1 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to How to Citizen with Baritone Day, a show 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,239 Speaker 1: where we reimagine the word citizen as a birth and 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: remind ourselves how to wield our collective power. I'm Baritone Day. 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: For the next few episodes of the show, We're gonna 5 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: focus on one specific form of collective power, and that 6 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: is voting. Voting is ground zero when it comes to 7 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: laying the foundation for How to Citizen. You can consider 8 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: these next few episodes a series within a series. We'll 9 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: bring you conversations with some of the most committed, experienced, 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: and insightful people working to ensure that this part of 11 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: our democracy functions well. These are the people who know 12 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: how to citizen and are working hard to make sure 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: all of us can do the same through this basic 14 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: yet profound right that we have to vote and make 15 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: our voices her. There's really no such thing as sitting 16 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: on the sidelines in an election. Every choice is a choice, 17 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: and as I saw on a recent Instagram post, not 18 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: voting still help someone win. For this episode, I spoke 19 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: with Maria Teresa Kumar, the CEO and founder of Voto Latino, 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: the largest Latino voting rights organization in America, which has 21 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: registered over five hundred thousand people to vote this year 22 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: alone and helped millions of people understand how voting impacts 23 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: their everyday lives in tangible ways. Now you're gonna hear 24 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: Maria in this interview say a lower number of registrants 25 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: around three hundred thousand. That's how fast they're moving. In 26 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: the time since we did this conversation, Vote to Latino 27 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: has turned up the numbers even more, and by the 28 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: time you hear this, it's gonna be even higher. One 29 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: key insight Maria dropped on me in this interview. She said, 30 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: November three is not election day, it's election deadline. People 31 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: are already voting. So let's go now for the interview. Hi, 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: my name is mamar and I'm the founding president of 33 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: Vote Latino, the largest voter registration outfit in the Latino community, 34 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: because we believe that a strong, robust democracy depends on 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: all of us. Maria, can you describe what's the typical 36 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: method of registering people to vote and what is the 37 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: Vote to Latino method and why is it different and better? Yeah, So, 38 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: the typical method is waiting for someone in front of 39 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 1: a Walmart and trying to convince them to register and 40 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: you can imagine how that could be hard if you 41 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: have a couple of kids in tow right or or 42 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: knocking on doors right in covid Era, that becomes really hard. 43 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: And in the Latino community in particular, since there's so 44 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: much anxiety among anybody knocking on your door, even if 45 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: you're a U. S. A Wison, that creates another friction 46 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: of participation. And so fifteen years ago I set out 47 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: with my partner in crime Rosario, and she's like, what 48 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: do you think if we do as a campaign? And 49 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: that I love that she could drop in the first 50 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:19,119 Speaker 1: name though She's so she had done a whole bunch 51 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 1: of P S A s. And she's like, do you 52 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: think we could do anything more than this? And that's 53 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: around the same time I met her, and I was like, well, 54 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: how how hard can this be? Oh my gosh. Fifteen 55 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: years later, the experiment is finally coming to fruition. So 56 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: the idea was to register voters online and to register 57 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: and let the at scale. And this is what during 58 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: a time when someone was telling us that let the 59 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: knows didn't speak English, that what was social media with, 60 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: you know? And how do why would you use celebrity voices, 61 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: and so this was back again sixteen years ago, and 62 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: now I can tell you that in that year we 63 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: registered two thousand, four hundred people. As of this morning, 64 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: January one, we have registered over three hundred and sixty 65 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: seven thousand individuals since January one, and we are talking 66 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: to roughly fifteen million people a month across our social 67 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: media channels. Wow, and what's your goal for? Ideally would 68 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,119 Speaker 1: be endless, but there's an upper limit on the population, right. 