Photo by Raymond Ragland

By Raymond Ragland, Staff Writer

Robert W. Woodruff Library hosted the Pi Alpha Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc for a 2024 presidential election event. The “Fact or Fiction” panel focused on combating voter disinformation. 

The session featured misinformation specialist, and CEO of Onyx Impact—Esosa Osa, civil rights attorney—Mawuli Davis, activist and political director— Christopher Bruce, and the mayor of Enfield, North Carolina—Mondale Robinson. The audience consisted of sorority members, elderly citizens, older couples, journalists, and students from the AUC. 

Panelists initiated an open conversation about how misinformation currently discourages Black male voters through influential voices in popular culture. The topics discussed were: the double standard of advertising to black voters in comparison with other demographics,  followed by analyzing the differences between information, misinformation, and disinformation. 

The use of deception in advertisements to decrease voter turnout in black communities was another key topic that eventually transitioned into a conversation about remaining conscious of inaccurate information leading up to Election Day on November 5th.   

The group chose the AUC as the venue for the event due to the “power” and “potential” of young black voters. 

“The AUC is a nexus of incredible young folks. And the folks who are most engaged in media platforms that we see [are] targeted with mis-information,” Osa said. “And so the combination of those two makes this the perfect Location.

In an age when information is not fully trusted, Osa emphasized the impact of misinformation and why young students need to remain informed. 

“I feel like Onyx Impact has a responsibility to try to educate our community about the harms of [misinformation] and disinformation, about the impact of their platform, about the importance of pushing back on harmful information and most importantly investing in a healthier information ecosystem for black communities over time, she said.

“When you look back in our history of how black folks have been portrayed in the media in misleading and incorrect ways, we’ve seen how harmful this can be, not just in our politics, but in our communities.”  

As the 2024 Presidential Election approaches, Osa encourages everyone to have open dialogue with people who remain unsure about voting and to continue educating peers on misinformation. 

Copy Edited by Editor-in-Chief, Colin Royal