"I wanted to be a part of history."

by Shannon Moriarty · 2008-11-05 06:18:00 UTC
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Yesterday, Frederick Williams cast the first vote of his life, according to Reuters. He wanted to be a part of history. He wanted to vote for someone who cares about "the small people." He wanted to be a part of electing the first African American president of the United States. So he, and hundreds of other homeless people living on LA's Skid Row, turned out to cast his vote.

To the thousands of volunteers, shelter workers, and advocates across the country who mobilized and enabled Americans without a home to exercise their right to vote: thank you. Your efforts providing information, transportation to the polls, and advocacy for equal access has engaged some of our country's most disenfranchised citizens.

[Photo: Frederick Williams, a Marine Corps veteran who lives in a transient hotel on "skid row" in downtown Los Angeles, displays his ballot receipt after casting his ballot for the U.S. presidential election, at a homeless shelter in Los Angeles November 4, 2008. Photo from Reuters.]

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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