One year ago today, our democracy was attacked. The will of the people was under assault, and our Constitution faced the gravest of threats. But our democracy held. We the people endured. We the people prevailed.

That type of commitment -- of holding onto hope even in the darkest hour - reminds me of my grandfather. One of the things that my grandfather and I would always do together was vote. It was our tradition -- and it was one of the last things I got to do with him before his passing.

After we voted, he and I sat out on our porch. There, he reminded me South Carolina didn't always consider him or my grandmother as whole people, and that he couldn't always vote like we had just done. Then, he looked at me, grabbed my arm, and said: "Never let anybody tell you that you don't matter. Never let anybody tell you that you don't count."

That's what's so powerful about the vote. That's why it's so sacred. Every vote is a profound expression of hope -- that change is possible, that your voice matters, that the leaders you put your faith in will deliver for you and your loved ones. No Jim Crow, no self-interested politician, and not even January 6 can stand up to the power of that type of hope.

But that doesn't mean that they won't try: The former president and his allies are still trying to dismantle our democracy with their lies today. Heck, instead of looking at the 2020 election results and thinking, "We need new or better ideas to win more votes," they decided the only way they can win is by denying or subverting the vote.

So it is our job to make sure we're not short-sighted. That we remember the insurrection of January 6 and that we remember Bloody Sunday. Because if we are not vigilant and if we do not defend our democracy, it will not stand.

I'm going to fight with everything I can to protect the right to vote for every American -- but I can't do it alone. The Democratic National Committee is already making historic investments in educating, mobilizing, and protecting voters nationwide this year -- and I'm counting on dedicated supporters like you to fully back those efforts.

So please, if you're able, consider making a $7 donation to the DNC's Voter Protection Fund today to help protect the vote across the country and elect Democrats who are ready to do the same.

Today and every day, thanks for being a part of this.

Jaime

Jaime Harrison
Chair
Democratic National Committee

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