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The Latino Community Foundation and UC Merced Rally to Mobilize Latino Youth for the 2020 Primaries and 2020 CensusWith only six months to go before California's Presidential Primary Election and the start of the 2020 U.S. Census, the Latino Community Foundation (LCF) and the University of California Merced are partnering to ensure another historic turnout of Latinx youth in the 2020 election and secure an accurate count of Latinos in California. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190920005492/en/ The National Voter Registration Day and Census Festival will take place on Sept. 23 at the UC Merced campus, and will feature California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Padilla is slated to speak at 12 p.m. "With both presidential elections and a U.S. Census in 2020, we must do everything to prepare our young people to participate in our democracy," said Secretary of State Padilla. "Latino youth have an opportunity to make a major impact on our nation, state, and communities by voting and being counted in 2020." California has the largest Latino voting bloc in the nation with more than 7.7 million eligible voters (estimated by Pew Research Center). "We are proud to partner with the Latino CommunityFoundation, and communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley, to inspire young people to be counted and to be heard during next year's elections," said UC Merced Interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom. UC Merced's Latinx students are nearly 55 percent of the university's undergraduate population, and reflect the demographics of the Central Valley and the state. "The Central Valley led California in 2018 with the largest turnout of Latino youth voters. LCF and UC Merced are determined to build on this momentum, which included an increase of 258 percent of Latino youth between the ages of 18 and 34. This is the perfect setting for a National Voter Registration Day and census kickoff festival," said Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of Latino Community Foundation. "Student debt, climate change and immigration are the defining issues of our time. While our communities remain under attack by this administration, our youth are ready to let their voices be heard," continued Martinez Garcel. "At the festival, we will celebrate their leadership and kick off our Yo Voy a Votar campaign. Our collective goal is to register 100,000 Latino youth voters and ensure another historic turnout and an accurate census count in 2020." The day's itinerary: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Voter registration drive and census pledge drive in partnership with Merced County Elections Department and Latino Community Foundation, Scholars Lane outside Library. 12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Rally with Secretary of State Alex Padilla and students, Lawn at base of stairs outside Pavilion 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.: Private Meet & Greet with students and UC Merced Chancellor. 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.: Fireside chat and panel discussion with Secretary Padilla and UC Merced Political Science Professor Jessica Trounstine, moderated by Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, LCF CEO, California Room. **Spanish translators and American Sign Language services will be provided. A special performance from singer, songwriter, and social justice advocate Diana Gameros will follow the fireside chat. About Latino Community Foundation: San Francisco based, The Latino Community Foundation is on a mission to unleash the power of Latinos in California by investing in Latino-led organizations dedicated to the transformation of their communities. LCF has the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country and has invested millions of dollars to improve the livelihood of Latino families. It is the only statewide foundation solely focused on investing in Latino youth and families in California. For more info, visit: www.latinocf.org About UC Merced: UC Merced opened in 2005 as the newest member of the University of California system, and is the youngest university to earn a Carnegie research classification. The fastest-growing public university in the nation, UC Merced enjoys a special connection with nearby Yosemite National Park, is on the cutting edge of sustainability in campus construction and design and supports high-achieving and dedicated students from the underserved San Joaquin Valley and throughout California. The Merced 2020 Project, a $1.3 billion public-private partnership that is unprecedented in higher education, will nearly double the physical capacity of the campus and support enrollment growth to 10,000 students. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190920005492/en/ |
