New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will host a conversation on the importance of voting on Monday, September 18 at 7pm.
The event, titled “Democracy: A User’s Guide,” will feature a panel discussion on how to ensure equity at the ballot box, as well as a screening of the documentary “Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote.”
The panel will be moderated by Sarah Fajardo, policy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.
Panelists include Ryan Haygood, President and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Deborah Smith Gregory, President of the Newark Branch of the NAACP; and Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, New Jersey’s Secretary of State.
The discussion will focus on a variety of topics related to voting, including voter registration, the fight to lower the voting age, and the impact of voter suppression tactics.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, visit NJPAC.org.
The documentary “Suppressed and Sabotaged” will provide an in-depth look at how these tactics are being used to limit who can vote and which votes are counted.
“Democracy is precious, and voting is still our most powerful tool to keep our government accountable to the people it serves,” said NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber. “We are proud to host this important conversation and to provide a platform for people to learn about how they can make their voices heard.”
The event is part of NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity series, which brings together community leaders and activists to discuss pressing issues facing New Jersey. The series is funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
“We are committed to using our platform to amplify the voices of those who are working to make our democracy more just and equitable,” said NJPAC Director of Community Engagement Michael Jones. “This event is an important opportunity for people to learn about the challenges facing our democracy and to take action to make their voices heard.”
“Listening. Learning. Sharing. Taking action. Advancing ideas and solutions to accelerate social justice demands that all of us take these simple, powerful steps, ” said NJPAC CEO John Schreiber. “Everyone at NJPAC stands in solidarity with those fighting against structural racism, societal inequity, and police brutality, and for civil rights, multiculturalism and authentic inclusion. Changing the world requires the efforts of everyone. Now, more than ever, each of us has an indispensable part to play.”
Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote, from director Robert Greenwald, president of Brave New Films, uses the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election as a starting point to look at how voter-roll purges, the elimination of polling places, restrictions on mail-in voting and the invalidation of votes through “exact match” laws are limiting who can vote, and which votes are counted.
Watch Suppressed and Sabotaged on your own schedule, then join us for a conversation about the film, the importance of voting, and how to ensure that every vote counts.
This conversation will take place online at 7 PM on September 18.
Long after the insurrection ended, the war on democracy is far from over.
Efforts to sabotage the voting methods of millions have taken root in states all across the U.S. and this documentary sounds the alarm on the existential threat to our democracy and informs voters on how to take action.
In 2018 Brian Kemp successfully suppressed hundreds of thousands of votes to become the governor of Georgia, beating out Stacey Abrams.
This film uncovers the insidious voter suppression tactics Kemp and politicians all across the country use to stay in power with tactics taking in root in states all across the country.
The event will be held virtually via Zoom. To register, visit NJPAC.org.
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