COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Haves, Palmetto Luna, PASOs, Fuerza Jirasol, the South Carolina Progressive Network, and others hosted a 'Get out and Rock the Vote' event Saturday at the statehouse.
SC Progressive Network member Daniel DeWeese told us, "In conjunction with Rock the Vote, the South Carolina Progressive Network and our Missing Voter Project- which has registered more than 7,000 missing voters since 2004- and educated many more citizens on the number of policies that impact their life- we came here because we believe our democracy functions better when citizens are engaged with what's happening not only at the national level, but at the statehouse and their local communities."
The band The Haves led the event organization with Mike Young at its lead. The "local activist, socially conscious, avant-garde, experimental, heavy prog rock, political satire band" also organized a DACA awareness rally concert at the statehouse back in 2017.
The Haves and other bands played and speakers talked to the crowd in non-partisan fashion about the importance of getting out and voting.
"The overall goal of having this event was a very small step in a larger strategy to engage the 1.5 million missing voters in SC," DeWeese said, "And it was a small step today, but I think the attention that we received and the people that we educated- an organizers job is not for me to go out and do the work, its to train other people how to organize their communities."
The is organization primarily promotes social and economic justice in South Carolina and above all offers resources for education on public policy.
The complete list of those in participation were, The South Carolina Collaborative on Race and Reconciliation, South Carolina Progressive Network, Palmetto Luna, Fuerza Jirasol, South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, The South Carolina Chapter of Protect Our Stolen Treasure, League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood, Latin American Student Organization at USC, Carolina Peace Resource Center and Women's Rights and Empowerment Network. The bands who played were The Haves, Isabelle's Gift, The Disquiet Performs and Brandy and the Butcher.
