League members in Snohomish County didn’t know what to expect when they joined forces with the Seattle and Bellevue Alumnae Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (DST), for a Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) effort at the 33rd Nubian Jam Festival last month in Everett. 

But with only 35-40 percent of the registered voters in Snohomish County voting in primary elections, members from both groups do know they need to increase participation.  

That awareness is what drew them to the Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee-sponsored event July 25 at Forest Park. 

The national League of Women Voters, formed in 1920, has partnered with DST, a historically African-American sorority, to activate, expand and support civic collaboration between sorority chapters and Leagues nationwide. Founded at Howard University in 1913, the sorority’s members marched in the national suffrage parade in Washington, D.C., that year, the first civil rights parade in the capital city.  

Mountlake Terrace’s mayor, Steve Woodward, who served as the jam’s emcee, set the stage for the event, which featured music, art, fashion, vendors, basketball and youth activities. 

Snohomish League member Nadine Shanti, who chairs the local League’s Community Outreach Committee, said representatives from the two organizations spoke with more than 100 jam attendees about the Aug. 4 election. Most said they had received their ballots and voter pamphlets. “We urged registered voters to take that next step and cast their votes in this crucial election.” Volunteers also emphasized the importance of returning ballots early and using county drop boxes, she said. 

Shanti said the League’s partnership with DST Alumnae chapters is an integral part of its GOTV efforts in Snohomish County.  “These two non-partisan organizations are committed to talking with diverse community members on the ground, where we celebrate, learn, worship and teach.”  

Earlier in July, the groups joined for a community outreach at Bailey AME, one of Snohomish County’s oldest Black churches. That prompted an invitation to the Seattle King County League and DST sorority alumnae to participate in outreach at the AME Church convention in Tukwila this month.  

Additional August plans for the partner organizations included an invitation to The Sounds of Africa Festival. That is an annual cultural celebration featuring live African music, dance and community activities at Garfield Park in Everett, sponsored by the Washington West African Center. 

One of LWVSC’s volunteers, JeShawna Schmidt, who is also a DST member, exemplifies the power of collaboration. “Not every organization values the fullness of who a person is,” she said.  

“I am grateful to be part of organizations that create space for people to bring their whole selves to the work of educating, empowering and strengthening our communities. That is where meaningful change and lasting impact begins.”  

Reporting by Nadine Shanti — Nadine.shanti@gmail.com