Since their historic march through North St. Louis in June, A Call to Oneness volunteers continue to take the movement’s vision of unity and cleansing to the streets.
On Saturday, several volunteers rolled up on folks on the block in North City and North County urging them to vote in the November 4 general election.
They walked door to door, answered questions, promoted voter participation and provided voting literature to residents.
“A lack of knowledge is why a lot of things aren’t going our way,” said 63-year-old Baron Ellis, who has been volunteering for the movement since the Call to Oneness march.
“They are becoming more aware by us going door to door, instead of having to rely on what they see on TV,” Ellis said.
Volunteer Jacque Land, president of the Platinum Group and the local chapter of 100 Black Men, said that n from violence to voting n the issues for black folks are still the same.
“It all starts at the top with the leaders who make decisions on issues that affect us, so we want to reverse the non-voting trends by eliminating the barriers of voting, effectively giving the power to the people,” said Land.
Following the historic march, volunteers first went door to door in neighborhoods as peacemakers by compiling information to help residents eliminate crime sources in their immediate areas.
Organizers then turned their focus to the election. Volunteers registered voters until the Oct. 8 deadline, and will help transport voters to the polls on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Volunteers will also man command centers, serve as runners, marshals and a legal protection team for voters.
Meanwhile, volunteers are concentrating on sensibly approaching people where they live n on the block. A lot of canvassing happens in so-called rough neighborhoods, volunteers say they are usually met with open arms.
“When we go to these so-called bad neighborhoods and tell them what we’re there for, most of them talk to us and want to know more,” Ellis said.
“Though many of the areas are hard, we can’t be afraid of our own people and we’re not,” said Land.
But Land said when volunteer peacemakers go door to door, they have to have something to offer black folks who are suffering from various Western societal ills.
“If we can’t offer them economic empowerment, we don’t have anything for them n that’s what they want and need,” Land said.
Shirley Ellis, 58, the wife of Baron, said she is excited about the effort to take the neighborhoods back by helping to stop crime and educate black people about various issues, such as voting.
“There needs to be a change, and hopefully this election will bring about that change,” said Shirley Ellis, a member of the Sister Circle, a women’s arm of A Call to Oneness.
“We’re just trying to carry our pastor’s vision and make sure it goes through, but change isn’t a one-time thing, we have to keep on pushing,” she said.
Their pastor is the Rev. Freddie Clark of Shalom Church, City of Peace. Along with entertainment executive Eric Rhone, he is credited as a cofounder of Call to Oneness.
Though the movement’s voter education drive is non-partisan, Baron Ellis said Barack Obama is the best candidate to affect the vision of Rev. Clark and changes the black community needs.
“Obama is the best man, because he knows the struggle and is the kind of man who will be fair to everyone n and not only blacks,” he said.
A Call to Oneness is staging a rally to galvanize voters just two days before the election at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 at Kiener Plaza. Organizers will also work the rally to continue their goal of amassing 10,000 volunteers to increase voter participation.
To volunteer, visit acalltooneness.com.
