FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2026
Contact: press@nationalvoterregistrationday.org
Students at 15 Community Colleges to Turn Campuses Into a Canvas for National Voter Registration Day
Project HOPE brings LA Hope Dealer Corie Mattie’s participatory art project to 15 community colleges nationwide on September 15
Boston, MA—On September 15, students at 15 community colleges nationwide will pick up chalk, spray paint, and stencils and help transform their campus for the nation’s largest nonpartisan civic day of voter registration, National Voter Registration Day.
These community college campuses are taking part in Project HOPE, a participatory public art project created with artist Corie Mattie, known as the LA Hope Dealer, in partnership with National Voter Registration Day and with support by the Levi Strauss Foundation. Students will build an installation around five phrases: HOPE AS A VERB, LOVE AS A VERB, JOY AS A VERB, CARE AS A VERB and VOTE IS A VERB.
Throughout the day, students will add their own mark to the installation while verifying their voter registration or registering to vote.
PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES:
- Austin Community College District (Austin, TX)
- Coahoma Community College (Clarksdale, MS)
- Elgin Community College (Elgin, IL)
- Gateway Technical College (Kenosha, WI)
- Hocking Technical College (Nelsonville, OH)
- Kaskaskia College (Centralia, IL)
- Los Angeles City College (Los Angeles, CA)
- Malcolm X College of City Colleges of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
- Manor College (Jenkintown, PA)
- Mesa Community College (Mesa, AZ)
- Mountwest Community & Technical College (Huntington, WV)
- North Country Community College (Saranac Lake, NY)
- North Florida College (Madison, FL)
- Owens Community College (Perrysburg, OH)
- Southside Virginia Community College (Keysville, VA)
WHAT: Project HOPE, a participatory public art and voter registration event for National Voter Registration Day
WHEN: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
BEST VISUAL TIME: 12-2pm (Note that activation will be ongoing throughout the day).
Project HOPE is supported by the Levi Strauss Foundation and Levi Strauss & Co.
Community colleges are at the center of Project HOPE for a reason. In the 2020 presidential election, the national voting rate among community college students was nearly 10 percentage points lower than the rate among students at four-year universities.
Closing that gap is a key pillar of Levi Strauss & Co.’s Community College Commitment, which works to increase nonpartisan voter participation among community college students. This National Voter Registration Day, Project HOPE is bringing that work directly to 15 campuses.
“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,” said Corie Mattie, LA Hope Dealer. “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.”
“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.”
Through support from the Levi Strauss Foundation and Levi Strauss & Co., Project HOPE is bringing creative civic engagement experiences to community college campuses across the country.
“Project HOPE is exciting because it will utilize shared creative experiences to create meaningful entry points into civic life and strengthen connection across communities,” said 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.”
“For Austin Community College, National Voter Registration Day is about celebrating civic engagement and how fun voting can be, but it’s also a critical opportunity for us to connect students with voter registration resources so they can make their voices heard on critical local and national issues. Bringing the Project Hope Mural alongside voter registration will transform in-person registration from a routine administrative task into an inspiring, creative celebration of student expression and community power. Through this activation, students can realize that registering to vote is the first action step toward turning their hopes for the future into tangible impact,” said Cassie Fitzgerald, Director of Government Affairs, Elections & Voter Registration, Austin Community College.
“National Voter Registration Day is especially important to Coahoma Community College because it connects directly to our mission of educating, empowering and preparing students to become engaged citizens and leaders in their communities. CCC serves students from the Mississippi Delta and beyond where decisions made by local and state leaders can have a tremendous impact on the quality of life in our communities. Registering is the first step toward participating in that process. At Coahoma, we are proud to do our part in ensuring that the next generation of voters and leaders are prepared to vote and engaged in the process!” said Karen Done, Director of Student Engagement and Services, Coahoma Community College.
“Gateway has celebrated National Voter Registration Day for many years. We provide nonpartisan information to encourage students to use their voices. We’re excited to bring the Project Hope Mural to campus because it’s a great way to illustrate that democracy is a creative process. Students can see how we all contribute to a bigger picture” said Sarah Marbes, Impact Program Coordinator, Gateway Technical College.
“National Voter Registration Day is important at Kaskaskia College because it gives students an accessible, nonpartisan opportunity to learn about voter registration and recognize the importance of participating in their communities. As a rural, commuter college serving students across a large geographic area, KC can help remove barriers by bringing voter information directly to students where they learn and connect. Bringing the Project Hope Mural and National Voter Registration Day together connects civic participation with a shared message of hope. The mural provides students with a creative way to express what they hope to see in their campus, communities, and future, while voter registration demonstrates one meaningful way they can help shape that future.We hope students leave the activation understanding that their experiences, ideas, and voices matter. Whether they register to vote, contribute to the mural, or begin a conversation with another student, we want them to recognize that civic engagement can begin with one simple action,” said Kali Michael, Student Activities and Retention Coordinator, Kaskaskia College.
“National Voter Registration Day marks an important step as LACC relaunches its civic engagement efforts. We want students to leave this activation understanding that their voice matters and that civic engagement goes beyond Election Day—it is an ongoing part of being involved in their community” said Adrien Carter, Pride Hub Lead, Los Angeles City College.
“National Voter Registration Day is important to Malcolm X College because our students’ lives are directly affected by the decisions made through elections—from education and employment to healthcare, housing, and public safety. History, particularly the Reconstruction era, shows us that voting has always been connected to freedom, power, and protection. The Project HOPE mural will remind students that hope cannot remain passive; hope must be transformed into participation. I want our students to understand that their voices matter, their votes carry power, and they do not have to wait until graduation to help shape the future of their communities,” said Chrishawn Young, Director of Student Activities, Malcolm X College.
“We hope that our Manor College students leave the event with a sense of empowerment, especially in voicing their concerns and opinions. We want to them to see that registering to vote is a way of putting hope into action,” said a spokesperson for Manor College.
“National Voter Registration Day gives our students a chance to learn more about voting, get registered, and understand why their voice matters. Bringing Project HOPE to campus makes the experience more interactive and gives students a chance to be part of something while connecting voting to their community,” said Alejandra Maya, Civic Engagement Program Coordinator, Mesa Community College.
“We want our students to know that their voice matters, their ideas matter, and their community needs them. Bringing the Project Hope Mural and National Voter Registration Day together creates a meaningful way for students to express themselves, get involved, and understand the impact they can have beyond the classroom,” said Jackson Sorrells, Coordinator of Student Engagement and Leadership, Mountwest Community & Technical College.
“National Voter Registration Day gives us an opportunity to meet students where they are and show them that civic engagement is something they can be part of right now,” said Melanie Morgan, Director of Student and Community Engagement, North Florida College.
“Being selected as one of only 15 colleges nationwide to host Corie Mattie’s Project Hope mural is a significant honor for Southside Virginia Community College. Our mission calls us to provide relevant and innovative opportunities that respond to the diverse communities we serve while fostering a student-centered and inclusive learning environment. This project, paired with our work surrounding National Voter Registration Day, provides our students with meaningful opportunities to share their voices, engage with one another, and recognize the important role they play in their communities and our country. We hope students leave September 15 understanding that their voices matter and that their participation can make a difference,” said Dr. Quentin R. Johnson, President, Southside Virginia Community College.
Project HOPE is part of National Voter Registration Day, the country’s largest single-day civic holiday dedicated to voter registration. On September 15, thousands of nonprofits, libraries, colleges, election offices, businesses and community groups across the country will help eligible Americans register to vote or update their registration.
For more information about Project HOPE, visit nationalvoterregistrationday.org/project-hope/.
For media inquiries, contact 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.