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Alicia Reece bringing Ohio civil rights outlook to Selma, Ala. this weekend

Lawmaker and civil rights defender views events "not only as a celebration, but a rededication"
March 5, 2015
Democratic Newsroom

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President and State Rep. Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) is traveling to Selma, Alabama tomorrow, Friday, March 6 for events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first historic march that ushered in a civil rights consciousness throughout the nation and ultimately led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“From Selma to Ohio, we are beginning the next chapter in a new generation’s fight for our most basic and sacred rights,” said Reece. “Fifty years later, too many are left wondering where we go from Selma. I view this trip not only as a celebration of the civil rights movement, but as a rededication to our generation’s fight for fairness and justice on new frontlines like Ohio.”

During her speech at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Reece, a National Action Network board member, announced her Voter Bill of Rights effort— a constitutional amendment that would permanently enshrine voting rights in state constitutions across the nation, starting with the battleground state of Ohio.

Press Availability

Reece will have in-person press availability in the greater Birmingham area throughout the weekend, beginning tomorrow, Friday, March 5 at 10:00 a.m. until Sunday, March 7 at 7:30 a.m.

Did you know?

  • Friday will mark Reece’s first return to Selma since accepting a voting rights movement honor during the 2005 commemorative weekend. She flies in to Birmingham’s Fred Shuttlesworth International, the airport named for the civil rights icon and activist who made Cincinnati his home from 1961 to 2008.
  • Reece serves on Ohio’s Police-Community Relations Task Force, the panel tasked with developing strategies to help improve the relationship between law enforcement and communities in the wake of civil unrest across the nation following the police shootings of African American men.
  • Reece introduced John Crawford’s Law in response to Ohio police’s deadly shootings of John Crawford III and 12 year-old Tamir Rice. The Cincinnati lawmaker’s proposal would require toy guns to have brightly colored finishes or prominent fluorescent strips to distinguish them from real firearms.
  • During her time as city councilwoman, Reece played an integral role in brokering Cincinnati’s 2002 police-community relations collaborative agreement following the city’s 2001 riots sparked by the police shooting of 19-year-old Timothy Thomas.
  • Reece has also been a strong advocate for voting rights since her days at Louisiana’s Grambling State University. She has fought for free, fair and accessible elections in Ohio and has championed numerous voting rights bills.
  • Reece testified before the Presidential Commission on Election Administration and the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission regarding best practices for Ohio’s elections and her proposal for a Voter Bill of Rights.v