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Not long ago, I was in Atlanta to speak on civil rights strategies for redistricting. While there, I visited friends who work in the   hip-hop community.  We began to talk about the implications that the   dramatic population shifts will have on voting patterns in 2012.  The Census Data  confirmed that it is possible for this President to get the 270   electoral votes for his re-election.  With adequate resources and a cooperative spirit, the African American/Latino political movement has   the potential to change the historic voting patterns in states like Arizona and Georgia.

Some of my friends were not convinced. They remembered what happened during this past year when targeted messages and partisan mobilization campaigns by conservatives “drowned out” our voice. In the process, we damaged our AAA credit rating.  And we lost traction during a time of   recovery.  My friends felt that our movement might not be able to stand up to this group of extreme obstructionist.

I don’t believe all is loss. First, this is an election year. There is clear evidence that increased civic participation by communities of   color can offset any conceivable lag in progressive voter turnout.  For example, according to a study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies,  the African American share of the total vote in Illinois increased from 10 percent in 2006 to 19 percent in 2010.  Due to this strong turnout, a candidate who embraced progressive views became governor with only one-third of the white vote.

The same was true for Latinos in Colorado, and Nevada. In Nevada   where Latinos represent 16% of the vote share, 69% voted for the   progressive Senate candidate. This was an increase of 4% over the 2006   turnout. In Colorado, Latinos were an impressive 12% of the vote share   and pushed the progressive candidate over the top. I believe that with proper resources and political momentum, people   of color can impact voter turnout rates. If we close the gaps between   the populations that are eligible and likely voters, we will have a   better chance of regaining our voice and enacting progressive policies.  For example a progressive candidate could win Georgia with just 41% of   the White vote and Arizona with just 37%.

We finished our conversation by reaching the conclusion that African   Americans and Latinos are bonded and there are similarities in terms of   history and culture.  We have and can continue to come together to   develop transformational relationships that dramatically impact   politics, culture, and economics. We agreed that by embracing our   commonality and addressing our differences we can seize the moment to   build our bridge of promise.

We must always remember that the local political machines have never   just been about Whites and African Americans. Latinos, Asians, and   Native Americans have always existed and participated. Their expanding   share of the electorate shouldn’t create anxiety in political circles;  rather it should reinforce America’s steadfastness for a new   all-inclusive brand of politics. That’s popping the clutch.