Berks residents honor the late John Lewis by advocating for voting reforms
Local advocates in partnership with various organizations celebrated the memory of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis with a special event Wednesday night.
The event in downtown Reading was one of more than 85 that took place across the nation to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the passing of the lawmaker and civil rights activist.
Lewis represented Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until he died in 2020. He also helped to organize voter registration in 1964 during the Mississippi Freedom Summer.
During the event, local residents and community leaders called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and set reasonable limits on fundraising and spending by candidates and others to influence elections. They advocated for the General Assembly to end the practice of gerrymandering voting districts in Pennsylvania.
Those at the event said these reforms would help realize Lewis’ vision for a democracy that works for all.
The event was held in partnership with the Declaration for American Democracy, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Black Voters Matter Fund, the League of Women Voters, the Transformative Justice Coalition and other organizations.
