NC Organizers are Making Sure Latinx Voices are Heard in 2022
North Carolina’s fast-growing Latinx community is set to have a significant and growing impact on the future of the state’s electoral outcomes, including the estimated 50,000 Latinxs who are eligible to vote each year. One of our local partners is hitting the ground running by organizing strategies to reach ten thousand Latinxs through their statewide campaign and member leadership development.
Mi Gente affiliate, Siembra NC, is holding conversations with ten thousand Latinx people in a mix of urban, rural, and small town counties. Through their youth-led statewide campaign, “10k Latinxs Said”, the organization is engaging this growing community and identifying issues most critical to them in 2022 and beyond.
In May, seventy Siembra members, documented and undocumented, made a commitment to mobilize Latinx communities to participate in the coming elections. Members created voter engagement committees throughout the state, which have now trained dozens of members on voter registration and voter education.
The organization has twenty member leaders for canvassing teams in Alamance, Randolph, Guilford, Durham and Wake counties. They have registered over 500 Latinxs to vote so far and polled six thousand around the state, learning what policies are they believe are needed to support Latinx communities.
“I met a young man at the pulga who did not want to register to vote; I decided to spend five minutes getting to know him because I knew his vote could make the difference between having 287g or not in this county,” said V.R., a member of the organization.
“We talked about why his parents moved here, what living conditions are like, and how so many people like myself do not have papers and cannot vote for a change. He decided to register for his parents and I know just like him there are so many young people who would be willing to do the same,” V.R. (she/her/hers) added.
Local groups are trusted messengers building community year-round, not just now. Learn more about Siembra NC and their Latinx organizing strategies on their website.
