SEATTLE -
"We have fliers in spanish, vietnamese, oromo, somali," begins Kendra Anderson. Who is walking down a neighborhood block in South Seattle. "If you could mayor or city council people something what would you ask them," she says, practicing her line before she knocks on a door.
Less than a month before the election she is gathering votes and gearing up for a new force in politics.
"Hi! How are you doing," she says, talking to a pretty petite woman at her doorway. "We're having a meeting with the city council and immigrant community." The she asks: "What country are you from?"
"Ethiopia," says Azmeru Woldermariam.
"A lot of immigrants come from place where they're vote doesn't matter," says Anderson.
"Little by little people will understand, they're just scared," says Woldermariam. "I felt the same way when I came here."
One America and the Council on American-Islamic Relations or CAIR are now nationwide and supporting immigrant groups and muslim communities that are growing fast in population and at the polls.
Politicians are now listening and learning too. Mayoral and city candidates joined hundreds of people at a forum in South Seattle at the New Holly Gathering Hall.
"We want our children to become part of mainstream america," says Asress Araia, who just arrived at the forum, "and we want them to contribute."
"We're glad to hear that they want to come hear what we have to say," says Mike O'Brien who is running for Seattle City Council's 8th seat.
At the forum they are translating in 5 languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali and Amharak. Translators use headsets and people will use receivers to find their signal, and then they're good to go.
"This is the constituency that candidates today really have to address," says Arsalan Bukhari who is the Seattle President for CAIR.
An estimated 30-50,000 muslims live in the Puget Sound alone. Bukhari says the vast majority are registered voters, and he says several candidates - including Dow Constantine and Mike McGinn have muslim volunteers on their staff.
"We just need to dust off the constitution and take a look. Everyone has the right to vote. There's no religious test for running for office or for voting,"
"We want to get the message out clear that we are here and our votes are counted," says Mohamed Sheikh Hassan.
A strong stand that's changing politics.
Less than a month before the election she is gathering votes and gearing up for a new force in politics.
"Hi! How are you doing," she says, talking to a pretty petite woman at her doorway. "We're having a meeting with the city council and immigrant community." The she asks: "What country are you from?"
"Ethiopia," says Azmeru Woldermariam.
"A lot of immigrants come from place where they're vote doesn't matter," says Anderson.
"Little by little people will understand, they're just scared," says Woldermariam. "I felt the same way when I came here."
One America and the Council on American-Islamic Relations or CAIR are now nationwide and supporting immigrant groups and muslim communities that are growing fast in population and at the polls.
Politicians are now listening and learning too. Mayoral and city candidates joined hundreds of people at a forum in South Seattle at the New Holly Gathering Hall.
"We want our children to become part of mainstream america," says Asress Araia, who just arrived at the forum, "and we want them to contribute."
"We're glad to hear that they want to come hear what we have to say," says Mike O'Brien who is running for Seattle City Council's 8th seat.
At the forum they are translating in 5 languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali and Amharak. Translators use headsets and people will use receivers to find their signal, and then they're good to go.
"This is the constituency that candidates today really have to address," says Arsalan Bukhari who is the Seattle President for CAIR.
An estimated 30-50,000 muslims live in the Puget Sound alone. Bukhari says the vast majority are registered voters, and he says several candidates - including Dow Constantine and Mike McGinn have muslim volunteers on their staff.
"We just need to dust off the constitution and take a look. Everyone has the right to vote. There's no religious test for running for office or for voting,"
"We want to get the message out clear that we are here and our votes are counted," says Mohamed Sheikh Hassan.
A strong stand that's changing politics.
