The Art of Democracy Gets Showcased At Medgar Evers College
On Wednesday, October 11, the Medgar Evers College Caribbean Research Center and DoSomething.Org co-hosted “The Art of Democracy,” a symposium aimed at getting students more civically involved on a local basis. Entertainment was provided by the Brooklyn-based Endless Vibrationz dance and drum company. A self-described “…youth-activism hub fueling young people to change the world,” DoSomething is one of the largest nonprofits whose express purpose is to motivate millions of young people to tackle causes that impact them and their communities. Turnout at MEC’s Founder Auditorium was at capacity as students from a number of surrounding middle and high schools including Medgar Evers College Preparatory School were in attendance.
Following opening and welcoming remarks by MEC Provost Antoinette Coleman and Caribbean Research Center Executive Director/MEC Associate Professor Ken Irish-Bramble was DoSomething.org CEO DeNora Getachew. A Bronx native who is also a CUNY alum of John Jay College, Getachew shared how being a mom at a young age impacted her perspective on what changes needed to happen in her community and how it lit her civic spark to crate a better future for herself and her kids. She shared that the mission of DoSomething.org was to ensure that the 17 million young people becoming voting eligible between the 2020 and 2024 elections would have the tools to claim and create an inclusive democracy that reflects the needs and priorities of all citizens.
The day’s emcee was 23-year-old entrepreneur Tanayah Thomas, whose aim is to add value to people/communities via her work in community events and outreach. Speakers for the day included a pair of local politicians, Assembly Member Phara Souffrant-Forest from Assembly District 57 represents the neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill as well as part of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. Also in attendance was State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who represents Crown Heights and is the Chair of the Elections Committee and has been a fierce advocate for affordable housing, criminal justice reform and getting guns off the street.
Souffrant-Forest made a compelling plea for change to come via the ballot box. “The key to unlocking a better community for ourselves is right here,” she said. “But we must change that power into action. When you think about the key to unlocking access in our community, ending corruption and segregation that still exists today—we need to understand that power needs to be transformed into this action we call voting.”
Myrie, who grew up in Flatbush, went to school in Crown Heights and is Chair of the Elections Committee, presided over historic election reforms including early voting and simplifying the absentee ballot process and authored the John R. Lewis New York Voting Rights Act. His message was clear—for young people to use their voices and resources to affect change at a time when the average of a New York City voter was 54 as of the last mayoral election in 2021.
“Imagine for a second, what this city could look like if our young people said, ‘We want to step up and lead now?,” he said. “You can do that and have the power to do it. I want you to know that there are so many people waiting for you and waiting to push you over the finish line. If you walk away from today with nothing today, just be inspired and encouraged that you can do something even when other people think you cannot.”
