Working people and immigrants deserve elected officials who fight to improve their lives

An analysis from the New Partnership for New Americans estimates that by the end of 2020 Arizona will have gained over 49,000 new eligible voters who are immigrants in the four years since the last presidential election. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

In my 3,000-member strong union, the decision for the next president is evident. One candidate resorts to scapegoating immigrants in an attempt to divide us, whereas the other candidate supports an earned pathway to citizenship. As November approaches, workers like me are determined to cast our votes for candidates who wholeheartedly support the rights of working people.

I was born in South Sudan and grew up amid civil wars.  I witnessed the horrors of family members, friends, and neighbors being murdered by the government. Children were kidnapped and taken in the middle of the night and forced to take up arms as soldiers.  Fearing for my safety, my mother urged me to flee.  I embarked on a perilous journey with other teenage boys, traversing for 10 days until we reached Ethiopia’s border.  Raised and educated in refugee camps, I built a family and a career, and eventually sought refuge and a new beginning in America for a better life.

Today, I proudly call Phoenix my home, where I live with my wife and five children. I obtained U.S. citizenship two years ago and am eager to cast my first vote in a presidential election. I am employed at a warehouse distribution center, where I work alongside colleagues from various corners of the world, including Canada, Africa, Europe and Asia. We collectively reflect diverse cultures; many of us immigrants are refugees, and all of us are pursuing the American Dream. Our combined work ethic and diverse backgrounds make us integral to the American workforce.

The immigrant community in Arizona makes up 13% of the state’s population, with almost half being naturalized US citizens like myself.   As new American voters living in a swing state, our votes carry significant weight in determining who will occupy the White House. This is especially important given that the 2020 presidential election in Arizona was decided by just 10,000 votes.

As a proud new American, my vote will give a voice to the voiceless and help elect champions who support working people.  When I began working at the warehouse, I was wrongfully fired by my boss in retaliation for speaking up against his mistreatment and disrespect for workers.  On one occasion, my boss expressed his disdain for workers who were not fluent in English. Luckily, my union family had my back, and I regained my position. It was evident my boss held prejudices against individuals who shared my background. Just as my union family stood by me, our elected leaders must also have our back and support workers and vigorously champion the rights of all working people, no matter where we come from or the color of our skin.

My fellow union members and I believe this election goes beyond preserving the right to unionize. It’s about restoring reproductive freedom for all women without dictating when and how they can start a family. We support raising taxes to ensure corporations pay their fair share instead of imposing higher taxes on hard-working Americans.  We want American families to stay together and prevent mass raids and deportations by state and local law enforcement. 

The strength of our union lies in treating immigrants with humanity and recognizing their vital role in our society and the US economy. We believe in unity and the need to elect leaders who champion the rights of all working people.  This November, the choice is crystal clear.