Promise Arizona: Building Immigrant Political Power
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A WORKING PAPER Promise Arizona: Building Immigrant Political Power MARGARET A. POST, PH.D. / JANUARY 2013 he 2012 re-election of President Barack Obama Context Tyielded unprecedented turnout among Latino voters. Nationally, Latinos voted in record numbers Arizona’s political landscape is changing in dramatic and chose President Obama over Republican can- ways. The last three election cycles showed ever- didate, Mitt Romney by 44 percentage points.1 The increasing Latino participation as a greater share of power and organization of grassroots community, la- Arizona’s electorate. According to the Pew Hispanic bor, and faith groups across the nation was a critical Center, Arizona has the fifth largest Hispanic eligible ingredient in this success. This contribution was rec- voter population in the nation (824,000).4 Latino ognized when President Obama invited labor and civ- Decisions reports that registered Latinos comprise ic leaders to the White House on November 13, 2012 between 18 and 20 percent of Arizona’s electorate.5 to discuss strategies for moving the economy forward More Latinos are eligible to vote today than in 2008, in his next administration.2 Additionally, in his first especially Arizona’s growing Latino youth population press conference following the election, the President with a median age of 25. There is greater population emphasized his desire to pass comprehensive immi- growth among Arizona’s Latinos than non-Hispan- gration reform shortly after his inauguration in 2013.3 ic whites, which also will increase the share of the As the nation prepares for President Obama’s second electorate who are Latino.6 A report by the Morri- term, and as we seek to understand the impact of La- son Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State Uni- tino voter turnout, it is necessary to evaluate what cir- versity found that by 2030 Latinos will comprise 25 cumstances led to this moment and what is needed to percent of the electorate with the most significant achieve comprehensive immigration reform. growth among young people (who are predominantly This case study investigates the history and ac- citizens) and with a trend towards independent and complishments of one organization that is making Democratic party affiliation.7 The authors argue that considerable strides in advancing the values and politi- several factors account for the increase in Latino cal interests of the Latino community. Beginning in participation including unprecedented voter registra- 2010, Promise Arizona (PAZ) and Promise Arizona tions among Latinos, a growing trend towards vote- in Action (PAZ en Acción) work to empower Lati- by-mail, and the electoral victories of Barack Obama, nos and the immigrant community to flex their civic Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, and Phoenix Council- muscle through community organizing and political member Daniel Valenzuela.8 action. This case study provides a snapshot of the These changing electoral dynamics in Arizona, organization’s formation, growth, and organizing ini- the passage of SB1070, and the exposure of Sheriff tiatives and explores what strategies have been central Joe Arpaio’s reprehensible and discriminatory prac- to its success. It is one model of how grassroots orga- tices catapulted Arizona to the national spotlight. Ac- nizing can contribute to achieving immigration rights. tivists have worked tirelessly to organize a strategic CENTER FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE 1 The complementary assets of Center for Com- munity Change and New Organizing Institute and the collaborative partnership between all three or- ganizations sustained PAZ through its early years of development. PAZ is also a leading partner in the co- alition, One Arizona, a collaborative of other grass- roots and community organizations in the state work- ing on non-partisan civic engagement. In addition, organizers established PAZ en Acción, a sister 501c4 organization to PAZ, as a vehicle for direct voter mo- bilization and electoral organizing. With the forma- tion of a political action committee (a 527 organiza- tion administered by PAZ en Acción) PAZ en Acción partners on various campaigns with other grassroots response to the current political climate, amidst per- and labor organizations in the state. Their electoral vasive anti-immigrant sentiment and building on the campaigns included both the defeat of SB1070’s ar- momentum of a galvanized community. The lead- chitect, Senator Russell Pearce, in a 2011 recall elec- ers of Promise Arizona and its partner organizations tion as well as an attempt to defeat Maricopa County have seeded a new movement. It is activated by a Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2012. The Campaign for Arizo- vision