Against the backdrop of Pennsylvania’s rising COVID-19 cases, Make the Road Pennsylvania (MRPA) launched an impact survey to more fully understand the public health and economic crises facing Latinx and immigrant communities across the state. The survey revealed widespread financial instability and hardship among Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents and underscored the need for policy solutions that are both responsive to this urgent moment and center those most impacted. 

The stakes are high for our local communities and our democracy. As the country approaches a critical November election, the financial precarity and housing instability outlined in this report could undermine our communities’ full democratic participation. Eligible voters will be unable to cast their ballot if they are on the verge of homelessness, and voters who have applied to vote by mail will face significant challenges if they have been forced by their financial circumstances to move since applying to vote by mail. Decisive action is required to ensure our communities get the vital economic support they need. This support will not only ensure our communities can secure safe housing, food, and other basic needs, but also ensure broad and inclusive civic participation in the state of Pennsylvania, where every eligible voter’s voice is heard. Download the survey to read more.