Hello and Happy Martin Luther King holiday to everyone. I'm Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner
and president of Skinner Leadership Institute and coordinator of the Faith United to Save
Democracy. I am so pleased to welcome you to this launching of our voter registration
and voter protection campaign for 2024 through Faith's United to Save Democracy. Faith
United to Save Democracy is a nonpartisan multi-faith, multi-racial, and multi-generation
voter protection campaign where we protect the most vulnerable citizens that they would have
a free, fair, and safe election. And what a great day to be doing this. We are honored
Dr. King by our very presence here today. It was Dr. King who reminded us all that injustice
anywhere is injustice everywhere. We understand that voting is about justice
and fair voting is really what we are about protecting this in this launch today.
We have some amazing faith and community speakers. When you look at the screen, you see America.
You look at the screen to see the ways in which we need to begin to work and organize our voting
and our voting power together. So you have an opportunity after these amazing speakers
to ask your questions and you can begin as you hear them and hear their voices.
Answering the question collectively, why vote? This is a question not only adults are asking,
but young people are really asking in all of our communities, why should I vote? What is in it for
me? What difference will it make in my life? I think we have the answers here in these amazing
messengers today. So if you have a question, you just put it in the chat and we'll try to answer
as many of them as possible during this session. The agenda is also in the chat. But before we
begin, let me ask everyone to remember that faith United to save democracy is nonpartisan.
We all have different views, political views, but this is not the place or the day for that.
So I'm going to ask every speaker and every one of you who even ask a question that will get through
the chat to keep that in mind. There are other venues where we probably should have a political
discussion, but that won't happen today. So this is the day that we're going to be answering the
question. Why vote? And the kick us off, we're so excited to have the Reverend John Carr.
He's Director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. His opening prayer will be followed by a spiritual framing of our
entire campaign and the vision for the campaign by the Reverend Jim Wallace. Jim Wallace is the
Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair and Director of the Georgetown Center for Faith and Justice.
Jim will also introduce a speaker we're all waiting to hear. We have a celebrity guest speaker
who will be talking about from the perspective of a superstar. Why voting matters? He will be
followed immediately, that message, by a call to action from the Reverend Adam Taylor.
And Adam Taylor is Chair of Sojourters. He and Jim are both co-leads of this campaign.
They will come in that order. And now our opening prayer by the Reverend John Carr.
Thank you, Barbara. Please join me in prayer.
Oh, Lord, our God, in the words of Isaiah and Jesus, you have called us to bring good news to the poor.
Liberty captives, new sight to the blinds, set the downtrodden free. We are your people.
And we do try and bring good news and tough times to those who have been left behind.
To bring liberty to those held captive by racial and economic and environmental
and immigration injustice. To bring new sight when we are blinded by racism, partisanship,
ideology, power and fear. And set free those held down by threats to their lives,
their dignity, their rights as children of God.
We thank you for the prophetic witness of Dr. King. For the courage of all those
who joined in the struggle for civil rights and voting rights.
For the leadership of Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner and others who have brought us together
this sacred day in these challenging times. We ask for strength and hope, courage and wisdom,
persistence and principled action to protect and promote the right to vote and to redeem
our national pledge of liberty and justice for all. We ask you to strengthen the leaders on this call
to care for our families, especially those who are sick and to give us hope. All this we ask in
your name. Amen. So why vote? One reason because the Bible tells us so.
No, there wasn't voting in biblical times or Jesus day. But the very first chapter of the very
first book of the Bible tells us why each of our voices is so precious and important in this world.
Faced United to save democracy is much more than a political campaign. Here is our spiritual
framework. First, imagine all the noise around electoral politics these days.
Those often shallow faults and even dangerous voices are literally interrupted by the voice of
God in Genesis chapter 1 verse 26. Then God said, let me repeat that. Despite all the
political noise we hear, then God said, let us make humankind in our image and after our own
likeness. Then God did that. And God set the spiritual framework for any earthly talk about
human rights, including voting rights. Each of us, all of us, are from the beginning.
We were created in the image of God and our dignity and worth needs to be respected as such. And in
2024, we all need to remind each other of our God given value and dignity. That means that any
and all efforts to restrict or suppress voter registration or voting rights is literally an
attack, an assault on a Mago day, the image of God. So this campaign isn't just partisan or
narrowly political, it is spiritually based, biblically based. We are an Amago day movement.
It is true that in this election year, democracy is now literally at stake. The going deeper for us,
it is the image of God that is at stake now. And all of us, all we children of God need
to make our voices heard for the future of a genuinely multiracial democracy in America.
There are powerful political forces now at work to prevent the American future from
including all of God's beautifully created diverse human beings. We intend to defeat
those forces in God's name. We will win the battle for the soul of the nation and to see our better
angels prevail over our worst national demons with the power of God. On this special day to open up
the crucial year of 2024, we remember the wisdom of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,
who tried to set us straight politically and morally by reminding us, as he said,
the church is not meant to be the master of the state nor the servant of the state.
But to be the conscience of the state. Let us, as people of faith, become the conscience
of the nation in this decisive year. Let us be the faith factor of this election.
Therefore, anytime people tell us that voter registration doesn't matter,
or voting rights, or even elections don't matter, we say this. Listen to what God said.
You are made in my image. Make your voices heard and the voices of all those whom you love.
Make a difference for my sake. Amen, amen, and amen.
