“Why vote?” asked Odyssey alum Blanca Laine, calling on fellow indigenous people to exercise a freedom denied their ancestors. In an effort to encourage increased voter participation and the understanding of voting, the Odyssey Project invited students, alumni, and the Madison community to come register to vote, get information about where and how to vote, vote at a nearby location, hear Odyssey students read their winning “Why Vote?” essays, meet special guests, have dinner, and take home free books and other swag.
Justice Everett Mitchell joined guests at the October event in passionately entreating the audience to vote. “The Odyssey Project epitomizes a true university-community partnership, breaking down barriers and opening up doors, changing lives and rewriting narratives,” noted Mitchell.
Read powerful words from our students in our special edition of the Oracle, below, and view a photo gallery from the event.
Read our special edition
Voting Oracle
Thank you to our business event sponsor, American Family Insurance, and additional sponsors including Mary Burke, Emily & Keith Auerbach, Jean Feraca & Alan Attie, Alison TenBruggencate & Tony D’Alessandro, and Tripp & Nancy Widder.
Special thanks to our partners, The Cap Times, the League of Women Voters,
the Madison Public Library, and the Urban League.