[IMC-Boston-Editorial] Feature Proposal: We Voted . Again

Wed Nov 8 14:12:59 PST 2006

hey there,
what do you peoples think about posting this as a BIMC feature?

cheese w/wine,
sofia

Ali Noorani <anoorani at miracoalition.org> wrote: From: "Ali Noorani" <anoorani at miracoalition.org>
To: "'Ali Noorani'" <anoorani at miracoalition.org>
Subject: PRESS STATEMENT: We Voted . Again
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 12:43:56 -0500

   PRESS  STATEMENT  
 FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE                                       
 November 8,  2006

 Contact:
 Ali Noorani,  MIRA
 (617) 835-1402 -  cell
 Shu Ohno,  MIRA
 (617) 350-5480  x204
   We Voted 
  Again

 Boston, MA – Making good on  their challenge “Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote,” new American voters across  Massachusetts, and the United States,  left their mark on the political landscape by voting  Pro-Immigrant.

 After a full year  of an emotional, often times misleading, immigration debate that included  massive marches, Congressional sham hearings, and a Fence Act that all sides  dismissed as political posturing, power shifted dramatically to favor  pro-immigrant Congressmen across the country. Congressman Charles Bass (R-NH)  was soundly defeated after hosting an August 2006 Congressional “hearing” on  immigration issues in Concord, NH (Congressman Bradley of New Hampshire was also  defeated).  Likewise, in Arizona, anti-immigrant  hardliner J.D. Hayworth (R) was ousted by Harry Mitchell (D).  

 In Massachusetts, the 2006  campaign for governor and legislative offices was riddled with fear mongering  anti-immigrant slogans.  Republican  candidate for Governor, Kerry Healey, drew spurious leading links between  undocumented immigrants, access to drivers licenses, and their “ability to melt  into society and board an airplane.”   Deval Patrick soundly defeated Healey by 21 percentage  points.

 In Everett, MA, Steven Smith’s opponent printed  anti-immigrant ads in local newspapers, only to lose every precinct in the run  for the open seat.  In Brewster, MA, though he was repeatedly bludgeoned by his  opponent for his votes in favor of immigrant issues, Democrat incumbent Cleon  Turner was victorious.  In what was  a very tight race, Turner doubled his margin of victory from his win in  2004.  Additionally, Pam Richardson,  the candidate for the late Deb Blumer’s seat in Framingham, handily beat two anti-immigrant  candidates garnering 4200 votes.

 No legislator who voted in support of the In-State  Tuition bill on January 11, 2006 was defeated in spite of a blanketing of the  airwaves by opposition. 

 While turnout  statistics are still being generated, anecdotal reports make it clear that  communities of color, and the immigrant community, voted in record numbers  across the country.  In fact,  today’s Wall Street Journal front page highlights the growing clout of the  Hispanic vote.

 “’Bash an  immigrant, lose an election,’ carried the day in Massachusetts,” said Ali Noorani, executive  director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.  “All across the commonwealth, and the  nation, New American voters joined with their allies to vote  Pro-Immigrant.  The result is a new  political landscape that provides tremendous opportunity for immigrants and  citizens to lead America to a better  place.”

 "Neighbor 2  Neighbor statewide mobilized minority and low-income and inspired by fact that  the candidate stood for issues they struggled with on a daily basis,” said  Allison Kennedy of N2N. “They felt empowered to vote because they felt  discrimination via the negativity of campaigns.  A crucial piece of mobilizing voters and  organizing volunteers was the easily highlighted differences between  candidates.  This gave people  confidence in the power of their vote.”

 Below is a sample  list of organizations across Massachusetts who completed Get Out the Vote  work in the past weeks.

 MA  New American Voter Engagement Activities, November  2006  
 Neighbor to  Neighbor (N2N)
 Location: Fitchburg, Lynn, Salem, Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke 
 Contact: Allison Kennedy;  508-615-8964 (cell) or 508-754-6866                
 Activities: Voter  registration; Canvassing; GOTV calls; voter education; transportation to  polls

 Coalition for  Social Justice (CSJ)
 Location:  Brockton, Fall River, New  Bedford
 Contact: Dan  Gilbarg, (508) 982-8157
 Activities: Voter  registration; canvassing; GOTV calls; voter education; transportation to  polls.

 ONE Lowell
 Location: Lowell
 Contact: Victoria  Fahlberg (978) 761-9952 (cell), (978) 654-6957               
 Activities: Voter  registration (over 200); canvassing; GOTV calls; voter  education.

 Cambodian  American Voter Project
 Location: Lowell
 Contact: Sidney  Liang (978) 746-7829 or Sophal Meas  978-758-8547
 Activities: Voter  registration; canvassing; GOTV calls; voter  education

 Centro Las  Americas
 Location: Worcester
 Contact: Ivette Moore  (508) 340-9832  (cell), (508) 798-1900 x267
 Activities: Voter  registration; canvassing; GOTV calls; voter education; transportation to  polls

 Student  Immigrant Movement
 Location: Everett and Revere
 Contact: Carlos Saavedra and Patricia DeOliveira, 617-350-5480 ext  200 or 219
 Activities: Youth implemented  campaign, voter registration; GOTV calls and canvassing; voter  education

 Anti-Displacement  Project
 Location: Springfield
 Contact: Caroline Murray  413-219-1108 (cell) or Saulo Colon 203-536-5973  (cell)
 Activities: Voter education,  GOTV, canvassing 

