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#TalkRadio – October 28: Hey, New Jersey! Let’s Vote!’ TJC GOTV Tour in New Jersey Off To A Great Start!
October 28: Hey, New Jersey! Let’s Vote!’ TJC GOTV Tour in New Jersey Off To A Great Start!
The nonpartisan “Igniting Change Radio Show with Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq.” program will be aired from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Radio One’s WOL 1450 AM in the Washington, DC metropolitan area as well as nationwide on WOLDCNEWS.COM and Barbaraarnwine.com.
Please note, during the show there are 3 hard stop commercial breaks at 12:13 PM Eastern Time, 12:28 PM ET and 12:43 PM ET.
SPEAKERS:
Makayla Myers: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Makayla Myers is a Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Fellow, September 2024 class and is a Freedom Rider in the “Hey Jersey! Let’s Vote!” GOTV Campaign. She is a full-time student at Community College of Philadelphia, pursuing her Associate’s Degree in Public Health, and is a resident of Cumberland County, New Jersey. She is the volunteer Youth Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. She started advocating for voting rights at 20 years old when her sister’s vote was suppressed.
Cameron Barnes: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
National Voting Rights Advocate; National Youth Director of Rainbow PUSH; TJC Fellow and Freedom Rider; Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement, New Faith MB Church Chicago
Angel Edwards: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition Voting Rights Alumni & Fellow, April 2024 Class; Organizer, TJC’s “I’ll Rise and Vote 2024 Voter Activations and GOTV Concert Series” for Jacksonville, Florida; Freedom Rider for TJC’s “Hey Jersey! Let’s Vote!” GOTV Tour in New Jersey; 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 attended include 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
INTRODUCTION:
Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, October 28th, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “ ‘Hey, New Jersey! Let’s Vote!’ TJC GOTV Tour in New Jersey Off To A Great Start!”, will be live from New Brunswick, New Jersey 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 Mayor Marty Small Sr.; Cameron Barnes; Anya Dillard; and, Angel Edwards.
This show will discuss the ambitious TJC and Partners Good Trouble Tour in New Jersey, including: TJC’s voter engagement activation in New Jersey: how people can get information about; The Tour’s Partners; where we’ve been since October 25th in the state of New Jersey; how important early voting is; where the next New Jersey stops will be; why TJC is in New Jersey; and, more. The Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), the People’s Organizing for Progress, some local municipalities, and our many partners are spearheading a Get Out The Vote effort for the 2025 New Jersey General Election during Early Voting. We are in New Jersey from October 25th through November 2nd, 2025, continuing our nationally acclaimed John Lewis “Make Good Trouble Vote!” Votercade GOTV concept. The “Hey New Jersey! Let’s Vote!” Good Trouble GOTV Campaign has already rolled through Camden, Trenton, Bridgeton, Pleasantville, and Atlantic City, with more Good And Necessary Trouble on the way to rally voters!
The goal of the “Hey Jersey Let’s Vote!” campaign is to increase Black voter awareness, participation in the November 2025 elections and to counteract identified voter barriers in New Jersey, such as long lines, accessibility, and information deficits. The TJC GOTV programming is designed to make voting a fun and exciting experience while increasing voter knowledge and participation in the 2025 General Election. The focus of “Hey Jersey Let’s Vote!” is in communities and neighborhoods of color.
A Votercade is a large procession of vehicles, horns blowing, lights flashing, covered with John Lewis image signage educating and encouraging voters that voting season has arrived in New Jersey. The Votercades create substantial “hoopla”, anticipation, media attention, and community involvement all leading to greater voter awareness and turnout.
On Monday, October 27th, Igniting Change guest Mayor Marty Small Sr., the mayor of the City of Atlantic City, led a 20+ car votercade through Atlantic City, beginning at a popular fishing location near Seawall, driving through middle class neighborhoods and around local schools, through the city and residential neighborhoods, and to a homeless shelter, and then to Brown’s Park which featured rides to the polls for unhoused individuals. From 12:05 PM – 12:20 PM Eastern Time, Mayor Marty Small Sr. will tell us about Atlantic City and why Atlantic City wanted TJC to come through with the John Lewis bus, and the impact of our visit.
Since 2020, the Votercade concept has been successfully used by TJC and partners in over two hundred (200) communities and neighborhoods throughout America. Every polling place at which a Votercade has been used to encourage voter participation has experienced a significant increase in voter turnout. The Votercades call attention to the GOTV activities and are most effective when coordinated with local Rides To The Polls/Souls to the Polls groups to generate mass grassroot public education to marginalized and targeted communities that the voting season is here! Uniquely, New Jersey is one of the only northern states where the African American population has increased between 2012 – 2020 (up six percent). From the 2020 Census, the current percentage of Black Voting Age Population in New Jersey is 12.86% of the voters. (New Jersey Voting-age Population By Race and Ethnicity from Census 2020). New Jersey is renowned for historically being in the top 10 of Black voter participation nationwide. In 2024 Black voter turnout in New Jersey was 69.5%. Our plan is to increase this number.
