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Published: Thursday, 15 October 2020 21:35
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by Robin Doran
I believe that voting is vital. It’s a moral obligation. Our votes reinforce our collective interests and empower officials to act on our behalf. Yet, according to the 2020 Silicon Valley Index, eligible voter turnout in the November 2018 election in our region was only 53%. But here’s the sting – that was the highest turnout since 1974 for any other midterm general election.
Why don’t more people vote?
Read more: Voting: A moral obligation
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Published: Tuesday, 14 July 2020 18:12
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by José Luis Gandara
José Luis Gandara is a 2020-2021 Benest Fellow at Joint Venture. Originally from Seattle, Washington, José is a freshman at Stanford University. He is passionate about state and local policy and has studied gentrification processes in San José, wildfire policy in California, and rent assistance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Urban and Regional Policy and he is also considering a double-major in Economics.
On July 4th, I lost my cousin, Summer Taylor (they/them), after they were struck by a high-speed car that drove into a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle. They worked full-time in a vet clinic but for the past several weeks had used any time off to protest against police brutality and in solidarity with Black lives. They dedicated their life and what privilege they had to make the world a better place. Summer is my hero and role model for what antiracist white allyship really looks like.
Read more: Stand up loudly and boldly
