Video Transcript
Hi everyone, it is turn up Tuesday and we're really excited to have you back to us. again. my name is Vanessa Gonzalez with the leadership conference on civil and Human rights turn up Tuesday is a program of all of the vote, which is powered by all local and our large Organization leadership conference on civil and human rights. if this is your first time joining us, The Leadership Conference is in coalition of over 200 organizations that really Center. Color and all of our fights economic Justice policing you name it, So we really do our best to send to those communities in coalition with an amazing group of National and state partners, including some of the folks you're gonna hear from today On our last video we have had over a hundred and 20000 views so thank you all so much. We really hope that you find these videos helpful and that they really help provide some education on voter suppression maybe a little bit get out the vote efforts and really to highlight amazing. Partners that ideally you can connect with in your own state to help further the cause so with that I'm gonna jump in so today's turn up Tuesday. We're talking two States this week. We're talking Louisiana and Alabama and while both of those States have amazing food and histories, they also also some complications and a not so great history when it comes to voting and voting rights and so today our panelists are gonna tell us what. Of the land is as well as what their efforts are in these two States to continue to ensure that every voter has the right to vote and so join us today and just give you a little wave We have Jessica Fortune Barker who's co-founder of lift our boot campaign and Vision movement 2020. We have Denise Jamieson. Hey there, his program Manager of Power Coalition for equity and Justice Ashley Shelton, who's executive Director of Power Coalition for. Injustice and Liliana Zaragosa who's assistant counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as we roll through this and as you hear some of the conversations if you get a question in your head, please feel free to drop it in the chat and once we get to that portion, I'll be sure to get your questions for our guests Alright first, let's get a real name of the land actually if you can give us tell us what's happening in Louisiana and what are some of the particular difficulties that boaters in the state are facing around Cohen? Yeah. We we've had quite a few challenges trying to you know when we had our elections the date for our presidential primary move twice and so the the moving, which creates confusion and you know in frustration but also to was necessary given you know just given how fast and how quickly the the virus was moving in Louisiana and then you know we are state Secretary of state presented a an emergency voting plan that you know at first, the first version. Much broader and just created a number of different excuses for for voters to check and if they were if they didn't feel comfortable actually physically showing up to vote the legislative body voted it down and then they came back with the more restrictive plan that offers five different excuses that you can check if you know like if you're a caretaker if you yourself, you know are under a doctor's care and cannot come out but you know, but there's so many questions and we're continuing to work with the legal defense Fund about. That you know the other thing that this form says in and like a 20 point five is that if you purge yourself in any way that you could also do federal time and not only federal time but hard time and I hope you know how hot it is in Louisiana and hard time is a hard thing And so if I say if I bring my parents groceries twice a week and my caretaker or not right and who's determining whether or not that meets the test, what it means to be a caretaker. we sued them. unfortunately, the judge is not the case, but we are coming back and trying to fight for November elections and so you know for us. We've just been educating people today is the last day to request your absentee ballot. You've got a few more minutes. come on folks. I'm sure if it is you yes, please you know request your absentee ballot. you know we've been working with certainly our seniors automatically you can can you know apply and request a ballot and so we've been you know working with our elderly. And others to to get engaged and so the landscape has been you know it's been rough these last couple of you know this last couple of weeks trying to what months trying to make sure that folks have access to their vote in every pathway to their vote because again, you know like vote by mail is one pathway but given the pandemic we needed to make sure that people had every pathway. you know what I am excited about is that you know the work that we've been doing cumulatively over the last five years, but more particularly this last two years where we've done statewide voter, you know engagement campaigns we. That the early voting numbers are high and so one of the things that they did do is extend early voting for an additional for additional week and so we had some pretty strong early voting numbers coming out that I feel really good about and I'm really proud of the fact that like you know if you keep talking to folks and they feel like you're trusted partner and colleague or political home that they'll keep coming back and they'll keep listening and looking for information. Yeah absolutely because today is the last day. Can you give me a website or tell me how? Request their ballot Yes, and so you can go to and you might have to help me. cuz it's actually it's available on our website. so if you go to Power dot org, you can request your your absentee ballot there great great. please go do that now you can keep up different tabs on your computer to stay with the conversation and request your ballot and this is a reminder of the special election is July eleventh. Yes, it is. Alright so I already some great information. Thank you all so much. I'm gonna turn over to Liliana. Can you talk about the you know as you mentioned the lawsuits can you give us a little bit more about those lawsuits because we hear a lot of States are trying to figure out how to provide all types of voting options in their States but sometimes it's not really enough. Sometimes you question the definition of trying so can