Missouri Jobs with Justice, working as part of the broader WE CAN coalition, won a tremendous victory when the deceptively named Missouri "Civil Rights" Initiative failed to turn in signatures which would have placed a constitutional ban on affirmative action on the November ballot.
Missouri Jobs with Justice coordinated a three-month volunteer crew of voter educators including Cathy Goldstein and Palmer Alexander pictured here. Hundreds of voter educators combed the streets of their communities, day in and day out, to find petitioners. Once they found petitioners, educators stood alongside them and made sure voters knew exactly what the deceptively-named "Missouri Civil Rights Initiative" would do to Missouri.
Volunteers logged well over a thousand hours educating voters, and JwJ leaders spent hundreds more desiging the campaign to protect Missouri's constitution and affirmative action policies. Often, petitioners gave up signature gathering on a site when they encountered our volunteers. When they learned the real intention behind the petition, Missouri voters throughout the state declined to sign, saying no to these paid political operatives and their designs on Missouri's constitution.
Jobs with Justice worked in coalition with Missouri ACORN whose voter educators also worked throughout the state to complement the volunteer crews. Other WE CAN Coalition partners helped in the streets and spearheaded community education efforts such as public forums, a speakers bureau and press conferences throughout the campaign.
Facing millions of dollars in outside money and hundreds of paid political operatives, Jobs with Justice leaders took action, made a significant time commitment and preserved Missouri's constitution and our democracy. Congratulations on this incredible victory!
