This week I will be sitting in at Congressional members’ offices, confronting corporate lobbyists on K Street and taking other actions with organizers from Our DC and across the country to draw attention to our nation’s high unemployment and underemployment rate. I haven’t felt this energized since the civil rights movement and women’s march in the 1960s.

What is happening today goes beyond issues of race and gender. We, and by that I mean all Americans, have helped build this country. Now our humanity is under attack as we face the worst recession in recent history and a host of problems associated with it: joblessness, home foreclosures, poverty and a lack of dignity. What kind of future are we going to pass on to our children and future generations?

As a biological and honorary mother, grandmother and great grandmother to many children in my community, I say to you that the time to act is now. Federal unemployment insurance is due to expire at the end of the month. I can’t fathom what will happen to my home district of D.C. that has an unemployment rate of 11% — significantly higher than the national. I know how hard it is to find work here as I am currently looking for work. My two sons recently found jobs after two years of looking for work. Cutting off the unemployed from unemployment insurance will mean more overdue bills, more foreclosed homes and a loss of dignity for our residents. This has repercussions for all of us who live in the district.

That is what is at stake. That is why I am going to stand up and speak out until someone listens. This is about protecting our humanity and that of future generations to come. To join me, please go to Our DC.

Linda Evans is an active volunteer and activist in her community, a musician and unemployed home health care worker. She has been an activist all of her life and says, “If we don’t stand up for justice for everyone, then our children don’t have a chance.” She lives in Washington, D.C., where she has two sons, 15 grandchildren and three great grandchildren as well as many more children she has helped nurture over the years.

This blogpost is part of the #HERvotes blog carnival.