Noor Baber said helping her immigrant parents navigate the American voting process reinforced her belief in the power of political participation.
Now, as a student canvassing for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman, Baber is encouraging fellow UCLA students to get involved too, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election.
Baber is among several students who have spent hours canvassing across campus to advocate for Raman, who is competing against incumbent Karen Bass for LA mayor.
[Related: LA mayor candidates Karen Bass, Nithya Raman advance to general election]
“The decisions that we make now are going to determine what our future looks like,” said Babar.
The student canvassers are working with United Auto Workers Local 4811 – a union representing UC academic student employees, postdoctoral students and academic researchers – in its efforts to support Raman in the upcoming election. UAW 4811 endorsed Raman in May.
Baber, a fourth-year political science student, said she began working with UAW’s Higher Wages, Lower Rent Alliance after a friend encouraged her to join. She added that she previously canvassed for congressional candidate George Whitesides and participated in voter registration efforts.
Baber said she typically starts conversations with people by introducing herself as a student. Many students share concerns about housing affordability and heightened immigration enforcement, which allows her to introduce them to Raman’s platform, she added.
According to a poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, 66% of likely voters ages 18 to 29 supported Raman, compared with the 4% who supported Bass.
Kristian Suazo, a fourth-year labor studies and political science student, said he first canvassed for Representative Mike Levin’s reelection campaign in 2024. He later participated in other electoral campaigns and labor organizing with Unite Here Local 11 – a union representing hospitality workers.
“What keeps me coming back is that we have a chance to take LA into a new direction,” he said.
Jake Yelvington, a fourth-year public affairs student, said canvassing caused him to examine his own political commitments and research candidates closely.
“It really forced me to look into it, and I’m a lot more confident now,” Yelvington said.
Yet engaging with students on campus can be difficult, Yelvington said, especially in busy areas such as Bruin Walk. Students are often reluctant to speak with strangers, making it harder to start conversations about the election, he added.
Baber said students many not find time to vote because they are busy balancing school and extracurriculars. She added that student participation in the upcoming election will be important to make sure their voices are heard.
Suazo said he plans to keep organizing after the election. He added that canvassing taught him about how to calmly and respectfully talk to those who may disagree with him.
“We have a huge opportunity to show that students demand change, students want change and we want things to be better,” Baber said.
Students can vote in the midterm elections at multiple locations on campus or in Westwood, including Ackerman Union, De Neve Plaza and the Hammer Museum.
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