They’re changing the culture of government!
Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” is hosting its first-ever Culture of Democracy Summit.
The When We All Vote initiative was launched in 2018 by Obama with the aim of creating a nonpartisan grassroots movement that changed the culture of voting. Since then, Obama has been integral in lending her celebrity to a number of high profile, culturally transformative events. Through leveraging moments like #ClubQuarantine with DJ D-Nice and The Roots Picnic with The Legendary Roots Crew, she has been able to fulfill her mission of increasing voter registration and closing the race and age gap among voters.
Now the initiative has announced its first-ever Culture of Democracy Summit, looking to extend its influence to the whole of government, partnering with a number of industry leaders “to discuss the role different industries play in protecting and strengthening democracy through voter registration, education, mobilization and culture change,” a press release reads. The hybrid event will take place in Los Angeles, with virtual programming on the first day followed by in-person experiences on the second and third days. Obama, who serves as founder and Co-Chair of When We All Vote will be the keynote speaker.
Co-Chairs Janelle Monáe, Kerry Washington, and Liza Koshy will also be in attendance alongside When We All Vote ambassadors Tracee Ellis Ross, Loni Love, and rapper Jeezy. Other speakers include journalist Nikole Hannah Jones, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Common, social justice advocate Alexis McGill Johnson, entertainment journalist Gia Peppers, Campaign Legal Center advocate Gicola Lane, actor Jay Ellis, NBA Players Association President CJ McCollum, WNBA Players Association President Nneka Ogwumike, Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign Rev. Dr. William Joseph Barber II, Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Magic Johnson, and more.
The event is sponsored by a number of prominent organizations including Airbnb, BET, Live Nation Urban, Lyft, Sony Music Group, MTV, and the MacArthur Foundation. The main goal is to bring together influencers from all types of sectors to elevate the national conversation around protecting and expanding democracy.
The Culture of Democracy Summit is set to take place June 10 through June 13, just in time for the midterm elections. For more information about the event, click here.
Photo Courtesy of Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press