Archive for the ‘Obama’ Category

‘This is giving another level of access’: Milwaukee Bucks partner with Michelle Obama group to host drive up voter registration – Milwaukee Journal…

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

With one month to go before the election, the Milwaukee Buckspartnered with Michelle Obamas nonpartisan organization When We All Voteon Saturdayto register voters and distribute groceries.

We know that voter registration is down because there arent a lot of in-person events, organizer JordanBrooks said. We also know that people need food and need supplies right now.

Dozens of cars, some with multiple eligible voters, drove through theproperty south of Fiserv Forum, on the grounds of the old Bradley Center, to register to vote andreceive groceries and masks at the Fuel the Vote event.

Nyla Almujaahid hands out voter registration information during Fuel the Vote outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Saturday.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Volunteers were reminded before the event started that it is nonpartisan and they should not be advocating for any particular candidate.

BucksSeniorVice President AlexLasrysaid the organizationand the NBA have made access to voting a focus of activity off the court.

We need to make sure people are registered and aware of all the local elections that go on,Lasrysaid. Thats going to have the most impact on our community. I think thats something that we take very seriously.

Lasrysaid the Bucks want to be a community team, which is why starting Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 voters can go to Fiserv Forum for early voting.

What weve seen, especially in the April election, is coronavirus has disproportionately affected communities of color and their ability to vote,Lasrysaid.

Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore said food insecurity has increased during the pandemic.

"I'm giving back to the community," says Sean Raclaw as he volunteers to load boxes of food and other supplies into people's vehicles outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Saturday. The food distribution was part of a Fuel the Vote event hosted by the Milwaukee Bucks. Fuel the Vote is a national effort to register voters started by Michelle Obama. The food distribution effort was to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Right here in the city of Milwaukee, pre-pandemic, one-fourth of African American children were going to bed hungry and now during this pandemic, we find that a quarter of families, white families with children, are food insecure, Moore said.When we vote we can address chronic hunger in our country. When we vote, we can take control of our lives. ... Right now we want to meet people at the level of their need.

Adrianna Humphrey, a volunteer, said it is important for people to be able to register to vote while being as safe as possible.

RELATED: How to register to vote and get an absentee ballot in Wisconsin

People are very concerned with whats going on with the pandemic and their health, Humphrey said. We had one lady who came through and was in tears. Her family is having a hard time and she wasnt sure how she was going to register to vote, so she was able to do that today at this event.SoI think this is giving another level of access for people in the community to register.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett loads a box of food into a vehicle Saturday during the Fuel the Vote event outside Fiserv Forum.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett called voting the "ultimate participatory sport."

What you see here is anall-outfull-court press to try to get people registered (and) to try to help them where they need help. There are people in our community who are hurting, Barrettsaid.We have an obligation to do everything we can to help them and a big part of that is making sure people help themselves by getting involved in this election.

Milwaukee resident Corliss Smith heard about the opportunity to register and receive groceriesand thoughtwhy not take it?

Im absolutely for voting and the importance of it, especially right now, Smith said. Its important for everyone (to register to vote) but I just wish it was as easy, as it is for me, for other people and I know its not.

RELATED: Five mistakes to avoid if you're voting by mail in Wisconsin

The value of voting was instilled inMarkell Thompsonby his father, a former city worker.

He made sure when we were all of age that we did vote, Thompson saidjust after registering. He knew it was an important thing. And its important, I have children ... and if I dont vote I think What will happen to them? And I make it a point to be out here.

Thompson said its good to see people receiving assistance with food beyond just registering to vote.

Theyre just helping people, Thompson said. And more so now than ever with everything going on ... to find people that are still out here caring for people, its a big thing.

While waiting in her car Samia Johnson was calling family members and directing them to the event.

After Johnsonregistered to voteandreceived some cannedfood, shewas shocked to receive a $25 grocery gift card at the event.

Oh wow, isnt that a blessing, Johnson saidto the volunteer. Im about to start crying.

Before coming to the event, Johnson said she was at a food pantry atVillage Churchon North 2ndStreet and West Juneau Avenue,getting more food for her family.

Its beenrealrough by me not being able to work right now and my unemployment is taking forever, Johnson said.

Johnson said shes starting to educate herself on the candidates and issues leading up to the election.

I wasnt really educated on it (in the past), Johnson said. Now that Im educated on it, I can make the right decisions that I feel are for me. ... Were just in those times where its very important to get out and vote, to make a difference.

Wisconsinites can register to vote atmyvote.wi.gov,by mail, in a clerk's office or at the polls.

