Today is election day and everyone has said it’s the most important election of our lifetimes. For many Black women, they intimately understand why.

After working in politics for more than a decade, Orlando native Jasmine Burney Clark, 33, noticed a void in Black-led, Black-focused block-labor institutions. She decided to create one.

“I thought it was time to create a space that allowed Black folks, specifically Black women, to lead the work in our own counties, in our own strategy, our own direction and our own fundraising,” Clark told Moguldom in an exclusive interview.

A double HBCU graduate from Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University (FAMU), Clark founded Equal Ground Education Fund in May 2019.

A non-partisan, nonprofit organization, Equal Ground combats voter disenfranchisement across Florida. Since June, more than 95 staffers have been in the trenches mobilizing the Black vote in the critical swing state.

Clark and her team have used phone banking and texting, assisted with Souls to the Polls, and hosted events featuring celebrities such as Anthony Hamilton, Uncle Luke, Doug E. Fresh, J.J. Hairston, Common and others.

At their signature “Park and Praise” events, attendees were invited to enjoy gospel music from renowned artists and hear speeches from pastors and political leaders from the comfort of their cars.

Since July, Equal Ground has held events in 25 Florida counties to educate and empower voters. They’ve sent hundreds of thousands of text messages and made millions of phone calls. Their work is making such an impact, they’ve garnered the attention and support of billionaire Tyler Perry, businessman Ari Emanuel, former U.S. Representative and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and others.

“They actually approached us and said, ‘Hey we know Florida is pivotal … and we want to make sure we have everyone we need at the polls,’” Clark said.

Clark is not alone. Hers is just one of several organizations working diligently to ensure Black Floridians understand just how much their votes count.

The Haitian Americans Professionals Coalition (HAPC) and Women Vote Florida are also on the ground getting out the Black vote.

Haitian Americans is also led by Black women. Both Executive Director Fayola Delica and board Chairwoman Sandy Dorsainvil are Black. The organization has been doing its part to bring the Haitian community out to the polls.

“We are hoping to encourage and energize the Black and brown communities who have the lowest voting records in South Florida to exercise their right to vote. If they don’t have a voting plan, we want to help them create one,” Dorsainvil said in a statement.

The group has partnered with Florida For All Education Fund – a coalition of community organizations dedicated to empowering their communities – to do the work.

In addition to having caravans in underrepresented communities during early voting, the groups activated one on Election Day.

“This is a crucial year for Black people in South Florida. The stakes are high and the issues of racism, covid-19, and the economy are prevalent in our communities,” said political Strategist Katia Saint Fleur, who is leading the work in the Caribbean and Black constituency space with Florida For All. “Our children and our schools are not receiving a fair and adequate share of resources, and voting is how we ensure our children receive a fair and equal education.

“Suppose the Black community doesn’t vote or fill out and return their census. In that case, other people will continue to make decisions that affect our lives without our input.”

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Service Employees International Union (SEIU 1199) Vice President Roxey C. Nelson couldn’t agree more. As one of the leaders of Florida For All’s Women Vote Florida campaign, she knows firsthand how important it is that Black citizens’ voices be amplified.

“As a Black woman myself, the strife that’s been going on over racial justice for as long as I can remember, we just fundamentally believe that it is important for all organizations to declare that Black Lives Matter — not just declare that, but do the work to make sure we’re creating environments and institutions that stand on equity and justice for all,” Brown told Moguldom in an exclusive interview.

Women Vote Florida was launched earlier this year on the centennial anniversary of 19th amendment. Its purpose is to bring together a diverse coalition of women to combat voter suppression and apathy.

The group has been busy on the frontlines getting people to commit to pledging to vote and providing them with much needed voter education so they can make informed choices when casting their ballots.

Brown said she believes a million people could tell someone to vote, but it hits differently when it’s coming from Big Mama.

“It’s one thing for some Russian bot to be pushing data at you, it’s another thing for your Mom or Grandma to look you in your eye and tell you what we are gonna do and what we’re not gonna do,” Brown said.

It’s one of the reasons Black and brown women are among two of their most targeted groups.

“At Florida For All, our core demographics are Black and brown women. Those two demographics are critical to us for so many reasons,” Brown said. “As a collective, if you look at who leads, who works, our volunteer base, who’s doing the work protecting the vote and caring for our communities, its Black and brown women. We build movements from the ground up.”

Clark’s journey underscores Brown’s point. Clark credits her grandmother, Virginia Donerson, with lighting the fire of activism within her.

“She was just a concerned citizen in her community who wanted speed bumps, safer streets, and drugs off the neighborhood block,” Clark said. “Whether she knew it or not, she was grooming me to be the community organizer I eventually became and probably had no idea that she was doing it. I definitely dedicate my career and work to her.”

In addition to mobilizing people to vote and encouraging them to make a plan to do so, Black women are leading the charge to combat racial injustice, disparities in healthcare, economic opportunity, climate change and other ills.

“The way that we labor and we go to work in the pandemic, then we come home and we’re doing the invisible work of the home. At this moment, women are stepping outside themselves to make sure people vote and their votes are protected. Women are doing this work,” Brown said.

Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s election, Clark and Brown said they’re grateful people are finally starting to trust Black women to not only do the work they’ve always done, but also giving them their due credit.

“I’ve been battle tested and prepared for this and folks are just now realizing that they need to trust Black women to do this work, Clark said. “I’ve been doing this for other entities for most of my career, this is nothing new … What is new is the fact that I’m owning and leading it and no one is taking the credit for the work I’m doing.”

“When all those issues happen, women feel them the most as the centering force for our community and our families, especially for Black and Brown women,” Brown said. “Every disparity that exists in our country impacts us first and hardest so we think it’s really critical for women, particularly women of color, to have a seat at the table as we try to make these changes.”