Linea Abierta Programming: September 9, 2024

Special Election Coverage. This week, as part of our “Hacia el Voto 2024” series, Línea Abierta expands its weekday programming to two hours to offer news and analysis on the November election, with a focus on the Latino vote, the top issues driving the vote, key races in battleground states, and the most relevant state ballot propositions.

Fake News, The Truth, and Your Vote. Línea Abierta will be convening a public forum with top national experts on disinformation campaigns targeting Spanish-speaking voters. The live event will be held on Tuesday, September 17th at 5 PM at the auditorium of Madera Community College in California’s San Joaquin Valley.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
PROGRAM #10496 11:00 AM PT

The Youth Vote in 2024. (Program Repeat). Millions of Young Latino Voters May Vote for the first time in the November Election. In 2020, Latino youth turned out in record numbers to vote in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia, and they were the largest bloc of Latino voters in Georgia, Colorado, and Arizona. Will they show up to vote this time? What excites them and what discourages them from voting? What’s their potential impact on the election? How are they getting involved in the election? Where can they make a difference? What do they want? Analysts share the findings of a youth poll on the issues young voters care about and the answers they want from election leaders. This program was originally aired on September 4, 2024.

Guests: Juana García, Social Media Coordinator, Power California, Fresno, CA; José Flores, Arizona State Program Coordinator, PoderLatinx, Phoenix, AZ; Esaú Torres, Promoter from the San Joaquin Valley, “Grita. Canta. Vota.” Campaign, San Francisco, CA.

PROGRAM #10497 12:00 PM PT

2024 Voting Begins. Election Day is about two months away, but voting for the 2024 election begins this week, as the first mail ballots go out in North Carolina, a critical state in the Sun Belt. Presidential candidates prepare for their debate tomorrow and their campaigns go into high gear, focusing on key battleground states.

Guest: Jose López Zamorano, News Contributor, Washington, DC.

Paxton Targets Latino Groups. A judge in Austin rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to dismantle FIEL, a Houston-based nonprofit that helps migrants in Brownsville. The attorney general’s office is targeting FIEL claiming that it has engaged in electioneering. Latino leaders want a federal investigation of the state AG over civil rights violations, alleging that Paxton has been aggressively targeting and harassing Latino-led organizations, such as recent raids of homes on LULAC organizers and the recent removal of over one million voters from Texas voter rolls.

Guest: Cesar Espinoza, Executive Director, FIEL Houston Inc., Houston, TX.

The Pulse of Latinos. Every year, a health care foundation in Colorado conducts a statewide poll to hear the concerns on pressing issues that impact the health and well-being of people in the state. In this program, experts from the foundation share insights on the experiences of Latinos in Colorado, their challenges and aspirations. How are the findings used to inform policies that will impact the lives of this segment, which comprises 22 percent of the state’s population?

Guests: Virginia Garcia Pivik, Spokesperson, The Colorado Health Foundation, Aurora, CO; Enrique Castillo, Researcher with the Pulse Poll Team of Consultants, San Diego, CA.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
PROGRAM #10498 11:00 AM PT

The Undecided Voters. Almost a fifth of US voters have not made up their minds between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Yet many will vote and their vote can be decisive. According to polls and news reports, this uncommitted electorate is less white and younger than decided voters. Political analysts examine the reasons why so many younger voters of color remain undecided. They also comment on the expectations about today’s presidential debate.

Guest: Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas. Director of Research, UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, Los Angeles, CA.

The Vote on Climate Change. A new survey of likely Latino voters, including voters in battleground states, finds that a large majority of Latino voters want a president committed to addressing climate change and extreme weather. A larger majority are concerned about how extreme weather could impact their communities, finances, and spending.

Guest: Luis Sánchez Armas, National Press Secretary, Climate Power En Acción, New York, NY.

PROGRAM #10499 12:00 PM PT

Immigration Edition. In celebration of Citizenship Month, immigrant-rights groups launch a “New American Voters Tour” to host events around the country while others support the Biden administration’s initiative to keep families together through the federal parole in place program. On more news, human rights activists in the border city of Eagle Pass hold regular vigils to raise attention to the humanitarian crisis that, they say, began when Texas’ state police took over Shelby Park, a space that used to host community celebrations.

Guests: Nancy Flores, Deputy Director, National Partnership for New Americans, Milwaukee, WI; Mike García, Local Activist, Eagle Pass, TX; Alma Rosa Nieto, Experienced Immigration Attorney, Los Angeles, CA.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
PROGRAM #10500 11:00 AM PT

Remembering 9/11. 23 years after nearly 3,000 people were killed in the devastating attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, how is the nation remembering the anniversary? What can we learn from the tragedy?

Guest: Marco Vinicio Gonzalez, News Correspondent, Nueva York, NY.

