Stevie Wonder, John Legend Assist DNC Black Voter Outreach Campaign

With simply over every week to go earlier than Election Day, the DNC is kicking into excessive gear.

On Monday (Oct. 28), the DNC introduced a historic “I Will Vote” advert marketing campaign focusing on Black voters by way of adverts in 55 Black publications and on 48 Black radio stations throughout the US. Grammy-winning Billboard Sizzling 100 chart-toppers Stevie Marvel, John Legend and LeToya Luckett-Coles are set to lend their voices to the marketing campaign, alongside Emmy-winning actress and producer Kerry Washington.

Marvel, Legend, Luckett-Coles and Washington every voice a singular advert specializing in a unique factor of the upcoming election. Marvel stresses the advantage and significance of voting in elections as a result of they “decide our future”; Legend explicitly notes the Democrats’ triumph in capping insulin costs at “$35 a month for seniors”; Luckett-Coles reminds listeners that “a number of ladies in states throughout this nation are actually dying as a result of they rolled away our rights to reproductive well being care” and Washington encourages voting “if you wish to decrease the price of dwelling.”

“This funding showcases Democrats’ unwavering dedication to reaching Black voters the place they’re and thru the platforms they belief – together with acquainted Black voices that can attain them on the airwaves – to make sure they’ve the assets they should solid their poll in an important election of our lifetimes,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison mentioned in an announcement. “We all know that the Black vote will play a significant position within the final result of this election … On this final dash to Election Day, the Democratic Celebration is taking no vote or neighborhood without any consideration, utilizing each alternative to interact with each aspect of our various coalition of voters in an effort to elect Democrats up and down the poll this November.”

A few of the Black digital and print publications that can function the brand new advert marketing campaign embrace African Information Digest, The Baltimore Instances, Ebony Information At this time, The New Orleans Tribune, Pleasure Journal, Star of Zion, Phrase In Black and The Villager.

The “I Will Vote” marketing campaign coincides with the DNC’s HBCU Homecoming Tour in partnership with BET We V.O.T.E., which featured Spelman School and Morehouse School’s Spelhouse Homecoming as its last cease. The tour additionally visited Winston-Salem College (Sept. 28), Lincoln College (Oct. 12), Virginia State College (Oct. 12), Howard College (Oct. 19) and North Carolina A&T State College (Oct. 19).

The entire artists concerned within the “I Will Vote” marketing campaign have lent their assist to the Democratic Celebration up to now. At this 12 months’s Democratic Nationwide Conference in Chicago (held Aug. 19-22), Marvel carried out his 1973 Sizzling 100 prime 10 hit “Increased Floor” (No. 4); just a few weeks later, the music legend unveiled a poignant new single titled “Can We Repair Our Nation’s Damaged Coronary heart,” his first new music in 4 years. That monitor quickly gave method to a brief enviornment tour referred to as Sing Your Music! As We Repair Our Nation’s Damaged Coronary heart.

Legend additionally carried out on the 2024 DNC. The EGOT winner teamed up with Sheila E. for a spirited rendition of “Let’s Go Loopy” in tribute to Prince, who shares a house state with Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (Minnesota). Although she just isn’t a musician, Washington additionally lent her star energy to the DNC, serving as emcee for the conference’s last evening whereas staging a reunion with Scandal co-star (and fictional president!) Tony Goldwyn.

Luckett-Cole, who boasts a Billboard 200 No. 1 album of her personal (2006’s LeToya), is a former member of Future’s Youngster. Throughout her time within the Grammy-winning vocal group, she sang alongside Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and Beyoncé, whose Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Freedom” has served as Vice President Kamala Harris‘ official marketing campaign music.