The midterm elections this year are a pivotal time for activation, regardless of what side of the aisle you stand on. The Latino community particularly is being mobilized by some of the nation’s most established organizations, like the NAACP, and startups alike.
Sindy M. Benavides, Chief Operating Officer at League of United Latin American Citizens, emphasizes how a big part of their outreach strategy is to properly define civic engagement with actions.
“Civic engagement is often perceived as voting but in reality encompasses so much more,” explains Benavides. “Civic engagement is our collective responsibility to create the future we want our children to see.”
At the NAACP, Aba G. Blankson, Vice President of Communications and Digital Media, makes it a point that all outreach is inclusive of Afro-Latinxs and issues important to the community.
“The Afro-Latinx community plays a critical role in our membership and in our legal and legislative agenda,” shares Blankson. “We’ve been outspoken legal advocates for the Afro-Caribbean community, filing suit against the Department of Homeland Security for rescinding TPS status for Haitian immigrants.”
Below these 5 women share how they are using their roles to make an impact not only on a legislative level, but also on a grassroots level
Ximena Hartsock — Co-founder and President, Phone2Action
Nunez: How are you working to inspire the Latino community for the midterm elections?
Hartsock: We created a free resource for people to register to vote, find polling locations and access other valuable GOTV information called MyVoteMatters.co - Myvotocuenta. The site features a messenger bot that works as an assistant if the individual needs help navigating the website. Three of our Civic Technology Fellows will work exclusively on midterm elections. One of them, Azhalia Leal, an amazing student organizer from March for Our Lives Texas, will work the entire summer supporting youth efforts for Latino GOTV.
Nunez: What advice do you have for Latinas who are using technology to raise awareness of the issues that are important to them? What role do organizations have in inspiring their own communities to work for change?
Hartsock: My first advice for all Latinas is to run for office. So far Latinas are doing well in the midterms. This year Texas could send its two first Latinas to Congress, Veronica Escobar and Silvia Garcia. Also Lupe Valdez could become the first Hispanic queer Governor of Texas. This tracks with research that shows that women have a chance at being elected, we just need to run more. My second piece of advice is to use your tech skills to amplify your voice and speak up. You don’t need to be a programmer to do so. Join Twitter chats like the ones organized by #LATISM or participate in Univision’s new effort “Be Counted”, which helps Latinos organize civic engagement efforts. Latina women are strong and love technology, but we need to evolve from being technology adopters to creators of technology. We are still at the bottom on STEM participation. We need to change that.
Aba G. Blankson — Vice President, Communications and Digital Media, NAACP
Nunez: So often the Afro-Latina community feels that they are not included when conversations around the Latino community are had — how are you helping to bridge this gap?
Blankson: The NAACP works to advance the civil rights of all peoples of the African Diaspora. The Afro-Latinx community plays a critical role in our membership and in our legal and legislative agenda. For example, this year, we filed two critical lawsuits in federal court in response to the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate DACA. The second suit recently yielded a major victory, paving the way for the program’s reinstatement. We are [also] fighting to hold the Census Bureau accountable for adequately preparing for and funding the 2020 Census, so that Black and Brown communities are not undercounted and, as a result, underrepresented and underfunded. In short, our legal docket and civic engagement strategy reflect the diverse backgrounds and needs of our community.
Nunez: What advice do you have for Latinas who want to work for more established organizations but are afraid they may be slower to impact change there?
Blankson: Established organizations like the NAACP have the experience and the membership base to execute the diligent, dedicated advocacy that change requires. Legal and legislative change demands patience but yields meaningful progress. Our work around DACA is an example of how we paired legal advocacy with activism on social media and in our communities to good result.
Debra Cleaver —Founder, Vote.Org
Nunez: What advice do you have for Latina entrepreneurs whose interests intersect in public advocacy?
Cleaver: Most entrepreneurs -- and most funders -- are straight white men. Don’t let that stop or intimidate you. Female founders outperform men by almost every metric: we make better decisions, we provide greater ROI, and our teams are happier. Eventually more funders will notice this and they will allocate their dollars accordingly. In the meantime, keep working hard and posting great returns.
Nunez: What has been the biggest lesson learned while building vote.org?
Cleaver: If you hire smart people, establish clear and measurable goals, your team will perform better than you ever thought possible. Also, hire slowly, fire quickly. If someone isn’t working out, let them go.
Nunez: What is the biggest insight learned from your work with the Latino community so far?
Cleaver: Back when we first launched, we assumed we’d have to translate the site into Spanish. Then I spoke with the heads of a few major Latino engagement organizations, and they all told me that Latino Americans speak English, and not to bother. Since then I’ve learned that Asian Americans are three times as likely than Latino Americans to cite language barriers as a reason for not voting.
Jackie Reyes-Yanes, Director Executive Office of the Mayor, Office on Latino Affairs
Nunez: Your personal mission clearly states that as a public servant you’re committed to creating pathways to the middle class, how does your current role feed into that mission?
Reyes-Yanes: As an immigrant myself and longtime DC resident, I understand the challenges that the Latino community has faced and still faces. Since I was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser to be the Director of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs my mantra has been to better serve my community by supporting the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate programs, connecting the needs of DC Latino residents with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s agenda and of course, supporting the DC values that have been established by the Mayor. I see myself as a bridge or connector that constantly has to decode the standing of the Latino community in the District while pushing the numerous policies and programs that have been put in place with the intention of sharing the great success achieved by this city.
Nunez: What advice do you have for Latinas who may want to follow in your footsteps?
Reyes-Yanes: Be aware of current events that are affecting our community and by doing this, you will become your own advocate. Be part of the decision making process and do not be afraid to speak up. Also, I believe that education is one the most important human rights.
Sindy M. Benavides — Chief Operating Officer, League of United Latin American Citizens
Nunez: You’ve worked everywhere from the DNC to Voto Latino and now at the League, how has the way you interact with the Latino community evolved over the years?
Benavides: First and foremost, my respect for my community has deepened and increased throughout the years. In the wake of economic challenges, language barriers, unchecked mainstream biases, open racism, separation of families, politically motivated ICE raids and incarceration, it is inspiring to see our DACA recipients, TPS community members, first generation immigrant pioneers, and families continue to push forward. What I have found most profound is that we are indeed ‘woke’ and staring at the results of what happens when we do not participate in the electoral system. Voting matters.
Nunez: What advice do you have for Latinas who are hoping to engage their own communities on a grassroots level?
Benavides: Start with your immediate network of friends and family first. When I started my political career, the first person I talked to was my mother. To my surprise, during my first political campaign, my mother became my best advocate, because she believed in what I was doing and she wanted to support me. She took out her black address book (yes they still existed) where none of the names were in the right alphabet page and started calling her own network. I give credit to my mom for self-handedly mobilizing the Honduran community in Northern Virginia. Through those initial calls, we discovered that there were people we knew who were eligible to become U.S. citizens. It always brings a smile to my face when someone I know tells me, “Sindy, I became a U.S. citizen and I voted.” The influence we have on our friends and family is immeasurable. You never know who is listening and what your words will ignite.
Nunez: What has been your biggest leadership lesson learned during your time in civic engagement?
Benavides: Every human matters regardless of their ability to vote. As a Latina who has been undocumented and is now in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen I have had the ability to create change in the realm of civic participation at the local, state and national level within my roles at the DNC, Voto Latino and LULAC. I’ve also done so by serving as a founder or co-founder of multiple non-profits in Virginia. Increasingly, we are seeing more Dreamers, future U.S. citizens, high school students and vulnerable communities show up during election years to mobilize, despite the fact that they themselves are not eligible to vote.
