Image via Hoyt Jackson

By: Erinn Gardner and Freddrell Green

As the 2024 Presidential election rapidly approaches, multiple political groups within the Atlanta University Center are mobilizing to ensure the community’s voices are heard. Students from Spelman, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta University (CAU) are spearheading efforts in voter education, registration and activism with Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket. Students feel motivated to shape the political future through rallies, meet-and-greets and direct action.

AUC for Harris was created to give voters in the Atlanta University Center a safe and impactful space to be well-informed on the election. Led by students such as Rollin Jackson Jr. of the Morehouse College Democrats, the coalition has organized voter registration events, provided relevant sources of education and invited notable guests such as Governor Tim Walz to inspire students to vote.

“We are a huge voting bloc that the campaigns are looking at,” Jackson said. “There are spaces for us to be involved. It’s up to us  to take up those spaces and make our voices heard by voting.”

Regarding their political stance, Sophomore Spelman students Jaleia Latson and Madison Corzine laid the foundation for SpelHouse Votes to be a nonpartisan organization. Serving as a neutral platform for information on all political candidates and their policies allow for moderate democrats and republicans to find common ground through their initiative.

“I’m not voting a particular way because I like the color blue. I’m voting because this policy will protect my family,” Corzine said. 

From phone banking to registration tables on campus, these organizations have avidly demonstrated their unwavering support for the HBCU graduate in the upcoming election. Although it may not seem significant to some, a handful of students in the AUC deem the election as a fight for their human rights. 

Sophomore Spelman Democrats member Autumn Gary views the stakes as a fight for freedom and basic rights. From the maternal health of Black women to abortion rights, Gary highlighted Harris’ strong initiatives to ensure all reproductive freedoms are protected. Because Black women have the highest maternal mortality and morbidity rates, Harris’ plan to exercise reproductive justice rights resonates with a multitude of students in the AUC.  

“VP Harris being a woman in this candidacy really does resonate with me because she understands that we can’t have laws that take away our rights.
We cannot  be pro-life if we’re continuously taking lives,” Gary Said.

While a slew of organizations hold registration drives on campus, CAU Democrats president Michael Brent strives to devote his focus toward education so that out-of-state students, who make up a substantial portion of the AUC’s population,  are aware of the steps they must take toward casting their ballots. He highlights the importance of understanding state regulations and the absentee ballot process. 

“I actually told myself that I’m not gonna focus on voter registration because there’s going to be too much of that. I feel like we need to focus on the voters that are already here by putting more energy toward them through voter education,” Brent said. 

Several students are motivated to join this coalition because AUC students represent a crucial voting bloc, particularly for the Democratic Party. Given the organizations’ collective presence on campus, young voters hold the power to drastically sway outcomes in key elections, such as the presidential one.

“There are a lot of different organizations that are wanting to get support around the AUC, so it has honestly been really nice to see, and a lot of people are really interested in working together. I believe that there’s power numbers,” Spelman Democrats Vice President Gabi Harris said. 

With the election approaching in a month, AUC for Harris and Spelhouse Votes aim to gain more momentum than ever. They continue to emphasize that Gen-Z voices will shape the political landscape for years to come.           

“We’re experiencing a wave of hope and optimism that we haven’t seen in a very long time, especially in this political climate,” Brent said. 

Copy Edited by News & Politics Editor, Bradley Morrison