[Applause] N We good do better we’re outside it’s a little chilly but good afternoon my name is brother Yousef hir I’m Springs 22 initiate of the beta gamma chapter of the ATT Incorporated I’m a board member serving as the eastern regional assant vice president and I welcome you to today’s program
Calling a member of the capap alpha sou Fraternity Incorporated for our ification good afternoon everybody my name is Ryan Johnson I am a spring 22 initiate into the Beta Kai chapter of cap out facad Fraternity Incorporated and I’m here representing our grand board I currently serve as Grand Lieutenant strategist uh for the
Undergraduate Grand War for everybody can everybody bow their head and close their eyes dear heavenly father we thank you for allowing us to come together on this occasion uh emphasize the importance of voting and the importance of us utilizing our our powers to vote um we
Just ask that you continue to bless all that is here continue to bless all that is traveling in today and just allow us to be able to take the information given us about the statistics of the importance of voting and the importance of the minority vote um I ask that you
Could just continue to watch over us and bless all um in Jesus name we pray amen thank you I’m reminded of some three words that I heard today brother be brief the three be so I’m going try to be as brief as I can and make sure that yalla get
Warm um as I stated earlier my name is Yousef omir I’m a political science scholar at Virginia State University Petersburg Virginia today we’re talking about the importance of black voting and we’re putting an emphasis on the young black vote now more than ever our voices matter we have to start to realize and
Understand that our votes hold the power to shape the future of our community our nation and the World At Large despite the PIV the pivotal role that we play in shaping the history there remains a pressing need to mobilize ize and Empower black male voters specifically the young ones we are the
Future we stand at a critical juncture in our nation’s history where the fate of our democracy hangs in the ballot the challenges that we face today are numerous from systemic inequality racial Injustice economic dispar disparities and educational inequalities but amidst these challenges lies an unparalleled opportunity the opportunity to exercise
Our right to vote our right that our ancestors and the ones that came before us fought for died for and put their Blood Sweat and Tears so we can march on to these Po and make our votes count this opportunity to exercise our right our vote is to amplify our voices
And affect real and Lasting change in policy everybody say policy poliy policy and in order for us to affect policy we must exercise our right to vote for those who make what policy Brothers to see this opportunity we must first overcome the barriers that hinder our participation in this Democratic process
I’m going start with voter education education is key we must equip our communities with the knowledge and the resources that they need to navigate the electoral process and the landscape effectively from understanding ballot initiatives to knowing party locations to understanding the platforms that these candidates are running on voter
Education empowers us to make informed decisions and ensures that our voices are heard my second point is registration registration is equally essential because we must work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible black male voter is registered and ready to participate in this Democratic process whether whether it’s through committee
Outreach efforts whether it’s through voter registration drives or Partnerships with local organizations all D9 fraternities in this room right now have a program that empowers us voting opportunity has the best one a voteless people is a voteless people is a program that our brothers and our chapters and our districts and our
Regions participate in and go to every single Community knock on every single door and make sure that people in our community are represented Reg a alone however is not enough we must also mobilize our communities to turn out vot records and record numbers through Grassroots organizing Coalition building and
Strategic Outreach we can harness the collective power of our communities I was in the southern region last week and I heard someone say we don’t know which states are red or blue because we never have utiliz or have seen the power of our Collective vote that stuck with me
We don’t know which states are read blue because we don’t realize the collective power of our vote we looked at margin of victory in red States 100,2 200,000 300,000 450,000 the number of eligible black voters that did not vote was in their Millions so when we think about the
Eligible black voters especially the young ones at historical black college Universities at community colleges at trade schools those who can vote when we turn those Brothers to votes it matters and the margin of Victory becomes less the states cannot be hired because the fate of our democracy hangs in the
Balance especially this upcoming November every challenge that we face as a community we can overturn with policy and policy means vote the power we wield as black male voters is undeniable we must act on it today as we stand on the cusp of this new era I ask you all to
Rise to the occasion to seize the opportunity and commit yourself your fraternity your chapters and your communities to equal progress equality Justice and the March forward United in our Purpose with unwavering determination to build a higher better and brighter future for ourselves in the generations to come I ask you all to
Continue exercising your power and claim your right to vote thank you at this moment I have the distinct pleasure to call my district director my big brother the district director of the Virginia Association of alpha chapters of alpha alpha incorporated vath as it is known brother District director Kevin
