Good evening. In today’s newsletter, we’re covering a pivotal prison labor law up for vote this Election Day in two states, the power of Latino voters in Nevada, candidates representing San Francisco’s cultural districts, and more.
Plus, with just a week to go until one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, we’re preparing to bring you the latest updates at url-media.com as events unfold. To keep you informed, we may shift next week’s newsletter to Wednesday instead of Tuesday, depending on what happens. Have a question? Write to us at editor@url-media.com and please continue to watch this space!
California, Nevada mull ban on forced labor in prisons: Incarcerated people in many states are forced to work under the threat of punishment. From wildfire fighting and goods manufacturing to food services and prison maintenance, their labor would earn at least a minimum wage outside of prison — yet they are usually paid under $1 an hour, as India Currents reports.
On top of choosing the next President next Tuesday, voters in California and Nevada now have the chance to change what their state constitutions say about forced prison labor.
Accepting the measures would protect incarcerated people in each state from this practice — a still legal form of slavery and involuntary servitude — and open the door to voluntary work programs, fairer wages, and the ability to focus on one’s education or well-being while incarcerated.
“There are a lot of people who are incarcerated that want to do meaningful work,” Chris Peterson, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, told the outlet. “They’re getting paid pennies on the hour … to do incredibly dangerous work.”
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Latino voters in Nevada are divided and undecided on Trump vs Harris: Joe Biden held Nevada in 2020 by a hair, winning by less than 34,000 votes. This year, with 450,000 Latinos making up nearly 22% of the state’s eligible voters and turnout on the rise, palabra. is tracking how Latino political power will impact this election.
“The truth is that we don’t have good candidates. I don’t see a candidate worrying about ‘El pueblo,’ the people. I haven’t seen it. My children also feel the same,” Agustín Ramírez, a Las Vegas fruit vendor and undecided voter, told palabra.
Others have made up their minds, but the split is as even as can be — national polls show Kamala Harris leads in Nevada by just 0.1%.
“It depends on the crowd you ask,” says Alexandria Garza, a young voter whose family will vote for different candidates.
Latino voters will also weigh in on Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen’s reelection bid, as well as a ballot measure on reproductive rights.
Yudit Pinedo de Sánchez, a naturalized citizen from Jalisco, Mexico, now living in West Las Vegas, is organizing her second horseback ride to the polls to engage more Latino voters.
“I feel that with Kamala we will be at peace seeing our traditions and culture respected, our roots,” she told palabra. “Not with Donald Trump. With him, it feels like we are unworthy of being a part of the nation.”
Hear more Nevadan Latinos’ perspectives →
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San Francisco supervisor candidates look to strengthen cultural districts: There are ten cultural districts in the city, and two of them — the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District and the American Indian Cultural District — are located within the city’s District 9.
The cultural hubs are beloved for their impact in city communities. They preserve heritage, facilitate creativity, and resist gentrification. Yet they face an uncertain future, El Tecolote reports.
“The cultural districts are underfunded,” said Roberto Hernandez, a former co-founder of the Latino district who is now running to represent it. “It doesn’t do any good to have these designations without adequate support.”
For example, the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts is going to be displaced by a large renovation to their city-owned building. They previously paid just $1 a year in rent, and will now likely pay upwards of $15,000 per month for a small space.
“Having to add rent to our budget now is going to force us to cut classes, lay off teachers, and cut many programs,” Martina Ayala, Executive Director of the MCCLA, told El Tecolote. She suspects the center’s budget would have to double to maintain operations as usual.
This Election Day, voters will choose the next city representatives for both cultural districts, so El Tecolote got each District 9 candidate’s thoughts on how they would support groups like the MCCLA.
Check out their responses at El Tecolote →
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Making sense of the six proposals on NYC’s ballot: Many people finish voting for their candidates of choice and flip the ballot to discover a vague, complex proposal with a yes-or-no question on the back.
These ballot proposals are often hard to understand without prior context, and people are at risk of voting against their intent. That’s why Epicenter NYC has put together a cheat sheet for all six questions that will show up on NYC ballots this year, to cut to the chase and give voters what they need to know before flipping that ballot over.
The policies up for a vote this year relate to the NYPD, Department of Sanitation, minority- and women-owned businesses, reproductive rights, public infrastructure, and the city budget.
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More headlines:
Get spooked this Halloween with these 10 Latino Myths (La Luz)
Beyoncé has officially endorsed Kamala Harris (Capital B)
Ironically, Elon Musk got his start by working illegally in the U.S. (Documented)
Minnesota Youth Collective has a message for young people this Election Day (Sahan Journal)
