East Carolinian

Issue date: 9/30/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Aileen Devlin

Media Credit: Aileen Devlin

Jurnee Smollett (The Great Debaters) made a grand entrance Friday at about 4:15 p.m., appearing in front of dozens of ECU students, faculty and staff, members of the community and Sen. Barack Obama supporters, to speak about the importance of voting, registering to vote and Obama's presidential campaign.

First, Smollett, 21, joined a crowd of students in the middle of the floor to dance to the "Cupid Shuffle."

"Hi y'all," she yelled.

Black Student Union President Allen Thomas then formally introduced Smollett to the crowd, who had gathered around the stage where the actress would speak.

"It's a great day for the Democrats," Thomas said. "Jurnee Smollett is [here], and [has been] traveling across the country to spread the message of change."

Thomas outlined various TV series that Smollett has played in, including "Full House," "Hanging With Mr. Cooper," "Grey's Anatomy" and "House."

The actress then took the stage amidst an eruption of applause.

"[I]'ve been traveling around the country, invading college campuses," Smollett said. "[I] want y'all to feel the burden that [I] feel, and be a part of this movement that [I] have been a part of for so long. I wanted to come here and tell you why I'm so passionate about this campaign."

Smollett said that she had never campaigned for a presidential candidate before, but wanted to step out of her "comfort zone" for this election.

"When I researched [Obama's] policies on certain issues that would affect my life and my family's life, and my relatives and friends that I care about, I was like, 'this is the person that I want running my country,' because not only does he come from people like us-now, I'm not saying Black people-but he comes from ordinary folks."

Smollett appealed to the crowd, saying that Obama's campaign needed people like them for a win in November.

"Barack can't do it without every living, breathing person who is tired of not having health care, tired of having your mom and your aunts and your uncles and your fathers having their homes foreclosed," she said. "We need your help."

"You know what the experts say about us," Smollett said. "They say that between the ages of 18 and 35, we're apathetic and we don't close the deal. We need to take this campus, we need to take this city, [and] we need to take this state, because then we can take the nation. Let's all join together."

After her speech, Smollett led the group to the back of the room to register to vote, receive pamphlets of information about Obama's campaign and of course, to take pictures.

Smollett's stop at ECU was part of her nation-wide tour. The actress has already visited campuses in several states, including New York, Nevada, California, South Carolina and Pennsylvania since she started campaigning for Obama in January of this year. Smollett says that she has seen college students engaged in this campaign more than ever before.

"I've seen an excitement about the process," she said. "I've seen people engaged who would never have been engaged before this time."

Before Smollett arrived, participants were treated to pizza, candy and music. "ECU for Obama" T-shirts were on sale at the event as well.

The event was sponsored by ECU Students for Obama, the ECU Democrats and the statewide Barack Obama campaign.



This writer can be contacted at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

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