We all need to become involved. We can’t sit on our hands waiting for the change we want to see. Sí se puede, but only if we demand it.

The election may be several months away, but this is not the year to stay home. There are few issues I care about more than promoting the vote, particularly among young American Latinos. I firmly believe that the quality of our future as the second largest population relies on our ability to mobilize today. This is what in 2004 compelled me to found Voto Latino, the country’s leading organization in registering and engaging young Latino voters.

I’m excited about rallying people to the polls next year. But the current political mood worries me. I know that for some of us it may be tempting to stay home on Nov. 6, 2012. Maybe you’re unemployed or uninsured. Maybe you lost your home to foreclosure or are drowning in student loans. Maybe you voted for the first time in 2008, but now think that it doesn’t matter who wins because things don’t change.

You might think it’s sending a strong message to withhold your vote. But staying home will only accomplish one thing: It will make you irrelevant. There’s no doubt that there are many issues out there that need to be fixed—and badly. Unemployment among Latinos is higher than the national average. More than 25 percent of our people live in poverty. People continue to be deported at record numbers. But that’s why Latinos need to get more involved, not less.

At times like these, we need to remember that elected officials respond to two things: money and votes. Now, most of us don’t have wads of cash to throw around, but we all have the power of the vote. The trip to your nearest precinct is only the beginning of your role in making our government responsive and effective.

Just like you wouldn’t tell your child to clean his or her room and expect it to be done without nagging, getting our elected officials to address our needs requires vigilance and accountability. And there’s an abundance of recent examples that show that when people act, change happens. Look at Arizona. Just one year ago, it looked lost to divisiveness and hate. But S.B. 1070 seems to have awakened Arizonans, and last November they booted Russell Pearce, the man who spearheaded passage of the controversial and strict immigration law, out of office.

We also need to remember that the election later this year will do more than decide who is going to live in the White House. Ballots will also include races for every level of government from school boards and city councils to state and federal representation. Funding for our children’s schools, state and local tax rates and other local laws that affect every one of us are often decided by the few people who do show up to vote.

It might seem early to start talking about an election that’s 10 months away, but now is the time to register to vote, and get your friends and family registered. And if you have moved since the last election, make sure to update your voter registration. At Voto Latino, our calendar for next year is full of events that celebrate our vote, that remind us that our power begins at the polls and gives our young leaders the tools they need to create positive change in their communities. We recently had an event in Texas where we registered about 5,000 high school seniors. Hearing stories about the students connecting issues that affect their lives to steps they can take to regain control over their future was empowering and reaffirming.

We all need to become involved. We can’t sit on our hands waiting for the change we want to see. Sí se puede, but only if we demand it.

Written by Rosario Dawson for Latina.com

The Lifetime television movie “Five has been nominated at the 2012 NAACP Image Awards! The film is up for “Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special” and Rosario Dawson is nominated for “Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special”.

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
“Five” (Lifetime Movie Network)
“Hallmark Hall of Fame, Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith” (ABC)
“Luther” (BBC America)
“The Least Among You” (Showtime)
“Thurgood” (HBO)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Anika Noni Rose – “Hallmark Hall of Fame, Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith” (ABC)
Jenifer Lewis – “Five” (Lifetime Movie Network)
Rosario Dawson – “Five” (Lifetime Movie Network)
Taraji P. Henson – “Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story” (Lifetime)
Tracee Ellis Ross – “Five” (Lifetime Movie Network)

Rosario Dawson stars in the music video for the song “Supercool” by the group The Bullitts – watch the video right here!

I have added 139 HQ and MQ photos of Rosario Dawson from the most recent events that she attended into our photo gallery!

Last night, Rosario Dawson was a guest at the Launch Of The Vertu Constellation in London. I have just added 31 HQ and MQ photos from the event into our photo gallery!

Anchor Bay Films has acquired U.S. rights to Jamie Linden’s Ten Year, an ensemble comedy set at a 10-year high school reunion that debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Anchor Bay is planning a spring release for the movie, which stars Lynn Collins, Rosario Dawson, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Brian Geraghty, Ari Graynor, Oscar Issac, Ron Livingston, Justin Long, Anthony Mackie, Kate Mara, Max Minghella, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Porter, Chris Pratt and Channing Tatum.

It was produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Tatum and his Iron Horse Entertainment partner Reid Carolin. 
It was executive produced by Eric Gores, Scott Lumpkin and Frank Mancuso, Jr. with financing from Gores and Mancuso’s Boss Media.

Paradigm repped Linden, with the Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group repping Gores, Mancuso and Boss Media and negotiating the deal with Anchor Bay.

The acquisition was announced Wednesday by Anchor Bay Entertainment president Bill Clark and Kevin Kasha, executive vp, acquisitions and co-productions, Anchor Bay Films.

Source

I have just added 33 HQ and MQ photos of Rosario Dawson from the most recent events that she attended into our photo gallery!

Last night, Rosario Dawson was a guest at the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation Party in London. I have just added 27 photos of Rosario at the event into our photo gallery!