The Culture of Democracy Tour set out to reach young, Black, and Brown voters where they are — culturally and physically. At a time when many feel disconnected from the political process, When We All Vote aimed to meet the moment with urgency and joy.
Our goal was to embed voter engagement into cultural spaces, reaching young, Black, and Brown voters by activating high-energy spaces like concerts, sports arenas, and festivals. We aimed to make voting feel personal, urgent, and accessible. The campaign focused on reaching first-time and infrequent voters in key states, shifting attitudes toward civic power while increasing voter registration and turnout ahead of the 2024 election.
In the face of widespread disillusionment ahead of the 2024 elections, When We All Vote launched the Culture of Democracy Tour to meet young, Black, and Brown voters where they are: in cultural spaces that fuel connection, joy, and identity. From concerts and sporting events to cookouts and campus activations, the tour cut through voter apathy by pairing grassroots organizing with influencer engagement and star power. It culminated in a major rally in Atlanta, headlined by Michelle Obama, that turned civic engagement into a cultural celebration.
The strategy was grounded in a simple but powerful belief: culture moves people. We intentionally showed up at festivals, games, and community events where young people already gather, making civic participation part of the experience rather than an add-on. At each stop, we offered customized voter hubs with registration tools, high-impact visuals, local volunteers, and interactive education designed to feel relevant and accessible.
Cultural Activations Across 12 Cities
The tour spanned 12 cities nationwide, including Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, the BET Experience in Los Angeles, Essence Festival in New Orleans, the Milwaukee Bucks arena, and campus activations at KIPP Houston and Iowa State. In every city, the experience was tailored to the local community while staying unified under a cohesive visual identity.
Celebrity and Influencer Engagement
We activated our network of Co-Chairs and Ambassadors — including Michelle Obama, Stephen Curry, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, and Kelly Rowland. Their voices amplified the campaign’s core message: voting is a way to show up for the people we love and the issues that matter most. Online, we partnered with creators like @betches, Gia Peppers, and Mona Swain, ensuring civic messages reached millions of young people in spaces they already trusted and engaged with.
Strategic Partnerships
Partnerships with organizations including FEMINIST, the National Basketball Players Association, Lyft, and others, extended our reach. Many of these partnerships focused on historically Black colleges and universities, ensuring we reached students in places where civic infrastructure often falls short.
The Atlanta Rally
The tour culminated in Atlanta with a rally featuring Michelle Obama and cultural leaders, performances by DJ D-Nice, Ari Lennox, Blanco Brown, and the Clark Atlanta University drumline, woven together with powerful calls to action from cultural and community leaders. A livestream extended the experience beyond the venue, while real-time social media coverage and follow-up content encouraged thousands of attendees and viewers alike to make a plan to vote. This comprehensive approach ensured that the rally wasn’t just a moment, but a catalyst for continued civic engagement.
By making voting feel personal, powerful, and culturally resonant, the Culture of Democracy Tour turned civic participation into something more than a duty. It became a movement grounded in culture, community, and joy.
The tour engaged more than 700,000 people in person through voter registration and education at music festivals, college campuses, sporting events, and pop-ups in key states. Our digital reach extended the message further, reaching more than 66 million people on social media, amplified by influencers, artists, athletes, and partners who helped translate civic messages into cultural moments.
The tour garnered over 2,000 press hits, helping solidify voter participation as not just a political act, but a cultural one. And critically, the tour led to over 300,000 voter registration actions, a direct outcome of our on-the-ground efforts and mobile-first tools. Whether on the ground at events or through social media as the most followed voting organization, When We All Vote met voters where they were to give them the information and resources they needed to make their voices heard.
The Culture of Democracy Tour made civic engagement feel different. We heard from thousands of young voters who said it was the first time they felt welcomed, excited, or even seen. They did not just register to vote; they felt like they belonged.
When We All Vote played a key role in closing the race and age voting gaps. We made voting accessible and fun to authentically connect with our target audience. 83 percent of the voters we registered in 2024 were Black, Brown, and young voters, and their turnout rates surpassed the national average.
