Mayor Cherelle Parker, Pennsylvania Democratic delegation leaders and special celebrity guests made stops in Mt. Airy and Center City last Saturday to encourage Philadelphians to vote.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker (center) speaks during the Mt. Airy press conference, flanked by Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton (left) and Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Morgan Cephas (right). In the back row is actor Brian Tyree Henry, Pa. Democratic Leader Sharif Street ( standing behind Parker), and actresses Kerry Washington and Tessa Thompson.
By Amy V. Simmons
In front of a colorful mural on the side of a building located at Stenton and Mt. Airy Avenues, Mayor Cherelle Parker, members of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party leadership team, and luminaries from the entertainment world rallied community members, many who beeped their car horns or were pleasantly surprised by the gathering as they walked their dogs or ran errands.
The mural, featuring the name Kamala amidst flowers, foliage, and human hands painted in neon pinks, oranges, and greens was commissioned by the Harris/Walz campaign, cannot be missed at the busy intersection, especially motorists fueling up at the Sunoco station it faces.
Black Women for Harris Regional Director Dawn Chavous (center at podium) introduces Mayor Parker and the other special guests at the Center City GOTV event.
During her remarks, Parker emphasized the importance of voter turnout in Pennsylvania, particularly in Philadelphia, for the upcoming election. Voter turnout in 2020 increased significantly, which helped the Biden-Harris ticket win by 80,000 votes, she said.
Parker said this year’s election is also about the basic kitchen table and bread and butter issues Americans care about most.
“Right now, access to economic opportunity is the foundation of America’s promise, and we need to make sure that it is available for every American, every Pennsylvanian, and every Philadelphian who desires it,” she said. “Your race, class, socioeconomic status, zip code, religion, sexual orientation or identity should not be the determining factor about whether or not you get access to an economic opportunity to [help] put yourself on a path to self-sufficiency.”
Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton stressed the need for voter mobilization and systemic change, encouraging residents to participate actively in the elections. Vice President Harris is the clear choice for America’s next president, given what Trump has already shown the nation, she said.
Brian Tyree Henry and Tessa Thompson speak to the attendees about their love for Philadelphia and democracy.
“We know who will stand by us, and we also know who doesn’t care about any one of us,” McClinton said. “He (Trump) demonstrated that during the 2016 election, and he proved it from 2017 to 2020 — that’s why we fired him. We’ve got to send him a resounding message — don’t come back.”
Also present at the press conference were celebrity guests — actresses Kerry Washington and Tessa Thompson, and actor Brian Tyree Henry — all in town to help get out the vote in the region. All of the speakers underscored the importance of voter mobilization and systemic change, urging residents to vote and actively participate in the election process.
Washington, who played Olivia Pope in the popular series, “Scandal,” spoke about her connection to Philadelphia, having lived here at one time when her husband, Nnamdi Asomugha, played for the Philadelphia Eagles. She said that she and her colleagues were in the city not only because they love it, but because they know how critical the city is in determining the nation’s future.
Kerry Washington addresses the crowd, reminding them what is at stake.
“The choices we make now are going to protect this democracy, not just for four years, but for decades,” Washington said.
An enthusiastic crowd in Center City
Later in the day, the mayor, elected officials and these special guests appeared at a campaign event held at the Hadley on the Parkway. They were joined by Dawn Chavous, regional chair of the Black Women for Harris campaign, as well as actors Robert DeNiro and Leonardo Di Caprio.
As she stated earlier in the day, Parker reminded those present about the significance of Pennsylvania — and by extension, Philadelphia and its suburbs.
“Every political pundit agrees that the path to the White House runs straight through the Keystone State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that means our city of Philadelphia,” Parker said.
Henry spoke about the range of emotions he has been experiencing canvassing throughout the city this election season, from joy, to anger, to tears, to determination. It is a city where neighbors encourage one another, he said.
“I want you to look at your neighbor, and I want you to say, ‘You are why we won,” he said to the attendees.
Leonardo Di Caprio urges the crowd to consider the impact of their vote has on the issues that affect the nation and world.
Thompson spoke about her admiration for Philadelphia and the collective power of voters to change the nation’s narrative.
“The first time I was here, I came as a storyteller,” Thompson said. “I’m not coming to you as a storyteller today, except that to say that America is a story, right? Democracy is a story that we’re all involved in telling.”
Washington echoed that same sentiment.
“There’s going to be people on social media or traditional media in the news, people who say, ‘They should just go back to acting,” she said. “They should just go back to doing what they’re supposed to do, as if we don’t have a right to be fully American. As if we don’t have a right to have our voice in this democracy. … we come here not as actors and entertainers. That’s not why we’re here. We are here because we are Americans, because we love this democracy, and because we love the possibility of what this country can be.”
Washington recalled how her character, Olivia Pope, was trending on social media in 2016 after Trump won that contest. People were pleading for her character to step in and fix the situation.
“I thought to myself, we have a problem because we think that an imaginary character on television has more power than we do,” Washington said. “But who has the power is you all. Who has the power for the next nine days is everybody standing here. And your power is not in being on a TV show. Your power is in that you — unlike Olivia Pope — you can really vote. You can make phone calls. You can text some friends. You can knock on doors. You can do everything in your power to make sure that we don’t wake up with regret.
.At the DNC in Chicago last summer, Texas couple Josh and Amanda Zurawski shared the heartbreaking story of how the refusal to terminate an unviable pregnancy nearly cost Amanda her life and put her future pregnancies at risk.
“Pennsylvania — Philly — we know that you are proudly pro-choice,” Amanda Zurawski said. “You have the power to change the tide in this election. We are counting on you to stand up once more and choose reproductive freedom this November.”
Leonardo DiCaprio discussed the critical nature of the upcoming election and the importance of voting for Kamala Harris. He highlighted the stakes of the election, including economic justice, environmental protection, and reproductive rights.
“Don’t forget, there are a lot of forces out there that are trying to stop you from being heard,” he said. “They’re trying to quiet your voice. But each and every one of you can make a difference by doing a simple thing, and that’s getting to the polls to vote, because every vote counts.”
The final speaker, actor Robert DeNiro, well known for his visceral remarks about how he feels about Donald Trump, did not disappoint, peppering his remarks with swear words delivered in the fiery manner that his fans have come to both anticipate and admire.
In his unique style, De Niro rallies the crowd to vote, drawing laughs and cheers.
“Knock on doors, make calls — you know the drill — because we have one candidate who is a threat to our Constitution and our very way of life. Never mind that his policies would raise costs for our families,” he said. “Help billionaires get ahead and roll back more of our freedoms. Everything — everything — is on the line, and it will all come down to what happens here in Philly and in this great Commonwealth. So, we need all of you guys now more than ever. Let’s wake up on November 6 and send Donald Trump to irrelevance.”
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