FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashlynn@civicnation.org
When We All Vote released a video encouraging Black voters to use their voice in this year’s election
Washington, DC: Today, on National Black Voter Day, When We All Vote released a video message from the organization’s Founder Michelle Obama and Co-Chair Chris Paul encouraging Black voters to have their voices heard in this year’s midterm elections. In the video, Mrs. Obama and Chris Paul remind Black voters of the power of their voice and their responsibility to vote in every election.
With BET and other national and local partners, When We All Vote is honoring National Black Voter Day by empowering Black voters to get registered and ready to vote. In 2020, the number of Black Americans eligible to vote reached a record 30 million and Black eligible voters now make up 12.5 percent of the U.S. electorate. Since the historic voter turnout in 2020, state lawmakers across the nation have introduced more than 500 voter suppression bills. These bills and tactics seek to silence American voices at the ballot box and often have a disproportionate impact on Black voters.
Watch When We All Vote’s full video message here. A full transcript is included below.
FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Mrs. Obama: Happy National Black Voter Day!
Chris Paul: Today is all about recognizing the power of our voices and the responsibility we have to use them.
Mrs. Obama: It’s great news that more Black Americans were eligible to vote in the last presidential election than ever before.
But, at the same time, eligibility doesn’t mean those ballots will actually be cast – especially when in some places, it’s getting harder and harder to vote.
Chris Paul: We’re seeing the polling places closed down, early voting hours being cut, folks being purged from the voting rolls.
Who would have thought that in 2022, our right to vote would still be under threat?
But here we are. Luckily, we still have the chance to show up – and show that the power still lies in our hands.
Mrs. Obama: This National Black Voter Day, I want you to head over to WhenWeAllVote.org to check your voter registration status and ask three friends to do the same.
Chris Paul: Because when we all work together, we can make our voices heard. So let’s get out there and do this–
Mrs. Obama and Chris Paul: Together.
ABOUT When We All Vote:
When We All Vote is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.
In 2020, When We All Vote ran a robust, multifaceted campaign and reached more than 100 million people to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote. The initiative also led in voter education, registration, and volunteer engagement and as a result, 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process, and nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit partners joined its efforts.
Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote in 2018 and is joined by fellow Co-Chairs Stephen Curry, Becky G, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, H.E.R., Liza Koshy, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson.
When We All Vote is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and works with Civic Nation Action, a 501(c)(4). Learn more here.
ABOUT Civic Nation:
Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more here.