While their political campaigns benefited from the grassroots movement spurred by a volunteer corps of about 100 student organizers, the movement wasn't about the politicians. It was about activating new voters, getting Latinos engaged in their community and teaching them about the value of a vote.
"They walked for me because they knew I was walking for them," Valenzuela says.
Their success proved unprecedented.
In the November election, Latino voter turnout in District 5 jumped by nearly 500 percent from four years earlier in that same part of town, according to an analysis of post-election data.
Earl de Berge, a longtime political pollster in the Valley, says there are several forces driving greater participation among Latinos.
"Young activists are willing to get out in the streets and do the work, and, frankly, some of the old guard doesn't do that anymore," he says. "Part of it is pure anger. There is a lot of anger in the Latino community about the political system and how they are being treated like second-rate citizens. They're sick and tired of it."
The Latino vote is going to be pivotal in the presidential election. "I think that it could be very important in 2012 and continue to grow in importance with the population," Gary Segura, a principal in the polling firm Latino Decisions, tells New Times.
He suggests it could possibly decide the election.
Given the "spasm of anti-immigrant sentiment, I'm not surprised you've got this huge increase in Latino voter registration, and that will eventually come home to roost."
Student organizers say they no longer are waiting in the wings for federal lawmakers to pass comprehensive immigration reforms like the DREAM Act, a measure that could give undocumented students a path to citizenship through college or military service.
"My heart is here. My all is to this country," says Tony Valdovinos, a DREAM Act student and one of the unpaid organizers who joined the immense effort last summer. The animated 21-year-old has tightly curled light brown hair that jumps off his head, piercing blue eyes, and a voice that exudes conviction laced with defiance. "We have this division between community and government, and we're here to make sure everyone is counted."
The division largely is driven by politicians like Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former state Senate President Russell Pearce, men who use anti-immigrant rhetoric to score points with supporters.
Four years ago, about 900 Latino voters showed up at the polls in District 5. That compares with more than 4,400 in 2011. This trend has picked up momentum citywide.
Voter turnout among the Hispanic community throughout Phoenix tripled since the 2007 city elections, when only 7,760 Latinos cast ballots. In 2011, the number of Latino voters jumped to 22,744.
For Stanton, increasing participation among Latinos signals a "bright future" for the nation's sixth-largest city, which is expected to have a majority population of Latino residents as early as 2020.
"I think this marks a permanent change in city of Phoenix politics," he says. "This isn't just about turnout during elections, but we're going to see more Latino involvement in city issues and a lot more activism among young Latino leaders."
The ethnic landscape in Phoenix has changed drastically in the past three decades. In 1980, Latinos accounted for 14.8 percent of Phoenix residents. Two decades later, the Latino population, at 34.1 percent, had more than doubled. By 2010, Hispanics made up nearly 41 percent of Phoenix residents.
Although Latinos remain the minority citywide, they do account for the majority in half of the city's eight council districts. In District 4, primarily Central Phoenix, 64 percent of the residents are Hispanic. In District 5, it's 58 percent. In Districts 7 and 8, which span across southwest and South Phoenix, Latinos represent 66 percent and 59 percent of the population, respectively.
DREAM Act student organizer Viri Hernandez, a reserved but gutsy 20-year-old leader, simply is programmed to work hard. Before mobilizing Latino voters in West Phoenix, she already had organized and taught English classes in her community and led protests and marches against anti-immigrant policies.
There also is Aldo Gonzalez, who arrived in the United States when he was 5 years old and became a citizen at 17. Gonzalez, with short, dark hair swept upward into a mini-Mohawk, is proud to be part of an "underground movement" to empower Latinos and neglected communities.
Though student organizers did the heavy lifting in the 2011 Phoenix election, they are part of a greater movement that started years ago in the Valley. Political and labor-based nonprofit organizations, like CASE (Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy), Promise Arizona (PAZ), Mi Familia Vota, Unite Here, and the César Chávez Foundation, long have sponsored voter registration drives, get-out-the-vote initiatives, and recruitment of a new generation of leaders.
Joseph Larios is one of those leaders, and his roots run deep in community organizing. In the West Phoenix initiative, he was at the core of recruiting student volunteers, mentoring them, and teaching them how to recruit and train new leaders themselves.
