Raquel [R] and Rebeca Salas at their dwelling in Phoenix, AZ, on Oct. 6, 2024.
Keren Carrión/NPR
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Keren Carrión/NPR
Raquel [R] and Rebeca Salas at their dwelling in Phoenix, AZ, on Oct. 6, 2024.
Keren Carrión/NPR
In Arizona, President Biden received by a sliver again in 2020 –simply over ten thousand votes.
Arizona Latinos helped ship that victory. They are a quarter of all eligible voters on this state – and that is the most important proportion of Latino voters in any battleground state.
This week, Think about This host Ailsa Chang’s reporting led her to an RV within the arid state. She joined Mayra Rodriguez on her mission of going instantly after this bloc of voters on the problem she cares essentially the most about – Abortion. Even when it means enduring awful air-con within the RV when it is 108 levels outdoors.
“You get sweaty, it’s scorching, proper? And that is what I inform my youngsters, and any those that complain about this warmth, in the event you do not prefer to warmth, then think about hell,” Rodriguez instructed Chang.
Hell, to Rodriguez, could be seeing Prop 139 cross – that is a poll measure that may increase entry to abortion past the present 15 weeks right here in Arizona, and would enshrine it without any consideration underneath the state’s structure.
This movable billboard is emblazoned with pressing warnings about abortion.
However Rodriguez has an uphill battle right here. As a result of in accordance with Pew Analysis Heart, 62% of Latinos imagine abortion needs to be authorized in all or most instances. But it surely wasn’t all the time this fashion.
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Altering values
Twenty years in the past, solely a 3rd of Latinos believed abortion needs to be authorized in all or most instances. At this time, that quantity has risen to 62 p.c. So why are Latino voters on this nation altering their minds about abortion?
Think about This spoke with some Latina voters in Arizona to ask their ideas on why.
Raquel Salas and her daughter Rebeca, really feel that even addressing the subject was thought of taboo for a few years.
“I really feel that the notion is that we do not have abortions as a result of we reside contained in the Catholic Church and we simply observe regardless of the priest says we are going to do. And once more, basically, the notion about Latinos is so improper,” stated Raquel.
The Salas household emigrated from Hermosillo, Mexico in 2011 – when Rebeca was simply 7 years outdated. And when she was rising up, the mere matter of abortion by no means got here up. Raquel says that was true for her too, as a woman in Mexico.
Raquel’s mom had her on the age of 17. “Again then, when women bought pregnant, they both. got here to the U.S. to get an abortion so no person knew, or they’d power them to get married.”
All of that modified between Raquel and Rebeca on June twenty fourth, 2022, when the Supreme Court docket overturned Roe v Wade. Rebeca was on a visit in Italy when she discovered:
“The very first thing I did was name my mother and I used to be like, ‘what’s going on? I do not perceive.’ And, we talked about it, however I used to be simply I used to be furious.”
A couple of days later, Rebeca was again in Arizona, and determined to hitch a protest on the Capitol. And her mother insisted on becoming a member of her.
Each Raquel and Rebeca say they’d by no means get an abortion themselves. However they each need to defend entry for others.
“I do know that after Trump’s presidency, lots of people bought scared. Lots of our rights had been being endangered. [AND] once they begin limiting rights, they’re affecting essentially the most underserved inhabitants. And in the event you do that to my neighbor, what’s coming subsequent?” Raquel added.
Tradition from again dwelling.
Margarita Acosta lives in Cochise Stronghold – a distant canyon dotted with craggy granite boulders. Shehas discovered peace right here, over one thing she simply began talking publicly about, that occurred 40 years in the past.
Acosta was 29 and dwelling in Bogota when she discovered she was pregnant. However abortion was unlawful in Colombia on the time – you may spend years in jail only for getting caught inside a clinic. Nonetheless, she knew she didn’t need to have the child. So, she discovered a secret clinic, and made an appointment.
“I bear in mind, like, only a common condominium complicated. It was on the third flooring, and there was no no elevate.”
The physician instructed her to return alone, and that there could be no anesthesia since she’d should stroll herself outdoors.
“So he did his factor after which they gave me a pad and he stated, ‘You are going to bleed lots, but when it is greater than three days and it is a variety of ache, go to the emergency room. Do not come right here. Like, OK. I bear in mind taking place the steps, simply wanting on the flooring, and I had excessive heels on.”
Acosta by no means spoke about it due to the disgrace she felt. And immigrating to the U.S. quickly after made her really feel a way of freedom she hadn’t skilled in Colombia.
The identical yr that Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion turned authorized in her dwelling nation.
“Perhaps this nation that they are saying that we had been behind, perhaps we had been forward,” she instructed Chang. “As a result of I do know what’s coming for you, now. It’s important to listen.”
This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell, Jonakhi Mehta, and Kathryn Fink. It was edited by William Troop. Our govt producer is Sami Yenigun.
