BORICUA DECIDE 2012: UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' CAMPAIGN INTENSIFIES

WASHINGTON, DC | October 24 - Following the last presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida, the twenty Puerto Rican university students enrolled in the Córdova Congressional Internship Program in the nation’s capital, through The Washington Center, presented today a new video targeted to mobilize the Puerto Rican community in Florida to vote on November 6th. Only two weeks away from the election, their nonpartisan campaign BORICUA DECIDE 2012 is in its final stage and has been advancing with a strong social media presence, including Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

The new video was released on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmWZfoapt68&feature=youtu.be, which follows the first video released in September focused on getting Puerto Ricans in Florida registered to vote: Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCR_OcaSFHk 

They also highlighted their official blog: http://boricuadecide2012.wordpress.com/, which also encourages Puerto Ricans to vote before November 6th throughout the early voting period in Florida, securing more Puerto Rican votes before election day. The blog presents statistical data of Puerto Ricans in Florida by region, as well key election links, media coverage and other general information. The BORICUA DECIDE 2012 campaign is intended to achieve the largest electoral participation of Puerto Ricans in the history of the state, consolidating this community as the new political force, with over 850,000 Boricuas.

The group has intensified their outreach efforts in Washington DC to deliver the message about the force of the Puerto Rican community in Florida among members of Congress and national Hispanic organizations. They recently met with advisors to both, Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson from Florida, exchanging impressions about the impact of the Puerto Rican vote this year. They have also increased their outreach efforts with state legislators, Puerto Rican groups and key Hispanic organizations in the state.

The initiative has been highlighted by national and international media and has generated great attention as a result of the intensity of this year’s presidential campaign in Florida, a key battleground state. With 29 electoral votes at stake, the projection is that the state will be decided by less than 100,000 votes, a battleground in which there are nearly 600,000 eligible Puerto Rican voters.

BORICUA DECIDE 2012 is leading Puerto Ricans to become the new decisive force of this presidential election.

Increased turn out will springboard the Puerto Rican community into the national arena. They will be able to make themselves heard through their vote and demand improvements in the lives of all Puerto Ricans, particularly the 3.7 million who live in the island and cannot vote in national elections.

José Luis Fernández, Senior Advisor of the Córdova Program at The Washington Center serves as project advisor of the BORICUA DECIDE 2012 campaign.

The Córdova Congressional Internship Proram, administered through The Washington Center for Academic Internships and Seminars (TWC), offers Puerto Rican university students an opportunity to pursue academic internships in Washington, D.C. The interns receive a full scholarship financed by the Puerto Rican legislature and private funds. The program focuses on personal, academic and professional growth, and encourages a strong sense for civic engagement. The Córdova Program has a growing community of 700 alumni, who are part of a wide network of 50,000 TWC alumni, assuming leadership positions in the public and private sector both domestically and internationally. | www.twc.edu

José Luis Fernández | 787.525.5341 | jose.fernandez@twc.edu