The Freedom To Vote rally was held Sunday on the Antioch College campus in Yellow Springs. It was hosted by the College's Coretta Scott King Center and its purpose was raise awareness of the importance of voting and to provide the the opportunity to register to vote.
Civil rights activist and author Shaun King was the keynote speaker. He told the crowd of more than 250 people that it takes more than a good idea to support a cause.
“We sometimes just throw energized people at our problems or just organized people or just policy ideas," said King. "But if you get all four of those things; if you get energized people, organized people, sophisticated plans and the resources to back them up, you’ll make change.”
Among a full afternoon of speakers was Shannon Isom, the president and CEO of the YWCA Dayton, who challenged the women in attendance to include women of color as they pursue feminist causes.
“If we as women are not looking at each other as a reflection of all women, then we are missing the very right [for which] the women that came before us fought.”
The deadline to register to vote in the midterm election is October 9. Early in-person voting begins October 10.
WYSO is licensed to Antioch College.
