Supporting the Voting Rights Act

Michael Paul Williams, a columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch calls for the need for unity between the African American and Latino communities, particularly through the renewal of the U.S. Voting Rights Act of 1965, in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Tejada says, "Why are we putting more impediments out when we'd all like people to vote in greater numbers?"

Ya Marchamos, Ahora Votamos

"Arlington County Board member Walter Tejada joined elected Latino officials from across the region last week to announce the start of a voter registration drive, with the goal of getting tens of thousands of Spanish-speaking citizens to the polls this November for the first time," according to the Arlington Connection.

More about the campaign can be learned from the website, www.yamarchamosahoravotamos.org. "The organizers of the registration drive believe they can get 50,000 new voters across the region, with perhaps several thousand from Arlington. They harbor no illusions that the thousands of Latinos marching earlier this year will — or can — vote this fall. But they do believe that by raising the community’s political awareness, they can have a massive impact on elections in the coming decades."

Clarendon Center Success

Arlington County Board Member J. Walter Tejada was cited in an article in the Arlington Connection that reports on the success of the urban renewal around Clarendon Center. This project builds new office, residential and retail project while preserving historic structures. Tejada said, "This is a good lesson that we don’t need to rush to do a project that doesn’t meet the standards of the neighborhood."

Tejada Seeking 500,000 New Voters

Arlington County Board Member J. Walter Tejada is helping lead the effort, with other local Hispanic elected officials, on "a regional voter-registration campaign with the hope of gaining at least 500,000 new Hispanic voters by Election Day," according to the Washington Times. Tejada said, "We've got to educate our community overall on what are the nuances of voting. It's important people know who, where and by when they can vote."

To learn more about this voter-registration campaign, visit: http://www.yamarchamosahoravotamos.org/.