69 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: So the biggest challenge of the Latino community is closing 70 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: the voter registration gap, because we have thirty two million 71 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: Latinos who are eligible to vote, but only half of 72 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: us are registered. And of the fifteen million that are unregistered, 73 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: ten million of US are under the age of thirty 74 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: three and four million of US are brand new voters 75 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: since elections. So you have four million young voters who 76 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: heard the President called their family loved ones, rapists, and 77 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: criminals who are eligible to cast a ballot this year. 78 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: And so our voter registration is concentrated in six states 79 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,239 Speaker 1: where we believe they could make the most impact, meaning 80 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: that they could flip at Texas, they could flip Florida, 81 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: they could flip Arizona. They could flip Georgia and North 82 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: Carolina and Pennsylvania. And our goal is to register at 83 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: least five thousand folks, but to be honest, we're actually 84 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: closer on track to registering over six That's an incredible number. 85 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: And I want to understand, you've been at this fifteen 86 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: sixteen years. What have you learned about what what actually works? 87 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: Because you described as Walmart parking lot scene and I 88 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: can imagine that does not work. And some celebrity voices 89 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: probably don't work if they're not really connecting to folks. 90 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: So over these years of experimentation, what have you learned 91 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: about what actually works to get people to register and 92 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: to actually vote. The number one thing is you have 93 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 1: to talk to them, and you actually kept to create 94 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: a space. Right. So, when we started Vote Latino, if 95 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 1: you ask someone to register to vote, but the moment 96 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: that they walk out, everything that government does for them 97 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: is broken. Their schools are broken, they don't have access 98 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: to healthcare, they don't have way E equity. It's hard 99 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: to convince someone that voting will make a difference. Right, 100 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: And so at Vote Latino, when I say we talked 101 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: to fifteen million people a month, we're educating people about 102 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: what happens when you have a good government, what happens 103 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 1: when you vote, what happens with how do you actually 104 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: transform the health care system, the educational system, address the environment, 105 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: get background checks on people, making sure that you have 106 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: good d as for police, reform that and then people 107 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: start to making the connections. And I can tell you 108 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: that the difference is that when we started doing this work, 109 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: getting people to make the contection, for example, between protesting 110 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 1: and voting was almost impossible. It's really really hard because 111 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: no one was used to the protesting and they were 112 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: starting to learn a habit of protesting, and then they 113 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: would still vote and wouldn't see any difference. This past June, 114 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 1: when Vote Latino, we were planning on registering roughly twenty 115 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: folks in June. When we connected the tragic death of 116 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: George Floyd and the protesting happening in the importance of 117 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: going to the ballot box to change your leadership, we 118 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: saw increase in our voter registration numbers from the previous month. 119 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 1: We registered twenty one folks in three days, and we 120 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: registered over a hundred thousand in the month of June. 121 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: And that was because in the Latino community. And this 122 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: is where again it's generation, but people don't get it, 123 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: like what is happening in the African American community resonates 124 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: and hurts so much in the Latino community because we 125 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: are experiencing so many unfortunate levels of policing as well. 126 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: Under this administration, you have eleven million undocument immigrants that 127 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: are constantly getting profiled, but in reality, it's sixty million 128 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: of us, right because no one knows who's documented who's not. 129 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: And so when you talk to a mother and talks 130 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: about having that conversation that talk with their with their kids, 131 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: it's the same talk, but no one talks about it 132 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: out loud because people are ashamed and they're they're scared, 133 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: right well, it's a real anxiety about being targeted and 134 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: hurt by the people that you may call to your 135 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: front door because you might have instances of domestic violence 136 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: or being shot. There's a horrible incident in Los Angeles 137 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: where this young man, eighteen years old, undocumented kid, he 138 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: was moonlighting as a security guard at an auto shop 139 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: and shortly after George Floyd he was shot close to 140 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: seventeen times in the back by on duty police officers 141 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: and he was moonlighting because his parents had lost their 142 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: jobs to COVID. He was just trying to make ends meet, 143 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: and there's no accountability sadly in some parts of the 144 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: police force. Latinos really get it. And so when we 145 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: started talking about the issues specifically around health under COVID, 146 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: when we start talking specifically about jobs under COVID and 147 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: racial inequities among blacks and Latinos, that was through the 148 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 1: roof because even though we don't discuss it, we know 149 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: that it is something that is an epidemic as well, 150 