UW-Parkside to host Courageous Conversation panel on election integrity
Somers, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s Goodman Ambassadors, in partnership with the Kenosha Coalition for Dismantling Racism, will present a Courageous Conversation: Election Integrity and its Impact on Communities of Color at 6 p.m. on March 31.
The event will be held on Zoom (registration required) and live streamed through Facebook. The purpose “is to bring together people from the campus and surrounding community to talk about an issue that affects communities of color, and motivates people to take action,” said Debra Karp, community, and business engagement director for UW-Parkside.
The public is welcome to join this interactive event, where panelists Corey Prince, founder of Community Consulting LLC, Janet Serrano, member of Voces de la Frontera Action Board and organizer since 2011, and Debra Gimler, interim city clerk treasurer for the City of Kenosha. Gimler, who has more than 33 years of experience in election administration, will lay out the issues after which participants will have a chance to share their own voting experiences and discuss ideas to address voting access and election integrity.
Following an introduction by Esme Aguilar and Alisson Anguiano-Salas, UW-Parkside seniors, who are serving as Andrew Goodman Foundation Campus Ambassadors, the panel discussion will be moderated by Cameron Swallow of the Kenosha Coalition for Dismantling Racism. The discussion will explore practices such as gerrymandering, restrictions on absentee voting, purged voter lists, technical problems with voting machines, limitations on days/times polls are open, and other barriers that disenfranchise many voters. In addition, the panel will discuss new restrictions and proposed laws related to election practice that will disproportionately affect communities of color. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session and further discussion among break-out groups.
The Andrew Goodman Foundation is a national organization that supports youth leadership development, voting accessibility, and social justice initiatives on college campuses across the country. Campus Ambassadors serve as advocates and champions for civic engagement, inspiring students, and community members to contribute their voices and work to build a healthier democracy. The UW-Parkside College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies and the Alan E. Guskin Center for Community and Business Engagement champion and supervise the work of the Goodman Ambassadors.
For Courageous Conversation panelist bios and a link to event registration go to: https://www.uwp.edu/learn/colleges/socialsciencesprofessionalstudies/courageousconvo.cfm
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is committed to high-quality educational programs, creative and scholarly activities, and services responsive to its diverse student population, and its local, national, and global communities. We are a dynamic learning community grounded in academic excellence and focused on student success, diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. The campus serves as a premier comprehensive public institution and a destination of choice, serving as a focal point of local, regional, and global progress.
Media Contact:
Tannette Elie
Executive Director of University Relations
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
elie@uwp.edu