Election Coverage at Florida State University (FSU)

Check out the footage I gathered from Florida State University.



The youth voice is powerful this election season and the young voters in this piece gives you a piece of their mind!

Young People In Full Force- Minnesota Represent!!!!

November 4, 2008

Photos by B FRESH Photography

7 a.m. At the University Avenue bus stop in St. Paul, Minnesota, Robina Rai continued her Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts from the night before. She is not a citizen, but has been active in the 2004, and now, the 2008 elections with the League of Young Voters, or as they say in the Twin Cities, the League of Pissed Off Voters. She took the number 16 from St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis, getting off at the University of Minnesota campus and Nicollet Mall, making sure people are getting out to vote, and are informed about the candidates. The League put together voter guides for cities across the country, which can be found online at www.theballot.org.

8 a.m. Nellie Brau, on her way to class to take a test, chose to represent her excitement about this year’s election with her American flag scarf. Zubair Saiyed was campaigning on a busy corner of campus for Obama, letting people know he thinks MN needs change. All over town, people on their way to class and work were greeted with the morning dew, and political flyers from the previous night’s “Midnight Madness” flyering efforts.

9 a.m. On Nicollett Mall, Malissa Mallory, a special education teacher who was recently laid off, was on her way to get health insurance, vote and then go volunteer and make sure people are getting out to vote today.

9:30 a.m. Deangelo Jacox was on his way to school at Studio 4/High School for Recording Arts. He is not old enough to vote yet, but can’t wait until the next election.

10:00 a.m. Franklin Delano- Nothing is an anarchist who believes people can organize and make change, even without a leader. He might vote today for the State Referenda on Clean Water, Wildlife, Cultural Heritage & natural Areas (AKA Vote Yes Minnesota), but he will not be voting for any individual person.

10:30 a.m. Robina makes her way back to University Avenue and gets off the bus at the Plasma Services building, where a line has formed to donate plasma for money. She makes her way up the line, making sure people know where to vote and that they can register at the polls today, because MN has same day registration. Today, she will also be poll watching with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Minneapolis. The ACLU is part of a coalition of organizations that are making sure everything runs smoothly across the country today.

11:00 a.m. I finally make it to my voting location to cast my ballot. This is what I have been working towards for months and months. I can’t wait until this day is over, so I don’t have to see another nasty political advertisement on TV. I got my sticker, and checked out the ballot where kids can vote, too!

Generation We

Writer Eric Greenberg pulled together the results of over eighteen months of research, polls and focus groups to prove one thing: the Millennial Generation is a force to be reckoned with. Through his new book, and a website, Greenberg is harnessing the thoughts and energy of a younger generation.

GenWe was Greenberg's project to help the Millennial Generation empower itself against much scrutiny. Speaking with US News, he said:

"They are not a 'me' generation; they are the 'we' generation," he says. "They are about the greater good," he adds, noting that they're really jazzed up about the environment and the energy crisis. Armed with his huge study, he's urging both presidential campaigns to focus on one mega-idea the kids endorsed; an Apollo-style approach to the energy crisis."

According to the extensive data in GenWe there are between 95 and 100 million people born between 1978 and 2000, and now more than ever those over 95 million young people are united around the same political issues and visions.

The book also makes the case that Millennials are:

• Dedicated to improving the common good over individual gain, a sentiment that crosses all racial, ideological and partisan lines.
• Reject fundamental principles of modern conservatism –primary focus on individual rights and trickle down economics.
• Welcome innovation and are eager to establish a new. paradigm

Greenberg describes many of the issues our world faces today, such as the climate crisis, are of importance for younger folks. These issues span across parties, races, genders, and location. According to the book, Republicans and democrats agree on these issues 85 percent of the time.

"Youth don't realize they have more in common with each other than anything else," Greenberg said in a phone interview. "They have a balance of power in the world more than anyone else, and collectively have a lot of power globally."

He urges Millennials not to put off these problems until tomorrow.

The presidential election is only the first step. The second step is encapsulated on the website that gives young voters and organizations practical organizing tools, from fifteen minute activism to weekend projects and legislation.

I haven't made my way all the way through the book, but had to write about it because what I have read is exactly the thing we needed to prove to ourselves, major donors, and mainstream media that we are doing important political work.

Crossposted from Wiretap

Changing the Conversation

Maybe I watch too much TV but it's cool how AT&T Changes the conversation about their mobile devices.

If you haven't seen the commercial, here's a piece of the transcript.

Mother:I have not had it up to here with you, young lady!
Daughter:Why do you insist on treating me like an adult?
Mother: Because you insist on acting like one! Now you're getting this new phone.
Daughter:But it's so small! I really like it! Why is it always what I want?
Mother: Well, do you have any idea how much money this is not going to cost me?
Daughter:I love you!
Mother: I know you really mean that.
Daughter: You never hated me and you never will!
Mother: You are the most grateful little....
Announcer: Cingular is changing the conversation about cellphones....

Just as AT&T is changing the conversation, so are the youth at the National Democratic Convention.

Monday night at Rock the Vote’s Ballot Bash proved that a group of young people could come together and organize an event that was successful and very meaningful. N.E.R.D., Nick Cannon, Fall Out Boy and Jakob Dylan were just a few celebrities that came through and performed. Others sat in the audience and enjoyed the event.

Every performance was on point. Even our Myspace winner, Otep, had a great crowd of enthused listeners. Otep and her band were able to register 500 people in three days, beating out 5,000 bands who also competed. She shared a touching speech about speaking up and seeing change or doing nothing and seeing no change.

