"Into Action 2024" Empowers And Inspires Voting Through Arts And Culture

Artwork in the Into Action 2024 gallery reflected issues that are important in this year’s election. PHOTO BY JOSH COGAN.
Artwork in the Into Action 2024 gallery reflected issues that are important in this year’s election. PHOTO BY JOSH COGAN.

"Into Action 2024" Empowers And Inspires Voting Through Arts And Culture


By Tia Carol Jones

A series of cultural events featuring artists, activists and community leaders with the goal of inspiring and empowering people to vote took place in the West Loop. Into Action 2024, which was hosted by Task Force and Drive Agency, featured more than 200 pieces of artwork, "the" performances and conversations from Aug. 17th to 22nd.

The art gallery goes through a timeline of where America has been and where it is now, as well as where people envision America going in the future.

Work from Tyesha Moores’ LIGHT series was showcased in the gallery. The series shows Black women of a darker complexion in bright clothing and lipstick.

“This series was created shortly after me graduating from college, because of how striking I noticed darker skin was against bright colors. It reminded me of being told, 'stay out of the sun or you're going to get too dark' when I was younger,” Moores said. “These two photographs in particular are shot at night to showcase the loneliness that a Black woman feels by being so isolated by just existing in her own skin. I wanted to empower Black women to do whatever we feel, however we feel and never be silenced by anyone or anything. Black will forever be beautiful."

Moores said that art and activism serves as the voice of the unheard, while also being a driver for change in this year’s election and beyond. She added that art has been a form of activism for such a long time because it is a form of expression for marginalized communities, much like rap was created by Black people as a way to speak about their environment and what they were experiencing.

Cassie Carothers, of Drive Agency, said Into Action 2024 is a way to get people to think about what issues are important to them and use that to get them to vote in November, while using art and culture to talk about those issues.

Into Action 2024 is part of a bigger campaign, which kicked off in Chicago, and is going to seven cities throughout the country. Those cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix and Detroit. The artists whose work was chosen for the gallery come from the cities where the campaign will host events to encourage people to get out and vote in November. Those arts and culture events will engage people to vote, register to vote and highlight other ways people can be civically engaged.

The conversations that took place in Chicago utilized talented artists from Chicago, who champion the issues focused on the gallery. There were also movie screenings and deejay sets that took place during the five days. The goal was to bring to life the themes from the art gallery in a more visual way.

“We believe firmly that you need to meet people where they are. Politics  is something you might think about every few days, but culture is where people live. We want to be in the spaces and places where people want to have conversations with people they love and trust,” Carothers said.

In other cities, there will be a barbershop activation, with training for barbers to learn how to talk about voting. The hope is that people will hear from trusted sources in their life and that will hold weight and encourage them to vote. Carothers added, that going to where people are to talk about the importance of voting, makes America’s democracy stronger.

Carothers said the people left the gallery feeling inspired and thinking about the next steps. She said that is the response Into Action 2024 wanted from the attendees, to go out feeling empowered to vote and to also talk to their family and friends about voting.

“As Nina Simone says, it's an artist's duty to reflect the times. I think we're living in a time where it's important to think expansively about ways Black people can make positive changes for ourselves, rather than relying on politicians to make lasting change. Voting in the presidential election is one way to be civically engaged, but it's not the only way, or the most important way. I think it's important to pay attention to local elections in our own communities, and to look beyond voting to community organizing and mutual aid efforts as mechanisms of change that empower us to liberate ourselves on our own terms,” said Artist Jamila Woods about the ways art and activism intersect when it comes to bolstering the vote in this year’s election.

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