 "Photo: Photo Courtesy of www.google.com")
The call to chapel this past Sunday jump started the "I Am a Vote Week," a week-long event hosted by the Howard University College Democrats, College Republicans and HUSA.
"I believe that the week is important because it brings a lot of political awareness to the campus," said Lauren Campbell, a junior broadcast journalism major and Fundraising Chair for the College Democrats. "We hope that with the week, students will come out and become more involved on a national level and on their state level because right now, our voices are pretty much not heard."
Super Tuesday will take place Howard University-style, as there will be a mock vote from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lower level of Blackburn. Students can cast their votes in this campus-wide election to determine who students would like to see as the next president of the Untied States.
Afterwards, political enthusiasts will be able to socialize at an after-party. At 8 p.m. at Duffy's Irish Restaurant and Pub, students can watch the candidates' delegate count state-by-state.
"We're doing the mock Super Tuesday to give Howard students a sense of what it feels like to be involved in the Super Tuesday contest, [to show] your vote does count," said Devaughn Ward, a senior legal communications major and the president of the College Democrats. "A lot of students here won't be able to participate in their home state [voting process], so we just really wanted to create that feeling of what it means to participate and be engaged in civic participation," he said.
Wednesday, the College Democrats will host "A Night with the Congressional Black Caucus" (CBC) and anticipates the attendance of about 20 CBC members, including Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Maxine Waters. The event begins at 5 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building. There, a panel will discuss students' issues on matters from racial profiling to this year's election.
"[The] evening with the CBC is kind of reconnecting Howard and the Congressional Black Caucus because we felt that was key in showing students you can make a change, be involved in civic participation," Ward said. "It's not just a white male sport; there are African Americans who are making strides there today."
The College Democrats are also hosting the showing of the movie "Sicko"
by Michael Moore Thursday in the Cook Hall clubroom, and on Friday there will be a voter registration drive. The event provides students with an opportunity to register to vote and receive their absentee ballots.
"Basically, the purpose [of the week] is to get students at Howard excited about the upcoming elections and making them feel empowered and let them know about the choices that are available to them," Ward said. "Not even in just the presidential election, but in state and local elections as well."
Students like Kaidi McMillan, a junior economics and political science double major, are eager to participate in the week and realize the importance of taking part in politics and the voting process.
"I am participating to be a part of the voting process," McMillan said. "I think it's important, especially among African Americans, that they need to be a part of the voting process."
