In ‘Black Man Lab,’ Black men gather, rally to vote ahead of Election Day

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Friday, roughly one hundred Black men gathered in South Fulton to address the latest issues facing their community.

In an open-forum setting, the group took time to grieve the death of 28-year-old rapper Takeoff, shot and killed at a Houston bowling alley earlier this week.

“The fact that no amount of success can exempt you from the consequences of your own decision making, but we’re also here in this studio - that is an example of good decision making and what Black men can build from scratch,” said Mayor of South Fulton Khalid Kamau.

Mayor Khalid, along with civil rights attorney Mawuli Davis, headlined the evening’s keynote speakers.

“There was a time when a gathering like this would have been flat-out illegal. But here we are sitting next to a business owner and a mayor,” said Davis, alongside one of the co-owners of Vivid Rich Studios, a Black-owned film studio that hosted the event.

This stop in South Fulton is one of nine cities a part of the Black Man Lab Tour during the midterm elections.

“The Black Man Lab Tour is our closing argument for the 2022 election. If 2020 was the year of Black women determining the presidency and control of the Senate, then 2022 will prove to be the year Black men turn back the radical right. Black men have something to say,” said Attorney Francys Johnson, Chairman of the Board of New Georgia Project.

The Black Lab Tour will next stop in Clayton County on Sunday and Atlanta on Monday.

According to GeorgiaVotes.com, Black people are voting in just as high or higher numbers, compared to the 2018 and 2020 elections.

The biggest day for Black turnout came on October 23 where Black people registered 41% of the vote.

Black people make up roughly 33 percent of Georgia’s population.

“We’ve seen Black men who have overperformed from 2018,” said Stacey Abrams, in an interview with Atlanta News first earlier this week.

Abrams has consistently trailed Governor Brian Kemp in the race for Georgia’s governor. She said she’s relying on a high turnout from Black voters to shrink the margin.

“Black men got something to say,” said Davis.

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