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: sadly in the Latino community. And Trump hasn't made it easier. Obviously, 151 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: he is very much of your either. It doesn't matter 152 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: if you're here as a fifth generation American citizen, if 153 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: you're brown, you might as well have never shown up. 154 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: I mean, that is that type of strife. And sadly, 155 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 1: you have hate crimes really skyrocketing, because it's not just 156 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: the government, it's all of a sudden the agency that 157 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: other folks have that say, okay, well, you know, I 158 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: just have to point out, sadly, what happened with El Paso. Right, 159 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: are there stories that you have of making this connection 160 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: from voting back to the quality of people's lives that 161 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: sort of keeps you motivated that you can kind of 162 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: show people who ask you why should I vote, and 163 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: you have this result that you can point to and say, look, 164 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: this made a difference. What are those examples for you? 165 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: So until it was very much small pockets of it, 166 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: but we saw something remarkable. For the very first time, 167 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: we saw Generation X, Y and Z out vote their 168 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: older generation. And it was also the most diverse group 169 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: of Americans that ushered in the most diverse Congress. So 170 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: in twenty nineteen, we brought in the most women, the 171 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: most Muslims, the most l g pt Q, the youngest generation, 172 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: the most Latina, the most veterans, you name it. It 173 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: was the most that reflected our country, the most American 174 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: and the most Americans that actually you know, and it 175 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: only took us four year almost right, that was really easy. 176 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: But but what was really exciting about that pieces that 177 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: and people will say, and this is where we have 178 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 1: to make sure that there's a case for why we 179 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: need diversity and entertainment, why we need diversity in Silicon Valley, 180 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: why we need diversity in our schools, That new legislative 181 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: body that reflected our values most came up with four 182 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: hundred pieces of legislation that is a blueprint to our 183 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: America that we deeply believe in. It talked about modernizing 184 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: our elections. It talked about background checks, It talked about 185 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: policing and reforming policing. It talked about making sure that 186 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: there was a path to citizenship for immigrants. It talked 187 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: about the environment that, oh, my gosh, climate change is real. 188 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: Let's address that thing. So there's four hundred pieces of 189 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: legislation that this diverse body was able to discuss and 190 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: actually pass that now is basically rotting away at the 191 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: Senate because Mr McConnell and the rest of the Senate 192 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,199 Speaker 1: does not look like America. So when people say my 193 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: vote doesn't matter, like no, no, no, tell me your issues, 194 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: I bet you they've passed it. I was never able 195 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: to say that before. You know what, when I hear 196 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: about the black community or read about the Latin X community, 197 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: I know enough to know that there's multiple communities within 198 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: that um and so within the vote of Latino universe. 199 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: I'd love to ask you about what that Latino or 200 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: Latino community is, and in particular those who actually support 201 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: this president, which you know are headlines that I'm coming across, 202 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,679 Speaker 1: and you're closer to these voters and the issues. Can 203 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: you break down some of the segments within the Latino 204 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: community and that segment that is pro this president. Yeah, So, 205 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 1: first of all, we're talking about over thirty countries in 206 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: Latin America, right and trying to bring everybody here. So 207 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: I always remind people that Italy didn't become Italy until 208 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: they landed right there. Just so that's kind of what 209 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: we're seeing here, right. But this is the thing in 210 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: Latin America. What you have is that people still hold 211 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: onto their roots and then they come to this country 212 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: and they're reminded that they're anything but an individual, right, 213 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: they're often times put together and in the Latino community though, 214 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: this is where I think there's great opportunity. And when 215 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: I say that our job at Bote Latino is to 216 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: market democracy, we're talking to a vast majority of Latinos 217 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: who are under the age of thirty three. Sixty of 218 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: all latin X are under the age of thirty three. 219 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: They're super young. So the mode like the majority of 220 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: of whites are fifty four, the majority you're sitting down, 221 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: the majority of Latinos are eleven years old. Like when 222 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: I say young, they're super young. Not the average, but 223 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: it's like the most like were they cluster. So if 224 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: you were to see like a map and you see 225 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: all these like little bumps, fifty eight over here, eleven 226 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: years old over here. Right, So we're very young communities, 227 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: which is not surprising why they are trying to pass 228 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 1: the voter suppression before we could even because they're preparing. 