Barber urges Tougaloo students to vote in Tuesday's election

The Rev. William Barber II told a crowd of students at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, on Thursday that they must show up at the polls next Tuesday. Barber, who previously served as president of the North Carolina NAACP, framed the upcoming Nov. 3 election as a moment for the current generation to demand change.

He cited national data to make his point. Barber noted that 90 million people did not vote in the previous election. He argued that the resulting Congress voted to reduce health care and SNAP benefits for over 20 million people each. At the same time, he said, that body directed more funding toward war and ICE than toward health care and food.

Barber said he wants young voters to alter that trajectory. Many students in the audience told him this will be their first time voting in a political election. They identified two main issues driving their desire to participate: the cost of college and the availability of affordable food.

Qasim Abdul-Tawwab, a student from Jackson, pointed to the high rate of food insecurity in Mississippi, particularly in the Delta region. He said the problem needs to be solved as fast as possible. "I feel like that’s an issue that needs to be solved as fast as possible," Abdul-Tawwab said.

Terry Rogers, another student, focused on the rising cost of living. Rogers said high gas and grocery prices are hitting young people hard. She believes elected officials play a direct role in these costs. "Young people are starting to realize that their elected officials play a part in this," Rogers said.

Barber used the visit to encourage students to support Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom. He is currently on a 100 Days of Voter Mobilization tour. The tour includes plans for nonviolent marches to polling places before Election Day.

Barber left Jackson to speak with residents in Meridian later Thursday. He plans to continue urging voters to participate in the Tuesday election.