What do Latino voters in Nevada care about and how can we engage them?
October 12, 2011 - 0 comments
Some political strategists will tell you that the best way to engage Latino voters will be to get Latino candidates knocking on their doorstep, but exactly how true is that notion?
Here at Mi Familia Vota - Nevada, we work within the Latino communities across Southern and Northern Nevada, helping their family members on a pathway to citizenship. By the luxury of doing this work, we get to hear the stories that current Latino voters have to share with us.
There are dozens of political firms that will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on research only to come back and report that Latinos are concerned with immigration. This is true; however, based on the feedback that we’ve gotten from countless of Latinos through the work that we do, immigration is not the only issue of concern for Nevada’s Latino families.
Along with comprehensive immigration reform, this emerging group of voters is also concerned about jobs, the economy, and the education of their children. The solutions or ideas to these concerns could come from any candidate of any background, but it most certainly needs to be taken to the voters and the families of Latino voters.
Ask Latinos about immigration and most will agree that Congress and this country need to move forward on reform, but ask Latinos about the economy and they’ll tell you what needs to be done. They will tell you that we need to educate the communities on what is going on in Washington D.C. and in our state houses, because there is a great need to inform our people.
At Mi Familia Vota – Nevada, we are out there everyday, talking to Latinos across Nevada. We will continue to work hard to educate the Latino communities on the important issues that will affect them and their children, because if our communities get educated, they will get to voting. If Latinos get to voting, we will see progress on the issues that matter to us most.
Stay tuned for more updates from Nevada!
Leo Murrieta
Nevada State Coordinator
Mi Familia Vota - Nevada
Mi Familia Vota – Nevada: Community Information Night
August 19, 2011 - 0 comments
Earlier this week, Mi Famila Vota – Nevada and our summer interns partnered up with two other local Latino organizations to host a Community Information Night. Our interns were tasked with four different community research initiatives to complete and present at the culminating community information night; research our recent state budget cuts and find out how the cuts will adversely affect Latino’s, gather as much information as possible about questions people may have about being undocumented, understanding your rights regardless of your status, and finding free or inexpensive services that would be beneficial to the Latino communities. This was a big task, but our interns were up for the challenge.
They had all been working the entire summer, researching, calling, interviewing, and nosing around on organization’s websites to find information that they could use for their projects. As some of you may know, an event isn’t just about the presentations, you have to secure a location and also get people to show up! With some friendly supervision and guidance from our Mi Familia Vota staff, all of the above was placed on the plates of our interns.
Our interns worked diligently to prepare their projects for presentation day, and we were all anxious and nervous when the day finally came. Putting the finishing touches on their hand outs and presentation speeches, we headed over to our partner organization’s office, the LUZ Coalition was gracious enough to let us use their space as well as provide some great information about additional services that their partner organizations offer the Latino community. We also had DREAM Big Vegas, a Latino youth organization, help present our project on being undocumented. The room was packed and everyone was paying attention to our interns and our partner organizations as we presented them a summer’s worth of information and resources to the audience.
One of our interns was deathly afraid to speak in front of an audience, but she did an amazing job and finished her presentation even though she was nervous. It was a rewarding experience for Mi Familia Vota – Nevada and our interns, because it made them aware of all the different ways they could help their communities. After we left the event, our interns were all anxious and excited that it was finally over! We even asked our interns to write blogs about their internships and their experiences with these summer projects, because they’ve really grown as young people.
Mi Familia Vota’s community information night was a great success and we could not have done it without the hard work, dedication, and teamwork of our summer interns. The Latino community has some new friends in our summer interns!
E-Verify – in Spanish?
August 17, 2011 - 0 comments
An online program that was launched and supported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), E-Verify is intended to provide employers the ability to check on the legal status of the employees they hire. According to the USCIS today, the E-Verify program went through a system upgrade and is now available to private individuals in Spanish.
Along with many other states in the South West, Nevada is one of 16 states who will be receiving this new program upgrade, but will the communities of people in question be interested in utilizing this program on their own?
The DHS and USCIS state that making this program available to the community at-large will help individuals know their status before they apply for employment, suggesting that the added ease of access will encourage individuals to use the program. However, during the state’s recent legislative session, the diverse chambers of commerce throughout the state came out against a statewide E-Verify initiative that would have required all Nevada businesses to operate under the program. As the state prepares to adopt the new program upgrade, it is uncertain as to whether E-Verify en Español will receive a warm or luke warm welcome.
We at Mi Familia Vota – Nevada, encourage our local Latino communities to become more educated and aware of the programs that are available to them. Only through education and participation will our communities be better served.
Community Information Night
August 09, 2011 - 0 comments
Cinco de Mayo- Public Testimony on Redistricting Proposals
May 05, 2011 - 0 comments
May 5, 2011
Dear Members of the Senate and Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections:
My name is Artie Blanco, I am representing Mi Familia Vota. We are a non-partisan, non-profit organization , our mission is to build Latino Political Power through Citizenship, Voter Registration, Voter Education, Voter Participation and Civic Engagement post election day.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee for holding this hearing and allowing for public testimony.
This is my second testimony given to the joint committee. In my previous testimony I highlighted three issues:
1. Many areas in Las Vegas form a community of interest for Hispanics. Particularly in and around the East Las Vegas area that should not be split during the redistricting process. Primary boundaries of this community consist of Interstate 15, Nellis, Cheyenne and Desert Inn.
