The organizers for the March On For Voting Rights announced legendary R&B singer and radio host Al B. Sure! and national radio host and activist Joe Madison will serve as co-MC’s for the August 28 event in Washington, DC. The two hosts will lead a day-long march through Washington, DC and the speaker’s program which will include human and civil rights leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and many others who will issue a call to action to pass federal voting rights legislation.
Al B. Sure! is a singer, songwriter, record producer, radio host and former record executive who exploded onto the scene from Boston in 1988 with the best-selling single Nite and Day, and has been a force within the music industry since. As a writer and producer, he introduced to the music industry such multi-platinum acts as Jodeci and teen R&B performer Tevin Campbell, as well as Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case and Usher. Al B. Sure!’s work as a change agent finds him intersecting his role as the host of a leading nationally syndicated radio program, Love and R&B, to becoming a mouthpiece for the amplification of social justice and civil rights issues. In the current climate, he utilizes his platforms to highlight the needs for racial justice, education equity, voter education, criminal justice reform, mentorship and much more.
Al B. Sure! commented, “It is an honor to help mark this urgent moment by sending a message to the country that our votes will not be suppressed! Our voting rights are under attack all over America, and the people of D.C. are still being denied the full representation they deserve in Congress. I am looking forward to a great day of peaceful collective action and a clear message that the time is now for Congress to act in defense of our rights.”
Joe Madison is a groundbreaking radio personality and civil rights activist who has devoted his career to raising awareness about issues around the world, encouraging dialogue among people of different backgrounds, and raising money to support multicultural education and institutions. Known as “The Black Eagle,” Joe can be heard weekday mornings on SiriusXM’s Urban View.
Joe Madison added, “My radio audience cares deeply about the issue of voting rights, so I look forward to using this opportunity to give voices to the millions of Americans who demand action from Congress to protect our voting rights, and seek full representation for the 700,000 residents of Washington D.C., most of whom are Black and Brown. This march will bring together leading civil rights advocates and every day people fighting the good fight at the grassroots level. We will put democracy into action.”
About March On For Voting Rights
March On for Washington and Voting Rights is a mass mobilization to demand that elected officials protect democracy, denounce voter suppression, make D.C. a state, and ensure fair, easy access to the vote. On August 28, the 58th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, we will march on cities across America to demand that the vision of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech be deferred no longer. That means passing the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. The march is led by Drum Major Institute, March On, the National Action Network, Future Coalition, SEIU, and 51 for 51, and is joined by over 140 other partners. The march is funded through the #ForJohn campaign, a grassroots effort co-founded by Martin Luther King III and Arndrea King to fight voter suppression.
About March On
March On is a political organization composed of women-led political activist groups that grew out of the women’s marches of January 21, 2017. They have come together as a united force to take concrete, coordinated actions at the federal, state and local levels to impact elections and move the country in a progressive direction. For more information, click HERE.
About the Drum Major Institute
The Drum Major Institute advances the core mission of our founder, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to assure that the arc of the moral universe continues to bend toward justice. Dr. King’s legacy and voice are as important today as they were upon our founding 60 years ago. To meet this historic moment, we are lending our unique ability to facilitate dialogue and collaboration to support the countless courageous acts of individuals and organizations across the nation and the world to ensure that the vital conversations that are now starting will sustain and advance far beyond this moment in time—and lead to tangible lasting outcomes. We encourage all people to embrace their role in the King legacy, take action in their community and strive to build the Beloved Community. Learn more HERE.
About SEIU
Service Employees International Union is an organization of 2 million members united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide, and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society. For more information, click HERE.
About National Action Network
National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, criminal record, economic status, gender, gender expression, or sexuality. For more information, click HERE.
About Future Coalition
Founded by youth activists for youth activists, Future Coalition is a network and community for youth-led organizations and Gen Z and young millennial leaders from across the country that came into being as a project of March On in the fall of 2018. Future Coalition works collaboratively to provide young people with the resources, tools, and support they need to create the change they want to see in their communities and in this country. For more information, click HERE.
About 51 for 51
51 for 51 is a coalition of D.C.-based and national groups committed to equal representation for the over 700,000 D.C. residents who remain locked out of our democracy. The coalition of 20 progressive groups believe American citizens living in the District deserve a voice in Congress and control over their own local laws. Already, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Senators Warren, Markey, Gillibrand and Hickenlooper have endorsed 51 for 51’s proposed path to statehood.
