FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2026
Contact: press@nationalvoterregistrationday.org
Art Meets Action: LA Hope Dealer and National Voter Registration Day Bring Project HOPE to 15 Community College Campuses Nationwide
Supported by Levi Strauss Foundation and Levi Strauss & Co., the bold new public art initiative turns community college campuses into canvases for creativity, connection and civic action on September 15
Boston, MA—On September 15, artist Corie Mattie, otherwise known as the LA Hope Dealer, and National Voter Registration Day, the organization behind the country’s largest single-day civic holiday dedicated to voter registration, will bring Project HOPE to 15 community colleges nationwide turning campuses into canvases for art, action and voter registration.
Students will use temporary chalk spray paint and stencils to create collaborative installations around five phrases: HOPE AS A VERB, LOVE AS A VERB, JOY AS A VERB, CARE AS A VERB, and VOTE IS A VERB. Each installation begins with the same message but is shaped by the students who contribute to it, creating a visible reminder that communities are built through participation and action.
“Hope does not appear on its own. It has to be made visible. In a time when it’s easy to feel disconnected from one another, I wanted to create an artwork that could only exist through participation. Project HOPE starts with a phrase, but it’s completed by the people who show up. I want each person to leave with the reminder that even small actions can help shape the future of a community,” said Corie Mattie, LA Hope Dealer.
That idea of showing up is also at the heart of National Voter Registration Day. The annual nonpartisan civic holiday is powered by thousands of local partners who bring voter registration into the places where people already live, work, learn and gather. Their work, and efforts like Project HOPE, directly feed into this year’s theme, “Built by Us, Powered by Us.”
Each Project HOPE installation is designed as a local expression of a larger idea: that small actions can help shape stronger communities. In the weeks leading up to National Voter Registration Day, Mattie and participating campuses will share artwork, stories and examples of how people are putting hope, care, joy, love and voting into action.
“Project HOPE makes the spirit of National Voter Registration Day something students can actually see, touch and be part of,” said Chyann Sapp, Campaign Director for National Voter Registration Day. “You can add your mark to the artwork, register to vote, bring a friend over or start a conversation. Those actions may feel small on their own, but multiply them across a campus, then across 15 campuses, and you start to see what it looks like when people show up for their communities.”
The involvement of the Levi Strauss Foundation and Levi Strauss & Co. stems from a longstanding recognition that democracy works best when people are active, engaged and able to participate in civic life. The Levi Strauss Foundation is supporting Project HOPE as part of its work to nurture a strong and inclusive democracy, while Levi Strauss & Co. is continuing its work through the Community College Commitment to address the gap in voter registration and participation between community college students and their peers at four-year institutions.
“Project HOPE is exciting because it will utilize shared creative experiences to create meaningful entry points into civic life and strengthen connection across communities,” says Fatima Angeles, Executive Director, Levi Strauss Foundation. “Through our support and the support of LS&Co., we’re helping community college campuses create National Voter Registration Day experiences that reflect the interests, energy and creativity of students, and making civic participation more accessible and engaging.”
“Los Angeles Community College is excited to bring Project HOPE to campus as part of our renewed commitment to civic engagement. This national public art initiative from LA Hope Dealer, in partnership with National Voter Registration Day, gives our students a unique opportunity to engage with civic participation through art and community. We hope the experience sparks conversations, encourages students to get involved, and reminds them that their voices and perspectives matter,” Dr. Adrien Carter, LA Community College, one of the participating campuses.
National Voter Registration Day takes place Tuesday, September 15, 2026, when thousands of organizations nationwide will host voter registration events in their communities.
For more information about Project HOPE, including details, early videos and pictures of the installations, visit nationalvoterregistrationday.org/project-hope/.
For questions, comments, or to set up an interview with a spokesperson contact Kelsea-Marie Pym via press@nationalvoterregistrationday.org.
National Voter Registration Day is the country’s largest single-day civic holiday dedicated to voter registration. Since 2012, the holiday has brought together thousands of organizations and volunteers each year to help millions of Americans register to vote or update their voter registration through events, outreach, and trusted community institutions.
National Voter Registration Day is made possible by a broad coalition of Premier Partners and Community Partners across a diverse array of industries and fields, as well as the generous financial support of its sponsors including Google, Andrew Carnegie Foundation, Civic Responsibility Project, Microsoft, Paramount, Creative Arts Agency, Levi Strauss & Co., PayPal, National Basketball Association and Snap. The collaborative holiday is managed and fiscally sponsored by Nonprofit VOTE.