Drag Out the Vote’s Marti Gould Cummings
The upcoming election is only a couple weeks away, so you better be registered and ready to sashay your way to the polls.
Drag Out the Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, is on a mission to educate, register, and turn out voters by working with drag artists across the country to promote participation in democracy. Established by Jackie Huba in 2019, drag has a strong history of activism and has made significant impacts on social justice movements across the United States.
One of the organization’s upcoming events is “Divas for Democracy: United We Slay,” a livestream extravaganza uniting divas of the drag world and Broadway icons for a one-night-only variety show to help promote participation in democracy and increase voter awareness of key issues concerning the LGBTQ community in the 2020 election. Hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Keltie Knight and RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Nina West, “Divas for Democracy” will stream exclusively on StageIt on October 18 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Tickets are now on sale at divasfordemocracy.com.
OUT FRONT got to learn more about Drag Out the Vote and “Divas for Democracy” from NYC drag artist and activist Marti Gould Cummings who serves as one of the organization’s co-chairs. To them, drag and politics goes hand-in-hand. In addition to being a regular fixture in the nightlife world and performing several shows a week, Marti proudly serves on the Board of Directors for the Ali Forney Center for Homeless LGBTQ Youth, the Advisory Board of Equality NY, and is the founding president of the Hells Kitchen Democrats in NYC. Currently, they are running in the 2021 election for city council in NYC’s 7th District.
Hi, Marti! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me about Drag Out the Vote. Can you tell us more about the organization’s upcoming event, “Divas for Democracy: United We Slay?”
“Divas for Democracy” is a very exciting event where we are bringing drag and Broadway together, which is, like, my favorite thing ever. I have worked with Broadway guests for many, many years in New York, and of course me being a drag artist, I love using my two passions. My three passions together are Broadway, drag, and politics. It is so exciting, and Drag Out the Vote is such an awesome organization. I am so excited to be a part of it with Brita and Jaremi. We have done several events across the country to get people activated and engaged in our political system, and this is a new way of doing that.
We are days away from the November 3 election, and early voting has started in many states. It is important for people to know when early voting begins in their states, when the voter registration deadline is in their states, and giving people information on making a plan for voting. Whether it’s absentee, mail-in, in person, however you are choosing to vote this year, you have to have a plan of action to do it. Then you need to get everybody in your network activated with the plan as well. So, this is a fun, engaging, and entertaining event with an all-star cast. I am super excited, so I hope people find some joy and entertainment while also learning a little bit about our political process.
Yes, I was amazed to see the awesome lineup of entertainers, celebrities, and politicians. How does it feel to know that so many people want to be involved?
It feels great. I think people understand that the past several years have been a wild ride for our country, and I think people understand the importance of federal elections. However, in many states, there are state and local elections happening as well. I feel that people are more engaged now than ever, but there are still so many people who aren’t. So, I hope this event give people an opportunity to get engaged in the process, whoever they may be voting for, and they understand the importance of voting.
You are a co-chair of Drag Out the Vote. Can you tell us how you got involved, and why this organization is so important to you?
I love Jackie Huba very much, and both Brita and Jaremi are dear friends, and they invited me to be a part of this. The first event I did with them was in Minneapolis, which was super fun. It was like every drag performer I have ever met was at this event. The past several years, my drag career has shifted more into the political world, and I am super proud of that.
Like many voters, I was not always the most educated voter or somebody who would go to the polls frequently, and the last several years have been a big wake-up call. So, now I want to use my drag platform to educate people and let them know that your vote matters. Your voice makes a difference. Every vote does count because it is not just federal elections that are happening. There are the state and local elections as well. So, we all need to be engaged, and I hope that by being a part of this organization with people like Brita and Jaremi will engage more and more drag artists to use their platform.
Related Article: Drag Out the Vote’s “Divas For Democracy” Variety Show
Drag Out the Vote stresses the fact that over 100 million people did not vote in the 2016 election, and that is mind blowing. Why do you think that is?
I think people are dissatisfied of this system, so that is why we need to have our voices heard, so we restructure the system to be one that is equitable for all people. The only way to do that is by not only protesting, taking the streets, being loud, and demanding justice, but also going to the ballot box.
What more needs to be done to change the perception that your vote does not matter?
