Tag Archives: voter suppression

Power of the Ballot Debate Watch Party and Comedy Show Set Off GOTV Mobilization Efforts with Celebrity Talents BPhlat, Erin Jackson and MESHELLE

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Call it the calm before the midterm election storm. Georgia Black Women's Roundtable (GA BWR) treated staff, volunteers, local and national leaders, and members of the community to a night filled with tasty food, great company, and a lot of laughter when they hosted a Power of the Ballot Debate Watch Party and Comedy Show this past Friday, October 14 at IBEW Local 613. The event kicked off a weekend of organizing as election activists hit the streets to educate and motivate citizens to be among the first to cast a ballot for early voting which begins on Monday, October 17.

"We are beginning this very serious mobilization phase with a fun event because our workers and volunteers have been pounding the pavement for months and we know how hard it will get over the next few weeks to motivate and mobilize frustrated voters," expressed Helen Butler, executive director of Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda (People's Agenda) and convener of GA BWR.

Butler continues, "We are also fighting voter suppression tactics so we are training more poll workers than usual and, if it's anything like 2021, we may have to deal with angry voters retaliating because they believed there was voter fraud. Black voters understand the power of the ballot and will turn out like they did in 2020 so we want to make sure they can vote. We have a lot of work to do so it was great to relax and enjoy the comediennes."

In addition to Butler, members of GA BWR that organized the event included: Felicia Davis, Clayton County Black Women's Roundtable; Deborah Scott, GA STAND-UP; and Sandra L. Williams, Retail, Wholesale Department Store Union. Melanie L. Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation's (NCBCP) and convener of BWR, was on hand to bring greetings from the national office.

As part of the organizing weekend the nonpartisan groups traveled through the Atlanta area on a bus wrapped with get-out-the-vote messages about the power of the ballot and urging people to vote. The bus will continue to visit cities in Georgia to mobilize Black voters and let residents know they can get a free ride to the polls by calling the GA Coalition for the People's Agenda hotline at 877-524-8683.

Additional events over the weekend included a tailgating event on Saturday at the NCBCP Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. Institute during Clark Atlanta University's Homecoming, and on Sunday Georgia STAND-UP hosted a brunch and gospel concert at their headquarters in East Point, GA. The organizing weekend was part of NCBCP's seven-state Unity '22 Black Women's Roundtable Power of the Ballot GOTV Comedy Tour and Organizing Weekend.

Comediennes Meshelle "The Indie Mom" of Comedy, Erin Jackson and BPhlat were just a sampling of the special guests who lined up to get out the vote. The comedy show followed the debate between former football player and businessman, Herschel Walker, and Georgia Senator and Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Senator Raphael Warnock.

National Partners include AARP, SEIU, Neo Philanthropy/State Infrastructure Fund and Kapor Center. Local partners are Black Male Initiative and Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council.

For more information about the Georgia Black Women's Roundtable, or to volunteer, email coalition@bellsouth.net, call the People's Agenda at (404) 653-1199 or visit http://thepeoplesagenda.org.

ABOUT THE PEOPLE'S AGENDA/GA BWR

Georgia Black Women's Roundtable is convened by the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda (http://thepeoplesagenda.org). The People's Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization performing year-round voter registration, education, and mobilization in Black communities throughout Georgia. Led by board chair, Rev. J. A. Milner, and Helen Butler, the organization has headquarters in Atlanta and offices in Athens, Albany, Macon, Augusta, LaGrange, and Savannah.

ABOUT CLAYTON COUNTY BLACK WOMEN'S ROUNDTABLE

Clayton County Black Women's Roundtable is an affiliate of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation's Black Women's Roundtable, (https://www.blackwomensroundtable.org) an intergenerational leadership development, mentoring, and empowerment arm for Black women and girls. The Black Women's Roundtable is at the forefront of championing justice and equitable public policies that center racial, economic, climate and gender justice key elements of success.

ABOUT GEORGIA STAND-UP

The Georgia Strategic Alliance for New Directions and Unified Policies (Georgia STAND-UP) (https://www.georgiastandup.org) provides research, strategy, technical support, and resource development for grassroots community organizing and non-partisan voter education. STAND-UP and Vote! is their year-round voter education and registration campaign. STAND-UP is one of the most visible and successful voting advocates in the Southeast emphasizing "boots on the ground," door knocking, and grassroots mobilization.

ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA LABOR COUNCIL

The Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council (https://unionhall.aflcio.org/atlclc) is one of nearly 500 state and local labor councils of the AFL-CIO and are the heart of the labor movement. We are democratically elected bodies dedicated to representing the interests of working people at the state and local level. We mobilize our members and community partners to advocate for social and economic justice and we strive daily to vanquish oppression and make our communities better for all people.

Call it the calm before the midterm election storm. Georgia Black Women's Roundtable (GA BWR) treated staff, volunteers, local and national leaders, and members of the community to a night filled with tasty food, great company, and a lot of laughter when they hosted a Power of the Ballot Debate Watch Party and Comedy Show this past Friday, October 14 at IBEW Local 613.

Related link: https://www.thepeoplesagenda.org/

Georgia Black Women’s Roundtable Break from Battling Voter Suppression to Honor Valiant Women of the Vote

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Despite the ongoing efforts of many leaders to suppress the voices of Georgia residents, Black and Brown voters turned out in record numbers, electing the most diverse leadership in the state's history. Last week, the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda's women's network, Georgia Black Women's Roundtable (BWR), took a short break from their fight against archaic voter suppression laws to recognize the historic leadership of local Black women during a virtual event, "Celebrating Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced."

"Black women have worked extremely hard over the past year to make sure every eligible voter was able to cast a ballot that counted without fear or intimidation," said Helen Butler, executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda. "We wanted to take a moment to recognize the impact their service has had on our community, locally and nationally."

The first valiant woman of the vote, Dekalb County Commissioner Mereda Johnson, was elected to serve District 5 in 2015. A co-founding partner with the law firm of Johnson Hopewell Coleman, Commissioner Johnson has been a practicing attorney for more than 33 years, concentrating in family law. In 1985, she became the first Black female judge appointed in DeKalb County Courts.

"I decided to be a part of the change I wanted to see in Dekalb," said Commissioner Johnson. "Everyday I wake up to serve my neighbors and try to improve the quality of life in my community."

Gwinnett County Commissioner Nicole Love Hendrickson was elected chair of the Board of Commissioners in 2020, making her the first African American to hold this position. She was the founding director of the Gwinnett County Community Outreach program where she launched several community-based initiatives and has served on the boards of the United Way Gwinnett Community and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Elected in 2020, Henry County Commissioner Carlotta Harrell is the daughter of a pastor and a freedom fighter. She is a managing partner and VP of Business Development with The Harrell Group, a women-owned consulting firm. Commissioner Harrell served as chief of staff for the Henry County Commissioner in District V and was a consultant for the Georgia Conference of African American Mayors, assisting mayors and cities with identifying over $300 million dollars in funding for infrastructure and economic development projects.

Prior to being sworn in as the county's first Black and first woman chairperson, Cobb County Commissioner Lisa Cupid served on the Board of Commissioners for eight years representing District Four. Commissioner Cupid is an attorney and former mediator, policy analyst and manufacturing process engineer. She is known as a strong advocate for the fair treatment of all of Cobb's residents and stakeholders regardless of geographic, demographic or economic standing. Her accomplishments include championing Cobb's newly instituted Sunday transit service and advocating for enhanced public safety measures.

The Rita Jackson Samuels Trailblazer Award was given to Felicia M. Davis, the co-founder of HBCU Green Fund and convener of Clayton County Black Women's Roundtable. Davis has been a staunch advocate for climate justice and spent just as much time promoting voting. Mentored by renowned civil rights leader, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, Davis has led voter registration, education and mobilization initiatives locally and nationally. She serves on the board of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and was a partner with the late Rita Samuels in Women Flying High, a business devoted to increasing women's participation in Atlanta airport contracts.

"My friend, Dr. Rita Jackson Samuels, would be so proud of the historic number of Black women elected officials in Georgia," said Davis. "Rita dedicated her life to women's empowerment, especially getting Black women elected. Today we're leading in Clayton, Cobb, Gwinnett, Dekalb, Henry and Douglas Counties, and throughout the state."

