The 2020 election was the most participatory election in our country’s history. Even amid the challenges of a global pandemic, activists creatively adapted their strategies and doubled down on their commitment to ensuring that all eligible voters had access to the voting process.
In recognition of its voter education and Get Out The Vote outreach to the student community, particularly students of color, Fair Election Center’s Campus Vote Project (CVP) has been presented the 2020 Students Learn Student Vote Award for exemplifying the SLSV Guiding Principle of Committing to Racial Justice. CVP Florida State Coordinator Chadwick Leonard accepted the award.
“It is a privilege to be able to do this work with HBCU administrations and students,” said Leonard, who also serves as manager of the Project’s HBCU Legacy Initiative. “Not only is the work important to these institutions but for the ideals of democracy and access to the vote nationwide.”
In 2020, CVP partnered with 280 colleges and universities in 40 states, with a focus on community colleges and public universities enrolling large numbers of students of color, including HBCUs and other minority serving institutions.
“We know that it’s not enough to simply claim we’re not racist; we must actively be anti-racist,” said SLSV Coalition Director Clarissa Unger. “Alongside and contradictory to a representative democracy, white supremacy, anti-blackness, and xenophobia is woven into the very fabric of our nation. Recognizing this, we purposefully incorporate a racial justice lens throughout our work to ensure students of all races and ethnicities are welcomed and actively encouraged to participate in our democracy. Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project perfectly exemplifies the principle of Committing to Racial Justice.”
