Warnock Speaks to Emory University Community Members – He Encourages Students to Vote in the Upcoming Runoff

About 120 Emory University community members heard Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga) speak on campus on November 19. Warnock was campaigning for reelection as a senator and said as an advocate for the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. Warnock grew up in public housing as the second youngest of 12 children and picked Morehouse College (Ga.) since it was King’s alma mater.

He spoke highly of King, saying he respected how King used his faith “not as a weapon, but as a bridge” to motivate others to risk everything for civil rights. To encourage voting in the upcoming runoff, the Young Democrats of Emory hosted Warnock in the auditorium of the University’s Mathematics and Science Center.

He went to Morehouse and claimed to have actively worked to put Kings’ values into action, citing his arrest for civil disobedience in 1999 in response to the police killing of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant in New York City. According to Anish Machine (24B), it is unusual for a senator to strike such a chord with the student body’s younger demographic as Warnock did.

Warnock can win again if students at Emory cast their ballots early

“The method in which he related to us as young people and college students was incredibly compelling,” Machine added. “I found it very encouraging that he could draw on his own experiences as a college student; it gave him a more genuine and approachable air.”

Warnock explained to the Wheel, “Last week, I finished first, but getting into a runoff is like beginning all over again.” Therefore, the individuals who showed up must return, and I am victorious. Divya Kishore (23C), the vice president of the Young Democrats at Emory, thinks Warnock can win again if students at Emory cast their ballots early.

Kishore urged students to vote, saying, “I simply would call on folks to vote and show the world again that Georgia can swing blue, and it can come blue partly because of Emory students.” Before declaring himself the “sole serious candidate in this election,” Warnock used his speech to highlight the areas where he and Walker differ ideologically.

He noted that Walker is strongly opposed to abortion despite his support for access to reproductive healthcare and abortion, especially in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s overturn. In an apparent jab at the allegations that Walker paid for the abortions of his ex-girlfriends, Warnock called Walker’s stance “rather curious,” drawing chuckles from the audience.

Warnock doesn’t afraid to touch on those topics that may be considered controversial

In retrospect, May Zhou (23B) praised Warnock for his willingness to “touch on those topics that may be considered controversial.” Many young folks find inspiration in talking about abortion, according to Sultan Minhas (22C), who thinks Warnock got the “largest cheers” when he did so.

Warnock also spoke on his efforts to make higher education more affordable, referencing legislation he co-sponsored, the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2021. Pell Grants are federal grants for undergraduates with exceptional financial needs, and the Act sought to extend their availability and fight for relief from student debt.

According to what Warnock told the Wheel, he has been able to raise $6 billion in funding for HBCUs during his presidency. Warnock said to applause from the students, “This is the work that I’m committed to doing.

“Standing up for the next generation as you push us closer towards our ideals, standing up for workers, standing up for those who live on the margins of our society, standing up for the dreamers for whom this country is the only country that they’ve ever known”. He said.

source: emorywheel.com