By McKenzie Jones and Ralph
With two months to go until the US election, time for voter education and mobilization is of the essence. There is a feeling that this election more than many previous will decide the direction of the country for years to come. BlockPower is a volunteer-led organization that CoLab has partnered with to build a software platform to increase voter participation. Their groundbreaking platform makes grassroots get-out-the-vote efforts more efficient, effective, and safe by enabling contactless voter engagement and using data to guide outreach. The platform assists in recruiting, training, and paying Black micro-organizers (Ambassadors) to identify, motivate, and empower Black voters (Triplers) they already know. To learn more about the need for mobilizing fair representation in democracy, please read this op-ed by BlockPower’s founder in the NY Times.
CoLab is honored to support BlockPower in their efforts to amplify Black voices in this crucial election cycle. BlockPower has also partnered with the New Georgia Project (one of Stacey Abrams’ groups), Black Leaders Organizing for Communities in Milwaukee, and Color of Change in Florida. They are also supporting efforts in North Carolina and Arizona to invest directly in Black communities and amplify Black voices.
Get Involved (Like today!)
BlockPower is seeking volunteers for both short-term immediate needs and ongoing support of their project! If you are interested in volunteering for certain roles, please visit this application form. You can also attend an info share with BlockPower to become familiar with the project and get info on upcoming hack sessions for volunteer developers.
Join BlockPower on Friday 9/11 from 7:00-7:45PM EDT and/or Thursday 9/17 from 7:00-8:00pm ET at https://blockpower.link/volunteeronboarding! Contact organizer@blockpower.vote to learn more.