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John,

I want to tell you about a special campus just outside of Houston: Prairie
View A&M, or as every Panther calls it, "The Hill."

PVAMU isn’t just a university. It’s a Texas powerhouse that has been
ground zero for voting rights for over fifty years. But like many HBCUs,
it’s also been under constant attack. Between historic underfunding and
aggressive, targeted moves to silence student voices, the community here
has had to fight for every inch of progress. (Check out [ [link removed] ]this article
recounting the history of their voting rights challenges.)

And because it’s out in Waller County (about an hour from the city), it’s
often overlooked by the metro political machine that tends to stop at the
Houston city limits. But we know that if we don’t show up in these rural
counties, we’re leaving thousands of voices behind.

At PVAMU, they don’t just study political science... they live it. Every
few years, a new generation has to head to the courts or the streets to
protect their right to be heard. They are the literal front line for the
26th Amendment.

In an election cycle this critical, we aren’t just registering voters,
we’re joining a legacy of defiance and action. That’s why I was so fired
up to be out there with our Powered by People volunteers this week. [ [link removed] ]And
it’s also why I’m asking you to pitch in $3 today to help
ensure we can organize and register voters on more campuses throughout
Texas.

To make sure everything went smoothly, I was up early to get certified as
a VDR in Waller County. I actually ran into two of our volunteers, Cindy
and Jeanne, at the election office doing the exact same thing! Just the
three of us making sure we had the right paperwork so no student gets
caught in a technicality.

By the time I got to campus, the energy was high. We spent the day talking
to students who are just trying to navigate a system that doesn't always
make it easy for them. Some didn’t even know they could vote right there
on campus; others were surprised that Texas still doesn't do online
registration.

[ [link removed] ]Aimee registering a student voter.

[ [link removed] ]PxP volunteer registering a student voter.

[ [link removed] ]PxP volunteer registering a student voter.

The real work isn't just registering them to vote and moving on. It’s
staying in touch. With their permission, we keep their numbers so we can
text them about election dates and ID laws or help them find their polling
place. Whatever it takes to make sure they actually get to the finish line
and cast their ballot.

By the end of the day, we had 102 solid conversations. We helped 43
students register and verified the voter registration status for another
59.

That’s 102 people who now have someone—a real person—they can actually
reach out to if they run into a hurdle in Waller County. And tomorrow, our
volunteers are back at it on campuses in other parts of the state.

[ [link removed] ]Your contribution of any amount makes our work on campuses possible.
Will you pitch in $3 today to help our organizers,
volunteers, and student leaders reach, register, and turn out more voters
during this critical election year?



[ [link removed] ]Donate $3



See you out there,

Aimee Prudhomme
Executive Director, Powered by People




 


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