“Tennessee is the lab rat for autocracy in the United States of America.” Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson (D) says the fight over redistricting in Tennessee is about far more than maps, saying, “it is an assault on Black political power.” In an interview with The Root, Pearson reflected on his confrontation with state troopers last week, the dismantling of majority-Black voting districts, and why he believes this moment will have consequences far beyond Tennessee. As Republican lawmakers push forward new congressional maps after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, Pearson warned Black voters not to become numb to what’s happening. “You cannot be silent while democracy is under attack.” Chapters: 02:19 – The message sent from the House speaker 03:19 – What’s at stake for Black Tennesseans 04:58 – Why people outside Tennessee should care 06:33 – A national symbol of resistance 08:26 – What young Black voters should do #Tennessee #Redistricting #VotingRights The Blacker the Content the Sweeter the Truth: theroot.com Follow us:   / theroot     / the.root     / therootnews   https://x.com/TheRoot https://bsky.app/profile/therootdotco...