Welcome to Border Voters, a weekly rundown on the most important information voters in the Rio Grande Valley need to know about their access to the ballot box and fair representation.

Transcript of episode: There’s no way to deny it: The Black and brown vote in Texas is critical and growing in numbers and power. In the Rio Grande Valley, we’re one of the fastest-growing regions in the entire country. That means border voters hold a lot of power over the future of Texas and the U.S.

Unfortunately, Governor Abbott and other state politicians have been doing everything they can to dilute the power of our votes and make it harder for us to reach the polls.

For those of us in the RGV, these anti-voter attacks along with the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from the Texas Capitol makes us feel left out. Just this week, Abbott announced his priorities for the special legislative session. And who’s targeted? Border communities, voters, and people of color

These divisive politics should not represent who we are as a state. Border residents are just as much part of the fabric of Texas and the U.S. as anyone else— and it’s time for everyone to recognize it.

We will not stay silent as greedy politicians try to minimize the power of our votes and attack border communities. We are for families, jobs, education, health care, immigration reform, and a future where we are all respected and have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of where we were born or our background.

We are all in this together and we need to work toward solutions that move us forward. Stay tuned and join us weekly for updates on ways you can take action to protect border voters.

Border Voters is created by La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE). For press or general inquiries, contact johnmichael@lupenet.org and danim@lupenet.org.