Black Voters Matter Announce 'We Fight Back' Campaign

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Black Voters Matter Bus, tour, voting rights, South Carolina, Charleston, election

Source: Reginald Cunningham / Reginald Cunningham

Black Voters Matter (BVM), a voting rights organization, is going on a bus tour and organizing an exciting campaign to educate and empower Black voters ahead of the 2024 election season.

On Jan. 16, BVM announced the “We Fight Back” campaign, a bus tour and three-day conference that will take place in Charleston, South Carolina — the location of the nation’s first Democratic Primary — from Jan. 25 to Jan. 28. The national voting rights group will unite with local activists, social justice advocates and HBCU students to help support Black voters before election season begins. The event will also serve as a think tank for attendees to come together and discuss issues impacting Black communities nationwide.

During the three-day event in Charleston, attendees will participate in Gen Z training, a voting rights town hall and community canvassing. Participants will also have the opportunity to voice their concerns about the voting process during an event aimed at understanding the needs and interests of South Carolina voters. An “uncut and uncensored” political fireside chat will follow for young voters. According to BVM, the unique event is a part of their “Take The Field” initiative launched in 2023, which aims to educate the youth about the power of voting.

In a statement, 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 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,” LaTosha Brown said.

“We believe that Black voters are a key constituency in fixing democracy in this country and we are sending a clear message that Black voters in rural and urban areas will not be denied the vote – In 2024, We’re fighting back against racist voter suppression tactics that harm Black communities.”

This isn’t the first time BVM has toured nationwide to create change.

In March 2023, the voting rights organization traveled down to Houston with TJC on their popular tour bus during the HBCU All-Star Game to educate college students on critical voting issues. The incredible 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, the modern voting rights organization hit the road for a “Freedom Ride” bus tour to commemorate the sixtieth 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.

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