And now it is my honor and blessing to introduce a brother in Christ,
Stephen Curry, who is far more than a legendary national basketball association superstar player.
Steph Curry is also a man of strong faith and deeply committed the social justice because
of his faith. And he cares about voting rights. Steph has a basketball game today,
pro-dubs, but he wanted me to share with you his own unique why vote message in the following
video. Thank you, Steph, watching you shoot and watching you speak brings us joy. Steph Curry.
Hey, guys, Steph and Curry here. I just want to say and kind of reiterate,
I think something that we all know, but don't really want to take for granted, especially
with what's going on in our society, what's going on in the world right now,
and how important leadership is in every office of decision making and power
in order to control that, how important voting is.
No matter what walk of life you come from, no matter what background you have, no matter
what your political views are, we want to be informed, we want to be knowledgeable,
we want to be in a place where we can really speak on what's happening, but we need to vote.
We need to get our families to vote, our friends, our co-workers, our colleagues,
our communities, our churches. We need everyone to step up and to use their right to vote.
To make their voice heard, to get the right people in power so that we can
solve as many issues as possible that need to be solved and to not allow the spirit of our country
to be damaged any further. I pray that we all utilize our right, get active out there,
make sure that it's not taken for granted, that people know how to get registered,
that they are in a position where come the fall, that we are in a position,
that everybody is at the polls and everybody is using their right to vote.
Get the word out there, get active, and let's make our voice be heard. Thank you.
There's one to thank. Steph is such a powerful and timely message. Thank you, Jim. Thank you,
Dr. Skinner. I have the honor of serving as president of sojourners, a Christian peace and justice
organization that is a proud co-leader of the face United to save democracy campaign.
My parents instilled in me the belief that my generation, generation acts and subsequent
generations inherited the unfinished business of the civil rights struggle. It has been sobering
to realize that protecting the sacred right to vote has once again become an essential part
of that unfinished business. Last spring, I had the profound privilege of walking across
the Edmund Pettus Bridge and meeting with Linda Blackman-Laurie, the youngest marcher who was
brutalized on Bloody Sunday. She impressed upon me and our group that we must finish what she started.
On the birthday of the modern-day prophet and my beloved fraternity brother, Reverend Dr. Moether
King Jr., I'm reminded of our fraternity's voter registration motto, which is a voteless people
is a hopeless people. Dr. King understood that voting is literally essential to securing every
other right that we hold dear. Voting is our voice. It is our agency. It is how we exercise
our righteous power. Through the face United to save democracy campaign, we are working together
to build the kind of bold and broad, nonpartisan, multiracial, multifaith and yes, intergenerational
coalition that is needed at a time in which voting and our democracy are indeed under assault.
The book of Proverbs reminds us that where their lacks vision to people perish.
In my companion to that timeless wisdom is that where their lacks strategy campaigns so often
perish. But the good news is that we have a clear and powerful strategy in the face United campaign
that is broken into four phases. The first phase focuses on voter registration, which you'll hear
more about in this time together. It also focuses on what's at stake in this election
and trying to ensure that everyone knows what their rights are. While many state laws have
or confusing to vote, we must convince everyone that they can still exercise this sacred right.
The second phase goes through April and includes a we are watching component in which we will be
organizing meetings with senior election officials, including secretaries of state,
to hold them accountable for conducting free, fair and safe elections in states all across
the country. The third phase runs from May through September and will focus on mobilizing
and motivating voters, particularly young voters. We will also be recruiting and training poll
chaplains to provide a moral presence at polling sites, including through de-escalation trainings.
And in the fourth and final phase, we will finalize our voting mobilization plans.
We will also be vigilant in pushing back against any evidence of voter suppression or even
of election subversion in the election itself. Yes, we cannot afford to be complacent or cautious.
Anti-democratic forces are emboldened by people's cynicism and their fat fatigue.
And so together, through face United, to save democracy, we will generate the fierce urgency of
now to protect the right to vote, to save our democracy as a sacred cause and a faith imperative.
We just heard four amazing messages from Jim Wallace who reminded us that the image of God
is at stake in this election and our dignity and that image are what we're protecting in vulnerable
voters. We thank you, Jim, for getting Steph Curry to give us that message that we are responsible
for getting our families and friends and everybody around us to know that we have some authority
to vote in. And then thank you so much, Adam, for letting everyone know that there's a plan of
action that you can be a part of, that from now until November, we'll be calling on those of you
who are dialing in and those of you who are speaking and our state leads to work this out
together. Now, I want to talk about the people who make this campaign go. The ones who are really
the backbone of our, our very campaign called face United to save democracy and that's our state
leads. They are the ones who are, who help to bring together the multiracial faith and
multigeneration leaders in their states, in our webinars, in our gatherings together.