Remembering the Other 9/11. In 1973, Chile’s democratically-elected government was overthrown by a US-backed military coup that resulted in the death and disappearance of more than 3,000 people. On the anniversary, guest analysts discuss the role the U.S. played in the coup and the impact this bloody episode has on people in Chile and US foreign policy.

Guest: Carlos Baron, Professor Emeritus, San Francisco State University-SFSU, San Francisco, CA.

PROGRAM #10501 12:00 PM PT

Harris vs. Trump Presidential Debate. This program features highlights of the highly-anticipated presidential debate held the night before at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This is the first and perhaps the only time both presidential nominees will face off. Political analysts comment on the debate.

Guests: Clarissa Martinez de Castro, Vice President, Latino Vote Initiative, UnidosUS, Washington, DC; Elvia Diaz, Contributing Journalist, Phoenix, AZ; José López Lopez Zamorano, News Correspondent, Washington, DC; Jesús Sánchez Melean, Executive Director, El Comercio de Colorado Newspaper, Denver, CO.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
PROGRAM #10502 11:00 AM PT

Mexico’s Farm Worker Leader. This is a conversation with Abelina Ramirez Ruiz, national leader of Mexico’s National Farm Workers Independent Union (Sindicato Independiente Nacional Democråtico de Jornaleros Agrícolas) and founder of the women’s advocacy group Mujeres Unidas en Defensa de las Jornaleras e Indígenas. She was a spokesperson for a caravan of protest that went across Mexico from San Quintin to Mexico City in 2017. She speaks about her experience as a pioneering woman organizer, working conditions for farm workers in the fields of Northern Mexico, the challenges to build a farm worker union, the expectations about the new federal administration in Mexico, and her outreach to farm working and indigenous organizations in California.

Guest: Abelina Ramirez Ruiz, General Secretary, National Independent Democratic Union of Farm Laborers-SINDJA and Founder, Women United in Defense of Day Laborers and Indigenous Women, San Quintín, Baja California, MX, Joining From Santa María, CA.

“Money Without Barriers.” The economy is reportedly the top concern for Latinos in the election. Yet, many in the community, especially women, do not have a basic understanding of money management. Often, the barriers are cultural beliefs about finances, such as the idea of “not talking about money” and the preference for handling everything in cash. This impacts paying for their education and saving to complete their college education. How can Latinas break these cultural taboos?

Guest: Yanely Espinal, Credit Cards and Financial Education Expert, New York, NY.

PROGRAM #10503 12:00 PM PT

Latino Farmers and Climate Action. Congress voted last November to extend the 2018 Farm Bill and as the fiscal year ends September 30th. time is running out for Congress again. Hundreds of groups representing agriculture, nutrition, conservation and environmental interests are calling on Congress for the passage of a new Farm Bill. Farming leaders have been invited to discuss what needs to be known about the new Farm Bill and the plans to respond to climate change and get protections against extreme weather with a more sustainable food system. Latino farmers are also invited to discuss their efforts to promote small-scale, sustainable Latino farms and ranches.

Guests: Rudy Arredondo, Founding Director, Latino Farmers and Ranchers International, Inc., Germantown, MD, Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli, Sr. Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Washington, DC; Congressman Gabe Vasquez, US Representative D-New Mexico, Washington, DC; Joe L. Del Bosque, Farmer, Del Bosque Farms, Firebaugh, CA.

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
PROGRAM #10504 11:00 AM PT

“Fake News, Truths and Your Vote.” Social media networks and some conventional media outlets are increasingly purveyors of fake news, often disparaging immigrants, such as “news” about migrants exploiting public benefits or non-citizens voting. How pervasive and dangerous are those messages? What can journalists do to help people identify and combat misinformation and disinformation? Radio Bilingüe and media partners are convening a public forum next week to address those questions. This is a preview of the forum.

Guests: Alma Martínez, Executive Director, Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, Fresno, CA; Alfredo Corchado, Executive Director, Puente News Collaborative, El Paso, TX.

“Prebunking.” A social research organization released a report featuring best practices on how to inoculate Latino communities against misinformation. The report includes the practice of “prebunking,” an approach that “builds resistance against falsehoods by explaining to audiences the techniques bad actors might use to manipulate them online.” The leader of this initiative discusses the report.

Guest: Roberta S. Braga, Founder and Executive Director, Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas-DDIA, Washington, DC.

PROGRAM #10505 12:00 PM PT

Mexico Edition. This weekend, Mexico celebrates its “Fiestas Patrias.” This program features news about the celebrations in Mexico City’s Zócalo and President López Obrador’s last cry for independence, which is announced as his last public and political event. In addition, local residents talk about how they usually celebrate Independence Day and their Mexican identity.

Guests: Enrique Muñoz, Musician and Urban Troubadour, Mexico City, MX; Rosa Maria Ruiz, Dessert Vendor, Mexico City, MX; Vicky León and Bety León, Mexico City, MX; excerpts from recent statements by Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.