In Ohio, If You Don’t Vote, They Will
Launching anything for the first time is always a challenge of unexpected obstacles, but when the intent of the project is to mobilize an entire community for generations to come, no obstacle will deter the journey. NAACP’s civic engagement campaign for the 2018 elections is no different. As incidents of voter suppression and unethical campaign practices crop up all over the country, we are even more determined in our resolve to turnout a record number of African American voters on November 6. We have to because we know that our jobs, our education, our healthcare, our ability to walk around innocently without getting arrested or killed all depend on the decision we make on November 6.
New funders, new staff, contracted directors, volunteers, and vendors – all of us are breathing life into a vision designed by us, to be led by us, executed by us for our own benefit. For the benefit of our communities.
The desire is the noblest. The potential – unlimited. The executioners – human, flawed, unknown to each other but all down for the people and the cause.
The objective is to empower, uplift and demonstrate the capacity of the African American community led by the NAACP – one of its oldest an revered institutions – to address and resolve its own issues and concerns by injecting power into the process in which so many have lost faith.
As we go door to door talking to prospective voters, one question we hear all too often is “Why should I vote?” If you’re reading this and thinking the same thing, or even worse “My vote doesn’t count,” ask yourself this, “If I don’t vote, who will?”
The bigots. The racists. The sexists. The ableists. All these kinds of people vote, and if you decide not to take action in the midterms, these are who you will be relinquishing your power to. Vote! Our lives depend on it. It’s not just a slogan, it is our reality.
Every state across the nation has critical policy issues that affect Black and brown lives, and some of these will be voted on in just three weeks. In Ohio, the ballot initiative to watch is Issue 1. Though controversial, it could be a big part of leveling the playing field on drug conviction sentencing as well as reducing the disparity in our justice system and treatment opportunities.
Issue 1 proposes making drug possession a misdemeanor and not a felony. It also favors treatment over jail time for non-violent offenders. This could even lower sentencing for those already in prison – a disproportionate amount of whom are Black. As we canvass across the state, we’re making sure people are aware of what Issue 1 is, so that they go into polling stations adequately informed.
Already, we’ve hit major targets. So far, we’ve surpassed our voter registration goal in Ohio by 2,000 people and did so all while coming in $40,000 under budget on our Voter Registration program!
The effort to draw non-traditionals in has been far from easy, but we’ve made great strides through the help of influencers. By connecting these community influencers to GOTV activities, we’ve been able to reach people all the way from the pulpit, with Bishop TD Jakes to the playing field with NFL Cleveland Brown cornerback, TJ Carrie, coming onboard to help mobilize voters and push them to the polls.
Rallying these many people to regain faith in a system that they don’t trust, a system that is still under attack, has of course been challenging, but above all it has been eye-opening. America has failed people of color for far too long, and the only people that can help us is us!
I am asking everyone – self included – to rise above the challenges and frustrations. Focus on the end game. Consider those as microscopic sacrifices compared to the sacrifices of those who raised this very organization and blazed the trail. We simply have to clear the brush. Take back the power that concedes nothing without demand.
Overcoming challenges is what we do!
Too big? Hopefully not…our lives depend on it!
Yours in service
Tracy Maxwell Heard
