Get to know a Mighty Partner: Voting Rights Round Up!
Vote by mail ballots are starting to hit mailboxes and early voting has already begun in some states. At every level, from state to Senate, we’re voting for the America we want to live in — and the America we want to leave to our kids and grandkids. Human rights are on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Clean water, healthy food and our way of life is on the ballot.
With less than 40 days until the 2022 midterm elections, we’ve decided to go bigger with our Mighty Partner post this month. We’ve rounded up a list of our go-to Mighty Partners, all out there making sure every last vote counts this election. We hope you’ll check them out, share with your friends and show some support if you’re able.
Mi Familia Vota Education Fund
“Our country is at a crossroads with democracy under serious attack. Whether it is the shooting in Uvalde, the Supreme Court Justice ruling on Roe V. Wade, the weakening of the Environmental Protection Agency’s power to combat climate change, or the possible loss of DACA, the Latino community is bearing the brunt of these attacks. Together we have the largest national infrastructure needed to continue building Latino political power, fight voter suppression, and strengthen our democracy. We will use that political power to hold all politicians accountable. It is time for all of us to meet this moment by embracing our power. Now is the time for action; now is the time to organize our communities to make our voices heard.” Héctor Sánchez Barba, the executive director and CEO of Mi Familia Vota, said in a recent press release.
“There are thousands of grassroots organizations working to build a true democracy and move the U.S. forward on issues of economic fairness, racial justice, immigrants rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, access to healthcare, and environmental sustainability. But not nearly enough direct funding or individual donations go to these groups. In the meantime, billions of dollars are spent each election cycle on TV ads and consultants. We are working to change that!” We like how Movement Voter Project provides support and direct resources to on the ground regional community organizing groups, like their Climate Vote Fund, Black-led Organizing Fund, and more.
“A new generation needs a new approach to politics. Young people are not here for partisan cheerleading: We care about progress, we care about justice, and we care about action. Transforming democracy to work for our generation means bringing everything back to the issues that are important to us and removing barriers to participation, which is exactly what we do.” New Era is the leading voice for young people in Colorado politics and one of the most effective youth civic engagement organizations in the country. They are bringing a young, progressive and diverse generation into the political world—not to get in line and stick with the status quo, but to take charge and reshape our democracy to work better for everyone.”
“Long before we were born, our ancestors have been fighting for our freedom. When we imagine new possibilities and organize people to make social change, we do this for ourselves and everyone who will be here after us. We want a better path because life deserves to be fair, and we shouldn’t have to deal with rigged systems that make living unaffordable and difficult. Keep creating art and visions and movements. We’ll keep organizing until everyone’s free.” Power California harnesses the energy of the largest and most diverse generation to create a state that is fair, inclusive and just for everyone who calls California home.
Protégete means “protect yourself!” Protégete is an organizing-focused program that advocates for equitable access to a healthy environment, specifically for Colorado’s communities on the frontlines of pollution. By building leadership in underrepresented communities through education, mobilization, and coalition building, and electing candidates who will fight environmental injustices, we work to change the political landscape on environmental issues. Embedded within Conservation Colorado there is a close connection to the clean air, environmental justice, and other environmental action movements in Colorado.
21 million eligible voters in the US do not have photo ID. About 5 in 10 eligible voters didn't cast a ballot in the 2018 midterm elections. An estimated 117,181,591 eligible voters didn't vote in the 2018 midterm elections. That’s where Spread The Vote comes in. They work every day to ensure that people have what they need to vote. Seventy seven percent of the people they work with have never voted before — and 100 percent of those people cannot vote without the support of Spread The Vote. Support comes by way of obtaining IDs for eligible voters in voter ID states, making election guides for real people, creating digital and real-world educational tools, helping eligible incarcerated voters to cast a vote by mail and helping voters make and execute a plan to vote.
“The Texas Organizing Project (TOP), founded in 2009, organizes Black and Latino communities in Dallas, Harris and Bexar counties with the goal of transforming Texas into a state where working people of color have the power and representation they deserve. Our greatest strength is the more than 285,000 members and supporters who help lead our direct-action organizing, grassroots lobbying, and electoral organizing. In addition, we provide training to develop everyday leaders in our Black and Latino neighborhoods; people hungry for positive change who want to be champions for their communities.”
Half of Latinos in Colorado report that their economic situation has gotten worse in the past 12 months, one third report that they quit their job in the last 12 months due to poor working conditions, nearly one-quarter had their workload or hours increased without a raise or promotion and an alarming 83 percent worry that their child could become a victim of a mass shooting, according to the Colorado Latino Policy Agenda. Alex Sánchez, President and CEO of Voces Unidas de las Montañas and Voces Unidas Action Fund said the report “makes clear that the challenges facing Latinos when it comes to jobs, housing and the economy are severe — and in need of significant action from officials at the local, state and federal levels.”
“At [You Can Vote] we believe that your vote is your voice. No matter who you are, your voice matters! You Can Vote is here to provide you with all the facts you need to make your voice heard by casting your ballot in EVERY election.” You Can Vote trains and mobilizes volunteers to educate, register and empower all North Carolina citizens to successfully cast their ballot. You Can Vote is an organized and effective non-partisan campaign to increase voter registration and voter turnout for people facing barriers to full civic participation. It is a campaign without a candidate. This means that You Can Vote does not work for a candidate or a party, and it does not mobilize around specific issues. You Can Vote is an ongoing, non-partisan effort to increase voter registration and voter turnout across North Carolina.
We’re in a defining moment — a moment where we can choose to be overwhelmed, disconnected and discouraged, or where we can choose to be positive, embrace change and lift up the work of others seeking a better future together. We’re proud to support the work of the people and organizations out changing this world for the better — for all of us. Some may be small, some large. All are mighty. Each month, we’ll be highlighting one of our Mighty Partners and we encourage you to get to know them, support them, and share their work with your friends, families and colleagues. Let’s get to work.