229 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: They're trying to prepare a disenfranchised group of Americans for 230 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: the future. Right. And so the other thing I also 231 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: remind folks is that of Latin X, we identify as black. 232 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 1: We're from my family's Caribbean, right. I was born on 233 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: Gotta Hannah, right, So that so we identifies black. You 234 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: also have a whole group of people that also don't 235 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: identify black right or as of color right, and that 236 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 1: gets more complicated. Specifically in Florida is you see a 237 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: lot of first wave of Cubans that came that were 238 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 1: brought over by Ronald Reagan, who very much espoused this 239 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: idea that free markets are the answer to everything. And 240 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,079 Speaker 1: it's an older generation that really much believe in what 241 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: Donald Trump has to sell. He has scared them to 242 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: believe that the Democrats are into socialism and communism. And 243 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: I like to remind them is that if they believe 244 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: in social Security and if they believe in Medicare, that 245 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: is government doing good by its people, and that's technically 246 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: a government program. And this is where I think that 247 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 1: the BIND campaign can improve is that for most Latinos 248 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: and for a lot of communities of color, we don't 249 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: have supplemental income that for most social Security and Medicare represents. 250 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: Medicare is our health plan when we retire, and social 251 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: Security is basically our retirement plan when we retire, like 252 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: nothing else is coming in the door, right, And so 253 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: when the president says that he's going to take away 254 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: payroll taxes, that sounds nice as a small business unless 255 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: your health plan and your retirement plan happened to be 256 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: social Security and Medicare, right, So so it's kind of 257 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: it's opening that up. But but then you also have 258 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: a very group of folks that are just very older 259 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: for the most part, that are just conservative and are 260 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: very much aligned with UH, with anti choice. That's not 261 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: the case for young Latino's. Young Latinos, the people that 262 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: we mobilize our disproportionately. If you ask them what they 263 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: care about in order of preference, it is right now, 264 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: it's racial inequities, it's healthcare, it's jobs in that order, 265 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: and then the environment, and then you talk about immigration. 266 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: And the sixth one now is talking about gun reform. 267 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: Those are young people in Texas. You mentioned voter suppression, 268 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: and we've seen a lot of attempts to discredit parts 269 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: of the voting process, whether it's the count or the 270 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: delivery of mail. Um. I'm curious about the other side. 271 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: You know, because you work across all the states. What 272 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: states are doing a good job of encouraging voters, are 273 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: protecting the vote? Are there any models that we should 274 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: try to replicate and hold up as a positive example 275 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: of this is how you support the voting franchise. I 276 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: love that question. I would say that California, where you are, 277 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: is one of the best. It's such a large system 278 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: that is still getting new kinks because it's trying to 279 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: modernize quickly. But I'll give you an example. If you're 280 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: sixteen in California, you're preregistered to vote. That's huge. We 281 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: actually had to pull out of California because you guys 282 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: were doing such a great job you guys. Secretary Videas 283 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: and one of my close friends. And when he told 284 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: me his plans, I said, well, you're gonna put me 285 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: out of business. That's fantastic. But that should be your goal, 286 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: Like you want to register all the voters. I mean, look, 287 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: this idea that a third party organization has to do 288 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: a government function of registering voters is actually absurd. My 289 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: job should be about encouraging people to vote for an 290 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: issue and for a candidate, like that's that's what my 291 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: job should be. Persuading you you know who you should 292 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: vote for. But a government function, like you don't depend 293 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: the government. Doesn't depend on a government function to collect 294 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: your taxes, you know, not yet. So you cited the 295 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: great California Republic as one example of, you know, the 296 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: opposite of voter suppression voter encouragement by pre registering sixteen 297 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: year olds. What are a few other examples of people 298 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: doing it right? Yeah, I'd say Colorado and Colorado. You 299 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: don't have a voter registration deadline. You can just show 300 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: up with your idea and you can register and you 301 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: can vote the same day. That's fantastic, right, And you 302 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: have pre voting, meaning that can actually vote before the 303 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: actual November three, because so many people are going to 304 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: be interested in the election this year, we should think 305 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: of November thirty as our deadline. That's the last date 306 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: of vote, and the more we can bank our vote 307 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: that is going to make a difference. Because one of 308 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: the things that I'm concerned with is that there's gonna 309 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: be so much participation that everybody's gonna wait until the 310 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: last minute. Now, as a Latina, we wait for the 311 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: last minute for everything, not this time, guys, I never 312 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: need to bank their vote. If if I'm talking to 313 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: my fellow black folk, I'm like, no, CP time, no, no, no, 314 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: I have one more at least follow up. I think 315 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: it's about how votilit you operate. You said social media, 316 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: you use the word technology. You're engaging people who are 317 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: under thirty three by and large, What do you actually do? 318 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: How does it work? What is your technique? So imagine 319 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: I've with selling you nikes online and you double click 320 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: on it, right, So you know, we basically market democracy 321 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: all the time, and we identify where you are, and 322 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: not to sound creepy, we try to use it for good. 323 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: Try to get you to registers. Once you register to 324 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: vote with vot Latino. Then we start actually providing you 325 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: with the information that you need. So where's your voting booth? 326 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: Have you made a plan to vote? Have you? And 327 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: we try to make it all inclusive. So if you 328 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 1: were to tell me that you really cared about the environment, 329 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: once you're part of our world, we will tell you 330 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: when it's time for you to call your member of 331 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: Congress on the environment. If you want to, volunteer will 332 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 1: pull you in and you can volunteer from the comfort 333 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: of your home. If you text the volunteer to seven 334 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: three one seven nine, you can just start texting fellow 335 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: voters to go out and vote about the issues they 336 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: care about. And then what we do is that for 337 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: those folks that are really into it, we basically we 338 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: do volunteer programs where they actually come and get trained. So, 339 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: for example, on October two, we're going to have our 340 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: Power Summit. It's going to be virtual this time. Normally 341 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: it's in person, but it's usually about five young people 342 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: that are really aggressive of trying to change to their neighborhoods, 343 00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: and we trained them on everything they need to do, 344 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: including running for office. And the idea is that we 345 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: have to flip the script when people say that the 346 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: system is regularly saying, now, let's be clear, the system 347 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: works for those who occupy. We are part of the 348 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: largest most diverse generation of Americans as time that we 349 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: flex and that we occupy our institutions. Because they're still 350 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: using our taxes. They might as well put our taxes 351 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: to work for good, at least most of ours. They're 352 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: not using the presidents because he doesn't even doesn't that 353 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: that got me pretty fired up. And the idea of 354 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: of marketing democracy, it's almost voto Latino is like the 355 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: first step, you know, and it's it's you're following through 356 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: in terms of the volunteering and the contacting you representative. 357 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 1: Are there things that you have planned that you're excited 358 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: about in terms of how your model is going to 359 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 1: continue to evolve. So I'll share with you. We started 360 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: about four years ago, we started encouraging yan Latinos to 361 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: run for office. That was part of our you know, 362 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: an experiment. And since that time we've had six and 363 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: people run. Of the six, five of one and they're 364 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: all the youngest in their chamber, so the youngest and 365 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: there's Will Boarder, shut Younggester and city Council and currently 366 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: the youngest in Congress. And so what we would like 367 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 1: to do is basically built off of that and just 368 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: encourage more people to run for office. I think that 369 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: what folks don't realize is that young Latinos they've been 370 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: navigating America for their families long before they turn eighteen 371 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: years old, oftentimes because they know the language. I was 372 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 1: translating from my mom when I was six seven years old, 373 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: you know, always with this nervousness of when I was 374 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: with my grandmother in the doctor's office, Am I going 375 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: