In the mid 1900s, women of color had their tubes tied without their permission. This disgusting practice by the U.S. government is what fired Fannie Lou Hamer straight into the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi.

Hamer fought through so much of the systematic and blatant racism in the U.S. while growing up and as an activist. How she got through tough times was by singing. Belting Christian Church hymns like “This Little Light of Mine” and “Go Tell It On the Mountain” became a recognizable feat in her activism.

Because of her, women and people of color are allowed to vote. And we should always exercise our rights for the ways people like Hamer have fought so hard to do. She stood up to status quo and fought those in power. Whether that would be raising money, taking long bus rides, and studying for literacy tests—Hamer never doubted that one vote can and will make a difference.

She was never afraid to stand up—or sit down—for what is right. In 1963, Hamer actually got arrested for sitting in a “whites only area.” She was mistreated and abused in jail and the damage that was done in jail would affect her health for the rest of her life.

At times like these, (when people like Brett Kavanaugh get confirmed) it seems as if nothing will change or progress. But strong individuals like Fannie Lou Hamer are the role models we need to emulate so we too can change our communities and the world. As she said, “Nobody's free until everybody's free.”