U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, who visited Phoenix in a personal capacity, kicked off the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month with an event for the Harris-Walz campaign on Sept. 14, focusing on first-generation college students.
Students and those of Latina/o descent were invited to hear Becerra speak in downtown Phoenix about his support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. Becerra shared his optimism for the current generation of college students and his hope that they will "get Harris and Walz elected."
The event began with an introduction by Vanessa Vargas, a first-generation student at ASU studying justice studies and transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o studies.
"My identity as a first-generation college student, I would say, means the world to me," Vargas said. "On the surface, it means I will be the first in my family to ever graduate from college. But if you ask me on a deeper level, it means that I am one step closer to having the life that my parents always dreamed for me."
Vargas then shifted the topic of her speech to the upcoming presidential election. She said this election is significant because it will determine the direction the country will go in.
Vargas said she wants Harris to win because she believes the vice president is a "fighter" who will stand up for the people of America and "protect reproductive freedom, lower costs for families and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to not just get by, but get ahead."
Arizona State Rep. Cesar Aguilar of District 26, while introducing Becerra, said he agrees Harris is the ideal presidential candidate.
"Honorable Xavier Becerra, like Vice President Harris, have broken historical barriers and have paved the way for communities they come from," Aguilar said. "(They are) the first to do what seemed impossible for many and soon to break one of the most historical challenges, and that is to elect our first woman president."
Becerra, who is originally from Sacramento, California, said he has noticed a significant improvement in the amount of people of color holding positions in government, especially in California and Arizona.
Becerra said this uptick in diversity will pave the way for a potential election win from Harris, who is a woman and a child of immigrants.
"I think Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are going to be really lucky in Arizona because they're going to earn their luck," Becerra said. "Because they've got a core group of people who are coming out."
Becerra said he hopes college-age students will spearhead the election and vote in droves. He also said he believes it is important for students, with all types of backgrounds, to vote because "we want our leaders to reflect us."
Others in the crowd related to Becerra, Vargas and Aguilar. Andrew Valle-Gudiño, a junior studying nursing, said this year will be his first time voting in a presidential election.
Valle-Gudiño, a descendant of immigrants, said he is excited to see a woman who grew up with a similar background push for the presidential role. "It's nice to see that something like that is representing people like me who grew up the same as me," Valle-Gudiño said.
Valle-Gudiño said he has followed Harris for a long time, since she first officiated a gay marriage in 2004.
"Kamala Harris has (supported gay marriage) since the beginning, even when it was unpopular," Valle-Gudiño said. "So I'm excited to vote for Kamala Harris, and I'm ready to do anything to get her elected."
Becerra said he believes those supporting and who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community are being attacked for who they want to be." In addition, he said "what we have now is a discriminatory policy against half of our population, women, that they cannot get the health care they need."
With the event's emphasis on college students, Becerra said that "the hateful messages" are reasons for him to be politically active, but another reason is to help the younger generation take over in the future.
Becerra said the sooner people vote, the sooner actions will be made to combat discrimination.
"Arizona is going to be big on November the fifth," Becerra said. "You all are going to define what Arizona is, but, more importantly, you can define who you are."
Edited by George Headley, Sophia Braccio, Tiya Talwar and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporters at njarret1@asu.edu and sjames51@asu.edu and follow @nataliajarrett and @sennajames_ on X.
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Senna is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in Spanish. This is her third semester with The State Press.
Natalia is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked as a politics reporter.