They are the faith influencers who are bridge builders and they know that 2024 will be counting
on them even more. And because of their importance is then their campaign and we, because we also
want you to know them and get connected with them. They're all on our website, but I want to call
out other names now so you know who they are. In Alabama, we have the Bishop Harry C. Wright,
9th District AME Bishop. In Arizona, we have co-leads, intergenerational co-leads, Bishop
Dr. Warren Stewart, Senior Pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church, and Dr. Dontum
the Gildry, Outreach and Justice Pastor at First Institution. In Florida, Bishop Terry Hill, Senior
Pastor of the Citadel Church of Jacksonville. In Georgia, we have intergenerational co-leads,
Reverend Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church and Reverend Paul
Little, Little Pastor of Bid Mount Zion Baptist Church in, in Macon, Georgia. We go from Georgia
to Michigan and in Michigan, we have co-leads, Dr. Reverend Dr. Steve Bland, Jr. He runs the
Baptist pastors of Detroit and is a pastor there and temple Baptist Church and our own Dr. James
Perkins, Pastor Emeritus of Christ Baptist Church in Detroit. From Detroit, we go to North Carolina
to Bishop Claude Alexander in Charlotte, North Carolina and the pastor, Senior Pastor of the
Park Church in North Carolina. In Ohio, we have Gelata Aslam. She is the Director Coordinator of the
Ohio, the Powerful Ohio Unity Coalition. And in Pennsylvania, our co-leads are the Reverend Dr. Alan
Waller and Dr. Mark Tyler. Reverend Waller is a pastor of Enon Baptist Church in Philadelphia and
Dr. Tyler at Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia. In Texas, in Dallas, Texas, we have the Reverend
Freddie Haynes, Frederick Haynes III, Senior Pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church and the newest
Director of Rainbow Push Coalition. And finally, last but certainly not least, in Wisconsin, we have
Pastor Joy Galman of St. Mark's AME Church. And so you see, we have a wealth of experience and a wealth
of knowledge and a wealth of commitment to bring people together in the call to action that
Adam Taylor just gave us. And now you'll hear their amazing voices, their collective voices,
in our first Faith Denied to Save Democracy, Why Vote Video.
Our country stands at a crucial crossroads, faced with a choice that will shape our political
and moral future. Many politicians are trying to divide us against each other. This election
will impact everything we hold dear, deciding how we want our children educated, having the right
to keep our health care and the right to voice our convictions and programs that will help keep
us healthy, housed and fed. Now is the time to vote and now is the time to challenge the politics of
resentment, racial division and fear. The future of our neighbors and communities hinges on this
election. Our strength lies in our ability to stand together, transcending our differences of
faith, faith and faith. We must forge a unified community where freedom and justice are not
privileged but are a birthright for everyone. We can propel ourselves into a new era of inclusion,
generosity and justice.
Enter, face united to save democracy, a non-partisan, multiracial, multi-faith
and multi-generational voter and democracy protection campaign.
Faith's United to Save Democracy is dedicated to resisting efforts that
undermine our freedom to them. We will combat voter intimidation, misinformation, suppression
and political violence. Stand up against the banks and actors and support those who are marginalized.
It's time to treat others with respect and honor the Mago Deji, the image of God in everyone.
Let's defend everyone's right to a safe and better.
No one should fear for their safety, based on skin color, language or how they pray.
We must unite against discrimination. We need a politic of love for our neighbor and the common
love. Some lawmakers are even trying to silence our voices by making voting harder.
We need to hold them accountable and ensure that every voice is heard and every vote counted.
Why do we vote? Because our vote is our voice. By casting our ballots, we elect officials who
represent our values. Our voice is our vote. By voting, I support the officials that represent
my interests and my issues. Your vote matters. You can change laws and policies that benefit
your community. Our vote is our power. We can leverage our vote to make sure that we hold
elected officials accountable to our shared values and priorities. Together we must ensure
that every member of our communities can exercise their sacred freedom to vote
and shape the future we all hear about and desire. Join Phase United to save democracy
because together we can make a difference.
Yes, together we can make a difference and we want to encourage you to go to turnoutsundi.com.
That is turnoutsundi.com because that video is available. The video you just saw with all
of those amazing voices on the Y vote from our state leads that are available and you can
draw your communities to them. In addition to our state leads, what really makes
Faith United to save democracy powerful and strong are the many partners, diverse partners,
of different faiths and backgrounds that help to bring their voice, their values,
and their perspectives to this campaign. We are so excited today to have four of them sharing
their Y vote messages with them. We have the Rabbi David Saperstein,
former Director of Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Imam Talib Chari,
President and Imam of Masjid Muhammad, the nation's mosque. Then the Reverend Dr. John
Faizan Sr. Sr. Pastor of Watson Grove Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.
And then Miss Latasha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter and they will come to us
in that order answering the question that everyone is asking. Why vote?
Judaism and so many of our religions gave to the world ideas and ideals of proto-democratic power
that changed the course of human history and helped shape our nation. I'll raise up just three today.
First is what we have heard so powerfully already, the belief that God created every human being,
no matter what their racial, ethnic, sexual, or religious identity in the image of the divine.
Second, the rule of law to which all abound in the model of a formal court system to implement
the law, both first created in the Bible by Moses. And when Nathan the Prophet challenges King David
or Elijah, King Ahab, we were taught that even the highest human ruler is held accountable to
the rule of law. It is a message as relevant to our own leaders today and leaders of democracies
everywhere as it was three thousand years ago. Third is freedom of will and the concomitant
freedom of choice so indispensable to democracy and the right to vote that we gather to affirm
again it's Martin Luther King birthday. As the Tamura Grandpa Yitzchalk warned 1,700 years ago,
a ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted. The power of these ideas in
the model of these institutions were key foundations of the concepts of equal rights,
equal dignity, equal opportunity for all God's children. Ideas that inspire the founders of our
nation as they inspire Dr. Martin Luther King. Today as a Supreme Court and the growing number
of extremists in Congress have increasingly abandoned such a vision. Our votes in this critical election
year that will shape the direction of our nation where that our nation will follow for years to
come. Our votes are indispensable in protecting our fundamental rights. Our houses of worship can
help people register to vote and turn out votes can educate them on the issues can help protect
election workers and officials and so much more to do less would be to betray Dr. King's stream
but with our vote we can we will renew and make real Dr. King's streams and give to every American
the democracy of liberty and justice for all that our fellow citizens so richly deserve.
