Civic Engagement
They Marched So You Could Vote. Don’t You Dare Waste It.
People bled on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the right to vote. People were lynched for trying to register. People lost their jobs, their homes, and their lives for the right to have a say in this democracy. The least we can do is show up.
“We don’t just show up on Election Day. We show up every day — because democracy is not an event. It’s a lifestyle.”
The Sanctuary Is Not Enough
We have preached long enough about the Promised Land while sitting still in the wilderness. Civic engagement is not a distraction from the Gospel — it is an expression of it. When we vote, we are saying that Black lives have value in the public square. When we advocate, we are saying that God’s justice is not only for the afterlife — it is for right now, in this city, in this generation.
The African American Pastors Coalition mobilizes the full power of our member congregations to ensure that our community is registered, informed, and engaged at every level of civic life. We train leaders. We host forums. We hold politicians accountable. We make it impossible to win an election in this city without hearing from us — because we represent a community that will no longer be taken for granted.
Program Highlights
How We Engage
• Voter registration drives in every member congregation
• Candidate and issues forums that demand real answers
• Legislative advocacy training for pastors and lay leaders
• Community education on local ballot measures and governance
• Coordinated Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns across our network
• Accountability sessions with elected officials — before and after elections