South Florida Social Justice Common Read: "Let My People Vote"

15800 Northwest 42nd Avenue,Miami Gardens FL 33054

04 December, 2021

Description

The goal of the program is to engage the broader South Florida community in a conversation about systemic racism and the need for change. A collaboration between Florida Memorial University (FMU), FMU Social Justice Institute (FMU SJI), the South Florida People of Color (SFPOC), and the African American Research Library and Cultural Center of Fort Lauderdale (AARLCC), the South Florida Social Justice Common Read will create a series of curated conversations based on books on the subject of social justice and racial inequity. About the book:. The inspiring and eye-opening true story of one man’s undying belief in the power of a fully enfranchised nation. “You may think the right to vote is a small matter, and if you do, I would bet you have never had it taken away from you.” Thus begins the story of Desmond Meade and his inspiring journey to restore voting rights to roughly 1.4 million returning citizens in Florida—resulting in a stunning victory in 2018 that enfranchised the most people at once in any single initiative since women’s suffrage. Let My People Vote is the deeply moving, personal story of Meade’s life, his political activism, and the movement he spearheaded to restore voting rights to returning citizens who had served their terms. Meade survived a tough childhood only to find himself with a felony conviction. Finding the strength to pull his life together, he graduated summa cum laude from college, graduated from law school, and married. But because of his conviction, he was not even allowed to sit for the bar exam in Florida. And when his wife ran for state office, he was filled with pride—but not permitted to vote for her. Meade takes us on a journey from his time in homeless shelters, to the exhilarating, joyful night in November of 2018, when Amendment 4 passed with 65 percent of the vote. Meade’s story, and his commitment to a fully enfranchised nation, will prove to readers that one person really can make a difference.