Voting Suppression, Disenfranchisement of Minority Voters to be Highlighted in Next Episode of LSU Racism Series
November 13, 2020
BATON ROUGE–The November episode of the Racism: Dismantling the System series, “Liberty and Justice for All: Fighting Voting Suppression Then & Now,” will explore the history of voter suppression, as well as current methods used to disenfranchise minority voters. The discussion will also highlight efforts to fight voter suppression and how community organizers worked to create the largest turnout for an election in history in the 2020 presidential election. Join the conversation on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Tuesday’s event, hosted by the LSU Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs, is a continuation of the yearlong racism series partnership with Southern University and A&M College’s Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences, Louisiana Budget Project, NAACP Louisiana State Conference and LSU Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
“Voting is a critical civil right in the United States. Despite this, millions of people have been sidelined in our democratic process through various means of voter suppression throughout history,” said Victoria Wenger, Skadden Fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. “At the LDF, we have spent much of this year fighting to expand voter access in the midst of a global pandemic to ensure that our democracy can live up to its promise to truly be of, for and by the people.”
LSU Manship School of Mass Communication political communication sophomore Charles Stephens will moderate the event. He is the current director of Louisiana Vote-By-Mail and a digital marketing intern with political action committee, the Lincoln Project.
Panelists Include:
- Jay Dardenne - Commissioner of Administration, Former Louisiana Secretary of State
- Victoria (Tori) Wenger, J.D. - Skadden Fellow, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
- Allie Young - Co-Founder, Protect the Sacred
The episode will be hosted using Zoom and broadcast live on the Louisiana Budget Project’s Facebook Page. Admission is free, but you must register in advance on Eventbrite to receive the Zoom meeting access code. The episodes will also be recorded and uploaded to the Manship School’s YouTube channel.
For more information, contact ksibley1@lsu.edu.
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The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is partnership-driven, action-oriented and dedicated to exploring contemporary issues at the intersection of mass communication and public life. Its interdisciplinary approach draws together experts from diverse fields to advance research and dialogue. The intent is to inspire our communities to think deeply, take action, develop solutions and broaden knowledge. Underlying the Center’s endeavors is to strengthen and advance the Manship School’s national and state leadership in media and politics.
LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: master of mass communication, Ph.D. in media and public affairs, certificate of strategic communication, and dual MMC/law degree.
The Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences at Southern University aims to educate students who will matriculate with the spirit of service, superb competence and employability skills needed in a global marketplace. The College is located on the campus of Southern University and A&M College, the flagship of the only HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) University System in the nation.
The Louisiana Budget Project (LBP) monitors and reports on state public policies and how they affect Louisiana’s low- to moderate-income families. Using research, outreach and advocacy, LBP educates policymakers, the nonprofit community and the public about the economic and racial barriers that Louisianans face each day, and looks for solutions that can create a more widely shared prosperity.
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
The LSU Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a division of the Office of Academic Affairs and provides support, referral and information to students, faculty and staff on issues and concerns related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information, please visit lsu.edu/diversity.