Local organization registers tens of thousands of Latinos to vote every year

Local organization registers tens of thousands of Latinos to vote every year

STORIES OF THE HISPANICCOMMUNITY IN TUCSON.

9 ON YOURSIDES PERLA SHAHEEN TELLS USMORE ABOUONT E ORGANIZATIONTHAT HAS EMPOWERED THEHISPANIC COMMUNITY HERE INTUCSON -- TO GET OUT AND VOTE.PERLA SHAHEEN //@PERLASHAHEEN: "HISPANICS MAKEUP AROUND 40 PERCENT OF PIMACOUNTY'S POPULATION BUT MANYARE HESITANT TO PICK UP ABALLOT AND MAKE THEIR VOICESHEARD." ONE ORGANIZATION -CALLED MI FAMILIA VOTA - ISTRYING TO CHANGE THAT.

THEIR2020 ANNUAL REPORT TIMAESTESTHAT THERE ARE 430,000 LATINOSIN ARIZONA THAT ARE ELIGIBLE,BUT NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE.CAROLINA RODRIGUEZ-GREER // MIFAMILIA VOTA ARIZONA STATEDIRECTOR: "VOTING IS ONE OFTHOSE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TOLOOK FOR IT, YOU VEHA TO TAKEMULTIPLE EPS STTO PARTICIPATEWHEN RINEALITY IT SHOULD BEMUCH EASIER." CAROLINARODRIGUEZ - GREER HAS WORKEDWITH MI FAMILIA VOTA INARIZONA FOR LAST TWOPRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

THEORGANIZIOATN HAS BEENANCVASSING ARIZONA VOTERS FORAROUND 14 YEARS AND MADE IT'SMARK ON LOCAL POLITICS.

IN2020 - VOLUNTEERS REGISTEREDMORE THAN 11,000 VOTERS INPIMA COUNTY.

CAROLINARODRIGUEZ-GREER // MI FAMILIAVOTA ARIZONA STATE DIRECTOR:"I'M AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF, IWAS BORN IN MEXICO AND SETROOTS IN TUCSON AND STAEDRTBECOMING AWARE OF THE WAYSTHAT PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLELIKE ME TO PARTICIPATE." THEGROUP OFTEN ORGANIZESWORKSHOPS WITH LEGAL EXPERTSTO HELP IMMIGRANTS APPLY FORCITIZENSHIP.

IN 2018 - THEYHELPED ALMOST 400 TUCSONANSWITH THEIR APPLICATIONS.

MAYORREGINA ROMERO HAS SUPPORTED MIFAMILIA VOTA SINCE THEBEGINNING.

AS THE FIRST LATINAMERICAN WOMAN TO BECOME AYMOROF TUCSON, SHE'S A STAUNCHADVOCATE OF REPRESENTATION INPOLITICS.

REGINA ROMERO //MAYOR OF TUCSON: "MY PARENTSALWAYS TOLD ME, ESPECIALLY MYDAD WHO WAS VERY INTO POLITICSAND POLICY AND A THALLT TOPARTICIPATE IN MY COUNTRY ANDIN MY COMMUNITY." SHE SAYS MIFAMILIA VOTA HAS CHANGED THEGAME FOR WORKING FAMILIES THATOFTEN LEAN AWAY FROM POLITICALINVOLVEMENT.

REGINA ROMO //ERMAYOR OF TUCSON: "THEY TAKETHE ME TTIO KNOCK ON DOORS ANDCANVAS AT VOTERS' HOMES.

THEYKEEP ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE MEIN LINE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEPRIORITIES ARE FOR WORKINGFAMILIES." THE ORGANIZATIONHAS LOCATIONS IN FIVE OTHERSTATES - ALL WITH LARGE LATINOCOMMUNITIES.

YOU CAN VOLUNTEEROR GET HELP THROUGH THEIRWEBSITE - MIFAMILIAVOTA.ORGPERLA SHAHEEN, KGUN 9 ON YOURSIDE.A SHO