I was raised in Atlanta, in Fulton County, and grew up knowing that voting is a privilege that was handed to me by the blood of my ancestors. Civil rights activists fought for equality through the power of the vote.
I felt so incredibly grateful that I was able to cast my first vote for Barack Obama when I was attending Clark Atlanta University. The entire Atlanta University Center—Morehouse, Spelman, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Clark Atlanta—was bursting with pride and pure joy. We all knew that we were a part of history. That election was all hands on deck, and we made it happen.
Fulton County has always been crucial in elections, so no matter where I am in the world, I make sure I get back to Georgia to vote. I took three planes to get back for the last election. I’ve waited in lines for hours into the night when necessary—and I’ll be doing the same on November 5. Civil rights, women’s rights, environmental consciousness—the list of important issues is long. We can’t afford to ignore what’s happening—we have to show up and vote. Period.