Lisa Delpit’s book “Other People’s Children” made a splash at publication in 2006 when it revealed how children of color are shortchanged in the classroom because white teachers do not identify with them, or their concerns, and view them as “other people’s children.”

While startling to many, the facts laid out in Ms. Delpit’s book should not have been a surprise to people of color, who often are perceived — from the classroom to the courtroom to the workplace — as “The Other.”

The founding document of this country set out that “We the People” were forming a union. But that “we” did not include women, people who didn’t own land and certainly not people of African or Native American descent.

While the Constitution has been amended since to include rights for African-Americans, the concept of “We the People” remains flawed because, in practice, it does not include people who do not vote.

If we look at the skewed administration of justice in Ferguson, Mo., and many other cities across the nation, it’s not difficult to see the connection between the folks who stay home on Election Day and the injustices their communities are forced to endure.

People who do not vote are treated as “other people.” Their concerns are not important to the power holders who do not identify with them.

For this reason, we must stop being “The Other” in the eyes of political decision-makers and become voters.

In Metro Richmond, primary elections will be held on June 9. Elections for all 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and all 40 seats in the state Senate are coming up in November. Federal elections are taking place in 2016, including the race to succeed President Obama.

If you are registered to vote, educate yourself about the candidates in the June primaries. If you are not, start now to get registered by October so that you can cast a ballot in November.

If you need to have your rights restored, work with the Virginia and local NAACP branches, churches and other groups to start the process so that you can vote in future elections.

Every African-American civic, social and fraternal organization should put its shoulder to the wheel to increase voter registration, education and turnout. We should not allow ourselves to be conned by politicians — many of whom come courting our votes after neglecting our community — who really view us, and our important needs, as “The Other.”

It is important that we do this for ourselves, and more importantly, for our children.

If you think it is not important to vote, ask the family of Michael Brown or Eric Garner or Tamir Rice or Freddie Gray. No family should wait until their loved one’s name is added to this list.

No one’s child should suffer injustice or harm because they are viewed as “other people’s children.”

Our children are our own — not “other people’s children.”