August 20, 2024
Jenifer Lewis is among a group of Black women in Hollywood who are mobilizing their power to support Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Jenifer Lewis is among a group of Black women in Hollywood who are mobilizing their power to support Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Lewis was among the 44,000 Black women who participated in the history-making Win With Black Women Zoom call that raised over $1.5 million to support the vice president’s candidacy as the Democratic presidential nominee. On Sunday, Aug. 18, Win With Black Women held another Zoom call, where stars like Danielle Brooks, Andra Day, and Slutty Vegan owner Pinky Cole discussed ways to continue mobilizing their power ahead of the 2024 Democratic National Convention taking place in Chicago on Aug. 19-22.
“Often we think about people in the entertainment industry as something separate — yes, they have incredible talents, but they are American voters, too,” Win With Black Women Founder Jotaka Eaddy tells The Hollywood Reporter.
“They have families and lives they carry to the ballot box, and it’s always important to remember that they, too, are equally a part of this country and participate in this democracy, and it’s great to see them speak publicly and boldly about that.”
As part of their efforts, activations will be held throughout the DNC to unify voters and encourage them to make groundbreaking changes this election season. Win With Black Women is partnering with other Black women-led organizations to host a Sisterhood Lounge at the McCormick Center. Higher Heights For America, Sisters Lead Sisters Vote, and the Black Women’s Leadership Collective will all host talks with various Black women government leaders. Meanwhile, A-listers like Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Tony Goldwyn, and Ana Navarro will serve as DNC hosts.
Ahead of the DNC, Jenifer Lewis shared a video of herself singing one of her original tunes inside her living room. In it, she called out superstars like Beyoncé, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Keke Palmer, and more to motivate their young followers to get out and vote.
“It’s Aunty!” Lewis crooned in a video shared online. “I need y’all to help me spread my quote. I need y’all to get these kids out and vote!”
For those wondering why? Lewis sang her reasoning.
“Because this election ain’t no joke. We gotta take this b*tch by the throat!”
Jenifer Lewis wants Beyoncé and others to help motivate people to vote this election for Kamala Harris
😂😂pic.twitter.com/dkXiaIssvf
Lewis has participated in the Win With Black Women calls and #CaregiversForHarris Zoom meetings. She will also travel with Black Women in Entertainment for Kamala (BWIE4Kamala) to Atlanta for activations at the historically Black colleges and universities of Spelman, Morehouse, Morris Brown, and Clark Atlanta University.
“I have a wonderful connection with the Gen-Zers and the Millennials because they sat on their couches and watched me as the auntie and the mother on all the Black movies [and TV shows], from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to A Different World and now as the Black-ish grandmother,” Lewis says. “They’ve grown up with me, so there’s a bond and a trust. They not only see me, but they can feel that I care.”
The veteran actress plans to do some serious canvassing before the November election and is using her near-fatal 10-foot fall from a balcony while traveling throughout Africa in 2022 as motivation.
“I’ll also be going down south to these battleground states to go door-to-door, post flyers on the corner, whatever I can do,” Lewis says. “I was too young in the ‘60s to fight, but what else do I have to do but give back at this point? That’s how I live now.”
Other Black women in Hollywood who are mobilizing their power include Evan Seymour Bain, who attended the Win With Black Women Zoom call and was inspired to create a WhatsApp group to share information and resources among women in the industry. Three weeks after the call, membership in the Black Women in Entertainment for Kamala (BWIE4Kamala) grew from 10 individuals to over 500 actresses, executives, journalists, content creators, and media figures.
“I wanted to create a way in which everyone can be engaged in ways that resonate most with them, from grassroots [efforts] up to writing $50,000-plus checks so that we can all do our part to help ensure that Kamala Harris is the 47th president of the United States of America and that Donald Trump stays the f*ck out of the White House,” Seymour Bain said. “We’re not going back.”
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