Grantee spotlight Engaging voters in Black Woke Vote leverages technology and relationship-building to communities change the face of U.S. politics Woke Vote’s work engaging voters in the engagement work has been led by individuals 2020 election started long before candidates from the communities they are working in, which hit the campaign trail. Founded in 2017, Woke allowed Woke Vote to continue meaningful Vote seeks to mobilize voters of color in the engagement with voters even after the pandemic political process via a multifaceted approach forced them to limit in-person engagement. that includes social impact demonstrations, The work of empowering communities get out the vote efforts, and outreach via In 2020, Woke Vote received a grant from doesn’t start or end with elections historically Black colleges and universities, Twilio.org’s Impact Fund. They used the grant but elections do illuminate the faith-based organizations, and social media. to increase organizers across the 16 cities they power of communities and their were working in and support broad programming ability to impact change. We are For Woke Vote, elections are part of a broader efforts like voter education and digital strategy. proud to engage, mobilize, lead strategy for building a more inclusive political Through Woke Vote’s Commit to Vote program, with and impact communities of process, and the organization works to form volunteers sent out 500,000 texts and made color through political and social long-term relationships with communities 1.3+ million phone calls in less than 5 months, engagement. We will continue to that have faced historic underinvestment and and the organization was able to engage more build power that allows communities disenfranchisement as a result of segregation and than 1.2 million voters across their programs. to ultimately change their material racial inequality in the U.S. They do this across conditions and save themselves.” the entire cycle, including engagement in local Moving forward, Woke Vote will continue to and statewide elections and the policy-making mix tech-based outreach and education with process, not just during presidential election years. relationship-building, organizer training, and on-the-ground voter mobilization, in an effort DEJUANA THOMPSON The organization’s “long game” approach to advance an agenda of justice and fairness to (SHE/HER), was key to their continued effectiveness after the center of the American political process. — FOUNDER, WOKE VOTE COVID-19 hit. The overwhelming majority of their