Voters Impact Summit keynote speaker Sheila Coleman-Castells speaks about the importance of voting on every level of government, in Morgan’s Grove Park on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The inaugural Voter’s Impact Summit, hosted by Boots on the Ground Youth Leadership Academy, was held at Morgan’s Grove Park on Saturday.

According to Boots on the Ground Youth Leadership Academy founder Teresa Holmes, the summit’s purpose was to highlight the need for voter participation on all election levels: national, state, county and municipal.

“Your vote is your voice,” Holmes said. “By voting, you can impact change and prevent people from losing their rights.”

She noted that those who choose not to vote are, in essence, voting by omission.

“Whether you voted or you did not, you still voted. You voted to give the power over your future to other people, who might not have your interests at heart,” Holmes said.

Sisters Sofia Herrerra and Isabella Herrera stand with plaques proclaiming each of them to be a recipient of the Youth Leadership & Community Service Award, which they received at the Voter’s Impact Summit in Morgan’s Grove Park on Saturday. Not pictured is Malik Bratton, who also received the Youth Leadership & Community Service Award. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

To enable attendees to get involved in the voting process right away, voter registration services were being offered at the summit by the nonpartisan group, the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County (LWVJC). LWVJC member Becky Phipps spoke briefly during the summit, dispelling people’s assumptions that they cannot make it to the polls as, between absentee ballots, early voting options and free Uber rides for voters on election days, there are few situations in which it would be impossible for U.S. citizens to cast their ballots.

A number of special speakers gave their own insight into the importance of voting, including Charles Town City Council member Elizabeth Ricketts, Hope in Alliance representative Soo DiMarino and social justice lobbyist Sheila Coleman-Castells.

“Voting really relates to literally everything we do in our daily lives. Most people don’t understand the connection between going to the polls and who you choose and things like: whether or not you have a job, how many taxes you pay, where your children go to school, what they learn, whether local businesses thrive or not and whether or not there are grants available to help with local business expansion and economic development,” Coleman-Castells said. “All of this relates back to who we choose and how concerned they are about average people.”

She encouraged voters to look deeper into the personal lives of political candidates, as their histories often indicate how they will — or will not — represent their constituents.

“When you’re choosing some people who don’t use the services that average people use, there will be a disconnect between what they advocate and vote for and what most of their constituents need,” Coleman-Castells said.

Boots on the Ground Youth Leadership Academy’s next major event, the Community Honors Ceremony, will be held in the War Memorial Building on Nov. 30 from 4-6 p.m. To learn more, visit https://www.facebook.com/bootsonthegroundyouthleadership.