Ethiopian-Americans for Change (EA4C) officially endorses Gubernatorial Candidate Creigh Deeds, Lieutenant Gubernatorial Candidate Jody Wagner, and State Delegate Candidate Charniele Herring.    EA4C is a non-partisan organization dedicated to mobilizing the vast Ethiopian-American community in order to get more engaged in the United States political process and to value the significance of one vote.
A month ago, EA4C sent out personal invitations to both the Republican ticket and the Democratic ticket and asked both parties to come out and speak to the Ethiopian community.  The Republican party was not able to attend due to scheduling conflict.  The Democratic party accepted our invitation enthusiastically.  
Thus, on Saturday, October 17^th, Creigh Deeds along with Chair of the Democratic National Committee and current Governor Tim Kaine, a representative from Jim Moran’s office, Jody Wagner, and Charniele Herring all came out to speak to the Ethiopian community and to ask for our vote.     Each candidate spoke for 10 minutes and then a questions and answer session was held where individuals were able to ask tough questions.  At the conclusion of the event, EA4C conducted a phone text poll where those in the audience and those who were asking questions through EA4C.org were asked to vote for their preferred candidate.  100% of the vote came in for Deeds, Wagner, and Herring.  

Ethiopian-Americans for Change did not make a decision to endorse Deeds, Wagner, and Herring in a vacuum.  Our efforts have and will always be to give a platform for the Ethiopian community to make an informed decision about a particular candidate or issue.  We are not here to speak for the community, we simply want to amplify the voice of the Ethiopian Diaspora by providing the community a microphone.  Thus, as a consequence of that vote, EA4C officially endorses the Democratic ticket.  We endorse Creigh Deeds to be the next Governor of Virginia, we endorse Jody Wagner to be the next Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and we endorse Charnel Herring to be the next State Delegate representing Alexandria.

There are ample reasons to vote for Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner, and Charniele Herring.  Based on the Democratic party’s embrace of our invitation and the unanimous vote of those that were present at the “Meet the Candidates” forum, it was an easy decision to endorse the Democratic ticket.  Deeds, Wagner, and Herring represent the continuity of success that Virginia has enjoyed ever since Mark Warner was first elected Governor back in 2001.    

With a focus on improving education, making health-care affordable, investment in technology and infrastructure, and embracing diversity of thought and culture as a key component of his administration, Creigh Deeds represents the hope that countless Ethiopians were inspired by in 2008.  As Obama mentions continuously, the 2008 election was never about one man, it was about us.  Casting one vote last year and not staying engaged in the political process does not represent change, it represents a status quo.    So we urge ALL Ethiopian-Americans to vote on November 3rd and to vote for Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner, Charniele Herring and the rest of the Democratic ticket.  It is not enough to yearn for hope, we have to work hard and work diligently to ensure that the progress of 2008 is not inverted by our inability to turn out in mass as we did in 2008.  The outcome of the vote on November 3rd is vital; we can keep going towards the path of change that Obama started or we can revert back to the discredited policies of the George Bush administration.

For Virginia to recover from the Bush recession and head towards a vibrant economy, success and opportunity cannot be the providence of the wealthiest 1%; success and opportunity have to be the providence of all Americans irrespective of wealth, sex, religion, or race.  E Plurbus Unum–out of many we are one; that is the value that can ensure a vital economy and opportunity for all, that is the value that is vital to America.    This is what is at stake on November 3rd, you have the ability to ensure progression or regression–which will you choose?  We urge you to choose progress, we urge you to choose Deeds, Wagner, and Herring and the rest of the Democratic ticket.  The election is close; the polls to not take into account the vast Ethiopian vote that was activated as a consequence of last year’s historic vote.  We have an opportunity to continue on the course of CHANGE that Obama set out on.  We hope that we take full advantage of that opportunity by getting out and voting.  Your vote can make a difference, our vote can be the difference.  Vote on November 3rd, vote for Deeds, Wagner, Herring and the rest of the Democratic ticket.  

With over 14,000 registered Ethiopian-American voters in the 8^th Congressional District (Alexandria) alone, EA4C believes that the Ethiopian community can have a DECISIVE impact on the outcome of the November 3^rd vote.  There are over 80,000 Ethiopians who live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a deeply “purple state” where elections are often won by less than the margin of error, the Ethiopian vote is one that has emerged as a potentially vital voting bloc.