The first year I was eligible to vote, I did not. I was one of the last to turn 18 the summer before heading off to college, and registering to vote simply was not prioritized. As the great-great-great granddaughter and great-grand niece of Black Americans — turned Black Canadians — Abraham Doras Shadd and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who were both abolitionists vital to the Underground Railroad and celebrated on the 2009 and 2024 Canadian national stamps, respectively, I later reflected sadly on my lack of participation in such a hard fought and harder-won victory for my community to be able to vote in this country.
After that election of 1992, I began to realize the fertile ground of politics, advocacy, and activism on the campus of my Historically Black College and University (HBCU) known as the Mecca, Howard University, and in the surrounding Capitol of our nation. The Mecca is the alma mater to my Aunt Mary Ann, the second Black woman in America to obtain a law degree. The energy of that place planted civic engagement seeds that would begin shaping my personal and professional commitments. Later, I joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the second Black American sororal organization whose first social action was to participate in the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Procession, just under two months after its founding. Being part of these culturally rich and historic affiliations, as well as honoring the legacy of my ancestors, has created a vantage point that fundamentally focuses on ever-improving justice and equality through our right to vote, through our opportunity to vote.
Today, as we celebrate National Black Voter Day, I take pride in having voted in all presidential elections after my freshman year in college. Every four years, the presidential election is the biggest in American politics, but it is far from the only consequential race. In the years between, new policies and politicians surface, making the voting landscape exciting and challenging to navigate for first-time and habitual voters. Admittedly, it took years to understand and actively participate in local elections. As a Black woman who designs civic programming, my charge is to educate and motivate my students and my community to vote in every election. Regardless of what or who we believe in, consistent voting and overall civic engagement is critical to the sustainability of a healthy democracy.
While my affiliations have fostered a deep investment in and access to our democratic processes, many in my community do not share these experiences nor have this exposure. There is a disconnect between the right to vote and the confidence that every vote matters. This comes as Pew Research Center consistently shows that the Black voting block is consequential to every national election. Undeniably, access to voting has long-standing historical barriers and current challenges that can breed apathy, and have prevented the practice of voting from fully developing in communities of color like mine. The same is true for those who have not had the same economic or educational opportunities. Though barriers exist, improving the practice of voting is critical to realize the future many envision for generations to come.
In addition to the confusion surrounding ever-changing voting dates and deadlines, a 2020 CIRCLE study identified obstacles that youth in underrepresented populations may be more likely to face:
- Restrictive voter ID laws are more likely to negatively impact turnout among voters of color.
- Lack of transportation and long lines at the polls.
Exercising the right to vote is the ultimate way to improve our communities, locally and nationally. Black Americans can honor the voting victory of our ancestors by seizing the opportunity to get to the ballot box at the local, state, and federal levels. And while mis-and dis-information abound, each person can and should be in pursuit of vetted information about candidates and ballot issues to ensure they are always making informed decisions when casting their ballots.
As an educator, I believe it is my responsibility to help students of all shades form their democratic strategies. I share that they can pre-register to vote before turning 18, and I give them tools to research what is on their ballot to help them determine their own values and preferred policies. Effective democracy requires understanding that policies live beyond any one politician’s term. My students realize they cannot bypass local elections and expect the outcomes they desire; they must be conscious of their contributions to democracy and adjust their engagement, accordingly. I tell my students that if you want a good agenda, vote up (president, governor, mayor); if you want that agenda to be implemented, vote down (state and federal senators, representatives, judges, council members, etc.). Most importantly, I tell them that building a consistent voting practice and strengthening democracy requires showing up in every election.
Is your campus considering civic engagement strategies, but struggles with developing a plan of action for your students? Beginning with its powerful theory of change to empower colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a good resource. ALL IN has created invaluable toolkits and resources for local and national campaigns, policies, and laws that are relevant to undergraduate voters.
I feel fortunate to be an ALL IN Fellow for a set of HBCUs. Through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, I have the opportunity to affect change where I am while helping cultivate action-oriented citizens who feel an inextricable belonging to the larger American culture and its outcomes.
As we end the 2024 Week of Action presented by the National Urban League encouraging Black Americans to get involved in our electoral system, think of the actions you can take! Let’s all commit to staying actively engaged in every election. Let’s do better, consistently. Democracy is worth it.
More than 1070 colleges and universities currently participate in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, including Georgia State University. Learn more about ALL IN and support our work here.