It’s clear that New York City and Washington, D.C., are two of the most important cities in the northeast corridor, and arguably, in the world. New York Urban League Young Professionals have managed to capture that essence by acknowledging the role that Politic365, “the premier
digital destination for politics and policy related to communities of color,” plays during this digital revolution.
During a recent awards event, Kristal Lauren High, J.D., Politic365’s editrix, made the trek from D.C. to NYC where she was bestowed the Renaissance Award for leveraging technology to empower communities of color.
“We use social media and the Internet to advance communities of color,” shares the Washington and Lee University School of Law graduate. In her role as the editor-in-chief of Politic365, she sets the tone for the publication and its strategic vision.
High continues, “I develop partnerships that we can forge to make sure we’re advancing the interests of our communities, African American and Hispanic communities. Editorially, I focus on policy issues — technology, healthcare, defense, finance, the economy and energy. I work with our team on shaping stories that are relevant to us. When you just say ‘technology is important,’ who cares about that? But, when you say register to vote and pay your bills, it makes a bit more sense.
High imparts a host of key messages for young women of color as it relates to the upcoming elections and their influence.
“Black women are some of the most civically engaged, socially active people. It’s important that we recognize the power of our voice, our vote and that we exercise that power at the polls. We need to register to vote, tell our friends and family, and make sure we understand the requirements to exercise the right to vote. A lot of states have voter ID laws, which you might as well call ‘voter suppression laws.’ There are all sorts of special requirements to vote. Make sure you know what laws are in your state before going to the polls. Most of all, figure out what your ground game is going to be the days after the election, really looking at who are the candidates that best represent our interests and who’s going to be concerned about how we educate ourselves better, get better health care, get the jobs we need, get paid the same as white women and men. We must know how our social agenda will be answered by the candidates who represent us, keep [elected officials] accountable and honest, and make sure that our voices continue to be heard,” she closes. –yvette caslin
