The Declare Yourself Campaign will visit campus Thursday to encourage students to get involved in the voting process. The event will be held on the Drill Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Aimee Jasculca, one of the event’s organizers, said the campaign is targeted toward first-time voters. Its purpose is to inspire people across college campuses to register to vote in the upcoming 2004 election.
Christy Vinson, director of voter registration for the Student Association, said the Declare Yourself Campaign chose MSU as one of the 18 colleges it will visit in its nationwide voter registration drive.
Jasculca said the event will feature several activities including a live spoken word show, which combines aspects of poetry and hip-hop.
“We have four great poets-all national champions,” Jasculca said. “Students tend to really identify with them.”
Jasculca also said that well-known disc jockey DJ J. Period would be at the event to provide entertainment.
Jasculca said there will be opportunities for people to register to vote. There will also be mock-voting machines so students can experience the voting process.
She added that Yahoo! will be asking students why they should vote and videotaping their responses. The five best answers are to be posted on the Yahoo! Web site.
Perhaps one of the main attractions, Jasculca said there will be an original copy of the Declaration of Independence on display as well. The copy is owned by television producer Norman Lear, who wanted to use the document to inspire people to get involved.
One of the poets who is scheduled to perform, Marty McConnell, said the group of four decided to meet last October and start working on a 20-minute show based on the Declaration of Independence. The show is designed for the newer generation.
McConnell added that the program was written to ask questions such as ‘What keeps us from voting?’ and ‘Do we matter? Do our votes matter?’
“It’s been well received,” McConnell said of the program, which has already appeared on campuses in New Hampshire and South Carolina. “We’ve had hundreds of students register to vote [during the event].”
Vinson said she hoped the event helped educate students on their right to vote.
“I think this is a great experience,” Vinson said. “I am so excited that Mississippi State was chosen [as one of the schools].”