From public-speaking workshops to family preparedness resources, Make the Road NV (MRNV) civically engages and informs its community.

MRNV is a Nevada nonprofit organization focused on providing resources and empowerment to Latine, immigrant, and working-class communities of color.

Robert Garcia, an organizer with MRNV, works with members to build leadership skills and teach community members how to take civic action.

A key part of their mission is helping community members use their voices to share their stories in media interviews, legislative sessions, and town hall public comments.

“Every one of our members has a unique powerful story, and oftentimes it’s working to develop them into saying their own story and how to say it. That’s directly impactful,” Garcia said.

During workshops, organizers guide members on how to articulate their experiences effectively while staying authentic.

Last year, MRNV advocated for a bill to establish an Office of Gun Violence Prevention in Nevada. Garcia recalled one member, a survivor of the Route 91 mass shooting, who shared her testimony during the legislative session.

“They were hearing gunshots and they didn’t know what to do. [They] remember running away, seeing blood pouring from people’s faces,” Garcia recalled. “For me, that’s really powerful because it … holds space for those stories where folks are pouring their heart and soul out to create change.”

Although the bill did not pass, Garcia believes testifying empowered members to continue sharing their stories and advocating for legislative change.

He hopes that momentum from past efforts, paired with ongoing storytelling workshops, will help similar legislation pass in upcoming sessions.

For MRNV, building community leadership involves not only elevating personal voices, but also educating members on who represents them and where political power lies.

Recognizing that some Latine and immigrant members may feel hesitant to participate publicly under current political circumstances, MRNV offers multiple avenues for civic engagement.

“Other folks might not want to leave their house, but they want to build for the event, so they’re down to make phone calls, talk to people, send text messages, invite their friends and family,” Garcia said.

Despite these challenges, Garcia emphasizes the importance of building community resilience and maintaining hope.

“We remember that at the end of the day, our joy is a form of resistance,” Garcia said, “Our joy is what makes us keep moving forward. For me, personally, I don’t want to give up that joy, and I know a lot of people don’t want to give up their joy either.”

Ahead of the midterms, MRNV’s primary goal is encouraging voter turnout and emphasizing the impact of every vote.

“During primary season, a lot of folks’ races were determined with maybe 50 votes or less. So we understand that we gotta push people to vote,” Garcia said.

For instance, in Clark County, Nevada, the Democratic primary for State Assembly District 15 was decided by just 43 votes.

“If we’re not voting, then we’re not letting our democracy thrive. Democracy thrives and lives when we participate, and that’s what we we do here at Make the Road,” Garcia said.

With the Nevada midterm elections approaching, MRNV aims to serve as an accessible resource for community members navigating the voting process.

“We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to inform, to educate and to get out the vote,” Garcia said.

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Malory Shaw, a student at the University of Nevada, Reno, is a fall fellow with The Fulcrum.

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