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Dear John,
My name is Lori Pesante, and I am the Director of Civic Engagement and Government Relations with Dolores Huerta Foundation. I am a mother, educator, and advocate based out of Bakersfield, California. I started my journey as a community organizer when the principal at my son’s school was the victim of an anti-LGBTQ+ hate incident. As parents, we spent months organizing people to show up in support of the principal and against discrimination in our school and community. Together, we pushed district officials to do the right thing and publicly support our principal. This showed me what is possible when we come together and hold the people in charge accountable to represent us. |
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Left: My first time canvassing in 2019 for the Tax Equity Campaign in Kern County. Top Right: Me and Dylan Pesante demonstrating after anti-lgbtqia+ incident at Voorhies Elementary in Bakersfield, CA.
Bottom Right: Me and Darius Pesante at CARB hearing June 9, 2022. |
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We all want to live in the best places for our families, regardless of how we look, how long we've been here, or how much money we have. But my son's school is three miles from an oil well, which pollutes our water and makes it unsafe for students to drink. In the Central Valley, the lack of access to clean water is only one of the factors affecting our families and lowering our life expectancies. Like other Californians throughout the state, we are also facing issues with housing and the criminalization of immigrants and people of color who make up 75% of the population here. Wealthy corporations and cynical politicians are bombarding our communities with disinformation, trying to divide us and convince us that we can't change anything and that our votes don't matter.
They do this because they know that when we vote together, we can hold our leaders accountable and demand meaningful changes that shake up the status quo. At every level of the ballot we can push our leaders to represent all of us and deliver the quality schools, housing, and economic prosperity that we all desire for our families and communities, not just here in the Central Valley but across the country.
As part of We Are California, Dolores Huerta Foundation has been busy making sure voters know how to get involved and make their voices heard this and every election season. Here’s what you need to know: |
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This is an image of the California map with green, blue and orange trees, flowers, and plants from the state. There are also orange and blue images of the Golden Gate Bridge, a fist and surf boards on the map. Next to the map includes the words: "What you need to know about the California Elections" and the hashtag "#WEARECALIFORNIA" at the bottom. This image was illustrated by Michelle Muñoz. |
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Be sure to check your voter status here: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov and make a plan to vote early! Voting this election season is our chance to determine what kind of California and what kind of country we want to live in.
With Love from the Central Valley, Lori |
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