you give us a little bit of more insight into what that look like? Actually what States can do now to expand voting for folks? Yeah absolutely and you know, I know some of my colleagues have been very hard at work on the Louisiana case. I personally been very hard at work on the Alabama case, so I know that the other States we're talking about tonight but broadly, you know the CDC has recommended that absentee voting you know in light of the kind of virus pandemic that absentee voting and other forms of voting that limit contacts. So, for example, curbside or. Are really the safest forms of voting during a pandemic, but so many States have you know there's some States that have no excuse absentee voting, but, for example, in Alabama, you have to select any number of excuses Why for absentee ballot you have to provide a photocopy of an ID right even though you know anybody can can you know unfortunately, anybody could provide a copy of the photo ID. and that doesn't tell you anything about the voter right so it it's state. As you know, supposedly the justification is combating voter fraud, which is you know, didn't seem to be a very small problem, but but in reality all that this does is it makes it really hard for people. you know who are voting on the ground because I'm at one time non essential services were closed right and so people need a photocopy of first of all getting the idea If you don't have it right in the DMV offices in Alabama, they're called a Leah those offices were closed for a long time and even now some only starting to reopen and then let alone make. Copies of them, you know they're in addition to that, there's so many other burdens. so, for example, Alabama has two witness requirements so somebody when you apply for your absentee ballot and you've provided your copy of your photo ID. The burdens aren't done there right you have to in addition to filling out your ballot and putting it into an envelope envelope has to be signed by two witnesses or the notary and in a pandemic right. You're somebody who lives in one person or who lives with young children who can't sign or have to ballot for you right, you're not gonna be able to fill that out so you know we we sued right trying to get rid of those returns because the safest thing that you can be doing in a pandemic where does the state is reducing these kinds of restrictions that would require you to interact with people outside of your household? whether it's because you have to be a photocopy or because you have to try and get witnesses. And we sued on behalf of people who you know we think that the best way to go for the most accessible, boating and pandemic would be no excuse mail in voting right that wouldn't have anything like photo ID. requirements or notary you know in in Alabama, they say two witnesses or a notary in the case of a notary you would have to pay right so you know we've actually just attended our complaints yesterday. And and noted that it is essentially a hold up hold up right. so on top of you know all of these provisions are problematic with or without a pendant right. but with the pandemic, there's the added layer of the fact that it's also endangering people so you know the best case scenario as we try to fight for November, you know for us and unfortunately we won twice we want and we got those provisions to be to be. Joined you know that's what it's called so basically put on hold right that those restrictions the photo ID requirement the witness or notary requirement a district court ruled in our favor right so unlike in Louisiana, where the judge ruled against you know plaintiff we actually won we won on appeal but last Thursday, the Supreme Court, we were a little bit heartbroken. We have to say this for on. 12 days before the election in Alabama on July fourteenth put that back. so now we're pivoting you know we're still fighting for November and for other folks fighting other States, you know I really recommend doing whatever you can for making sure that those prescriptions don't exist at beginning to secretaries of state because it is true that most secretaries of state can and their emergency powers change the election laws right, there are some streets that have made curbside voting available or as earlier as mentioned, you know you can extend early voting. So, these are the kinds of things that students can do they don't have to fight us on this it's just that some States have that is a great call to action. Thank you for that you know, highlight of all the cases and thank you for your work and double ACP fantastic and Legacy Partners of the leadership conference and so we rely on their expertise and their hard work regularly. that's a lot that is a lot that you all are working with so a Jae. What are we? telling voters? How are we getting people activated? What's that grassroots push that you're in your orchestra? Yes. so. so when we look at the focus of the power coalition and what we do and who we are, you know, of course, we are people in our Organization and we're focused on amplifying the voices of those who have been historically neutered and specifically, you know our black and Brown communities. But when you look at the makeup of Louisiana the majority don't have access to the Internet so it was really important for us to try to look at like different pathways or innovative measures to. Around the importance of voting and also how that voting access connects to the census and how they're kind of interchangeable when we look at political representation and looking at people building their power from the local level, all the way up to the federal level. So you know the power coalition we created multiple campaigns focused on voting access getting out the vote and again with census and that was through our postcard campaign where we partnered with over 50 On the ground, those are neighborhood associations. Those are churches. Those are other smaller grassroots organizations who may not have necessarily had the resources to help leverage their voices on the ground, but we partnered with them with postcard campaigns as well as our peer-to-peer texting program creating various digital tools and different outreach methods such as Facebook ads geofence ads targeting specifically again. Those hard to count communities because it's hard to count communities are primarily those that are in you know