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When Black students vote, issa win for the culture.

White supremacy is working overtime to suppress the Black vote and count us out. What they don’t realize is it’s bigger than black and white, it’s a problem with the whole way of life, it can’t change overnight. *Lil’ Baby voice* 

Either Black lives matter to our elected officials, or the Black vote will put them out of a job.

This is bigger than politics.

This year, we must make the world witness our collective power when we stand together and vote. We’ve had the blueprint laid out for us by our ancestors – now is the time to act.

Here are three things you can do right now to win at the polls:

  1. Find out if and where you are registered. Are you registered on campus or at home? If you’re not sure, use our Check Your Registration tool. All you need is your name and address.
  2. Register to vote. Voter registration deadlines vary by state, so if you know you are not registered to vote, use our Voter Registration tool to get started now!
  3. Pledge to vote. Whether you plan to vote by mail, vote early in person, or vote on Election Day (Nov. 3), take our pledge to vote in the 2020 election! You can choose to vote using any of those options, but be sure to vote once. Voting more than once is voter fraud, and felonies* ain’t it.

*If you’ve ever been convicted of a felony, you can probably still vote. Find out on our Returning Citizens page.

Voting is one of the most critical ways to exercise our power. When we align voting with speaking out, marching, advocating for policy, and coming together in community, we can affect change in the laws and systems that govern our communities.

Please do not let anything come between you and the ballot box this November. We’re here to help you each step of the way.

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Billboard: Respect My Vote Hitting Historically Black Colleges to Get Out the Vote For Midterms

This article was initially published November 5, 2018, on Billboard.com. 

The Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. has been wearing out his shoes visiting HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) all across the Midwest and South to make sure that students get out and vote in the midterm elections on Tuesday (Nov. 6).

The minister, community activist and president and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus is crashing campuses from Georgia and North Carolina to Michigan with a simple message: your vote counts.

“I’ve been doing this work to get out the vote for the past 10 years with the Respect My Vote — for the general election in 2008 with Keyshia Cole and T.I. — trying to help people who were formerly incarcerated vote and speaking to women of color on HBCU campuses,” Yearwood tells Billboard. As in the past when he worked with 2 Chainz, Tip, Charlamagne the God, Wiz Khalifa, and Snoop Dogg to inspire voting, Yearwood has tapped into a long list of headliners and local hip-hop artists to get out the vote this election season.

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Detroit Hip Hop Community Organizes Citywide Campaign to Get Young Voters to the Polls

*MEDIA ADVISORY* 

Detroit Hip Hop Community Organizes Citywide Campaign to Get Young Voters to the Polls on Tuesday

Recording Artists, Influencers, Community Leaders, and Organizers Come Together for Nonpartisan Two Hour Election Eve Radio Special on Hot 107.5

Detroit, MI (November 5, 2018) – Detroit’s Hip Hop community is coming together for an in-depth two hour drive-time radio special on the eve of the midterm Election, to encourage and help young people across the city to vote on Tuesday.

WHO: Hot 107.5, Hip Hop Caucus Detroit, Respect My Vote! Campaign, and #WorkThemPolls hosted by DJ BJ 3525, with special guests:

  • Icewear Vezzo, Motown Records Recording Artist
  • #WorkThatGang: Sino, Gee Baby, Dre Butterz
  • Councilwoman Mary Sheffield
  • State Representative Jewell Jones
  • K.C. wilborn, Turnaround Specialist & Former Educator
  • Betarm Marks, Director of Facilities and Youth Programs, Youthville
  • Hip Hop Caucus Detroit Leadership Committee: Norm Clement, Jerome Record, Piper Carter.

WHAT: A two-hour non-partisan radio show special the night before the midterm election, featuring guests, election protection information, and calls to action for Detroit communities to go to the polls, use their voices, and to protect their votes if they have any problems at the polls.

WHEN: Monday, November 5, 2018, 7pm – 9pm EST

WHERE: On-air on Hot 107.5 in the Detroit metro area, Streamed live at: hothiphopdetroit.com

WHY: This nonpartisan election eve special is geared towards young people and communities of color in Detroit to get out the vote on Tuesday, November 6. The special is bringing together a diverse set of community leaders, demonstrating unity among the Hip Hop community of Detroit. By coming together for this show, the leaders involved in this effort, who are also involved in door-to-door canvassing in neighborhoods across the city, are calling for young people to use their voices and the power they have as voters as one of many ways they can empower themselves and their communities to make positive change.

