What is your organization’s issue focus?
Mi Familia Vota is a civic engagement non-profit organization that unites Latino, immigrant, and allied communities to promote social and economic justice through citizenship workshops, voter registration, and voter participation.
What is something your organization is currently prioritizing? Can you tell our readers a little about the goals of the campaign/project?
1Youth Development Program! Providing High School and College students with unique real-world experiences and training exercises that capacitates them to influence change in their communities and understand the importance of building political power.
Do you have any advocacy tips to share or a lesson learned while organizing this or other campaigns? Do you have any general words of wisdom that you’d like to share with other staff engaged in advocacy?
It is so important to create spaces where people can feel safe, cared for, and supported, in order for them to feel comfortable enough standing up for and advocating for themselves- and eventually others. It is important to be good listeners for community members and organize around the issues that are currently relevant to their own lives and communities. This is the best for them to become engaged in their local, state, and federal government legislation- directly affecting their own lives.
Many of our member organizations work with both our Bolder Advocacy initiative and our Justice program. How has either or both most helped you? How have you worked with either or both?
We cannot thank Bolder Advocacy enough for their workshop with us and helping guide us through the tricky waters of being a (C)(3) organization.
Who inspires you?
The thriving community of West Dallas is so inspiring- just by hearing the stories of the residents in the area and the hardships they’ve had to endure. Someone that inspires me to continue the good fight is Janie Cisneros of Singleton United, who regardless of how many doors get shut for her community continues advocating and fighting against the major polluters in the area.
All spotlights are written by AFJ members directly. Please reach out to membership@afj.org if you’d like to complete a member spotlight.