Barbara Jordan Institute

BJLI'S MISSION IS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF LEADERSHIP BY TRAINING, MENTORING, SUPPORTING, AND EMPOWERING BLACK COMMUNITIES.

BJLI PARTNERED WITH TOP-TIER PHONE VENDOR TO MAKE 43,062 LIVE CALLS, OF WHICH 20,951 CALLS WERE CONNECTED TO TARGETED BLACK VOTERS WHO HAD YET TO VOTE BY MAIL OR IN PERSON IN LOCAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN DALLAS AND TARRANT COUNTY. CALLERS REFERENCED IMPORTANT SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES REGARDING HEALTHCARE AND/OR ECONOMIC JUSTICE WHILE WORKING TO HELP VOTERS COMMIT TO A PLAN TO VOTE BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ON HOW, WHEN, WHERE TO VOTE AS WELL AS THE NEED TO REMAIN IN LINE AND VOTE THE ENTIRE BALLOT.

78,316 VOTERS RECEIVED TEXTS THAT INCLUDED KEY VOTING INFORMATION AND LINKS TO LEARN SPECIFIC POLLING LOCATIONS FOR THE DALLAS, TARRANT MUNICIPAL AND CONGRESSIONAL SPECIAL ELECTIONS. BJLI ALSO UTILIZED A NEWER TOOL FOR MASS TEXTING WHICH ALLOWED FOR INTERACTIVE CONTENT TO BE SENT TO THOUSANDS OF VOTERS.

BJLI ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH INTENSE SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS, AS WELL AS IN PERSON EVENTS. A MIX OF STATIC AND VIDEO WERE PLACED TO PROMOTE THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ONLINE DISCUSSION, EVENTS, ELECTION INFORMATION, AS WELL AS OTHER INFORMATION THAT WAS VITAL FOR THE UPWARD MOBILITY OF THE LOCAL BLACK COMMUNITIES. BJLI'S SERIES OF ONLINE FORUMS AND WEBINARS INCLUDED TOPICS SUCH AS: STAYING HEALTHY DURING THE HOLIDAYS, WITH INPUT FROM HEALTH PROFESSIONALS; POLICY DISCUSSIONS THAT PROVIDED EDUCATION TO THE COMMUNITY ON THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS, AND THE EFFECTS IT HAS ON THE LOCAL BLACK COMMUNITY; DISCUSSIONS ON SB 2050, AND THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS AND PARENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS; AND FINALLY, DISCUSSIONS WITH A LOCAL TALENT ACQUISITION SPECIALIST, THAT DEMYSTIFIED WHAT RECRUITERS ARE LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC; AND MANY OTHER TOPICS THAT EFFECT BLACK AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.