Lin-Manuel Miranda Wants to Inspire Latinx Voters With Hector Lavoe Classic Salsa Song
Voting is crucial
Photo: Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore
Voting is crucial. It’s a must if you’re a citizen of the United States, and this midterm election is no joke. But there are probably some people still on the fence about voting. According to the Pew Research Center, the midterm elections doesn’t have a big draw and statistics show that people just don’t come out to vote. Lin-Manuel Miranda is hoping to change all of that in a cool and inspiring way.
The writer and artist, along with Frankie Negrón and Hispanic Federation, has released a commercial featuring a sample of Hector Lavoe’s salsa classic “Mi Gente” into a new voting jingle titled “Respeta Mi Gente” in the hopes that Puerto Ricans in Florida will vote on Nov. 6. Here’s the ad.
The new version includes the lyric: “Together we rise and go vote.”
“There was such a massive influx of Puerto Ricans to the mainland after Hurricane Maria,” Miranda said according to Rolling Stone. “One of the most important things they can do is vote for the candidates [who] have been paying attention to what’s been happening on the island.”
Negrón answered why they chose Lavoe’s song to be included in the ad.
“We’re using Hector Lavoe’s song and voice to address what a difficult year this has been for Puerto Ricans, and for all Latinos in general,” Negrón according to Rolling Stone. He also added: “Let’s not forget that the president spends a lot of time in Florida. We are specifically speaking to voters, but this is also a message to our president that Florida is now becoming ‘Little Puerto Rico.'”