For interviews: LaRonn Harris, 313-477-5683 or laronnharrissr@gmail.com

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About Hip Hop Caucus (hiphopcaucus.org) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 2004 that uses the power of Hip Hop culture to engage and empower young people and communities of color in the civic and political process. Follow @hiphopcaucus on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Respect My Vote! (respectmyvote.com) is a nonpartisan voter engagement campaign of Hip Hop Caucus.

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Amber Rose Wants You To Respect Her Vote And SlutWalk

Amber Rose Hip Hop Caucus Respect My Vote

When people think of Amber Rose, a lot of times they associate her with two men she was in public relationships with. Rose has had songs written about her, rumors circulated and has been slut shamed, but despite what anyone may think of her, she seems to rise above it. And now, as an outspoken activist when it comes to women empowerment, Rose is doing her best to encourage people to vote.

This year, Rose and her annual Amber Rose SlutWalk, which takes place on Saturday, October 6 in Los Angeles, partnered with Hip Hop Caucus’ Respect My Vote! campaign to mobilize women and everyone who cares about women to the polls.

Read the full article on Essence.com.

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PRESS RELEASE: Amber Rose Joins ‘Respect My Vote!’ ahead of Midterm Elections

Amber Rose Hip Hop Caucus Respect My Vote

Amber Rose Joins ‘Respect My Vote!’ and Gives Her Top 10 Reasons We Should Vote in the Midterm Elections

Rose and her annual Amber Rose SlutWalk have partnered with Hip Hop Caucus’ Respect My Vote! Campaign to Mobilize Women and Everyone Who Cares About Women to the Polls on 11/6/18

Los Angeles, CA (September 19, 2018) – Activism is the theme of the 2018 Amber Rose SlutWalk taking place in Los Angeles, CA on October 6th, exactly one month before the midterm elections. Rose has partnered with Hip Hop Caucus’ non-partisan Respect My Vote! campaign as a spokesperson and to collaborate on a special seven week campaign leading up to Election Day on November 6th, to educate, inspire, and mobilize young people to the polls on women’s issues.

To kick off the partnership, Amber Rose SlutWalk and Respect My Vote! released Amber Rose’s Top 10 Reasons We Should Vote, focused on the ways in which those we elect make critical decisions on policies that can either bring us towards greater equality and opportunity for women, or set us back.

“I am committed to ending rape culture and slut shaming and empowering women with the freedom to be who they want to be and achieve what they want to achieve,” said Amber Rose, producer, radio and television personality, author, entrepreneur, and founder of Amber Rose SlutWalk. “We are working to change the culture, but we also have to change our laws to fully protect women from harassment, get justice for violence against women, and ensure equal opportunity for women at work and in school. That is why activism is the theme of SlutWalk this year. We are going to exercise our activism by voting. I am excited to partner with Hip Hop Caucus on the ‘Respect My Vote!’ campaign. We are going from the poles to the polls!”

Amber Rose’s Top 10 Reasons We Should All Vote are featured on her Respect My Vote! pledge to vote page at respectmyvote.com/amberrose. The 10 reasons are what Rose along with SlutWalk and Hip Hop Caucus voters are calling on candidates and elected officials to fight for on behalf of women: #1 Rape and Violence Against Women; #2 Reproductive Health; #3 Equal Pay; #4  Mass Incarceration; #5 LGBTQ Equality; #6 Paid Family Leave; #7 Sexual Harassment; #8 Immigration; #9 Environmental Justice & Health; #10 Student Loans and Education. Full text here: respectmyvote.com/amberrose/#top-ten-reasons.

Also at respectmyvote.com/amberrose people can register to vote and pledge to vote. When people take the pledge to vote, they will receive text and email updates from Rose and Respect My Vote! that inspire people to vote, and that also provide information on polling locations, what to bring to the polls, and how to protect your vote. Rose will also be using her social media platform and the platform of SlutWalk to provide inspiration and information about voting.

