A voting rights event takes place on the 58th anniversary of the “March on Washington”

Voting rights rallies are taking place across the country this weekend on the anniversary of the historic “March on Washington.” The rallies are calling on Congress to take action to ensure fair access to the ballot. We learned more from Alejandro Chavez, grandson of Cesar Chavez, and Deputy State Director of Arizona March On for Voting Rights.

March On for Voting Rights is “having an event, and the goal of this event is a few different things. One, we want everyone to come: black, brown, AAPI, LGBTQ, abled and disabled seniors. Everybody who comes who wants to protect our democracy and ensure that voting rights protection is secure,” Chavez said.

“We also want to get ready to launch a two year plan to register two million people across the country but also provide a pathway to the polls for people…we know that there’s the ‘For the People Act’ and the ‘John Lewis Act’ and in case those do not pass and we stay where we are right now, we need to have a plan,” Chavez said.

He explained where this event will take place, “August 28th we’re coming together…at Pilgrim Rest Church where we will share the ideas and let people know what they need.”

Pilgrim Rest Church is located at 1401 E Jefferson St, in downtown Phoenix.

And this event takes place on the anniversary of March On Washington. Martin Luther King Jr.’s son wanted to hold this event on the 58th anniversary to work towards voting rights.

Chavez has been working with King’s son, Martin Luther King III, on this event. He said, since his grandfather, Cesar Chavez and Dr. King never met, he was excited to take the opportunity to get to work with King’s son.

But he added, “it’s unfortunate that we have to work on issues that his father and my grandfather spent much of their work fighting for.”