Immigrants Remind Others To Visit the Polls

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Maria Elena Betancur left her native Colombia for America 14 years ago wanting a better life for herself and her young daughter. Today she owns a juice bar in Queens, and her daughter is attending college.

On Tuesday, she will achieve another milestone.

“I will vote for the first time,” Ms. Betancur, who became an American citizen three years ago, said. “I came to this country many years ago with my heart in my hands. It makes me very happy to know that I can, for the first time … represent my own voice.”

Ms. Betancur, 39, is one of many immigrants turned U.S. citizens getting ready to cast their ballots in the party primaries for the first time. Concerned with the poor economy, lack of access to affordable health care, and immigration reform legislation, she took her enthusiasm to the streets yesterday.

With the help of about 30 volunteers from a local branch of Make the Road New York, a Latino immigrant advocacy group, Ms. Betancur canvassed her primarily low-income, minority neighborhood reminding registered voters to get out and vote on Tuesday.

The co-executive director of Make the Road New York, Ana Maria Archila, handed out packets of information to her crew of volunteers.

“We do it because our community needs to build power,” she said. Almost a third of all New York City voters are foreign born, according to the director of the Center for Urban Research at the City University of New York, John Mollenkopf. About 250,000 to 300,000 immigrants will vote on Tuesday, he estimated.

“It’s a very interesting election for immigrants in New York City, because Barack Obama is the child of an immigrant and Hillary Clinton has worked on immigrant issues,” Mr. Mollenkopf said.

Ms. Archila claims that her organization, which was founded in 1997 and merged last year with the Latin American Integration Center, has increased voter turnout by 25% in the communities where it has been active.

The group has been out in the community every day since the first week of January. Its members hope to have knocked on at least 5,000 doors before Tuesday’s primary voting.

“We know how hard it is for all of us to make that decision of leaving everything — leaving our country — to come here,” Ms. Betancur, who plans to vote for Senator Clinton in the Democratic primary, said.

“We need to create the change we are so desperately waiting for,” she said.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use