NYC Votes, LinkNYC, and NYC-based Artists Partner with PUMA to release limited-edition 'Vote' T-shirts
10/30/2020
The new line of PUMA T-shirts feature original artworks seen on the street through a partnership between NYC Votes and LinkNYC in the lead up to the 2020 election.
If you're enjoying the voting-themed artwork shown across the city's free WiFi kiosks, then your (election) day just got better.
NYC Votes, LinkNYC, and NYC-based artists are now partnering with global sports company PUMA to release four limited-edition T-shirts inspired by voting-themed artworks found on LinkNYC's free WiFi kiosks in the lead up to the 2020 election.
The artists selected for the T-shirts are Shenequa Johnson (@SJohnsonDesigns), Kate Marolf (@Kate.Marolf), Oliver Perry Rauch (@oliverillustration), and Steph Stilwell (@stephstilwell), all of whom live, and vote, in New York City.
This new line of voting swag is only available for a short time – from Friday, October 30, through Election Day on Tuesday, November 3 – at PUMA's NYC Flagship Store, located at 609 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
PUMA is donating 100 percent of the proceeds from these T-shirts, up to a $5,000 donation, to Urban Word NYC, a long-standing partner of NYC Votes, which promotes activism and civic engagement through the arts. Urban Word NYC champions the voices of New York City youth by providing platforms for critical literacy, youth development and leadership through spoken word poetry. They host voter registration drives at all of their events, and their NYC Youth Poet Laureate travels throughout the city promoting civic engagement and performing spoken word poems about elections and voting.
In addition to the voting-themed shirts, PUMA is offering 10 percent off in-store purchases with proof of voter registration.
PUMA's T-shirts come as a new development in a broader partnership between LinkNYC and NYC Votes this fall to promote the upcoming election and voter registration through the 1,700+ free WiFi kiosks found throughout the five boroughs.
LinkNYC helped NYC Votes ensure New Yorkers were aware of the voter registration deadline earlier this month, counting down the days and hours until the deadline expired while calling on pedestrians to register to vote by simply tapping on the kiosk. Following the registration deadline, LinkNYC continued to highlight the upcoming election, Early Voting dates, absentee voting info, and helpful tools like the poll site locator.
As part of LinkNYC's #ArtOnLink series "Visualize the Vote 2020," local artists were encouraged to submit their original artwork to appear on the kiosks and encourage New Yorkers to vote. All submissions needed to have a positive voting-themed message such as "exercise your rights," or simply "vote," along with classic city iconography. Forty submissions were selected to appear on LinkNYC kiosks from early October through Election Day.
"Art has a unique power to move people to take action, and the most important action we can take this week to shape our future is to vote," said Amy Loprest, Executive Director of the NYC Campaign Finance Board & NYC Votes. "NYC Votes thanks PUMA and LinkNYC for working with these talented artists to inspire all New Yorkers to speak out for the future they want."
NYC Votes is the nonpartisan voter engagement initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). In addition to promoting voter registration, participation, and civic engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships, NYC Votes sponsors the city’s official Debate Program and produces the citywide Voter Guide.
“We are excited that our work with NYC Votes and local artists is expanding with PUMA's early-voting awareness campaign to get New Yorkers to the polls, while raising money for Urban Word NYC, which serves aspiring young writers from across the five boroughs." said Alizè Garcia, Community Affairs Manager of LinkNYC. "Inspiration can be found in any format, whether through digital art, the written word, or clothing, and we hope that this joint campaign effort will reach, engage and inspire New Yorkers to vote and be heard."
LinkNYC is a first-of-its-kind program that is replacing the city’s payphones to build the world’s fastest and largest free public Wi-Fi network. LinkNYC provides important tools to communities to access connectivity and social services. Nealry 10 million people have used the free gigabit Wi-Fi service and hundreds of thousands of free phone calls are made every month, most commonly to the NY State EBT customer service line, which helps families connect to food stamps and other assistance. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers access 311 and Aunt Bertha, a platform to connect with local nonprofits and services, via Link tablets every month to access housing and other resources. All of LinkNYC’s services are 100% free for users and come at no cost to taxpayers. For more information and to find a Link near you, visit link.nyc.
