Wendy and Sharon spoke with an immigrant who will become a citizen in December. He wasn’t sure if naturalized citizens are allowed to vote or if he would be eligible in 2026. They walked him through it and sent him home with voter registration forms so he can register as soon as he’s a citizen.

Rolando has three kids, works hard, and pays a lot of taxes, which he thinks Donald Trump does terrible things with them. He said he votes for those who can't, since he has relatives who aren't citizens.

We talked with a woman whose sister-in-law is at risk of being deported. She is a Dreamer who has been trying to get status for 9 years. She is a hairdresser and many people feel the same way. She was also very concerned about the price of gas and food. Her husband is not interested in voting and her father-in-law supports Trump. We felt she was very brave to come out and talk with us.

Jennifer and Sandra spoke with Arturo on a sunny Saturday morning, one of our first conversations on Jennifer's first canvass outing. Arturo met us in his driveway and replied without hesitation when we invited him to share his concerns about the current administration. "Their criminal behavior! They are arresting immigrants without a record who have been here 30 years, when they are the ones committing crimes and corruption." He also worries about high prices and veterans' rights - he did not serve but respects those who did. "I would have liked Kamala Harris as president," he mused. As we spoke, Arturo greeted the mail carrier and several neighbors who were walking their dogs or stepping out to their cars. Arturo lives with his wife, mother-in-law, and some of his five daughters. He became a naturalized citizen 35 years ago and works in construction as a heavy equipment operator. It's a good job but he faces racism at work, such as people assuming that he can't speak English. He has developed a thick skin: "Words can't hurt me. My mother always told me, 'Don't get crazy when people say mean things to you! Then there are two crazies and that doesn't help.'" As we snapped a photo, Arturo teased us: "I don't know why you want my picture, I'm not a movie star." Several family members emerged from the house and piled into the car for a shopping trip. His teen-aged daughter teased too: "I can't vote yet, but I will tell him how to vote!" As they drove off, Arturo went to the mailbox, opened an envelope to find his updated union card, and showed it to us before tucking it into his wallet.

We spoke with Jesus who had not voted. When we first asked how likely he was to vote in the next election he said he was a "4." He is concerned about ICE and the rising, high cost of health insurance. After we shared our stories with him, he changed his rating to a "10" and said he would for sure vote.

Z. lives with her mother and children. When we knocked on her door on a sunny Saturday morning, she was cooking; her mother stepped in at the stove so she could talk, and as we were leaving, more family members were arriving. She shared deep fears about ICE raids in her community: “They are not just taking people who are criminals. They are taking people who look and speak like me.” Z. has her papers and isn’t personally at risk, but she knows others aren’t as protected and that the process takes years. Her daughter, a high school student, worries about ICE coming to school and has told her about teachers who try to protect immigrant students. On top of that, Z. is juggling rising electricity bills, expensive groceries, and the challenge of securing health care for her mother. If she had a moment with President Trump, she said she would ask him to show respect for ordinary people: “Everyone deserves respect. Everyone needs to follow the law.” Z. votes regularly and pushes her adult children and nephews to vote too. When we asked how she copes with the stress, she said simply: “I vote and I pray. That’s what I do.”

Mike is a Hispanic man in his early 60s who was not on my list, but he was outdoors and friendly so we started talking. I told him what I was doing in the neighborhood, and he told me about people who are being hurt by Trump's administration. He also told me how his wife is heartbroken because in her work for a local social services agency that is supposed to help people, she instead has to explain to people about their loss of food stamps and most likely other benefits.

Two canvassers spoke with a Native American man named Juan, who described himself as a “never voter.” He said that as a Native person, he has rarely felt like anyone on the ballot truly cared about his community. About Trump, he said: “Trump’s a good businessman but terrible at running the country.” When the canvassers gently asked about his family, he told them something heartbreaking. His family relies on SNAP. During the government shutdown in the summer of 2025, they struggled to get by: “For a month, all we ate was rice and beans. The food pantries were empty. The shelves were empty.” People like Juan are navigating impossible situations: working full-time, still falling behind, skipping meals so their kids can eat. The most hopeful moment came at the end of the conversation. After talking through what’s at stake for his family, Juan surprised our canvassers: “I absolutely will vote in 2026. I’ve got to think of my family.”

I spoke with Maria, who hung back inside the house holding onto her small dog as she spoke with me. After we had spoken for a bit, enough trust was established for her to say that she was offended that Trump called people like her "bums." She said she had worked hard all her life, and she still does volunteer work. She also does not like people like Trump making decisions for her that she should be able to make for herself. Maria, at first, said she votes because she cares about many/all people, but eventually she told me about her elderly neighbor that Maria checks up on regularly and  keeps an eye on her property.

Jacob is a man in his 30s who seemed reluctant, possibly bordering on hostile when we first spoke. He came out through his garage and up the walkway to where I had knocked at his front door. After a couple of attempts that involved asking what he would say to Trump, he finally gave an answer that was mildly profane towards Trump. Asking his permission to write it down he gave a milder version: "Trump, you should stop taking credit for things that you did not actually do yourself." In further conversation, Jacob expressed outrage that Trump does not follow the constitution. He told me that he thinks of his daughter when he votes.

Kevin is a young Hispanic man in his 30s. He is a veteran and spoke of his worry and disappointment with Gabe Evans and Pete Hegseth as well as Trump. He seemed a little reluctant to talk at first but had a lot to say once he got started. He voted for Evans and has been very disappointed with him since then. We had a wide ranging conversation, and he feels Trump and the Republicans are letting down the military and the National Guard, especially friends of his he keeps in contact with.