Art as the message and messenger

Art as the message and messenger
Your Vote Matters mural by Detroit artist Phil Simpson. (Photo credit: Bre’Ann White)

Equally important to the team behind these public works of art is the opportunity to communicate with younger voters and voters in communities of color about how to utilize their voice to enact the type of changes they wish to see. David explains, “Many times I hear from people ‘nothing will change if I vote,’ ‘our voice is not heard’ or ‘my vote does not matter’ — I think that when a collective group thinks this way they are actually correct, due to the fact that collectively they are not sending a message through their ballots.”


David is hopeful that by the murals staying in the communities that they were produced in, they will continue to spark conversation around civic engagement, encouraging voters who have traditionally disengaged from the voting process to reengage now and for future elections. “The more that they vote, the stronger their message can be. They can push their candidates to listen and take that message to their city, state, and federal governments.


“I have always voted for the person whose morals and character most align with mine,” David says.

For details on voter registration, voting early, tracking your ballot, or finding a secure ballot box drop off location, visit MichiganVoting.org.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join our Newsletter

Sign up for Rolling Out news straight to your inbox.

Read more about:
Also read