This coming election will be important as all are in turning out communities of color to vote, as well as passing necessary economic reform measures to help restore California’s economy. Our grant partners like Voto Latino and Oakland Rising are urgently working on campaigns, both national and local respectively, to register and educate voters of color, in addition to mobilizing around key economic policies that will try to rebuild our struggling state.
Using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and blogging, Voto Latino has established a major new media presence online and effectively mobilized Latino youth around voting amongst other pressing issues. Using celebrity voices and the latest technology, they have creatively and effectively registered more than 120,000 young Latino voters, galvanized Latino youth and their families to be counted in the 2010 Census, and mobilized them to speak out and take action on policies impacting their lives.
Also working towards mobilizing more voters of color to the polls is the multilingual, multiracial Oakland-based coalition, Oakland Rising. Believing that a healthier, safer, and more prosperous Oakland is possible for all through building voting power, Oakland Rising is registering and educating low-income Oakland voters, in addition to campaigning for the California Millionaires Tax. Oakland Rising has also used tech tools to spread awareness and anticipates turning out 40,000 votes in support of the tax, having already identified 28,000 supporters in East and West Oakland.
We are inspired by Voto Latino and Oakland Rising because they are providing strong examples of groups that are doing national and local work to engage voters of color while using new media tools to their advantage. Please check them out to learn more about all that they do!
