FCNL and Friends have long advocated for equitable access to the ballot box. We believe our democracy—like Quaker faith—needs all our voices to thrive.
The right to vote is under attack. In the United States today, far too many people—especially people of color—are facing restrictions and barriers to their voting rights, reminiscent of the Jim Crow days. As state legislatures continue to enact voter suppression laws, Congress stalls the national voting rights debate, and the midterm elections approach, how can we ensure everyone’s vote counts?
FCNL’s Director for Justice Reform José Woss and local voting rights advocate Jaycee Brown will dialogue on their efforts to expand access to the ballot box through policy advocacy and local organizing. FCNL’s Bobby Trice will moderate the conversation.
Speakers
José Woss
José is FCNL’s director for justice reform. He oversees our work on justice reform, election integrity, and policing. He helps to lead the Interfaith Criminal Justice Coalition, an alliance of more than 40 national faith groups advocating to end mass incarceration.
Prior to joining FCNL, José was the Policy Fellow for the American Friends Service Committee bringing Quaker values to a busy policy portfolio consisting of criminal justice reform, human rights, and peacebuilding research. His passion for racial justice led him to help lead a coalition advocating for the human rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent facing statelessness. José is a proud son of immigrants who’s passionate about political process, public service, and social justice. He is a member of Friends Meeting of Washington.
Jaycee Brown
Jaycee Brown, a native of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work with a community, organization, and social action concentration. She received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Mississippi (UM) as a first-generation student.
During her undergraduate career, she was a Mississippi Votes Democracy in Action Fellow. There she advocated for voting rights and student civic engagement. Jaycee also led the inaugural team of Voting Ambassadors at UM that aimed to increase political literacy and participation among students. When she’s not writing research papers, you can find her cuddled up with her cat Stevi Rose and a good book.
Bobby Trice
Bobby is FCNL’s Quaker outreach coordinator. In this role, he cultivates relationships with Friends and coordinates FCNL staff and volunteer engagement with Quaker communities across the country. Bobby also visits Friends himself to offer messages and workshops on Quaker lobbying. He is passionate about deepening and supporting Quakers’ spirit-led advocacy on Capitol Hill and around the nation.