Here’s what’s inspiring NH’s immigrant communities to vote this year

Viola Katusiime, deputy director at grassroots organization Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP) who is originally from Uganda, has lived in New Hampshire for almost 12 years now.

She tries to strengthen the collective voice of marginalized racial and ethnic communities in New Hampshire by managing several immigration justice projects at GSOP such as: housing and tenants rights, minimum wage issues, health care access, and voter education.

Ahead of the state primaries election, the Granite Post spoke with Katusiime about some of the top issues for immigrant communities, and what makes this election cycle more important than previous ones for New Hampshire’s marginalized communities. 

Granite Post: Could you talk about the breadth of diversity that you’ve seen in New Hampshire in your own experience? 

In New Hampshire, you can see people from Liberia, the Congo, Nepal. We have Sudanese people, Jamaican people, Asians—you name it. We have a lot of younger people from diverse backgrounds, which is very exciting for the future of New Hampshire. 

GP: What do you think are the biggest issues that would inspire voters from the immigrant community in New Hampshire to come out to the polls this election cycle?

VK: Economic security issues: housing affordability, childcare affordability, healthcare affordability. Food security. These are issues that hurt people’s pockets every day. And national immigration policies. 

GP: Why do you think immigration is such a big issue for Americans across the country? 

VK: I think it’s just the political narrative that has been played out for years, because politicians know immigration is such a divisive issue. 

Policymakers know that if they can show people, others that don’t look like them crossing the border, then they can divert people from the real issues that average American people care about, like housing, and childcare, and food prices. 

So I think it’s just that the national narrative—unfortunately peddled by political parties and political candidates—this anti-immigrant sentiment, and the media is playing into this. 

The media needs to tell the story of labor shortage, and how immigrants are filling that gap in. New Hampshire has an aging population, and we need a young immigrant population to keep the economy healthy. 

GP: How does a community, of which many members are disenfranchised (but might pay taxes), make sure that its demands are seen and heard? 

VK: Through community events, where local policy makers such as council members and mayors would show up. We personally hold listening sessions and invite the mayor for example, so people can directly raise concerns that they face, or hear from a state representative at their local church, without having to disclose their immigration status. We also urge people to go to town meetings. 

GP: What exact information is given out to communities during GSOP’s voter education programs? 

VK: We begin by engaging people in finding out issues voters care about, which leads to civics lessons about the branches of government and how that relates to the ballot. Then we dissect the ballot from top to bottom and tell voters what each position means. We share about the voting process, including registration, affidavit process, and rights to accessible voting and who to contact if people encounter any voter intimidation.

GP:  What are some of the biggest/ most common questions regarding voting or elections the BIPOC community has in your experience? 

VK: We usually hear people asking about what is needed regarding documentation to register to vote, their ward, poll location and hours, and what they have to bring to cast their vote, as well as questions about absentee ballots. 

GP:What hurdles does the BIPOC community face in terms of physically showing up on election day to the poll? 

VK: Some hurdles with voting on election day are transportation, lack of childcare, language barrier, and work commitments.

GP: Despite the many issues you mentioned immigrant communities face, how much do you think the communities of color in New Hampshire actually engage in civic participation? 

VK: What we find is that most people may not vote sometimes because they are confused about the process or confused about the ballot. So I would say the lack of participation is usually due to barriers. 

That’s why we at GSOP run voter education programs. The secretary of state does a good job of providing voting  information, but it’s such a crowded website, people don’t know where to go.

GP: In terms of state-level measures, what are some recent ones that come to mind that would be at the forefront during the state primaries? 

VK: The cooperation of state police with immigration and customs enforcement. Meaning that if the police encounter someone, whatever the reason might be, they will be asking that individual for their immigration status. That’s going to really bring about distrust between the immigrant community and the police departments.

The other is the increased funding of the northern border; we have seen what the numbers say about incoming immigrants. And so there’s a lot of this narrative about immigrants not being wanted here. 

And then there was another state bill that would have banned for any undocumented immigrant to drive with an out-of-state license in New Hampshire. 

GP: Why is this election so much more important than previous years for our immigrant and our marginalized communities? 

VK: There are a lot of attacks on immigrants, and a rhetoric and narrative about policies that are going to harm us. I think that’s very, very clear. We have candidates that are really anti-immigrant, or they’re sitting on an anti-immigrant agenda. And a lot of the communities are listening to that. 

There’s a lot at stake.