TUSCALOOSA, Ala., Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As many Alabama residents are turning in last-minute voter registrations today, a new campaign is launching to ensure the next generation of voters will be prepared to take on their civic duty when they turn 18.
Funded by The University of Alabama's Blackburn Institute, Shaping Our State is a multichannel campaign, anchored by three online videos. The short films aim to educate, encourage and empower Black women in high school and college in Alabama to engage in all levels of government, from voting to running for office. The first video, focused on Alabama's legislative branch, debuted today. The second video will launch October 22nd, and the third and final film will become available Oct 26th. The all-female production team includes celebrated filmmakers and creators, including multiple Emmy-award winners and NAACP awardees, who have credits on films and shows such as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Donnie Darko, 30 Rock, Archer and Scandal.
"Alabama ranks 45th out of 50 in women's representation in its state legislature, and no Black person has ever been elected to one of Alabama's statewide executive offices," said Allyssa Lewis, the video series' Emmy-winning head animator most noted for her animation on over 75 episodes and promos of FX's Emmy winning series "Archer." "Arming young Black women with knowledge of how government works and steps to be more involved will help us all benefit from a more diverse generation of leaders."
"Despite comparable news consumption, women are three times more likely than men to feel like they don't know enough about political issues to get involved," said Jameelah Nuriddin, director and editor of Shaping Our State. "Shaping Our State aims to fill that gap – ensuring that women across Alabama, especially young Black women, know that their voices matter, and we need their leadership."
Rather than shying away from Alabama's complicated civil rights history, Shaping Our State aims to address it head-on by empowering those most vulnerable to reclaim their power as citizens of Alabama and the United States.
"Black, Alabama-born women such as Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks or Angela Davis and Condoleezza Rice are key figures and leaders in the nation's Civil Rights Movement," said Meredith Riley Stewart, producer of the campaign. "In addition to the educational aspects of Shaping Our State, we want this campaign to be a reminder of the power that Black women have to change Alabama for the better."
To develop the campaign, Shaping Our State conducted interviews and focus groups with Black women in Alabama aged 19-24.
"Shaping Our State is such an important campaign, especially right now," said Caitlyn McTier, a student at the University of Alabama and native of Sylacauga, AL. "In addition to speaking directly to young Black women who may feel disenfranchised, it also shows how love for our neighbor and a little southern hospitality could go a long way in improving the state of government and politics in Alabama and across the country."
Get Involved
To be one of the first to receive the other videos in the campaign and for more Shaping Our State news, sign up for the mailing list here. Like, follow and subscribe to Shaping Our State on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
While the first phase of Shaping Our State is a digital-first campaign, the videos will later be used as part of a traveling curriculum at high schools and universities across the state. If you are interested in learning more about sharing the Shaping Our State videos and supporting material, email [email protected] for more information.
About Shaping Our State
Shaping Our State is a multichannel campaign that delivers generationally relevant content to encourage a lifetime of civic involvement among young Black women in Alabama. The campaign aims to educate, encourage and empower these women to engage in all levels of government, from voting to running for office. The campaign is funded by a grant from the Daniel Foundation of Alabama through the Blackburn Institute's Daniel Community Scholars Program at the University of Alabama.
SOURCE Shaping Our State
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