BUS holds event aimed at increasing voter awareness

It’s not just because of race.

For some members of Black United Students, voting is also a matter of hope, vision, justice and empowerment.

During a voter registration event sponsored by BUS last night, various members of the organization held signs explaining their reasons for voting.

“Vision is what will America be in the future,” freshman exploratory major Tierney Robinson said. “Will things change for the better? Will people as a unit come together instead of all the racial instigation?

“As a first time voter, I feel this is a big event for me”

BUS also showed a video it produced that highlighted the history of blacks’ right to vote. Also in the video, various students gave their reasons for voting in the upcoming election.

“The purpose of the video was to show knowledge of African-American history in voting and emphasize the sacrifices and struggles made by blacks and whites in order for African-Americans to be able to vote,” BUS president Ashley Tolliver said.

At the meeting, Casey Myers, a team leader for Barack Obama’s Kent campaign, explained the new early voting option for Ohio citizens. She also gave registration forms to students and answered questions from the audience.

Since the beginning of the semester, Myers said the Obama campaign in Kent has registered about 900 students to vote.

Senior marketing major Ondia Butler said the event helped spread the word about the importance of voting in Ohio.

“I think that the people that were here gained a lot of knowledge that is very pertinent to their decision as far as the election goes, and I hope that everybody uses the information they gained tonight and spreads it around campus,” she said.

Contact minority affairs reporter Regina Garcia Cano at [email protected].