With one week left in the 2024 presidential election and early voting in several states in full swing, Love Island USA season six winners Serena Page and Kordell Beckham have partnered with Lyft for a PSA emphasizing the importance of getting to the polls. We talked with the couple to see why they chose this partnership when their influence is at an all-time high.
EBONY: After Love Island, the world is your oyster. Why do you feel it’s important to use your platform to encourage people to vote?
Serena Page: It’s extremely heartwarming to have this platform after Love Island and to have so many people care about our opinions and what we have to say. We’re inspired to use it for good and encourage others, which we hope our PSA video with Lyft accomplishes. Voting is a vital right; we want to help our community make its voices heard.
Kordell Beckham: It’s such a privilege to be a young person living in this day and age and have such an amazing platform where we can have a voice about topics that really matter. It’s great to have fun and do all the exciting new things our time on Love Island has afforded us, but it is even more important to be involved in the community and be a catalyst for positive change.
Just like in Love Island, where public votes can dramatically change the game, how do you think public opinion shapes the outcomes of national elections?
Beckham: Public opinion is really everything when it comes to elections. There is so much information coming at individuals, and it’s very difficult to sift through it all; so, whatever messages are most impactful and resonate with the most listeners is what is reflected when it’s time for people to vote.
Page: Public opinion in national elections holds a lot of power because a lot of people don’t have the resources and information needed, so they look to those with a platform and influence to help navigate their decisions.
What is your personal experience with voting? What has inspired you to vote in the past, and if you haven’t, what makes you excited to vote in this election?
Page: My personal experience started when I was in college. There was a lot of hype around it, so it felt important to vote. Being around people who were educated on it made me want to learn more about it and guide me to a more knowledgeable decision.
Beckham: Voting was such a rite of passage for me. It’s a huge deal in my family, so when I was able to vote for the first time four years ago, it was a major milestone.
Why do you think people are willing to vote for Love Island but not in public elections? Why should they change that perspective?
Page: Voting for Love Island couples is as simple as sending a text. For public elections, there are barriers to voting. Lyft is doing good by offering a 50% discount on rides to the polls on Election Day to break down transportation barriers and build up participation. Everyone should feel empowered to get out and vote! You can make a real difference.
Beckham: Access to polling places and information are the two biggest obstacles to voting, I think. I’m honored to partner with Lyft, which is making it easier than ever for people from all walks of life to get to the polls this year.
Tell me more about your partnership with Lyft and their 2024 Voting Access Program! What appealed to you about working with them on this specific program?
Beckham: I think Lyft is such a big part of this generation’s lives. We utilize it all the time going out to visit each other, so it’s such a natural progression to use it this year to make sure we are able to get out and vote. The 50% off ride code makes something we use all the time even easier. So, for me, it was a no-brainer to join the campaign!
Page: We love the means and motivation Lyft is providing for young voters through their 2024 Voting Access Program. From the 50% ride code to other work, they do to help close the gap. It felt like a natural fit for us to get involved and inspire others to get to the polls.
Serena, one of the things that fans have come to learn about you is that you are a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Tell me how being a member of this illustrious organization has shaped your views on community involvement.
Page: Joining an illustrious organization like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. showed me how important having a community is, especially as a Black woman. It made me realize that everybody comes from different backgrounds and are dealing with different things, and something as small as having a community to rely on can make a world of difference. So, getting involved in your community makes more of an impact than people think.
Kordell, as someone who has seen what it means to be a public figure well before your time on Love Island, do you feel a responsibility now to use your platform to encourage young people to engage in civic duties, such as voting? If so, how?
Beckham: Yes, I do. As you mentioned, I’ve seen my brother live a very public life for the past several years and the impact he can have on the lives of those who admire him. I am excited that I get to do that too, now. I have many fundamental core beliefs like being kind to all people, being respectful and basically trying my best to be a good human. I want to share those ideals and hopefully encourage others to be a positive force in the community and their own families.
Serena, in your opinion, what are some effective ways to empower young people to have their voices heard in social and political matters?
Page: Do not be afraid to ask questions or admit that you may be uneducated in certain areas. Learn to fix that. [Also, hold] space for meaningful conversations with your friends and educate others on the how and the why.
How important are diversity and representation in reality TV and politics?
Page: It’s extremely important to see someone like yourself fighting for what you believe, both in reality and politics. There’s a lot of value in seeing people from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds, seeing someone from a similar background doing what you may want to do or just giving different perspectives.
Finally, Kordell, what kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind, particularly regarding your influence on younger audiences?
Kordell: I really can’t stand it when people are mean. That may sound simple, but when it is all said and done, I hope that people I come in contact with will walk away going, “Man, that’s a good dude,” and, in turn, pay it forward.
If you’re Lyfting to the polls, use promo code “VOTE24” for 50% off your ride on election day, November 5.
