Nevada Voices Share First Time Voting Experiences
By Staff of Nevada Humanities
As record numbers of Americans have cast their ballots in the 2020 election season, Nevada Humanities is sharing essays and reflections from first-time and seasoned voters throughout the state.
Members of our community are reflecting on the first time they ever voted, as part of a new initiative Nevada Voices: The First Time I Voted. Emerging voters who have come of age and not yet had an opportunity to vote, new Americans, newly engaged voters, re-engaged voters, formerly incarcerated people who have regained the right to vote, and newly enfranchised people, amongst others, are sharing their experiences through this ongoing project. Can you remember the first time you voted? How did you feel? Do you have a story to share? We would love to hear from you. Contact Stephanie Gibson, Assistant Director of Nevada Humanities at sgibson@nevadahumanities.org for more information.
In the meantime, delve into two first-time voting stories here:
Image/Eunkang Koh.
It’s My First Time Voting
By Eunkang Koh
In one of the classes I teach, we recently discussed the feminist movement and various other social movements in American history. The subject matter was not new to any of us, but it acted as a sobering reminder that not everyone enjoyed the right to vote throughout America’s past. Some of us, including myself, were overcome with emotion as we discussed how women and people of color had to fight for rights many of us take for granted today.
Image/Joan Dalusung.
Cheering in the Library
By Joan Dalusung
It is October 2020, and I’ve been a librarian for 23 years now. Libraries nationwide frequently host early voting or are sites for primary and general Elections. I've had the pleasure of working with election workers many times, including meeting them at 5:30 am on Election Day for voting machine setup and staying until the last votes are cast and the machines are picked up that same day. I’ve always been so proud and honored that our libraries prioritize hosting voting opportunities.
Do you have an anecdote, a memory, or a story to share about your first time voting? Tell us your story and email sgibson@nevadahumanities.org for complete application details. We really want to hear from you! This program is funded by the “Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation” initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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