to get her medication? Right? I mean, like some stuff 376 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: that's kind of big and quite frankly translating less well 377 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: when I came to school just can conveniently. I don't 378 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: know how to translate this particular note from this. Yeah, 379 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 1: but you're saying that a lot of folks in the 380 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: Letics community have experienced navigating the system on behalf of 381 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: their families, right, for everything but democracy. Right. We know 382 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: how to buy the best cell phone plan because we're 383 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: getting marketed that, right, but when it comes to democracy, 384 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: we don't. And so like only eight out of fifty 385 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,479 Speaker 1: states requires to education to graduate from high school when 386 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: you're in places like Texas where close to a good 387 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: six of our kids are of color. Where are they 388 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: learning democracy? So we try to feel invital to him. 389 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:14,719 Speaker 1: We try to fill that gap, because again, our democracy 390 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 1: is only as strong as our participation. And when we 391 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: have such a lopside participation, we're only one side with 392 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: one viewpoint is participating. We get what we get right 393 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 1: now in the White House, right, And so our job 394 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,719 Speaker 1: is to flex. And again we're gonna be the largest 395 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 1: generation coming out to the polls. You're gonna have twelve 396 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: million more young voters than baby boomers for the first time. 397 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: Two thirds of them are young people of color. We 398 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: have a belief in this show about the word citizen, 399 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: and we are interpreting it not as a legal status, 400 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: but as a verb. If you were to interpret the 401 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: word citizen as a verb, what does it mean to you? 402 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: I citizen for my neighbor. Right. Our job, my job, 403 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: I think everybody's job, is to recognize that COVID has 404 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: exposed over fifty years of what the civil rights movement 405 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: was about, that there were institutional inequities in our system, 406 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: that where the fought lines were around race and gender, 407 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: and if you look at disproportionately the people who are 408 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 1: at the front lines. Our communities always knew we were 409 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: essential workers right, and COVID is exposed what that means. 410 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: It means sacrificing, sometimes your family time and sometimes sacrificing 411 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:40,360 Speaker 1: your bodies to ensure that our families can be fed. 412 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: But so can the country can be nurtured. And so 413 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: for us to citizen right is to address the neediest, 414 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: the most vulnerable around us. I do think that COVID, well, 415 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: as painful as it's been, is giving us an opportunity 416 00:22:55,440 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: of a generation f DR right after the Great Depression, 417 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to reimagine and think what America meant, 418 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 1: and that meant providing public schooling, meant providing social security, 419 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: it meant providing fair wages because you actually were able 420 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: to organize under a union, you had, like this, a 421 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,959 Speaker 1: whole list of what our priorities were as Americans. COVID 422 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: is going to allow us to think as audaciously and 423 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,399 Speaker 1: as big, and what we need to do is that 424 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: we need to citizen right so that everything is possible 425 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: to re calibrate where we are. I don't think that 426 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: there's now an American who can't say that where you 427 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: grow up in your zip coat, in the color of 428 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: your skin or your gender don't matter. If anything, COVID 429 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: has demonstrated those faultlines are very real. But as you know, 430 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: I mentioned I have two little ones that are six 431 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: and eight years old. There technically the beginning of what 432 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: is called the majority minority country where no one is 433 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: a majority. I would say, you know, the future has 434 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 1: been born and we're not ready. So just like you know, 435 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: World War One defined America in the world for the 436 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 1: twentieth century, one can claim that the twentieth century started February. 437 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: And how we actually legislate coming out of that, out 438 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 1: of the pandemic is where we are for our citizens, 439 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: but also for the world at large. Are we going 440 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: to step up to that leadership that is so so needed? Yeah, 441 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 1: watch out America, Maria Terressa Kumar, thank you for your time. 442 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: I think there's one. I'm already registered and I double 443 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: check every week. But if I weren't, I would register 444 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: through Vote to Latino just so you could market democracy 445 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: to me and I'd love to experience that. There's also 446 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: something you made me think of when when you described 447 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: very young Latin X folks having to navigate on behalf 448 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: of their families. That's representative democracy right there. Like there's 449 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: a constituency and you're in a service position