The Soy Latino, Sí Voto Peer-to-Peer Civic Engagement Campaign, focused on Arizona, Florida and Puerto Rico, hits on issues that affect Latino communities in the United States, including climate justice and environmental protection

Tucson, Arizona – Today, Corazón Latino announced the launch of Soy Latino, Sí Voto, an innovative online voter engagement effort to reach tens of thousands of Latino voters in Arizona and Florida, two key battleground states in the November elections.

Corazón Latino is based in Washington, DC, with active programming and offices in Arizona, California and Puerto Rico. The Soy Latino, Sí Voto campaign’s goal is to connect with 50,000 voters over the next three weeks, leading up to Election Day, while helping communities to overcome in-person voting challenges brought about by the global pandemic. Throughout the campaign, Corazón Latino will share officially-sourced and science-based information, so voters can plan how and when they will vote in order to keep themselves and their families safe.

The campaign will activate a network of volunteers and supporters in Puerto Rico and around the country to generate peer-to-peer culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate conversations on issues that will resonate and help motivate and empower boricua communities in Central Florida and Mexican Americans in Southern Arizona.  

“We believe that Latino voters are more likely to listen and positively respond to their own friends, families, and compatriotas when approached in conversations about the power of their vote,” said Felipe Benitez, Executive Director of Corazón Latino, a national non-profit organization that seeks to generate social, environmental, and conservation initiatives that foster natural resource stewardship.

This year, nearly 32 million eligible Latino voters – 13 percent of eligible voters in the United States – could make a significant impact on the outcome of the election. If engaged equitably with inclusive language and culture, with an appropriate appeal on the issues they care about most, Latinos will be more likely to take their vote to the ballot box. 

“2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, and we’re filled with a deep sense of urgency during this pivotal moment in our Democracy,” Benitez added. “Our team is laser-focused on channeling its time and talents to bring about stronger civic engagement and voter education. The future of our community depends on ensuring Latino voters have access to information on the socio-economic issues most relevant to them – especially conservation and environmental protection issues, which have a disproportionate impact on the health and safety of the Latino community.”

The Soy Latino, Sí Voto campaign is led by Jocelyn Sida of Corazón Latino, a seasoned field strategist and Latinx community organizer with extensive voter engagement experience. Jocelyn has worked with nonprofit organizations including Mi Famila Vota and MoveOn.org, activating her community across the country. Sida will oversee a team of staff and volunteers based in Washington, D.C., Arizona, Florida, and Puerto Rico.

Using the grassroots organizing app Reach (available on iPhone and Android) and the VoteAmerica platform, the most sophisticated voter registration and absentee ballot tool on the market, the Corazón Latino team will share content in English and Spanish to inspire volunteers to tap into their personal networks and encourage their friends and family to register and vote.