Councilman Michael Nowakowski, also a grassroots Latino leader, was the first Latino elected to the Phoenix City Council since the mid-1990s.
Using the same strategy of repeatedly knocking on doors, connecting with Latino voters, getting them registered and making sure they sign, seal, and deliver their ballots, Nowakowski and his team handily defeated the daughter of high-profile Latino Congressman Ed Pastor four years ago.
Not true, we increased voter turnout throughout the entire district. Latino voter turnout increased more than any other group because they were the lowest voters prior to our campaign so obviously you would see a much bigger change. We did exactly as your second sentence says and got Daniel Valenzuela elected, now he is truly working for the entire community and not just a small portion of it.
Brown wave was the wrong title for this article because it was not only brown people who did the work. We had students from virtually every high school in phx, community college, teachers, firefighters, mothers, fathers, african, you name it we had it all. Goes to show you how powerful our community can be when we are united. 500% increase is no joke
"Just a stone's throw from John F. Long Elementary, named for the late developer and philanthropist who created Maryvale — the west side's first planned community — in the early '50s, is an alley littered with garbage and dirty diapers. Nearby streets are peppered with vacant homes whose windows are covered with plywood."
Sounds like Mattox was dead-on about Maryvale and illegal aliens - who are notorious for discarding soiled diapers wherever they like: out their car windows, on sidwalks, even on grocery store shelves. It is disgusting.
Mattoxx ignored that area because it had the lowest voting areas in the district. Voters are at fault but he is also to blame for not taking care of that area. You cant blame him tho, as long as he kept most of the voters happy he could still keep his job. Thats what politicians have done historically, we knew that and we decided to change the culture.
Changing the culture of low propensity voters is what this article is about. Not about immigration. 500% increase is not joke
the reason crime statistics drop is that they are not documented just like the people. can't get federal money if the crime is too high
Great reporting. A history lesson in hatred that we no longer want repeated.
Electrifying 'Freedom Riders' on Ch. 13
"Violence and property crimes have dropped in and around Maryvale over the years, and city officials have made strides to revitalize West Phoenix "
Because many of the Latino thugs and white trash have moved North and East. Phoenix cops let these dumb hooligans do whatever they want.
VERY URGENT NEWS ALERT: All of us readers of the Newtimes rag need to join Gustavo Arellano and Steve Gallardo in denouncing their stay in the US. Come with us, my brown skinned occupiers of "El Norte" and return to Mexico and take over the country from the pale skin descendants of the colonial masters. Let the brown people take over their contry of Mexico. Are you with us my fellow occupiers?? That is real news that the Newtimes needs to cover!
Browm wave is like huge turd wave of Mexicans and Nigras who have never accomplished shit. America is doomed. These slimebags are worthless.
News Alert: Since when is the mass exodus of the citizens from one country and to illegally another country considered "undocumented migrants" instead of occupation of the country. When the Hitler invaded Poland, I don't beleive they called the Germans "undocumented migrants". Do you? Coe join LaRaza de los Gringos for a better America.
If they can band to gether to vote can they not band together and support being legal and documented?
No one wants to hear this biased crap anymore! ILLEGALS cannot vote! To call them undocumented is an insult to our intelligence. I'm sure they are very nice people as the article points out over and over again, BUT they are breaking the law ,utilizing much needed resources and causing division in this country. NO OTHER COUNTRY would have put up this bullshi_ for this long! Can you really imagine another country letting ILLEGAL immigrants take their jobs and give them the finger!???
How the heck are illegal immigrants allowed to VOTE?? Even ex-convicts can't vote in this country but illegals can? Something very wrong here!
Terista, YOU are an unamerican piece of trash with know clue or concern how much it costs to support you and all of your mexican national relatives!!
Illegal alien immigration costs Arizona $2.3 billion each year (ABC 15, Summer 2011). Should Arizona be paying for Mexico, Central America, and South America foreign nationals to live here off of Arizona/American tax payers? Our National Soverignty and our Laws of our Land are being completely ignored by foreign national felons being protected by Democrats and the Obamanesty Administration.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS DESTROYING AMERICA!!!! LOOK WHAT IT DID TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN JUST THREE SHORT YEARS.
