Freedom Summer 2020 – Summer Course and Voter Engagement Outreach

Posted by UC Berkley Public Service Center on May 5, 2020

In a time of global pandemic, the 2020 election – the most historic election of our lives – is in peril. Students can and must help protect our democracy this year. Freedom Summer 2020 gives you a chance to be part of a nationwide virtual movement for voter engagement ahead of the historic 2020 election. Join with students from across the country in helping build the power and voice of low-wage worker voters who have been the most impacted by COVID-19 this summer.

Although the coronavirus pandemic has brought most voter outreach efforts across the country to a halt, Freedom Summer 2020 is continuing with a completely virtual format from July 6  – August 14. Building on the original Freedom Summer in Mississippi, this program will allow you to take one 3-unit class in social movements and learn how to organize, develop leadership, and help people get out to vote, and then participate in a second 3-unit field course in which you will put those learnings into practice by organizing low-wage workers to vote over the phone and using a voter app. Join students from around the country in learning social movement organizing skills while conducting non-partisan relational voter engagement with hundreds of thousands of unlikely voters from around the country. Students from all campuses are encouraged to apply.

Upcoming info sessions – Learn how you can join a nationwide student movement to get out the vote! (All times are Pacific Standard Time):

• Tuesday, May 12, 10:00 – 10:30 Register here
• Wednesday, May 27th 1:00 – 1:30 Register here
• Thursday, June 11, 2:00 – 2:30 Register here
• Friday, June 26, 10:00 – 10:30 Register here

In addition to fostering democratic engagement, participants will also earn 6 units of academic credit and a certificate in Social Movement Organizing from the UC Berkeley Social Movements Center. You can also contact Reed Levitt at reed.levitt@berkeley.edu to sign up today!