RICHMOND, VA – Immigrant and Latino electoral mobilization organization CASA in Action celebrates turnout of voters of color after an engaging electioneering campaign for the Virginia primaries. A powerful team of canvassers in Prince William and Stafford Counties and Hampton Roads knocked on 62,641 doors to have 14,356 conversations with 11,043 voters. The digital ad campaign reported a total of 3,486,574 ad impressions and 7,557 ad clicks to the CASA in Action website. The organization focuses on outreach to newly registered Latino voters and infrequent voters of color to help expand the electorate for progressive candidates fighting for working families and immigrant communities.
“Black and Latino folks, immigrants, and working-class families deserve representation that will help push forward progressive policies affecting all of us – a truth especially important as we await the election results from the primaries,” said Alonzo Washington, CASA in Action executive director. “Now as the general election approaches, we must band together to win Richmond for working families. Democrats in November will face off against billionaires and Trump acolytes. With the primary behind us, it is time to combine forces to ensure that Black and brown voters rise toward victory and achieve progressive policies for our community.”
Since April, CASA in Action canvassers have knocked on tens of thousands of doors listening to issues of greatest concern for voters. Overwhelmingly, voters’ biggest issue of concern is the COVID-19 pandemic and obtaining the healthcare access necessary to protect themselves from this public health crisis and afterwards. Criminal and racial justice as well as housing insecurity were also top concerns.
Marvin Gamez is a young Mexican American who has been speaking with voters in Woodbridge. He said, “I canvass because I am a young person and want to use my voice for my community. My mom told me about CASA in Action and she is the one who got me started in activism back in 2019. My voice is used to connect with other communities so they can understand that people in power work for us.”
Shahadah Abd-Allah is an architecture student who, after living in Hampton Roads for four years, realized it was time to get involved. “Hampton Roads has many issues impacting people of color from food deserts to rising sea levels that result in flooded streets. Connecting with voters I learned about the problems that resonated and was able to communicate that elections can bring real solutions to our communities.”
CASA in Action will kick off its general elections campaign July 30, 2021. The campaign will feature a strategic canvassing, communications, phone banking, and peer to peer texting plan to reach undecided and low-propensity voters of color in favor of the candidates who will support our issues.
“We have seen what happens in Virginia when progressive champions are elected. Uplifting communities of immigrants, communities of color and working-class families should be the top priority of every elected official in the Commonwealth,” closed Luis Aguilar, CASA in Action Virginia state director.
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With over 115,000 lifetime Latino, immigrant, and working class members, CASA in Action is the foremost Latino and immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core support necessary for full participation in society.