America Ferrera, an award-winning actress, director and producer, appeared in Tempe to show support for the Harris-Walz presidential ticket. Student organizations, including Sun Devils for Harris and Young Democrats at ASU, listened to her speak on key ballot issues.
In addition to Ferrera, student speakers and state Rep. Lorena Austin addressed the need for students to encourage their family members and friends to vote. The event on Sept. 27 was held at the Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown where around 100 attendees listened to speakers in the Varsity Ballroom.
"I feel like I've been engaged in politics before I ever set foot in front of a camera," Ferrera said.
Ferrera, who was raised in California, said she first experienced the impact of politics at nine years old when Proposition 187 — a measure she said "allowed public educators to question young children about their immigration status and the status of their families" — was on the state's ballot.
"You were born in this country, you belong here and no one has the right to make you feel like you don't," Ferrera said she heard her mother say. "Don't let anyone intimidate you."
From that moment, Ferrera said she felt compelled to involve herself in the democratic process.
"Some of us don't really have a choice to stay out of politics," she said. "Politics engages us, and it impacts our lives, whether we want it to or not."
On the ballot this November is Proposition 314, an initiative that focuses on immigration and border law enforcement. It would allow state judges to order deportations and requiring the usage of E-Verify — a web-based system employers use to determine immigration status — to approve enrollment in financial aid and public welfare programs, according to the Arizona Secretary of State's office.
During her speech, Ferrera also spoke about issues like student debt, gun violence and health care, as well as their possible impacts on student voters.
"This election is about you and your futures," she said. "It's why I'm here."
Josh Laggis, a junior studying photography, was one of the speakers before Ferrera. He said that it was important for students to consider their futures, as well as the future of the nation in this election.
"We need leaders like Vice President Harris and Governor Walz in the White House to voice our rights, protect our future and to shape a better path for our country," Laggis said. "They have our backs, now it's time for us to have theirs."
"It's a now or never moment for the country," said Analiz Lara-Lopez, a sophomore studying theatre and film and media production. "It's basically a time where we mainly decide which way do we want our future to go."
Ferrera also explained that electing leaders isn't where voter involvement ends, advising people to hold elected officials accountable once they reach office.
"We elect leaders, we hold them accountable, we stay in the conversation, we stay alert, we're realistic about the impacts to our lives — and we continue to show up," Ferrera said. "Because that is how we fight, and that is how we win."
Lara-Lopez said she is pursuing a career as an actress and sees Ferrera as a role model.
"Being a Latina who wants to go into acting, specifically going into film, I grew up watching 'Ugly Betty' and 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' and 'Real Women Have Curves,' and just seeing her supporting the same thing is awesome," Lara-Lopez said.
Through recounting her experiences and using her platform as an actress, Ferrera encouraged students to keep supporting the Harris-Walz campaign.
"We're going to fight for the next 39 days," Ferrera said. "And when we fight, we win."
On the same day Ferrera visited Tempe, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Douglas, AZ, located on the U.S.-Mexico border, for a speech regarding border policies.
Arizona has an eligible Latino voting population of nearly 1.3 million — the fourth largest in the country, according to the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
Edited by Abigail Beck, Alysa Horton, Tiya Talwar and Alexis Heichman.
Reach the reporters at pkfung@asu.edu and geheadle@asu.edu and follow @FungPippa and @George_Headley7 on X.
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Pippa is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with minors in political science and German. This is her second semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Blaze Radio and the Los Alamos National Lab.
George is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked at Times Media Group.
