Statewide Newspaper, Radio Ad Buy Focuses on Push to “Deliver Black Dreams” by Encouraging African American Voting in Record Numbers
Dropping just before “National Early Voter” day, the ads connect the fight for Black lives this summer to the fight for Black dreams at the ballot box this fall
SAINT PAUL – Oct. 23, 2020 — A statewide push is under way to continue boost in turnout by African American voters across Minnesota with ads in newspapers across the state and on targeted radio stations. The ads are part of work by the Barbershops and Black Congregation Cooperative (BBCC) and highlight how Black Minnesotans are the most politically active and engaged group of Black people in the United States.
“BBCC has already had thousands of conversations with Black Minnesotans across the metro this election season. We are hearing lots of the same things, ‘we’re ready for real change and I’m ready to make it happen’,” said Brian Fullman, lead organizer of BBCC. “We’re excited to be able to have these conversations with people on the phones, face-to-face, through texts, and now, over radio waves and in their newspapers.”
The newspaper ads, which you can see HERE, are running this week and next in Rochester, St. Cloud, Minneapolis and St. Paul, with radio ads playing in the metro area. All the ads are part of a nation-wide push where a coalition of groups called the Black Popular Front are working to heighten the awareness of the power in the “Black vote” and the political engagement of Black people through their brand “Deliver Black Dreams.”
“For too long, we’ve talked about how much power there is in voting, but we don’t show people the receipts,” said JaNaé Bates, co-lead of Black Popular Front national and communications director of Faith in Minnesota. “It is hard to conceptualize how important a single individual’s vote is, when millions of people are casting ballots. But when you can show how the sheer number of Black voters have been determining every election in Minnesota since 2012, we can start to have a real conversation about how we want to wield that power to get all we need for our families and community.”
The ad buy comes ahead of National Early Voter day, which is Saturday, October 24th, where groups are coming together under the We Make Minnesota banner to hold a GOTV virtual rally headlined by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. The rally is at 10 a.m. Saturday, and it can be streamed on the We Make Minnesota Facebook page.
For more information on Faith in Minnesota’s Barbershops and Black Congregation Cooperative, visit BBCCStrong.org.
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Barbershops and Black Congregation Cooperative
BBCC is a coalition of Black barbers, beauticians and owners as well as Black Christians and church goers in Minnesota who are building people power to advance a more just Minnesota for their communities. BBCC is an initiative of Faith in Minnesota.