About 60 Latino residents from the Capitol Hill neighborhood shuffled into their local library to hear Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval’s message to them: “Tu tienes una voz,” or “You have a voice.”
Inspired by low civic participation among Latinos and measures proposed this session targeting certain members of the demographic, Alonso-Sandoval organized an event last weekend aimed at informing residents of South Oklahoma City how they can participate in the legislative process.
The event included presentations in Spanish from members of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Dream Action Oklahoma, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Latino Legislative Caucus.
Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, attended and spoke at the event alongside the Senate hopeful Sam Wargin-Grimaldo.
The focus was on two measures proposed this session, which Alonso-Sandoval and other speakers called racist:
- House Bill 3071 by Rep. Neil Hays, R-Cheotah, in the House and Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, in the Senate; This bill would restrict public money from being used to support Oklahomans living in the country without legal permission and would cut state dollars to public and private entities who violate the provision. This bill passed its committee hearing and can be heard on the floor.
- House Bill 4090 by Rep. David Harden, R-Stilwell, in the House and Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, in the Senate; this measure would make it a felony to be arrested while living in the country without legal permission. This bill also passed its committee hearing and can be considered by the full house.
Earlier in the legislative session, Alonso-Sandoval noticed House Bill 3133 too. Written by Lane Republican Rep. Justin Humphrey, the bill would have labeled a terrorist any Hispanic arrested and charged for a gang-related crime. Alonso-Sandoval said during the event that he spoke to Humphrey about the language and managed to have him alter it. Now it includes drug trafficking activity under the state’s definitions of terrorism and applies to all Oklahomans.
The young lawmaker said awareness and advocacy are essential, but he also stressed the need for people to get to the ballot box and vote with their interests, regardless of their party.
“The goal is not only to ensure the community protects the good proposals and attacks the bad ones,” he said. “But also to ensure that Latinos have more representation at all levels of government so they have a louder voice.”
Latinos are seeing renewed political activism since the pandemic
The presentations included information on everything from the legislative process and how to register to vote, to what bills Latinos in Oklahoma should consider advocating for and against.
Gabriela Ramirez-Perez is the immigration policy analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute, a center-left think tank that does research and advocacy across the state. Her presentation centered on how bills become laws and how legislative leadership works to set agendas and get bills signed by the governor. Ramirez-Perez pointed out that her position at the institute has existed for two years. She said immigrant communities in Oklahoma need focused attention because civic awareness is low.
“For many years, the Oklahoma legislature has passed laws against immigrant communities without us being able to organize in opposition,” Ramirez-Perez said.
She said Latinos are often unaware of laws that aim to harm them or work against their best interests. She said that needs to change, and it starts with knowing how the political process works and how to engage with it.
Dream Action Oklahoma and the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, are two nonprofit advocacy organizations that community members can join and engage politically with.
Cristian Zapata, the president of LULAC, said the organization saw low engagement and participation during the COVID-19 pandemic and is growing again.
But, Nicole Maldonado, the organization’s vice president and the legislative assistant for Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, said the people joining LULAC are younger than ever.
“The first reunion of LULAC was in December when members were going to vote for their leadership,” Maldonado said. “I know how hard it is to organize young people, so when I saw 30 young Latinos in one room, I was filled with motivation to continue working with the organization.”
Among the attendees was Francisco Santiago, who helped found the Puerto Rican Foundation of Oklahoma, a group that aims to educate about Latino history in Oklahoma and support the community through advocacy. He said it’s important to recognize how Latinos aren’t monolithic and then use those differences to advance mutual interests.
He said Puerto Ricans in any Latino community are a political asset.
“Puerto Ricans are born as citizens,” Santiago said. “So, we often don’t relate so much with the struggles around immigration and not being able to vote. But we do face the same racism. When people walk by, they don’t tell the difference, they just discriminate. So we know how that feels.”
