Labor and Hip Hop Come Together for ‘Respect My Vote’ Campaign

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/10/08/labor-and-hip-hop-come-together-for-respect-my-vote-campaign/

by James Parks, Oct 8, 2010

It’s fresh, it’s hot and it’s got a serious message: In 2010, young people have a big stake in the outcome of this election and the only way the powers that be will respect them is if they vote and make the politicians listen to their concerns. The Hip Hop Caucus and American Rights at Work have come together to launch a video and photo campaign to promote “Respect My Vote.”

Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64d4kT-R2SM&feature=player_embedded

“Respect My Vote” is the only major non-partisan Hip Hop voter mobilization campaign for the 2010 election. It focuses on voter registration, education and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) program. It is aimed at young people between ages 18 and 39, young people of color, people with felony records who are unaware of their voting rights, low-income communities and young people not in college.

In the video and photos, women of color who are labor leaders talk straight to young people. In comments over a hard bass line beat, they describe what young people and the union movement can do together and why we need each other to make sure that whoever takes office after the elections will work for the average American, not the rich fat cats on Wall Street.

Think the youth vote is not important? Consider that in the 2008 elections, 64 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 43 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds were first-time voters. Among African American young people 45 percent were first-time voters, and 61 percent of Latino young people voted for the first time in 2008.

FULL story at link.