Global Black Economic Forum and Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote announce groundbreaking voter engagement partnership

Today is the ESSENCE Cultural Festival, named after Global Black Economic Forum and When We All Vote announced a groundbreaking partnership to mobilize voters and introduce voting into the culture this yr. This initiative will inaugurate the thirtieth ESSENCE Festival, which is able to happen on July 4–7, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The goal of this necessary partnership is to recruit 10,000 volunteers as members of the Essence Voting Squad, register hundreds of individuals to vote and educate a million voters about ballot content, the importance of voting and how their vote pertains to key issues.

The Essence Voting Squad will make its festival debut to empower participants and ensure their communities are registered and ready for Election Day. Founded by former first lady Michelle Obama in 2018, the campaign group When We All Vote has grown to greater than 25,000 members. This nationwide, nonpartisan initiative goals to alter voting culture and increase participation in every election, helping to shut racial and age gaps.

“We are excited to partner with Essence and the Global Black Economic Forum and include them in our electoral lineup,” said Beth Lynk, executive director of When We All Vote. “Voting is an integral part of black culture, and black women are at the forefront of it. Together, we will reach voters where they are and strengthen the influence of Black voters across the country.”

In July, the partnership will host inspiring discussions on voting on the ESSENCE 2024 Cultural Festival. This will include a panel on the World Black Economic Forum’s public convention with When We All Vote ambassadors and a special video message from Michelle Obama.

“This election is a pivotal moment as we recognize that our freedoms are at risk,” said Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. “The Global Black Economic Forum is honored to partner with When We All Vote and ESSENCE as we work to mobilize Black voters this year and beyond.”

Black voters have significant power in elections across the country. More than 34 million Black Americans will probably be eligible to vote this yr, including 5.7 million Black Gen Zers. Through this partnership, Essence, the Global Black Economic Forum and When We All Vote are working to make sure Essence Voting Squad members are able to tackle issues similar to economic justice, climate change and gun violence prevention.

“At Essence Ventures, along with our ecosystem of brands, including the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), we agree on the critical need for broad civic engagement that defines the health of our communities economically, socially, politically, physiologically, environmentally, and educationally. Our partnership with When We All Vote and the Global Black Economic Forum is extremely critical as we approach an election season that will have a lasting impact on generations to come,” said Caroline Wanga, president and CEO of Essence Ventures.

“For more than fifty years, the diverse platforms we manage have had an unwavering commitment to collectively informing and engaging voters on the issues and topics of greatest interest and impact recently through our Paint the Polls Black franchise. The timeliness of strategic alignment with When We All Vote and the 30th anniversary of the ESSENCE Cultural Festival allows us to preserve the legacy that brought us here while strengthening the present for the legacy to come,” Wanga added.

The organizations will proceed to make sure voter registration and voter preparation, expanding the ESSENCE Voting Squad through events similar to Beautycon, AFROPUNK and Girls United.