December 19, 2022 BY Pedro P. Esquivel
Pictured above is the BLU staff after completing phone banking and canvassing sessions. | (PHOTO FROM: BLU Archives)
With the 2022 midterm elections now at a close, the BLU Educational Foundation celebrated their successful canvassing efforts of educating voters on reparations.
Starting on October 12, 2022, the canvassing strategy was led by Olani Labeaud, Public Policy & Advocacy Fellow at BLU. With the help and support of Jailyn Forde, the two were able to accomplish several feats and face challenges along the way.
“We were able to identify a large percentage of voters that believed Black Californians deserved reparations,” said Forde. She continued, “We exceeded my expectations for the campaign.”
On the knowledge surrounding reparations, Forde described, “Educating the community is the foundation of this work.”
“Gaining more knowledge is the key to ending cycles of oppression that persist.”
BLU’s Public Policy & Advocacy Fellow, Olani Labeaud | BLU Archives
The team was able to hire canvassers and phone bankers to educate and find voters with black-focused political ideals.
Initially, the goal was to reach at least 65% of IDs, or percent of voters who support reparations for African Americans. They exceeded the number and found up to 1,800 contacts with a majority offering support.
Jailyn Forde, BLU’s Community Organizer | BLU Archives
Forde and Labeaud will continue to hold task force meetings with leaders and community members to decide the next steps in the journey toward African American support within politics.
They believe the next best step is to get higher numbers of the community involved in the political process as well as strengthen their own connection to it.
To stay up-to-date on the BLU Educational Foundation and how it navigates through a promising new year, stay subscribed to the BLU Note. Thank you for your continued support!
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