The current Latino population just doesn't get it. Let me make it simple!
1. Overpopulation will destroy existing infrastructures. (average Latinos number of children approx 6)
2. Illegals of any race 'game the system' by exploiting social benefits ie medical emergency services, food stamps,unemployment benefits et al.
3. Exploiting civil infrastructures and increasing crime.
Think about how much you are willing to share and give up to accommodate new illegals, not to mention the trash at the border showing no respect for their new host country.
"Ask Gustavo Arellano and a Mexican when he / she plans to end their occupation of El Norte?"
Sounds racist that they are just trying to increase voter turnout of latinos. Maybe they should try and improve the community for everyone instead of just putting their own people into power.
Illegals are illegals no matter what you you look at it and should be deported. If I went into their country and was caught I would be thrown into jail. Here we give them everything and can't do anything about it.
You can tell the comments from those that read the article and those that just start spewing at the mention of brown people.
"Undocumented"? Is that what we are calling the illegals these days? They are criminals. Unbelievable.
I am all in favor of immigration. LEGAL immigration. All others should be sent back to the country where they came from. All of my ancestors came here from Europe. They all came here within the limits set forth by the law at that time. All immigrants should do the same.
OHBOY! You like to call people ignorant don't you. I still wait for an explanation of what information they are ignorant of....
And you are right about this post even though some illegals voted and will continue to vote (don't even try to dance arround the issue we both know it happens) they were not the determining factor in this election. However, if it ever happens that they are - I will scream for BLOOD. You should consider doing more to insure illegals do not vote. If massive fraud by illegals is ever uncovered whiteys rage will be explosive.
To rebut your claims about unity and love and the power of positive thinking...
I recomend Gibbon's "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". Greed, hate, corruption and stupidity almost always win. I wish you were right but you are not. That is why your carpenter was so exceptional- because he was different.
Perhaps he wouldn't but I am no christian and do not hold with pacifistic faiths. Why should we give a shit what some dead carpenter at the ass end of the Empire would think about anything?
Your fig leaf is slipping. You know that there are illegals who vote. I am not saying that it's as bad as Fox news makes out but it does happen.
Now for an analogy-
you cant vote if you arent a citizen you silly goose
is similar to:
you can't live in the USA without papers you silly goose
Therefore just like no illegals vote there are no illegals- your sophist's tricks and verbal games are exposed.
We need more people like you. I don't hold with your politics but seriously how many Native Citizens could manage what you have? Many of the best Americans I have known have been immigrants who know how bad it can suck elsewhere and actually appreciate what we have here.
And if the Secretary of State's office would do it's job that would be enough. But they are a bunch of yayhoos. Add to that groups like the now defunct ACORN submitting fraudulent (so I can't spell so what) registration forms that result in registration cards being issued and their names entered as eligible to vote.
Any attempt to rig elections in ANY way should be dealt with as an attempt to destroy the Republic. Come on Phoenician, admit it- I bet you know at least 1 illegal who votes.
Je5sterjackson, Yes, it does matter!! What is wrong with you!! To Illegally come into this country means, TB, and a whole list of other health concerns, that is the reason we have border checks!! The way it is supposed to work and the way this country allowed entries for years was structured and the individual was checked to see if he or she was bringing into this county disease etc. They also HAD to learn the english language, which of course now our country spends billions every year in order to print things in TWO languages! Billions that could be used for CITIZENS.
As it stands right now there are american citizens in the state of Arizona that cannot get anykind of healthcare. Why, because the state is broke, the country is broke and you ask Why concern ourselves with the poor illegals. Believe me I'm all about humanity myself but it's beginning to feel like this county is in a lifeboat and we just cannot take on anymore or we will all tip over. Why is that so hard to understand??!! You just don't care do you, as long as you and yours get what YOU need. It's only common sense this country needs to take care of ourselves. Is Mexico sending financial aid for all of their billions of citizens that reside here NO. Wake up and smell the coffee and stop pretending your the only one that has a heart, we logically cannot support the world.
