COVEDOZA BLOG:

CEO to CEO: Someone in Your Network Can't Vote. But You Can.

For our ancestors. For our bloodline. For our amigas. For the generations to come.

Jefa to Jefa:

Someone in your circle can't vote. But you can.

Maybe it's your grandmother, who lived in a time when women had fewer rights and opportunities.

Maybe it's an ancestor whose voice was silenced by laws, discrimination, or circumstances beyond their control.

Maybe it's your mother, your neighbor, your coworker, your partner, or one of your amigas who calls this country home but doesn't have the legal right to vote.

Or maybe you're thinking about someone who hasn't even been born yet. Someone whose future will be shaped by decisions made today.

We often think of voting as an individual decision. Something we do every few years, somewhere between work, school drop-offs, meetings, and everything else life throws our way.

But what if we looked at it differently?

What if we saw our vote as something bigger than ourselves?

Our Ancestors Had Dreams We Are Still Living

For many of us, our stories didn't begin in the United States.

They began on an island, in a small town, in a crowded city, or in a home where someone dreamed of creating a different future for their children.

Our ancestors made sacrifices we may never fully understand. Some crossed borders. Some worked jobs that offered little recognition. Some raised families through uncertainty. Others fought for rights and opportunities they would never personally enjoy.

And while our histories are different, many of us share something powerful: we are living parts of dreams that began long before we were born.

Our bloodlines carry stories of courage, sacrifice, resilience, and hope.

We honor those stories in many ways. Through our traditions, our languages, the businesses we build, the families we raise, and the communities we support.

Civic participation can be another way.

Not because our ancestors would all have agreed on the same candidates or issues. They wouldn't have.

But because having the opportunity to participate in decisions that shape our communities is something worth recognizing.

Think About Your Amigas

Think about the women in your circle.

The amiga who has spent years building a life in this country but is not eligible to vote.

The immigrant mother who works tirelessly to give her children opportunities she never had.

The young girl watching the women around her lead, advocate, and make decisions.

The grandmother who reminds us how different life used to be.

Not everyone in our communities has the same legal rights or opportunities to participate in elections.

And yet, the decisions made by elected officials can affect our shared schools, neighborhoods, businesses, and futures.

That's why being informed matters.

That's why asking questions matters.

That's why understanding the issues affecting our communities matters.

And for those of us who are eligible, voting is one way to participate in that process.

We don't have to think alike to care about one another.

We can disagree about policies, priorities, and leadership while still respecting each other's voices and recognizing the importance of civic participation.

Our Bloodline Doesn't End With Us

One day, the next generation will inherit the communities we helped shape.

Our daughters, nieces, sons, nephews, and the children who look up to us will grow up with their own questions about the world.

What did we care about?

What did we stand for?

How did we participate?

What did we do when we had the opportunity to make our voices heard?

Legacy isn't only about the wealth we build, the businesses we create, or the traditions we pass down.

It's also about the example we set.

It's about teaching the next generation that their voices matter, that their communities deserve their attention, and that meaningful participation begins with being informed.