Campaign launches with ad supporting Vanita Gupta, narrated by Shirley Sherrod
Washington, DC — Today, People For the American Way announced its new #HerFightOurFight campaign with a compelling ad produced in partnership with Color of Change and narrated by Shirley Sherrod, and debuted on Rev. Al Sharpton’s MSNBC show PoliticsNation this evening. The ad supports the nomination of Vanita Gupta to the role of Associate Attorney General. The #HerFightOurFight campaign will focus on securing the Senate confirmations of highly qualified women of color nominated for executive branch and judicial posts by the Biden administration, and who are facing racist and sexist attacks from the Far Right.
The first ad, “HerFightOurFight: Confirm Vanita Gupta,” highlights Gupta as one of the country’s most renowned and effective civil rights advocates, who has dedicated her career to fighting injustice. It tells the story of how she fought for wrongfully convicted individuals victimized by an infamously corrupt and racist drug sting in Tulia, Texas, where more than 10% of the small town’s Black population was swept up on phony drug charges. Watch the full ad here.
Notably, the ad features the voice of Shirley Sherrod, a former Department of Agriculture official who was the victim of smear campaigns by the Far Right.
The #HerFightOurFight campaign will include ad buys, earned media, social media outreach, and live streamed events focusing on how the Far Right attacks women of color in leadership positions, and more.
“The far right knows the power of women of color and they are on the attack,” said People For the American Way President Ben Jealous. “We see this frequently: strong, progressive women confronted time and time again with discriminatory attacks on everything from their qualifications, to their personal appearance, personality, and family life. Vanita is a civil rights hero who has won justice for people, so her fight is our fight.”
“Ten years ago, the far right attacked me by distorting my words,” said Sherrod. “Today, like in so many other smear campaigns, I was targeted for being a woman of color who was working to help marginalized communities. Now, they’re at it again, with the right-wing slime machine kicking into high gear to smear Vanita Gupta.”
“The #HerFightOurFight campaign is about supporting women of color who fight for our communities and our democracy,” said People for the American Way Political Director Lizet Ocampo. “Now it’s our turn to fight for them. That’s what this campaign is all about.”
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About People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org