Illegal immigrants don't belong here. Either go through immigration or go home and make your country the place you want it to be. Don't come here and refuse to speak the language, take away jobs, walk around with no insurance and expect everyone else to foot the bills. And...leave your drugs, wars lords and weapons in your own country. We don't want them or you.
Join Gustavo Arellano and Steve Gallardo in denouncing their stay in the US. Come with us, my brown skinned occupiers of "El Norte" and return to Mexico and take over the country from the pale skin descendants of the colonial masters. Let the brown people take over their contry of Mexico. Are you with us my fellow occupiers??
No one wants to hear this biased crap anymore! ILLEGALS cannot vote! To call them undocumented is an insult to our intelligence. I'm sure they are very nice people as the article points out over and over again, BUT they are breaking the law ,utilizing much needed resources and causing division in this country. NO OTHER COUNTRY would have put up this bullshi_ for this long! Can you really imagine another country letting ILLEGAL immigrants take their jobs and give them the finger!???
"PS I think this story shows you that not all "Mexicans run away like cowards" but that they are willing to take a stand and fight for what they believe in."
I disagree that anyone should be rewarded for breaking the law. That is what they are demanding.
"The way you just assume that the "vast majority of latinos are from Mexico" is also very ignorant."
Learn to read. I never made such a statement. I can also argue my point without attempting to denigrate the person who disagrees with me. I am aware that smart people can have different opinions and still be smart. Obviously you disagree.
I agree that my questioning of her citizenship was wrong and uncalled for. For that I do appologize.
I also totally agree that the original Europeans did not come here at the invitation of the then native population. I also totally agree that, for the most part, this land was taken by force from the native inhabitants at that time. It is too bad the native inhabitants at that time did not have and enforce immigration laws. Perhaps they would still be in control of this land if they had. Knowing that history, I have to wonder why you advocate that the current native inhabitants should repeat the same mistake?
"When Latinos are integrated into the American culture...." The problem with that statement is Latinos are not integrating into American culture. Quite the opposite is happening because of the progressives love and desire for "diversity". The U.S.A. was once a melting pot where no matter where you came from you desired to walk, talk, act like... you wanted to BE an "American" (U.S. citizen). And that was encouraged. Now the U.S.A. is more of a salad bowl where all of the ingredients are contained within one bowl and they all share the same dressing on the surface, but that is where their similarities end. To understand what this road of "diversity" leads to study the Rise and Fall of the Roman Impire. Another mistake I do not think the U.S.A. should repeat.
Really John does it matter? Illegal or undocumented, legal alien , natrualized citizen or 5th generation of Hispanic decent. Can you really tell the difference between Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican , Guatemalan or Columbian? To people such as yourself, in your small unchristian hearts, they are all the same and you paint them all with the same brush. To you a misdemenor is the same as a felony. You keep yourself purposely ignorant and take pride in it.
Je5sterjackson, Yes, it does matter!! What is wrong with you!! To Illegally come into this country means, TB, and a whole list of other health concerns, that is the reason we have border checks!! The way it is supposed to work and the way this country allowed entries for years was structured and the individual was checked to see if he or she was bringing into this county disease etc. They also HAD to learn the english language, which of course now our country spends billions every year in order to print things in TWO languages! Billions that could be used for CITIZENS.
As it stands right now there are american citizens in the state of Arizona that cannot get anykind of healthcare. Why, because the state is broke, the country is broke and you ask Why concern ourselves with the poor illegals. Believe me I'm all about humanity myself but it's beginning to feel like this county is in a lifeboat and we just cannot take on anymore or we will all tip over. Why is that so hard to understand??!! You just don't care do you, as long as you and yours get what YOU need. It's only common sense this country needs to take care of ourselves. Is Mexico sending financial aid for all of their billions of citizens that reside here NO. Wake up and smell the coffee and stop pretending your the only one that has a heart, we logically cannot support the world.
I think you mean....."They're Illegal," as in they are illegal. Not "there illegal." Please spell check before you post because now you just seem ignorant as opposed to an angry citizen voicing his concern.
The New Times should stick to adds for third rate bands and massage parlors and not pretend to be a news orgination.
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