By Kayla Smernoff
Howard University News Service
The Hip Hop Caucus’s Respect My Vote! campaign is trying to change the landscape of voter engagement by using culture to encourage people to cast ballots.
The campaign’s next stop will be on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at Howard University to engage young voters as part of the Hip Hop Caucus’s 20th anniversary celebration on the campus where it all began.
Following an 11 a.m. town hall and reception in the Blackburn Center, Respect My Vote! will shift voter outreach activities outdoors on the Yard for a block party with DJ Akademiks from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“This is an unprecedented time in our nation’s history,” Chris Walton, associate director of Respect My Vote! said in a statement. “In this critical moment, we choose to stand in our power, use our voice and exercise our right to vote while we fight to ensure that our democracy works fairly for everyone.”
According to the Pew Research Center, Black Americans account for a third of eligible voters, which reinforces the need for Black people and other persons of color to understand how to vote and the weight of their voting power.
Respect My Vote! combines art, dance, music and media to inspire people to exercise their right to vote. The campaign provides resources and inspiration to voters who are underappreciated and underrepresented.
Some of the inspiration comes from the Respect My Vote! Artivist Class of 2024 — self-described creative revolutionaries practicing “artivism.” The artivists are 18 influential creatives encouraging voters to use their power in national and local elections.
Participants at the Hip Hop Caucus event will include singer-songwriter Dawn Richard, environmental activist Mustafa Santiago Ali, Howard student leaders and forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., the new president of Howard University Hospital.
“Evidence suggests that despite their many political & social differences, communities of color tend to vote for candidates who support policies that help remedy racial injustices against all groups, not just their own.” — @EfrenPoliPsy 🗣️ https://t.co/iQyMozyfn6
— Hip Hop Caucus 🏁 (@HipHopCaucus) September 10, 2024
“Hip Hop Caucus’ Respect My Vote! campaign is the largest and longest-running hip-hop voter mobilization effort,” Walton said. “We are on the ground in cities across the country this fall educating voters on the issues, sharing resources and driving people to the polls. Your voice matters and your vote is important — now more than ever.”
Kayla Smernoff is covering voting rights as part of HUNewsService.com’s election coverage and participation in Democracy Day on Sept. 15.
