With the holiday season in full swing, it’s easy to take a step back from organizing-- but now is the time to be preparing for some big things coming in the new year. The moratorium on evictions--both national and within New York City--is set to expire January 1, 2021. Currently there are over 14 million households at risk of eviction nationally, shouldering a collective $25 billion in rental debt. The pandemic is in no way over, and people who have lost income due to this crisis have no way to guard themselves against the impending threat of eviction and associated debt.
The end of the eviction moratorium will have a disproportionate effect on BIPOC folks, who face unemployment at consistently higher rates than white folks due to racial discrimination. There are many ways to get involved locally on this front, but in order to secure relief for those who need it on a national level we need the federal government to pass a comprehensive relief bill. This doesn’t appear to be forthcoming as Mitch McConnell refuses to bring to a vote any bill that doesn’t include a liability waiver for large corporations.
The upcoming runoff elections in Georgia are our first chance to push toward change by flipping the senate and removing McConnell as majority leader. SURJ National has partnered with Southern Crossroads on the GAining Ground Campaign. Gaining Democratic control of the senate, and thus the ability to advance a progressive agenda, depends on the January 5th senate runoff election in Georgia. Supporting BIPOC voters in Georgia via organizations or coalitions which register voters and turn them out, such as Fair Fight, New Project Georgia, Black Votes Matter, and Urban League of Greater Atlanta, is crucial. We know the work doesn’t end with flipping the senate--it’s important to acknowledge that leaders of both parties have supported racist policies--but creating a Democratic majority makes it more likely that activists will be able to push politicians on racial justice issues.
2021 will be a major year in politics locally as well, as New Yorkers will have the chance to vote in elections for mayor, city comptroller, Manhattan DA, Manhattan Borough President, public advocate, and 35 council members across the city. This guide can help familiarize voters with the candidates. As white folks working to dismantle white supremacist systems, it’s crucial that we support candidates who will advocate for racial justice and uplift BIPOC communities.
In solidarity,
SURJ NYC