"Real World Philadelphia" cast member Karamo Brown urged students to vote for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and to vote no on the amendment that would ban gay marriage Tuesday at the Wonders Hall Kiva.
As part of National Coming Out Days, the event, sponsored by the MSU Stonewall Democrats, the Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience and Same Gender Loving Students of Color International and Allies touched on issues affecting different social groups.
"We are all different and beautiful," Brown said. "We need to respect each other and pass on our struggles so we can eliminate them in the future."
Brown told students that through voting, tolerance could be achieved.
"We are a sleeping giant," he said. "We can ensure that John Kerry gets into office."
Event coordinator, Jon Hoadley, chair of the MSU Stonewall Democrats, said Brown reached a wide range of students.
"Karamo reaches a whole new set of voters," the social relations and women's studies senior said. "He is a face students recognize, connect that with voting, it makes it that so college students really need to get out and vote."
In addition to drawing decided voters, the event brought in students who are still trying to choose a candidate.
"I am kind of on the fence," marketing freshman Adam Burgess said. "We watch the show and we were interested in what he had to say about Kerry and his issues."
Both Burgess and family community services sophomore Lori Rader said the event educated them more about the amendment to ban gay marriage.
"It made me think about it a lot more about Proposal 2," Rader said.
Hoadley said Brown was a powerful tool in getting students to listen be he appeals to the college age demographic. Drawing more than 200 people, the kiva was nearly at capacity.
"I think Karamo is the face of new voters," Hoadley said. "This is why it is so important that we get involved. Our parents are the people who should not be making our choices any more.
"It's this new generation of students who are really going to make the difference."
