Sojourner’s Truth Staff
“Our democracy is at stake,” said Anita Madison of the NAACP, summing up the mood of speakers and audience on Saturday morning at the Lucas County Early Voting Center, 3737 Sylvania, during a rally encouraging attendees to vote and to spread the word during this critical mid-term election season.
About three dozen turned out on a sunshiny, chilly morning in the parking lot of the Lucas County Building to heed the appeal of elected officials and organizing groups such as The Movement to get the vote out during this election season.
Juanita Brent, state representative from Cleveland – House District 12 – and the president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, led off the brief remarks by noting that: “We have so much work to fight for and this will not happen unless we are willing to fight as a fist and not a bunch of fingers … do whatever you need to do to get people out to vote.”
Rev. Tim Pettaway, pastor of Walk the Word Church, echoed those sentiments as he explained the importance of participating in local elections because what happens locally and on the state level, said Pettaway, is so important to how people live.
Rev. Willie Perryman, president of the Toledo NAACP, spoke of the importance of ensuring that Black voters turn out. “We know that African Americans are the most critical voting bloc and the most powerful when we participate.“
“Are we going to show up and shot out and take what is rightfully ours?” asked Andre Washington, second vice president of the Ohio NAACP Conference and longtime union organizer.
A resounding “Yes” from the attendees answered Washington’s query.
Early voting begins October 12 and includes the two Saturdays, the Sunday and the Monday before Election Day. Election Day is November 8.
