#TalkRadio – August 13: Young Voters to the Forefront: Race & Media; August 6th Reception Review; Upcoming Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Training Sept. 11th – 14th; Banned Book Giveaways; and, Olympics Review

SPEAKERS:

Dr. Karen McRae: 12:00 PM – 12:15 PM Eastern Time
President & CEO, Concerned Black Men of America

Dashaun Angel Edwards: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
TJC Fellow, Class of April 2024

Kennedy A. Lighty: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
TJC Fellow, Class of April 2024

Jayson Davis: 12:15 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
TJC Fellow, Class of April 2023; TJC Freedom Rider; Photographer; Organizer of “The Lincoln March”

Cameron Barnes: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time 
National Young Adult Policy Advocate; National Youth Director of Rainbow PUSH; TJC Fellow and Freedom Rider; Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement, New Faith MB Church Chicago

Jurema Gorham: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time 
Jurema N. Gorham is the Founder and Executive Director of Burst Into Books, an organization dedicated to rebuilding communities through arts, advocacy, and educational programming. Since 2018, over 10,000 children have received free books through her efforts. An educator since 2008 with experience from Kindergarten to 12th grade, Jurema holds a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and two Master’s degrees in Differentiated Instruction and Educational Leadership. Recognized for her community impact, she has received awards such as the Humanitarian Award from the Far South Community Action Council and was a finalist for the Nexstar Remarkable Woman Contest. Currently, Jurema is pursuing a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at Concordia University Chicago, using her expertise to empower the communities she serves.

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, August 12th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “Young Voters to the Forefront: Race & Media; August 6th Reception Review; Upcoming Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Training Sept. 11th – 14th; Banned Book Giveaways; and, Olympics Review”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Dr. Karen McRae, Cameron Barnes, Jurema Gorham, Kennedy A. Lighty, Dashaun Angel Edwards, and Jayson Davis.

Igniting Change is introducing a new weekly segment called “Election 2024 and Race Media Report Card”. Over the years, Igniting Change has pointed out the many failures and misadventures of the U.S. media’s coverage of racial issues. This journalistic incompetence reaches a new high during political contests, especially during presidential elections. From misguided headlines which thoughtlessly give credence to racial attacks, to the lack of fact checking, and the treatment of racial slurs, tropes, and stereotypes as fair commentary, this period has reeked of abysmal journalism. We will discuss some of these matters and what is necessary to be done to make the overall media more competent. Our guest Dr. Karen McRae will be on for the first 15 minutes to share her perspectives on the media’s performance during this last week.

From 12:15 PM – 12:30 PM Eastern Time, Igniting Change guests Kennedy A. Lighty, Dashaun Angel Edwards, and Jayson Davis, TJC Fellows, will participate in a discussion about the power of the Gen Z vote, including the upcoming Gen Z and Young Millennial Voting Rights Leadership Training. As part of this discussion, we will review the August 6th Fundraiser and Reception which Kennedy and Dashaun Angel attended.

August 6th marked the 59th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, and in celebration, the Transformative Justice Coalition hosted a Fundraiser & Voting Rights Award Reception themed “From Generation To Generation!: Upholding The Fight for Voting Rights & A Multiracial Democracy”, at The Madison Hotel, with honorees Betty Boynton, Attorney Phillip Hunter, and Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes. These honorees were celebrated and honored because they have fought for our right to vote; have made significant contributions to protecting and advancing voting rights in our community; and, have been dedicated to ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. It was a night of inspiring speeches, delicious refreshments, and networking with like-minded individuals.

This Fundraiser and Reception’s main goal was to raise funds for upcoming Gen Z and Young Millennial Voting Rights Leadership Training and put young people front and center, as many donated tickets so young people could attend this momentous occasion. 

From 2016-2024, TJC has trained more than 600 Gen Z and Millennials from twenty-eight states.  TJC Fellows have  gone on to do amazing advocacy work post training. Several of our TJC Fellows are advocates for the formerly incarcerated and have held voter registration drives exclusively for this population. We have TJC Fellows who are focusing their efforts on civic education and are contracting with school districts to educate elementary and high school students on civics and the importance of voting. 

The Transformative Justice Coalition is hosting a non-partisan interactive Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Training Event to be held September 11th – September 14th, 2024. This is a round-trip, all expenses paid training opportunity being held in Washington, D.C. and coincides with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference. The deadline to apply is August 23, 2024, and proof of full vaccination or medical exemption is required. Apply Here: https://bit.ly/TJCSept2024, Deadline: August 23rd, 2024. **Please Note: We are doing a “rolling acceptance”, which means the earlier you apply, the better your chances of acceptance**

This opportunity is for individuals 18-35 years of age. We are accepting applicants from all states. Our target states are:

• Delaware
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• Washington, D.C.

This training opportunity includes a $500 stipend for participants, and is based on attendance and completion of a work plan. Those selected will serve as Voting Rights Ambassadors to directly serve vulnerable communities and voters to enhance their abilities to participate in future elections. The training uses a proven and successful “Train the Trainer” Voting Rights Immersion model that teaches the fundamentals of voting rights and develops essential skills of a voting rights advocate.  The training includes a community engagement event to give a hands-on element to the overall learning experience. 

Upon completing our training, you become a TJC Alumni. Alumni are offered the opportunity to serve as TJC Fellows in roles such as Social Media Ambassadors, which allows one to increase their networking and marketing skills. Alumni may be called upon to do future on-the-ground voter outreach activations as TJC Freedom Riders. On a regular basis, TJC Alumni are invited as guests on the Igniting Change Radio Show. 

