ATLANTA — Two historically Black church denominations in Georgia are joining forces to increase voter engagement in this year's presidential election. The leaders emphasize their particular concern for reaching young voters, an area they've struggled with in recent years.
A few weeks before Georgia's March primary, pastors and bishops from the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) and Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) churches announced a concerted effort to drive political engagement.
Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, alongside Bishop Thomas Brown of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, unveiled plans to pool resources, including human and financial, to assist others across the state in realizing their potential impact when it comes to voting.
"We believe that combining our resources, human, financial, and otherwise, will help us to help others across the state to realize that, yes, we can make a difference," Bishop Jackson said.
Their initiative involves training pastors and developing voting plans for members, aiming to increase engagement, especially among voters like Shenita Binns, who voiced concerns about unfulfilled promises and the perception of individual votes not mattering.
Bishop Thomas Brown echoed Jackson's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of intertwining faith with civic responsibility, particularly when engaging younger voters on pertinent issues.
"Too often we, who are seniors, feel like we've got the monopoly on the knowledge and expertise, but we do not in the long run. This is a day when we have to be intergenerational," Bishop Brown stated.
With their sights set on Election Day in November, these leaders emphasize the urgency of switching tactics to ensure every voter in their community makes their opinion known.
The collaboration between the A.M.E. and C.M.E. churches underscores a concerted effort to bridge generational gaps and drive meaningful change through increased voter participation.
Author: Karys Belger 11 Alive News