Arts
High School graduate and Newark native
Frank Negron filled the halls of his alma
mater with sounds of Tropical music today
as part of the New Jersey, “BE POWERFUL,
BE HEARD” voter outreach and education
initiative. Negron taped a Public Service
Announcement (PSA) to encourage the state’s
Latino residents to register and vote.
Negron,
who performs frequently on stages across
the United States and Latin America, is
also an accomplished songwriter as well
as a singer. He boasts an impressive catalog
of original compositions. Negron is considered
an established and accomplished musical
artist. His three previous records have
sold over a million copies worldwide for
WEA Latina, the record company that first
signed him. He has numerous Platinum Record
awards and his music dominates the airwaves
of many Latin American countries. He is
already considered a legend of Tropical
music.
“BE
POWERFUL, BE HEARD” is the public
outreach component and slogan of New Jersey’s
voter education initiative and includes
PSA’s, college bus tours, concerts
and other voter registration and get out
the vote efforts. Attorney General Peter
C. Harvey said, “The “BE POWERFUL,
BE HEARD” initiative is a comprehensive
approach to voter education and voting.
We have an opportunity to raise awareness
and educate New Jersey residents about
the power of the vote. Frankie and his
music will help us reach an important
segment of the Latino community, particularly
young voters.”
The
PSA is a component of the Help America
Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, a federal law
providing for federal monies to assist
states in upgrading voting equipment,
election procedures and education and
outreach. Through HAVA, the Office of
the Attorney General has sponsored a number
of outreach initiatives designed to educate
New Jerseyan’s about the importance
of voting and voter registration.
Negron’s
PSA joins a group of PSA’s, some
of which have been nominated for Emmy
Awards. The Emmy nominated PSA’s
include actors Michael Douglas and Jason
Alexander; actress and singer Queen Latifah
and former New Jersey Nets player Kenny
Anderson. Actor Billy Baldwin has also
been instrumental in the “BE POWERFUL,
BE HEARD,” voting initiative.
Negon
said, “I grew up in Newark. This
community shaped me as a person and inspired
me as a artist. It is important to give
back. I am proud and honored to participate
in the “BE POWERFUL, BE HEARD”
voting initiative. It is extremely important
for people in Latino communities across
New Jersey to have a voice in selecting
elected officials and community services.”
Harvey
said, “We have significantly increased
voter awareness through HAVA and the “BE
POWERFUL, BE HEARD” initiative,
resulting in a record number of registered
voters - more than 460,000 bringing New
Jersey’s number of registered voters
to more than five million for the first
time in state history.”
The
Negron PSA will air on local, cable and
other television networks. Joining Negron
today were Pedro Toribio, Arts High School
alumni Noel M. Rodriguez, and current
student Victtor Averos. The trio played
congas, piano, and the trumpet.
The
General Election will be held on Tuesday,
November 8. The registration deadline
for the General Election is Tuesday, October
11.
People can apply for absentee ballots
by mail up to seven days in advance of
Election Day and in person until 3 p.m.
the Monday before Election Day. For more
information about voting, visit www.njelections.org
or call 1-800-NJ-VOTER
(1-877-658-6837).