PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — “Get out the vote” efforts are cranking up across the commonwealth, and one group hopes art will inspire voters to get to the polls on Election Day.
People for the American Way is a national advocacy nonprofit, founded by “All in the Family” creator Norman Lear, that helps foster civic engagement and raise awareness about social and political issues. Director of Campaigns Rio Tazewell, says the integrity of our elections and voting rights in particular are under assault.
“Across the country, authoritarian forces in general are stepping up their efforts to suppress the vote, including disinformation and intimidation and increasing legislation to make it harder for people to vote, particularly people of color,” said Tazewell.
The group’s separate nonpartisan foundation has a long history of working with artists and creatives to help foster civic engagement. Its latest effort is a partnership between its Artists for the American Way and Defend the Black Vote campaigns.
The foundation has commissioned artists to create images on billboards in Philadelphia that will inspire voters to get to the polls. Taswell says art is a powerful engine for civic engagement. One of the artists, Beverly McIver, created an image reminiscent of the classic Uncle Sam portrait.
“The ‘I want you’ image that folks may be familiar with,” said Tazwell. “It's of a Black man pointing at the viewer, saying ‘VOTE,’ and this facial expression really says it all.”
Another artist, Derrick Adams, has created an image that will be seen on billboards across Pennsylvania. It says “Leisure is Liberty.”
“And that really is meant to kind of get to the idea that we vote and we turn up in our elections to defend our fundamental freedom so that we can enjoy ourselves and enjoy our lives and enjoy our leisure,” he said, “and really connect the dots between the importance of voting and the importance of enjoying our lives.”