You can always count on LaTosha Brown to see a path forward for democracy in the face of right-wing opposition. When MSNBC host Tiffany Cross said she’s lost confidence in Congress’ ability to defeat the onslaught of voter suppression laws that are coming from Republican-controlled states, Brown expressed confidence that activists can make the difference.

She acknowledged that there is an “aggressive plan” not only to drop people, especially people of color, off the voter rolls, but also to drop elected voting officials. But, Brown said, “My confidence never lies in Congress, my confidence always lies in people” and their ability to hold members of Congress accountable.

“The way that democracy happens is when people are engaged in it,” Brown said. She pointed to some groups, including Black Voters Matter, staging direct actions, and called on everyone to get involved. “We have to have sustained, full force … where we’re literally not going to accept that our rights are negotiated,” she added.

Brown urged everyone to insist that Congress stay in session until voting rights legislation is passed and also to put more pressure on President Biden to use “the full power of his office to push for voting rights.”

“We actually have less voting rights protection now” than when the Voting Rights Act was passed, Brown pointed out. “That is unacceptable.”

“The people have to rise up, we have to support organizations on the front lines,” she said. “It's not up to Congress, it is up to us. We have to demand that democracy is not just a propaganda point, but in fact it is real and we have to do that by putting pressure on Congress to pass voting rights legislation.”