Frost School of Music sophomore Angelina Mack’s passion about the importance of voting stems from her family history. Her paternal grandmother Ruby was a Black woman born and raised in Florida during segregation, when racism and Jim Crow laws largely prevented Black people from voting.
“Voting was incredibly difficult for African Americans in Florida during the 1940s, marked by systemic barriers and widespread disenfranchisement,” said Mack. “One of the reasons I’m so passionate about boosting voter turnout is because I understand the privilege I have in being able to vote.”
Now Mack, a student in the Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship (M.A.D.E.) program, has organized a musical event to raise awareness about voting among University of Miami students. The event takes place at noon on Thursday, Oct 3rd as part of Patio Jams, the popular campus concert series. The event features free goodies and on-campus voter registration information.
The inspiration for the concert came from Mack’s experience in 2020 writing the song “Stop A Fight,” a plea for empathy and understanding in the face of racial upheaval and her fears for her bi-racial family. It created a powerful reaction, garnering media attention and thousands of YouTube views.
“The idea for this concert stemmed from the impact my music had during the last election when my brother released my song, "Stop a Fight,” Mack said. “My song connected with people in ways that words couldn’t, and many listeners shared how it motivated them to vote.”
“That experience was a turning point for me – it showed that music can unite people and inspire action,” Mack said. “This concert was born from that realization, aiming to boost voter registration by harnessing the unifying power of music. It’s about empowering our community through music and civic action.”
Last fall, Mack’s musical activism earned her the BMI Chris Trousdale Dream Award, a $2500 prize given to young artists who make a positive impact through music. This spring, she was awarded another scholarship from the Music Business Association.
Mack, who is minoring in both music business and songwriting, has arranged for a local company, Zozo’s Ice Cream Cart, to give away frozen goodies, and Patio Jams is providing a Smoothie Kart that will give away drinks. Mack has designed get-out-the-vote stickers and will kick off the show by talking about the importance of voting.
Although students will not be able to register to vote at the concert, Mack will have a table with information about campus voter registration and election awareness events organized by the University of Miami's Get Out The Vote, a nonpartisan, student-led voter ambassador program.
Mack never got to meet her grandmother, who moved to Harlem, New York, in the 1950s and took Mack’s father, a musician and producer who raised his daughter to be a musician, to see iconic performers like James Brown and Miles Davis. “My dad often shares stories about how similar we are,” said Mack. “I think my connection to music is also thanks to her. Voting is something we should never take for granted.”
