On Saturday, Sept 24 from 12:30-3 pm, Dance the Vote STL will present Midterms Matter, a free, nonpartisan, family friendly, all-inclusive event in front of the Missouri History Museum to promote voter awareness in advance of the general election on Tuesday, November 8.  When DTV first performed for midterms at the museum in 2018, they attracted over 1000 attendees before pivoting to virtual performances during the pandemic. This is their first return to large scale outdoor events.

A highlight of the event will be taking “Missouri’s largest photo to promote the midterms”. People of all ages and political affiliations are invited to participate in this nonpartisan photo.

U.S. Presidential elections are big news worldwide every four years. But what happens in the midterm elections can have just as big an impact on the direction of the country.

“At Midterms Matter, we will energize attendees to participate in the midterms elections and exercise their precious right. Our event also honors National Disability Voter Registration Week and will feature an all-inclusive short community dance to be taught for people of all ages and abilities, including people with disabilities. Everyone is welcome,” said Joan Lipkin, producing artistic director of Dance the Vote.

Confirmed dance companies include St. Louis Academy of Dance, Ashleyliane Dance Company, Grupo Atlantico, Amara Arts, Skystone Dance Ensemble, Resilience Dance Company and others. Local singers including Carmen Garcia and Katie Dunne McGrath and Friends will perform. Speakers include Denise Lieberman of Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Rev. Darryl Gray of Missouri Faith Voices, Katie Rodriguez Banister of Access-4-All with more to be announced.

Choreographer and co-producer Ashley L. Tate explains, “We will begin with some familiar dances including the Electric Slide and the Wobble and then teach an original, short, inclusive and accessible community dance that can be enjoyed by everyone.  This dance is for all levels and abilities!”

Additional activities will include voter registration and education, information fair with local nonprofits and community groups, kids’ activities, the Bubble Lady, food trucks, a DJ, and more.

“I am passionate about finding ways the Missouri Historical Society can help drive civic engagement,” said Dr. Jody Sowell, President and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society. “We believe public history has the power to strengthen communities. The goal of our exhibits, community tours, and public programming — like the Midterms Matter event — is to help the public make connections between past, present and future. We believe the more you appreciate a place’s past, the more invested you will be in its present and future. MHS is fortunate to play a part in helping the public make these connections and is proud to support Dance the Vote and civic engagement.”

Presented by Dance the Vote St. Louis, a program of That Uppity Theatre Company, and co-sponsored by the Missouri History Museum, St. Louis University, St. Louis ARC, Missouri Faith Voices, NAACP-St Louis County, League of Women Voters – St. Louis, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, National Council of Jewish Women STL, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, National Women’s Political Caucus of St Louis, ProgressWomen, Access-MO, Paraquad, Access-4-All LLC, Equity Action Collective LLC, Immigrant Song, Missouri Centers for Independent Living, Missouri Equity Education Partnership, 350 STL, A. Philip Randolph Institute St. Louis Chapter, American Association of University Women St Louis (AAUW),Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, empower: abilities, The Link, Metropolitan Congregations United, and Conversations for Political Change.

Founded in 2016, Dance the Vote (DTV) is a nonpartisan arts organization that uses the arts to promote voter registration, education and advocacy. Performances have been featured on CBS, the Black Entertainment Network, the Higher Education Channel, American Theatre Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, the St Louis Post-Dispatch and Dance Magazine and seen by several million people.

DTV has received the IDEA Award from MindsEye, What’s Right with the Region from Focus St. Louis and the Moving Democracy Award from St. Louis Magazine as part of the 2021 A-List.

Midterms Matter is funded in part by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, the Scarlet Feather Fund, and Rev Up!

National Voter Registration Day 9/20 https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org

National Voter Education Week 10/3-10/7    https://votereducationweek.org/

Disability Voting Rights Week 9/16/-22 https://www.aapd.com/advocacy/voting/dvrw/

DancetheVoteStl.org

Facebook.com/DancetheVoteStl

Missouri Faith & Voter Advocates Host Vigils Honoring Legacy of John Lewis and Calling on Congress to Affirm the Moral Imperative of the Right to Vote 

On Sat. July 17, 2021, Missouri advocates will host Good Trouble Vigils for Democracy on the one-year anniversary of the death of Rep. John Lewis – joining more than 100 similar vigils happening at the same time around the country – to uplift his legacy and call on Congress to pass critical legislation to realize Rep. Lewis’ vision for a democracy that includes us all. The Missouri Vigils are being spearheaded by faith leaders around the state to uplift the moral imperative of the right to vote in a moment when partisanship is blocking needed action to protect voting rights for all. 

The Missouri John Lewis “Good Trouble” Vigils For Democracy, organized by the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition in collaboration with numerous faith leaders and community partners, will be held in St. LouisKansas CityJefferson City and Springfield on the evening of Sat. July 17.
 
The St. Louis event will include prominent faith leaders in an outdoor vigil at First Unitarian Church followed by a processional with the renowned Red and Black Brass Band to Maryland Plaza in the Central West End, where advocates will sing, dance and engage fellow community members in the call for voting rights. Vigils in Kansas CityJefferson City and Springfield, lead by faith leaders, local voter advocates and the NAACP, will similarly feature local leaders calling on Congress to take needed action to protect the right to vote by passing the For the People Act – which the late Cong. Lewis authored – and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 
“Faith leaders have been critical to every historic movement for voting rights and are especially needed in this moment to call out the dignity of all to have a voice in their destinies,” said Denise Lieberman, a voting rights lawyer and Director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition. The July 17 actions come on the heels of this week’s call to action by the President for Congress to pass needed voting reforms. 

WHAT: ST LOUIS GOOD TROUBLE VIGIL FOR DEMOCRACY
WHO:    Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Central Reform Congregation, Missouri Faith Voices, Metropolitan Congregations United, First Unitarian Church, Missouri Baptist State Convention, Dance the Vote, St. Louis Area Voting Initiative, Missouri Jobs with Justice, St. Louis Voter Protection Coalition, NAACP, Missouri State Baptist Convention, Indivisible Missouri, Congregation Shaare Emeth and others – including remarks from: Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Missouri Faith Voices; Rev. Dr. Linden Bowie, Missouri Baptist State Convention; Rabbi Susan Talve, Central Reform Congregation; Rev. Kim Mason, First Unitarian Christian Church; Denise Lieberman, Director of Missouri Voter Protection Coalition; Joan Lipkin, Dance The Vote, among others. 
WHEN:  Sat. July 17, 2021,  6-8pm
WHERE:  6-7pm Vigil with Speakers at First Unitarian Christian Church 5007 Waterman Blvd. , St. Louis, MO 63108,  followed by processional with Red and Black Brass Band to Maryland Plaza. Event will be broadcast live at: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMissouriVoters

Missouri July 17 John Lewis “Good Trouble” Vigil For Democracy Events include

St. Louis Vigil for Democracy
6-8 p.m. Vigil: First Unitarian Church5007 Waterman Blvd., St. Louis MO 63108Followed by processional to Maryland Plaza with Red and Black Brass Band

Kansas City Vigil for Democracy
6-6:45pm 3708 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. (Cleaver Blvd and Cleveland)Spirit of Freedom Fountain Kansas City, MO 64130

Springfield MO Vigil For Democracy
6:30-8p.m.First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield2434 E. Battlefield Rd. Springfield, MO 65084

Jefferson City Vigil for Democracy
8-8:30 p.m. Missouri Veterans Memorial at Missouri Capitol201 W. Capitol AveJefferson City, MO 65101