the frequently frequent infrequent voters of color as well. So it's a make up of those very same populations but you know again the power coalitions main goal is to make sure just as every person is being counted in the census to ensure that every person's vote is being counted. so we've of course we have like some. Within the process, especially when we look at our election protection program and how we're trying to navigate through different social distancing measures, but making sure that folks votes are actually being counted and again ensuring that our democracy rights and our voting rights or still there as well. So it's actually mentioned you know we did have a lawsuit in partnership with LD F although it didn't go as we initially had planned, we're still. On it in terms of November elections, but we have to educate folks on the plan that is so again you know July eleventh looking at the polling the different various polling locations. we have 50 different polling locations that have changed so we're calling folks you know we're calling we're trying to educate them specifically connecting to a landline within our rural areas because there are 74 percent of louisianans who don't have access to the Internet again so phone banking texting of course a heavy And social media and also our sample ballots right our sample ballots don't only just say what positions or would you like it or running? but with this position of power? what this individual is in control of because folks don't really know the importance of you know the the primary elections, of course isn't just the presidential elections right there are many judges racist they are going on as well different City District court judges right, so it is important that even. Sample ballots that we haven't broken down that this judge is responsible for presiding over civil cases criminal suits and other things of that nature, so really breaking it down and making sure that folks are really educated and are aware that you know every elected official is responsible for your quality of life and if you can't look at it through just you exercise exercising your vote at least look at trying to build a power from the local. And what will it really mean to like reimagine our systems if we can have people in place individuals in office who are reflective of our moral values and the values of our community. so we can't you can go to power Coalition dot Org. It's actually mentioned earlier of course, July seventh was the you know the last day to request that the absentee ballot, but that information is there all of our various sample ballots with detailed information for multiple parishes throughout the state such as Orleans East Baton Rouge cattle Lafayette. Jefferson Parrish, Jeff Davis, All of that information is on there and so moving forward in terms of education again looking at it through a digital lens through digital outreach, but also making those connections with those small groups that are on the ground and ensuring that they have the different information that they can pass out pass out to their churches pass out to their neighborhood and community groups and also making the connection again with. Engagement and voting access because folks are actually going to be on the ground just as early as July sixteenth with census in various parishes. So it's our job to not only educate them on the senses, but also within the upcoming elections and again making that connection to the access between the both. Thank you for that I wanna give Jessica a chance to get in here and tell us a little bit about lift our vote and one of the things that we're also finding out. Conversations around voter suppression and what does that look like is people at the local level? really understanding? Oh, so when I do vote for the mayor, I'm also voting for the police chief essentially right, there's a definite connection and when we say you need a vote and you need to register to vote, you need to maintain your registration. We don't just mean every four years for the presidential or congressional Senatorial. We mean every election and that's how we can start shaping our community. so thank you for that. Alright Jessica. Get in and tell us a little bit about our bow and some of the work that you're doing with the communities as well. Okay, Yes. Hi everyone so excited to be having this discussion, you know as activists anytime we get with other advocates and activists. There's always a great time lifting her vote is a collaborative campaign that is serving to create a culture of voting by educating engaging and empowering communities of color to strategize, organize and mobilize. So we do understand that like you were saying, is Vanessa leadership matters leadership at every level definitely matters because these are the people that are affecting and impacting our day-to-day lives so the way lift our vote takes a spin on trying to engage in communities hard to reach or how hard to count communities is by actually getting on the ground and servicing their needs because we know that every issue is a voting issue and if we can. These issues that really impact these communities and make it relevant and interesting to them and teach them at the same time tools and give them access to resources to try to make those issues better for them. We know we can capture their attention to engage them around voting so one of the programs that we have is the at the table food distribution so we are using food distribution to access our impoverished communities in our rural. He's around the Metro city and what is happening because we know that food insecurity is on the increase in the face of it right now. so as people are coming by the thousands when we do these food drives we the last food drive We service 1008 hundred and 62 individuals or different families. so we also set up a voter registration drive so as they drove up to pick up their box, we have ladies walking through the Park. Clipboards you know asking them, but we went a step further because normally you ask someone are they registered to vote and they say a drive. Yes or no. so our team has been trained to go a step further. let's check your registration status. so we stand right there and we go to Vote dot Org and we have them input their information right there while they're waiting to pick up their food box because usually it's a