This Sunday, from Detroit living rooms and Atlanta coffee shops to gathering spaces across Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Cleveland, and South Florida, sisters are pulling up a chair to transform Sunday brunch into political power. As part of Higher Heights for America‘s #BlackWomenVote National Day of Sunday Brunch, thousands of Black women will meet in person and online from 2 to 4 p.m. ET to celebrate sisterhood, build community, and prepare to make their voices heard in the midterm elections.
Why Black Women Brunch
Whether around a kitchen table, after Sunday church service, or over brunch with girlfriends, Black women have always understood the power of collective action. There’s an old saying: “When you fire up a Black woman, she doesn’t go to the polls alone. She brings her house, her block, her church, her sorority, and her union.” That’s the power at work here.
That power doesn’t happen by accident. It begins not at the ballot box, but in our communities, through conversations with people we know and trust. It happens when girlfriends remind one another to check their voter registration, when mothers talk to their daughters about voting, and when someone makes sure everyone in the group chat has a plan to cast their ballot. Sometimes, it happens over a plate of shrimp and grits or chicken and waffles.
Black women have long been a driving force in American democracy. We have organized our communities, fought for voting rights, and helped shape the direction of this country. According to Higher Heights for America‘s biennial report with the Center for American Women and Politics, nearly two-thirds of eligible Black women voted in the 2024 presidential election, representing the third-highest turnout rate of any racial and gender group.
Our political power is not accidental. It is the result of generations of leadership, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to making our voices heard. With another Election Day approaching, we have an opportunity to flex that collective power once again.
That starts with being prepared. Know what’s on your ballot. Understand your voting options. Check important deadlines. Make a plan to vote, whether early, by mail, or on Election Day through resources like Vote.org.
Then reach beyond yourself. Make sure your family, friends, neighbors, and everyone in your circle has the information they need to participate. Our greatest strength isn’t simply in the individual votes we cast. It’s in the collective power we activate when we bring others along.
We believe joy and civic engagement belong together. There is room for good food, music, laughter, and fellowship alongside meaningful conversations about our communities and our future. And there’s always room for one more at our table.
So gather your girlfriends. Invite your sorority sisters. Bring your family and neighbors. Talk about what’s at stake, make your voting plan, and help someone else make theirs. Because when Black women come together, we don’t just fill tables. We build community, inspire action, and move our democracy forward.
Whether you’re hosting a gathering or joining virtually, there’s a place for you at the table.
Glynda C. Carr is President and CEO of Higher Heights for America, the political home for Black women.
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