Letter to the editor: Why I want Beto in the White House

Posted on Sep 24, 2019 by Letters

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Beto O’Rourke speaks to the press following a campaign event at the Iowa Memorial Union. Sunday, April 7, 2019. — Zak Neumann/Little Village

By Bianca Esquivel, Iowa City

My name is Bianca and I started campaigning for Beto O’Rourke this summer, after following his Senate race against Ted Cruz in 2018. When I first heard about Beto, I was immediately drawn in by his energy and passion. Listening to him speak made me excited and hopeful: excited in the way I was as a third grader watching Barack Obama run for president; hopeful as a young woman, student, Mexican-American and granddaughter of immigrants.

When Beto announced he was running for president, I was ecstatic. Beto’s plans for immigration reform initially led me to him. My father was raised in Del Rio Texas, a border town. Hearing the way Beto talks about and interacts with the people of his community, a community just like Del Rio, is special to me.

Beto is proud to be born and raised in El Paso, a city of immigrants — a place filled with people that look just like me, who face the same challenges as my family. Beto’s vision of unity gives me hope because I am now certain someone cares and we are being heard. I know he is the change we need to fix our broken country.

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