Michelle Obama to Host Virtual ‘Prom-athon’ For High School Seniors

By Mackenzie Nichols

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Prom night has been put on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak, but students will be able to celebrate virtually with the help of Michelle Obama and MTV.

MTV’s “Prom-athon” will take place on May 22, with an all-day virtual lineup of “throwback movies” and short-form original content. In tandem with the event, Obama launched an initiative with her organization, When We All Vote, to boost youth voter registration. The prom celebration will honor 20 high school schools and students who organize creative nonpartisan voter registration efforts.

After the day-long event, there will be a 90-minute virtual prom party starting at 9 .p.m. ET on MTV’s YouTube channel for the winning students and young prom attendees across the country to commemorate their special night together.

In addition to MTV’s programming, there will be special performances and appearances by celebrities, to be announced shortly.

Obama’s When We All Vote non-profit organization works to bring citizens, institutions, organizations and brands together in order to increase voter turnout for upcoming elections. It empowers voters of all races and ages to head to their voting booths, using strategic partnerships, digital organizing strategies and grassroots energy to encourage citizens to cast their ballots.

Bruce Gilmer and Vanessa Whitewolf of MTV as well as Jesse Ignjatovic (Den of Thieves) will serve as executive producers for the “Prom-athon.”