NYC Votes, LinkNYC, and NYC-based artists are now partnering with global sports company PUMA to release four limited-edition T-shirts inspired by voting-themed artworks found on LinkNYC's free WiFi kiosks in the lead up to the 2020 election.
The artists selected for the T-shirts are Shenequa Johnson (@SJohnsonDesigns), Kate Marolf (@Kate.Marolf), Oliver Perry Rauch (@oliverillustration), and Steph Stilwell (@stephstilwell), all of whom live, and vote, in New York City.
This new line of voting swag is only available for a short time – from Friday, October 30, through Election Day on Tuesday, November 3 – at PUMA's NYC Flagship Store, located at 609 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
PUMA is donating 100 percent of the proceeds from these T-shirts, up to a $5,000 donation, to Urban Word NYC, a long-standing partner of NYC Votes, which promotes activism and civic engagement through the arts. Urban Word NYC champions the voices of New York City youth by providing platforms for critical literacy, youth development and leadership through spoken word poetry. They host voter registration drives at all of their events, and their NYC Youth Poet Laureate travels throughout the city promoting civic engagement and performing spoken word poems about elections and voting.
In addition to the voting-themed shirts, PUMA is offering 10 percent off in-store purchases with proof of voter registration.
PUMA's T-shirts come as a new development in a broader partnership between LinkNYC and NYC Votes this fall to promote the upcoming election and voter registration through the 1,700+ free WiFi kiosks found throughout the five boroughs.
LinkNYC helped NYC Votes ensure New Yorkers were aware of the voter registration deadline earlier this month, counting down the days and hours until the deadline expired while calling on pedestrians to register to vote by simply tapping on the kiosk. Following the registration deadline, LinkNYC continued to highlight the upcoming election, Early Voting dates, absentee voting info, and helpful tools like the poll site locator.
As part of LinkNYC's #ArtOnLink series "Visualize the Vote 2020," local artists were encouraged to submit their original artwork to appear on the kiosks and encourage New Yorkers to vote. All submissions needed to have a positive voting-themed message such as "exercise your rights," or simply "vote," along with classic city iconography. Forty submissions were selected to appear on LinkNYC kiosks from early October through Election Day.
"Art has a unique power to move people to take action, and the most important action we can take this week to shape our future is to vote," said Amy Loprest, Executive Director of the NYC Campaign Finance Board & NYC Votes. "NYC Votes thanks PUMA and LinkNYC for working with these talented artists to inspire all New Yorkers to speak out for the future they want."
NYC Votes is the nonpartisan voter engagement initiative of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). In addition to promoting voter registration, participation, and civic engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships, NYC Votes sponsors the city’s official Debate Program and produces the citywide Voter Guide.
“We are excited that our work with NYC Votes and local artists is expanding with PUMA's early-voting awareness campaign to get New Yorkers to the polls, while raising money for Urban Word NYC, which serves aspiring young writers from across the five boroughs." said Alizè Garcia, Community Affairs Manager of LinkNYC. "Inspiration can be found in any format, whether through digital art, the written word, or clothing, and we hope that this joint campaign effort will reach, engage and inspire New Yorkers to vote and be heard."
LinkNYC is a first-of-its-kind program that is replacing the city’s payphones to build the world’s fastest and largest free public Wi-Fi network. LinkNYC provides important tools to communities to access connectivity and social services. Nealry 10 million people have used the free gigabit Wi-Fi service and hundreds of thousands of free phone calls are made every month, most commonly to the NY State EBT customer service line, which helps families connect to food stamps and other assistance. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers access 311 and Aunt Bertha, a platform to connect with local nonprofits and services, via Link tablets every month to access housing and other resources. All of LinkNYC’s services are 100% free for users and come at no cost to taxpayers. For more information and to find a Link near you, visit link.nyc.