“Women voters and especially women voters of color are defining the midterm elections and Amber Rose and SlutWalk’s commitment to empowering young voters is a powerful testament to the leadership in and for our culture,” said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, the non-profit organization behind Respect My Vote!.  “We are not only calling on women voters to go to the polls, we are also calling on all people who care about women to vote in the interest of equality and opportunity for women. Hip Hop Caucus is honored to be partnered with Amber Rose SlutWalk for the 10 year anniversary of our Respect My Vote! campaign. ”

Respect My Vote! will be releasing an Amber Rose special edition Respect My Vote! shirt for SlutWalk on October 6th. The shirt will represent the essence of the power of women at the polls. Prior to SlutWalk, Respect My Vote! will also join Amber Rose Foundation on October 2nd at University of Southern California for OpenED, an open, edgy and empowering fireside chat with Amber Rose and movement leaders, including Hip Hop Caucus’ Executive Director and COO, Liz Havstad.

Last year’s SlutWalk made over a billion impressions online and had over 14,000 people in attendance, and this year the call to action from SlutWalk will be clear, to vote this November on the issues that most impact women’s lives.

Find out more about Respect My Vote! at respectmyvote.com and the partnership with Amber Rose SlutWalk at respectmyvote.com/amberrose. Get the details about Amber Rose SlutWalk on October 6, 2018 at amberroseslutwalk.com.

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Hip Hop Caucus (hiphopcaucus.org) is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 2004 that uses the power of Hip Hop culture to engage and empower young people and communities of color in the civic and political process. Follow @hiphopcaucus on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About Amber Rose Foundation (theamberrose.org): The Amber Rose Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to promote discussion about women’s rights and equality issues. Donations made to the Foundation are used to bring annual events such as this year’s 4th Annual Amber Rose SlutWalk Festival and 2nd Annual OpenED conversation, to life. But most importantly, your donation and support of the Foundation, helps the groups and organizations of people who have been subjected to slut shaming, judgment, stigma, victim blaming and sexual assault. For more information on The Amber Rose Foundation, please visit www.theamberrose.org.

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Respect My Vote: Turning Voices into Power at March For Our Lives!

On Saturday, March 24th, Hip Hop Caucus is joining March For Our Lives to demand an end to gun violence that plagues our country. We stand with the amazing young people who so bravely stepped up after the Parkland shooting to say enough is enough. This movement isn’t about political party, or partisanship, this is about our lives and justice. We need real change for our lives and communities now.

We also want to make sure our voices turn into real power at the ballot box during elections this November and beyond. Through Hip Hop Caucus’ Respect My Vote! campaign, we’ll be on the ground at MFOL events across the countries to make sure young people can exercise their right to vote. Our goal is to make sure that this amazing movement for gun reform carries its momentum into lasting positive change for our communities and country.

Our city teams will be on the ground leading voter registration and pledge operations in five cities: Washington D.C., Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Charlotte. Working with hundreds of community volunteers, we’ll be hosting voter registration training sessions prior to the events, then deploying to make sure young people are ready to vote. If you’re going to be in one of these cities, join us.

We want to work on the solutions, not just talk about the problems. We want to see action from our leaders. We are a new generation and we aren’t going to put up with the status quo talk and non-action on gun violence from the people we elect to represent us.

Communities of color, particularly poor communities of color, in many of our cities, deal with daily gun violence and we have been organizing and demanding solutions for decades with a lot less attention than when shootings happen in affluent communities. We have been demonized for the gun violence in our communities. We want all communities heard and gun violence solutions that address the problem everywhere.

Marching together across the country is a powerful way to make our voices heard and our leadership seen. This is democracy in action. But this work work doesn’t stop after we march. The work continues when we vote. The work continues when we go home to our communities and continue to organize and advocate for solutions. The work continues when we contact our elected officials every day and demand they act for us.

Organized people beat organized money every single time. We are building power that threatens the power of the NRA and the corporate interests that buy our lawmakers with their contributions. We are going to show up at the polls this November, we are going to make change happen.

Register to vote right now at RespectMyVote.com. It only takes two minutes!

Over the past 10 years, our Respect My Vote! campaign has engaged millions of people across our country. With the help from you and artists like Vic Mensa, T.I., Charlamagne tha God, Keke Palmer, 2 Chainz, Amber Rose, and Future, we have helped the Hip Hop community have power in our democracy.

To keep up with the action, follow us @HipHopCaucus on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook. More information is at March for Our Lives and Respect My Vote!.