Source: Anoa Changa
Democrats in South Carolina headed to the polls on Saturday as the Palmetto State’s primary was held.
Not only is the primary in South Carolina the first time registered Democrats will have their voices heard in what is shaping up to be a highly consequential election year, but it is also largely seen as the first chance for Black people to participate in the democratic process this year following the Republican primary in New Hampshire and the Iowa Caucuses last month.
One of the leading organizations raising awareness about the stakes surrounding the South Carolina primary as well as the 2024 general election is Black Voters Matter (BVM), which has hit the road to educate and empower people to cast ballots across the country.
BVM’s “We Fight Back” initiative includes a bus tour and three-day conference in Charleston to unite with local activists, social justice advocates and students from historically Black colleges and universities in an effort to help and support Black voters before and during the election season.
The conference also served as a think tank for attendees to come together and discuss issues impacting Black communities nationwide. That’s what happened last week when Tiffany D. Loftin, the National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division at the NAACP, led a wide-ranging conversation with young people in North Charleston that covered important topics to help shape and better inform opinions on voting.
LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of BVM, said that the “We Fight Back” campaign is a response to the ongoing attacks on voting rights taking place across the nation. She said she hopes that the important initiative will uplift Black voters’ critical role in the upcoming election. Currently, Black voters make up 50% of the Democratic primary electorate in South Carolina.
“All roads lead to South Carolina because we understand how significant this moment is to the progress of the country. This is the first time that a Southern state with a 50% Black electorate is positioned to lead the way in the early nominating process,” Brown said in a statement.
The “We Fight Back” campaign continues BVM’s tradition of being an influential presence surrounding elections.
In March of last year, the voting rights organization traveled to Houston during an HBCU All-Star basketball game to educate college students on critical voting issues. The event was filled with student panel discussions and engagement events, highlighting topics such as mental health, police violence, student loan debt and voter suppression.
In 2021, BVM launched a “Freedom Ride” bus tour to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the original Freedom Ride and to raise awareness about voting rights. Organized just in time for Juneteenth, the BVM tour began in New Orleans and made stops in Jackson, Mississippi and Birmingham, Alabama.
SEE ALSO:
LaTosha Brown Is A Black Joy Blazer Who Has Dedicated Her Life To The Cause
Unifying Movements: How me too. And Black Voters Matter Advocate For Black Survivors
