John Legend, Kerry Washington, Stevie Wonder and LeToya Luckett-Coles Lend Voices to Harris
John Legend, Kerry Washington, Stevie Wonder and LeToya Luckett-Coles are lending their voices to Kamala Harris’ campaign in a new radio push aimed at targeting Black voters.
As part of a Democratic presidential candidate’s first-ever seven-figure “I Will Vote” ad campaign, the recognizable voices will appear in ads in 55 Black publications and on 48 Black radio stations across the country.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
The ads feature the influential singers/actors/producers sharing how Democrats are fighting for lower prescription drug prices, access to reproductive health care and an economy that works for everyone while stressing the importance of voting.
“This is Kerry Washington, and I am here to remind you that your vote is your voice, and your voice is your power,” says the Scandal actress and activist in her ad. “If you want an economy that works for all of us, if you want to lower the cost of living, if you want a president that puts us and our communities first, then you got to get out and vote.”
Luckett-Coles messages in her ad, “Y’all, there are several women in states across this country that are literally dying because they rolled away our rights to reproductive health care. We have to show up to the polls, and we have to vote. We have to speak up. We have to show up. We can be the change.”
Legend says, “Voting is the best way to make sure we get the progress that we’re looking for” and Wonder urges, “This election, all elections, are so important. It determines our future.”
“This investment showcases Democrats’ unwavering commitment to reaching Black voters where they are and through the platforms they trust — including familiar Black voices that will reach them on the airwaves — to ensure they have the resources they need to cast their ballot in the most important election of our lifetimes,” says Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison in a statement.
The ads launched as Democrats engaged with young Black voters at Spelman College and Morehouse College for Spelhouse Homecoming over the weekend for the final stop of the DNC’s HBCU Homecoming Tour in partnership with BET We V.O.T.E.
“Black voters are the heart of the Democratic Party and we are not taking them for granted,” adds DNC National Political Director Brencia Berry.
On Friday, Harris reached more voters when Beyoncé made an appearance at her Houston rally and endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee.
“We are at the precipice of an enormous shift,” Beyoncé told the crowd. “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother, a mother who cares about the world our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we are not divided, our past or present or future.”
She added, “We’re all part of something much bigger. We must vote and we need you.”
The 32-time Grammy-winning singer, who was joined by mother Tina Knowles and country music’s Willie Nelson, has been among the high-profile Hollywood supporters for Harris, as her “Freedom” track has become the anthem for Harris’ 2024 campaign. But Beyoncé’s appearance put an end to months of rumors about when the Cowboy Carter crooner would publicly endorse Harris.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.