On January 27th, Justice Stephen Breyer announced that he will retire upon confirmation of his successor, and President Biden pledged to name a Supreme Court nominee by the end of February. President Biden has said that he will fulfill his promise of nominating the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, and we need to take action to push her confirmation over the finish line.
Having a Black woman seated on the Supreme Court is way overdue. We need to make sure that the Senate moves swiftly to confirm President Biden’s nominee. Republican Senators are already trying to tear her down by claiming that she is not qualified and unfit, but we cannot allow these bigoted attacks to shape public perceptions or stop her confirmation.
To see a list of potential nominees, visit our sister organization Alliance for Justice.
Call Script
Call your Senators today at 202-224-3121 and tell them to confirm President Biden’s nominee!
My name is [name], and I’m a constituent from [city] calling to ask Senator [X] to support President Biden’s nomination of a Black woman committed to equal justice to the Supreme Court.
Having a Black woman seated on the Supreme Court is way overdue. We need a court that reflects the diversity of this country, and by confirming a Black woman to the bench we are one step closer to achieving that diversity. We need a judge who will protect the rights of all of us, not just the wealthy and powerful. I believe that President Biden’s nominee will fight for these protections and will be eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. I urge Senator [X] to support President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee. Thank you.
After you’ve called, ask 5 friends to call!
Speak Out in the Media: LTEs and Op-Eds
Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor:
Be clear, timely, concise: Before submitting your piece, check your paper’s guidelines on length.
Include a Call to Action: Be sure your letter makes a clear ask of your senators, such as calling for them to support President Biden’s nominee. Talk about the importance of protecting health care, civil rights, workers, LGBTQ equality, and more for millions and maintaining a fair and independent Supreme Court, not one beholden to politicians.
Be Current: Check your newspaper so you can respond to a recent article or a recent event in your area. When submitting your piece, make sure you refer to the article specifically by name and date. This will make it much more likely that your piece is published.
Maximize your letter’s impact: If your letter is printed, send a copy to your senators’ offices! And remember, Senators often search for the issues that their constituents care about in local papers.
Take Action on Social Media
Social media can help you use your network to build the movement for fair courts. Adding your voice to the conversation, and using it to amplify the other actions you’re taking, can help hold your senators accountable.
Quick Tips:
Tag your senators: Look up your senators’ social media handles. Tag them in relevant posts, and tweet directly at them. Encourage your friends and followers to do the same.
Tweet at your senators and use the hashtags #AJusticeForAll & #CourtsMatter. Check AFJ Action’s social media and share and help amplify our messages.
Utilize hashtags: #AJusticeForAll, #CourtsMatter
Retweet, Share, Like: Engage with other users talking about your issue by retweeting, liking, and sharing their content. Ask your followers to retweet and share your posts if they agree
Build and engage an audience: Ask questions, make polls, and post other content that encourages your followers to engage with you and the issue. Send out new resources that will help people learn more about the courts.
Get Your Friends Involved
- Ask them to make calls with you
- Write LTEs together
- Attend town halls, schedule meetings with your Senator, visit a district office
Sign Up for Updates
- Join our email list.
What You Can Do as an Organization
In addition to most of the above, organizations can contact senators they are close to, send organizational letters of support, and circulate petitions calling for senators to support President Biden’s nominee.
Mobilize your networks, members, constituents: Send an action alert to your list urging them to call, write, or otherwise contact their senators demanding that they support this nomination.
Amplify your position: Host a panel discussion, a press event, or a visibility action on the importance of the judiciary in protecting our rights. Pair these or letters with a press release, op-ed, or letter to the editor in local, state, and national publications. Amplify your organization’s position on social media
Sample alert:
Dear friends,
President Biden has made it clear that his Supreme Court nominee will be a Black woman who is committed to equal justice and eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. This is a historic nomination that will move us one step closer to having a court that reflects the diversity of this country.
We need a justice for all. It is time for a Black woman to be seated on the Supreme Court.
Republican Senators are already waging baseless attacks against President Biden’s nominee. All that is known about the nominee is that she will be a Black woman, yet this is somehow enough for Senate Republicans to allege that she will not be qualified to serve. Their opposition is purely based in racism. It’s on us to respond.
Our courts are our last line of defense. Don’t allow Senate Republicans to block a qualified Supreme Court Justice. We must protect our rights, our healthcare, and our democracy.
It is our job to protect our courts. Call your senators today and tell them: Support President Biden’s nominee!