Voices for Votes: Real Talk on the Key Social Justice Issues for the 2016 Presidential Election

Voices for Votes, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) will be a nonpartisan, moderated discussion held at Fitts Auditorium at Penn Law School on Saturday, September 19, 2015 from 11 am – 2pm. This interactive forum, including a distinguished panel of experts, will focus on what a diverse community of voters and voters-to-be feel are the most pressing social justice issues facing the world today that must be addressed in the 2016 election.

Voices for Votes will cast a wide net to include not just Penn faculty, staff, and students, but also community organizations, policymakers, affinity groups, and a bevy of other unique and multi-generational individuals throughout the region.

Via conversations generated in Voices for Votes, SP2 hopes to provide a forum in which people from diverse communities — regardless of race, creed, political affiliation, economic status, age, etc., — have a safe and structured outlet wherein they can voice their opinions and gain practical knowledge to make a difference at the polls, as well as in their communities.

Voices for Votes is a prelude to SP2’s anticipated release of  SP2’s Penn Top Ten Social Justice Issues for the 2016 Election, a publication and multimedia package in which SP2 faculty members will offer commentary within their areas of expertise aligned with ten top social justice issues facing the country today.

“SP2’s Penn Top Ten Social Justice Issues for the 2016 Election” will address diverse audiences via multiple mediums, including a user-friendly, tactical and interactive workbook of “mini essays” with infographics; animated videos; op-eds and policy briefs (where appropriate). A complementary and comprehensive website will include complete versions of each essay along with faculty bios and also will feature select faculty video clips (sound bites to highlight key points in their essays).

The mission of SP2’s Penn Top Ten Social Justice Issues for the 2016 Election is “to educate, enlighten, and empower a diverse range of current and future voters from all walks of life.” Various components of the project will sequentially be released in fall and winter 2015 and spring 2016, leading up to the fall 2016 election.