For Immediate release

Contact: Rev. David Wilson

             Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference

             405.632.2006

              <dwilson@oimc.org>

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK March 4, 2008

Rock the Native Vote

An initiative by the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC) of the United Methodist Church plans to register American Indians to allow them to participate in the political process.  "A group of ten persons of all ages have been meeting since late last year to regroup and focus on efforts to engage American Indians in this process, " said Rev David Wilson, Conference Superintendent of the OIMC, and chair of the RNV.

Rock the Native Vote (RNV) was first established in 2004 as an attempt to register young Americans Indians to vote.  The RNV effort culminated in a large concert that was held June 5, 2004.  The organization worked in conjunction with the National Congress of Indians.

This year's plans include enlistment of Amercian Indian students from several of the Oklahoma colleges and universities.  "We hope to enlist them to help us set up registration booths at major native events in their communities." stated Wilson.  The RNV first offical endeavor was in late February with the support of a gathering of Indian students at Southwestern State University in Weatherford.  Native students from most of the state and private colleges and universities gathered there for a leadership conference.  Rev Chebon Kernell, vice-chair of RNV, reported that, "we were successful in signing up twenty-two volunteers."  The RNV will now sponsor training for the group on hoe to register persons to vote, motiate native persons to vote, and other pertinent information.

The group also has major events targeted where they will set up registration booths.  They will also utilize the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic as a resourse for registering voters.  The final Rock the Native Vote event will be a rally on November 1, 2008, which will feature prominent American Indian leaders from Oklahoma.

The Rock the Native Vote began with concerns from American Indian leaders that native persons were not participating in the voting process.  A recent report from the Institue of American Indians Arts Chronicle listed the following resons why American Indian college students don't vote;

• Their vote doesn't count
• They had a loss of confidence in the voting process and lack of a good choice in candidates
• Didn't want to register to vote
• Voting was a waste of time
• Did not know how to register

This initiative hopes to change those attitudes. 

For more information contact: Rev David Wilson at 405.632.2006 or at <dwilson@oimc.org>