Civic Engagement is for Latinos

By AnA MAnceBo, Social impact coordinator

We all have an opportunity to make a difference in our communities. And one of the most important ways we can contribute to a thriving community is through civic engagement. According to Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, civic engagement can be defined as “working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference.” Civic engagement may look different for each person or group. This year, La Paz created opportunities for civic engagement through its work around the 2020 Census and getting out the vote.

Throughout the first half of 2020, our focus was primarily around this year’s Census. According to a report by the NALEO Educational Fund, “approximately 400,000 young Latino children, ages 0 to 4, were left uncounted by the 2010 Census.” Also, “the net undercount rate for young Latino children was 7.1 percent, compared to 4.3 percent for non-Latinos.” With Latinxs now the nation’s second largest population group and one out of every six Americans, it is important for the Latinx community to be fully counted. That is why we partnered with TIRRC (the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition) and the City of Chattanooga to provide our community with the tools and resources to participate in the 2020 Census. Through phone banks, text campaigns, drive-thru events, and culturally relevant online content, La Paz engaged over 20,000 Latinxs in our area with Census education and information. Our efforts to promote the Census continued into the second half of 2020, even as some of our focus shifted into voter engagement around the November election.

Recently, the Pew Research Center reported that “Hispanic eligible voters were notably the largest contributors to the electorate’s rise. They alone accounted for 39% of the overall increase of the nation’s eligible voting population. Hispanic voters made up 13% of the country’s overall electorate in 2018 – nearly doubling from 7% in 2000.” As the number of eligible Latino voters increase, so will the need for culturally relevant information and resources to help engage Latinx voters. This election season, La Paz partnered with other nonpartisan organizations across the state including TIRRC, the City of Chattanooga, Civic TN and the League of Women Voters to do just that. La Paz volunteers made over 2,500 calls to voters in the Hamilton County area, we reached hundreds of individuals via text campaigns and in total reached over 15,000 people with voting education, information or assistance.

This year has shown us the importance of civic engagement. Voting and participation in the Census are just two ways to be represented in the decisions being made at government levels. However, as we look towards 2021, we can all go beyond this to make civic engagement a regular part of our lives. Whether that is through participation in your neighborhood association, attending a city council meeting or educating yourself on issues that matter to you, small actions add up. Each of us can make a difference while having our voices heard and our communities represented.

ROSA CANTÚ, ’18, ’20

UTC COVID-19 Coordinadora del RaROSA CANTÚ, ’18, ’20 streo de ContactosUTC COVID-19 Coordinadora del Rastreo de Contactos

Rosa,Rosa, Un sincero agradecimiento de UTUn sincero agradecimiento de U C por su dedicación y liderazgo en la T C por su dedicación y liderazgo en la lucha de University’s/la Universidad contra COVID-19. Gracias por hacer nuestro campus-y Chattanooga-un lugar más seguro. lucha de University’s/la Universidad contra COVID-19. Gracias por hacer nuestro campus-y Chattanooga-un lugar más seguro. Rosa, Rosa,A heartfelt thank you from UTC for your dedication and A heartfelt thank you from UTC for your dedication and leadership in the University’s fight against COVID-19. Thank you for making our campus—and Chattanooga—a safer place. leadership in the University’s fight against COVID-19. Thank you for making our campus—and Chattanooga—a safer place.