Hispanic Heritage Month: Claudia Rodriguez
Through this series, When We All Vote is highlighting some of the people who work with us to ensure their communities are registered and ready to vote. So many of us make history every day, and we are proud to honor these Latinx community ambassadors.
What is your role with My School Votes? And why is it essential for this work to be done in your community?
I work with our Government and Community Affairs team at Noble Schools, and we partner with the My School Votes program. We created Noble Votes at Noble Schools, a program that equips our students with the education, tools, and resources they need to register to vote. Illinois has a robust election system, but we realized that our students weren’t as involved. However, through Noble Votes last year alone, we collected 672 voter registration forms from eligible Noble students, and over the past five years, we have registered more than 3,000 students to vote for the first time.
What’s the most rewarding part about your role with My School Votes?
Knowing that our students can register and vote is one of the most rewarding things for me. Turning 18 and being able to register to vote was exciting for me. There is so much misinformation around elections; our students need proper resources, and we provide that. There are many mixed-status families that might not be able to fully participate in our democracy, which can be very tricky because you don’t want those students and families to feel discouraged, which can potentially lead to a lack of engagement. That’s why we make it a point to let them know everyone has a role in our democracy. They may have friends, family, and neighbors who are eligible to vote, and they can share how important it is to exercise their right to vote because it impacts everyone.
I see myself in the students I work with at Noble Schools. Any given day when I visit our schools and see the Black and Brown faces of our kids, it is very evident to me whom I do this work for. That’s why it was very important for me and my team to make sure our students have an opportunity to make their voices heard.
As a Latina, how has your life personally been impacted by voting? Does a specific moment stand out to you?
My first time voting, I had the chance to elect a woman to represent me. It was very exciting! I am an election junkie and like to be involved in politics at all levels. Whether as a poll worker or a volunteer canvassing, I do it all. My fondest moment was when I had the opportunity to be a delegate for President Biden. It feels like ages ago, but I remember having to get signatures in order to get on the ballot. It was really exciting for me and my family to see my name on the ballot. My family has always been very supportive. A moment I’ll never forget.
What about our community brings you joy?
My family is very civically engaged. We make plans to go out and vote together. We also throw election watch parties with tons of food and music. My family has always understood the importance of voting and how it impacts our lives — knowing that by voting, we have a massive impact on our community!
What message would you like to share with Latina voters and the importance of them being civically engaged?
Now more than ever, it is so important to be civically engaged — especially as a Latina. Every time you turn on the news, some bill or conversation is happening around the Latinx community, or women’s rights, reproductive rights, and so much more, that affects our lives. Even when we don’t think something is political, it is. I want to encourage us to get involved and educated on the issues we care about and vote!
There are no off years in democracy, so join us as we stand up for voting rights. You can get started today by registering to vote, (weall.vote/register), texting three friends (weall.vote/check), or by taking action (weall.vote/take-action).
