Central Valley Workers Center

PictureJanie Frank with a CVWC volunteer

"Su Voto Es Su Voz" ("Your Vote is your Voice") — Willie Velásquez, voting rights activist, posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995

When Trump won the 2016 presidential election Democrats realized that sitting on the sidelines and hoping elected officials would do what’s best for ordinary Americans was no longer an option. Many, like our friend Janie Frank, took it upon themselves to do as much as possible to elect competent, caring people to public office. She organized parties and invited friends and neighbors to eat, drink and write postcards reminding people to vote. She made hundreds of calls and sent thousands of texts. It paid off with the White House, House of Representatives and the US Senate turning blue in 2020.

Fast forward to 2022. In addition to her ongoing Get-Out-The-Vote efforts, Janie joined a group of like-minded others who came together to work in California’s Central Valley, two hundred miles from her San Francisco home. They met Pedro Ramirez, president and co-director of the Central Valley Workers Center (CVWC) and learned how to doorbell and canvass with undecided voters. Janie told KABF: “Pedro Ramirez is a dynamic man who made headlines years ago as the undocumented class president at Fresno State.” Arriving in the U.S. as a four-year-old, Ramirez became an avid student. After graduating from Fresno State, Ramirez received his masters in public policy and returned to the Central Valley passionate to be a voice for underrepresented communities. He has held many positions including as a staff member to several elected officials. As president and co-director of CVWC, he works with labor organizations, elected officials and nonprofits to advocate for pro-immigrant policies.

“To register voters and help send these youth to college is a wonderful thing. Here is hope.” -- Janie Frank


Janie told us that a major focus of CVWC is to organize your community to do person-to-person outreach. She learned from Ramirez that that is the most effective way to build an inclusive society and an empowered democracy. CVWC hires undocumented college students and trains them to canvass and do voter registration door-to-door. Janie met many of CVWC’s college student employees and was impressed by their earnestness and dedication. She said, “They hope to be allowed to vote some day, and even now are contributing toward our society. For a $5,000 college scholarship they can hire one canvasser for five months.” Their goal in 2022 was to register 2,000 new voters. Janie added, “To register voters and help send these youth to college is a wonderful thing. Here is hope.”
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Anahi Serrano (center, wearing the CVWC t-shirt) is the Youth Coordinator for CVWC

After hearing from Janie, KABF’s chair Debra Hannula talked to Ramirez directly. He reiterated that their mission was two-fold: to increase voter registration while engaging young people in their community. He stated: “Our primary goal is to focus resources in areas that have typically received minimal to no investment in community organizing. The funds we raise for the Valley Votes Project will go towards hiring and training our Immigrant Youth Organizers, who many are under the DACA program. Voter registration and civic engagement in the region will continue to play an incredible role as we build on redistricting successes. The Central Valley is moving in the right direction, and long-term organizing efforts will continue to pay off as more communities of color elect representatives that reflect the values we all share.”

KABF was honored to give a grant to this impressive new nonprofit. For more information visit their website:
https://www.valleyworkers.org/