"Understanding Louisiana v. Callais: What the Supreme Court Decision Means for Housing & Democracy,” Next Our Homes, Our Votes Webinar

By Tia Turner, NLIHC Project Manager, Our Homes, Our Votes 

Join NLIHC’s Our Homes, Our Votes (OHOV) nonpartisan campaign on May 11 from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm ET for a timely national webinar examining the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais, significantly weakening one of the nation’s most critical civil rights protections under Section 2 of the “Voting Rights Act” (VRA). 

As advocates across the country continue responding to attacks on voting rights and democratic participation, this webinar will highlight why the Court’s decision matters for housing justice organizations, tenant leaders, civil rights advocates, and nonpartisan civic engagement efforts. The conversation will examine how weakening protections under Section 2 of the “Voting Rights Act” could impact communities already disproportionately affected by housing instability, underrepresentation, and systemic inequities. 

The webinar will feature legal experts, national advocates, and Louisiana-based organizers helping to lead advocacy and mobilization efforts on the ground. Participants will hear a legal breakdown of the ruling, analysis of the broader implications for democracy and representation, and reflections on what advocacy, organizing, and coalition-building could look like moving forward. 

The webinar agenda includes: 

• Welcome & Opening Remarks 

  • Renee M. Willis, president and CEO, NLIHC 

• Legal Breakdown of Louisiana v. Callais & Implications for the “Voting Rights Act” 

  • Demetria McCain, policy director, NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) 

  • Sarah Brannon, deputy director, Voting Rights Project, ACLU 

• National Mobilization Efforts Around Louisiana v. Callais 

  • Hillary Medina-Loveless, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights 

• Ground-Level Perspectives: Organizing & Advocacy in Louisiana Moving Forward 

  • Charles Phipps, vice president for policy, advocacy & legal affairs, Urban League of Louisiana 

  • Cree Matlock, director of government affairs & policy, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice 

This webinar is intended for housing advocates, tenant organizers, civil rights organizations, nonprofit practitioners, voter engagement groups, and community leaders seeking to better understand the intersection of housing justice and democracy during a critical moment for voting rights. 

Register to join the conversation and learn how advocates can continue building civic power and protecting democratic participation in communities across the country. 

Register here.