Glover to the podium thank you good afternoon as brother has stated my name is Kevin Glover I the district 7 director of the Virginia Association of chapters of alpha Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and I would be remissed if I didn’t recognize my colleague my district 6 director brother Raymond
Hawkins from the great District of the mighty Ma and being in the house so welcome Brothers um the importance of voting is something that we really take seriously in all of our organizations and specifically in the Commonwealth of Virginia right now we are working to try to get the right
Of formerly convicted felons back their right to vote once they have served their time in the penitentiary system currently that right is only given back to them by the governor of Virginia as we all know from history that rule has been put in place as a law for discriminatory reasons and because of
That that is an injustice that we all need to fight for to change to give people their rights to vote back automatically after they serve their time in jail it disproportionately impacts people of color and minorities and as brother omir has stated there is a lot of us that make up that voting
Delegation in Virginia but we also realize that it’s not something that we can do on our own so working with our other D9 leaders and organizations to help Foster this change educate our communities so that they understand and this constitutional amendment is something that we all can get behind to
Make this change for everyone in Virginia is what we’re looking towards doing in our upcoming fraternal year that also includes working with the NAACP the ACLU the National Urban League to learn how to properly advocate so we can make sure that everyone in our communities understands what this constitutional change and Amendment
Looks like in the Commonwealth of Virginia and how we can go about making this change so until we can fight to make sure that everybody has the right to vote the fight still continues and it will not be over until everyone has their right to vote I want to thank you
All for your time because it is kind of cold out here but I do thank you for your attention I look forward to working with all of the organizations especially my good Brothers in blue Brother Ray as I look at you as I look at you brother
Ray all right all right so I think thank you all once again for your time and I have a good Afternoon thank you brother District director Kevin Glover now we will have greetings from National presidents of fraternities starting off with the national leadership of Kaa Alpha opportunity Incorporated give it up good afternoon everybody I’m Richard B Maddox I’m the 30th Eastern Province pollark and I first want to welcome each
Of you to to the east the sun rises in the east as you can see where we stand today we stand because of people like us the alphas led the effort for this Memorial that we stand this Mario stand between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Monument the significance of that is
That it stands between slavery and freedom today we we stand here today as divine nine organizations regardless of our colors We Stand United because Brothers when we look out here we recognize that on the ballot this November slavery is on the ballot democracy is on the ballot education is on the
Ballot our future is on the ballot and so we stand here today we come to this city some 50 plus years ago 56 years ago from when Dr King stood here in this vicinity and we come we come once again those same issues education economics slavery Brothers we’re talking
About candidates who are outright running running on the ability and the promise to set us back and we are not going back as a native Mr recipient who recalled not only my grandmother but many of those who came up in the heat they didn’t come up they didn’t fly in here in
1963 on a well air conditioned plane nor that they ride on a on a well air conditioned bus but they came here from the cotton fields of Mississippi Alabama Georgia South Carolina North Carolina until they got here and it wasn’t too high for them then and brother it’s not
Too win for us today to be here and so I say to you c stand ready ke stand equipped along with the other D9 organizations and we come recognizing that the importance of today leav our leaves our future our kids our young Brothers our colleges Brothers it it’s time for us to
Get involved and get engaged and stay engaged because as I said before democracy is on the ballot but flavor is also on the ballot turning back the clock is on the ballot so I say each of you today ke stand ready and we say yo yo thank you cap off Trinity
Incorporated will not call on megaa off Trinity Incorporated and its leadership good afternoon afternoon first of all I want to welcome you to my city I am a native Washingtonian Elementary School I ain’t no transplant elementary school middle school high school and college all right here in the nation’s capital so I
Welcome you all to my playground to my colleagues in the divine nine I appreciate you being here my name is brother Marie Jackson I am the first vice brand bossess of the Omega SciFi Fraternity Incorporated I bring you greetings on behalf of brother Ricky L Lewis the 42nd Grand boses of
The Omega Sci-Fi fraternity Incorporated and the over 200,000 plus Omega men which are represented in 17 countries on five continents and across 19 time zones it’s certainly an honor and a privilege to bring greetings on such a momentous occasion today we stand here on hallow ground not just as members of the Omega
Sci-Fi fraternity Incorporated but as ad Ates for justice equality and the Relentless pursuit of a dream We Gather at this historic Monument to reaffirm our commitment to the voting process and to reaffirm our commitment to the principles that drive my fraternity manhood scholarship perseverance and uplift as we look back at the footsteps
That have walked these very streets we cannot help but drawn n from inspiration from a few of omega’s pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement to include Reverend Jesse Jackson Veron Jordan Benjamin hooks brother Oliver Hill Wy Brandon and brother Roy Wilkins for I believe if they were here today they would agree with
