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Black Voters Matter visits Mama Shu's Homework House while encouraging people to vote

By and Amber Ainsworth
Published  October 11, 2022 10:41pm EDT
News
FOX 2 Detroit

Black Voters Matter canvases country encouraging people to vote

A group called Black Voters Matter is traveling the country by bus to encourage Black people to vote. They stopped in Highland Park on Tuesday, where they met with the community and made a donation to Mama Shu's Homework House.

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - As the election nears, a convoy is traveling the country encouraging Black residents to vote.

"We travel around in what we call the blackest bus in America, spreading a message of love and power and especially this year. We won’t black down," said Cliff Albright, the executive director of Black Voters Matter. "In our community, people aren’t getting that door knock, that text, that phone call."

The goal is to reach people who may feel forgotten and get them to the polls.

"A lot of the door knocking is a lot of education, about the value of your vote and your vote does matter," said volunteer Char Goolsby. 

The bus was in Highland Park on Tuesday, a city that had 10% of its total population vote in the August primary election.

"Everywhere we want to go we want to spread the message in our communities that you matter, that you are loved, and that you have power," Albright said.

One of the stops in Highland Park included the Homework House, started by activist Mama Shu.

More: Blighted house transformed into homework space for kids

Spreading the message can be helped by having a bus or three acting as rolling billboards that go town to town throughout Michigan. However, it also matters where the buses park - including in front of the Homework House in Highland Park. 

Black Voters Matter has partnered with Mama Shu. Her Homework House gives students a place to learn and work when school is out for the day.

"I’m going to build four more. I'm telling you that right now. They will be in Highland Park, and they will be here to support our children," she said.

The group provided the Homework House with a $5,000 during the visit.

"She’s really about education and not just education in the K-12 way but just educating the community in general," Goolsby said.

The Black Voters Matter bus will continue traveling the country until Election Day on Nov. 8.

"We have those relationships and support those groups and work with those groups all throughout the year. We’re not just going to knock on your door, and you don’t know us and say, ‘We need your vote,’" Albright said.