Seven days. Seven states. Nearly 3,000 miles. Gustavo Arellano talks to Latinos across the Southwest about their hopes, fears and dreams in this election year.
In early August, my editors came to me with an idea: Go around the country and ask Latinos whom they plan to vote for and why.
I said no.
Politicos and the media have long been obsessed with the so-called Latino vote. I didn’t need to drive around aimlessly and ask people whether they support Kamala Harris or Donald Trump to know that Latinos are as diverse in their political opinions as non-Latinos, if not more so.
This series isn’t that. And that’s why I eventually agreed to do it.
Over seven days, across seven states and nearly 3,000 miles, I checked in with Latinos across the American Southwest about where they are in their lives, not where they’ll be on election day.
We discussed politics, of course: How could you not, as we near a presidential election that could be the most consequential ever? But it was mostly background noise as people spoke about their hopes, fears and dreams as Latinos in a country that hasn’t historically made things easy for us, in a year we can make or break democracy, depending on whom you ask.
These are their stories.
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Chang
Design director: Taylor Le
Photo editor: Kelvin Kuo
Copy editor: Lee Rogers
Illustration: Elias Stein
Animation: Li Anne Liew
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