Me but more they would agree with me that voting but more importantly protecting the right to vote is our civil rights mission of today the Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided for direct intervention to enable African-Americans to register and vote and it ban tactics long designed to
Keep us from the polls oddly enough here in 2024 there are some that want to return us to those days of black voter suppression and intimidation Omega stands here to say nothing today not on our watch History should not have to repeat itself Generations before us fought hard
To protect and expand our right to vote those fights should not have to be repeated using your vote is essential to protect protecting the Voting Rights victories we’ve already won and to expanding those victories to ensure that every person who should be able to vote
In America is is able to do so so today is a call to action the fight for civil rights the fight for the right to vote and the protection of that right is not a spectator sport we need all hands on Deb if we’re going to move the needle of social
Change as I close if my friend Reverend Jesse Jackson were here I believe he would say at the end of the day we must go forward with hope and courage and not backwards with fear and Division I believe he would remind us that in politics an organized minority is a
Political majority so let’s get organized today I ask that your voices be heard but tomorrow I ask let your vote be counted I thank you my brothers thank you to the Omega Incorporated next you we hear from CA Alpha Incorporated foror incorporate my apolog this this is a great this is a
Great brother a great man and a great leader for the Barbera Scotia College we appreciate you we love you and we look forward to hearing what you got to say I’m G keep it right my brothers today all of you are my brothers I am International president of 5 S Fraternity
Incorporated there is not much that else needs to be said you all understand why we’re here you understand that we are one of the most powerful organized groups in this nation and when we organize things happen the reality is is that there are those that are sitting in
Dark Corners who are afraid of us organizing but you see you guys to the choir and we don’t need to preach to the choir what we have to understand is that it’s groups we have an obligation to educate those individuals in those spaces that do not know what is at stake
We have an obligation no matter what our colors are to come together and make sure that we take folks to the poll that means that we have to be together it can’t just be buses for that that is being paid by Alphas it has to be buses
That are being paid by Alphas sigmas campas iotas omegas together together taking people to the polls if we do not on after the day after election day if we’re not tired then we haven’t done enough I’m asking my brothers to Stand United don’t allow our colors and don’t
Allow those who wake up every day wanting to divide us to be the reason why we do not increase the number of black men who vote and making sure that our voices are heard and after election day we have to come together to make sure that our conference passed the John
Lewis Voting Rights Act that is our mission that we have an obligation to make sure that every voice in this country that our voices are heard and that we have access to The Ballot Box this is our time this is our moment do not waste it I will see you at the
Polls thank you president next we hear from the Iota F fraternity incorporation good afternoon good afternoon today we were at service you guys were there we were told to turn the other cheek gentlemen for this election that’s coming up I’m sorry now is not the time to turn the other
Cheek now’s the time for us to actually get involved get engaged it was said before that we’re under attack it’s my young Brothers hear me we’re under attack we know things happened back in the days back in the 60s 50s especially in 63 when we were founded but today
Still in 2024 we’re still under attack we need the young voters to get together and actually mobilize and find out are you registered to vote how are you going to get to the polls how are we going to do this together as it was said before doesn’t matter about our
Colors around this time we’re all one color we all have one goal and we have to make sure that we stay on cold because again we’re under attack we’re letting our sisters beat us to the pole they’re doing more than us I’m sorry let them do their
Job but we believe in it takes a man to make sure that we take care of our familyhood it takes a man to make sure that our fellow brothers get to those polls it takes a man to be able to educate our brothers hey this is what’s at at
Stake don’t let our sisters get give all the work out there we need to do our share we need to actually step up and make sure that people understand how important it is to get out there and vote again A lot has been said here this
Afternoon I don’t have to go over it again just know that we’re under attack it’s not time to turn the other cheek it’s time to make sure that we get to the polls we make sure that they understand that our voices and our votes will be heard again we’re attack gentlemen I’ll
See you at the post thank you brother next we will hear greetings from our Collegiate leaders of our respective fraternities starting off with the Collegiate leadership ofat is anybody here all right moving forward uh five is take for Incorporated my brother good afternoon Jo afternoon my name is Vander Thompson actually I can
Put it up here there we go my name is Vander Thompson and I hold position as International colle member at La five Fraternity Incorporated I also am a student of gr State University Z Chapter I would like to take a moment to show my appreciation to honorable brother president honorable
President uh Chris V Ray JD thank you for this opportunity gentlemen champions of change and guardians of tomorrow today we stand on the precipice of History We Gather here not just as individuals but as a collective Force as the heartbeat of our nation we stand here with the power to shape our future
