22.7 million people didn’t vote in the 2017 snap election. That’s 41% of the population. Back in the 1800s we were complaining when didn’t even have the right to vote. We wanted our voices heard. We now have the power. So shout. Vote.
Introducing Rize Up! A non-partisan campaign that encourages the youth, the disenfranchised, disillusioned and the marginalised to vote. It argues that our democracy does work, but often not with us but against us.
Instead of pointing out that yes, there is a lack of unbiased political education in school. Yes, there is a class of people who are ignored in policy making and yes, the UK is more divided than ever; we need to have hope. At the end of the day, we are affected by the laws that are made. We should use the power that we have in our vote in order to influence the types of laws that are made.
On Sunday, Lady Leshurr with Rize Up, hosted a party outside of the Houses of Parliament. Not just this but Rize Up has collaborated with a whole host of famous faces: Emeli Sandé, Tinie Tempah, Professor Green and Lily Allen to name a few. Two years ago they even dropped a track with Big Narstie to encourage young voters. They spread the word with their collaboration with LUSH, turning high street shops into pop-up registration hubs, and with Boomtown Festival to broaden their reach to the creative industry.
Use your power in our democratic system to Rize Up. That is why advocacy groups such as Hope Not Hate, Voice 4 Change, England and Operation Black Vote support the actions of this campaign.
The establishment expect young voters to not have a voice. They expect us to not show up. They expect us not to care about the power that we have. They don’t want us to vote in order to further their own interests.
“It’s the young and marginalised who have the power to change the UK forever. They don’t expect us to show up. Let’s show them they should never underestimate us again.” – Founder Josh Cole
Whether you vote Green, Labour, Lib Dem, or Tory, I cannot stress how important it is that you vote. Register to vote by the 26th November to make your voice heard and check out http://rizeup.org