On November 6, 2023, an assembly of 100 grassroots leaders of Comunidades Unidas announced the start of their campaign, which at its core is the intention to create an Agenda for the Immigrant Peoples of Salt Lake County and for the 250 leaders to deliver it to the Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and Salt Lake County District 2 Councilman David Alvord in October 2024 - one month before their re-election. From October 2022 to October 2023, CU embarked on a listening campaign to identify issues and leaders with which to launch a campaign that has the potential to increase immigrant power in the state and develop new leaders. Leaders have identified the need to focus this campaign in Salt Lake County, where 98% of our grassroots leaders reside or work. It was a great showing of the power that our immigrant community members are able to have when we organize and mobilize together.
Our youth group recently participated in a discussion about voting. First, our group facilitators asked youth community members about questions they had related to voting and staying informed. Next, they organized a virtual meeting with the Salt Lake County Clerk, Lannie Chapman, to answer and discuss these questions. She shared information with our youth about being involved in the community and internship opportunities to work with the county clerk’s office! To cap the activities, the facilitators decided to do an “Instagram Takeover,” where they each made a video to answer some of the common questions our youth asked about the voting process. We’re grateful for the efforts of Tamara Chavez, Brianna Puga, Susana Lemus, Cynthia Ponce, and Cody Salais in supporting our youth and spreading information about voting to help change our community.
Members of Comunidades Unidas had the amazing experience of joining one of our national partners, FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement), in Washington, DC to uplift the importance of supporting the registry bill. CU was able to speak to staffers about the registry bill and how it supports the immigrant community.
