Hello! Anybody home?
Hi my name is Marvin. I'm the incoming state representative for the area.
We were just talking to people about voting today.
Well this next house has likely republicans.
I'm running for the Georgia general assembly.
The next one is 4 7 30.
Hi there well my name is Marvin I'm the incoming state rep.
Marvin, Marvin here take take a picture with your neighborhood.
No please don't. This is so self-promotional, I hate this.
Don't misrepresent.
It is my first time running for office.
I don't think they're gonna be home.
Sorry which one do I leave?
Did I do that incorrect or was that good?
I wanted to listen first and by listening I thought I could
actually figure out what people's immediate needs are and I felt that by doing that I could actually
also increase voter turnout.
All eyes are on Georgia. Georgia. Georgia has voted republican
in eight of the last nine presidential elections changing demographics is turning the state purple.
I am living in Norcross, Georgia. It is a suburb in the metro Atlanta area.
Norcross has changed a lot over the past decade.
It's certainly become more diverse and it's in Gwinnett county
which is one of the most diverse counties not only in Georgia but also in the United States.
The presbyterian church in America, it's mostly white and I will say mostly republican.
Lately, the last couple years have seen changes even in my denomination, good changes,
a diversity of opinions.
But here in the states to some extent we are blessed and we need to have the question why.
I'm originally from Mexico. I didn't want to come. I have a deep pride of being Mexican.
When I came I had an H-1B visa which is a visa for technology workers.
When I learned about the situation with abortion that's the reason I become a
U.S. citizen. I saw citizenship as another pool to really show my engagement and my desire to help.
Our churches split pretty sharply maybe 50 and 50 percent conservative, 50 percent more liberal.
One of the best things about my church is that our pastor and elders really want
people to have meaningful conversations even when there are things that we disagree on.
Well I tell you like right now
I think I'm kind of coming out of the closet. I did vote for Donald Trump in 2016.
It was a tough decision.
Over the past few years I've been increasingly disillusioned with
the republican party and so that's pushed me more towards the left.
So this is really my first time actually saying it out loud.
I'm very conservative.
I'm a Christian, I'm a writer and I would say also
that I'm a Democrat. I wouldn't have said that four years ago but that's what I would say now.
I fear what will happen if they get control of both houses. This country will be changed radically and quickly.
Our god we are thankful for...
We have the the Democrats who are fighting for a
path to citizenship and that term just drive the republicans crazy and like no we don't want that
and the people that I talk to there they say I don't care about being a citizen right now.
I just want the freedom to go to Walmart without the fear of ending up in jail and then deported.
Georgia State District Representative Marvin Lim I want to first find out from you Marvin
what actually made you run? I was motivated by my experiences being an immigrant. I wanted to use
my platform or this campaign to tell the stories of others.
May I ask you what your what the most important issue is to you? What do you think is the most
important issue? Are there any issues in this neighborhood that you're dealing with?
Health care for older people. Is that right?
My parents are also immigrants so
There's a reason that this area is low turnout.
People here feel underrepresented, under-resourced and especially
under the present administration under attack. The most frequent issues I heard while on the campaign
trail were not about these larger issues but again about the day-to-day concerns of people, the local
economy, public transportation, local safety.
All right Marvin so we're going to give you a little
bit of an update on our canvassing. I created over 20 original resource guides it's sent to about 10,000
households things like know your rights on housing things like how to manage your health
care costs and advocate for yourself and I felt that by doing that I could actually also increase
voter turnout. Because you know we've deployed like a an emergency canvassing because our district
turnout is relatively low and we're like halfway there. We're already halfway there? Yeah.
The seat i'm running for is very safely a democratic so that might seem positive in one way but
the history behind that is this was actually a product of gerrymandering to put as many
minorities in one district as possible to dilute the power of their votes what is the percentage
of voters who actually opened their doors or had contact. Well it's just as bad as you think it is.
I think there's a lot of apathy here because government in general has not been responsive to
the needs of the community. I think before covid we might have had like 20 percent-ish which is a little
bit better but it's been kind of so-so and then I've had my canvasser tell me that people are so
they're concerned to even talk about who they're voting for or how they're voting because they feel
there's like hostility in the environment and that they may be facing like retaliation or something.
I don't post in social media that I'm a conservative I don't
really talk much about politics to people. I think democrats it's presumed that they look out for
black interests but I think that that is only true whenever there's a time for blacks to vote
When I was first introduced to politics the rhetoric was that republicans
are a racist I just found that not really to be true and I saw that there are actual black
conservatives like Larry Elder or Candace Owens.
There was absolutely nothing that I cannot do
as a Black American in this country that a white American can do if you can point to me...
Come on in. Hi Lucy, how you doing?
Heavenly father we thank you so much for providing so a great abundance for us and
help us to share what we have with others who have so much less in Jesus name we pray amen amen.
Four years ago I was in a quandary because socially I was leaning democratic and
in some other ways I was still leaning more more republican. I was kind of torn.
I've gradually come to realize that health care is the most important thing
in terms of reducing abortion rates. It's important when I say pro-life I'm applying it to
everyone and not just unborn children that was a really important thing for for me to
work through. I have so many ideals that are in line with helping the environment
and immigration reform and yes I can say I'm pro-life and I'm democratic.
Miriam who was there last night I didn't realize she was a democrat until shortly along.
In one bible study we had I said I don't see how any Christian can be a democrat and she was shocked
I love them and i'm listen I can talk with her I don't think we'll come to any
agreement because we're so divided on politics.
The folks on the far right are reading the same
bible that I'm reading but they're coming to very different conclusions about what that means
my dad is the pastor of our congregation I know what the bible has to say about this
and that's how I'm going to live my life I think the right is prioritizing their culture
over service to others when you look at it hard it's really an american culture
not a Christian culture putting that in front of service to others.
Record-setting early voting turnout in Georgia. Stacey Abrams is getting a lot of credit for her
work in turning the peach state blue. For minority communities there has to be consistent engagement.
I have experienced what it's like to not be an active voter to not want to participate in the process.
I like to think that my method worked and I like to think that the reasons I've had
for running to increase turnout have borne fruit and I would like to continue doing that.
I'm so glad it's over.
Did you vote for any democrats? Yes I did. Okay me too I work for some democrats.
It doesn't matter who wins today I'm gonna make tacos tonight it's taco Tuesdays.
I hope you can join me in promising that you will celebrate the results...
Before being a republican
I'm a believer in the system I believe the american system of democracy is the best
you must engage whatever team wins you must continue. Half of this congregation is happy
and the other half is concerned remember who are your friends really they have shown that
they are your friends they really love you we just think differently on politics.
Amen, go in peace [spanish].