St. Luke members combine efforts with local groups to Pack the Polls

By DIANE XAVIER
The Dallas Examiner

To keep the legacy alive of Black ancestors who fought for the right to vote, as well as stress the importance of voting, especially during this midterm elections, organizations and churches such as St. Luke’s Community United Methodist Church, hosted a Pack the Polls event, Oct. 30.

Members of the congregation joined with groups such as the Dallas Mavericks, The Next Generation Action Network and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. to mobilize and carpool to voting locations to cast their votes during early voting.

Pastor Ritchie Butler, the church’s senior pastor, encouraged everyone to not be complacent, but to vote and let their voices be heard through their ballot.

“It’s part of our rich tradition as a congregation, and part of our mission is we’re not just Christ centered, we’re not just Kingdom minded, but we’re also justice driven,” Butler said. “And so part of justice is educating and ensuring that our vote counts. Our vote matters, and so we will educate and get our people out to the polls.”

Reuben Leal, the event coordinator, explained how the group plans to take participants to the polls.

“We’ve split ourselves into four different polling sites today in the Southern sector of Dallas,” Leal said. “We’ll be getting in our cars and traveling to polling sites, to mobilize and inspire people to get out of exercising their right to vote. You can vote anywhere in Dallas County. That is one of the best features of early voting here in Dallas County is that no matter where you live, if you work across from a polling site, you can go to that polling site. Exercise your right to vote.”

Leal said the power of voting is open to all generations.

“It’s really a multi-generational campaign and so much about the political process has division by generations and Pack the Polls is dedicated to bridging the gap between generations preserving and protecting the legacy of voting rights which started in the 1960’s,” Leal said. “So, Pack the Polls is connected to go to the polls on Super Sunday, which is traditionally and historically the day that African Americans and minorities go to the polls to vote.”

Butler encouraged everyone not to take voting for granted.

“Our future depends on it because our history dictates it, our forebears, grandparents, great grandparents, many suffered and died literally so we might have this right but also responsibility to get out and vote,” Butler said. “You cannot sit idle or be apathetic because apathy breeds disenfranchisement and as long as we are engaged in the process, there is hope and voting is hoping.”

Aundra Smith was one of many church members who participated during the Sunday event.

“We are going to caravan to the polls, and I am going to be part of the caravan,” Smith said. “I voted early, and I wish everybody would also vote early. Voting is so important because it impacts so many different elections and people that make decisions for you in your life that you would never think about, so even the smallest things that happen in city council, in the state and in legislation, it impacts your life. So voting is so important and that you are a part of it so you can vote for the best person that is going to make decisions for your life.”

Lisa Taylor-Kennedy also participated in the event. She wore a shirt that read ‘Black Votes Matter.’

“All votes matter,” Taylor-Kennedy said. “Specifically, Black votes. We are a marginalized community. Often, we don’t like the choices that are made on our behalf. So we have to get out there and encourage each of us to vote. We have to vote, register, go to the polls and today’s part of St. Luke’s and the political social action ministry of which I am a part of. We will be driving souls to the polls today, as well as a caravan of cars, encouraging our neighbors and our community to go to the polls and vote. Often you know, we complain about things that are not equitable in our society, but we don’t get out there and do something about it. It’s our responsibility and our right to get out and vote. Our ancestors suffered for us to have this right.”

Taylor-Kennedy’s husband, Keith Kennedy, spoke of the church’s history of cultivating civic responsiveness its members.

“It’s important for us to get everyone involved in the election process so the goal is to get everyone to vote,” Keith said. “We want 100% of the church to participate in this voting process, being registered and participating in the voting process. St. Luke has a rich history with political participation. And I’ve been at the church for more than 30 years and we’ve been doing it since I was here and even before so that’s sort of a rich history. We’ve evolved. We’ve driven people to the polls over the years, more than a decade.”

Woody Watts Austin, Jr. president of the local neighborhood association, said Pack the Polls is very important and he makes sure people in his neighborhood participates in the electoral process.

“I have been doing this for decades but it’s important now because we have to get everybody out to vote every time,” Austin said. This helps people who don’t know about voting to get involved. People like my aged people were born that way. People who are younger in their 20’s and 30’s, they don’t know. They watch social media all the time and this just gets them out to vote. Vote early and don’t wait to avoid that rush.”

Betty Simms, a member of St. Luke for over 30 years, displayed her shirt, which read, “Vote Like Your Ancestors Died For It.”

“When I first saw this shirt, it didn’t have to remind me, but I am a very big proponent of us remembering our history and not having to repeat our history,” Simms said. “And I truly do believe that our vote is our voice and our ancestors died so that our vote could be our voice. We don’t need history to repeat itself in a negative way. And I believe that our new and upcoming children are learning that because they vote. We can have history repeat itself in a positive way by educating themselves and educating others and educating those who come after them. And our young people are understanding the sacrifices that were made for them and that’s the beautiful thing. We just have to keep reminding ourselves and keep pushing for others to know. And not only just the younger generation, but even those who are my age who have come up and said you know I don’t see that big of a change but step by step there is a change.”

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