The 41 Million Strong Campaign Road Tour Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

Point of Contact:

Jacqueline Patterson

443-226-3773
Jpatters1@yahoo.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women of Color Hit the Road in 20 States to Galvanize Underrepresented Voters in the Presidential and Congressional Elections A group of campaigners are taking their mobilization activities on the road for a 35 day, high profile tour of key states with the aim of supporting women of color groups in voter registration, getting out the vote, and holding elected officials accountable for issues that matter to women of color.

Washington, DC October 13, 2008-The 41 Million Strong Campaign is staging a unique movement in the form of a month long road tour with the goal of rallying women of color (Native American/Indian, African-American, Latin American, Asian and Pacific Islander American and Middle Eastern American) to have their voices heard in the upcoming elections.
“We are passionate about ensuring that women of color are represented by the electorate, an therefore we have dropped everything to hit the road in 20 states throughout the nation and mobilize the vote of women of color,” says Women of Color United Coordinator, Jacqueline Patterson This initiative will extend beyond the tour route through radio and print media as well as web-based content which will be uploaded on a daily basis via www.WomenOfColorUnited.org.

Founded in April 2007, Women of Color United (WOCU), is a coalition to address violence against women and HIV&AIDS. Recognizing the critical role of policy change in addressing these pandemics, WOCU launched the 41 Million Strong Campaign (referencing the approximate number of women of color in the United States) in December 2007 to ensure that women of color are no longer invisible in election discourse and candidate platforms.

Women of color constitute 29% of the US population, yet they only comprise 4.6% of the total 7,382 state legislators. This tour will provide a voice for women of color who are often not represented at the table as political leaders decide what is best for our nation. “One only has to recall the image of the group gathered in the oval office to decide on the fate of the financial crisis. There were no women of color, as usual. Given that women of color earn 63 cents to the dollar white men earn for similar work, we must alter the picture of who participates in these discussions, in order to change our status,” states Tricia Bent Goodley, WOCU member and Professor at Howard University School of Social Work.

“Participation and action are the most crucial forms of empowerment, therefore, it’s critical for us to use our power in the democratic process,” says Mehret Mandefro of WOCU member organization, TruthAIDS in Philadelphia, PA.
The road tour was launched on September 25th in Oxford Mississippi, the site of the first Presidential Debates of this campaign season, at the Stand Against AIDS event, where women from all over the country converged to lift their voices on the intersection of race and gender in the global AIDS epidemic. The 41 Million Strong Road Tour focal issues include, but are not limited to, health, climate change, economics/poverty, education, and housing as core issues within which women of color have a disproportionately compromised status. “It‟s not just about the elections. 41 Million Strong is also a sustained effort to ensure that elected officials are held accountable to deliver real change for those they purport to serve,” says Dazon Dixon Diallo of WOCU member organization Sister Love Inc in Atlanta, GA.

Though Latin American and African American women only comprise 25% of the population, they comprise 81% of persons who are HIV positive. African American Women are 23 times more likely to be HIV positive than white women. “Vice Presidential candidates in the 2004 Debates, when queried by Gwen Ifill, had no idea that HIV&AIDS was the leading cause of death for African American Women. This points to need for us to be fully engaged in lifting our voices and issues for consideration as elected officials are determining their platforms as well as being vetted for their ability to lead on our behalf,” says Patterson.

Video interviews will be conducted at each tour whistle stop and will discuss the focal issue areas as well as the political process, including the extent to which women of color feel represented by local, state and federal government. Women will speak on their self-perception of their influence on the political process. “Interviewees will discuss to what extent they as women of color feel empowered in participating in building a vision for this nation, including decision making on the use of our tax dollars for the universal betterment of all who dwell within, as well as responsible stewardship for the US role as a global superpower,” stated Patterson

The tour will visit states that have tight Presidential/Congressional races and/or have a significant representation of the WOCU constituents. The tour will visit Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, District of Columbia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Maryland and will conclude in Florida on November 4th. ###