They will need proof of residence, such as a driver's license, utility bill, pay stub or other document. They will also have to provide their Wisconsin driver's license number, if they have one, or the last four digits of their Social Security number if they don't have a license.

The deadline for registering by mail or through myvote.wi.gov is normally Oct. 14 but a federal judge recently said he would extend it to Oct. 21. That deadline could change on appeal.

The deadline for registering in a clerk's office is Oct. 30.

Those whomiss those deadlinescan register at the polls on Election Day.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2020/10/03/bucks-partner-obama-group-host-drive-up-voter-registration/3610781001/

See the rest here:
'This is giving another level of access': Milwaukee Bucks partner with Michelle Obama group to host drive up voter registration - Milwaukee Journal...

Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai In Conversation For International Day of the Girl – Teen Vogue

For many girls across the world, education isn't a guarantee. In fact, even before the pandemic, more than 98 million adolescent girls around the globe werent in school for reasons like fear of danger on the commute, inability to afford education, stigma around menstruation, or cultural beliefs that sequester women to the home. Today, millions more are currently out of school as a result of COVID-19 and are at risk of never returning at all. But each of these girls, no matter her circumstance, deserves the opportunity that education provides.

That's why as we get ready to mark the International Day of the Girl on October 11, we're excited to share a conversation between two champions for girls education globally: Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama. Malala has inspired girls around the world with her courage and her fearless pursuit of education, even in the face of violence. When the Taliban tried to silence her, she didnt give up and whats more, she created Malala Fund to help other girls access the kind of education she got.

Like Malala, former First Lady Michelle Obama is also an advocate for girls' education. During her time in the White House, Obama started the Let Girls Learn initiative to empower girls through education. On the Day of the Girl in 2018, she launched the next phase of this work with the Girls Opportunity Alliance a program of the Obama Foundation that supports adolescent girls around the world and the grassroots leaders and organizations that work to empower them.

Joining the indomitable pair is Priya Mondol, a 17-year-old student in Kolkata, India, for whom their work is personal. Priya faced obstacles to getting an education, but with the help of Her Future Coalition, an organization supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance, she's able to keep learning during this challenging time. She joined Mrs. Obama and Malala to discuss the importance of developing resilience and to share insights about girls education and empowerment in advance of the Day of the Girl. Check it out below:

Priya: As we get ready to celebrate the International Day of the Girl, Im so excited to discuss an issue that we all care about deeply: girls education around the world. Where does your passion for empowering girls through education come from, and why is this such an important issue across the globe?

Malala: I am passionate about girls education because I personally know what it is like to be denied the right to go to schooland I know that education is every girls best hope for the future. Ive traveled around the world and met girls in refugee camps, in cities and in rural areas. Everywhere I go, I talk to incredible, resilient girls who are determined to fight for their education and pursue their dreams. They understand the power of education to transform their lives, their families, their communities and their countries.

Mrs. Obama: I'm here doing this work because I want every girl to have the same opportunities that I did growing up. So much of my life has been determined by my ability to get an education its hard to overstate that. And my first meeting with Malala really inspired me to put all the resources I could toward making sure girls all over the world can get the education they deserve. Because the truth is, there are young women like both of you in every corner of the globe, girls who are eager to learn and absolutely determined to get an education worthy of their promise. And when girls get the opportunities they deserve, we all benefit. Poverty goes down, economies grow, and babies are born healthier. The world, by all accounts, gets better. And now, with the pandemic still raging on, we need to do everything we can to ensure that girls are not left behind, no matter what school might look like in this moment or in the future.

Go here to read the rest:
Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai In Conversation For International Day of the Girl - Teen Vogue

Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote Organization Drops Its Second and Final Voter Merch Collection – ELLE.com

Earlier this week, we witnessed the first presidential debate between President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden, which sent one very clear and obvious message: we really need to vote. It's a message that has reverberated through TV commercials, social media posts, newspapers, magazines, and, thanks to organizations like When We All Vote, clothing and accessories. With a little over a month left until the elections, When We All Vote is ramping up its efforts to secure more young voters by dropping its second and final merch collection.

Following the first best-selling collection, which sold out in its first week, the When We All Vote team recruited a new batch of diverse designers that represent Black, Asian-American, Persian, Indian and woman-owned businesses. Designers include Melody Ehsani, Supervsn, The Hundreds, Stella & Haas, Levis, Girlfriend Collective, Shiffon, General Admission, and Wild One, which is When We All Vote's first-ever merch for pets. Bright Black and Franca NYC were featured in the first merch collection but will return for the second drop in limited quantities, as each brands' products sold out within hours of the first drop.

