Through Campus Ministry, Cristo Rey is proud to partner with Mano A Mano to support our students and families through civic engagement and community advocacy. A special thank you goes to Claire Dietz, coordinator of Mano A Mano’s Democracy Action Program, who has generously worked directly with our students.
This semester, Claire visited campus to lead a voter registration drive ahead of the March primary election. She presented to students about the importance of civic participation and stayed during lunch periods to help them register. Despite technical difficulties with the statewide registration system that day, a good number or seniors successfully registered to vote, and many more left with resources to complete the process at home.
Claire shared why this work is so meaningful to her:
“It’s really important from a young age to be exposed to the importance of voting and have it not just be something some people do, but a part of everyday conversation. The results of voting affect every single part of our lives.”
She also emphasized helping students see voting as something personal and local:
“It could be that your neighbor is on the ballot, or whether or not you get a new park. Thinking about it in those tangible, neighborhood ways is really important to understand early on.”
In addition to voter education, Mano A Mano continues to support immigrant families in our community by providing guidance, legal resources, and assistance with basic needs during times of uncertainty. Recently, our OPT (Oportunidades Para Todos) students delivered heartfelt, hand-drawn thank-you cards to the Mano A Mano team. Claire shared how much the gesture meant.
“The cards were really wonderful, full of really kind messages. It was so heartening to see that the students are paying attention to what we’re doing.”
We are deeply grateful for Claire’s dedication and for Mano A Mano’s continued partnership with OPT and Campus Ministry, as well as through the Corporate Work Study Program. Together, we are empowering our students to become informed, compassionate leaders in their communities.