Women are the Backbone of When We All Vote’s Volunteer Base

Despite the recent unprecedented attacks on women’s rights over the past few years, When We All Vote continues to celebrate and honor women’s work to protect and progress women’s rights in this nation.

In 2022, we witnessed women consolidating their power at the polls like never before. In response to recent attacks on women’s rights and bodily autonomy, there were significant spikes in voter registration and voter turnout across the country. On a national level, voter registrations increased 332%, with a 500-plus percent surge in critical states such as Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. In Kansas, a ballot initiative on abortion access led to a 1,000% increase in voter registrations, and in Pennsylvania , women ages 18–29 voted at 4x the rate than they did during the 2018 midterms. The future of abortion access was a crucial issue in their Gubernatorial race.

This Women’s History Month at When We All Vote, we celebrated women’s progress at the ballot box and recognized our broad and diverse volunteer network around the country who made this all possible.

The record-breaking turnout from young women and people of color during the recent elections would not be possible without the dedication of the women in our When We All Vote volunteer community.

At When We All Vote, we firmly believe there are no off years in democracy. Here are When We All Vote’s volunteer stories that highlight our network’s commitment to democracy on this Women’s History Month, and all 365 days of the year.

And if you feel inspired to join them, get involved with When We All Vote:

• Register to Vote (weall.vote/register)
• Text 3 Friends (weall.vote/check)
• Get Involved (WhenWeAllVote.Org/takeaction)

Yasamine Brown (Boston, MA)

Yasamine Brown has been a volunteer with When We All Vote since 2022. She was inspired to work with us because of her feelings surrounding the “debilitating repercussions of voter suppression impacting my community, making sure I was engaged in conversation and work helping to mitigate that — is my refusal to allow our ancestral work go unfinished.”

She said that “being a part of the instrumental work When We All Vote engages with was an ode to all my ancestors who fought rigorously to ensure we could exercise our right to vote.”

Her most significant reflection during Women’s History Month 2023 is thinking about how those in the activist sphere can amplify and increase Black Muslim women’s voices as she finds her own space. She continues to explore ways of “being intentional about the ways I wish to show up, and the power of being unapologetic in my practice [of activism].”

Her intentions to join When We All Vote’s mission are grounded in her passion for participating in democracy at the local level. Yasamine explaied, “voting is often seen as a turbulent topic, as the simplistic nature of it is laced with so many facets of injustice that often the thought of engaging in your civic duty feels daunting.”

“We need to stop being fearful of disruption. Let’s make people uncomfortable and intimidated by our intersectional womanhood’s immense beauty and power. Let’s be intentional about amplifying our intersectionality!”

Jen Lowe (Elizabethtown, KY)

Whether it’s cold calling mayors, handwriting voting instructions, or putting up reminders to register to vote posters around town, you can count on Jen Lowe. She joined When We All Vote during our 2020 Couch Party and has been instrumental in several critical get-out-the-vote initiatives since.

Jen shares that Mr. Shelton McElroy’s volunteer work inspired her to register eligible incarcerated voters while awaiting trial. She even asked for his help in visiting the women in the Jefferson County Jail. She told us that “the women in jail wrote two letters each, sharing their personal story and asking for their right to vote to our state legislators in leadership positions.” Since then, Jen has visited her state capitol a few times to continue this vital work. She was pleasantly surprised to find multiple opposing legislators who said yes when I asked them, “Does a death row inmate deserve the right to vote?”

Volunteering with When We All Vote has given Jen a sense of belonging within a like-minded community nationwide. She highlighted how When We All Vote’s internet architecture means that “almost anybody can be an effective volunteer.”

Lista Trotman (Queens Village, NY)

Lisa Trotman of Sisterhood Of Destiny, Inc. started volunteering with When We All Vote in January 2020. She shared that “volunteering with When We All Vote has been a life-changing experience.”

During the height of the pandemic, Lisa and her non-profit joined our initiative because of a shared commitment and dedication to educating individuals from different states on how to advocate within our communities to register voters. Lisa found the virtual captain meetings empowering and prepared her with the necessary resources and confidence to educate her community on the significance of being a registered voter.

Nadine Beach (Stafford County, VA)

Nadine Beach from the Ladies of Distinction shared that volunteering with When We All Vote reminds her of her grandmother’s struggle to vote and that this is her way of letting other little girls know that their voice is powerful. Nadine is a proud advocate for improving and supporting the lives of women, and in particular, women’s healthcare.

There are no off years in democracy, so join us as we stand up for voting rights. You can get started today by registering to vote, (weall.vote/register), texting three friends (weall.vote/check), or by taking action (WhenWeAllVote.Org/takeaction).