On Oct. 5, 2022, Niagara University’s Ostapenko Center for Race, Equity and Mission partnered with the university’s social work department to engage members of the Niagara Falls community in a voter education campaign. Senior social work students provided information to members of the Niagara Falls community at numerous locations, including the Niagara Falls Public Library, Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative, the NFTA bus station on Portage Road, Mount Saint Mary’s Neighborhood Health Center, Community Missions, and Heart, Love and Soul, to increase awareness about voter registration, legislative changes for the formerly incarcerated, voter suppression activities, polling access, and absentee ballots. They had important conversations with the community members about voting and voter registration, and registered people to vote in the 14301 and 14305 zip codes of Niagara Falls.
In addition to facilitating voter registration in Niagara Falls, social work students also did voter outreach in the Gallagher Center and the Dining Commons on the university’s campus.