The Andrew Goodman Foundation

 

About the Andrew Goodman Foundation

At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Andrew "Andy" Goodman joined Freedom Summer of 1964 to register African Americans to vote. On his first day in Mississippi, the Ku Klux Klan murdered Andy and two other civil rights workers, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner. Their murders catalyzed a movement to oppose racist practices that discriminated against African-American voters at the polls in Mississippi and throughout the United States.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation was created in 1966 by Robert and Carolyn Goodman to carry on the spirit and purpose of their son Andy's life and to advance the lessons of Freedom Summer, the Civil Rights Movement, and non-violent social action. [The Andrew Goodman Foundation] launched in 2014 in an effort to continue the Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner legacy by bringing voter and civic engagement to the forefront of student experiences at colleges and universities in the United States.

Mission
To make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy.

Vision
Our vision is that young people will become active, engaged citizens who ensure a just democracy and sustainable future.

 

About the Vote Everywhere Program

Vote Everywhere, The Andrew Goodman Foundation's signature program, builds a national, non-partisan, civic engagement movement of student leaders and university partners. Since its inception, Vote Everywhere has expanded to 24 states, plus Washington D.C., and engages over 100 student Ambassadors. The current network of 56 campuses encompasses a voting population of nearly a million students.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation partners with colleges and universities throughout the United States in order to create dynamic hubs of student civic participation and grassroots organizing. We are focused on experiential civic education, which [the Andrew Goodman Foundation] believes is essential to the health of our democracy. Nationwide, [Vote Everywhere] Ambassadors educate, engage, and empower their peers by tackling voter participation, public policy, and advocacy issues on campuses and in their communities. [The Andrew Goodman Foundation's] commitment to encouraging a sense of civic responsibility among young people contributes to their "whole-person" education and reinvigorates our democracy.

The United States Supreme Court case Shelby v. Holder (2013) reinforced Vote Everywhere's importance. The case struck down provisions of the Voting Rights Actions of 1965 that had protected historically disenfranchised voting populations, sparking an alarming rise in restrictions to voting rights in more than 20 states. It is now especially important to ensure that eligible voters are informed, registered, and get out the vote.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation tackles today's issues, and also connects to the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. Vote Everywhere Ambassadors honor the Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner legacy by continuing their work to register voters and mobilize young people.

 

Points of Pride

In 2015, Stony Brook University partnered with The Andrew Goodman Foundation to bring the Vote Everywhere program to campus. Since then, Vote Everywhere at Stony Brook University has been nationally recognized for its commitment to advancing democratic engagement among college students.

Since 2015, Stony Brook University has:

• • Successfully registered over 25,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students to vote
  • Increased voter turnout among all students by 23% from 2012 to 2016 in Presidential Elections
  • Increased voter turnout among all students by 289% from 2014 to 2018 in Midterm Elections
  • Achieved a voter turnout rate of 86% at its on-campus polling site in 2016, which was the highest of any polling site in the nation for the Presidential Election
  • Institutionalized voter registration to ensure that all students can register to vote before their first day of classes
  • Introduced over $4,200 in annual scholarships for students committed to civic justice