 Civic  Engagement Initiative (12 Organizations  in the Greater Boston Area)
 Primary  Contact: David  Ortiz at MassVOTE (508) 345-4995 (Cell) or (617) 542-8683  x204
 Local  Contacts:
 Edwin  Argueta (EBECC) 617-567-2750
 Gladys  Vega (Chelsea Collaborative)  617-889-6080
 Marcos  Garcia (CORES) 617-623-5322
 Karla  Zevallos (REACH) 781-891-0724 x101
 Candidate forums;  canvassing; voter education; drops; GOTV calls; transportation to  polls

 Voters in  Action
 Location: Lawrence
 Contact: Isabel  Melendez, 978-764-0514
 Activities: Voter  registration (over 1,000 this year alone); canvassing; voter education via  radio; GOTV calls

 Asian Center of  Merrimack  Valley
 Location: Lawrence
 Contact: Karen  Sheridan,            978-683-7316
 Activities: Voter  registration; canvassing; voter education materials; GOTV  calls

 Immigrant Assistance  Center
 Location: New  Bedford
 Contact: Helena Marques, (508)  735-1953 (cell) or (508) 996-8113
 Activities: Candidate forums;  voter education sessions (live and via local TV); GOTV postcards to over 7,000  Portuguese-speaking voters; transportation to polls

 Center for New  Americans
 Location: Northampton
 Contact: Jim Ayers,  413-587-0084                       
 Activities: Voter education  materials and sessions

 Centro  Presente
 Location: Cambridge, East Boston, Chelsea, Somerville
 Contact: Jessica  Durrum, 617-251-6844 (cell) or 617-497-9080  x14
 Activities: GOTV calls to  Latino voters.

 Brockton New American Action Committee
 Location: Brockton
 Contact: Juliana  Badaro, 774-259-6272 (cell) 
 Activities: Successful  campaign to get “Vote Today” sandwich boards for the city; Distributing voter  education guides; Supporting GOTV efforts

 Brazilian Immigrant  Center
 Location: Allston,  Brighton, Everett, Somerville, Framingham 
 Contact: Fausto de  Rocha, (617) 783-8001 ext.7
 Activities: Voter  registration; GOTV calls

 BRAMAS
 Location: Framingham
 Contact: Ilma  Paixao, (774) 232-3483  (cell)
 Activities: Voter  registration; GOTV effort for Brazilian voters

 Welcome  Project
 Location: Somerville
 Contact: Warren  Goldstein-Gelb, 617-623-6633
 Activities: GOTV calls to  Latino and Haitian voters.

 Irish Immigration  Center
 Location:  Statewide
 Contact: Sister Lena Deevy (617)  542-7654
 Activities: Distribute voter  education materials; GOTV calls to Irish voters.

 Association of  Haitian Women
 Location: Dorchester
 Contact: Carline  Desire  (617)  287-0096
 Activities: Distribute voter  education guide, GOTV conversations with program  attendees

 Russian  Community Association of Massachusetts  
 Location: Statewide  
 Contact: Sergey Bologov,  (617) 285-2227  (cell)
 Activities: Voter education,  GOTV calls, rides to polls

 Berkshire Immigrant  Center
 Location: Pittsfield and surrounding  area
 Contact: Hilary Greene,  (413) 445-4881 x1
 Activities: GOTV calls to  Latino voters
   Centro de Desarrollo  Dominicano Location: Jamaica Plain,  Roslindale, Hyde  Park
 Contact: Magalis Troncoso,  617-541-4029
 Activities: Voter education  for Latino voters

 Brazilian Women’s  Group Location:  Allston-Brighton, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Watertown
 Contact: Heloisa Maria  Galvao, 617-635-6547
 Activities: Voter  registration, voter education, and GOTV

 Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)  
 Location: Cambridge, Somerville,  Allston, Dorchester, Lowell, Framingham  
 Contact: Celia Valada,  (617) 864-7600 
 Activities: Voter education  for Portuguese-speaking voters, including media outreach, flyer distribution,  voter registration

 Cape Cod  Immigrant Center:  Throughout the Cape
 Location: Voter education  activities, GOTV calls
 Contact: Judith Martinez,  cell# (508) 685-8143
 Activities: Voter education,  GOTV

 Agencia  ALPHA:   
 Location: Greater Boston  Area
 Contact: : Patricia Sobalvarro, cell #(617) 653-1731, Damaris  Lopez, 617-962-3417
 Activities: Voter  registration, voter education distribution and forums, GOTV  calls

 ROCA:  
 Location: Chelsea
 Contact: : Marina Rodriguez,  (617) 889-5210 x208,  Julio  Villagram, Cell # (339) 222-0105
 Activities: Voter education  guides distribution, voter ed forums

 LUMA:  
 Location: Greater Boston Area  
 Contact: : Lucy Pineda,  cell# (617) 416-1064
 Activities Voter  registration, voter education forums, voter ed distribution, GOTV calls to  Latino voters

 Immigrant Information  Center:  
 Location: Greater Boston Area  
 Contact: : Vilma Galvez,  (781) 405-7895
 Activities: Voter  registration, voter education materials and forums, GOTV  calls

 Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition  (MIRA)
 Location:  Statewide
 Contact: Ali  Noorani, (617) 835-1402       
 Activities: Registering 1,015  new citizens to vote; GOTV support for the new citizens; Voter education  materials mailed to 18,000 people; providing resources and voter lists to member  orgs for GOTV.

 ###

 MIRA works to  advocate for the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. In  partnership with its members, MIRA advances this mission through education,  training, leadership development, organizing, policy analysis and  advocacy.

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