2020 Elections: Wisconsin grassroots activists focus on increasing voter turnout, push candidates to champion their causes
The 2020 elections may yet be a while away, but the relentless work of grassroots activists is already underway. The popular votes from the 2016 elections proved that the majority of the American population, especially minorities, were not happy to see Donald Trump in the Oval Office. However, electoral votes dictated his victory, and Hillary Clinton’s loss, but activists such as Alyssa Milano—who want to ensure that majority of America’s voice is heard—are using the previous election as a learning curve, and focusing their work on increasing the voter turnout in states with higher electoral votes.
It is with this agenda of influencing the minorities in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania that Milano launched 2020 Funds, which in partnership with the Movement Voters Program (MVP), aims to raise money for grassroots organizations.
“I mostly wanted to support local groups led by communities of color, youth, women, LGBTQ leaders," Milano tells MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), speaking of the three organizations she chose to support in these three states. “I chose groups that both do year-round local organizing on issues and they also do electoral work - from voter registration to getting out the vote. MVP also vets the groups to make sure they are effective, well-respected by their peers, have good leadership, etc.”
The three groups that fit the bill in Wisconsin are Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC), Leaders Igniting Transformation Action Fund (LIT AF) and Voces de la Frontera Action, Inc. All of these organizations focus on a marginalized community and work on getting their needs addressed by local leaders, and help them understand why their vote is invaluable. One thing that they absolutely do not do is promote a particular candidate.
“Issues and causes are our priority—our work is to push candidates and elected officials to champion our issues and causes,” Dakota Hall, Executive Director of LIT AF tells MEAWW.
Angela Lang of BLOC elaborates, “It is important for us to hold candidates accountable and really center the voices that are typically left out of the political system. It is also important for us to lift up the issues that affect our communities. Black voters typically are the ones who are the most reliable voting base for Democrats but we don't always see our issues addressed in mainstream dialogue. We want to make sure that issues of Black Milwaukee are being talked about especially considering we will be hosting the DNC next year.”
Both believe that collaborations between grassroots organizations are important to keep the ball rolling. "We've worked with BLOC quite a bit, for example. Building the movements necessary to transform our communities will always require collaboration,” explains Hall.
Lang talks about how BLOC has worked with both LIF AF and Voces de la Frontera Action, Inc, with leaders from both organizations co-chairing the Coalition for A People's Sheriff to replace David Clarke with a more progressive Sheriff in Earnell Lucas.
“I think of the quote ‘If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.’ Milwaukee is incredibly segregated and our issues are often tied together. Often, African Immigrants are left out of the conversation about immigration and are erased. When we think of the issue of mass incarceration for example, we can talk about the School to Prison Pipeline, which is what LIT focuses on, we can talk about the ICE raids and mass deportations, as well as how we dis proportionally lock up Black men. We all are affected by mass incarceration and other issues and BLOC finds ways to partner with other organizations and uplift each other when we can,” explains Lang.
While the people of Wisconsin, like those of Michigan and Pennsylvania, are rejoicing the efforts of these organizations and their efforts to make everyday problems heard, people in blue areas are happy that the 2020Funds have given people something concrete to do other than complain about Trump and watch the Democratic primaries, reveals Milano.
“From reading people's comments, it seems like people really like the approach of 100% of the money going directly to the local grassroots groups. A lot of people were making the case to add their states... like add Arizona... add Kentucky! I was really inspired reading the responses of so many people who donated and talked about why - and their personal connections. A lot of people are saying that it's giving them hope,” says Milano.