When We All Vote Sweatpant

Limited Edition: 3" Gold HOOPS

Please Vote Crew Sock

$14.00

"Its critical that we continue to engage voters in creative ways to encourage them to get registered and vote early. In our mission to change the culture around voting, this project helps inspire new conversations around voting and making your voice heard, especially among young people. My hope is that people are inspired and motivated to vote this yearand that the Vote 4EVER Merch line can help everyone feel connected to something bigger than themselves," Michelle Obama said in a statement.

The second Vote 4Ever merch collection is available now on vote4evermerch.com. Select items will be available on revolve.com.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Read this article:
Michelle Obama's When We All Vote Organization Drops Its Second and Final Voter Merch Collection - ELLE.com

Obama accuses Trump administration of working to keep "communities of color" from voting – CBS News

Former President Barack Obama is urging people to cast their ballots early, warning that the Trump administration is "working to keep people from voting" in a new ad for for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The video was released ahead of Tuesday'spresidential debatebetween Biden and President Trump.

In the clip shared by "The Shade Room," a popular Black celebrity news social media account and website, Mr. Obama asked people to vote early. He accused Mr. Trump without naming him his administration, and others of trying to suppress the vote, but particularly for people of color.

"Right now, from the White House on down, folks are working to keep people from voting, especially communities of color," he said.

Mr. Obama said that "our democracy itself" is at stake in the 2020 election.

Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, was also featured in a new campaign ad with a similar message. She told voters to cast their votes early whether in person or voting by mail. Her video was released on The Young, Black and Fabulous, another Black celebrity news site.

The ads come a day after the U.K.'s Channel 4 reported that 3.5 million Black Americans throughout 16 key battleground states were profiled and categorized as a "deterrence," meaning voters the Trump campaign wants to stay home in 2016.

For the last several months, Mr. Trump has repeatedly criticized mail-in voting insisting it leads to voter fraud without offering any evidence and despite requesting a mail-in ballothimself. He ramped up his attacks during the coronavirus pandemic, as more people are expected to vote by mail to avoid possible exposure at the polls. Mr. Trump has also targeted ballot drop boxes, suggesting the ballots could be tampered with once voters deposit them.

Here is the original post:
Obama accuses Trump administration of working to keep "communities of color" from voting - CBS News

Obama steps into The Shade Room to urge ‘roommates’ to vote, says White House ‘working to keep people from voting’ | TheHill – The Hill

Former President Obama knocked the Trump administration in a video released by The Shade Room this week, accusing the White House of working to keep people from voting, particularly those of color.

Obama made the comments in a short advertisement urging people to vote early in the election that was released by the Shade Room, a Black-owned media company with a large social media following that covers celebrity and entertainment news.

Obama started off the video by addressing the roommates, the media companys nickname for its readers, saying: As you know the election is coming up and Ive got just one word for you: vote. Actually Ive got two: vote early.

Right now, from the White House on down, folks are working to keep people from voting, especially communities of color. Thats because theres a lot at stake in this election. Not just our pandemic response or racial justice, but our democracy itself, he said.

So, its more important than ever to make your voice heard. We cant leave anything to chance, he continued, before going on to urge viewers to visit a website that allows them to check their voter registration status and look up nearby voting locations.

The video marks Obamas latest show of support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe BidenJoe BidenFive takeaways from Trump-Biden debate clash The Memo: Debate or debacle? Democrats rip Trump for not condemning white supremacists, Proud Boys at debate MOREs campaign in recent months and comes hours before his former vice president is set to face off in his first presidential debate against President TrumpDonald John TrumpFive takeaways from Trump-Biden debate clash The Memo: Debate or debacle? Democrats rip Trump for not condemning white supremacists, Proud Boys at debate MORE later on Tuesday.

In a Twitter video urging supporters to register to vote in the November race on National Voter Registration Day last week, Obama emphasized the stakes of the coming of election, saying: Whats at stake in this election is much bigger than Joe or the man hes running to replace.

Whats at stake is whether or not our democracy endures, he continued in the clip, which doesnt mention Trump by name. And the folks in power are hoping that you will stay home. Theyre hoping you get cynical.

Theyre trying to convince you that your vote doesnt matter. Its how they win. Dont let them, he added.

Read more:
Obama steps into The Shade Room to urge 'roommates' to vote, says White House 'working to keep people from voting' | TheHill - The Hill