With national redistricting taking hold at the county level in Fort Bend, many residents are refusing to take the attacks on their political voices lying down.
In fact, at a recent Community Dialogue 2025, a breakfast with county stakeholders, elected officials and candidates, attendees promised to engage in the fight of their lives.
Days before the Community Dialogue, Rep. Suleman Lalani urged Fort Bend County residents to submit public comments, contact lawmakers and mobilize quickly in response to state GOP members’ attempts to redraw U.S. Congressional districts.
“Gov. Abbott is busy giving Texas on a silver platter to President Trump,” said Lalani. “We didn’t have any other option but to deny quorum. Breaking quorum is not running away from the responsibilities… it is one of the tools put in Texas legislation by our forefathers. We are accused of running away, walking out. You know what? We are not walking out. We are standing up.”
Defining the challenges
That same level of righteous indignation and fight was on display during the more recent Community Dialogue, which featured Fort Bend County commissioners Grady Prestage (Precinct 2) and Dexter McCoy (Precinct 4), judges Monica Rawlins, Roderick Garner, Tyra McCullum and Surendran Patel, and judicial candidate Brendetta Scott.
To set the tone of the proceedings, Reynolds provided a history lesson, mentioning “Bloody Sunday” and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, linking the sacrifices of Civil Rights Movement participants to a modern-day call to action.
“Here we are in 2025, and they are literally trying to turn back the clock. I hope you realize that this is not like a hyperbolic statement,” said Reynolds. “Literally, as I talk to you today, there are forces of evil that want to turn back the clock. They’re not happy with this new usher of leadership. They want us on the menu, but they don’t want us at the table.
Speaking on the newly drawn U.S. Congressional maps for Texas as ordered by President Donald Trump and delivered by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Reynolds didn’t mince words.
“We have more African Americans in Texas than in any other state. Did y’all hear that? Yet, we only have four African American seats in Texas,” said Reynolds.
“This is our Selma. This is our civil rights moment right here.”
State Rep. Ron Reynolds
He cited the fact that, though Texas had four “African American” seats, and should have more due to population numbers, the Abbott/Trump map leaves the state with just two.
“We should have like eight. It should be a 50% increase based on the numbers, but we had a 50% decrease. That’s 50-freaking-percent, and I’m still pissed off about it,” shouted Reynolds. “This is our Selma. This is our civil rights moment right here.”
Calls for unity
Local activist and education advocate Regina Gardner was crystal clear on what she hoped to see transpire during and after the Community Dialogue in order for residents to meet the moment and successfully push back against the undermining of their political voices.
“We have some divisions in our community that we really need to fill in those gaps because this community is faced with some very challenging events, including an attack on voting rights and redistricting,” said Gardner. “We’re in a very challenging time, and what I’m hoping to achieve is just some community unity.”
Garner acknowledged the divisions Gardner alluded to, but focused on the attacks Reynolds alluded to that demanded unity among the Democratic-leaning attendees.
“There’s been an attack on our democracy. There’s been an attack on our courts, on our judges, and it’s unwarranted,” said Garner. “But nevertheless, we’re going to keep pushing forward and we’re going to make sure that they understand. We have some fractions from folks who don’t always get along, but they’re coming together.”
Working together as a political strategy was the theme of the day.
“One thing I’m hoping to achieve from that is that we unite. That’s the only way we are going to get further,” said longtime voting advocate Mary Kelly. “Unite first. Regardless of where we come from, who we are, we are all one people, and we must get back together. Then we can conquer our oppressors and be rightfully fitted where we ought to be.”
Education on the line
By way of a more specific solution, longtime Fort Bend educator Audrey Williams advocated for changing the election day for FBISD school board elections.
“The voting records for many years in Fort Bend County are extremely dismal, and adding it to a November election day, when voters have a large number of issues to consider, would certainly engage more voters,” said Williams, a member of the Willowridge High School Wall of Honor.
Williams made a direct tie between voting rights and educational challenges that need to be met with solutions, particularly at Willowridge, the school where she taught for decades before retiring.
“By the early 1980s, Willowridge had amassed a state football championship and its students had received the largest number of athletic and academic scholarships in the district. The three high schools in Fort Bend (Willowridge, Dulles and Clements) were all thriving,” said Williams.
She noted that as Fort Bend County began to develop farther west, with each new school built, students and FBISD attention were pulled from Willowridge.
Williams believes fighting for voting power in Fort Bend goes deeper than philosophical reasons, but impacts the current and future educational realities of area youth.
