Let's Team Up and Step Forward Together in 2004
Join NCHR's Get-Out-the-Vote Campaign

Do you want your voice heard in the upcoming elections?  If your answer is yes, then please join NCHR in helping to Get-Out-the-Vote in the Haitian-American community in New York. 

By working together to stand up for our rights – and exercising our right to vote -- we can really make change and make the things we care about better.  There is strength in numbers, and by standing together we can make our vote count.

Haiti became the world’s first black republic 200 years ago through fighting against slavery.  Today, that same fire burns within us when we fight for fair and equal treatment, good jobs, better schools, improved housing, comprehensive health care and a Haiti that works for all Haitians.

NCHR needs your help to educate and mobilize voters.  Our goal is to get at least 10,000 Haitian-Americans to pledge to vote on Election Day in November 2004.

If you can commit to a minimum of three (3) hours a week (more would be great) to reach out to Haitians in your area about election issues at community events, churches, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods, then please join us to get involved, get active and make a difference. 

How do we plan to reach our goal?

To reach our goal we are forming teams with five Team Members per team.  Each team has a Team Leader, who will report to a Team Coordinator.  We’re asking Team Members to commit to three (3) hours per week, Team Leaders to commit to five (5) hours per week, and Team Coordinators to commit to at least ten (10) hours per week.

We’ll work with you to make sure that you have the tools and skills you need to reach out to others in your community.  Here’s what we’re asking you to do:

Team Members: 1) Sign the Pledge to Vote; 2) Commit to reaching out and getting at least 10-15 people to sign the Pledge each week ; 3) Turn in signatures and write an update on a weekly basis; and 4) Attend regular meetings with their Team Leaders and Team Coordinators to discuss campaign issues and progress. (minimum 3 hours per week) 

Team Leaders: 1) Sign the Pledge to Vote; 2) Commit to reaching out and getting at least 10-15 people to sign the Pledge each week; 3) Provide regular support, and guidance to their Team Members; 4) Organize and facilitate weekly meetings with their Team Members to discuss campaign issues and progress; 6) Collect weekly Pledges from Team Members and deliver them to their Team Coordinator; and 7) Write a weekly update on their Team’s progress. (minimum 5 hours per week)

Team Coordinators: 1) Sign the Pledge to Vote; 2) Commit to reaching out and getting at least 10-15 people to sign the Pledge each week; 3) Provide regular support, and guidance to their Team Leaders; 4) Organize and facilitate weekly meetings with their Team Leaders to discuss campaign issues and progress; 6) Collect weekly Pledges from Team Leaders and enter information into campaign database; and 7) Write a weekly update on their Team’s progress. (minimum 10 hours per week)

We anticipate that each Team will directly reach out to at least 1,250 people in the Haitian community between now and November 2, 2004 (Election Day), with about 625 actually signing the Pledge.  This means that between now and Election Day each Team Member will reach out to 250 people, with 125 (about half) of those signing the Pledge.  So, each Team Member will gather between 10-15 signatures per week, which is easily done, especially when you start by reaching out to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and fellow members of your churches, in addition to canvassing your neighborhoods and community events.

There is strength in numbers, and by standing together we can make our vote count and empower the Haitian community.

For more information call (212) 337-0005, ext. 291 or email Tamara Thompson