#TalkRadio – September 17: I’ll Rise and Vote: Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training and Upcoming Jacksonville, Florida Voter Activation and GOTV Concert

SPEAKERS:

Makayla Myers: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition-certified Voting Rights Advocate & Alumni, September 2024 Class; Full time student, Community College of Philadelphia, Majoring in Public Health; Community Education as a Youth Commissioner (Mayoral Appointee) for City of Philadelphia’s Office of Youth Engagement; In Partnership with City Commissioners Office; Vice President & Political Action Chair of NAACP PA State Conference, Youth & College Division; NAACP Fired Up 2024 Cohort; President of the Youth Council & Adult Branch Executive Committee Chair for NAACP Philadelphia; Black Voters Matter Partner; Canvassed in low-propensity neighborhoods, door-knocked, community education; Students Learn Students Vote; Phone bank & Canvass Volunteer w/ PA Democrats; President of Black Girls Vote, Community College of Philadelphia Chapter; Young Black Voters for Harris, volunteer/Policy & Social Media Committee Member #CCPVotes Volunteer; this includes tabling, voter registration, update/change registration, voter education, student engagement, speaking/presenting to classes, handing out literature, requesting absentee ballots, etc.; Founder of Stars of Giving, an youth-led org focused on volunteerism, education, and mentorship; What I Wish I Knew Foundation x Students Demand Action “Motion Conference” Voter Education Keynote Speaker; African American Policy Forum

Dr. Kylar Wiltz: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition-certified Voting Rights Advocate & Alumni, September 2024 Class; Over the past six years, Dr. Kylar Wiltz has been able to pursue his educational aspirations at prestigious graduate and professional institutions that bear footprints in various corners of the United States, having earned Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from Howard University, along with the Master of Public Administration (MPA)-Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree (double concentration program) from Eastern Illinois University. As a first generation physician with aims of becoming a surgeon, Dr. Wiltz’s greatest motivations are being able to tackle, dissect, and solve various facets of healthcare disparities domestically and globally, whilst serving as a community leader and mentor to those of the most significance to him. He understands and embraces the role and responsibility that his contribution to breaking such barriers serves for his family and for those who look similar to him.

Adam Green: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition-certified Voting Rights Advocate & Alumni, September 2024 Class; Student, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Anthropology; Has done Voter registration; has worked as a Poll worker; worked with local Democrat group to register people to vote on school campus

Gwen McKinney: 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM ET
Creator & Campaign Director, Unerased: Black Women Speak; Trainer at the September 2024 Transformative Justice Coalition Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training, for the Media Training entitled “Young Gifted & Vote: Winning Appearances: Presenting Your Best Self”

Angel Edwards: 12:35 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition-certified Voting Rights Advocate & Fellow, April 2024 Class; Organizer, TJC’s “I’ll Rise and Vote 2024 Voter Activations and GOTV Concert Series” for Jacksonville, Florida; received a degree in Political Science with a double concentration in History and Africana Social Sciences from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FL; a Black Voters Matter, Liberators In Training student fellow’s 2024 Cohort; Former Research Fellow at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center; Community/ Campus Organizer Fellow at Dream Defenders, a call center operator at the Andrew Gillum Campaign, an Operations Fellow at the Museum of Science and History, and an African American History Tutor at Bethune-Cookman University; has participated in several conferences, including the Freedom of Speech Conference at Florida Southern College, HBCU Climate Change Awareness Conferences hosted in Hampton, GA, Howard University, and Xavier University.  Policies and Politics Convenings, Leesburg, FL and Charleston, SC; attended Leadership Trainings in Orlando, Jacksonville,Tallahassee and Phoenix; member of various organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Red Alliance for Justice, Jacksonville Leadership Coalition, Metro Gardens Association, and Black Voters Matter

Tony Hill: 12:35 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Former Florida State Senator; served two decades in state Legislature and as aide to Rep. Al Lawson and Mayor Alvin Brown; Successfully led the fight which mandated teaching African American history in the Florida K-12 school system

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “I’ll Rise and Vote: Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training and Upcoming Jacksonville, Florida Voter Activation and GOTV Concert”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Dr. Kylar Wiltz, Makayla Myers, Adam Green, and Gwen McKinney. This show will preview the upcoming September 21st Jacksonville, Florida “I’ll Rise and Vote” Voter Activation and Concert and will review their experience during the Transformative Justice Coalition’s Gen Z and Young Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training held September 11th – 13th in Washington D.C. This train-the-trainer classroom-style interactive event prepared 24 young people to be non-partisan voting rights advocates in their communities, with 20 panels with 25 expert trainers, an event during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, a movie, debrief dinner discussions, and a reception. Graduates of the program, now TJC Alumni, each received a certificate and a $500 stipend for completing the entire training and completing a workplan detailing how they will bring their training back to their communities. Dr. Kylar Wiltz, Makayla Myers, and Adam Green are now all graduates of the program. Gwen McKinney was a trainer at the program and conducted the Media Training entitled “Young Gifted & Vote: Winning Appearances: Presenting Your Best Self”.

