As the campaigns for the upcoming election ramp, and voting season is just around the corner, many activists are seeking ways to get more people from their communities to the polls.
“Black Girls Vote,” which was recently founded by Nykidra “Nyki” Robinson, aims not only to get more people to the polls, but to use the topic of voting to address unemployment, healthcare, and education. Robinson, 32 and a lifelong resident of Baltimore, was first inspired to create the organization after the a man was shot and killed near her home.
“It’s a new year. It’s time for new things. We can’t sit back and make excuses,” Robinson tells The Baltimore Sun. “Our vote is our voice. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a GED, or if you have a PhD, we’re all the same.”
“Black Girls Vote” takes the streets with pop-up events at local businesses, malls, and big box stores in the Baltimore area. While the group is made up of 15 core members, it also trains 200 additional volunteers to help register local residents to vote.
The group also aims to keep in touch with the newly registered voters even after election season, in the hopes of encouraging them to use their newly found political voices to enact change within their communities.