Well, I think the way to change that is, first off all, we have to get rid of the Electoral College, but that’s a whole different conversation. I always think back to the other elections within the election. You may feel that your voice doesn’t matter because of the Electoral College, but there are so many other people on the ballot when you go to vote in a presidential election.
So, you are not only voting for the president; you are voting for state and local offices as well. Congressional offices, senate offices. So, it is very important to go because those are not determined by the Electoral College. Those are determined by votes, but you need to show up to vote for them. It is also important to remember that we are not just voting for a president, but we are voting for our court system as well. The president holds a lot of power over that. Making a decision on who you are voting for is important, and going to the polls will impact that. That is what I would tell people who think their vote does not matter.
Have you always had a passion for politics?
I have always been into activism, but like I said, these past couple years really kicked me into it because I was one of those people who was like, my vote doesn’t make a difference. Well, actually, it does. I have a unique opportunity to be with this platform and take what I have learned to educate people. I am also continuing to learn and educate myself. Politics is important.
Outside of Drag Out the Vote, you serve on several New York City boards, and you are currently running for City Council in the 2021 election. Care to talk about how the campaign trail has been going?
It is exciting, and I am super proud of our campaign. I would be the first drag artist in New York elected, and the first nonbinary person in New York City elected. There is a wonderful person in upstate Poughkeepsie who is nonbinary and won their town council race. I will be the first on in the city, but I am not just going to represent queer people.
There are 140,000 in these parts, and I am running to represent each and every single one of them. In addition to them, the 9 million-plus people who live in New York City. There is a lot happening in our country right now. We are in a pandemic, the continuation of police violence and brutality in black and brown communities, and we are in a housing and economic crisis. There is so much happening, and our campaign is proud of the work we are doing.
Related Article: Jaremi Carey: ‘Your Vote Matters’
Why do you think drag queens and artists have such influential platforms?
We have the unique opportunity where we are onstage every day with a microphone, and people are listening. I think when people say stick to your job or whatever, part of a being a drag artist is not just telling silly jokes and doing splits, kicks singing, and lip syncing. That is a part of it, and it is super fun and exciting, but being a drag artist, we also have an opportunity to talk to our audiences about the issues and what’s happening. I think it would be a waste of a platform if I didn’t use it to talk to people about what’s going on in the world.
Do you think we will see more drag queens and artists elected to office?
I sure hope so!
If elected, what are some top priorities on your agenda?
The big things that we are fighting for is housing justice for all and ensuring that there is true affordable housing. Making sure that we are taking care of people experiencing homelessness. That we are not building new jails, but taking them back into the community. Housing, education, small business protections, health care, infrastructure, fighting for defunding the police, and putting that money back into the community.
New York City also has one of the most segregated school systems in the country. We need to integrate our school systems, pay our teachers a higher wage, get cops out of schools and social workers into schools, fight for environmental justice, and one of the key ways to do that is by implementing a green new deal for New York City and advocating for one for New York State and making sure that we have free busses, more bike lanes, bus lanes, and pedestrian walkways to eliminate the carbon footprint of cars in our city.
In doing so, we will make it more accessible for people to ride mass transit and get around the city in an equitable way. These are just a few things that we are fighting for. My website, martiformanhattan.com, has our whole platform listed, but those are the big ones we are fighting for.
Do you have any advice for those who want to run for office?
My advice for anybody who wants to run for office is do it. Do it. It’s scary and overwhelming, but do it. The goal for me is to win my election. I believe I can and will win my election, but if I don’t, then the work doesn’t end. Work to continue pushing the policies, platform, and agenda that you are fighting for and build relationships with people within your communities so you can be of service to them.
I think if you are going to make the decision to run for office, do it to be of service to them, not for yourself. It is not about you. It is about the people that you are representing. And drink lots of water [laughs].
Is there anything else you would like to add before we wrap up?
I would just say, make sure that you know where your polling location is, and have a plan to vote!
You can stay up-to-date with Marti by following them on social media and visiting martigcummings.com. To join their journey on the campaign trail, visit martiformanhattan.com, and for more information on Drag Out the Vote, visit dragoutthevote2020.org.
Phots Courtesy of Darin Kamnetz
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