NoLa Rising: GOTV efforts to save democracy
28th October 2024 · 0 Comments
In the 20th century, the African-American community, faced with systemic barriers to voting, relied on organizations like the NAACP and SCLC to help people register to vote and march for the right to vote, if necessary.
The struggles and sacrifices, such as the brutality against African Americans on Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, and the murders by white terrorists, led to the passing of the V.R.A. (Voting Rights Act of 1965), a landmark legislation that aimed to protect the voting rights of all citizens.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to gut one of the most crucial voting rights protections in the V.R.A., which mandated certain states, including Louisiana, to submit any changes to voting laws, procedures, or practices to the U.S. Department of Justice, has opened the floodgates for all kinds of voter suppression. This includes gerrymandering, changes in state laws – such as having to apply with the Louisiana Secretary of State to hold a voter registration event – and policies relative to purging, identification and other obstacles to voting.
In response to the challenges, this year, NOLA communities have shown remarkable resilience in fighting voter suppression and dilution and addressing low voter turnout. Despite the G.O.P. trifecta in Louisiana, with a Republican governor, a Republican-dominated state House and Senate, and the Republican majority in Louisiana’s congressional delegation, the communities have not lost hope. They continue to stand strong even with a Republican majority on the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Though the official voter registration period ended on October 15 and early voting on October 29, our community organizations worked vigorously to register people to vote before the deadline and encourage people to vote early.
For instance, Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church held a successful voter registration drive on October 5, at the Second Annual Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Outreach Fest, demonstrating the community’s commitment to voter engagement.
Greater St. Stephen Ministries launched its Souls to the Polls initiative as part of the “Victory at the Polls” campaign. On October 19, community members gathered in a caravan to vote early at various polling sites.
The Lower 9th Ward Voter’s Coalition continues its focus on registering high school students to vote. Last week, the organization registered twenty M.L.K. Jr. High School students.
The coalition’s parliamentarian, the Rev. Willie Calhoun, says the group has been encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting and raising funds to hire buses to transport them to the polls. The organization’s website allows voters to check their voter registration and register to vote. It also offers information on political parties, ballot initiatives and how to make a voting plan, among other things.
The Lower 9TH Ward Voter’s Coalition (L9THWVC) was established in 2016 as a non-profit to promote political, educational and civic responsibility through informed and active participation in government.
Under the leadership of its president, attorney Shawon Bernard, the L9THWVC conducts monthly events, including door-to-door canvassing, voter registration drives, phone banking and candidate forums to empower residents to exercise their right to vote. To contact the L9THVC, visit https://l9wvc.org/contact-us.
A Community Voice ACORN joined the grassroots effort for voter registration, engagement and mobilization.
Focusing on systemic voter suppression policies that delimit Louisianans, especially younger voters and the 50 percent of the population across the digital divide, A Community Voice found that technoableism prevents participation in the state’s electronic voter registration system.
Most registration efforts solely use electronic registration systems, which preclude anyone without a driver’s license or state I.D. from registering.
This prevents the wholesale registration of many eligible residents and limits the registration of the groups and individuals who choose to spend their time registering voters.
To make it easier for people to register to vote, A Community Voice’s grassroots members and leaders obtained forms at the Voter Registrar’s office, filed the state’s registration form online, and ventured out into the community to register voters.
Unfunded, the effort strategically targeted unregistered, likely African-American voters at local universities. Since the students were new residents of Louisiana, they could only register using paper forms.
Debra Campbell, chairperson of A Community Voice, attended events for first-year students entering Xavier University. To join, contact 504-941-2852 or email info@acommunityvoice.org.
Jeanne Nathan, editor of Crosstown Conversations and director of the Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO), reports that cultural arts leaders and friends have stepped up to expand voter “activations.” The Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO) partnered with Cheryl Sutton’s Art by Intention initiative to hold an activation at Crevasse 22 | Riverhouse, the sculpture garden and art center in St. Bernard Parish.
In August 2024, CANO partnered with Café Istanbul to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer and hold a voter registration and voter education session.
The partnership/organization Activate The Vote Thru Arts & Culture created a block of committed Artists, Culture Bearers, Arts and Culture organizations, patrons and supporters to strengthen our democracy. The Activate The Vote Thru Arts & Culture asks everyone to pledge to vote at https://pledgetovote.la. The coalition will hold several voter rallies on November 1-2, 2024, to continue the momentum and stress the importance of turning out in huge numbers to cast ballots.
For voting and the Arts community information, contact Art-On-Purpose at cherylfraneysutton@gmail.com or text 504-814-2424.
This article originally published in the October 28, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