for Arizona’s future in which all people are able na’s Future, also known as the “Adiós Arpaio” Cam- to thrive with dignity, respect, and human rights and paign, was a joint effort between PAZ en Acción and it is rooted in collective action: vigils, marches, ral- the Phoenix-based local of UNITE-HERE, a union lies, voter registration drives, electoral campaigns, and representing thousands of immigrant workers in the policy advocacy. service and hospitality industry. PAZ’s main priorities are leadership development and civic engagement for immigrant rights and po- Organizational Formation litical change in Arizona. As a result, PAZ’s organiz- ing approach is rooted in three key elements: 1) the Promise Arizona (PAZ) has its early roots in the Re- intensive training and support of young leaders; 2) form Immigration for America campaign and the national the centrality of the movement building organizing organizing movement for comprehensive immigra- approach; and 3) a volunteer-based, member-driven tion reform. PAZ was formed in 2010 when a dedi- program for direct action, issue and electoral organiz- cated group of community leaders, led by long-time ing. Where certain models of political organizing rely community organizer Petra Falcon, organized to op- heavily on paid staff and canvassers, PAZ depends pose SB1070. As Falcon recalls, “we began under a on the recruitment, training, and development of its tree,” during what would be a 103-day vigil at the state members and volunteer leaders as the foundation capitol protesting Arizona’s new anti-immigrant legis- of its organizing strategy. PAZ draws much of its lation. PAZ is a member organization that aims to re- volunteer power from the Phoenix area, where over cruit, train, and develop leaders for political action that 60 percent of the state’s electorate resides, and has will improve the lives of immigrants and their families. also expanded its geographic reach beyond Maricopa It has become a vehicle by which leaders, especially County to include Mesa, Yuma, and Tucson. young people, are trained for civic participation. In Movement building trainings, with roots in the partnership with the Center for Community Change Farmworker movement, anchor all civic engagement and the New Organizing Institute, PAZ works to build and grassroots organizing activities. The training and strengthen Arizona’s organizing infrastructure for draws upon the values and lived experiences of lead- the immigrant rights movement. ers through storytelling and teaches participants the 2 PROMISE ARIZONA skills necessary for effective strategy, team building, vibrant organizational mechanism for impacting the group decision-making, and volunteer recruitment.9 pressing concerns faced by Latino families. Four col- These trainings have been essential for developing lective action tactics are central to the organization’s skilled and committed youth leaders in Arizona, for successful organizing and mobilization: prayer vigils, deepening their motivation for action by conscious- voter engagement, electoral campaigns, and policy ad- ness-raising, and for cultivating their sense of political vocacy. agency. In total, nearly 1,200 people have participated The prayer vigils are an important organizing in a movement building training since 2009, just prior tool that has mobilized individuals and families most to the formation of PAZ. The energy, commitment, affected by the rampant fear and intimidation within and newfound civic skills of young people trained Arizona’s anti-immigrant environment. Vigils at the through movement building have enabled PAZ to Arizona state capitol, at the White House, and at the quickly emerge as a political force in Arizona. For U.S. Supreme Court created momentum for the or- most, becoming a leader in PAZ is a transformative ganization and energized Latinos, especially youth, to way to connect one’s personal experiences of fear, in- speak out against anti-immigrant policies and elected timidation, and uncertainty, with tangible opportuni- officials. The PAZ vigils inspire solidarity and em- ties for hope in a brighter future and the possibility powerment within Arizona’s Latino community by of change. connecting leaders to broader movement for immi- grant rights. These public demonstrations of faith in action are a signature of PAZ’s growing power. The Table 1: PAZ and PAZ En Acción Facts & Figures vigils also have served as an entrée for new leaders to get involved. Volunteer contacts in database: 9,082 Like the vigils, voter engagement strategies Email list: 10,704 contribute to changing the narrative of the Latino electorate in Arizona. Traditionally thought of as New voter registrations since 2010: 51,827* a disempowered and disengaged constituency, Lati- * Includes 34,327 registrations from 2012 Adiós Arpaio Campaign. nos are registering in record numbers through the