USC to host national Voto Latino event


By
 in

USC will host the Voto Latino Power Summit in February, a two-day event for young Latino voters nationwide, it was announced Wednesday.

Voto Latino aims to “educate, empower and engage” young Latinos to become active in the politics of their community. Voto Latino is a national bi-partisan organization founded during the 2004 election to increase Latino voter turnout.

The event will serve as the launch of Voto Latino’s the 2012 election campaign. The summit will bring more than 200 prominent Latino leaders to campus.

“Our objective is to register voters and empower people to be active participants in our democracy,” said Mary Moreno, communications director of Voto Latino. “We want people to have a greater ownership of their government.”

Voto Latino, headquartered in Washington D.C., chose the USC campus as the venue for the summit because of its location in Los Angeles and young demographics.

“We knew we wanted to work in Los Angeles and with university students,” Moreno said. “This is because college students are effective activists and are very motivated. Our goal is to appeal to young people and get them involved in mobilizing people to the polls.”

The summit will provide workshops for attendees with topics including public speaking, art and activism, civics, voting rights, national and local legislation, corporate social responsibility and grassroots organizing.

“Voto Latino particularly aims to train young Latinos to utilize Internet and mobile activism to more effectively participate in the political landscape,” Moreno said. “The concept behind the event is that attendees will emerge from the summit better informed and ready to train others in their communities.”

Though specific dates and campus locations have not yet been set for the Power Summit, Voto Latino is working with the USC Latina/o Student Assembly to coordinate the event and generate interest among the student body.

Steven Almazan, executive director of USC Latina/o Student Assembly, said in an email it is important for members of the Latino community at USC to engage in politics.

“It is vitally important for USC Latino students to get involved with Voto Latino’s campaign because it will send a message to Latinos outside of the USC community to become social advocates in their own community,” Almazan said.