Will Latinas determine the 2024 election? It’s possible.
If that title frightens or excites you—you’re in the right place. From the jump Latinas Create has taken a stance on politics, working with names like Voto Latino who have spent the past decade working to register the Latino population to vote and they’re doing a damn good job at it.
They understand that every 30 seconds a Latinx individual turns 18 which equated to the second largest growing voter block in the 2020 election and our growth trajectory isn’t slowing down—as you may have guessed MILLIONS are not registering to vote. A fact that has major ramifications particularly in those key battle ground states.
That’s where you come in, but let’s take a step back for a second. As someone who would earn extra credit, in my AP Political Science class, for recording The Daily Show on VHS tapes circa 2005 I’ve been a self-proclaimed activist for nearly 20 years now so I think I can safely say I’ve seen some things.
Everyone knows the best predictor for the future is looking to the past and without breaking down every single past presidential debate I want to remind ourselves of the famously first in-color televised debate: Kennedy vs Nixon in which JFK prepped by tanning and Nixon came in looking well pale, a move that some historians say ultimately led to a Kennedy win by a margin of only 100,000 votes one of the closest in American history.
While this moment mattered and would be an indicator for how America formed their opinions on who they’d vote for, we as a nation need to be consistently reminded of what we are voting for and at the current times it is to save the essential fabric of democracy—the stakes are that big. One bad debate does not equate to a whole failure of a political party and in this case it’s Democrats who need to refocus our energy towards how can we constructively move forward.
I bring up this moment to say: let us not repeat the past and let us seize on the now. A sentiment that may be idealistic but if I have learned anything over this two decade span it’s that there is power with the people when the people unite.
So how will Latinas save democracy? By urging friends, family, and beyond to register to vote (start here) and request your local form to register it is quick and easy! Know someone is renewing a license? Remind them to check yes on registering to vote! A loved one turning 18? WooHoo they can register to vote!
I completely understand that these big tough complex issues are emotional and often heart-breaking and can lead to apathy and a disconnect from feeling empowered, but we need all the “little” voices in the ant hill to sting back when we get crushed.
As with life, we take it one day at a time—well let’s take it one vote at a time shall we? She se puede amigas <3
