Civic Engagement Extravaganza and More!

Hello again!

In Vote Everywhere’s first blog post, you heard from ambassador Brittany Greenwell (my partner in crime) and this time you’ll be hearing from me: Clara Wilson. To introduce myself, I am a Junior political science major and this is my first year as team leader for Vote Everywhere. I couldn’t be more excited for the year ahead.

Thus far, we’ve accomplished a few things in the name of civic involvement that are worth mentioning. To catch you up, we attended a Vote Everywhere conference this summer by the name of “National Civic Leadership Training Summit” in New Jersey. There, both Brittany and I had the opportunity to meet VE ambassadors from around the US and to learn more about how to better engage campus and our community in politics and government. We had an amazing time, made tons of friends, and Brittany even conducted a presentation about our large spring event held last year (Minds at Work) to the other ambassadors. 

Just recently we completed our very first Civic Engagement Extravaganza. This consisted of 7-days of events held by different campus and community organizations all centered around civic engagement and using your voice as a citizen to make a difference in your community, and your country. VE partnered with SGA, the MLK Scholars Program, the campus NAACP group, the McConnell Scholars Program, the Women’s Center, and Kentuckians for the Commonwealth to produce this awesome week of events! Great times and free food were had by all. We rounded out the week with cookies, chips, and Vote Everywhere’s signature event: National Voter Registration Day! We registered students voters and answered tons of questions about voting, polling places, voter information, and how to get involved with civic engagement on campus. I hope you had the chance to stop by!

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What’s next for VE? You can find that in our Campus Action Plan for the year ahead. Some topics we hope to tackle include:

• Creating the opportunity for students to register before classes begin each year (orientation, welcome week).
• Establishing a brand for VE and keeping it consistent: make Vote Everywhere recognizable on campus.
• Raising awareness for new Participatory Budgeting initiative in Metro Louisville Districts 6 and 8.
• Increasing voter turnout for 2018 midterm elections.
• Increasing civic involvement in Greek Organizations on campus.
• Helping to provide accessible transportation to voting sites for the midterm elections.

Want to get involved, have any questions, or just wanna hang out with Brittany and I? Our first meeting to begin organizing volunteers is COMING SOON this October!! Stay tuned for the date, and stay pumped about making a difference through voting and exercising those first amendment rights. 

Peace and love,
Clara

-Clara Wilson
Vote Everywhere Lead Ambassador (18-19)
clara.wilson@uoflelsb.org