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The Terence Crutcher Foundation is seeking volunteers to help the organization go door-to-door to educate voters about efforts to vote as part of their next Community Walks event on Saturday, Nov. 5. Starting at the New Jerusalem Baptist Church at 9 a.m, TCF organizers will provide volunteers with food, coffee and a free t-shirt before dispersing out into the community.
In an effort to build community power, TCF Community Walks focus on listening to the needs of neighbors rather than asking them to vote for a specific candidate. Diamond Marshall, a TCF organizer, told The Black Wall Street Times the foundation recognizes the need to energize Tulsans in a state with one of the worst voter turnouts in the nation.
“This upcoming walk on November 5th will be unique because we’ve acknowledged that Oklahoma is struggling with voter participation, therefore, we are going into the community to remind our neighbors when the election is, where and when they can vote and how the issues they care about most are showing up on their ballots on the 8th,” Marshall said.
Notably, Oklahoma is ranked 50 out of 51 (50 states and D.C.) for voter turnout in 2020, according to the U.S. federal election commission.
Even though the U.S. 2020 presidential election recorded the highest American voter turnout of the 21st Century at 66.8% of the population, according to the U.S. Census, Oklahoma trailed behind. Only Texas had a worse voter turnout.
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An initiative birthed out of injustice urges North Tulsans to vote
Ultimately, Oklahoma faces a unique general election on Nov. 8th as recent polls show the race between incumbent Republican Governor Kevin Stitt and Democratic challenger Joy Hofmeister is a toss-up for the first time in over a decade.
Led by executive director Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, the Terence Crutcher Foundation was birthed out of the tragic and unjust police killing of her unarmed twin brother Terence in 2016. With his car broken down on a rural road, Betty Shelby, a former Tulsa Police Department officer sworn to protect and serve, instead fired bullets at the man while he had his arms in the air.
Despite a jury ruling in the officer’s favor, they also stipulated that Shelby should never act as a police officer again. With no justice served, Terence’s death and Dr. Tiffany Crutcher’s passionate leadership opened up a Pandora’s box of activism and organizing among Black, brown and marginalized people. As a descendant of Black Wall Street survivors, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher is leading a movement to reclaim power for the community.
Terence Crutcher Foundation seeks volunteers for Community Walks
While the organization has been advocating for the community since 2017, the Community Walks began in October of 2021.
“Walks are a crucial tool to ensuring that no one gets left behind by centering listening. It’s very rare that someone comes to your door without asking, but the Terence Crutcher Foundation does exactly this,” Marshall said.
To register for Saturday’s Community Walks, click here.
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For more information about Saturday’s Community Walk and the Terence Crutcher Foundation, visit the Facebook event page, the TCF website or email info@terencecrutcherfoundation.org.
To see where you need to vote, click here.
Early voting begins on Thursday, Nov. 3rd, and election day voting is from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8.