Thank you. This year this presidential election year is one in which the stakes have never been
higher and I know it's somewhat typical to hear that this is the most important election of our
lifetime of our generation but when it comes to safeguarding our numerous rights and protecting
our democracy is on point. Why should you vote? Almighty God created us he says from sounding
the part is clay which makes sound we're created to speak and makes sound when we are hit when we
are hit with injustice hit with oppression hit with inhumane treatment and actions hit with
inequality when when someone tries to take away your rights your voting rights your civil rights
your human rights your birth rights your religious rights your social rights your rights to learn
your rights to know your constitution rights etc. So why should you vote? You're hearing it
it's simple no vote no voice because if you don't vote then you are not using that God-given voice
and you are saying that the country can be run without it. We can't afford to sit this one out
our fall asleep we must be conscious of and attentive to the matters that deserve our attention and
we have to take a stand take a stand against the increasing number of states that are enacting
strict voting laws that suppress our right to vote our right to vote early our our our right
to vote by mail registering to vote etc. And at the same time we know we just heard earlier
some are working to divide up voter blocks into separate districts. Why? So that our voices our
vote will have less of an impact on elections. You see your freedom to vote is a right that
is being threatened by these new restrictions and laws. Politicians don't see the light until
they feel the heat. The only way to stop these moves from happening is by voting out those who
are acting against our interests and voting for those that stand up for the values you believe in
and there is no more basic value than the right of every eligible voter to cast their ballot never
doubt that your vote is powerful but it must be exercised to remain so your vote is your voice
many brave and impassioned Americans protested marched were arrested and yes some died working
towards voting equality until traction was gained from the civil rights movement we know Dr. King
we commemorate him and others understand this the present inherits the past out of respect
for our creator and our created life honor those who sacrifice build upon and claim your rights
don't take it for granted register and vote. Good afternoon friends my name is Pastor John
Face from Nashville Tennessee and I am a fan of the gospels all of the gospels tell the story
of Jesus feeding the multitude with two fish and five loaves of bread in each story we learned that
there were five thousand fed yet they also include a footnote that this five thousand did not include
women and children but in John's gospel we discover that two fish and the five loaves of
bread actually came from a young boy isn't it amazing how the raw materials needed for the miracle
that day came from a group that didn't even get counted the good news of that story is that
what the counters ignored that day Jesus paid attention to and he used what that young boy
brought to change lives and to encourage us even to this very day. Friends America has a problem
very similar to the one we see in the gospels we still have trouble believing that some people
count yet we know that the raw materials for the miracles we need in the season we're in
are often found in the groups that too many people want to ignore. As the pastor in the state of
Tennessee I can testify firsthand of the political forces that operate incessantly to ignore those
who deserve to be counted. The good news though is that what evil attempts to ignore God can
empower. Voting is one of the most powerful ways to ensure our voices cannot be ignored.
My fellow faith leaders and I call upon you to refuse to be ignored. Register yourself
register your family register your friends register all those you have influence and connection with
and commit to voting every election every time that way even when you are attempted to be ignored
you can't be god bless love lifted me love lifted me when nothing else could help love lifted me
love lifted me love lifted me when nothing else could help love lifted me. You don't want to start
with that song in particular because I think that we have to recognize that I believe that
it's not our politics that are going to change that's literally going to change the circumstances
for us it will be our love for humanity and so when I'm asked the question of why vote
it's because you have to vote for the love of yourself and the love of humanity and so I use
as an acronym since I only have a few minutes I use as an acronym of why I think there are four
really good reasons to vote and we can take that we're going to take the word love the first is
leadership that the end of the day those of us that are called to the faith that we believe in
something greater we believe in the power of love that we have been given this responsibility
that we actually have to support making sure that leaders in place that are literally in
alignment with the principles and what we stand for. Proverbs 11 and 4 says for the lack of guidance
a nation falls but victory is won through many advisors so we have to see ourselves individually
as the advisors of the shaping of this country not just citizens of a nation but we've got to see
ourselves as founders of a new nation that we literally have to breathe in that which
seems like it is losing life that we are the advisors to shape and get the kind of America
that we design we deserve when I look at the letter O I think about opportunities that the end of the
day we're in the wealthiest country in the world and here we are we have millions of people who are
living in abject poverty folks are going to work with their living in their cars that's unacceptable
we are called to actually be we are called to a higher higher level of thinking a higher level
mission and then I think about what Galatians 5 and 13 says you my brothers and sisters were
called to be free but do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh rather serve each other
humbly in love so what we call an attached to freedom in the scripture or what we attach to
freedom in this nation we have a purpose of making sure that that freedom that we're using that
not just to indulge in our own selfish needs but that we're literally advancing humanity
and making it better for all of us and so when I think about V I think about vision I think that
this nation is not suffering because we don't have the right politics that we have a lack of
imagination that is time for us to radically reimagine how can we create a nation that we
design we deserve that literary centers humanity that people over profit and as we do that we know
that in the scriptures Proverbs 29 and 18 says that where there there's no vision the people
and so it's incumbent upon us as faith leaders and faith walkers that we are operating away
that we're literally pushing a vision and our vote is one way to actually execute and push
a vision forward for ourselves and our families and the last thing I'll say is E which I actually
think is earnestness that at the end of the day that it is in what first Peter and four tells us
is that above all things be earnest and your love for one another for love covers the multitude
