The Somos Cuyahoga campaign, Young Latino Network (YLN)’s second electoral effort, blew expectations out of the water with close to 11,500 doors knocked, over 15,000 phone calls, and over 3,200 conversations. Today, we celebrate the hard work of our community canvassers who made this achievement possible in 58 days by mobilizing voters over the phones, at their doors, and during community events.
We feel the disappointment of Issue 1’s defeat. However, we’re encouraged by our efforts to combat misinformation, which contributed to an impressive 64.6% support in Cuyahoga County.
“Our work has proved that our community can no longer be silenced or treated as an invisible constituency. Latine Clevelanders are using their voting power to demand better conditions for all members of our city,” shared Selina Pagán, YLN Executive Director.
Based on conversations with Latine voters, our communities need leadership that prioritizes the rights and safety of workers, addresses the root causes of economic barriers, and increases access to critical healthcare access. We are ready to hold Senator-elect Bernie Moreno accountable to implement policies that confront the challenges Latines in Cuyahoga County face. We urge him to stand with the needs of the people in both words and actions, as we work together to make Ohio a place where all can thrive.
“Latines in Cuyahoga made a difference in this election cycle because we were there as fellow Latine neighbors reminding them of their power and resilience,” stated Alberto Ramos Cordero, a lead canvasser. “Our community is unstoppable, and there’s nothing we can’t achieve once we are invested in.”
At the end of the campaign the Somos Cuyahoga team registered 163 Latine voters, collected close to 1,700 pledge to vote cards across Wards 14, 13, 5, and 12, and returned 119 vote-by-mail applications. These efforts in themselves represent a hard won victory for the people, and together we’re showing the strength of our voices and the power of our commitment.