long line and a 30 to 45 minute wait time. Have enough time so we have them. check it right there on the spot and what we're finding is a lot of them are on the inactive list or have been removed from the role or their address has changed. So we're we're having this chance to have those real conversations with people who normally wouldn't even think twice about you know doing this type of information or receiving this type of information so lift our vote is just really trying to make sure that we keep our hand in the community and we just make sure that everyone is aware of how these issues actually. Impacted by your vote, Wow, That is fantastic work and I really appreciate the intersectionality in your work right. We know that if people don't have access to food a lot of times, no access to shelter right and when we embark in this work, we know oftentimes communities and people who are hurting voting is maybe the last thing they're thinking of right you gotta worry about your kids. You gotta worry about the bus routes. you gotta worry about your job and a million other things, but all. Things can be made just a little bit easier if we have leadership who also understands our lives and it's working for us because they're supposed to work for us. you are given such a wealth of information. This is fantastic usually when we close this out one of the first things that we always talk about or sorry the question that we use to close this out is what gives you hope right now. and so it's always. Because we do get a lot of the youth the marchers Black lives matter activists really giving a lot of folks hope you all are at the Center of this activism and seeing really these unnecessary unnecessary barriers to voting continue to be put up and perpetuated for generations right, We're talking Louisiana and Alabama. That's in our history books, but it is not just history. It's very real and ongoing today and so. I'm gonna post this question to you all and I'm just gonna call on people as you show up on my screen. but I'm gonna kick it to Liliana. What gives you hope. I have to say what's been giving me hope at least in the context of elections there. There are a lot of things that I have to hold on to, but no one should have to risk their life to vote and yet so many people have done it and it's not just you know the folks like Lewis, you know, put his doing that many years ago, It's today right by people standing. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin and until one in the morning. knowing full well that you know they might get a Corona virus because. it's not it's not that anybody should have to risk their lives but people are refusing to let people suppress their vote because that's so clear that's what it is and people are just fighting back by standing in line. Fantastic. Thank you Miss. Ashley, What gives you hope you know, I think that the thing that gives me hope is that we have been working on so many of these issues for so long and whether it's voter suppression or criminal Justice reform or addressing housing and food insecurity, you know like there's so much of our work on a day-to-day basis that that brings all of those things together and that we've been fighting for and I think that you know because of the movement moment that we're in that there's an opening that we can really push and actually achieve a. Change and for me, it's everything because I think that you know, I always tease my team. I was like one day. I'm gonna pick the easy job but apparently I'm not wired for the easy but I feel like if it all you know like all the work matters all the time, but I feel like to be able to truly be in a moment where we'll see the the needle move on. It's you know like move and be a part of it moving is just exceptionally exciting to me like it is it's why we do this work. It's why you. Like to actually be in those moments where you actually get to see a change it gives me so much hope and I'm a fight like hell until we get what we want. We get what people need so so lots of hope there. I'm gonna take your answer and put it on my own phone as like a recording from when I need to remember. there are bright spots and we are moving the needle on and this is some of this is really working. alright miss what gives you hope what gives me hope is ironically, like due to many of the circumstances and events that have taken these past few months it. It's ignited a fire in a flame and individuals to really utilize and use their voice in terms of educating right I feel like so many people young you know millennials are older generations. They are really connecting the dots and the importance of advocacy the importance of education and the importance of participating in voting participating in civic engagement participating in census and why it's so important now more than ever before that. Your power and participation in all of these events and why it is important to your community so despite the unfortunate things that have happened, it has really truly awakened the movement and now people are already more now than before. Yup. Thank you love it. Alright. Miss Jessica. What gives you hope so everybody took my answers of course. no That hope is a promise that things are going to be better that things can be better. so we stand right now in a climate in which we have the option to create the change that we wanna see so that gives me hope that the current energy the awareness the level of engagement and participation. That's what gives me hope and I know that together, we're gonna be able to create that change that we all desire to see in our communities. you all are so inspiring. Thank you so much. I'm so glad that these States, Alabama and Louisiana, which are very special to our country's history Some of my own people live there. So I'm so glad that you are the guardians of the vote and so please you heard them you heard from our amazing panelists. please check out any of their websites. Also don't forget Alex Alabama Primary July fourteenth, Louisiana Special election in July eleventh So make. You get that book by Mail-in or that you figure out your plan to vote again. Vanessa Gonzalez with the leadership conference on civil and human rights and saliva, and all is local. Thank you so much for joining us. Everyone have a good night. Bye. Bye Y'all.
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