Speaker Lineup Showcases Diverse, Unified Party
Following a Republican National Convention that is sure to further outline Donald Trump’s divisive and dangerous vision for America, the newly released speaker lineup for the Democratic National Convention, promises to strike a markedly different tone.
On the first night, themed “United Together”, Nevada DREAMer and Organizing Director of PLAN Action Astrid Silva will join First Lady Michelle Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders as a keynote speaker. Astrid, who came to the United States at the age of four, will share her story and her fight to keep immigrant families together. Astrid’s story mirrors that of thousands of Nevada immigrants and is a welcome reminder of just what is at stake during this election. As Astrid herself outlined in a recent CNN op-ed—for Nevadans and Americans, this election could not be more important. Per Astrid:
Watching Donald Trump rise to prominence on the back of anti-immigrant stereotypes and xenophobic rhetoric, I am reminded just how much there is to fight for. While I am fortunate enough to have DACA, as long as hateful rhetoric and Donald Trump’s brand of politics prevail, DACA and programs like it are in danger.
And it’s not just Donald Trump who endangers these programs—Republican lawmakers in Congress, including GOP Congressman Joe Heck from my home state, have already voted to end DACA in the past, and in doing so, would destroy the protection from deportation for thousands of young people like me—people who contribute to America’s success. And Rep. Heck is running for Senate this cycle. So, for me and countless other Nevadans, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Added Viridiana Vidal, Director of Nevada’s Voice, “Despite the fear that Donald Trump and other Republicans have been peddling, America is better when we come together, rather than build walls. Based on the programs of the two conventions, the contrast between the two visions of America at stake in this election could not be any clearer. Astrid’s story is the story of the new American electorate—a story that Republicans, in Nevada in particular, can ignore at their own peril.”
For key facts on the Nevada Latino community see the America’s Voice report: “Latino and Immigrant Voters In The 2016 Election” which outlines the power and importance of the Latino vote in key states including Nevada.
Nevada’s Voice is a project of America’s Voice.
