For this election season, Kids Forward has launched Race to the Polls, a campaign that encourages voters to talk about race and to vote for candidates who will work to advance racial justice during the election cycle and beyond. Tonight, “Race to the Polls Community Forum” will be held at the UW Space Place, 2300 S. Park St., to do just that.
“From the beginning, Race to the Polls has been about listening to what issues matter to communities of color in Wisconsin. We know that any discussions about advancing racial justice need to be people-powered and put community voices first,” Chet Agni, Communication and Development Associate at Kids Forward, tells Madison365. “With our voting pledge and our ‘Share Your Story’ feature on the Race to the Polls website, we’ve tried to ensure that we’re not just prescribing policy solutions, but incorporating what we’re hearing from members of the community in our advocacy around the election. This community forum is the next step in that plan.”
The forum will be hosted by Race to the Polls, the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, Sabrina Madison, and the Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals and will feature discussions about the upcoming election and the issues impacting communities of color. Topics will include health care, immigration, juvenile justice, early childhood education, and more.
“Tonight, we hope to hear about what community members care about, and the issues they’re prioritizing when they vote. We will be discussing a wide array of issues like health care, immigration, juvenile justice, poverty, and early childhood education, but we’ll also be listening to hear what issues we haven’t been discussing that we should amplify in the future,” Agni says. “With just one week until Election Day, we want to build momentum, so people leave feeling fired up and empowered to not only use their vote to advance racial justice next Tuesday, but also encourage they’re friends, family, and neighbors to do the same.
“We’re fortunate to be partnering with the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness, Sabrina Madison, and the Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals on the forum, and we’ll have a representative from the League of Women Voters there to help people with any voting questions they have,” Agni adds. “We all have a role to play in addressing the significant racial disparities facing communities of color in our state, and there’s no better place to start than at the polls.”
“Race to the Polls Community Forum” will be held Tuesday, Oct. 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the UW Space Place, 2300 S. Park St.
