• Slug: BC-CNS-Latino vote. About 275 words.

By ALEXIS KUHBANDER and HOLLY BERNSTEIN
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – UnidosUS, formerly known as the National Council of La Raza,  is launching a school-based program and new technology to increase voting and political engagement among Latino youths.

Organization leaders will ask Arizona school administrators this fall to join the High School Democracy Project to help increase voter registration of Latino millennials. Sixteen states have implemented the project’s curriculum in schools, according to Janet Hernandez, senior civic engagement project manager.

The six-lesson curriculum includes mock elections and lessons on becoming politically active and engaged. Hernandez outlined the program at the national convention in Phoenix.

About 1 million Latino teens turn 18 years old every year, Hernandez said the census shows.

“It is more than voting. It’s about democracy and how we impact youth in general,” Hernandez said.

UnidosUS  is working with mitú, a digital network aimed at Latinos, to launch Latinos Vote, a voter registration website and mobile app that simplifies voter registration. The app was offered at the convention and about 200 people registered, according to Hernandez.

Ricardo J. Tello, a student at Houston Gateway Academy, spoke of being the first of his family to vote. He had learned about voter registration, elections and candidates from the project.

“It was a surprise that I was one of the very few Latinos in my community to actually vote,” Tello said of voting in the 2016 election.

Tello said he was proud to represent his family.

“It is scary at first,” Tello said. “Everything is scary at first. But surprisingly it’s just easy. Super easy.”

The convention, which ended Tuesday,  coverer issues such as politics, health care, education and leadership.

^__=