La Campaña Ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! tiene el objetivo de prepararle y asistirle en cada paso del proceso para solicitar la ciudadanía. Las siguientes son varias formas en que usted puede obtener más información y asistencia:
- Llame al número telefónico (888) VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) para poder hablar con un asistente entrenado en ciudadanía
- Visite la página virtual del Fondo Educacional NALEO en www.naleo.org
- Visite una de las localidades de los Centros de Ciudadanía Ya es Hora ¡Ciudadanía! ubicados cercas de usted. Para encontrar un centro llame al (888) VE-Y-VOTA
ABOUT YA ES HORA
“ya es hora” is a historic and comprehensive civic participation campaign that was launched as a community response to the pro-immigrant mobilizations of 2006. The campaign represents the largest coordinated effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process. Unlike past approaches, which focused on naturalization, voter registration, or get-out-the-vote drives, this campaign seeks to integrate all these components into a comprehensive civic engagement strategy and under a recognizable action-oriented slogan: ya es hora, which translates to “now is the time”.
In the Spring of 2006, an estimated three to five million people participated in pro-immigrant marches and demonstrations in cities across the country. These demonstrations galvanized Latino communities nationwide, infusing a historic and unprecedented fervor of civic participation with the potential to reshape the future of American politics. The mobilizations are considered one of the first national movements primarily driven by Latinos and considered by many as the birth of a new social movement. In a 2006 national survey of Latinos by the Pew Hispanic Center, nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents believe that the marches signaled the beginning of a sustained Hispanic/Latino social movement within the United States. This sentiment was not only strong among the Latino immigrant population but was equally as strong among the native-born (62%). The potential impact of this newly mobilized community on American politics was underscored during the recent midterm elections in November of 2006, when according to analysis of exit poll data, Latino voters comprised as much as 8% of all voters, a share greater than in any midterm or Presidential election to date. As the country prepares for what is likely to be a historic election in 2008, the subplot will be the rise of U.S. Latinos as increasingly engaged actors in the political process.
The comprehensive campaign is comprised of two strategic and focused phases. ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! was the first phase of the campaign to launch, seeking to naturalize one million eligible legal permanent residents. ya es hora ¡Ve Y Vota! is the second phase of the campaign which will seek to register thousands and mobilize more than half a million naturalized and native born Latinos to vote in the 2008 Presidential elections.
The ya es hora campaign seeks to increase Latino civic participation by: 1) assisting eligible legal permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship, and 2) educating, registering, and mobilizing Latinos to vote. The campaign strategy is to remove barriers that have prevented Latinos from becoming full participants in our U.S. democracy.
Who is leading the campaign?
The NALEO Educational Fund, the nation’s leading organization that increases Latino civic participation, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the largest and fastest growing unions in North America, and the We Are America Alliance, an alliance of community organizations, immigrant rights organizations, ethnically-based organizations and unions dedicated to increasing civic participation by immigrants, lead the logistical and strategy coordination of the ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! Campaign.
Univision Communications Inc. is leading the television and radio efforts to motivate Legal Permanent Residents to apply for U.S. citizenship. Entravision Communications, a diversified Spanish-language media company with television, radio, outdoor advertising and publishing, has also committed to having its Univision television and radio properties participate in the campaign. impreMedia, the number 1 Spanish-language publisher, in addition to other regional Spanish-language print outlets, run advertisements and editorials in their publications. The media sponsors have produced unique programs, public service announcements, and advertisements to reach Latino viewers and readers.
How does the campaign work?
The ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! is unique and innovative for its multi-faceted approach that combines television, radio and print, national and regional organizations, attorneys, and other experts in an aggressive year-long campaign to make a historic impact in the number of residents seeking to become citizens of the United States. Campaign elements that have to date made this campaign effective include:
- Alliance of Organizations and Institutions/Centros de Ciudadania, including attorneys and English as a Second Language (ESL) providers where potential applicants can go to receive information or assistance in applying and preparing for citizenship;
- ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! informational packets are distributed in all Centros de Ciudadania
- Television shows and PSA’s to inform and educate persons about the naturalization process;
- Newspaper advertisements editorials, and special segments on U.S. citizenship;
- Radio promotions and advertisement;
- Citizenship Workshops that assist persons in completing the N-400 naturalization application;
- National Hotline (888-Ve-y-Vota) to assist persons with questions on naturalization and for referrals;
- www.yaeshora.info Website to guide applicants through the naturalization process, access the N-400 form and other helpful documents, latest list of workshops, and other helpful information.Alliance of
Organizations/Citizenship Centers
In addition to the national partners, the ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía! campaign brings together over 150 national and regional organizations and institutions with varied goals and missions to promote U.S. citizenship. There are more than 250 Centros de Ciudadania, or citizenship centers, that provide information or assistance with the N-400 naturalization application. In addition to the not-for-profit organizations, the campaign has coordinated with attorneys and groups that specialize in immigration law to make legal advice available to applicants. ESL and U.S. citizenship preparation providers are also key contributors to the campaign.
To be recognized as a Centro de Ciudadania, organizations must agree to execute a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines the agreed-upon policies and parameters as set by each of the community’s campaign steering committee. The campaign MOU’s is a contract not with one organization with another, but the executing organization with the community. Principals common in all communities include a maximum fee for naturalization services, a universal Citizenship workshop date, and distribution of packets and information to the public.
For more information, please send an email to jangulo@naleo.org
