Rep. Sykes Joins Community Leaders for Project 2025 Roundtable
AKRON, OH — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) joined local leaders for a roundtable discussion on what Project 2025 is and how it would impact everyday Americans, if implemented.
“Project 2025 contains dangerous and radical policy proposals that would disrupt the way our democracy has functioned for centuries and hurt Northeast Ohioans by raising their taxes, taking away hard-earned benefits, gutting our public schools, and disenfranchising voters,” said Rep. Sykes. “I will not stand by and let American’s rights and benefits be stripped away by extreme politicians; I will continue to work everyday in Congress to protect these important pillars of our democracy.”
Representative Veronica Sims (Ohio House District 33) and Pastor Jeffrey Dennis of Mount Calvary Baptist Church co-hosted the event. They were joined by panelists Rep. Sykes (OH-13), Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06), Reverend Dr. Charles Myricks Jr. of Arlington Church of God, and President Judi Hill of the Akron NAACP. Topics discussed included healthcare, voting rights, education, Social Security, and the economy.
“As a former history teacher and a life-long student of history, I believe it is our duty to heed the words of George Santayana: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ Project 2025 is Jim Crow 2.0. We must stand together to avoid the worst mistakes of our past and stop right wing extremists from stripping hard-won rights away from millions of Americans,” said Rep. Clyburn.
“Helping people understand the perils of Project 2025, particularly for Black and Brown communities, is crucial. This engagement helped paint a clear picture of the project’s potential devastating impact and the ways in which our quality of day-to-day life would be severely, adversely impacted on every front from healthcare, education, employment, the environment, senior support, and more. It is imperative that the implementation of Project 2025 never comes to fruition,” said Rep. Sims.
“Our purpose for this gathering is to provide accurate information and answer important questions, both of which are essential to community empowerment. Trusted voices in the urban community play a key role in equipping individuals to make informed and wise decisions that positively impact their lives,” said Pastor Dennis.
Project 2025, officially titled “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” is an extremist blueprint crafted by the Heritage Foundation to guide a far-right presidential administration. This 900-page manifesto outlines sweeping policy proposals that would upend nearly every aspect of American life. At its core, Project 2025 seeks to unravel the system of checks and balances that has been foundational to American democracy for nearly 250 years.
Learn more about how Project 2025 would impact you here.