The divisiveness the racial divide it has motivated people of color, I think, Belinda George, a local resident, said. People have seen the consequences of sitting out. Theyve seen whats going on.
The region, which includes a number of the states mostly heavily Black counties, can sometimes be overlooked because of the better-known and more populous Black communities to the east and the south.
Sometimes, for presidential candidates and small rural counties that look like us, the engagement piece is not always a priority, Nick Fryson, a young organizer, said.
In Gadsden, as is true in many Black communities across the country, there are two driving forces behind political mobilization; older Black voters are often reached through their churches, while the younger and more nonreligious population is targeted by a loose network of community groups and progressive organizations.
Its the second of these that has been an explicit mission for the older volunteers. Powering through a trademark Florida rainstorm recently, many said they were encouraging residents to vote early and pushing an urgent message: Defeating Mr. Trump was personal, so ensure your vote will count.
At one point, a volunteer named Clydie Young posed the question of the moment to her 36-year-old daughter: What do you think about Trump?
Am I allowed to curse? Kahwani Young shot back. When her mother disapproved, she decided it wasnt worth answering. Then Ive got nothing to say.
Jonathan Martin reported from Jacksonville, Fla.; Patricia Mazzei from Miramar, Fla., and Astead W. Herndon from Quincy, Fla.read more
Inspiring Black Voters Is Key to Biden’s Prospects in Florida – The New York Times
