Community Newsletter – October 2020

Welcome back to our monthly community newsletter! Since 1978, LACE has been an advocate of social and political movements within Los Angeles and the rest of the world. We have not been idle to these movements and histories. Given our core values and consistent nurturing of social change, we felt that it is imperative to use our platform to share resources and information as well as continue and begin conversations about the current social, political, and environmental climate we are living in.

This Month’s Keyword: Voting

Voting is the most prominent form of political participation, and for many people, it is the primary means of participating in politics. However, as election season rolls around, the inequity and inaccessibility that characterizes the playing field of electoral campaigns becomes it’s most visible (not to mention that we are living in a digital age where “fake news” travels 6x faster than real news). It is more crucial than ever before to have credible sources and reliable information at hand when casting your vote.

“The truth is voting is an honorable act that many movements use as a tactic. But the popular message that it’s the only real source of power misleads the public about how social change happens and stifles the energy required to bring about the change we need.“

– Daniel Hunter, Don’t Believe the Lie That Voting Is All You Can Do (NY Times)

Remember that voting is only one aspect of the movement. Voting won’t immediately relieve our society of all its problems and many of the proposed “solutions” on the ballot are conditional. It is just as important to educate oneself on local politics, actively work towards being anti-racist, uplift and amplify the voices of marginalized communities, and support grassroots mutual aid efforts and community organizations that are directly addressing the issues that mainstream electoral politics often fail to alleviate.

Voting Resources

• Don’t Disqualify Your Ballot!  – A quick and easy guide for avoiding common mistakes that can disqualify your ballot.
• When We All Vote – Non-partisan voting organization to.help with getting registered, checking registration status and signing up for election reminders.
• Voter Guide  – An easy voter guide in five languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese)
• PolitiFact – Fact-checking online resource for information and claims circulating through social media
• League of Women Voters from California  – Unbiased explanations of state ballot measures/props (English and Spanish)

Important Deadlines

The Election Is Happening RIGHT NOW!
You do not have to wait for Nov. 3rd to send in or drop off your ballots.

• The deadline to register to vote was Oct. 19th. If you were not able to register and still want to vote, visit here. 
• There will be (socially distanced) in-person polling places on the day of the election. You can locate them here.
• If you are a registered voter and have not received a mail-in ballot, request one by October 27, 2020.
• You can locate your nearest ballot drop box here.

Remember: Voting is an important civil duty, but not the only one. We must actively educate ourselves and participate in the issues that impact our communities. Join us!