and you 450 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,120 Speaker 1: have to understand and sort of provide in this way. 451 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: So it's not surprising that five of your six one 452 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: if that's the group that you're pulling from with that 453 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: depth of experience. Is there anything you want to add 454 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: on this top pick of voting or how to be 455 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: a citizen? I think more than anything, we just want 456 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: to make sure that you have a voting plan. Make 457 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: sure like just like you make a plan to go 458 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: to the doctors or you know, go go on a date, 459 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: like make a plan for voting, and try to do 460 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: it early the fastest you can do it, because I 461 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 1: will tell you this, usually on November three, on election day, 462 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: everybody's calling the shots. Everybody's gonna say this person is 463 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: gonna win this year. We're not going to have that, 464 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: and we have to be prepared. But a lot of people, 465 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: millions of us, are gonna be voting by mail, and 466 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: as a result, some of them, it's going to take 467 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 1: us sometimes weeks to count them, Like in Georgia took 468 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: us two weeks after the Georgia Primary to count those 469 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: all those ballots. So one be a savvy voter. So 470 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: if someone tells you on November three that we know 471 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: who won, they're following you. We don't know, okay, So 472 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: just give every let it, let it work through the system, 473 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: because you know, every vote does count. And number two, 474 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: the more that the folks on the progressive side, the 475 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 1: more that people vote, it inspires other people to come 476 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: along and they feel like they're part of the winning team. 477 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: And media being the media will start creating narratives of 478 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: who's winning, right, and so don't wait until the last minute. 479 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: Start banking early. And the more that we start banking 480 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: those votes, the more we can actually control the cycle 481 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 1: and inspiring people to come out and saying, oh my gosh, 482 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 1: my vote. I do see a difference. I keep telling 483 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: people that there's only thirty six days un till dawn, 484 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: but I need everybody to participate. Thank you, thirty six 485 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: days till dawn. We are looking forward to that sunrise. 486 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you so much. We want to thank 487 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: Maria to Race the Kumar again for taking time out 488 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 1: of a very very busy schedule in the middle of 489 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:44,880 Speaker 1: election season to talk with us. Please follow Voto Latino 490 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, visit their website at Voto Latino 491 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: dot org. There are some amazing resources there. Even if 492 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: you're not Latin X. You can find this entire episode, 493 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 1: the transcript the call to action always at how to 494 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: citizen dot com. And if you've enjoyed this episode and others, 495 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 1: please leave a review and tell someone you know put 496 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: it up on social media. Word of mouth is the 497 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: best way to grow a podcast, and we think this 498 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: thing we're doing with you here is something worth growing. 499 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: So we'll see you out there on the socials. Now 500 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: let's get into the set of actions we're offering up 501 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: for this episode. There's a lot, and I'm not asking 502 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: you to do everything, but I want to give you 503 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: options because everything feels like it's on the line on 504 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: the internal front. Here are some of the things you 505 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: can do. The first thing I want you to do 506 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: is just prepare yourself emotionally. We have this historic expectation 507 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: that we know an election result the morning after quote 508 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 1: unquote election day, and as I've repeated many times in 509 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: this episode, we are an election season. These are election weeks. 510 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: In November three is just the deadline. But because so 511 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: many people are voting by mail, because this race could 512 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: be very close and come down to a few states. 513 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,879 Speaker 1: Assume we won't know, and brace yourself emotionally for that, 514 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 1: plus all the nonsense that you know is going to 515 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: happen between now and then and possibly after. Make a 516 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: plan to vote and act on it now. If you 517 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: haven't voted yet, make your plan. Figure out how you're 518 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: going to vote, who you're voting for. Plan this like 519 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 1: it's the biggest day of your life. I'm talking about. 520 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: Get the lent out of your shirt, brush your teeth, 521 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: get that mouth wash going. You don't just run out 522 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: into an amazing first date that could be the potential 523 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: for the rest of your life. So don't just run 524 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: out and mark up your ballot without informing yourself. Don't 525 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: just make up the rules. Take the time to figure 526 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: out how you want to get this done and start. 