PHOENIX — In South Phoenix, the beat of a tambourine is bringing people together for something beyond music.
At Grant Park in South Phoenix, culture and civic engagement meet through Proyecto Progreso, a community effort designed to help Spanish-speaking voters navigate the ballot and better understand the voting process.
For 34-year-old Valley native and busy mom Ana Gorla, the day-to-day decisions usually involve things like bananas, macaroni and cheese, and crackers for her one-year-old.
But today, she's focused on a different kind of decision: filling out her ballot accurately.
Gorla says some of the language on ballot propositions can be confusing, which is why she came to Proyecto Progreso for help.
The organization, whose name translates to "Project Progress," offers voters a place to ask questions and get guidance without feeling pressured about how to vote since it's non-partisan.
"It's really these things — Llenala, firmala, and entregala," said organizer Raquel Terán, Proyecto Progreso's organizer and former lawmaker, which translates into, "Fill it out, sign it, and turn it in."
Terán, a former Arizona state lawmaker, says the goal is to make sure Spanish-speaking communities have access to accurate information and understand each step of the voting process.
"We provide a space where people can come in and get their questions answered," Terán said. "We provide a space that is nonpartisan — not giving people the person or the issue they need to vote for but rather going step by step with how to fill out [their ballot]."
For Terán, success isn't about telling people how to vote. It's about making sure they feel included in the process.
She wants voters to leave knowing they have a place in democracy — and that participation matters.
Arizona's Latino electorate continues to grow
That message comes as Arizona's Latino electorate has grown significantly over the past two decades.
According to UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute, the number of eligible Latino voters in Arizona more than doubled between 2000 and 2022.
The number increased from approximately 511,500 eligible voters in 2000 to more than 1.25 million in 2022.
As the Latino electorate grows, so does its influence in Arizona politics.
For Gorla, as a Latina voter, she says she understands the power that comes with casting a ballot.
"It's about voting for the communities that can't vote," she said. "I definitely have my communities in mind."
More than a ballot — a lesson for future generations
For Manuel Lagarda, getting help at Proyecto Progreso has given him greater confidence in the choices he's making.
He says having a welcoming, pressure-free environment to ask questions has made a difference.
But his decision to vote goes beyond his own interests.
Lagarda says he thinks about his grandchildren and great-grandchildren when he casts his ballot.
He sees voting as an opportunity to lead by example and show younger generations that their voices matter.
When asked whether he thinks about his family when voting, his answer was simple: "Definitely."
For Lagarda, casting a ballot is also a way of showing his grandchildren that civic participation is something worth passing down.
And that's the message Proyecto Progreso hopes more voters take with them when they leave Grant Park: understanding the ballot, feeling confident in the process, and knowing their voices have a place in shaping their community's future.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
