Commentary: My Fight for Democracy Is Guided by the NAACP’s Enduring Legacy

By Congresswoman Barbara Lee | Special to California Black Media Partners Bay Area Congresswomen Barbra Lee (photo by Robert Maryland, California Black Media) (CBM) – In the words of W. E. B. Du Bois, a trailblazer in the founding of the NAACP, “The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defense — else what shall save us from a second slavery? Freedom, too, the long-sought, we still seek — the freedom of life and limb, the freedom to work and think, the freedom to love and aspire.” These profound sentiments have been a guiding force throughout my journey, one that has taken me from an elected official in the California State Legislature to a member of Congress proudly representing the 12th Congressional District, to my current candidacy for the U.S. Senate. The NAACP’s commitment to justice and equality has been a constant influence, shaping my perspective on democracy and inspiring me to champion these principles at every stage of my career. Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, the roots of my connection to the NAACP run deep. My late mother, Mildred Parish Massey, was a trailblazer herself, named as one of the first 12 students in the NAACP...