Transcript:
Keeping your home cool in summer can be expensive. One way to help lower your costs is to head to the polls.
Sanchez: “Energy affordability is directly connected to policy decisions made by elected officials and public utility regulators, so voting helps communities have a voice in those decisions.”
Yadira Sanchez is cofounder of Poder Latinx, a nonprofit that encourages Latino communities to get politically involved.
She says many Latinos spend a disproportionate share of their income on electricity.
And the burden is growing as energy prices rise and heat waves grow more intense. But she says government officials have the power to help.
For example, legislators make decisions about funding for home energy efficiency programs, which can reduce heating and cooling costs.
And public utility commissioners, who are appointed by elected officials – or in some states chosen directly by voters – oversee electricity pricing.
So Sanchez’s group created a bilingual website to help people understand their own energy costs and how government action can affect energy affordability.
They’re also helping register voters and asking people to pledge to vote in this year’s midterms.
Sanchez: “We want communities to understand that civic participation is one of the strongest tools we have to create long-term change.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
