'I know what it's like to have a voice, and also what it's like to feel voiceless,' the Duchess of Sussex says.
Meghan Markle, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and more inspiring women across the globe are teaming up to encourage fans to vote in the upcoming 2020 election.
With fewer than 100 days to go until Election Day, Marie Claire recently asked "100 influential women" why they are voting as a way to shine a light on the importance of casting a ballot this fall.
“I know what it's like to have a voice, and also what it's like to feel voiceless," the Duchess of Sussex shared. "I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard. And that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard."
"One of my favorite quotes, and one that my husband [Prince Harry] and I have referred to often, is from Kate Sheppard, a leader in the suffragist movement in New Zealand, who said, 'Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops,'" she continued. "This is why I vote."
Winfrey shared similar sentiments, telling the outlet, "I vote for all the people who made a way -- out of no way -- so that I might live in a world of choices."
"I vote for those who marched and prayed and sacrificed and withstood humiliations and disrespect and devastation just trying to cast a ballot," she said. "I vote for those who died carrying the dream that one day their vote counted and could matter. I vote for the shoulders I stand on. Those who paid for the crown I get to wear."
Obama, meanwhile, said she's voting for two very important reasons.
"First -- it's something I do every election. I grew up seeing my father, who had multiple sclerosis, vote in every election no matter what. He knew just how important it was to make his voice heard and do his part to ensure we have competent leaders in office," she explained. "I'm not just talking about president of the United States; I'm talking about mayors, governors, senators, county supervisors, and everyone else. We need them all to have our best interests at heart. These folks make decisions that affect our daily lives -- from how our schools are run to how our neighborhoods are policed to how our tax dollars are used. And voting is how we make sure the leaders in office reflect our values."
"When we all vote, we take our power back. And that's the other big reason I'm voting: Because this election could not be [more] important, especially at a time of such uncertainty and upheaval," she added. "The truth is, a lot of folks are hoping we start questioning the power of our votes. So we've got to get registered and turn out -- in person or through our mail-in ballots. It’s the surest path to achieve the changes that we seek."
Other activists and leaders featured in the piece included Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, comedian Chelsea Handler, actress Laverne Cox and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. As the article states, "this month marks the centennial of women’s right to vote -- though not all women were able to exercise that right immediately. The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, but it took an additional 45 years for the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to ban discriminatory Jim Crow laws that disenfranchised Black people. The fight continues today with voters in counties across the nation battling discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect people of color."
Election Day is Nov. 3, 2020 -- head over to Vote.org to register to vote and to get all the latest information.
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