen the audience and the allies. Their thesis: if these maps stand, representation shrinks, and with it the funding, oversight, and policy advocacy that protect education and health care for vulnerable communities.

Pull quotes (verified from the remarks)

“This isn’t just about Texas… it’s about the political voice of African Americans across the country.”
“If they succeed in Texas, this becomes the blueprint.”
“Without representation, there is no voice.”

Quick explainer: what “racial gerrymandering” means

Packing: Concentrating a minority community into one district so it wins there—but loses power to influence neighboring districts.
Cracking: Splitting that community across several districts so it can’t form a majority anywhere.