While the importance of Latino voters to the elections has been widely reported, one group you don’t seem to hear much about is young Latino voters, many of whom are voting for the first time.
A few organizations, including youth-oriented TV networks, are embarking on efforts to change that by getting young Latinos registered and engaged in the decision process. For example, last year Telemundo and mun2 jointly launched the “Vota por tu futuro” or Vote 4 UR Future initiative.
Another organization looking to attract the attention of this segment is Voto Latino, co-founded by the actress Rosario Dawson and Maria Teresa Petersen, who see Latino voters between the ages of 18 and 34 as “the ones that will make the difference [in this election].”
In 2006, Voto Latino released a series of bilingual PSAs, in partnership with Telemundo and mun2, featuring such celebrities as Cameron Diaz, Nina Sky, Chingo Bling, Don Dinero and Jeremias.
This week they followed up on their creative celebrity-driven spots with the release of the “La pasión de la decisión,” a four-part telenovela broadcasting on Voto Latino and YouTube and aimed at encouraging young Latinos to register and vote.
Using celebrities is a powerful way to reach teens and young adults, so it makes sense that “La pasión de la decisión,” features major Latino stars in front of and behind the camera, including Wilmer Valderrama, Tony Plana, Mayte Garcia, and of course, Rosario Dawson.
The first episode is absolutely hilarious and a smart play on the beloved telenovela genre, featuring a wedding proposal, a love triangle, a medical tragedy and sibling rivalry – all in under four minutes. Of course, there’s also a register to vote message woven into the plotline, but I won’t reveal how that happens. You’ll have to see it for yourself, and watch for the final three episodes.
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