Latinos have reason to hold their heads high with pride.
The November 3rd elections demonstrated that our participation can change the course of the country.
UnidosUS estimates that 14.5 million Hispanics voted, a historic number for a midterm election. This is a preliminary estimate, but it describes a mobilization that deserves recognition.
The awakening was already visible before election day: 5.2 million Latinos had voted early by October 30th, compared to 2.9 million at the same point in 2022, according to Voto Latino and TargetSmart.
Among them were more than 406,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 29.
We must acknowledge something fundamental about these young people: they are learning to turn their concerns into public decisions.
Every first vote opens a relationship with democracy that can last a lifetime. Your participation reminds us that the future is also built by standing in line, getting informed, and marking a ballot.
Thanks to this, the Democratic Hispanic Caucus projects reaching 55 members in the next Congress, its highest number in fifty years.
This figure corresponds only to that group; Hispanic Republican legislators are counted separately. More representation offers an opportunity for our needs to be better addressed.
Historic victories have names: Gina Hinojosa will be the first Latina governor of Texas; Xavier Becerra, the first Latino directly elected governor of California; and Denise Powell, the first Latina to represent Nebraska in Congress.
Their victories broaden the horizons of those who for generations have found doors closed to them.
But choosing well requires looking at proposals and track records. Our vote can support candidates who represent our interests, whether or not they are Latino.
Sharing a surname, a language, or roots does not replace a commitment to living wages, accessible healthcare, education, and respect for our families and migrant communities.
Now the next responsibility begins. We must maintain community organizing, attend public meetings, contact legislative offices, and monitor how those we elect vote.
Every promise must be followed up: what initiatives will they introduce, what support will they seek, and when will they be willing to put them to a vote?
On immigration, we must propose concrete relief measures for families and a serious effort to build consensus toward reform in the next legislature.
Its approval is not guaranteed; it will require negotiation and sustained citizen pressure. Hope needs goals, deadlines, and representatives willing to be accountable for their decisions.
Celebrating our participation also means defending its value after the elections.
Young people—and everyone—took a step that deserves continuity, support, and leadership opportunities.
We have already shown that voting can open doors.
Now it is up to us to remain present so that, behind those doors, the promises are fulfilled and our electoral strength translates into the ultimate goal of politics: a better life.
