MIV Vision for Building Immigrant Political Power and Representation

From Mobilize the Immigrant Vote!

MIV advocates for an approach to electoral organizing that emphasizes elections work as one component of a larger movement for social and economic justice. This movement-building approach to elections focuses not only on short-term increases in voter turnout and wins on specific ballot initiatives, but also on:

• building leadership and capacity within low-income immigrant communities and organizations;
• catalyzing and strengthening diverse multi-ethnic alliances; and
• connecting electoral work to ongoing organizing for social justice.

We work with organizations to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate materials and skills training based on a progressive, low-income specific platform to help them build effective voter and civic participation programs over time.

MIV Long-Term Vision and Strategy

	Future Elections	Political Education
Capacity Building	Build the capacity of community-based organizations to do effective electoral work.	Build the capacity of community-based organizations to connect electoral work to ongoing social change work. Increase capacity of communities to analyze issues that impact their communities. Create opportunities for immigrants to understand political mechanisms.
Civic Participation	Increase voter participation rates of immigrant and disenfranchised communities.	Increase the political participation of immigrants and disenfranchised communities to engage in policy advocacy efforts/public life.
Leadership Development	Strengthen immigrant community leadership and activism for ongoing work toward social change by involving them in the electoral process.	Strengthen immigrant community leadership and activism for ongoing work toward social change by engaging in policy advocacy activities.
Visibility of Issues	Draw attention to issues of concern for immigrants and highlight the significance of the emerging immigrant vote in California.	Draw attention to issues of concern for immigrants and highlight the significance of the emerging political power of immigrant communities.