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 By Jerry Dunfey and Nadine Hack Editor's Note: Jerry Dunfey is the 1974 founding president of Global Citizens Circle (GCC).. Nadine Hack has been actively involved with GCC for 40 of its 50 years. They are fervent citizen activists. We asked them to share their views on the importance of voting. There is a Sweet Honey in the Rock song that we love. Its lyrics are: We who believe in freedom cannot rest We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons Is as important as the killing of white men, white mothers' sons That which touches me most is that I had a chance to work with people Passing on to others that which was passed on to me To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail And if I can but shed some light as they carry us through the gale The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on Is when the reins are in the hands of the young, who dare to run against the storm.  So many people dedicated their lives to the struggle for all Americans to have the right to vote. We were privileged to know many of them like Congressman John Lewis to whom in 2003 prior GCC board chairs Eleanor Dunfey and Tito Jackson presented the Global Citizens award. We love his anthem, ‘Make good trouble!’ It’s a struggle that continues today with too many people disenfranchised from the right to vote in the US and throughout the world. Lewis and his colleagues like Coretta Scott King who GCC honored with the same award at a 1999 Circle joined by GCC Honorary Chairs Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Ambassador Andrew Young. Lewis worked for the 1963 Voting Rights Act struck down in 2013 and being championed by a new act in Lewis’ name. Long-time GCC friend John Hume, fighter for the rights of all in Northern Ireland was there too. Hume led a 1978 Circle.   We were honored to present the Global Citizens Award to Nelson Mandela shortly after he was released from prison in 1990. Over the decades from the 1970s, GCC hosted many Circles anti-apartheid freedom fighters including Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo, Desmond and Leah Tutu and other lesser-known champions of a free and just South Africa so every person regardless of their race or political view would have the opportunity to vote. In that country, as in the US, Northern Ireland and other places around the world people gave their lives for this right, murdered because of their activism. We must honor them and keep their legacies alive by ensuring that everyone who wants to vote can vote.  With so many having sacrificed so much, we feel a sacred obligation to ‘make good trouble’ and ensure that people take seriously their right to vote. This is why we were and are active in social justice movements throughout the world and why we campaign during every US election. Jerry began in 1952 and 1956 with ‘Madly for Adlai." Nadine began a decade later in the 1964 election. The two of us have campaigned in every election since, including Barack Obama in 2008 and now Kamala Harris in 2024. Regardless of your personal political perspectives, we encourage you to vote as it’s the price of democracy. We hope you vote for the person you believe will best protect democracy, a choice that’s clear to us; but whatever your persuasion, do not give up this hallowed responsibility to your nation.  From 1974 until the present, Global Citizens Circle has highlighted the voices of democracy activists from China, Afghanistan, Syria and countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Coretta and Dr Martin Luther King’s granddaughter Yolanda Renee King co-led a 2019 Circle "In the Footsteps of Giants: Grounding and Growing the Dream." In 2020 then 22-year-old Jahnavi Rao founder New Voters and then 96-year-old Robert Jay Lifton National Book Award winner, life-long advocate of peaceful, socially just and an economically sustainable world co-led a Circle "Defending Democracy." We hope that our democracy comes through with flying colors in Tuesday’s election! Please note: Each week, we invite members of the greater Global Citizens Circle community to contribute to GCC Voices. The views and opinions expressed in each blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Global Citizens Circle. Regardless of your personal political perspectives, we encourage you to vote as it’s the price of democracy. We hope you vote for the person you believe will best protect democracy, a choice that’s clear to us; but whatever your persuasion, do not give up this hallowed responsibility to your nation.
