Awakening of the Sleeping Giant in Wisconsin
More than 30 million Latinos have the right to participate in the elections on November 3, have you already voted?
According to a study, the Latino community in the United States would be 13.3% of the total electorate, which would make it the main minority, surpassing African Americans who would occupy 12.5%.
“All Latinos should give their vote and assert the right we were granted by becoming American citizens. The decisions of the government that reach the White House are fundamental for our country, the United States; but they also impact our countries of origin, that is why our participation is so important. ”These were the statements of Jorge Araujo, a Colombian who naturalized in the United States more than 30 years ago.
This man is a native from Cali, known as the ‘Sucursal del Cielo’ (Heaven’s branch) and the world capital of salsa. It is a land of fighting, enterprising people that was reborn from a dark time in the mid-1980s when drug lords disputed power.
Araujo, also known as Dj Rumba, came to Madison Wisconsin thanks to an aunt who was a nun during one of his visits in the United States. He decided to change the course of his family, beginning with the greatest: Jorge’s grandmother. Then he brought his uncles and thus slowly a colony of Cali was formed in this land famous for its cheese and beer.
In those years the migration process was much simpler and although Araujo’s parents took a little more time to leave Colombia, the time came and Jorge reluctantly left because his life was already beginning to form a solid foundation in his country.
This is when the life of Dj Rumba began in the United States. Many of his relatives have moved to other states, but he remained in Wisconsin and with his strength and entrepreneurship has succeeded with a musical career. He is an American, the husband of a fellow countrywoman, father of two American daughters, one of them is Karina Araujo featured in this story, still there is not a single day that goes by in which he does not feel Colombian, part of which he does by maintaining his knowledge of the entire national and international scene.
This is why Jorge Araujo, a pure-bred Colombian and American patriot, cries out for all Latinos to come out to vote. He insists that it is not only the future of the United States, but that of our countries of origin and assures that “every vote counts, change is necessary. The reality that we are living is a complicated reality and the future of our children is at stake. We can change the course, but it is everyone’s job ”.
According to a study published by the Pew Research Center, 32 million Hispanics will have the right this time to participate in the elections and 13.3% of the total electorate, which would make it the main minority, surpassing African Americans who they would occupy 12.5%.
For Araujo, it is essential that Latinos think about the future of programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, in the management of biosecurity controls to mitigate the contagion of Covid-19 and in the agreements that are reached to define the situation of immigrants.
Experts have cataloged the Latino vote as the “Awakening of the Sleeping Giant” in the 2020 White House race, Democrats and Republicans go full throttle (they try – try – seek) to convince this community that begs for real measures of inclusion and respect. Fate will be known on November 3 and only one vote could change the future of a power and its inhabitants. Have you already voted?
How to vote?
For many naturalized Latinos, the task of exercising the right to vote can be a bit cumbersome, perhaps because the system is different from their country of origin or because they simply do not know enough about the process and do not feel the need to be informed on the topic.
However, if you are seriously thinking about changing the destination of your country and you are reading this article, the steps are simple:
- The first thing to do is find out if you are registered to vote at your current address here: https://myvote.wi.gov/es-ES/RegisterToVote
- Make sure you have a photo ID to vote here: https://bringit.wi.gov/informaci%C3%B3n-en-espa%C3%B1ol
- It is important that you know who the candidate is that represents you and who you want to reach the White House, for this you can find information here: https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/aprenda-sobre-los-candidatos-y – matters
- Get to know an example of what your ballot will be, in this way you will get an idea of what you will find on November 3 https://myvote.wi.gov/es-es/PreviewMyBallot
- Identify your polling place https://myvote.wi.gov/es-es/FindMyPollingPlace
- If you prefer to take security measures and you want to vote from the comfort of your home, learn what to do, here https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/article/8-cosas-que-todos-votantes -the-should-know-about-vote-by-mail-and-early-vote-in
Call to action
Each vote is the voice of the one who wants changes and dares to take the next step. Anyone who dares to participate in this democratic country is taking advantage of the right that was given to them when they were named an American citizen and in this way they also echoe all those who would like to express an opinion or make a decision but cannot legitimately do so.
In this sense, it is important that all those who wish to vote, use the resource that the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is promoting so that voters have impartial information about the candidates, in the race for the 2020 elections.
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin seeks to promote the informed and active participation of citizens in the Government. They also believes that political parties are essential to the American system of government and therefore created a simple tool in which voters will find electoral and impartial information on candidates.
The guide is personalized when users enter their address, following they will get information from the candidates. For candidate information go to https://www.vote411.org/es/ballot