My kids have gone with me to enough community meetings to know that we show up because our voices matter. I've told them so a thousand times.

In this time of political lunacy, as the right to vote for the candidate of our choice is being stripped away through gerrymandering of our Congressional districts, I struggle to find the words to tell my children that showing up isn't enough.

Sometimes you have to get in the mud and fight. Not physically, hopefully, but take an unwavering stand.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

SEWING: Trump order pushing for stricter school discipline will hit Black and Latino students hardest

The new proposed state Congressional district maps were released this week, in response to the White House's charge to Texas Republicans to find five congressional seats before the 2026 midterms. If these maps are approved, more than a million people in Harris County would have a different congressional representative, and the political power of Black and Latino voters will be dramatically diluted.

It's time for elected officials and voters to fight back.

"We're looking at this as a blatant attempt to remove voting power from voters of color," said Ashley Harris, an attorney with the ACLU Texas. "This is an unprecedented, mid-decade redistricting effort that is a........

© Houston Chronicle