THE ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
BY GRECIA LIMA
It took an entire movement to wrestle back power from an authoritarian, white supremacist opposition in 2020. Together, we did it — but the work to restore our democracy has only begun. The war in Ukraine is the latest in a series of alarms pointing at the worldwide rise of authoritarianism against a weakening of democracy.
At the same time, there is an elephant in the room whenever we talk about democracy here at home. Six decades after the supposed end of Jim Crow, the promise of multi-racial democracy has not been fulfilled. The successful engagement of our diverse communities — Black, Latino, AAPI, Native, and immigrant — is not just essential for Democrats in 2022, it is imperative for the health of our democracy and the future of all progressive victories.
Let’s take the example everyone is talking about: Latinos will account for about one in eight eligible voters in 2024. This voting bloc is far from monolithic and, as we saw in 2020, it is far from a secured progressive win. It is not the same to build with Latinos in Arizona as it is in Florida or Wisconsin. Geographic location, country of heritage, familial ties, age, gender, and income all matter. Our community is as diverse as it is resilient! If we are not listening locally we leave a big gap in our influence and, as we’ve seen before, the Right will fill that gap. Years of disinformation combined with an underfunded infrastructure led us to this moment.
Community Change Action is focused on building long-term power that strengthens the health of our democracy and consequently leads to vibrant communities. Our contributions to this process in this electoral cycle include wrap-around data and technical support in priority states; a national platform for shared learning and skills development; and targeted Congressional district investments alongside statewide voter engagement programs with partners in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.
This is a year to keep innovating and investing in strategies that strengthen capacity beyond electoral cycles. With one in five adult TikTok users coming from Latino communities, you will see us leaning in on social media. Not necessarily me! Rather you will see our hand-selected grassroots influencers who reach beyond traditionally engaged voter audiences and fight disinformation. We are also mobilizing one of the largest relational voter contact programs in the country. Investing early in relational programs creates deep, enduring ties — ties that provide assurance and resiliency amid the unknowns of a pandemic, civil unrest, and world crises.
Beyond Election Day, Democrats will have to fight even harder for our communities. As we’ve seen this year, our people are ready to hold elected officials accountable to a future where everyone can thrive and feel safe. We need leadership that delivers policies like the expanded Child Tax Credit, immigration reform, and sustainable investment in our care economy.
My 13 years working in electoral politics have taught me that social media platforms change, tools adapt, and policy demands and strategies evolve. But what stays constant is people and the relationships they hold. When we invest in grassroots leaders, there is nothing that can stop us. When we lift upstate leaders, our strategies create a long-lasting impact. And when we learn from each other, our progressive ecosystem strengthens. Only together can we claw back the very soul of our democracy. I’ll see you in the fight.