Race to the Polls Encourages Voters to Talk about Race and Vote for Candidates Who Will Work to Advance Racial Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 13, 2018
CONTACT: Wenona Wolf, Communication and Development Manager
wwolf@kidsforward.net | 608.284.0580 x 304

On the eve of Wisconsin’s primary election, Kids Forward is launching Race to the Polls, a campaign to make racial justice a priority during the election cycle and beyond.

The goal of the campaign is to move Wisconsin a step closer to becoming a state where everyone is thriving—including communities of color. Home to some of the most shocking racial disparities in health, education, child welfare, criminal justice, employment, and income, it’s time that Wisconsin citizens and elected officials prioritize racial justice.

The campaign hopes to support and amplify the work people of color and organizations committed to racial justice have been doing for many, many years.

“As public policy and advocacy organizations, we see the importance of centering the voices and needs of communities of color in our public discourse,” said Wenona Wolf, Communication and Development Manager at Kids Forward. “Through our data and policy analysis, we find over and over that alarming racial disparities exist between Wisconsin’s white population and its African American, Asian American, Latinx, and Native American populations—which stem from hundreds of years of inequitable policies.”

With so much dialogue and concern in not only Wisconsin, but in the nation, focused on the mistreatment of communities of color, it’s important that Wisconsinites engage in dialogue and begin working to address these gaps in well-being.

“Everyone must play their part in making Wisconsin the best place for every child, every family, and every community—including us,” added Wolf.

Race to the Polls hopes to get voters engaged and talking about issues that affect communities of color, vote for candidates that will work to advance racial justice, and hold those candidates accountable. Citizens can sign a pledge and make a commitment to voting in the midterm elections and voting for candidates who will prioritize racial justice. The campaign plans to create digital spaces to have conversations about race and elections, provide voters with questions to ask candidates, and provide research and data on policies being discussed throughout the election cycle.

The campaign is a special project by Kids Forward and its Race to Equity project and the Wisconsin Budget Project. More information about the campaign can be found at www.racetothepolls.org.

###

Kids Forward advocates for effective, long-lasting solutions that break down barriers to success for children and families in Wisconsin. Using research and a community-informed approach, Kids Forward works to help every kid, every family, and every community thrive.