The celebrities and their speeches were a great edition, but it was the youth out and about in the Opera House that had more of a telling story.

Trick or Vote was out in their elaborate Halloween Costumes. When I spoke with the Mummy, he said that Trick or Vote is the largest non-partisan organization that hit the streets….in costume. How exciting. The costumes added curiosity to their purpose and formed a lot of partnerships with their creativity.

Other youth had a lot to say about being at the Democratic Convention for the first time. Many who were 18 shared their enthusiasm to vote. I remember being just like that when I was their age. I connected with a lot almost immediately. We spoke about changes and promoting the vote ideas that we wanted to take back to our respective communities.

Overall, the event was a success. We talked, we danced, but most of all we changed the conversation. It was about the youth for once, and what we can do to be heard in America. Like Otep said in her speech: “If you want high gas prices, the war in Iraq to continue and higher taxes….sit around and do nothing!”

To get the Rock the Vote Ballot Bash Experience, watch the unedited and uncut clips.

Footage includes:
N.E.R.D
FALL OUT BOY
Nick Cannon
Jakob Dylan and The Gold Mountain Rebels
Interviews
And more

Barack the Vote or Campaign for McCain?

It’s official! Rock the Vote is teaming up with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) to launch "Battle of the Vote." It’s the largest campaign of its kind to register 2 million young adult voters.

"Battle of the Vote" is history in the making. It’s an innovative promotion tool that allows HBCU’s to compete to register over 8000 students and young citizens to vote.

This drive specifically targets Black Americans who make up 36.7 percent of the voting population. Rock the Vote wants to increase that number as well as motivate and encourage current voters to continue to strive for political change.

Don’t sleep on this opportunity. Rock the Vote has been in contact with Black American media and organizations; Sister2Sister magazine, The Source Magazine, Black Entertainment Television (BET) and other media outlets to ensure that this drive is a guaranteed success.
If you and your school isn't down for the cause yet, then you better get on it ‘cause we're taking over one youth at a time. This is our year. This is the young person’s year. If you wanna be heard join forces and demand to be heard.

Barack the vote or campaign for McCain. Which ever you choose, make it happen on your campus. For more information on "Battle of Vote" contact the Rock the Vote office.

Secretaries of State Protect Our Votes

Not every state in the country has a Secretary of State, but the ones that do should know how important their jobs are. Secretaries of State are the chief election officers who ensure things run smoothly on the big day. Do you remember Katherine Harris right? She was the Secretary of State for Florida in 2000. She was played by Laura Dern in the Kevin Spacey movie Recount on HBO about the 2000 election if that helps.

It's not the most glamorous job. For instance, you don't enact foreign policy like the Secretary of State for the United States Condoleezza Rice.

But if you want to ensure that your vote is counted, or that you can vote on election day, your Secretary of State is key.

Video chat rooms at UstreamAt Netroots Nation, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen appeared on a panel called Educating and Empowering Voters that talked about everything from typical problems registering voters to purging voters from the voter rolls and more.

Robin Carnahan, the Secretary of State for Missouri defines her duties on her website as "defending voters rights"

"It is also my job to protect the voting rights of every eligible citizen. Not 95% of our citizens. Not just Missourians who have a drivers license or a passport. But every eligible Missouri citizen."

I caught up with Secretary Carnahan who has been the chief election officer since 2004:

Finding My Voice 1: What's good in the hood?

You may be wondering, Who is this B FRESH girl? and What will she be covering? Let me start with a few basics: First, the most crucial factor in my reporting with Rock the Vote is that I will cover issues, people, organizations, movements and perspectives that other journalists may be afraid to call out and dive into. They must be preoccupied by the glitz and glamour of the shiny, sexy stories. Don’t get me wrong, I sometimes enjoy a glamorously sexy story but I will not be sidetracked by the bling.

Second, I am passionate about talking to YOU, following YOU around and learning YOUR story- the real story. Third, I recognize the power of our generation to sway elections, alter perceptions, shift paradigms, and put an eraser to the negativity that we have endured. We can make a difference, and demand our voices be heard.

I want you to join in and demand that media no longer demonize, criminalize and misrepresent youth. Whether it be talking with your friends about issues that your community faces and how you can create change, joining in at a local rally, or simply sending a text message to a friend to let them know what the deal is, stay active and engaged.

I will thoughtfully examine heavily covered issues such as police brutality and gang violence, but not in the way you might expect. Looking back, I have lived all of my life in the city, love the hood that has nurtured me, and respect the people I have had the privilege to learn from.

I am witness to the deception game the media has played and want to share a slice of the gritty and beautiful truth through my pen and lens. When I bring you stories about police brutality and they will be through the eyes of those who live within the aftershock of Monday’s year-to-date murder statistic headline, daily.
I will report about how youth are responding, and what is being done in our communities to address the root causes. When I highlight the lives of young people in gangs who may be hangin’ on the corner sellin’ dope, I will explore dreams, aspirations, and the systematic and institutional sources of injustice, racism, sexism, classism etc.

I look forward to covering the hottest shows and sharing interviews with local and national celebrities on the issues young people care about. I will be reporting live from the 2008 National Hop Hop Political Convention, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, as well as other fresh events. I am excited to share with you exclusive photos and video that will shine a ray of positivity on this drab parade.

So, I leave you with a few questions to ponder: Do you want to hear about what soldiers are doing after returning from overseas, about the dopest youth organizations making things happen, and politicians that really care about what you have to say? Then stay tuned, and keep an eye out for my convention music videos...