Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.
Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.
Key dates and deadlines: Election day is Nov. 3
Registration deadlines: Online: Oct. 26, By mail: Received by Oct. 26, In person: Nov. 3
Absentee ballot deadlines: Return by mail: Postmarked by Nov. 3, Return in person: Nov. 3 by 8:00 p.m.
Early voting: Oct. 16 – Nov. 3, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live
Additional information
The deadline to update an existing voter registration with a new name or address is Monday, October 26, 2020
For detailed information visit the voter information page for Washington State.
Washington offers online voter registration.
You should know: you need a Washington driver’s license or state ID to use Washington’s online voter registration system. If you don’t have a Washington-issued ID, you can still register by mail to vote.
You can register online to vote until Monday, October 26, 2020. You can also update an existing voter registration online with a new name or address by Monday, October 26, 2020.
You can also register to vote using the Washington voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local election official.
To register by mail, the form must be received by Monday, October 26, 2020. You can also update an existing voter registration by mail with a new name or address by Monday, October 26, 2020.
By Ramiro Nikodemus Alexander-Duchesne
Earlier this month, rapper and activist Killer Mike released a Netflix Original, titled Trigger Warning with Killer Mike. Killer Mike is half of the rapping duo, Run the Jewels. In his Netflix Original docu-series, he addresses topics of racism, classism, sexism, etc. His first episode, Living Black, consisted of a social experiment of sorts. For three days prior to his show in Athens, Georgia, Killer Mike sets out on a self-appointed quest to live completely Black.
Three days prior to his show in Athens, Georgia, Michael Santiago Render (Killer Mike) set out on his quest to conduct business solely with Black-owned businesses. Vikram Gandhi, director of the series, told Killer Mike that his endeavor would be an impossible one. Killer Mike did not allow that to stop him.
While attempting to live completely Black–meaning only spending his money with Black-owned businesses and vendors–Killer Mike came to the Black economic experts. Early on in the episode, Killer Mike consulted with We Buy Black’s very own founder, Shareef Abdul-Malik. During their meeting, Abdul-Malik presented a number of Black-owned products that are currently selling on We Buy Black to Killer Mike. With the help of We Buy Black, Killer Mike was able to complete his mission of Living Black for three consecutive days.
The Afterword – Slate
In 2009, Maggie Anderson and her family pledged that they would patronize black-owned companies whenever possible, so she scoured the Chicago area for black-owned supermarkets, dry cleaners, gas stations, pharmacies, and clothing stores. Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest To Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy is the story of their experiment in conscious consumerism. Anderson discovered that black businesses lag behind businesses of all other racial and ethnic groups in every measure of success. In the Asian community, a dollar circulates among local shop owners, banks, and business professionals for up to 28 days. In the Jewish community, a dollar circulates for 19 days. In the African-American community, a dollar is gone within six hours.
The interview runs about 29 minutes.
Do you know of other minority businesses in Spokane or online? Tell about them in the reply/post comment box below.
Tools For Social Change
This is how you can help to build the community you want to live in. Share with others. Let us know what actions YOU WILL PARTICIPATE IN. Place the line # for the actions you will take in comments.
People Get Ready In the 60’s artists like Curtis Mayfield used their art to build a movement.
Unpacking the Tension Between Symbols, Systems, and Substance from The Breakdown with Shaun King.
Which Side Are You On? As sung by The Freedom Singers. Words were often adapted to the particular protest and location.
Who benefits from your art? Perhaps you would like to read this article about the art created during the Seattle protests. Saving Seattle’s protest murals
Henry Moore
The five pictures exhibited represent the questions we need to ask ourselves. What does Black Lives Matter mean to you? Whatever the answer is, how will you know when we have it? How will you measure it and what will you do to accomplish it? Our ancestors would have died in vain if we haven’t accomplished it. Freedom only comes after you have economic power. As Dr. King said, America has defaulted on its promissory note. This country’s wealth has been built upon our backs since its inception, for over 400 years, and we have never been adequately compensated. Our wealth should be attached to the nation’s Gross National Product. Freedom will not come until we have political power: One Man One Vote. Freedom will not come until our judicial system is just and disproportionality erased from the highest courts to local law enforcement. Freedom will not come until we own and control our means of communication from daily newspapers to television to radio to cyberspace. Freedom will not come until we have moved from consumers to producers and own the means of production, not just having jobs but providing jobs. Freedom will not come until we have education in the skilled trades, transportation, information, finance, investment, insurance, real estate, professional, scientific and technical services.
Before Apartheid
Our 400 years of enslavement began before apartheid. In South Africa the Dutch, the first settlers to arrive followed by the British, forcibly took over the land and made native Africans slaves to work on plantations. Later the Europeans would import more slaves from other areas such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. Immigrants from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan would later migrate to South Africa in search of cheap labor and were employed as indentured servants.
50 Years In Chains
The black box in the L in LIVES in the BLM mural represents the difficulties of 400 years of enslavement. The red box represents the struggle for freedom. The chains beneath the feet of Charles Ball represent the multiple times he escaped from slavery and was recaptured. In 1813 while a free man he enlisted in the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla and fought in the War of 1812. The green box represents a future with greener pastures. Curtis Mayfield’s song People Get Ready is calling for us to join the movement and continue the struggle through voter participation.
The Colors
According to the UNIA more recently, the three colors on the Black Nationalist flag represent: RED: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation; BLACK: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and GREEN: the abundant natural wealth of Africa. Designed by: Marcus Garvey Adopted: 13 August 1920.
The Corona
The National Museum of African American History & Culture distinctive three-tiered form known as the corona is in an evocative symbol of traditional influences and ideas that have defined the shape of the African-American experience. In designing the upward-angled shape of the Corona, the architects drew inspiration from Yoruba architecture.