On Saturday, September 21, 2024, the Transformative Justice Coalition with its national, state, and local partners, including the A. Philip Randolph Institute, First Coast Leadership, League of Women Voters US, League of Women Voters Jacksonville, NAACP, Black Voters Matter, Rainbow/Push Coalition, NNPA, PFAW, and the Divine 9 are hosting “I’LL RISE AND VOTE: A Multi-state Concert Series and Engagement Initiative to Get Black, GenZ, and Millennials Out to Vote Ahead of the November Election!” Join us register to vote and check your voting status while enjoying good food, music, and games as we transform voting and the voting experience.

This event will kick off a multi-state “I’ll Rise & Vote” Activation and Concert Series beginning on September 21st in Jacksonville, Florida, and ending on November 2nd in Cincinnati, Ohio. Each activation and concert series will feature massive public outreach, Votercades, Portable gaming stations, Free Banned Book Give-A-Ways, Cornhole games, and lawn games; Popular local and national musical groups; Food trucks; Voter registration; Voter empowerment information; Voter Restoration Booths for formerly incarcerated and returning citizen; Voter Information for Homeless and housing insecure voters; Trained “Freedom Fighters” (GenZ/M voting rights activists) on our nationally acclaimed TJC “John Lewis ‘Make Good Trouble’ Vote Bus.” This is a free event; all are welcome and invited to participate.

As of 2024, GenZ/Millennial (GenZ/M) voters, ages 18-35, make up the most significant and surging voting bloc in the United States. In the last few weeks, voter registration has reached a fever pitch. However, this voter enthusiasm will confront a daunting minefield of deliberate disenfranchising barriers at the ballot box. The GenZ/M voting bloc is also the most diverse, multicultural, multi-racial, and inclusive bloc of voters in our country’s history.

As a result, the GenZ/M voter is targeted by some state legislatures with malicious voter suppression laws calculated to make it more difficult for GenZ/YMs to vote. Additionally, the targeting of GenZ/M voters with the intentionally deceptive social media “no vote/don’t vote” campaigns is meant to discourage young voters, especially African Americans, from using their ballot power. 

“This is the first time African Americans, GenZ, and Young Millennials are positioned to lead the way forward in the general voting process,” said Barbara Arnwine, Founder and President of the Transformative Justice Coalition. “Collectively, this key constituency can vote to preserve democracy. TJC,” Arnwine continued, “intends to do its part to ensure all eligible votes are cast and counted. In 2024, Young voters will not be deterred, confused, nor denied from voting.”

From 12:35 PM – 12:40 PM, Igniting Change guest Gwen Mckinney will give the media her scorecard on the new weekly segment called “Election 2024 and Race Media Report Card” and her report card on the media’s coverage of the Apalachee High School shooting. Over the years, Igniting Change has pointed out the many failures and misadventures of the U.S. media’s coverage of racial issues. This journalistic incompetence reaches a new high during political contests, especially during presidential elections. From misguided headlines which thoughtlessly give credence to racial attacks, to the lack of fact checking, and the treatment of racial slurs, tropes, and stereotypes as fair commentary, this period has reeked of abysmal journalism. We will discuss some of these matters and what is necessary to be done to make the overall media more competent. 

QUESTIONS:

SEGMENT ONE

• In one minute, describe what our audience should know about your background.
• What was it like to be in Washington, D.C.?
• What was the highlight for you during this Training?

SEGMENT TWO

• What was new that you learned in this Training?
• What, to you, was the most valuable experience from this Training?
• Why do you care so much about democracy?Final Questions:
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

SEGMENT THREE

• This segment will open with an 8-minute interview with Myles B. Caggins III, who will a bring timely update about the US Department of Agriculture’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. This is his second time as a guest on our program this year. The Black farmers fund, from the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, is being funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act contains an assistance fund for farmers who were discriminated against. This fund has $2.2b to cover 75 million applicants and covers anyone who can provide proof that they were discriminated against by the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023.
• In addition to the application deadline change, the deadline to request records from USDA’s Farm Service Agency for use in applications has been extended to Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The application process was designed so that FSA records are not required, though relevant records may be attached to an application as additional evidence if they are available.
• To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.]
• Myles, what is the new deadline?
• Myles, How do people apply?
• What is it that people really need to know about applying for the program, such as the November 3rd deadline for requesting records from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency for use in applications and how applicants should be describing their discrimination and the amounts they need?
• Thank you for all of your hard work, Myles. How do our listeners get in contact with you?
• Quincy and Candance, during our Training, we talked a lot about racial injustice and this USDA program is just a part addressing and recognizing the many forms of discrimination. Since the Houston Training, both of you have been on several other engagements with TJC. How was your experience different being a Team Leader?

SEGMENT FOUR

• As Team Leaders, what did you hear from your Team about their experiences?
• The next Gen Z and Millennial Votes Matter Leadership Training will be held on April 3rd – 7th, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona during the HBCU All-Stars 2024 games. What are your top arguments for why people should attend the next Training?
• The Transformative Justice Coalition is rolling through Kentucky and Ohio November 1st – 8th, 2023. Quincy, tell everyone why the election in Kentucky is so important? (non-partisan)
• Final Questions to guests:
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?