of sins this is a nation that has been peppered with from slavery to genocide to all those things
that we know that have been forms of oppression that part of there's any time that we needed
faith leaders to stand up and step up in a way that we're literally standing on the love
that our politics are driven by our love not our personal agendas it is in this moment love can
lift us all wow wow and wow we have been lifted today by four amazing faith influencers in our
country each of them powerhouses in their own way what is so beautiful about today that we're doing
this together and that's how this campaign is going to go and that's why this next panel is so
important and by the way put your any questions you have in the chat because if we don't get to
them today we definitely will get to you in your questions as quickly as possible following this
webinar one of the most powerful things about face united to save democracy is our respect for
our differences even though we have a common purpose it is very difficult to meet with people
and connect with people if you don't respect them there are differences in the way we
in our different ethnic groups and cultures and races think about voting the issues we respond
to even the messages that we hear and here to help us to understand what that really means
are four amazing faith influencers they are in the order that they'll be shared the Reverend
Haepine Aime president of faith and community empowerment but the Reverend Carlos Malavi president
of Latino Christian national network and pastor Mike McBride president of live free they are
joined by the what I the one I call the election protection attorney for all of us mr. Damon Hewitt
and I will ask the three faith influencers the same question what is it that we need to know
about the messages that each of your communities respond to they are very different and what is
voting what does voting even mean to the Latino community to the Asian community to the Black
community help us in that help us understand that well good afternoon at least in California
again hey pin in with faith and community empowerment I'd like to first start off that for many Asian
Americans because of our politics and experience of our home country that many are reluctant to
mix religion and politics so I just want to first start off by saying that the Bible speaks
clearly not just about mercy in my gut six that says what does God require of us right not just to
act not to just love mercy but to also act justly and Proverse three also talks about do not withhold
good from whom it is to you and when it is in your power to do so and I believe that voting
is definitely an area a powerful tool in which we can do good for all of Americans but also for
the Asian American community why vote why doesn't matter to us for our community as Asian Americans
I think there's this long history of being excluded erased and demonized and so when we vote our
presence can make a difference in terms of who wins right what kind of leadership what kind of policy
decisions are made unfortunate for us we do suffer from the the bias of being looked upon
as a perpetual foreigner so whatever happens in our home country it impacts us and definitely
when there was the whole indication of the China virus being linked with the coronavirus that led
to this onslaught of anti-Asian hate that has continued on long after the fact and so again
and the fact is like as a Korean American I'm not even Chinese I don't even speak Chinese
language but it doesn't matter for us as Asian Americans we are impacted by who whatever one
country it impacts all of us and so again our vote does matter who is in leadership matters
lastly I want to just say that voter oppression and suppression impacts our community as well
voter accessibility access to translation assistance voter registration
assistance all those things that have been suppressed in the recent years
impact our community and so I just want to say again having the right people in office can
make all the difference one last piece the California legislation over when the anti-Asian hate
continued with the right folks and the right allies a new historic bill funding of 160 million
plus that not only funded Asian organizations but other communities of color that were dealing
and facing with hate you know Martin Luther King said if you can't fly then run if you can't run
then walk if you can't walk then crawl right but whatever you do you have to keep moving so first
I want to encourage our fellow Asian American and Pacific Islanders let's make our voice count
as fellow believers let's be that voice for those who are voiceless thank you for vote it's one of
the fundamental it's not the fundamental factor in creating and developing the kind of nation
where we want to live and where we want our children and our children children students so
that is so critical because we kind of determine the kind of nation that we want to have
Latinos are now the second largest group in voting age among Americans and are playing an
increasingly important and defining role in our political landscape the growth is mostly fueled
by a growing number of young Latinos turning 18 every year our people Latinos are projected to
account for almost 15 percent of all the ridgable voters in November 2024 that it's about 36.2 million
voters and very briefly I'd like to share what are some of the most important factors that we need
to consider as we empower and encourage our Latino community vote the first thing is that
Latinos tend to be late in registering and that's a big issue for us because in most states
you have to register one month before the election vote and unfortunately it has long been through
for our people that they don't have very certain time and so that's very important and most
effective way for registering Latinos it's in person not all why secondly the vote by mail is
something that it's a handicap for our people most of our people or large number of people
done on vote by mail so we need to educate our people on how to use early voting effectively
thirdly voter assistance many many of our folks in our community are not fluent in English and
some people may not even speak much English so that is critical that we provide assistance in a
timely manner for our folks to to vote another factor is changing in voting rules
so we know how those changes have been happening throughout our country and so we need to educate
our people on the different changes in voting rules and that has to be done in English other
languages and particularly for us in Spanish we need those materials in Spanish for our people
and finally we share about the diversity of the issues that Latinos care for while
invigorations continue to be an important threshold issue for Latinos politicians often take or
make it the singular issue to attract potentially sway Latino voters but like most all the voters
Latinos are also not single issue voters it's interesting to know that the economy has been
the top issue followed by health care education violent crime and gone policy
and interestingly enough invigorations stand in the nine place among all those issues so
we need to support our group of voters the Latino voters again Latino voters are the
second largest block of voters in the US we have many challenges but I think that together we can
step up and empower the Latino community to come to the voting booth and express with their vote
the kind of nation that they would like to live in you have to be here with everyone I am a very
