October 2, 2018
Lou Douglas speaker to address voter rights
The next Kansas State University Lou Douglas Lecture on social justice will be "Our Freedom to Vote Is Under Attack: You May Not Care, But Why You Should," presented by Carolyn Dewitt, executive director of Rock the Vote — a national organization based in Washington D.C. that strives to build the political power of young voters.
The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the K-State Student Union's Forum Hall.
Dewitt will present the challenges young voters face today and offer insight on how they can combat them to fight back and construct a world that accommodates this diverse and growing population. Dewitt also will offer critiques on current opinions held by politicians in regards to 18-year-olds maintaining the right to vote.
DeWitt is the president and executive director of Rock the Vote, the largest national organization focused on building long-term political power for this country's most diverse youth generation. DeWitt is a nationally recognized advocate for young people, featured in publications and media outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Teen Vogue and Billboard. Today, Rock the Vote is a powerhouse for mobilizing youth through effective and timely civic education resources, innovative programs that meet young people wherever they are, and authentic messaging through trusted partners to ensure young voters understand and use their political power.
The Lou Douglas Lecture Series is dedicated to Lou Douglas, a distinguished professor of political science at K-State from 1949-1977. Douglas was widely known for his power to inspire students, faculty and citizens to instigate change. He was also one of the founders of UFM Community Learning Center. After his death in 1979, UFM began a lecture series to honor him. More information is available at tryufm.org.