Some years ago, Tina Turner sang her iconic song, “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” That song always makes me reflect on love, life and work.
Recently, my good friend Diana Moller sent me this message:
«On a quiet Saturday evening, I started watching the documentary One Person, One Vote? on PBS’s Independent Lens. Lo and behold, Magdaleno ‘Leno’ Rose-Avila appears on my TV screen at a Halloween family party/Zoom meeting in the program! Leno said, ‘The power that we have over all the problems we face in this world is the power of our hearts and love. Voting is an action of love. I want people to demonstrate their love by voting and getting others to vote—we can change the world.’ Wise words, Leno! Do what Leno said — VOTE!»
I had forgotten that someone had filmed me years ago, speaking about the importance of voting and how it became such a significant part of my life.
It wasn’t until I was about 23 that I cast my first vote. At the time, I was with the United Farm Workers in Center, Colorado. The Union had decided that we should join other union offices in registering voters and encouraging them to vote. The six of us working out of the office had never voted ourselves. So we asked for training and a budget from Manuel Chavez, Cesar’s cousin, when he visited us. He told us, “You’re smart. You can figure out the Colorado regulations, and you can raise your own money to fund the registration.”
At first, we were in shock—no handbook, no plan, no money. NADA.
In the following weeks, we studied the laws and regulations, conducted in-house training, and strategized where we would send people across the state, while also figuring out who would offer us free housing and help us raise funds.
Once we were ready to send folks out to different areas, we decided to test our system in the town of Monte Vista. There we were, in the San Luis Valley, 7,000 feet up in southern Colorado, trying to do God’s work.
We got maps of the predominantly Chicano neighborhoods in Monte Vista and spent a weekend going door-to-door with our clipboards. Of course, we wore union buttons, and some of us had longer hair than the locals. The response was disappointing, we got minimal engagement. We were frustrated by the muted reaction from this economically challenged community. After two days of arguing, we started questioning whether we were the right people to knock on those doors. One of our team members said, “I have a grandmother who knows everyone in that community.” So, we reached out to her and other grandmothers, as well as stay-at-home moms, and gave them a workshop. None of them had ever voted before.
After a week, they had covered their blocks and wanted more work!
All the good things that happened that year reminded me that our families and friends care deeply about their communities and want to help. Those women of Monte Vista voted because of their love for their neighborhoods.
So, I am not motivated by hate, revenge, or violence in each election cycle. Love is my motivator. I love my country’s diversity, I love Mother Earth, I love the children and want the best for them, I love peace and equality, and, of course, I love voting. I even love those who disagree with me, and I want us all to be safe as we nonviolently express our beliefs. I love that women and young girls are gaining their rightful place in our society. There are so many things I love, and that makes it easy for me to vote. And knowing that I can challenge those who are elected, I also love the process itself.
We can change our world and make it better through love. Voting is truly an act of love.
