#TalkRadio – October 17: Transforming the American Electorate: The Voter Restoration Movement Rising

SPEAKERS:

Rodreshia Russaw: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Feminist activist; Human rights defender; Executive Director of The Ordinary People Society (TOPS)

Jerome Dillard: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Executive Director, EX-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO Wisconsin)

Rev. Dr. Christobal Kimmenez, Psy D.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Chief Warrant Officer 3; USMC Retired; Executive Director at Healing Communities PA; Associate Pastor for Social Justice at The People’s Baptist Church; Advocacy Chair for Philadelphia Reentry Coalition; Founder and President of Recovery Christian Center Urban CDC; Chaplain at Philadelphia Stand Down

Desmond Meade: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM ET
President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, and a graduate of Florida International University College of Law; Author of “Let My People Vote”; Time Magazine 100 most influential; 2021 MacArthur Fellow

INTRODUCTION:

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, October 17th, 2023, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “Transforming the American Electorate: The Voter Restoration Movement Rising”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and guests Desmond Meade, Rodreshia Russaw, Jerome Dillard, and Rev. Dr. Christobal Kimmenez, Psy D. As TJC plans to take the John Lewis bus on the road to GOTV with our partners in Kentucky and Ohio, Nov 2nd – 7th, this week’s Igniting Change focus really speaks to the challenges of our time in combatting voter disenfranchisement! Imagine, the last Kentucky gubernatorial election was decided by 50,000 votes; yet, 140,000+ newly eligible formerly incarcerated persons in Kentucky are largely unaware that they can register and vote. Another 152,000 are still barred and ineligible. This is our vital work as we work to dismantle voter suppression of all stripes. Our Igniting Change radio show will be devoted to a national discussion of this subject with national & state voter restoration leaders. For more information and personal accounts on the challenges of voter restoration in Kentucky, please see this article: https://boltsmag.org/kentucky-voting-rights-restoration/

QUESTIONS:

SEGMENT ONE

• Welcome to Igniting Change. Please take two minutes to tell our audience about the work you’re doing rights now for formerly incarcerated persons/returning citizens in your state?
• In one word, describe the current status of the nationwide movement to restore the vote to Returning Citizens.

SEGMENT TWO

• [Barbara and Daryl give a brief overview of TJC’s upcoming work in Kentucky and Ohio November 2nd – 8th.] Right now, for TJC, the Kentucky voter restoration dilemma personifies the challenges presented nationwide. How do we fight the challenges that arise from the confusion and the lack of state assistance and correct voter information and all the other challenges?
• Given all the misinformation and lack of information, it appears that we must elevate our movement. How do you think that we can best build a great national public education campaign to reach all those in the various states with correct information about voter eligibility and the process to help restore their right to vote?
• What have you felt have been some of your most successful tactics that you have used?

SEGMENT THREE

• Welcome Desmond. Congratulations on all your hard work and your fight to build this national movement to restore the right to vote?
• What is your number one priority right now in this movement to restore the vote?
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter restoration and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• What can people do to help?

SEGMENT FOUR

• [At the top of segment four, Barbara and Daryl will give a brief reminder about the US Department of Agriculture’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. 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.]
• [Barbara and Daryl will tell the Igniting Change audience how they can get involved with TJC’s voting rights activities in Kentucky and Ohio Nov. 2nd – 8th]
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?