LULAC on Forbes: The Organizations Behind the Great Latino Vote

Posted on 11/02/2012 @ 06:08 AM

As we move closer and closer to Election Day, LULAC members on the ground are working harder to make sure that Latinos hit the early voting stations or the poll booths this Tuesday. Forbes contributor Giovanni Rodriguez recognized the efforts of the LULAC membership and staff! Read more below.

THE ORGANIZATIONS BEHIND THE GREAT LATINO VOTE

By: Giovanni Rodriguez, Contributor
11/01/2012 @ 1:39 PM

They’re using social, mobile, and on-the-ground organizing. And they’re getting the job done.

Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal posted the latest in a series of headlines this week provoking conversation about Latino voters: “Election May Hinge On Latino Turnout.” But while people debate whether Latinos in fact will show up this election, there are many people with phones in hand, fingers on the keyboard, and boots on the ground making sure that 2012 will be an election to remember. There are too many people in these roles to list them all here. But with the help of a few friends, I’ve selected a few for special attention. If you would like to add an organization to this list, let me know in the comments. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and all these organizations can use your help.

NCLR — the mother of many Latino causes, The National Council for La Raza has been involved on a number of fronts, including a recently announced sweepstakes with The X Factor designed to get younger Latinos to vote. (NCLR on Twitter.)

LULAC – founded in 1929, The League of United Latin American Citizens is the oldest and one of the most venerable Latino civil rights organizations in the US. A partner to several organizations in voter registration programs, LULAC has an ambitious volunteer program where you can “organize your community and host voter registration drives in your neighborhood.” (LULAC on Twitter.)

NALEO Educational Fund — “the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.” Like NCLR, NALEO has been active in a variety of arenas including research and education on the importance of the Latino vote. Check out the “2012 Latino Election Guide,” linking from their home page. (NALEO on Twitter.)

Mi Familia Vota — “a national non-profit organization working to unite the Latino community and its allies to promote social and economic justice through increased civic participation.” Mi Familia Vota seeks to expand the Latino vote with highly focused voter registration and mobilization in key states. (Mi Familia Vota on Twitter).

Center for Community Change — “one of the larger community building organizations in the US,” according to Wikipedia. With a focus on building “the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color,” the Center has teamed with a number of Latino organizations to mobilize the vote. (The Center on Twitter).

Voto Latino — high profile organization dedicated to Latino voter registration and mobilization. Chairwoman Rosario Dawson and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar have been very effective in attracting publicity to the cause and partnering with other organizations. (Voto Latino on Twitter).

America’s Voice: “The mission of America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund (AVEF) is to harness the power of American voices and American values to promote fair and just immigration reform.” The organization has published a number of informative analyses on the scope and impact of ethnic voters. (America’s Voice on Twitter).

Cuentame – “through short video, docu-series, interviews from our studio, the streets, or sent to us by you,” Cuentame has built a solid online community. Check out the video collection on the Cuentame Vote page. One thing I really like about Cuentame: they have been particularly vocal about the risks of Latinos not voting in this election. It’s a subject that’s close to my heart. (Cuentame on Twitter).

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Read the article on Forbes here.