Voting While Black: How To Make #BlackLivesMatter At the Polls

Black voters in Cleveland came together and used their power, forcing their District Attorney out of office when he refused to hold police accountable and indict the police officer who murdered 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Now, Voting While Black, a political action committee created by ColorOfChange.org, is helping Black voters across the nation make the same informed decisions at the polls this November with digital voter guides aimed at showing voters which candidates they should support.

Specifically, the guide, posted at VotingWhileBlack.com, is educating Black voters in contentious down-ballot races in Franklin County, Ohio, Harris County, Texas, and Hillsborough County, Florida, where prosecutors who protect police misconduct while criminalizing Black communities are up for re-election. The information Voting While Black includes in its round-up of info on the prosecutors is equal parts devastating and inspiring: the organization points out, for instance, that in Franklin County, Ohio, prosecutor Ron O’Brien has never, in his 18 years as prosecutor, indicted a police officer in an on-duty shooting, including that of young Tyree King, age 13. Voting While Black also claims that Prosecutor Devon Anderson in Harris County, Texas, perpetuated a corrupt bail system that locks away the poor for not having enough money to pay bond; some 55 people died in jail over the past six years under that system, many of whom were never even convicted of committing a crime.

“Politicians have traditionally failed to engage Black voters beyond their efforts to convince us to cast our ballots for them. #VotingWhileBlack means you’re committed to voting on issues that matter to Black communities and to holding elected officials – from prosecutors to presidents – accountable to us both during and after the election,” Voting While Black writes on its website.

How can you get involved? Check out the video above, then visit VotingWhileBlack.com to share voter guides for critical prosecutor races, and find out how you can help get out the vote November 8th, right from home. Be powerful. #VotingWhileBlack.