huge proponent of ensuring our people are not only registered to vote and mobilize to vote but
also educated about the reason why we vote on a day like today when we do celebrate the legacy
of Dr. Martin Luther King jr I am reminded of his commitments to defeating the triplets of evil
which are racism which are poverty which are militarism and in many of our communities we have
not been able to fully make the connection for so many who are either apathetic about why they
should vote who may be excluded from being able to vote because they may have criminal convictions
or they may be misinformed about the issues or even their eligibility and so part of our task is
to continue to speak directly to the apathy that is largely a result of bad governance or
governance that does not meet the material conditions of our communities and help them to
make the linkages as to why it is so important for them to vote often in the presidential cycles
we spend a lot of time on who will sit in the White House and forget that most people are mostly
concerned about their house the issues related to access to jobs access to education the issues
related to police brutality and over policing and so we encourage our community members who are
apathetic to not just be overly or solely fixated on who's in the White House but go down the ballot
go to the senators go to the congressional races go to the governors go to the state
representatives go to prosecutors and judges go to those elected officials down the ballot as well
that would have a daily impact on your life that would have an impact on the lives of your
children your partner your community members we certainly also appreciate across the country
that individuals who are excluded from voting because of past criminal convictions must still
be engaged to help ensure that their family members and their communities are well represented
in many of our communities people are misinformed that they are still ineligible to vote that we
across the country have actually restored the right to vote in many cities and states across
the country the florida rights restoration coalition led by our wonderful comrade and friend Desmond
Mead is a wonderful example of re-enfranchisement efforts happening all across the country and so
those who are misinformed about their eligibility need to also be engaged by our communities our
churches our congregations our clergy etc finally i'll just say the scripture reminds us that pure
religion genuine religion in the sight of god means caring for orphans and widows in their
time of need and refusing to let the world corrupt you this must be i believe the criteria for how
we ensure that our moral voices break through uh the kind of apathy misinformation and exclusion
that too often characterizes so many of our community members and loved ones on a day when
we recognize the struggle of dr king karetta scott king and so many other freedom fighters
may we continue to realize that the work is still before us uh as as the david says freedom is a
constant struggle voting is one way to ensure that struggle continues uh we stand ready we stand
hopeful we stand excited to get our community souls to the polls thank you so much uh dayman
here you have your leading uh luius committee for civil rights and all of us have counted on the
one eight six six our vote number we have been confident our poll chaplain have and others uh
voting uh workers have counted on calling in and getting help and in real time to help voters
you've heard from our panelists uh representing the black the latino and asian community what we've
heard today is that we all care about voting but we think about voting differently how does a
luius committee develop a strategy for helping us with our election protection with such divergence
in the ways we think about voting our voting issues and our voting challenges like language
challenges well thank you dr uh William Skinner and thank you all the panelists
and speakers and and and encourage your faith united uh there's three pieces here there's a
message that resonates with different audiences there is a coalition of trust and messages and
then there's a message that people can actually access first in terms of what resonates you've
probably so much uh so i'll try not to uh repeat but at the luius committee and three
election protection coalition which is really with 300 organizations close to 400 during
election season it's not just one organization and we collectively don't do GOTV together get
up to vote together but we can do GOTM let's get out the message get out the message about why it's
so important you heard so many of the reasons if you want the tangibles in your life uh the
student debt relief to protect diversity and inclusion in a meaningful way to direct where
your tax dollars go is so important it's so important for us to tap into the energy
of diverse communities because we know it's not just our votes it's our voices it's our very
vitality it's our lives and our livelihoods that are at stake we know that our people don't vote
just to stop bad things from happening or to stop someone from being elected it's really what
we're voting for we're voting to walk in our own power so it's important that everything we do
in coalition of diverse communities is to give people not just to turn out but to turn up and to
never be turned around second trusted messages the coalition is so diverse ranging from NAACP
to the hip-hop caucus to APIA vote to Latino justice we come together and share purpose and
shared strength and then finally in terms of a message that can be accessed uh from those trusted
messages we are operating and support language uh hotlines in various languages uh in English
a six six hour vote in spanish uh eight eight vivolta and multiple Asian languages eight eight
API vote and in arabic uh a four four yellow us we're making sure that we cover as much ground as
possible so that people understand not just the rules of the world and where to vote but how to
make their voices heard and resonate and walk in our own collective power thank you so much i want
to make sure the audience and everyone understand that uh faith united to save democracy is non-partisan
any language that you may have heard that is not partisan uh that is not faith united to save
democracy there's another place that we need to have a political conversation but it's not today but
we're so grateful for these extraordinary messengers uh thank you so much and now we have a time for
maybe one or two questions before we get to the close there's been such a rich and dynamic
conversation uh we have several questions that have come to us and i'll just share a one or two of
them right now one is how do you uh reach fellow believers who are using faith language to argue
against voting rights uh a second question was and i'm going to ask uh uh uh latasha brown
rather if she would answer that that question how do you deal with that you are a woman of faith
and yet you know there are people who are using faith language uh to oppose voting rights how do
you and i just really quickly because we have very little time i'll just say real quickly you know
in the scripture tells us to test the spirit by the spirit right so if we are literally as faith
leaders and we're talking to people in faith i think part of what we have to do the goal is you
know there's also a Bible verse that informs me that says that that in the scripture that Jesus
says if i be lifted up i bring all men unto me i say that to say that i think sometimes we have to
