Members and pastors of the community's black churches gathered together in Miami Gardens on Sunday to go to participate in "Souls to the Polls," a nationwide initiative to increase voter participation in the upcoming election.
Betty T. Ferguson park was much more than a park that afternoon. Music was playing and the smell of barbeque was in the air as local pastors and their congregations arrived by the busload to cast their votes early at the polling place.
Among the pastors in attendance was Pastor Keith Butler of Logos Baptist Church in Miami Gardens. Butler says Souls to the Polls helps underline the importance of making every voice heard.
“Our goal is to try to get them to understand that this isn’t a waste of time, this is important for the times," said Butler. "So food, DJs, doesn’t hurt.”
But Miami Gardens resident, Fletcher Johnson, wasn’t there to vote.
“I love it, free food. Who don’t love free food?" he laughed.
Don't worry, Johnson voted by mail 3 weeks ago, but came out to the park to spend time with his friends and neighbors.
Also in attendance was Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert. He said the black church has always been the place where community, religion, and politics intersect.
“It was the black church pressed the importance of not just our spiritual to connection God, but our communal connection to each other and our civic connection with the government,” said Gilbert.
There are7 scheduled Souls to the Polls events in south Florida for November 6th, the final Sunday before the election.
