“What's at stake right now is the future of democracy in our country!” Inside the Activists Studio™ - Jaquie Algee and Vanessa Wruble, MarchOn
Over the next months, we’ll be catching up “good trouble” makers to learn more about what keeps them fighting the good fight in our new “Inside the Activists Studio” Q & A., inspired by the iconic program “Inside the Actors Studio” and of course dressed in Michael Stars!
Here is our first Q& A with Jaquie Algee, board chair, March On and Vanessa Wruble, Executive Director, March On.
People say this is the most important election in the past 20 years and maybe of their lifetime? Do you agree and why?
Jaquie: I absolutely agree that this is the most important election in the past 20 years because it is! President Obama being elected was history. Up until that point, I didn’t know if I would live to see a Black man become president of this country. I was glad that my grandmother and mother had lived to see it too. When he was re-elected it was historical that it could happen twice. This election is different because the outcome could help to determine and shape the future of our country during my lifetime and for many generations to come.
Vanessa: Oh yeah! What's at stake right now is the future of democracy in our country and how severely climate change will affect all of our futures, and especially our children's and grandchildren's futures. The choice we make in November will say a lot about whether or not humanity can overcome its basest instincts. Was the human experiment a failure or a success?
Was there a particular moment(s) in your childhood/life where you realized you were going to be involved in activism?
Jaquie: I listened to my great-grandparents and uncle talk about marching with Dr. King -- about getting beat, spat on, and jailed. I knew I wanted to be like them – to stand for something. I began going to church and union organizing meetings with my grandmother and helped her fundraise for a cause. We did everything including knocking on doors with our precinct captain Mr. Taylor when the Voting Rights Act was passed. After that I just kept on organizing family, friends, club actions, and events.
Vanessa: I had the impulse to protect vulnerable people (and creatures) from the get go. One of the first dreams I remember from when I was about 6 years old was saving my sister from monsters coming to get her because she was just a baby and couldn't defend herself. I spent my weekly allowance on helping young kids in other countries get food and medical help they needed. And I was struck by The Diary of Anne Frank which we read when I was quite young. I knew then that I could never let something like that happen, if I could help it.
What advice do you have for people whose friends and family say they aren't going to vote? What can they do to encourage them?
Jaquie: I would say to them, “If you like the way things are now, don’t vote. But if you don’t, you must vote!”
Vanessa: I want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them until they come to their senses! But of course I don't think that works. You have to figure out why someone doesn't want to vote. Ask them why. Through understanding their point of view and their experiences, you may be able to loosen something in their stance.
What's the best advice your mother (or father, sibling, aunt/uncle, anyone) ever gave you?
Jacquie: My father Bennie Anderson said, “The easiest thing in the world is to give up but troopers hang tough and they don’t quit. You are a trooper so you can’t give up!”
Vanessa: To listen to my intuition: it's smarter than I am.
What is your favorite comfort food?
Jaquie: Chicken and rice. I make my own broth and pour it over cooked rice. I always add onions and sometimes carrots, peas, a little garlic. Um, um good!
Vanessa: Everything in sight (that a vegetarian can eat!) I recently downed a whole pizza and a bowl of chocolate ice cream!
What is your least favorite word?
Jaquie: Can’t.
Vanessa: Right now, it’s Trump!
What is your favorite word?
Jaquie: Can, of course!
Vanessa: I can't tell you because it’s my password!
About March On
Founded in 2017, March On is a 501 (c)4 organization focused on harnessing the grassroots energy of mass mobilizations to create political power. March On supports and resources hundreds of local affiliates and organizers nationwide, mobilizes our network for national campaigns, and partners with other progressive organizations on joint initiatives. Since our inception, we have fundamentally shifted the balance of power by moving millions in the streets and to the polls. To find more about our work, click here.
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.
To learn more about Jaquie, Vanessa and the work of MarchOn and Future Coalition, visit their site at https://www.wearemarchon.org/
Photo credit: March On