Banned book giveaways are a major component of the TJC Activations. Starting at 12:30 PM Eastern Time, Igniting Change guest Cameron Barnes, TJC Fellow and Freedom Rider, will discuss not only the upcoming September Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training, but also his work with Jurema Gorham to discuss the upcoming book giveaway they are coordinating. This is Jurema’s inaugural appearance on Igniting Change. She and Cameron have collected over 100 books with a variety of titles and genres for our book giveaway, which includes many titles that are banned throughout the nation. This Book Giveaway is going to be during the kick-off of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention education day at the August 15th Block Club Party from 11 AM – 5:30 PM Central Time! This event will begin with a press conference with many special guests including Mayor Brandon Johnson, and live performances by local artists.

QUESTIONS:

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM Eastern Time – Dr. Karen McRae 
SEGMENT TITLE: “Election 2024 and Race Media Report Card”

• For the past week, what grade would you give from A – F of the media’s coverage of the racial aspects of the 2024 election? 
• Why did you give this grade?
• This past week, former President Trump held a “press conference” at Mar-a-Lago after which “a team of NPR reporters and editors reviewed the transcript of his news conference and found at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes. That’s more than two a minute.” (NPR Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/08/11/nx-s1-5070566/trump-news-conference) At one point he even disrespectfully declared he had a bigger crowd during his January 6th rally than Martin Luther King Jr. during his 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech. Again, no one in the media challenged this clear lie.
• What can be done to make the media more effective at pointing out these distortions and lies in real time? 
• What is it that they should be doing and they’re not doing?
• Last night, Elon Musk held a space with former President Donald Trump which was sponsored by Trump and appeared to be a “fan boy event” at which no hard questions were posed and Musk repeatedly parroted whatever Trump said while pushing for Musk’s own agenda (for example, Musk asked to be on a commission to staunch government spending and decried federal regulations). Also, The European Union has issued a formal letter to Elon Musk, demanding that he censor Donald Trump in their upcoming interview. The EU warns of “legal obligations” if Musk does not take action to prevent the spread of “disinformation.” (Source Tweet for EU: https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/1823057692409409961). 
• Former President and 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has attacked Vice President Kamala Harris as, and I quote from his Truth Social posts, “low IQ”; “dumb”; “doesn’t have the mental capacity to do a REAL Debate against me”, and “isn’t Black”. Despite these extremely racist attacks, a lot of media coverage has failed to identify it as such. Fortunately George Stephanopoulos, Roland Martin, and others have called this out. Why does the media give Trump and his surrogates free reign to make these racialized slurs and attacks?
• How can our listeners get involved in holding the media accountable?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

12: 15 PM – 12:30 PM Eastern Time

• Welcome Kennedy A. Lighty,  Dashaun Angel Edwards, and Jayson Davis. All three of you have graduated from TJC’s Gen Z and Young Millennial Voting Rights Leadership Training.
• Kennedy and Angel, you had the unique experience last week of attending the August 6th 59th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act TJC Fundraiser and Reception, which honored icons in the movement and highlighted the need to invest in young voting rights advocates. Please, tell us, how was the overall experience for you and what were your highlights of the evening?
• On September 11th – 13th, there will be another Gen Z and Young Millennial Voting Rights Leadership Training. This time, it will be held in Washington, D.C. during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. The deadline for people to apply is August 23rd, 2024. **Please Note: We are doing a “rolling acceptance”, which means the earlier you apply, the better your chances of acceptance.** This opportunity is for individuals 18-35 years of age. We are accepting applicants from all states. Our target states are:
  – Delaware
  – Maryland
  – Pennsylvania
  – Virginia
  – Washington, D.C.
• Interested participants can apply at VotingRightsAlliance.org/DCgenZ 
• Why would you recommend that people apply to attend this Training?
• What did you learn at your Training that you consider the most important?
• What has your Training meant to you personally?

12: 30 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time

• Thank you for joining the show, Cameron Barnes and Jurema Gorham. Tell people about the upcoming banned book giveaway on August 15th at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Annual Convention?
• Tell us some of your favorite books that will be part of the giveaway?
• Miss Gorham, you have a bookstore! And you and Cameron met while you were giving away books in the community! You’re also donating 100 books to the RPC Giveaway. Tell people why you are compelled to give away books.
• Cameron, what are the long range plans at RPC for banned book giveaways?
• Miss Gorham, how do people visit your book store?
• Kennedy,  Angel, Cameron, and Jayson, We have always built in banned book giveaways in all our activations. We did so in Phoenix. Why do you feel that this is important?
• For you personally, what have been the post-Training benefits?
• Angel and Kennedy, your classmate Eldrich just registered 100 people to vote over the weekend and, last week, registered a total of 1,000 people to vote in Montgomery, Alabama. Eldrich is also working on TJC’s national “I’ll Rise and Vote” Concert Series, which we will discuss more in upcoming shows. What have been some of your post-training activities and what are you hearing from other class members?
• The closing ceremony for the 2024 Olympics was Sunday. Can you tell us, each of you, what was a highlight of the Olympics?
• Vote.org reported a 700% increase in voter registration within two days of Vice President Kamala Harris being endorsed by President Biden. 83% of these new registrants were below the age of 35. In the last week, the majority of new registrants have been aged 18. What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2024? 
• (Barbara will remind listeners to double check their voter registration as voter purging ended last week and they’ve just been republishing the list this week)
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?