Latino Victory/Courtesy photo
The “Vote Like A Madre” movement encourages Latina mothers to vote for candidates who will combat climate change to give them a brighter future. The group held a rally in a majority Latino neighborhood in east Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, on the first day of early voting in the midterm elections.
Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Related Content
“¡Sí se puede! ¡Sí se puede!”
This was one of a few chants, meaning “yes we can,” that could be heard outside the Make the Road Action Nevada office in East Las Vegas on Saturday morning, as a multitude of activists and advocacy groups gathered in the parking lot for the “Vote Like A Madre” event.
Undeterred by Saturday’s strong winds, dozens of people showed up for the rally and canvassing event, which aimed to mobilize Latinas in the area to vote for candidates who will combat climate change and prioritize protecting the environment.
“Many Latina madres and madre figures want our children to thrive and have a prosperous future,” said Cinthia Moore, coalition coordinator at Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition Action, during the event. “We want them to live on a planet with clean air, clean water and a stable climate — free from extreme weather patterns that are a threat to our health, economy and overall well-being.”
The “Vote Like A Madre” movement encourages Latina mothers and other Latina household leaders to vote for candidates who will combat climate change to give them a brighter future.
The region of East Las Vegas experiences higher temperatures and higher rates of pollution than some other communities in the area, Moore added.
“As a mother, and as someone who was raised in East Las Vegas — and who is currently raising my five-year-old son in the very same neighborhood where I grew up — fighting for environmental justice is very personal to me,” Moore said. “I am not alone in this fight.”
Latinos are among the populations most historically impacted by the effects of climate change, Yvonne Gutierrez, managing director at the Latino Victory Project, said during the event.
“The reality is we are already bearing the effect and the impact of climate, environmental racism,” said Estefany Carrasco-Gonzalez, national director for the Chispa League of Conservation Voters. “ … And so, we need to start making sure that we elect folks that are really addressing the issues that are affecting our community now — not waiting until tomorrow.”
Carrasco-Gonzalez, who became a U.S. citizen in 2020, emphasized that people must also vote in the interest of those who still lack citizenship status and the right to vote themselves as a result.
She will vote to benefit the future of her 18-month-old daughter, Carrasco-Gonzalez said, and to ensure a just democracy where her people are heard and their communities are safe.
The Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition Action, made up of 10 organizations from across the state, partnered with Latino Victory for the “Vote Like A Madre” event Saturday, which also included speakers from Make the Road Action Nevada and Sunrise Movement Vegas.
Also in attendance was Taylor Patterson, executive director of Native Voters Alliance Nevada and a member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe.
“The Indigenous people are the traditional stewards of this land,” Patterson said. “We were the very first caretakers of what is now called East Las Vegas, what is now North Las Vegas and everything in between.”
The number of Native Americans in Clark County does not necessarily compete with other more populous voting blocs, Patterson said, but when marginalized communities come together as one they can make their voices heard.
“We need to all come together for the Earth,” she said. “Things are dire. Right now, our communities are on the front line of every negative effect of climate change … It’s not just about voting. It’s about coming together every month of the year to give voices to community members.”
Following a breakfast that was complete with coffee, juice and sandwiches — provided by local, Latino-owned business Flavor Zone — volunteers and participants at the “Vote Like A Madre” event prepared to head out and canvass in the East Las Vegas area.
Early voting for the upcoming election kicked off Saturday, and Moore said the stakes are high.
“I urge you to vote and take five of your friends or family members with you — at least,” she said. “We all know more than five people. Together we can make a difference for our children, our neighbors and for our state.”
