wfn.org | Last Let Justice Roll GOTV Event Miami 10/31; Bush, Kerry

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					

MIAMI "LET JUSTICE ROLL" OCT. 31 FOCUSES ON GOTV; BUSH, KERRY INVITED
Final Event in a 15-City Campaign to Raise Poverty as Priority Election Issue

Washington, D.C., October 20, 2004 - Presidential candidates George W. Bush
and John F. Kerry have been invited to "LET JUSTICE ROLL: Faith & Community
Voices Against Poverty," a worship service and rally at 7 p.m. on Sunday,
Oct. 31 at St. Paul AME Church, 1892 NW 51st Terrace in Miami, Fla. The event
will bring together people of faith, public officials, community leaders and
the general public in a major "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) effort to stress the
importance of voting on Tuesday, Nov. 2. 

The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister of The Riverside Church in
New York City, widely regarded as one of the nation's top preachers, is the
keynote speaker for this service, which marks the culmination of a nationwide
effort in 15 cities to press public officials and those running for office on
what they plan to do to end poverty, and to educate, register, mobilize and
protect voters. This event was originally scheduled to take place the weekend
of Sept. 24-26, however, was postponed because of Hurricane Jeanne.

"It is perhaps a very fitting end for this campaign, which has mobilized
thousands of faith-based, community and low-income people across the country,
to have its final stop in Miami-Dade County, Florida," said Rev. Dr. Paul
Sherry, director of the "Let Justice Roll" campaign, which is sponsored by
the National Council of Churches USA and the Center for Community Change.

"This was the very place where the 2000 election was decided and we hope that
we will be able to encourage all registered voters to go to the polls and
cast their ballots on Election Day," he said. 

The "Let Justice Roll" campaign has been met with incredible excitement and
enthusiasm since its launch in June with an average attendance of nearly
1,000 at each event and more than 100,000 people having registered to vote,
Dr. Sherry reported. 

The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, the nation's most far-reaching
effort to protect voter rights from now through Election Day and beyond, will
be handing out information about the right to vote, including the Florida
Voters' Bill of Rights.  Election Protection provides a toll-free number,
1-866-OUR-VOTE, that provides free, immediate and multi-lingual assistance to
help voters with questions about registration and voting and to assist voters
who encounter barriers to the ballot box.  With early voting already
beginning in Florida, Election Protection aims to ensure that every eligible
voter has the right to vote and have that vote counted. 

Because it will be held the Sunday before the 2004 Election, event organizers
are preparing to have a substantial crowd for this very special worship
service and rally. 

"Let Justice Roll" takes its name from the book of Amos: "Let Justice roll
down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream..." (Amos
5:24 NRSV).  In addition to the National Council of Churches USA and the
Center for Community Change, sponsors have included a host of national, state
and local religious, faith-based, and community organizations. The "Let
Justice Roll" campaign has crisscrossed the nation with rallies, candidate
forums, voter registration activities and worship services, to make the issue
of ending poverty part of the discourse in this year's presidential election.

-end-

EDITOR'S NOTE: There will be a reception for local clergy and the media at
5:30 p.m. at St. Paul AME Church. For more information, please contact Rev.
Leslie Tune, 202-544-2350, ext. 11 (office), 202-297-2191 (cell) or
ltune@ncccusa.org. 

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  This "Let Justice Roll" event originally was scheduled to
be held at New Birth Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith International in
conjunction with the Sept. 25 Hip Hop Voter Revival and Youth Forum.  Due to
a scheduling conflict at New Birth, the rescheduled event will be held at St.
Paul AME Church, where the Rev. Vincent F. Mitchell is pastor.	Although the
Hip Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) will not hold the Hip Hop Voter Revival
and Youth Forum that was scheduled for Sept. 25, they will be in Miami that
day with the "Hip Hop Team Vote" GOTV bus tour. 

NCC Media CONTACT: Leslie Tune, 202/544-2350 Ext. 11

National Council of Churches
110 Maryland Ave., N.E., Suite 108
Washington, DC 20002
www.ncccusa.org