Education Group Engages Voter Turnout

News release from FaithActs For Education:

FaithActs for Education, a Black-led, faith-based community organizing nonprofit based in Bridgeport, has launched its fifth annual Faith Votes Campaign with a goal of activating 3,000 voters in this year’s elections. Importantly, FaithActs is expanding this nonpartisan voter education and turnout campaign beyond Bridgeport into Hartford and New Haven. Voters can commit to vote at https://faithacts.org/vote to receive nonpartisan voter guides, sample ballots, personalized voting reminders, and free rides to and from the polls.

Consisting of 500 members and 70 churches across the state, to date FaithActs has won stronger governance and transparency from Bridgeport’s Board of Education, stopped busing cuts for 2,300 children, secured millions of additional local and state dollars for education, and turned out 1,102 Bridgeport voters.

“Juneteenth marked the end of slavery more than two years after the emancipation proclamation. We’re launching our campaign to activate 3,000 voters across this state now because 155 years later, the struggle to end white supremacy continues,” said FaithActs for Education Executive Director, Jamilah Prince-Stewart. “Voting is a pivotal part of our liberation. It always has been, and it always will be.”

“Protests are reminding us that power is taken, not given,” Ms. Prince-Stewart said. “In this year’s elections, let’s remind decision makers that we have the power to vote them out of office if they don’t represent our interests.”

The Faith Votes Campaign grew from FaithActs members’ frustration with candidates cycling through places of worship every election year to court votes but, once in office, failing to deliver much for their communities. Last year, FaithActs:

— Turned out 1,102 Bridgeport voters

— Distributed 9,251 voter guides

— Turned out 500 people to a public action with Mayor Ganim after the election, and secured commitments regarding local education funding, state education funding, and college access programs

The Faith Votes Campaign works to create a culture of informed voting. In partnership with pastors and churches, FaithActs will:

— Secure voting commitments from thousands of congregation members

— Make sure committed voters are registered and know where, when, and how to vote

— Publish nonpartisan, bilingual voter guides including profiles for every candidate and sample ballots for every polling place

— Mail voter guides directly to voters, distribute them at churches, and publish them online

— Send voting reminders via email, phone, and text

— Provide free rides to and from the polls for every election

— Confirm who voted and who didn’t, and follow up to understand and eliminate barriers to voting

— Engage committed voters to make demands and hold elected officials accountable after the election

Pastors in Hartford and New Haven welcomed FaithActs’ involvement in their communities:

“The slogan for Faith Votes is ‘if we don’t vote, they don’t listen.’ Nobody knows that more than the Black and Brown community, which is why we’re so glad FaithActs will be working in Hartford,” said Pastor Maurice Porter, Pastor Impact Church in Hartford and New England TriState Overseer for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, which includes all Full Gospel affiliated churches within Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “We’re 100 percent confident our people will be more educated, more active and more vocal in this year’s elections.”

Pastor Ronald Holmes of Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church in Bloomfield and President of the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said: “These last few deeply troubling weeks have demonstrated what we can accomplish when our voices are raised. With the help of FaithActs, we can transform our efforts from our voice box to the ballot box. It’s one thing to be heard in the streets, but real permanent change comes from being heard in the halls of government, which is one reason we welcome Faith Votes to Hartford.”

Dave McClure, Executive Pastor, New Life Worship Center in New Haven, said: “A great leader is an informed leader. We know FaithActs and its Faith Votes Campaign will contribute to the education of our up and coming leaders — our kids — and provide voters with fair and non-partisan information about their choices at the ballot box. This is great news for our community.”

Pastor Daniel Bland, Sr. Pastor of the Mt. Calvary Revival Center in New Haven, said: “I have had the privilege of serving FaithActs for the past three years and I’ve seen first hand the impact this faith-based organization has had in assuring that our children receive a fair and equitable education. We welcome the Faith Votes campaign to New Haven because educated and active voters will help bring long-lasting and much-needed change to our city. New Haven is a great place, and we’re getting ready to become even greater. Welcome home, FaithActs!”

Bishop Theodore Brooks, Presiding Prelate Pentecostal Assemblies of The World and Senior Pastor Pastor Beulah First Pentecostal Church New Haven, said: “We are excited and thrilled about Faith Acts coming to work here in New Haven. Their work around voter education and engagement as well as their advocacy for the education of Black and Brown children is much needed. I’m looking forward to working with Jamilah and the entire FaithActs team as we strive for equity in our city and beyond.”

About FaithActs for Education
FaithActs for Education is a 501(c)(3) community organizing nonprofit based in Bridgeport. We are people of faith building power to get our children the education they deserve. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to graduate from college, take care of their family, and fulfill their God-given potential. We build relationships, we build leaders, and we build power through community organizing and civic engagement.