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As the country slowly approaches one of the most pivotal elections in recent history, the Sundial Group of Companies—which includes ESSENCE, Global Black Economic Forum, Girls United, AfroPunk, BeautyCon, Refinery29, and New Voices Foundation—has announced an ambitious schedule of virtual events over the next two months as part of its “Paint the Polls Black” voter education town hall series, an initiative designed to inform, mobilize, and protect the right to vote in Black communities across the country in the critical weeks leading up to Election Day on November 5.
“We believe our brands have a responsibility to thoroughly inform our audiences because exercising our power at the ballot box is one of our most valuable rights. We don’t make assumptions about people’s level of knowledge on local, regional and national issues; we meet people where they are,” said Alphonso David, President and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum.
Beginning September 12, Paint the Polls Black will host a series of virtual town hall meetings, each designed to address specific issues of utmost importance to the community and ensure voters understand key policy issues, how they impact daily life, and how to counter voter suppression tactics. The events will feature election and voting experts, public officials, and artists to discuss the issues directly affecting our communities and provide voters with the resources they need. These events will be live-streamed on multiple platforms, including Streamyard, the Global Black Economic Forum’s YouTube and social media accounts, and ESSENCE’s YouTube.
The first “Paint the Polls 2024” event on August 2 attracted more than 200,000 people and provided useful information to help voters in this election.
With issues like reproductive justice, gun violence, voter suppression and the anti-diversity movement at the forefront, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Paint the Polls Black initiative aims to ensure that black voters are empowered to protect their rights and shape the future.
The importance of this initiative is underscored by the success of its first event on August 2, 2024, which attracted more than 200,000 attendees. This event featured influential figures including well-known DJ D-Nice, Congresswomen Jasmine Crockett and Shontel Brown, political commentator Bakari Sellers, media personality Van Lathan, and NAACP Award-nominated content creator Lynae Vanee. Together, they provided valuable insights on topics such as Black women’s access to healthcare, political attacks on Black women in the media, Black male voter engagement strategies, and community mobilization efforts.
With less than 70 days until Election Day, the Paint the Polls Black initiative will provide voters with critical resources and insights to navigate the often complex and daunting election process. Because it’s not just about getting people to vote; it’s about empowering them to make informed decisions.
Check out the full program list below.
- September 12 – Analysis of the political issues that directly affect you. Have you been following the conventions? Have you been digesting all the political issues? We have, and we want to share our insights with you. Join us and a panel of experts to analyze how the political issues in this election directly affect you – from the economy to housing to health care and public safety.
- 16 September – Town Hall to Empower Youth. Young people are not only our future, but they also influence elections. Young Millennial and Gen Z voters are emerging as the demographic powerhouse of American politics. Join our town hall meeting to hear from young people about the key issues that matter most to them, the solutions to those problems, and how this election and voting will impact the future.
- September 30th – Swing States. We often hear that elections are decided in swing states, often 4 to 5 states. We go to these swing states to hear from our community about how we are working to protect the rights of marginalized people.
- October 7 – The group chat. Registering to vote is important, of course, but what if you also committed to persuading at least five people you know to do the same? That means expanding our community to take back our power. Join our campaign to encourage every person you know to register to vote. And here’s the best part: there might be a surprise gift for you.
- October 14 – Early VotingForty-seven states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands offer all voters the opportunity to cast their early ballot in person. We will hold a town hall meeting to explain everything you need to know about early voting and the benefits of early voting.
- October 21 — Election Security. If you show up at the polling place and find out you’re not registered or face other obstacles to voting, what can you do? In this town hall meeting, you’ll learn how to report irregularities, find all the resources to help you protect your right to vote, and how to become a poll watcher.
- November 4th – Go vote. On the eve of Election Day, we will host several virtual events to provide voters with information and resources and learn about their voting plans.
For more information about the initiative, visit https://www.essence.com/paintthepollsblack/ and www.gbef.com.
