T.I. Helps With Registration, Education Of Young Voters
Published: Monday - July 28, 2008
Words by Allen Starbury
Hop Caucus President, Rev. Lennox Yearwood and T.I. (Photo: Atlantic Records)
T.I. has joined forces with political organization, the Hip Hop Caucus, to launch new voter registration and Get Out the Vote campaign that combines the power of celebrity and media with grassroots efforts to mobilize and educate young people between the ages of 18 and 29, who are not in college.
The campaign slogan, "Respect My Vote!" and accompanying t-shirts were unveiled Monday (July 28) at a press event in Washington, DC, where DJ Green Lantern, Dawn from Danity Kane, Yung Berg, Maino, Wale, BET Executive Vice President Stephen Hill and many others turned out to support.
Led by T.I., the campaign will employ other celebrities to get out the vote via PSAs for radio, television and online use; in person appearances; press events; and mobile and email alerts from celebrities themselves.
According to a press release, half of young Americans ages 18-29 have never enrolled in college. Other research indicate that nearly 80 percent of the young voters who turned out on Super Tuesday had college experience. The disparity between college educated and non-college educated young voter participation is also evident by their turnout rates: one in four eligible young voters with college experience voted on Super Tuesday, compared with one in 14 eligible young voters with no college experience.
Based on these statistics, the Hip Hop Caucus and T.I. have elected to focus on engaging those individuals who are part of the larger scope of the non-college and non-voting community.
"It's an honor and a pleasure to be involved with the Hip Hop Caucus and be a part of such a worthy cause and important campaign," said T.I. "I look forward to urging the masses to take advantage of the right that I no longer have."
"No matter who wins in November, if large numbers of young people do not vote, then we all lose," added Hip Hop Caucus President, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. "It does not bode well for the future of our country, and our Democracy, if young people, particularly those who are not in college, are not engaged or involved in the electoral process. This campaign is critical in strengthening our Democracy and thus protecting our freedom."
Grassroots voter registration activities will be led by Hip Hop Caucus community-based street teams in seventeen cities across the nation -- include the Bay Area, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Dallas and several others.
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