‘RAKA THE VOTE!’ – Mobilizing Newly Naturalized Voters Through Music

National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA)

Challenge:

Ahead of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) aimed to increase voter participation among newly naturalized citizens and first-time voters in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. With barriers to civic engagement often affecting immigrant communities, NPNA sought a culturally relevant and engaging approach to encourage voter turnout.

Solution:

To inspire civic participation, NPNA launched RAKA THE VOTE!,’, a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) virtual concert, featuring the Grammy-nominated hip-hop group Los Rakas from Oakland, California, and Wisconsin-based Latin music group The Browns Crew. The concert was designed to energize and mobilize new voters through music and cultural storytelling.

NPNA partnered with Communications Shop to manage the event’s social media promotion, digital outreach, and live stream coordination. Our contributions included:

  • Social Media Strategy & Promotion: Developed and executed a targeted digital campaign to build excitement around the event, reaching thousands of potential voters across multiple platforms.
  • Live Stream Production & Technical Coordination: Managed the back-end execution of the virtual concert using StreamYard, ensuring a seamless connection between artists and audiences in Wisconsin and beyond.
  • Audience Engagement & Amplification: Implemented real-time digital engagement strategies, such as interactive posts, Q&A sessions, and voter resources, to sustain enthusiasm and encourage participation.

Impact:

The ‘RAKA THE VOTE!’ concert successfully reached new voters and underrepresented communities in Wisconsin, leveraging music as a powerful tool for civic engagement. The event:

Engaged thousands of viewers across digital platforms
Amplified voter participation messaging through culturally relevant storytelling
Created an inclusive and dynamic space for newly naturalized citizens to see their voices reflected in the democratic process

By combining digital innovation, cultural relevance, and strategic communications, Communications Shop played a key role in ensuring ‘RAKA THE VOTE!’ was not just a concert, but a movement for voter empowerment and civic participation.

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