Meet LeLann Evans of Our Future Voters

Today we’d like to introduce you to LeLann Evans.

Hi LeLann, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to become the president. Back then, I didn’t fully understand the position of power of the president, but I knew that I wanted to be able to bring change to my community.

As I got older and started to study politics. I realized that I didn’t have to become president to bring change to my community, instead I needed to know how to maneuver through government to gain the resources for the change I wanted.

I earned my B.S. in Political Science from Austin Peay State University where I also completed a six-month study abroad program in South Korea. In 2017, I received a Non-Governmental Organization Management certification from American Graduate School in Paris, France, where I spent two years studying International Relations and Diplomacy. While in Paris, I worked with the Ivory Coast delegation to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Through these experiences, I have become a well-versed and internationally experienced professional with
extensive knowledge of cultural inclusion and an understanding of the importance of minority representation. Through work, school, and philanthropy, I have traveled to 14 different countries attaining an in-depth comprehension of international relations and global communities.

My expertise ranges from grassroots field strategies to multilateral and multicultural project implementation. His relentless work efforts have created a global network pool to share best practices with local communities.

In October 2019, I founded LeLann For President LLC (now Our Future Voters) as a non-partisan political education company focused on teaching the position, purpose, and power of each elected office on all levels of government. The company’s mission is to offer classroom curriculum and community engagement activities to educate current voters & future voters about political representation.

In the Fall of 2020, through our “Our Future Voters” program we started to create our “Let’s Vote!” curriculum, and in October 2020 the company released its first children’s activity guide titled “Let’s Vote! An activity guide to political representation” providing a fun and engaging way to teach political representation to future voters inside the classroom.

Within one year of being a vendor with Metro Nashville Public Schools, LeLann For President LLC had contracted its first school to purchase the activity guide for all of its 5th-grade students. In 2021, LeLann For President LLC created the ChalkBoard Bus Initiative expanding the company’s reach beyond classrooms and into the community.

The initiative is geared towards promoting social and emotional learning through family-oriented chalk art events. Currently, Chalk At The Lake has been one of our company’s biggest events with almost 100 people attending.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life is a continuous rollercoaster with a lot of ups, downs, and unexpected twists, but those who adjust continue to prevail. I look at struggles as learning opportunities. Some of the struggles I have faced, after looking back at the situations, have prepared me to be in the positions I’m in today.

For example, living in France for two years and knowing very little French gave me insight into what it’s like to be an immigrant in the United States and not be able to speak English fluently.

A simple task such as going to the grocery store or getting a package from the post office becomes extremely difficult when there is a language barrier added. Knowing these scenarios from firsthand experiences has helped me empathize and relate to minority communities making it easier for me to bridge the gap.

Another struggle I have found myself coming across is realizing the amount of work it takes to run your own business. Before creating my own company, I was an independent contractor. I didn’t have to worry about anything besides filing tax on my 1099s.

Now, I have to manage the marketing, the finances, the administrative work, strategic planning, and many other tasks. Starting the business was like looking at the tip of the iceberg and thinking it is not that big. However, as time continues I continue to learn more and find people that are willing to help, which I am most grateful for.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our Future Voters LLC is a nonpartisan political education company. We strive to teach the position, purpose, and power of each elected office on all levels of government. We offer classroom curriculum and community engagement activities to educate current voters and future voters about political representation.

I started my company after working on political campaigns for 10+ years and realizing each cycle continues to produce the same results, young people do not vote and the largest voting population continues to be the 55 and older population.

This made me look into how our school system was teaching and preparing students to fulfill their civic duties. Unsurprisingly, I found out that they weren’t teaching them much at all on civics. It was in that vacant space that I knew I could make a major change in elections and communities.

What sets “Our Future Voters” apart from many companies is that we take a holistic approach to teaching politics. With our Let’s Vote! In curriculum, we offer fun engaging activities to teach the position purpose and power of each elected office.

With our ChalkBoard Bus Initiative, we promote social and emotional learning through family-oriented chalk art events. By combining the classroom and community we show students how politics affects their daily life from first-hand experiences. When students understand how they are affected by politics they are more engaged and excited about voting.

In my advocacy work for civic education to be made a priority in metro schools, I have been quoted saying, “… You can teach them [students] math, but if you don’t teach them taxes, it won’t add up. You can teach them science, but if you don’t teach them about their civic duties, life will just be an experiment.

You can teach them how to read and write, but if you don’t teach them about legislation they will be illiterate to the system that controls everything around them.” I believe it is very intentional that our students are not being taught about how our government works.

If we as adults want to see a change in our government, we have to start educating our youth to prevent the vicious cycle we currently operate in. Purchase a copy of Let’s Vote! Activity guide today and start educating your future voter!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is the continued display of discipline to achieve a set goal. For my company, success would be defined by the number of students that register to vote at 18 and vote in all elections on all levels of government.

As our students get older, we stay connected with them to ensure they stay engaged with elections. We send out campaign materials and election reminders to keep them in the loop.

If they are unsure or have questions they need help with, our website offers a resource tab that makes it easy for anyone to leave a question or look up their elected officials.

Pricing:

• Let’s Vote! $12.99

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.lelannforpresident.com
• Instagram: @ourfuturevoters
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lelannforpresidentllc

Image Credits
Rod212 Photography