stand in the space of truth right we have to stand in the space of truth and challenge untruths
and such a way and let it do what it's going to do right like literally literally allow the spirit
to have the um the space in the moment i think our responsibility is to be actually truth leaders
that we are literally telling the story of truth helping to dispel that and then the challenge
and stand on the scriptures and really be able not to not to abrogate our responsibility but
stand in that space as a person of faith and lift it up and so that's i know we don't have that much
time so i'll just stop there well thank you so much i don't know if the doctor uh bland is still on
from michigan but there is a a question here if dr bland is on or dr perkins uh about voter
apathy um the question is one advice do you have for someone who's apathetic toward voting because
they believe voting is not based on the democratic process but on how much money a candidate have
that votes are in fact being boss how what do you say to that voter thank you so much uh for
your question and again wonderful that we have i think apathy is something that is pervasive
and has been for some time throughout uh world and nation and community but i found that uh
everybody's passionate about something and we have to help to turn people and find the point of
their passion because once we find that then we can turn it people have pain and we can turn
their pain to passion then you can turn their passion to power and then their power into
voting or policy change so the key is finding out where that passion lies in that person
they may be apathetic about voting but find out something that they're interested in whether it
be getting a new house whether it be been able to deal with redistricting issues in the area
something they're concerned about voting is going to impact so when you find out what that passion
is then catch them there then turn that passion into a place where you can now get them to know
voting what makes you think is your vote is your voice uh i just concur with what dr
bland has said i think that he has put his finger on it that we have to find out where people are
what is causing their disinterest what is causing their apathy and we try to speak to that
and help them to know that there isn't any aspect of their life that voting does not impact yes so
decline stay out of voting just because you think it's it's not doing you any good
is helping to undermine their life friends you've heard some of the most amazing voices
in the country the integris voices believable voices powerful voices and let me ask you to
continue to check in with faith united to save democracy through turn out sunday.com
there's several other questions we won't have time to answer but let me just put them out
just so you know and i can answer them in a word before we go to our closing people want to know
if they're outside of the ten selected states how they can connect if you go to turn out sunday.com
you look at the voter registration map the map of early voting dates the map shows exactly
how you in all of the states all 50 states are listed there and how you can
register people to vote right online so we we have targeted our resources in ten states but we have
made our technology and our support available to all of the states but if you also are interested
is the questioner asked about poll chaplain poll chaplains are both ordained and laypeople
they're lay leaders from the churches you don't have to be ordained you just have to
have an interest in helping people at the polls go to turn out sunday.com and you can sign up
for that we've heard so much today i think you you have enough information to answer the question
why vote a multiplicity of times use this video as many ways as you need to get the message out
and now i believe we have come to that point where we need to hear a closing word from one of the
nation's most prophetic powerful and passionate witnesses and that is the Reverend Dr. Frederick
Haynes the third from Dallas, Texas the friendship west Baptist church he is also the new president
of rainbow push coalition he will give us a closing word followed by a powerful faith influencer
Bishop Bastay Murphy McKenzie she is the general secretary and president of the national council
of churches of Christ and the first female bishop of the AME church they will come in that order to
help close us out again i want to say thank you to Reverend Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner for your
luminous leadership and for assembling such a phenomenal coalition especially on this special
day January 15th as we commemorate the life and legacy and light of Martin Luther King jr
you've heard often during this conversation that your vote is your voice okay if your vote is your
voice what if i were to say to you shut up that's rude it's an assault on your humanity
when someone tells you to shut up basically they're saying you don't count
sadly and simply all across the country there are some people saying shut up to some people
through voter suppression laws and the continued assault on the voting rights act so it's prophetic
and poetic today that we gather on the actual birthday the drum major for justice who formed
the coalition of conscience to push Lyndon Johnson to pass the voting rights bill of 1965 giving
all Americans the possibility of speaking up this nation in the midst of the second reconstruction
moved closer to being a true democracy protecting the voice and vision of every citizen in these
yet to be united states the vote means you have something to say so don't shut up speak up it's
real interesting that i use that language during the 50th anniversary of hip hop i'm reminded of
the words of Andre 3000 who had an award show declared the south got something to say he was
saying don't leave us out don't render us invisible the south got something to say this year our nation
comes to a critical crossroads where we will use our voices to determine if we will live in a
neo-fascist nation or a democracy you got something to say so say it when you vote you're praying
with your feet say it when you vote you are using your voice use it when you vote you are casting
a vision of what your community state and this nation and our world can look like you've got
something to say so this year please say it because if you say it we can we build communities if you
say it quality and affordable health care can be accessed if you say it we can shoot we can work
to pass laws that create a living wage if you say it economic justice will tear down income
inequality if you say it underserved businesses will have procurement opportunities if you say it
quality culturally responsive education will elevate the lives of our children and communities
if you say it we can create a just immigration policy if you say it we can have an america that
is one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all make sure you say it absolutely
praise God thank you Dr. Haynes I think we got another marching order there Dr. Barbara William
Skinner congratulations on all the work that you do and for this stellar and important
diverse voices that we had an opportunity to hear on this webinar we have all heard already that
voting is important particularly for groups of people who have been marginalized for centuries
who live at the mercy of the status quo in his book accidental Pharisees avoid avoiding pride
