WASHINGTON, D.C.— With the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month on Sunday, September 15, People For the American Way board member, civil rights and labor leader Dolores Huerta released the following statement:
"This Hispanic Heritage Month comes at a very sobering time for our nation. At the same time we are celebrating and honoring Latinx people and communities, we must contend with deadly new attacks and outbursts of bigotry. We grieve and rage at the imprisonment of migrant children on our border. We hear hateful words from the president. We see how that hateful rhetoric transforms into vicious attacks on our community, and causes more death and suffering. And now the Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to turn away refugees seeking asylum at our border. This year, more than ever, Hispanic Heritage Month needs to be a month of action. This is a time not just to speak up but to sign up - to sign up to vote, to get people to the polls, and to work on behalf of candidates and causes we believe in. It's a time to commit to be counted in the next census, because we refuse to be invisible. Let's show the world we are strong, we are united, and we demand rights and dignity, this month and every month."
PFAW's Political Director and director of its Latinos Vote! program Lizet Ocampo added:
"At a time when we see unprecedented attacks on Latinx communities, we are also seeing historic growth in the political power of Latinx communities. Latinos have made contributions throughout the history of our country - and we believe Latinx leaders, and Latinx voters, are going to play a big role in taking this country in a better direction soon."
People For the American Way’s Latinos Vote! program exposes and counters anti-immigrant, anti-Latino rhetoric and policies. Through electoral work and issue-based campaigns, we hold groups, leaders and influencers accountable for the harm they do to immigrant and Latino communities. Over six election cycles, we’ve run bilingual paid and earned media campaigns in swing states where the Latino vote can be decisive.
About People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: www.pfaw.org.
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