527 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: I would even say pause me right now and just 528 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: figure out of this stuff out right now. If you 529 00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: can vote early and in person, it's still the most 530 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: ideal way to vote in this election. If you're unable 531 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: to do that, if you don't feel safe doing that, obviously, 532 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: don't do that. But if you do when you have 533 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: a choice, take that route. There's a great resource with 534 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: state by state information when we all vote dot org. 535 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,479 Speaker 1: Look up your state there, see what your options are, 536 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: and then confirm them with your county elections website yourself, 537 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: and if you plan to vote by mail sometimes called 538 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: absentee balloting and states like Wisconsin, make sure you're registered 539 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: and fill it out and submit it very very carefully. 540 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: You gotta follow those directions to a t. I'm holding 541 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: my California mail in ballot in my hand right now, 542 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: and this is confusing and I read a lot, you know, 543 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: So just take your time with it, do some breathing exercises, 544 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: double check everything. Don't give anyone any excuse to not 545 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: count your vote or to challenge it. There's a bone 546 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: this round here for those who are feeling a little 547 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: more partisan. But I don't even think in the season 548 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: we're in now that supporting Joe Biden for president is partisan. 549 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: I think he is a pro small D Democrat right now, 550 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: and the other candidate has shown his colors as not 551 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: being down for people power. So phone bank or text 552 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: and adopt a swing state. I'm gonna send you to 553 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: vote Save America dot com. They have a whole battleground 554 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: states adoption program. Uh, you don't actually adopt all the 555 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: people in the state, but you take them on from 556 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 1: an electoral perspective to try to make sure people are 557 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: voting there because it counts a little more because of 558 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: the electoral college at the federal level. But you pay 559 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: attention to your whole ballot. All right, Now, there's more, 560 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: Like I said, many options. On the more external facing 561 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 1: stuff that involves other people, make the phrase have you voted? 562 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: The new how are you? In your conversations. I want 563 00:30:57,720 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: you to check in with the people you care about 564 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: and be like, oh, that was a crazy week. Have 565 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: you voted? I want you to log into your zoom 566 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: and just flood the chat with have you voted? Make 567 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: that a social norm. It is healthy peer pressure to 568 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: encourage people to flex their power. And once you voted, 569 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: you let everybody know. I want you posting that I 570 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: voted sticker on your body so they show up in 571 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 1: all your web things and your grocery store visits. And 572 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: I want you posting on social media use the hashtag 573 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: I voted, with the hashtag how to citizens. Lastly, on 574 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: the action front, this is a bigger lift, but if 575 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: you're feeling particularly young and healthy and energetic, volunteer to 576 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 1: be a poll worker. Because of COVID nineteen and the 577 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 1: generally older age of our poll workers, we have a 578 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: severe shortage of poll workers in many parts of the US. 579 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: Visit Power to the Polls dot org and consider becoming 580 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: a poll work to yourself. Encourage people you know to volunteer. 581 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 1: Bring a friend with you. More poll workers means faster 582 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: voting means more people get to exercise their power, means 583 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 1: a happier Baritune day. Host of how to Citizen a 584 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: Baritune day. If you take any of these actions, let 585 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: us know. Email us actions at how to citizen dot 586 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: com mentioned voting in the subject line, Brag online about 587 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: your citizen in using the hashtag how to citizen, and 588 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: we're always open to general feedback, guest recommendations, actions you 589 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 1: have in mind comments at how to citizen dot com. 590 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 1: You can also text me I'm at two O two 591 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: eight nine four eight eight four four. Put citizen in 592 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: there so I know how you found me and share 593 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: your ideas that way too. If you prefer texting, I'm 594 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: reading them all myself. This has been an extraordinary pleasure 595 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: We have more voting episodes coming, so stay tuned and 596 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: more importantly, make your plan or work with someone you 597 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: know who end vote to make their plan, and let's 598 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 1: have record flexing of power. How the Citizen with Barrett 599 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: Sunday is a production of I Heart Radio. Podcast executive 600 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,720 Speaker 1: produced by Miles Gray, Nick Stump, Elizabeth Stewart, and barrettun 601 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: Day Thurston. Produced by Joel Smith, Edited by Justin Smith. 602 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: Powered by you