Group canvasses New Orleans East to get Vietnamese voters to the polls
Gina Swanson
Voters have two full days before the polls open. In New Orleans East one group wants to make sure its community. and other marginalized groups are represented on Election Day.Village de l'est is the hub of the Vietnamese community. With the exception of the election of former Rep. Joseph Cao, the community has been relatively absent from the political scene in the city.Some young people are working to change that. The Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association or VAYLA is working to get the community out to the polls Saturday.Community organizer Houng Nguyen says there are barriers, even frustration, when it comes to voting."At the polls when you go there, a lot of our elders experience a lot of struggles because the polls are not in Vietnamese. It's in English. They get turned away because they can't talk to them in Vietnamese. They can't vote," Nguyen said.The head of state elections says no eligible voters are turned away, but the barriers at the polls may be discouraging. Since its inception, VAYLA has combined forces with other groups in the African-American and Latino community to rally voters.The resulting group is called the Power Coalition.They have organized to canvass neighborhoods and make phones calls to those who may not be engaged in the political process. One of the organizers says there is strength in numbers."We got together and we sat down at the table and said we are much stronger if we all come together," said LaTanjaya Silvester, an organizer with the Service Employees International Union."Our votes count. We work on a range of issues in 10 different areas from education to access to affordable health care. We are really looking to build community voice and power," Silvester said.As for VALA, what started as a Vietnamese organization is now a multi-ethnic team of young people working on various causes."We also work on education reform. We work with youth and providing services in our community tutoring and after school support," said Emmanuel Chavez, head of the group's immigration reform efforts.In the metro area, the bulk of the Vietnamese population lives in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans East. Votes in these neighborhoods are not typically courted during campaign season. Organizers like Nguyen still want to make sure her community is represented on Election Day."It helps our community out and we are trying to make a difference by making our voices be heard," Nguyen said.
Voters have two full days before the polls open. In New Orleans East one group wants to make sure its community. and other marginalized groups are represented on Election Day.
Village de l'est is the hub of the Vietnamese community. With the exception of the election of former Rep. Joseph Cao, the community has been relatively absent from the political scene in the city.
Some young people are working to change that. The Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association or VAYLA is working to get the community out to the polls Saturday.
Community organizer Houng Nguyen says there are barriers, even frustration, when it comes to voting.
"At the polls when you go there, a lot of our elders experience a lot of struggles because the polls are not in Vietnamese. It's in English. They get turned away because they can't talk to them in Vietnamese. They can't vote," Nguyen said.
The head of state elections says no eligible voters are turned away, but the barriers at the polls may be discouraging. Since its inception, VAYLA has combined forces with other groups in the African-American and Latino community to rally voters.
The resulting group is called the Power Coalition.
They have organized to canvass neighborhoods and make phones calls to those who may not be engaged in the political process. One of the organizers says there is strength in numbers.
"We got together and we sat down at the table and said we are much stronger if we all come together," said LaTanjaya Silvester, an organizer with the Service Employees International Union.
"Our votes count. We work on a range of issues in 10 different areas from education to access to affordable health care. We are really looking to build community voice and power," Silvester said.
As for VALA, what started as a Vietnamese organization is now a multi-ethnic team of young people working on various causes.
"We also work on education reform. We work with youth and providing services in our community tutoring and after school support," said Emmanuel Chavez, head of the group's immigration reform efforts.
In the metro area, the bulk of the Vietnamese population lives in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans East. Votes in these neighborhoods are not typically courted during campaign season. Organizers like Nguyen still want to make sure her community is represented on Election Day.
"It helps our community out and we are trying to make a difference by making our voices be heard," Nguyen said.