Stevie Wonder, John Legend Assist DNC Black Voter Outreach Campaign
With simply over every week to go earlier than Election Day, the DNC is kicking into excessive gear.
On Monday (Oct. 28), the DNC introduced a historic “I Will Vote” advert marketing campaign focusing on Black voters via advertisements in 55 Black publications and on 48 Black radio stations throughout the United States. Grammy-winning Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers Stevie Wonder, John Legend and LeToya Luckett-Coles are set to lend their voices to the marketing campaign, alongside Emmy-winning actress and producer Kerry Washington.
Wonder, Legend, Luckett-Coles and Washington every voice a novel advert specializing in a special factor of the upcoming election. Wonder stresses the benefit and significance of voting in elections as a result of they “determine our future”; Legend explicitly notes the Democrats’ triumph in capping insulin costs at “$35 a month for seniors”; Luckett-Coles reminds listeners that “several women in states across this country are literally dying because they rolled away our rights to reproductive health care” and Washington encourages voting “if you want to lower the cost of living.”
“This investment showcases Democrats’ unwavering commitment to reaching Black voters where they are and through the platforms they trust – including familiar Black voices that will reach them on the airwaves – to ensure they have the resources they need to cast their ballot in the most important election of our lifetimes,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison stated in a press release. “We know that the Black vote will play a major role in the outcome of this election … In this last sprint to Election Day, the Democratic Party is taking no vote or community for granted, using every opportunity to engage with every facet of our diverse coalition of voters in order to elect Democrats up and down the ballot this November.”
Some of the Black digital and print publications that may function the brand new advert marketing campaign embody African News Digest, The Baltimore Times, Ebony News Today, The New Orleans Tribune, Pride Magazine, Star of Zion, Word In Black and The Villager.
The “I Will Vote” marketing campaign coincides with the DNC’s HBCU Homecoming Tour in partnership with BET We V.O.T.E., which featured Spelman College and Morehouse College’s Spelhouse Homecoming as its last cease. The tour additionally visited Winston-Salem University (Sept. 28), Lincoln University (Oct. 12), Virginia State University (Oct. 12), Howard University (Oct. 19) and North Carolina A&T State University (Oct. 19).
All of the artists concerned within the “I Will Vote” marketing campaign have lent their help to the Democratic Party prior to now. At this yr’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago (held Aug. 19-22), Wonder carried out his 1973 Hot 100 prime 10 hit “Higher Ground” (No. 4); just a few weeks later, the music legend unveiled a poignant new single titled “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” his first new music in 4 years. That monitor quickly gave approach to a brief enviornment tour referred to as Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.
Legend additionally carried out on the 2024 DNC. The EGOT winner teamed up with Sheila E. for a spirited rendition of “Let’s Go Crazy” in tribute to Prince, who shares a house state with Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (Minnesota). Though she just isn’t a musician, Washington additionally lent her star energy to the DNC, serving as emcee for the conference’s last night time whereas staging a reunion with Scandal co-star (and fictional president!) Tony Goldwyn.
Luckett-Cole, who boasts a Billboard 200 No. 1 album of her personal (2006’s LeToya), is a former member of Destiny’s Child. During her time within the Grammy-winning vocal group, she sang alongside Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and Beyoncé, whose Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Freedom” has served as Vice President Kamala Harris‘ official marketing campaign music.