Somos Votantes Empowers Hardworking Nevadans with Resources to Prepare for This Summer’s Extreme Heat
The Wellbeing-Focused Event Featured a Tree Planting, Free Food, Music, and Activities for the Whole Family
Las Vegas, NV (March 16, 2024) — Today, Somos Votantes, along with our community partners, hosted El Calor Cuesta: Facing Rising Heat Together in Freedom Park in Las Vegas, NV. The well-being event focused on ensuring Nevadans, including hardworking Latinos, have the resources, tools, and opportunities they need to protect themselves and their families from the upcoming summer heat.
Families enjoyed free food, games, and music throughout the festivities. Local community organizations including Chispa, Nevada Conservation League, National Environmental Justice Conference and Training, Native Voters Alliance NV and Nevada Plants were present and shared educational information on extreme heat safety.
“Rising heat doesn’t only impact our health, our homes and our neighborhoods but it deeply impacts our pocketbook and our ability to take care of our families,” said Melissa Morales, Founder and President of Somos Votantes. “El Calor Cuesta is part of our commitment to ensure that working people, including hardworking Latinos, have the tools and opportunities we need to protect ourselves from the summer heat and learn about tips and incentives that could lower summer utility bills, what is already happening in our community to help reduce the impact of rising heat and what more we can do together.”
During the event, families also joined together to plant a tree and highlight how trees, and other green spaces, are essential to reducing the effects of rising heat. Last year, the USDA Forest Service announced that Nevada will receive $15.7 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to fund urban forestry, which includes tree planting and community education.
“The wellbeing of our state's economy depends on the wellbeing of working people like us,” said Armando Garcia, a volunteer at El Calor Cuesta. “It was great to see my community come out and enjoy themselves while we learn more about ways to beat the heat this summer indoors, outside and in our wallets. Access to public spaces like Freedom Park, more trees in our neighborhoods to offer essential shade and additional resources for our community goes a long way to ensuring we have what we need to build a good life for ourselves.”
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Somos Votantes is a Latino-led, Latino-focused organization that aims to empower hard working Latinos year-round to participate in our nation's democracy by taking action in their own communities.
Visit https://www.somosvotantes.com/ for more information on this event and other projects, and follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, and X.