What is the Pinky Promise?

09/02/2020 12:58 pm ET • Karena Halvorssen

#VoteLikeAMadre

Latina mothers across the country are taking to social media to make the most important promise a mother can make this year, a promise to donate her vote to her children — a “pinky promise” to vote this November 3rd for candidates with bold plans to fight climate change.

In the run-up to the election, there is no shortage of movements and campaigns with the general message to register and to vote in the election. At Front Page Live, we are particularly excited about one movement in particular: #VoteLikeAMadre.

The most important person in the lives for most of us — nuestras madres — are using their voices to fight climate change and stand for the health of their families and community.

Why the focus on Latina moms?

There is a wealth of data to support the premise that the broader Latinx community prioritizes the natural world in their lives, is impacted greatly by climate change, and would like to help do something about it.

72% of Latinos believe climate change is a very big problem, and it is clear that mothers make the connection between climate and health. The man-made climate crisis is affecting everything around us, including our kids’ ability to breathe clean air, grow up in a stable economy, and experience the natural world.

In 2018, the increased turn-out of Black women voters was critical to winning progressive elections. This year, Black voters helped Joe Biden’s successful nomination. Similarly, many strategists in political circles are seeing an opportunity in Latina moms. The consensus is that madres have the power to hold big polluters accountable while protecting and delivering justice for our communities.

Latina mother with her child on a city street

Unsplash / Sia de Silva

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, over half of Latinx-Americans live in states that are already experiencing serious effects related to climate change like drought, record-breaking heat, and flooding. The effects of global warming have hit hardest in Black and Latino communities, which have notoriously been dumping grounds for corporate pollution.

More than 1.81 million Latinos currently live less than a mile from existing oil and gas facilities, according to a report released by the Clean Air Task Force in partnership with League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA). #VoteLikeAMadre is encouraging moms to donate their vote to their kids this year by choosing candidates with a solid platform to fight climate change.

What is the message of the movement?

VoteLikeAMadre is about Latina Moms sending out a solutions-oriented message. At the core is the recognition that climate change is real and man-made.

Heat waves, water shortages, and wildfires are just a few of the real life-threatening changes our communities face because of heat-trapping pollution in the atmosphere. Producers of this pollution, such as oil, gas, and coal companies, have known about the effects of burning fossil fuels for over 50 years, and our government has bailed them out time and time again.

Instead of bailing out these toxic industries, candidates should be holding them accountable and investing in clean energy solutions like solar and wind, some of the cheapest energy sources around.

Who is involved?

#VoteLikeAMadre is a mix of activists, influencers, and (of course!) celebrities, joining together to raise awareness of the possibilities available to citizens in this election year.

Among the madres that are promising their kids to vote for climate-focused candidates are prominent Latina celebrities, including J-Lo, Zoe Saldana, and Joy Huerta. Local activists and influencers are participating from across the country…and then there is you!

What can you do?

Educate yourself about the effects of climate change, listen to the science, and choose candidates that take a science-based approach to finding solutions.

Take the Pinky Promise today, join the #VoteLikeAMadre movement, and vote on November 3rd or earlier!