For many people and communities, voting can feel disconnected from their everyday lives. There are various reasons why individuals have disengaged from civic participation. This segment of the Voter Formation Project’s campaign aimed to address that head-on by making the voting process and civic engagement feel personal. We collaborated with everyday people from different communities to explore what voting meant to them and their families. With so much information flooding in, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected. But at its core, voting is a deeply personal act that impacts us all. Below is just a glimpse of the interviews we conducted.
María, Farmer and Voting Advocate
Video edit by Lesley Steele
It was crucial for us to feature voices that truly reflected the audience we aimed to reach. María, a farmer dedicated to mobilizing the Latinx community, shared her personal story with us. She spoke about her mixed-status family and the vital role voting plays in ensuring their safety. María also highlighted the importance of civic engagement and explained why she is so committed to fighting for greater accessibility to voting information.
Graphics by A'lysia Alcorn
Darrin, Fletcher St. Urban Riding Club
Video edit by Lizzy Barrett
For our work in Pennsylvania, we sought to collaborate with an organization with deep roots in the state. We were fortunate to partner with Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, taking a "day in the life" approach to capture the essence of their work. We had the opportunity to interview Darrin, a community pillar and the son of Ellis Ferrell, the founder of FSURC. During our conversation, Darrin shared how the organization plays a vital role in the community and how that work is tied to voting. For him, voting is deeply personal, especially in ensuring the club's continued support, as elected officials help sustain the programs and opportunities the club provides to local youth.
Graphics By Tiarra Lucas
Michael, Marine Corps Veteran
Video edit by Lizzy Barrett
For our upcoming programming in Virginia, we wanted to focus on the veteran community, given the large presence of service members and veterans in the state. We had the privilege of interviewing Michael, a Marine Corps veteran who served for 30 years and is now a grandfather. During his interview, he spoke about the vital connection between voting and safeguarding democracy for future generations.
