SANTA ANA : Latino Political Group Event Raises $20,000

A 3-year-old nonprofit organization aiming to combat voter apathy among Latinos raised $20,000 from a recent event, organization President Jess J. Araujo said Tuesday.

The Nov. 4 fund-raiser for Latin American Voters of America at the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana included guests such as actor Ricardo Montalban and was quite successful, Araujo said. “Money-wise, we’re very happy.”

To date, the organization has registered only 170 voters. But Araujo, a Santa Ana lawyer, pointed out that the voters were registered after only 10 hours of volunteer work over two Saturdays.

Organization officials have not scheduled other registration drives, he said, until they can set a course of action for the group and raise money to carry out their goals.

The recent fund-raiser brings the organization’s total war chest to $70,000. That money likely will pay for office space, a staff member, computers and publication of a newsletter, Araujo said.

Because Latinos historically have registered and voted in low numbers, Latin American Voters of America hopes to stir interest by sponsoring debates and instituting university classes that would focus on politics.

Araujo already teaches a class at Cal State Fullerton titled “Chicanos and the Law.”