By: Roy Douglas Malonson
They’re doing it again—just like they always have. Quietly, behind closed doors, and in the middle of summer when they think nobody’s paying attention. Only this time, it’s not poll taxes or literacy tests. It’s lines on a map. And if we’re not careful, those lines are going to erase Black political power in Houston for the next decade.
Last week, Governor Greg Abbott called a special session of the Texas Legislature. The goal? Redraw the state’s congressional maps years before the next census. That’s not normal—and it’s not a coincidence. It’s a targeted move to shake up districts in and around Houston where Black voters have historically had the power to elect leaders who look like us and fight for us.
Let’s be real: this isn’t just redistricting. It’s modern- day voter suppression dressed up in legal language.
Why They’re Coming for Houston
Houston has long been a political stronghold for Black leadership. From Third Ward to Acres Homes, we’ve built neighborhoods, raised families, and organized movements. Our communities have sent representatives to Austin and D.C. who’ve fought
for civil rights, criminal justice reform, healthcare access, and fair funding for our schools.
But now, the state is proposing to redraw districts like TX-9, TX-18, and TX-29—breaking up our communities and merging them with whiter, wealthier suburbs that don’t share our struggles or our priorities. That’s strategic. They want to dilute the Black vote. They want to make it harder for us to elect people who actually care about our neighborhoods hoods. They want our political voice gone. And they’re doing it under the false banner of “race-blind” redistricting. But come on—we know what it is.
The Real-Life Impact When they change the district lines, they don’t just shift boundaries— they shi power. And that a ects real people in real ways. It a ects whether your kids’ schools get the resources they need. Whether your street- lights work. Whether your community clinic stays open. Whether your neighborhood is protected or over-policed. Whether you have someone in office who knows your struggle—or someone who’s never set foot in your part of town. “If they take away our representation,” says retired educator Linda Moore from Sunnyside, “they take away our ability to fight for ourselves.
And if we can’t fight, they’ll forget us.” is isn’t speculation. is is what has happened time and time again. When Black communities lose political representation, we also lose access—access to funding, access to protections, access to change.
This Is a Pattern—And We Know It is move didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s part of a pattern—one that’s deeply rooted int his country’s history of suppressing Black voices whenever we get too loud, too organized, or too powerful. Let’s not forget: back in 2021, when Texas gained two new congressional seats, they gave both of them to white-majority areas—even though 95% of the state’s population growth came from people of color. That wasn’t just an oversight. That was a message Now in 2025, instead of fixing the injustice, they’re making it worse—by going after the few districts doors. where Black and Hispanic voters still hold in uence. It’s a strategy. It’s a setup. And if we don’t fight back, it’s going to work. But We’re Not Powerless Here’s the part they always forget: Black people don’t back down. Faith leaders, community organizers, and everyday folks are stepping up. Lawsuits are already in the works. Churches are hosting town halls. Activists are holding rallies and knocking on doors.
Because we’ve seen this before, and we’re not going to sit back and let it happen again.
“This ain’t the first time they’ve tried to silence us,” says Reverend Mar- cus Hayes of Fifth Ward. “But every time they try, we get louder.” Now is not the time for silence. Now is the time to speak out, show up, and stay informed. Because once those new maps are locked in, they’ll be in place until 2031. That’s six more elections. That’s six more years of being ignored if we don’t act. We Built is City. Don’t Let them Redraw Us Out of it. It.
At the end of the day, this is about more than politics. It’s about power. It’s about presence. It’s about being seen, heard, and respected in the city we helped build. We’ve marched, voted, organized, and sacri ced too much to let them erase us now. So here’s the question:
Are we going to let them redraw us out of existence? Or are we going to draw the line— and fight back? Because history is watching. And so are our children.