exclusivity and other dangers of overzealous faith author Larry Osborne says that Jesus' goal
was to expand the kingdom to bring salvation to people who previously were excluded he came to
seek and find the loss including a bunch of folks no one wanted at the party well guess what we
are representing a bunch of folks that no one wants at the party and so we have to move in the
spirit of Shirley Chisholm since we weren't invited we're going to bring our own table chairs and
food we're going to show up at the party Jesus confronted the status quo and in his trial sermon
he said I've come to preach the good news to the poor set liberty captains recover the site to
the blind liberate the press and proclaim the good year the Lord's favor it didn't go well
and when you take a stand like that it can be risky business on this day that we remember
the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr he took a stand and taking a stand can be
risky business so as we celebrate not only his historical significance but what he means to
life today without his courageous stand risky business that cost him his life will be difficult
to say when equality would ever have taken center stage in America he challenged the generally
accepted biased practices of the time which are back now with the vengeance he pushed the biases
boundaries of personal phobias and picnic conscious of the world and we must do the same and so
voting allows us to participate in a social justice action that works it allows us justice
Dr. Haynes said to have our say in choosing representatives who will advocate for our rights
and look out for our interests voting means that we have a way of assuring the protection of our
rights our civil rights and voting has played such a crucial role in these efforts of ensuring
positive change when we elect individuals whom we can hold accountable who will stand for equality
social justice legislative measures that directly impact our lives what voting means what preserving
democracy you know we're talking about saving democracy but we're gonna have to sell democracy
to a whole nother set of generations who don't know what a democracy is voting is the foundation
of a health thank you democracy and it provides an effective way for us to hold our government
what does that mean it means this come out come out wherever you are whether you're urban
or suburban storefront or high steeple come out come out from wherever you are
mosque or temple him book or hip hop come out come out wherever you are
gen xyz greatest generation baby boom of student or teacher come out come out from
everywhere and vote why because you are voting for how much you're gonna pay for gas you're
voting if there will be energy alternatives you're voting that if there will be fresh water clean
clean soil whether the landfill will be built in your neighborhood or somewhere else you're
voting for where you work and how much you're gonna get paid and when you get paid will there
be transportation for you to get there what books will be in your public library what curriculum
will be used in the schools that your kids go where you can live where you can afford to live
how much you pay for groceries whether you have whether the fresh food you buy is really fresh
food what your interest rates what's your tuition all of it undergirds rights it that's what we
talking about that's what we mean we talk about go vote and why isn't important so now that we come
at the end of this webinar we have been fed good food now let's digest it and not just hear it but
go out and do something about it is this where we pray Barbara this is praise God all right let's
look to the lord and pray my brothers and my sisters almighty and everlasting god as we come
to the end of this webinar on the importance of voting we pause to acknowledge your sovereignty
and guidance and the affairs of our nation we thank you for the privilege of living in a society where
we have the freedom to exercise our right to vote where our voices can be heard and where justice
can be pushed oh lord now help us not to take this right for granted and help us not to waste our
vote because not voting is a vote for whatever reason no vote is still a vote lord your word
reminds us in Proverbs when the righteous thrive the people rejoice and when the wicked rule the
people groan and we humbly seek your wisdom and discernment as we make our choices not in this
election but in every election oh lord our lives and our livelihoods are at stake and ultimately
voting is not just to elect leaders it's about shaping the future and pursuing justice by
exercising this valuable right to vote and so finally lord we ask that you grant us the courage
and the perseverance justice you told Joshua we're now ready to hear it again that we must be strong
and courageous not be afraid not be discouraged for the lord your god will be with you wherever
you go let us not be discouraged in this moment but let us use our voice and let us vote
together we say amen amen it's all right amen amen yes thank you so much we've had
truly amazing speakers we've learned so much from all of them my heart is overwhelmed
but mostly i'm feeling hope i feel hope when i see the fact that we can make a difference a voice
can make a difference in our vote can count you have enough information through this webinar to
go on and do your own webinar so we want to thank all of you for tuning in to this webinar we had
over 200 people join us or sign in and we know that people of all races and backgrounds need this
information let me challenge those of you here that the power of faith united to save democracy
is doing something that hasn't been done since dr king's time and that is bringing together
people who normally do not work and do not mobilize together let me challenge you as you
organize in your voter education registration your voter outreach your voter mobilization
to ask yourself who else do you need to reach out to because all of you have the ability to do
what you're doing in your own networks that we are doing through faith united to save democracy
let me thank our speakers all of our amazing speakers our team from sojourners Skinner leadership
institute from george town center for faith and justice all of you who made this webinar so very
special we want you all to tune in and let people know about turn out sunday.com
send the video the the staff curry video will be on there by tomorrow morning you'll be able to
take the same information and get it out at face united to say democracy at our turn out sunday.com
you can go there now download the toolkit and you can begin right now to hear very specific
instructions on where the early voting dates are oh how do you get people to register right
online no matter what state all 50 states are listed there and what are some of the key races
that you can mobilize people around you can begin to download when the time comes in your state the
ballot and do webinars and seminars on how people should vote what's on that now how they should
vote but what's on the ballot and what does that mean for their lives as bishop just told us and
prayed for us and and so many other speakers folks listen we have enough power not to ever
complain about anything else we see on the television the power is ours to make a difference we thank
god for the life the living the legacy of dr martin the king who had he lived would have been
today it's not enough to quote dr king we need to go and make his message real god bless you and
thank you for being with us