BUILDING A NEW
GENERATION

Her late father, Calvin Dillies, instilled in Lyn a deep belief in the importance of voting and civic responsibility. In 2008, as the nation prepared for a presidential election, Lyn envisioned a spectacular and meaningful way to deliver a powerful visual message about the importance of voting. With a little magic, she made two larger-than-life political mascots—a donkey and an elephant—appear out of thin air.

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She called her nonpartisan public service campaign Your Vote Is Magic because she believed it captured the message her father had passed on to her: every person’s vote is magic because of the power it holds.

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The historic illusion took place in Lyn’s hometown of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The spectacle captured national attention, and Lyn received a citation recognizing her efforts to increase voter registration throughout the SouthCoast. But Lyn knew the illusion itself was only the beginning.

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She continued her mission by writing a book chronicling the year-long journey behind Your Vote Is Magic—from the inspiration and planning to the challenges of creating and performing such an extraordinary illusion. More importantly, the book explored the history of voting and the hard-won rights that make participation in our democracy possible.

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In 2014, Lyn took the next step, combining her talents as an illusionist and lecturer to create the Your Vote Is Magic live educational presentation. The program brings together spectacular illusions from her touring show, a dynamic PowerPoint presentation, and video footage of her historic political-mascot illusion.

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The result is empowering, educational, and entertaining—a visual civics lesson that uses the strategic power of magic to engage students and citizens in the voting process. Lyn's goal is to help every audience member understand that their voice has value, their participation matters, and they truly have the power to make a difference in their community and country.

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Program Highlights

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• The Origins of America's Political Mascots — Discover how the donkey and elephant became enduring symbols of American politics.

• Every Vote Matters — Explore examples of close elections that demonstrate how individual votes can make a difference.

• How Does Voting Impact My Life? — Connect the act of voting to the issues and decisions that affect our everyday lives.

• The History of Voting Rights — Explore key moments in America's ongoing journey toward a more inclusive democracy, including the Women's Suffrage Movement and the Selma to Montgomery March.

• The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments — Learn how these constitutional amendments expanded voting rights to millions of Americans.

• The Voting Rights Act — Understand the significance of this landmark legislation in protecting access to the ballot.

• Heroes of Democracy — Hear from local veterans about what voting means to them and the sacrifices made to protect the rights and freedoms we hold dear.

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