Senior National Director of Advocacy at the NAACP, Wisdom Cole, gave on interview October 29 prior to the Get Out the Vote initiative in Sumter County.

Cole told of his experience. “I’ve been with the Association for about six and a half years, working with members across the Country in the fight for civil rights.”

He told what brought him to Sumter. “I’m here right now in Sumter County, really working to ensure that we turn out the vote. We got a great group of canvassers who are going to be knocking on doors today and through Election Day, making sure that we hit our goal of 6000 doors.” Cole told how their efforts would be supported by phone banking and text banking.

He explained the intensity of their efforts. “This election is so important and critical to all of our lives.”

Cole told why he considered it so important. “Everything from voting rights to student debt to gun violence is on the ballot. And so for us to ensure that we have an equitable future, we have to turn out the vote. We have to turn out the black vote, and [make] sure that black folks are empowered to use their voice, to use their vote for this election.”

When asked what he would say to centrists or minority voters considering right leaning candidates, Cole responded; “Facts are non-partisan, and when people show you who they are, believe them the first time.”