Votercading is especially powerful during Souls to the Polls Sundays. TJC has successfully used this strategy in partnership with ministerial alliances and churches/mosques and other religious institutions in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Washington, DC and other states. Clergy have joined our stops at polling places and engaged voters waiting in long lines in prayer, song, testimonials and comfort. As New Jersey will have 2 Sundays included in its early voting, we will focus heavily on this strategy.
Votercading has been used to combat voter suppression, especially by encouraging voters confronting long lines throughout the voting period.
This GOTV Campaign also includes TJC’s team of “Freedom Riders” composed of Gen Z and Young Millennials who will help to canvas, wave signs, activate other youth, help with setting up the Celebration Village, and perform other activities at each stop. One of the many benefits of being a Freedom Rider is our purposeful scheduling of events in which they learn about major voting rights historical moments. For example, the Atlantic City route included a stop to learn from Mr. Maddox, whose family was close with Amelia Platts-Bonyton Robinson’s and whose father treated victims of Bloody Sunday including John Lewis. There was also a stop at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to see Fannie Lou Hamer’s statue and rare historical pictures and learn more of her historical significance in the fight for voting rights.
On today’s show will be three of our Freedom Riders: Cameron Barnes, our Freedom Rider Team Leader; Anya Dillard, a graduate from Rutgers University Newark and a New Jersey resident; and, Angel Edwards, who organized an activation during our “I’ll Rise and Vote 2024 Voter Activations and GOTV Concert Series” for Jacksonville, Florida and is on the bus again for New Jersey!
Members of partner organizations are encouraged to join the John Lewis “Good Trouble Vote” bus as Freedom Riders.
Proposed Questions
[Barbara and Daryl will introduce the show, LIVE from New Brunswick, New Jersey]
12:05 PM – 12:20 PM Eastern Time (non-partisan) – GUEST: Mayor Marty Small Sr.
- Thank you Mayor Small for joining us today. Please tell our listeners about your background. When did you become mayor?
- When people think about Atlantic City, they think about the casinos and the Boardwalk, which are major parts of the city; but, tell people what else they need to know about the city. (Strong clean energy and consciousness of the city)
- “ ‘It’s a GREAT Day here in the City of Atlantic City!’ CAN YOU SAY GREAT DAY?” Yesterday, when you greeted us in Atlantic City, you had us do this chant. Why is this your favorite chant?
- We were really urged to go to Atlantic City; it was not originally on our schedule. But the NAACP urged us because South Jersey is often overlooked. When you first heard we were coming, what was your reaction?
- How did it feel to lead this 20+ car and our big John Lewis “Good Trouble” bus- our “Freedom Bus”?
- Why did you choose for us to go to a homeless shelter? At this stop, there was free food given both at the shelter and at Brown’s Park where rides to the polls were also offered. We found it fascinating as many people don’t focus on the voting rights of the unhoused population.
- One of the major stops of the day was at the Boardwalk Hall of Atlantic City for our Freedom Riders to see the statue of Fannie Lou Hamer and learn about her impactful voting rights legacy. How did you feel speaking to these young modern-day Freedom Riders?
- Mayor Marty Small Sr., Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you and find how out more information about where to vote and their voting rights in the GREAT Atlantic City?
12:20 PM – 12:50 PM Guests: Cameron Barnes; Anya Dillard; and, Angel Edwards
- Cameron, you are the Freedom Riders Team Leader and you have been on many activations for TJC. Why did you choose to come from Chicago to be part of this non-partisan New Jersey activation?
- Angel, you were part of our non-partisan “I’ll Rise And Vote” Concert Series activation in 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. Why did you choose to come all the way from Florida to be a part of this non-partisan New Jersey activation?
- Anya, you are from New Jersey- you graduated from Rutgers University Newark. You were a Freedom Rider during our non-partisan “Stay Woke, Florida!” GOTV Activation in 2023. What does it mean for you that TJC is conducting this non-partisan 2025 activation in New Jersey?
- Everyone, what’s at stake for young people in these 2025 New Jersey state elections?
- Everyone, We’ve been here since early voting began in New Jersey since October 25th. How has this trip been for you so far?
- What have the major highlights been for each of you?
- What have you learned that was new?
- How does it feel to be reconnected to your other Freedom Riders again and to meet new ones across cohorts?
- Everyone, How can our listeners get involved with the GOTV Tour? [tjcoalition.org]
- Everyone, thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?
[While taking the show out, Arnwine and Jones will discuss the Trump Administration’s announcement that they’re going to monitor November elections in California and New Jersey, without any real stated reasons for their presence. They will talk about how this is voter intimidation and election subversion.]
[ Arnwine and Jones will remind listeners:
- December 1st – 6th: 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
- When you make those daily calls to the Congress at 202-224-3121 to Vote to Stop the Trump Takeover of D.C. and other cities and to tell the Senate to vote No on the SAVE Act to stay in those streets!
- BE SURE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO DEFEND THE SMITHSONIAN AT AMERICASHISTORYSOS.ORG,
- TJC will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all Americans and will fight the implementation of Project 2025 and our future shows will continue to cover any hate crimes and how we effectively protect ourselves while advancing our agenda for justice.]
[Daryl, Barbara, and guests may share their favorite books and encourage people to donate towards TJC’s giveaways of banned and affirming books.]