Wilmer Valderrama. Rosario Dawson. America Ferrera. Star-led drive aims to get Latinos to vote

Associated Press

With a star-studded cast of celebrities and influencers, the Voto Latino Foundation launched a $5 million initiative Tuesday to encourage Latinos to vote in the upcoming election.

The “Vota Con Ganas” (’Vote with Enthusiasm”) campaign will feature personal stories and messages from the Latino community, voter registration drives and workshops, social media outreach campaigns along with public service announcement-type videos from celebrities and influencers, highlighting the importance of voting and the impact the Latino vote can have in this election.

Notable celebrities participating in the campaign so far include Wilmer Valderrama, Rosario Dawson, America Ferrera, Danny Lux, Jessica Alba, Gina Torres and Xochitl Gomez.

Valderrama, who directed and produced the campaign videos, said in a statement that Latinos have been a vital part of the country and that it is time for them to have a seat at the table.

“The Ganas campaign aims to reinvite our Latino community to vote for their future,” he said. “Every decade the Latino community continues to grow in so many aspects of our country. We contribute in so many different ways and It’s critical that we own and celebrate our contributions to what’s possible for us here.”

As part of the campaign, the foundation also partnered with more than 170 college campus organizations to host voter registration events and digital activations during Hispanic Heritage Month, which ends Oct. 15. The campaign’s efforts will also be amplified by over 300 organizations partnering with the foundation, including the NFL, Universal Music and Sony.

As the nation’s largest minority group — 19.5% of the total population, according to the 2020 census — Latinos form a key voting bloc in what’s shaping up to be a tight presidential election.

Latinos have grown at the second-fastest rate, behind Asian Americans, of any major racial and ethnic group in the U.S. since the last presidential election, according to a Pew Research Center analysis, and are projected to account for 14.7%, or 36.2 million, of all eligible voters in this presidential election, a new high.

They are a growing share of the electorate in several presidential and congressional battleground states, including Arizona, California and Nevada, and are being heavily courted by Republicans and Democrats.

Voto Latino Foundation president Maria Teresa Kumar said including everyday Latinos in the videos is a way to give them power and make their voices heard. In a statement, Kumar described the campaign as “a movement to harness the power of the Latino community.”

Kumar said ensuring every Latino voter is registered is vital, as Latinos have the power to shape the future of the country only if they cast their ballot this election.

Dawson, who is a board member of the foundation, said Latinos must mobilize their community, especially youths, as there will be many first-time voters.

“We have the power to decide. We could literally change the tide,” Dawson said in a statement. “’Vota con Ganas’ means to register, vote, volunteer, and own this election, because it is yours to take.”