To mold it into excuse me into the vibrant tapestry of our dreams but this power my friend lies not idle wishes but an act of voting why do we rally you might ask why do we come together in this Fant display of unity because my dear brothers our voices our
Most poent weapon and the world where clamor excuse me of status quo threatens to drown out our dreams voting is our battlecry it is the history proclaiming that we will not be silenced that our dreams will not be Shackled by apathy but why is it imperative for us
The young people to vote it’s simple because decisions made today will Ripple through the corridor doors of time shaping the world we inherit think about the laws that hang in the balance waiting for a stroke of a PIN to become reality laws that will determine the quality of our education
The accessibility of our healthare and the abstract Concepts they are threading and weaving the fabric of our daily lives and it is our duty and our privilege to have a say in their creation but voting is more than just marking a ballad it is a sacred Act of
Empowerment it is a realization that each of us hold the key to change within our grasp we have the power to mold our society into a masterpiece of justice and equality so I implore you my fellow brothers and sisters register to vote let your voices be heard like the
Thunderclap of Justice resounding across the land Stand Tall stand proud for you are The Architects of tomorrow and the Guardians of our Collective diversity and to each and every one of you who has already taken the mantle of citizenship who has cast their votes and raised their voices I say thank you
Thank you for your courage Your Passion your unwavering commitment to a better world you matter your voice matters and together we will Forge a future worthy of our dream thank you thank you good brother next we’ll be hearing from the colleg of leadership of cap Alpha for trity
Incorporated hello again you all again my name is Ryan Johnson I’m a spring 22 initiate to the Bic High chapter of cap office attorney Incorporated and I currently we serve as Grand Lieutenant strategus on the grand board for our fraternity as mentioned before we are gathered on this occasion of the importance of
Voting as said before we are here because it’s an important time this upcoming election there’s a lot of things on this ballot more than the names just listed listed on the ballot there are quite a few important important things that are going to be listed as well such as the importance of
Education the importance of the of Economics the importance of just us coming together and knowing why we’re voting now with voting not being excuse me with voting may not be know again we all know our brother I’m going to end this today just saying that again history is going is
Going to note that excuse me history is going to note those who are voiceless in this time of disparity and as well as those who spoke up for those that are s thank you thank you I give it up one more time for all these amazing leaders people often times say God of
Our weary is God of our silent tears from every voice and sing the lyrics to sing to lift every voice and sing serves as a reminder for black Americans that each generation has had to lift their voices along with those within their Community to demand and protect their
Human rights which a tribute to James Wen Johnson born June June 17 1871 for writing these words 26 General president the late Dr ozel C of Al for Alpha for Incorporated was asleep at the L Hotel on April 4th 1968 in the room next to brother Reverend Dr Martin Luther King
In his reflection about that day in history was the bullet killed the messenger but not the message the bullet killed the messenger but not the message he left us with a charge to keep and a reflection of our history my spirit moved from these two historical icons to
Say our commitment and love for country is our charge to keep Lift Every Voice and vote till Earth and Heaven ring ring with the harmonies of Liberty let every voter rise high as the listening Skies let our votes ReSound as the rolling sea cast your vote full of the faith that the
Dark P has taught us cast your vote full of the hope that the president has brought us facing the Rising Sun of our new day begun let our vote let us vote let us vote till Victory is one gentlemen Brothers it is not my distinct privilege honor to bring up to the
Podium our leader my general president General president of alpha fight Alpha paternity Incorporated brother Dr Willis elonzo III PhD greetings to everyone gretings I’m glad to be back in Washington DC the nation’s capital we Alphas apologize for all of this cold weather because when we come together it
Gets a little icy and then the rest of y’all are cool too I guess we’re going to make for a chilly assembly while a little levity opens up our dialogue the significance of our presence today could not be more vocal not more poignant and that surrounds the reality
That many of our foundational rights as citizens of this country are literally in Jeopardy and have now been pushed forward to be the subject of an attack that will literally dismantle all that we know if some of the citizens in this nation have their opinion moved forward we’ve seen some remarkable things taking
Place where even Christian principles are being Twisted Mis construed to to paint a political agenda that is not only not biblical but not even Christian although it may be painted with that name the reality that we as even African-American men have uh seen our own perspectives jaded Twisted
Manipulated to believe that someone that speaks things that are counterproductive to your rights as a citizen your ability as a man to go out and make a living and take care of your families your friends and to live according to the Declaration of Independence having the right to life
Liberty and the pursuit of happiness but ironically all five of the THC fraternities are rooted in the Civil Rights mov dedicated to its Mission and the sororities are aligned as well if there’s anything that has been most strongly noted is that we are stronger together our colors are the banners that
