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Latino voices in L.A. County

There are 6.9 million Latinos registered to vote in California, enough to shape the election, but will they vote? Typically considered non-voters, this election season Latinos have an impetus. His name is Donald Trump.

I took to the neighborhoods of Los Angeles County to ask the Latino community who’s voting, who’s not voting and who would love to vote but legally can’t.

I began at an old, dusty curb market in Saugus, Calif. where locals stop to buy their lottery tickets on the way home. It houses the dreams of 58-year- old Teresa Reyna. She came to this country as a pregnant mother with just the clothes on her back and her infant son, husband and sister at her side.

We now share our community with Teresa and her family. She’s not just the warm lady who holds your hand as she blesses your lottery ticket in hopes that you will win. She’s the owner of that dusty old corner store.

I asked her what she thought of Donald Trump.

“He scares me. He doesn’t like people. He doesn’t like anybody.” She placed her hand on mine, “I do not look at the color of a person’s skin. I look at their heart. I work at a store and I see a lot of people. But I only look at their heart.”

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“He scares me. He doesn’t like people. He doesn’t like anybody.”

— Teresa Reyna

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As our talk turned to voting, Teresa said despite being a naturalized citizen and registered voter, she has no plans to vote. When I asked why, Teresa said, “I don’t know. I never voted.” Her son has asked her too, and tried to make it easy for her. In the 20 years she’s been a citizen, Teresa has never voted.

Was it fear, complacency or perhaps a lack of understanding of the political process? I never got my answer, perhaps the answer is in the statistics. Pew Research indicates that Hispanic voter turnout is typically lower than any other minority with the exception of Asians.

Teresa’s answer to the Donald Trump factor was to pray. Crystal Trujillo also said she would, “leave it in God’s hands” instead of voting. The 27-year- old Mexican- American couldn’t remember if she had registered to vote and was more concerned about money for gas and food than Trump’s immigration policy.

The notion of electing the first black President invigorated many African-Americans deemed non-voters. Would Donald Trump’s threat to “build a wall” do the same for Latinos? I was about to find out.

Unvoter Voices

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