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A fictional, fanciful sign depicts the results of voter suppression through the unfair, partisan manipulation of district lines (gerrymandering).

The worst congressional gerrymanders of the 2020s

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Webinar rewind: What you can do to stop voter suppression

Webinar rewind: What you can do to stop voter suppression
The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumOct 28, 2020
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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When early voting got started in some states, coverage of the long lines was accompanied by stories of voter intimidation — protesters blocking access to polling places or verbally harassing voters. Social media platforms have taken steps to crack down on calls for unlawful voter interference and intimidation, and the FBI has issued warnings. But there are sure to be instances of attempted voter suppression on Election Day.

What can an individual do to stop it?

The Fulcrum convened a panel of experts to discuss how everyone can help put a stop to unlawful voter suppression and intimidation — threats to the already troubled democracy we're dedicated to covering. The Fulcrum's editor-in-chief, David Hawkings, moderated a discussion with:
  • Mindy Finn, CEO of Citizen Data and co-founder of Stand Up Republic
  • Nsé Ufot, chief executive officer, New Georgia Project

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This was a long day coming, and frankly one I never thought I’d see.

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The goal of making government efficient is certainly an enviable one indeed. However, the potential for personal biases or political agendas to interfere with the process must be monitored.

As DOGE suggests cuts to wasteful spending and ways to streamline government operations, potentially saving billions of dollars, The Fulcrum will focus on the pros and cons.

We will not shy away from DOGE’s most controversial proposals and will call attention to dangerous thinking that threatens our democracy when we see it. However, in doing so, we are committing to not employing accusations, innuendos or misinformation. We will advocate for intellectual honesty to inform and persuade effectively.

The new Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory board to be headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is designed to cut resources and avoid waste — indeed to save money. Few can argue this isn't a laudable goal as most Americans have experienced the inefficiencies and waste of various government agencies.

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Invest Appalachia supports community economic development projects and businesses across the Appalachian counties of six states.

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In Part 2 of this three-part series focused on why and how the community development finance field needs to reframe the role of capital technicians and the market, rebalance power relationships, and prioritize community voice. Today we continue that discussion.

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Invest Appalachia (IA) is another strong example of how to rebalance power between financial expertise and community voice. On the surface, IA can be described in traditional finance terms—a community investment fund similar to a CDFI that has raised $35.5 million in impact investments and nearly $3 million in grants for flexible and risk-absorbing capital. IA officially opened its doors at the end of 2022. In its first year of operation, it deployed $6.3 million in blended capital (flexible loans alongside recoverable grants) to support community economic development projects and businesses across the Appalachian counties of six states: Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. Another $6.5 million was deployed in the first eight months of 2024.

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