We March under our letters even and we love those letters we love our colors but we know that our missions overlap so much that if we blink we might see each other in the same colors all of us are strong men strong in our beliefs strong and
Rooted in the core principles of our respective organizations all called to a mission of service and the promotion of a better life for all citizens particularly those of the africanamerican culture that’s what we’ve experience but I say today that our voteless people is a hopeless people campaign in Alpha F Alpha is very
Similar to the ones in cap alpha s and in Omega SFI and in F Beta Sigma and in Iota our respective call and Clarion call for us to work together to align to ensure that we’re going to get out the vote amongst all of our community but
Particularly focus on uh men of color is a unified front and we know that it’s not just about voter registration but education empowerment and Mobility getting people to the polls to vote today I just reminded each of us that we said in this last four years term for many of our
Organizations or maybe part of it the reality in our second 100 years and we grandfather the AA fraternity as they’re approaching Now 60 plus years of existence tracking towards their Centennial a better way for us to use our enties to work collectively together to stand unified to stand together to
Uplift our communities and particularly men and black men in particular in our efforts to lift our community M leaders where we live but also where we all operate I’m encouraging all of us to work together with the national pantic councils in your respective areas to ensure that all of us update each other
On our programs what we’re doing what we have to do but more importantly when we approach the third quarter of the year and really the four what we vote that we work together to mobilize and get people to the polls that we collectively recognize that when each of us executes
We lift the community higher like a tide lifts all boats but I just remind you today that in the words of uh sir Roger kipin if you can put all and this is a summary not to be verbose in the in the true nature of
The poem but we are going to put all of our risks on winning to work together risking it all on one pitch and toss and we’re not going to take a loss we’re going to win because we are in this together we can’t be like we were in our
First 100 years of existence and letting our little rivalry sometimes stamp out or dampen out our impact together but I recognize the power of the brothers in from I to feta the brothers from F Beta Sigma the brothers from Omega SciFi the brothers from Kaa Alpha side I even
Going to say find new P I’m going to do today because we are together and the men of alpha 5 yes we led the way but we also recognize that it’s a it’s a big Collective that we represent all of us the leaders on our campuses and in
Our jobs in communities have a have an effort together that will move our communities to a new level encouraging young men and young people to go to college to to seek professional careers to be Beyond even if you make it to the professional sports level that now you’re thinking entrepreneurial and
How you can extend it beyond your time on the court or on the field this is the time where we all look to each other and remind each other that we’re in this fight together but as we leave today and as many of my colleagues have said we will meet at the
PO let’s keep the fire burning the fire of unity the fire of cooperation the fires of solidarity that we are not that much different our colors and I love the pantheon of colors when we parade through here join between the Congressional and senatorial buildings and they see us in our colors and wonder
Who are we who are these men who are walking through here we are the dream not only of our ancestors but that our own Founders inspired us to be that we are leaders in our communities Building Bridges between our organizations to strengthen the significant footprint
That we make whenever you on the yard if you’re an HBC or pwi and you see a fellow member of the divine nine that’s in trouble you help them out this not just about the letters but about the principle that we stand for so as we go forward to fight let’s remember
Our rally call that we are stronger together and we will make a difference not only this November but but in every effort and programming that all of our fraternities and the entire Divine n does be encouraged my brothers let’s have a productive couple of days
Together here on the hill as we lift and move forward have a great afternoon so thank you General president lonzer and in closing I’ll quote my dear brother in whose historic Monument We Stand brother Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said If America is to remain a first
Class Nation we must not have second class citizens when we exercise our right to vote we don’t vote as second class citizens we don’t vote based off our income we don’t vote based off the degree we hold we don’t vote based off where we live we don’t vote based off
Our age our vote is our power our vote is our equality one man one vote so I urge you all to exercise that right thank you for attending the young black voters rally and as we go throughout this npac Summit I look forward to seeing engaging all of you this
Concludes our rally I ask that all of you meet us in front of the memorial in front of the monument so you can all take a group picture and share it um in all of our social media pages please start using our hashtags npac votes use all hashtags use our social media Powers
God bless you all # we are stronger together in unity when we vote and we march on to the polls we’re not following one organization we’re not following with one entity we’re all walking as a picture and just think about locking ons we’re walking together watch those
That’s the sight for us that’s the sight that all young black men need to see thank you so much God bless you st child than
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