2. We support and encourage the legislative leadership to provide as many opportunities as possible where Latinos can influence the electoral outcome by choosing a representative of their choice.
3. We support and encourage the leadership, to the extent possible, to protect the Latinos who were elected in 2010 to the Nevada State Legislature.
Last week the Republican legislative Caucus released their proposed redistricting maps for state Assembly, Senate and Congressional Districts.
Under brief analysis we found that the proposal disregarded public testimony given by Hispanic leaders identifying communities of interest not to crack. It weakens all districts currently represented by Hispanic elected officials and the renumbering of districts is disenfranchisement by causing confusion among all voters.
Also, last week the Democratic Legislative leadership released their proposed redistricting maps for state Assembly and Senate.
After analyzing the maps we found that the proposal keeps key pockets of Latino communities of interest together and the ability to elect a candidate of our choice. District numbers were kept intact so not to confuse voters and protected our current Latino legislative members.
Today a second congressional proposal was released.
When we compare the two congressional proposals it’s clear that one proposal (the Democratic proposal) listened to the input of the Hispanic Community by keeping current communities of interest together.
While the other proposal (the Republican Proposal) packs all minorities into one district which reduces Hispanic influence in the remaining districts and limits the ability to be equally represented.
Again, it is our position that in order to enhance the political voice of the Hispanic community we must ensure that we do not confuse or limit the ability to influence and elect a candidate of our choice. We deserve more than just a ‘fair’ map. We deserve a map that speaks to our community’s growing political influence throughout the State of Nevada.
Artie Blanco
State Director
Mi Familia Vota
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
702-920-5923
NV Redistricting Hearing - Pack ‘em or Crack ‘em
April 05, 2011 - 0 comments
A redistricting hearing was held in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, 2011. Mi Familia Vota was present among many other community leaders and activists.
Hispanics a Force in Nevada's Redistricting
Las Vegas Review-Journal
April 3, 2011
TESTIMONY SUBMITTED April 2, 2011
Dear Members of the Senate and Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee for holding this hearing in Las Vegas. I would also like to thank the Las Vegas Legislative Bureau staff Felicia and Melissa for assisting me this week with the new Arc GIS system.
My name is Artie Blanco, I am representing Mi Familia Vota. We are a non-partisan, non-profit organization , our mission is to build Latino Political Power through Citizenship, Voter Registration, Voter Education, Voter Participation and Civic Engagement post election day.
We all know that Hispanics are the 2nd largest population in Nevada and they represent 46% of the state’s total population growth in the last decade. Again, that is 46% of the total population growth from 2000 – 2010.
Many areas form a community of interest for Hispanics. Particularly in and around East Las Vegas that should not be slit during the redistricting process. Primary boundaries of this community consist of Interstate 15, Nellis, Cheyenne and Desert Inn. (Please note that in the map turned over to state staff the northern boundary is now Craig – the additional information are the total population and the Hispanic population number for each precinct.)
We support and encourage the legislative leadership to provide as many opportunities as possible where Latinos can influence the electoral outcome by choosing a representative of their choice.
Finally, 2010 was a historic election for Hispanic voters across the state of Nevada. Hispanic Legislators went from 2 assembly members to 2 Senators and 6 Assembly members. These represent 9.5% of the Senate body and 14.3% of the Assembly body when the Hispanic population makes up 26.5% of the statewide population.
We support and encourage the leadership, to the extent possible, to protect the Latinos who were elected in 2010 to the Nevada State Legislature.
Mi Familia Vota will be speaking with Latino voters on several issues including Redistricting and how it affects them, their family and the Hispanic community.
We look forward to additional hearings to bring forward additional information and opinions from the community. Including identified communities of interest.
Again, thank you for your time.
Artie Blanco
State Director
Mi Familia Vota
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
702-920-5923
Ya Es Hora Ciudadania! Returns to Vegas!!
April 04, 2011 - 0 comments
The Nevada Coalition of Ya Es Hora Ciudadania! has announced their 2011 Ciudadania Workshop Calendar for the year. Our first workshop is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 16 at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino Convention Center!
Presenting organiztaions are Ceasar's Entertainment, Human Rights Campaign, (HRC) and Mi Familia Vota.
Join us and Spread the Word!! For information on volunteering please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Nevada Office Opens
February 04, 2011 - 0 comments
The Nevada office of Mi Familia Vota is directed by Artie Blanco. She has been in Las Vegas almost 2 years dedicating her life to increasing the civic participation of the Hispanic Community of Las Vegas, Nevada. As the State Director she is responsible for developing and implementing a statewide Latino Civic Engagment Program.
Martin Munoz has joined the Mi Familia Vota family as a community organizer. He will be working side by side with Artie in engaging Latino voters in their civic responsibilities. Which includes becoming citizens, participating in the electoral process and holding their elected officials accountable after their elections.
Join them in their efforts by calling or emailing them at 702-920-5923 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Contact Information
February 04, 2011 - 0 comments
Artie Blanco
State Director
Martin Munoz
Community Organizer
3785 E. Sunset Road
Las Vegas, NV 89120
702-920-5923 office
702-386-4883 fax
702-608-4246 cell
