State Sen. Merika Coleman (D-Pleasant Grove) recently appeared on Substack Live with former Obama-appointed U.S. Attorney and MS Now regular Joyce Vance.
Coleman was in Montgomery during the "All Roads Lead to the South" event. Coleman said groups such as Black Voters Matter, the SPLC, and the ACLU have "forced everybody to work together," and she predicted Alabama turning into a Democratic state.
"They have woken up a sleeping giant," said Coleman. "They have no idea what they've done. And one thing I can say about the black community, I only can speak for the black, I'm an African-American woman, only thing I can speak for when it comes to the black community historically is when we feel as if someone is trying to keep us from doing something or in street vernacular, somebody has their foot on the back of your neck trying to hold you down, that's the very moment that we stand up and fight.
"So, they have woken up a sleeping giant and I am so encouraged now November in Alabama, if we keep on this momentum, November in Alabama could be a blue wave," she continued. "I never thought those words would come out of my mouth."
Coleman called on Democrats to recruit in high schools similar to how Republicans outreach with groups such as Turning Point USA. She said liberals need to replicate how Turning Point organized.
"Two sessions ago, which would have been my last session as a member of the House of Representatives, the high school Republicans came to testify to the Judiciary Committee around eliminating access to chemical abortions, is what they refer to it as, But they were talking about Plan B. High School Republicans," Coleman said. "So, we've got to get these young people or we got to organize or get them to organize or help them organize really, really young. And I don't think we have to wait until, you know, they get to college or develop a message that might work with them. We need them in the fight with us right now."
Coleman said she would like to see more U.S. lawmakers show up for events in Alabama.
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