Civic Education Desk Inaugurated in Fresno, California

The Civic Education Desk is part of community service spaces offered by Mexican consulates in the United States. Its goal is to provide information and guidance on access to civil and political rights in Mexico and the United States.

With this new inauguration, there are now 12 Civic Education Desks across the U.S., located in cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Brownsville in Texas; Las Vegas and Phoenix in Arizona; Orlando, Florida; Denver, Colorado; Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Los Angeles in California.

Consulates partner with nonprofit organizations in various cities to operate these information hubs. In the case of Fresno, California, the partner organization is Poder Latinx, which has made significant efforts since 2019 to empower and mobilize the Latino community, especially young people, in political participation in the U.S., encouraging them to recognize their importance as agents of change.

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Promoting Latino voting in U.S. elections is a priority

During the Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 24, Nuria Zúñiga Alaniz, the Consul of Mexico in Fresno, emphasized the importance of the Mexican community realizing the power they have to shape their country through their participation in elections.

Many of you can vote in Mexico and the United States because you are citizens. You are responsible for electing the authorities who will govern the entire community’s future. This is why we want you to become aware of this and seek information on your elections and how you can exercise your political rights on both sides of the border,” she stated.

She also noted that while 40% of California’s population is Hispanic, only a quarter of them are registered to vote in the U.S., so she urged the community to register. If their immigration status doesn’t allow them to vote, she encouraged them to ask family members and neighbors to do so.

Norberto González, the California State Director of Poder Latinx, stressed that the Latinx community holds great power to influence elections but often does not fully exercise this ability.

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He added that, besides the Civic Education Window, Poder Latinx is engaging in various activities to promote voting and inform the Latino community, including door-to-door visits and outreach at community colleges.

We tend to think that nothing will change and that voting doesn’t matter, but it does. In the Central Valley, some positions have been won by just one or nine votes. Every vote counts.”

Finally, Olga Loza, the State Coordinator of Poder Latinx, highlighted that at the civic information desk, Mexicans in Fresno can learn about the significance and purpose of voting, receive guidance on voter registration, and understand their rights and the laws that protect them in the United States.

With one vote, we can change worker rights, student rights, bring new programs to help your children go to college, fix a street, build a school, bring teachers and funds to communities—all of this is achieved through voting, and it’s educational,” Loza said.

She invited the Latino community to register to vote and use their political power to change their local area, adding, “We have the responsibility to pave the way in this country for the next generation.”

The Civic Education Desk in Fresno will help the Mexican community participate in U.S. elections and offer programs on migration, environmental issues, and climate change.