On Sunday Nov 1, Tallahassee A.L.E.R.T. hosted The Turnout, an event dedicated to celebrating civic duty and mobilizing and informing voters in Frenchtown, one of Tallahassee’s most historic black neighborhoods. The event combined voting information with community activities to raise awareness of Frenchtown’s community resources and encourage civic engagement. Free food and drinks were provided along with live music and games.
A.L.E.R.T. is the African American Local Election Review Team. Their main purpose is to inform, encourage, and empower voters while holding elected officials accountable, and make sure they are working towards the needs of local communities.
The turnout brought together state Rep. Gallop Franklin, who represents Florida House District 8; FAMU alumnus and activist Devin Nobles Jr.; and Dr. Camille Lewis to discuss Frenchtown’s history and emphasize the importance of political participation beyond Election Day.
“Right now, there’s been decisions made at the city level, at the state level, and they are disregarding the needs of Frenchtown,” said Bruce Strouble, chairperson for Tallahassee A.L.E.R.T. “Their needs are not prioritized. They’re treated as afterthoughts, something secondary, not a priority of the community. That’s a long-standing practice.”
A main pillar of the event was making voting a more appealing and engaging process for both longtime voters and those participating for the first time. Speakers emphasized that voting should not feel like an obligation that only comes around during major elections, but rather an opportunity for community members to have a voice in the decisions that directly affect their everyday lives.
“Voting is the exact same way. Even if you might cast a ballot in the wrong direction the first time, it’s still making you exercise reading and paying attention to what’s happening, and eventually you start making the better decisions in the future,” Franklin said.
Organizers also wanted to highlight the resources and opportunities available in Frenchtown. The Frenchtown Neighborhood Improvement Association (FNIA) provided the space for the event and offers a communal kitchen where local business owners can prepare food, develop their skills and grow their businesses. The space is intended to help local entrepreneurs overcome barriers and create opportunities for growth.
Travis Roberts, owner of Just Lemons LLC, was one of three vendors at The Turnout and a proud member of the Frenchtown community. He has been in business for just over two years and said he has consistently felt the support of Frenchtown residents throughout that time.
“I love Frenchtown. I love the people in Frenchtown. People in Frenchtown love us. We’re a family-oriented business,” said Roberts. “I’m here to stay.”
The event offered a shuttle service to transport attendees directly to their designated polling locations. During the event, organizers said approximately 120 people stopped by, and 11 attendees used the shuttle service to get to the polls. Beyond The Turnout, A.L.E.R.T. plans to continue raising awareness of the resources available through the FNIA shared space and educating community members about the political process.
“We go to the representatives, whether that’s the county commission, city commission, state representatives, and we say this is what our people need. These are the policies they need, and we’re going to hold people accountable to make sure those policies are implemented,” said Strouble.
Through conversations about political representation, community involvement and the importance of local elections, attendees were encouraged to view voting as a way to create meaningful change.
