Devon Franklin hosts faith-based voting event for Biden: We need to bring back justice, civility
Christian TV and film producer DeVon Franklin and his wife, actress Meagan Good, hosted a faith-inspired Biden for president event on Sunday.
The “GOTV L!VE: A Soul of the Nation Gospel Concert Special” was broadcast nationally via video stream and over 65 gospel stations.
"We are ready for a new administration, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the leaders that we need to see the progress and changes we all want," Franklin said at the beginning of the event.
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“We need to bring back justice, compassion and civility to our country. We've had over 220,000 American lives lost to COVID-19, millions unemployed and sliding into poverty and far too many black lives scarred and cut short by police brutality. And if we're honest, a justice system that has never worked for everyone. We cannot afford to sit around and wait for change; we have to become the change we want to see.”
The event also featured a video message from Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris.
“Normally, on these Sundays leading up to election we are gathering together at church with our family and our friends. And we're marching to the polls and strolling to the polls. But most importantly, exercising our right to vote,” Harris stated while encouraging everyone to go out and exercise their right to vote.
She continued, “As Americans, we support one another. As people of faith, we lift each other up. So today, we're bringing all the souls to the polls and sending all the get out the vote energy to you.”
The event featured messages from celebritiesm including Mary J. Blige, Samuel L. Jackson, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Wanda Sykes, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Bishop Leah Daughtry, and Pastor Howard-John Wesley. In the midst of the pleas given by everyone to vote was a promotional video by former Vice President Joe Biden who shared all the reasons he relies on his Catholic faith.
“Faith has gotten me through difficult times in my life — when I lost my wife and daughter, when my son had stage four glioblastoma. Personally, for me, faith is all about hope and purpose and strength. For me, my religion is just an enormous sense of solace. I go to Mass and I say the rosary, I find it to be incredibly comforting,” Biden said.
The presidential nominee quoted Søren Kierkegaard who said, “'Faith sees best in the dark.'” This phrase by the philosopher is reportedly taped to Biden’s mirror.
Biden continued, “Think of all the people you know who are going through horrible things and they get up every morning and they put one foot in front of the other. I'm marveled at people who absorb, hurt and just get back up. I'm absolutely, thoroughly convinced and optimistic about the prospects of this country. Now I really mean there is nothing you can't do.”
The event, held to motivate people of faith to vote for Biden and Harris in the upcoming election on Nov 3, also featured several musical performances. Performers included The Clark Sisters, who sang the tune “Victory,” MAJOR., Deborah Joy Winans, Juan Winans, and pop star JoJo. Others included in the line-up were J. J. Hairston, Tamela Mann who performed “Touch from you” and The Resistance Revival Chorus.
Before performing his song, Bishop William Murphy took a moment to call for unity for America and explained that he believed Biden was the candidate to bring that about.
“What America needs is a unifier. I'm excited about this Biden campaign because what the used to be United States of America needs now is a unifying voice,” Murphy said.
“Vice President Biden has the grace, I believe he's carrying the mantle to restore the soul of America."
The following video is the event in its entirety.