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 By Dr. Shanita M. Williams Growing up, just about every child had “circle time” during the school day. It was a point in the day where we’d move from our individual plainly colored desks to the center of the room, often sitting on a vibrantly colored rug that gave you a jolt of energy the moment you stepped onto it. We’d all scramble to that carpet for circle time, trying to find the perfect spot within the circle. I remember looking around to make sure no one was left outside of the circle and would encourage other kids to scoot over to make room if someone did. As I reflect on the many faces in the circle, I cannot help to feel blessed to have grown up with people from all walks of life in race, gender, socio-economic status and ability. I didn’t realize it at the time, but circle time would become one of my earliest memories on the value of diversity and the importance of inclusion. As a kid, the time in the circle was incredibly exciting…it was a moment of the day where we were closest to the teacher (literally sitting just a few inches away from their feet). It was an opportunity to put our pens down (or crayons for that matter) and engage in learning in a completely different way. No books, no overhead projector (I am dating myself), no worksheets, no flashcards, just me, myself and I. It was a signal that I was enough and that I had everything I needed for the circle. Looking back, it was really empowering. Circle time was also inspiring because it was not only an opportunity to listen to each other, but it was also an opportunity to see each other in a completely different way. The structure of the circle made the time special. We were right beside one another – not across the table from one another – and something about that felt good. We weren’t required to cite literature or recite the details of something; it was our opportunity to listen to each other, to see one another, share our perspective, and be inspired by one another. It was almost as if the words shared during “circle time” resonated more deeply than any other point in the day, leaving me feeling more knowledgeable, more connected to my peers, and seen as an individual. Now that you know how much I valued circle time as a kid, I am sure it’s no surprise to you that I was drawn to Global Citizens Circle (GCC). Through the use of global circles, Global Citizens Circle discussion leaders join in a moderated interactive conversation with participants from around the world, having courageous constructive conversations about some of the world’s most pressing topics. The experience and outcomes are similar to those I felt in a circle as a kid: people from all walks of life sharing stories, inspiring hope, deepening understanding, and motivating change.  In June 2022, I had the honor of moderating a GCC circle, “In the Footsteps of Giants: Grounding and Growing the Dream.” It was an inspiring discussion centered around intergenerational dialogue with Yolanda King, then 14-year-old activist and sole grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King as well as Khandace Wilkerson, a 2022 graduate of the Boston Latin Academy, who is involved in many community-based organizations in Boston. Together, they represent a generation of new voices that were born out of dreams of those who have come before them. It was a real treat for me to sit alongside the two of these young women and hear their thoughts on topics that the youth were most concerned about. We talked about voting rights, gun violence, activism, and tips for youth who want to make a difference. One of our discussion topics was around voting. As we enter the 2024 presidential election the youth vote (ages 18-34) has the potential to influence on the outcome in many states. As Yolanda King noted, “We need to make sure we (youth) are voting so that we elect politicians who will listen to the youth.” Her point was well taken. Many people have traditionally felt that our youth are “to be seen and not heard.” Khandace Wilkerson said, “They (youth) have power in their voice even, if they don’t use it; their thoughts matter, their ideas matter and they can change the world if they want to.” I have always believed in our youth, but after listening to these young women, it reinforced that if we only see them and not hear them, we are missing out on an incredible opportunity to positively shape the future of our country and, inevitably, the world. I remember hearing that one voice can cause an avalanche. These two young women, alongside the Global Citizens Circle, have started a volcanic eruption. What an honor it was to be a part of this circle and watch them pave their own way as they follow in the footsteps of giants. As I go back to my childhood circle time on the vibrantly colored carpet, I am reminded that it was not the adults in the room that inspired me most, it was my peers…the youth that did so. I am inspired by our youth: Khandance Wilkerson and Yolanda King will lead the next generation of leaders and become the giants so many will follow. That’s the power of a circle. Dr. Shanita Williams has focused on the employee experience for the last 15 years. She currently serves as the vice president of people experience and inclusion within Human Resources at Southern New Hampshire University. In her role, she collaborates with leaders and employees across the university to ensure that diversity and inclusion are embedded in all of our talent strategies, initiatives and programs that help recruit, retain and empower world class talent to deliver on the mission. Her areas of focus include employee engagement surveys, recognition and appreciation, employee networks, university-wide onboarding, bias response programs, coaching and helping people build a feedback mentality. Williams earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership, where her research centered on the lived experiences of African-American working mothers as students. Williams is the author of "The Feedback Mentality: The key to unlocking and unleashing your full potential" and a two-times TEDx speaker. Through the use of global circles, Global Citizens Circle discussion leaders join in a moderated interactive conversation with participants from around the world, having courageous constructive conversations about some of the world’s most pressing topics. - Dr. Shanita Williams Please note: Each week, we invite members of the greater Global Citizens Circle community to contribute to GCC Voices. The views and opinions expressed in each blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Global Citizens Circle.
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