Editor’s note: This article will be updated as more specific information on the votercades becomes available.
Understanding Tuesday is the last opportunity to impact the U.S. Senate run-off election, over 14 “Good Trouble” votercades will be held on Election Day—Jan. 5, 2021.
These votercades aim to encourage Brown, Black and all Georgians of color to vote—especially for those killed wrongfully at the hands of police or white vigilantes, such as Ahmaud Arbery, who cannot vote themselves.
The John Lewis “Good Trouble” get-out-the-vote marches and votercades are organized and led by: the Leadership Conference; Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda; the Transformative Justice Coalition; the family of Ahmaud Arbery (father, Marcus Arbery, and the aunts of Ahmaud Arbery); the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda; the Rainbow PUSH Coalition; the National Bar Association; and other community leaders and organizers throughout the state.
“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” the late Congressman John Lewis asked at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 in the face of Alabama state troopers, waiting to inflict “pain deterrence” on those marching to gain the right to register to vote. Lewis’s refrain rings as relevant in 2020 as it did then: At least 184 Georgians have been killed by Georgia police over the past 10 years.
“Every state and every county has its own Edmund Pettus Bridge to cross,” said Helen Butler, executive director of the People’s Agenda. “In Georgia we are encouraging Black, Brown and toung voters to cross Georgia’s Edmund Pettus Bridge of access to justice for those wrongfully killed by police; for affordable health care, reduction of policing violence and ending voter suppression.”
The marches are designed to encourage and increase Black, Latinx, college students and young voter turnout, as well as overall voter turnout in historic numbers.
“I’m 53 years old and I’ve never voted,” said Diane Preston, aunt of Ahmaud Arbery. “Never thought about voting. I figured it made no difference whether or not I voted. After Ahmaud’s killing, my entire world changed. After they killed our beloved nephew and tried to not pursue justice, I got mad. I realized that I didn’t just need to be mad, but I needed to work to make a change. Voting is the key to making that change. … I’ll vote for Ahmaud at every election because he’s not here to vote to protect himself.”
“We are so proud of the unprecedented turnout by Georgians during early voting,” said Barbara Arnwine, founder and president of the Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC). “All of America is Georgia today.” (Read the Ms. Q&A with Arnwine, who’s leading the legal battle against voter suppression in Georgia.)
President Charles Steele, Jr. further stated, “Georgia, let’s do it one more time. Be part of the solution, exercise your right to vote.”
Marches on January 4, 2021:
Woodbury; Meriwether County, Ga.
- 2:00 p.m. EST.
- Person of contact: Tonja Roberts
, (910) 777- 5955 . - Starts at: 18053 Main St., Woodbury, Ga.
Butler; Taylor County, Ga.
- 2:40 p.m. EST.
- Person of contact: Tonja Roberts, (910) 777- 5955.
- Starts at: St. Phillips A.M.E., 48 Martin Luther Rd., Butler, Ga.
Reynolds; Taylor County, Ga.
- 3:30 p.m. EST.
- Person of contact: Tonja Roberts, (910) 777- 5955.
- Starts at: 3 E. William Wainwright St., Reynolds, Ga.
Marches on January 5, 2021:
Atlanta; Fulton County, Ga.
- Time: 10:00 a.m.
- Person of contact: Jessica Roberts, (770) 710-7256.
- Starts at: Historic West End Village, 835 MLK, Jr. Dr., N.W., Wal-mart parking lot (near Chick-fil-A).
Atlanta; Dekalb County, Ga.
- Time: 9:00 a.m.
- Person of contact: Juliana Njoku
, (404) 956-7039 and Bettye Davis. - Starts at: Cross Keys High School, 1626 N. Druid Hills Rd. N.E., Atlanta, Ga., 30319
- Ends at: Barack Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology, 3132 Clifton Church Road SE, Atlanta.
Centerville; Houston County, Ga.
- Time: 11:00 a.m.
- Person of contact: Dr. Ruth Jackson, (478) 714-2419.
- Starts at: Sewell Circle Park, 115 Wallace Dr., Warner Robins, Ga., 31093.
- Ends at: Warner Robins City Center, 800 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, Ga., 31088.
Forest Park; Clayton County, Ga.
- Time: 3:00 p.m.
- Person of contact: Felicia Davis, (678) 612-6497.
- Starts at: Star Park, 5031 Park Ave, Forest Park, Ga., 30297.
- Ends at: Clarkston High School, 618 N. Indian Creek, Clarkston, Ga.
Monroe; Walton County, Ga.
- Time: 11:00 a.m.
- Person of contact: Cassandra Greene.
Columbus; Muscogee County, Ga.
- Time: 2:00 p.m.
- Person of contact: Councilwoman Toyia Tucker, (334) 312-5813, and Tonja Roberts, (910) 777- 5955.
- Starts at: St. James C.M.E. Church, 380 Northstar Dr., Columbus, Ga.
Smyrna; Cobb County, Ga.
- Time: 1:30 p.m. (1:15 pm, gather and line-up).
- Person of contact: Sharon J. Hill (404) 516-7617, and Adriana Helenek.
- Begins at: San Francisco Banquet Hall, 1977 S Cobb Dr #550, Marietta, Ga., 30060.
- Ends at Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Cir. Smyrna, Ga.
Valdosta; Lowndes County, Ga.
- Time: 1:00 p.m.
- Person of contact: Erica Brown, (478) 207-7608.
- Begins at: 500 Force St., Valdosta, Ga. (Valdosta polling location).
Woodbine, St. Mary’s and King’s Landing; Camden County, Ga.
- Time: all day (This is an all day poll working event Covering St. Mary’s, King’s Landing and Woodbine.)
- Begins at: Woodbine City Hall, 310 Bedell Ave, Woodbine, Ga.
You may also like:
Our opponents are using the lame duck period—the time between now and when the new president is inaugurated, and a new Congress convenes—to do as much damage as they can. Help ensure Ms. remains strong and independent during this period of challenge and change. If you found this article helpful, please consider supporting our independent reporting and truth-telling for as little as $5 per month.
