Make Your Voice Heard

Organizing the Latino vote and empowering our communities

By Yesenia Sánchez

Some say young people today are not interested in politics and are rather passive. Then what would a large number of high school students, college students, and participants in youth groups be doing in voter registration drives?

Among those involved, we found two young Hispanic women, Stephanie Herrera and Ana María Sánchez, who have been very involved in the New Americans Democracy Project (NADP). NADP is a program that encourages civic participation and engagement among immigrant communities. It empowers them to vote if eligible and assists eligible permanent residents to become citizens, get involved, and participate in the democratic process to promote dignity and respect for Latino communities.

The organization seeks to attain rights and respect for immigrants, the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, and uphold civil rights and liberties. NADP’s goal this year is to register 20,000 immigrant voters, assist 10,000 people to become citizens, and mobilize 50,000 immigrants to the polls on Election Day. Since January 2004 the NADP has registered 42,057 voters in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Young people like Herrera and Sánchez believe a lot is at stake for the Hispanic community, not only for those who have the right to vote but also for those who don’t. They know Latinos can have an impact not only on these elections but on the community’s future.
Attaining comprehensive immigration reform, a better economy, controlling the escalating costs of education, ending the war in Iraq, and addressing many other issues requires a unified Latino community. It also demands that Hispanics make their presence felt by showing their strength at the polls.

Neither Stephanie nor Ana María had any experience registering people to vote, but their energy and passion to bring about change in their community led them to get involved. Together with a group of young people, they recently took on leadership roles and formed a council called Nuestra Voz, whose mission is to promote the importance of college education among Latinos by helping youth understand the process of obtaining a college education, regardless of their immigration status. If you want to get involved, visit: icirr.org or myspace.com/nuestravoz1.

Your turn

What are the issues that concern you? Are you doing something about them? What organizations in your area are working to engage active participation in the elections? Do you think it is your responsibility to participate?

Get involved!

• Participate in the census
• Participate in marches and demonstrations in support of just causes
• Attend community and school meetings
• Write to government officials
• Participate in boycotts of products based on unfair practices