Our historic work in 2022
As we close the books on an incredibly successful year for Voces Unidas Action Fund, we would like to share more about the work that we accomplished together.
When we started in 2021, our goal as the first 501(c)(4) advocacy organization created by Latinas and Latinos in the Western Slope was to build and grow our community's political power in the central-mountain region because we believe that this is how we can make our valleys more equitable.
For us, having political power means exercising our voice and agency to lead change in our communities, and having full access, opportunity and influence in all civic and political systems at the state level and throughout Summit, Lake, Eagle, Pitkin and Garfield counties.
Click below to learn more about our accomplishments by pillar.
Policy
Opened satellite office in Denver and hired a lobbying firm to represent our interests at the Capitol – making us the first Latino-created organization based on the Western Slope with this level of presence at the Capitol;
Partnered with our sister organization to commission two historic, statewide nonpartisan polls, surveying more than 2,000 Latino voters, and released comprehensive reports to help drive our policy agenda;
Published a legislative scorecard, rating five local legislators against our key legislative priorities;
Helped pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act (HB22-1279), which modernizes Colorado statute to ensure Coloradans can continue to make their own reproductive health choices;
Helped pass the Mobile Home Park Resident Protections bill (HB22-1287), which updates and strengthens mobile home resident protections by giving more rights and agency to residents in mobile home parks. This addressed some of the concerns that we heard from community leaders;
Helped pass the Health Benefits For Colorado Children And Pregnant Persons bill (HB22-1289), which provides health coverage for undocumented pregnant people in Colorado and provides comprehensive public health insurance for all children in Colorado, regardless of immigration status, up to the CHP income-eligibility limit;
Helped pass the In-state Tuition For Colorado High School Graduates or The Val Vigil Act (HB22-1155), which increases the number of undocumented students eligible for in-state tuition through the Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) program;
Helped pass the Small Community-based Nonprofit Grant Program (HB22-1356), which creates an infrastructure grant fund for smaller nonprofits that are providing culturally appropriate and relevant services and resources to families and communities who have historically been underrepresented, underfunded, under-resourced, and continue to struggle with pandemic recovery;
Helped pass the Loan Program Resident-owned Communities bill (SB22-160), which establishes a revolving loan and grant program to provide assistance and financing to mobile home residents seeking to organize and purchase their mobile home parks.
Leadership
Graduated 3 leaders from campaign bootcamp training.
One of our graduates ran and won a state legislative race in 2022, becoming the first Latina to be elected from the Western Slope (Representative-elect Elizabeth Velasco)
Another graduate is running in 2023
Electoral/Political
Reached more than 47,879 individual voters in the central mountain region;
Made 109,008 phone calls targeting 23,504 Latino and other progressive voters in the central mountain region;
Sent a total of 5 mail pieces targeting 21,976 Latino and other progressive voters in the central mountain region;
Sent 38,381 text messages to Latino and other progressive voters in the central-mountain region;
Reached 1.8 million ad impressions and 25,200 video views, targeting 35,000 Latino and other progressive voters in the central-mountain region;
Endorsed 18 candidates for municipal, primary and general elections — 14 of whom won their races;
Donated, through affiliated political committees, to 13 aligned candidates and invested more than $100,000 in independent expenditures to support key champions
Helped elect the first Latina Representative from the Western Slope;
Helped to educate voters on 10 successful local and statewide ballot issues, including statutes guaranteeing access to free school lunches for all students, a state affordable housing program, and lodging taxes approved by several counties and municipalities dedicated to funding local affordable housing;
Became the first Latino, multi-entity advocacy organization in the Western Slope with robust political infrastructure — C3, C4, IE, PACs and SDC;
Became the first Latino organization from the Western Slope to start a federal PAC and donate to four federal candidates in 2022;
Other
Reached 132,564 people on our websites, and on social media
Thank you in advance for your support of Voces Unidas Action Fund this year — and in the years to come.