Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N Y E A R I N R E V I E W 2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1 4 Dyson College's Center for Community Action and Research (CCAR) helps students connect with firsthand experiences serving the needs of communities in New York and beyond. Vote 2020 For most Americans, Election Day represents a precious oppo unity to choose our political leaders; but for some in the Dyson College community, it is much more. See these leaders and their full stories on the web. THE ACTIVIST Noelani Rivera '22, Criminal Justice Rivera has been a volunteer with the Center for Community Action and Research as a voter registration advocate since 2018, connecting with students to provide everything from polling info to registration. "Sometimes people want to register to vote, but they don't know how to go about it, or they just haven't been able to find the time," Rivera said. THE LEADER Andrea Stewart- Cousins '86, MPA '08, Public Administration Sho ly a er becoming senate majority leader, Stewa -Cousins shepherded the passage of several key election reform bills to eliminate obstacles that previously prevented some citizens from casting their ballots. In general, the legislation established early voting and no-excuse absentee voting for the first time, and as a result modernized and expanded voter registration. THE ADVOCATE Miriam Lacroix '11, Political Science Lacroix created the Black Legal Wellness Forum as a pla orm to examine issues of systemic racism and how the Black community can be er navigate issues across a variety of legal areas. In fall 2020, she hosted a community webinar to discuss the impo ance of voting and why the Black vote ma ers. THE POLL WORKER Liz Weber '23, Women's and Gender Studies, Economics Weber was one of many responsible for opening and closing her designated polling location, making sure all the ballots were counted, and assisting voters. She utilized the organizational skills gained through her experience as a freelance stage manager to navigate and overcome logistical concerns raised by the pandemic, politics, and previous elections. THE DATA MINER Michael Andrew Winters '21, Film and Screen Studies On election night 2020, Winters took calls from voting precincts all across the country and recorded their vote tallies into the Associated Press's proprietary election system. Fostering Civic Engagement Inside Dyson

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