L.A. Mariachis Woke Up Latino Voters With Serenades at 7:30am

The mariachis serenaded Sun Valley voters to wake up and vote for those who can't.

By Jorge Rivas Nov 09, 2012

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) along with a group of DREAMers went door to door early Tuesday morning to remind Latinos in Los Angeles’ Sun Valley to vote. The group, which started canvassing door-to-door at 7:30am, brought their own alarm clock in the form of mariachis. The group urged voters to vote for those who can’t. "They say it is a shame / say it’s a shame / that makes you cry" sang the mariachi band, singing lyrics especially written to wake up the of Sun Valley community and urge them to get up and vote. One of the DREAMers accompanying the mariachis was Zuleyma Barajas who recently benefited for the [Deffered Action program](https://colorlines.com/archives/2012/06/obamas_small_immigration_fix_for_dreamers_a_big_political_win.html) President Barack Obama approved earlier this year. "This is something that matters to us," Barajas told the [San Fernando Sun](http://www.sanfernandosun.com/sanfernsun/news/8663-last-push-for-votes). "Latinos [who can vote] are the voice of us who can not do it," she added. Jorge Mario Cabrera, a CHIRLA spokesman, told the [San Fernando Sun](http://www.sanfernandosun.com/sanfernsun/news/8663-last-push-for-votes) the decision to have DREAMers visit homes was a way to illustrate the need for an immigration reform in the Presidential term. "The young Dreamers have joined this campaign because even though they can’t vote, they’re asking voters to protect their dreams and fight so that the next Administration approves something beyond a Deferred Action," Cabrera said. Of the 52 million Latinos in the United States, 24 million are registered to vote, representing 11% of the entire electorate. In 2012, President Obama set a new record, winning his second term in office with the support of[ 75 percent the Latino electorate. ](http://www.thenation.com/blog/171144/obamas-re-election-sets-record-support-latino-voters#)