The Voto Latino Foundation and Asian Law Caucus announced a national alliance to strengthen the electoral participation of Latino and Asian American communities through a voter protection campaign that seeks to inform about legal rights before the November elections.
The initiative includes a series of virtual trainings under the name “Know Your Rights,” with sessions scheduled between August and September, focused on explaining to voters how to respond to possible acts of intimidation, language-related obstacles, and questions about electoral procedures.
The organizations noted that the campaign arises in a context of growing concern about practices that could discourage minority participation, such as voting restrictions, misinformation about electoral fraud and fears about the presence of federal authorities in voting centers.
“Our democracy only works when we all show up, participate and demand to be taken into account in the decisions that define our lives,” said María Teresa Kumar, president and co-founder of the Voto Latino Foundation. He added that multicultural communities “are the definitive superpower of our nation” and warned that there are attempts to “silence” their voices during electoral processes.
For her part, Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, highlighted the importance of citizens knowing the protections that exist under federal legislation.
“Every eligible voter deserves a fair opportunity to participate in our elections, regardless of what language they speak or where they live,” Kohli said. He added that the law protects against electoral intimidation and guarantees linguistic assistance in various languages, but insisted that “those rights only matter if people know they exist and exercise them.”
The campaign also coincides with the efforts of civil organizations to reinforce community surveillance during the elections. The Asian Law Caucus has developed voter information resources, language materials, and poll watcher training programs to support those facing difficulties during the voting process.
The launch occurs within the framework of the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a historic legislation that prohibited discriminatory practices that prevented minorities from fully exercising their right to vote.
Voto Latino and Asian Law Caucus announced that the national mobilization will include voter registration activities, distribution of legal information and community actions to encourage voters to go to the polls with greater knowledge of their rights.
The organizations consider that the participation of the Latino and Asian-American communities will be decisive in the next elections, due to demographic growth and the electoral weight that these groups represent in different states of the country.
