On Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, the Freedom Is At Stake GOTV Bus Tour made a stop at Freedom Corner to mobilize voters and spread awareness about the importance of voting.
The group partnered with several organizations to bring the event to fruition, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the Alpha Omnicron Lamda Chapter, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-Pep) and Kevin Cooper Ministries.
Pittsburgh has been a focal point of nationwide interest this election season, with former President Obama’s campaign stop Thursday being the most recent.
Pittsburgh is what Andrea Pringel, executive director of Registration Nation and founder of the GOTV bus tour, calls ground zero.
“We are trying to make sure that people understand the importance of early voting, and we want to give the community that extra push,” Pringle said.
“Your vote is your voice, and your voice matters,” she said. Pringle said that voting is the one equalizer. Despite any other groups that a person may identify with, voting is a unifying factor.
Freedom Corner in the Hill District was bustling with members of the Divine Nine (historically Black Greek organizations) and community members. The rally’s location was intentional for the organizers, as Freedom Corner honors civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Alma Speed Fox.
During the rally, organizers were taking a trip to the Allegheny County Election Bureau a few blocks down, providing transportation via a caravan so that folks could cast their votes early or turn in mail-in ballots.
Brian Cook Jr., 11, accompanied his father, Brian Cook Sr., to the early voting kickoff and rally. As a student, he recognized that voting “helps people to have their rights heard and understand their environment.”
What was important for Brian Cook Jr. was creating more equality for Black people and addressing racism.
Austin Jefferson, a city planner, had the afternoon off when he heard about the rally. He felt he had to come.
“Rallying people to vote after hours is no problem at all,” Jefferson said. “It is important to understand the magnitude of what one vote means.
“Much of my focus is on community-based organizations. Having worked on previous campaigns, it is very easy for people to become desensitized by constantly being told to go out and vote. But at any level, voting is important. People just can let it pass them by, because when you see the results of you not going to vote, it matters.”
The importance of early voting was stressed. Judge Kevin Cooper reminded people that they can go to the Allegheny County Office Building now and cast their vote; they do not have to wait until Election Day.
“We are not going back,” Cooper said. “We are standing among names of great civil rights leaders, and we cannot have their work be in vain.”
Ronnell Hunt, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, said, “When we talk about Freedom Corner, we wanted to open up people’s minds about what freedom means — the freedom to speak and know that your voice counts.
“Today is just about giving people knowledge so that they can exercise their own freedom of choice.”
“Voter registration is your ticket to liberation,” said Betty Pickett, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Pickett emphasized how Black women have been the backbone of this movement, “but it is not enough just to register. You need to follow through, because there is still work to be done.”
Freda Koomson is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She’s on the board of directors of their 501(c)(4), Zetas in Action, which supports electoral engagement that aids communities of color.
“If we don’t vote, what else do we have?” Koomson said. “It is our voice. There are many that don’t want to see us at the ballot (box), but it matters.”
John Ayers, of Penn Hills, also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, wants everyone to understand how important this election is. He wore a shirt that read, “My Black Job is to Vote.” It was his subliminal message.
“Our ancestors fought and died for us to get this vote,” Ayers said. “All Blacks definitely need to get up, get out and vote. Vote like your life depends on it — because it really does.”
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the tax status of Zetas in Action.