Dr. Samuels was a civil and women's right's visionary who worked alongside some of the most powerful leaders in the country including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She became the first Black woman in Georgia's history to serve on the staff of a Georgia Governor and went on to serve in the staff of President Jimmy Carter.

The Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda ( http://thepeoplesagenda.org/ ) is proud to promote health, wealth, and economic prosperity for women through Georgia Black Women's Roundtable, an affiliate of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation's Black Women's Roundtable (blackwomensroundtable.org); an intergenerational leadership development, mentoring, and empowerment arm for Black women and girls that stays at the forefront of championing justice and equitable public policies.

Contact: Edrea Davis
Phone: (770) 961-6200)/ (818) 613-9521

Despite the ongoing efforts of many leaders to suppress the voices of Georgia residents, Black and Brown voters turned out in record numbers, electing the most diverse leadership in the state's history. The Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda's women's network, Georgia Black Women's Roundtable (BWR) recognized the historic leadership of local Black women.

Related link: http://www.thepeoplesagenda.org/

Kick-Off of John Lewis Good Trouble Marches and Votercades Through Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Just a day before they must fight in court against the purging of Georgia voters, the Transformative Justice Coalition and Rainbow PUSH Coalition will join the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda, community leaders and organizers from across the state for a press conference to kick-off the John Lewis "Good Trouble" March and Votercades to mobilize voters for the U.S. Senate runoff races and Public Service Commission race on Jan 5, 2021.

"We're fighting against voter suppression tactics like the unjust, illegal and wrongful purging of 200,000 Georgia voters; we're fighting intentional election misinformation; we're fighting efforts by Georgia legislators to impose more restrictions on absentee ballots that will affect the Runoffs...while Georgians are actively voting," exclaimed Barbara Arnwine, founder and president of the Transformative Justice Coalition.

The John Lewis March and Caravan is designed to capture the Spirit of the Late Congressman's legacy of getting into Good Trouble. "We are here in Atlanta to ensure voters are able to vote in large numbers to Finish The Job," President Arnwine, continued.

"With the John Lewis spirit of overcoming suppressive odds; with the commitment of protecting and expanding access to the ballot box; with the determination for Georgians to not be denied voting rights, the John Lewis Good Trouble March and Votercade creates a level of excitement that inspires Black and Brown people to vote in the special election," President Arnwine stated.

The Marches and Votercades - currently planned in 15 cities and growing - will bring attention to the urgent need for voters to finish the job they started by voting and also promote early voting.

WHO:

Attorney Barbara Arnwine, founder and president, Transformative Justice Coalition and president emeritus, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Helen Butler, executive director, Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda

Attorney Daryl Jones, board chairman, Transformative Justice Coalition

March coordinators from various counties

WHAT:

Kick-off of John Lewis "Good Trouble" Marches and Votercades throughout Georgia

WHEN:

DATE: Wednesday, December 9, 2020

TIME: 11 a.m. - 12 Noon

WHERE:

Site of John Lewis Mural

Corner of Auburn Ave. and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive

219 Auburn Ave.

Atlanta, GA 30303

HOW:

FOR MEDIA OUTSIDE ATLANTA A LINK TO VIEW ONLINE WILL BE AVAILABLE. For the link email: edmedia@dogonvillage.com or dianelarche73@aol.com or call 770.961.6200 or via text 818.613.9521.

For more information or to sponsor a John Lewis Good Trouble March and Votercade visit http://votingrightsalliance.org/.

About Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC):

Founded by Barbara Arnwine, president emeritus of the lawyer's committee for civil rights Under the law, the Transformative Justice Coalition seeks to be a catalyst for transformative institutional changes that bring about justice and equality in the united states and abroad. Website: https://tjcoalition.org/

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Edrea Davis - 770.961.6200

edmedia@dogonvillage.com

Diane Larche: 404.273.3227

Dianelarche73@aol.com

Just a day before they must fight in court against the purging of Georgia voters, the Transformative Justice Coalition and Rainbow PUSH Coalition will join the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples' Agenda, community leaders and organizers from across the state for a press conference to kick-off the John Lewis "Good Trouble" March and Votercades to mobilize voters for the U.S. Senate runoff races and Public Service Commission race on Jan 5, 2021.

Related link: https://tjcoalition.org/