Latino population is growing in NC and so is their voting power: 'Make our voices heard'
NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- With a close race, people across communities have been making their way to the polls around the state.
The La Voz de mi Gente Campaign unites several groups banding together to register voters among the state's fast-growing Latino population.
There are now 300,000 registered Latino voters in North Carolina.
It's not always easy, since the community is spread out from big cities to smaller towns like Wilson where Elizabeth Herrera has been going door to door.
"Especially in a rural area, we have been driving for 10 minutes from one door to another. But it's really crucial conversations that we're having with not only our young voters but also the families," Herrera says.
We do hope that we are inspiring these voters to be continuous votersElizabeth Herrera, La voz de mi Gente Campaign
She's hoping for a big turnout, but just getting voters on the rolls is a big step for a community that's sometimes been overlooked.
"We won't see the result tomorrow. Or November 6th, or maybe even a year from now. But we do hope that we are inspiring these voters to be continuous voters," she says.
And while the Latino community is diverse, recently it's been Puerto Rico that's made headlines after the controversial remarks made at former President Trump's rally in New York.
You're talking about a specific subgroup of people.Dr. Doel Gonzalez, Koki Creative Puerto Rican Kitchen
At Koki Creative Puerto Rican Kitchen, owner Dr. Doel Gonzalez who grew up on the island says it was personal.
"Because you're talking about a specific subgroup of people, a subgroup of people that have a history of oppression, that have a history of being made feel lesser, even though we are just as American as everyone else here," Gonzalez says.
Puerto Ricans are born U.S. citizens, and while they can't vote for president while living on the island, if they move stateside, they can, and Gonzalez says with 120,000 Puerto Ricans in North Carolina, it was a reminder of just how powerful they can be at the polls.
"We're talking about, you know, probably a couple of million throughout the US, and it seems to me that it's like doesn't matter our numbers, they'll still treat us that way. Well, it's about time that we actually step up and make our voices heard, regardless of which direction we want to turn," he says.
Polls have shown historically that Latino voters tend to skew Democratic, but it is a very diverse population that is very much in play and can make a difference in North Carolina.
It's about time that we actually step up and make our voices heard.Dr. Doel Gonzalez
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