Senator Catherine Cortez- Masto: Making History by Raising her Voice

By Mariana G. Briones

Catherine Cortez-Masto made history in November 2016 by becoming the first woman from Nevada and the first Latina ever elected to the United States Senate.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Cortez- Masto served two terms as Attorney General and has spent an entire career fighting for the most vulnerable; whether sex trafficking victims, children in foster care or most recently low income working families impacted by the pandemic, today she walks the halls of a mostly deserted Capitol to cast her votes with speedy resolve, determined to have her voice heard loud and clear.

“Like everyone else we are following the protocols and standards set by our healthcare professionals, doctors and scientists, and we are sheltering in place” she shares when I ask what life is like at the Capitol these days. “I am the only one here because my physical presence is required to vote on the floor of the Senate, and when I vote I wear a mask and follow al of the guidelines. However all of my staff is working from home and the Capitol is closed to the public. I have to attend a lot of hearings since I sit on five committees, but these are all virtual for now. It’s definitely an adjustment.”

In a time when top health officials advise against traveling Nevada’s tourism dependent economy has been hit hard. The state’s hospitality industry has an estimated $67.6 billion economic impact, employing more workers and bringing in more state tax revenue than any other sector. “Not many people are aware, but in Nevada one third of the population is Latino, and they are an incredible part of our community and workforce. Before the pandemic one in five worked in the hospitality industry which has been devastated, so there has been a huge impact on this community as so many have been laid off.”

The solution? Collaboration, coordination: “Coming together with our local leaders and our nonprofits. For example the Esta En Tus Manos campaign was launched to encourage Latinos in Southern Nevada to wear face coverings, seek free COVID-19 testing, and find resources to help protect them and their families. Rental and food assistance are also available, there is a lot of food insecurity going right now so this is a concerted effort to bring resources to these hotspots and disproportionately affected communities”

“Unfortunately at the federal level when we passed the CARES Act Supplement too many in our community were left out, especially immigrants and immigrants of mixed status which is outrageous. How are we going to stop the spread of the virus if we leave people out from getting access to healthcare? Regardless of your immigration status you should get relief just like everybody else. That is why so many of us have introduced legislation through the comprehensive Working Families Act, to include it into the next stimulus package. The fight has to continue until we can make sure that workers and business owners alike have the resources and health care they need to pull out from this pandemic.”

There is another more elusive side effect to the pandemic that concerns her: “These past months have taken a huge toll on all of us. We are human after all, and I miss that human interaction with one another, whether it is with families or friends or coworkers, it is vital to have that contact.” She shares “And I have a concern that sheltering in place is causing a lot of isolation and that this is having an impact physically and mentally. That is why I have been a big proponent of addressing behavioral health services and providing more funding for it. My goal now is to make sure that we have additional funds so that people can get the help that they need to cope.”

As a history making Latina she saves her advice for those seeking to break barriers for last: “Follow your passion, if there is something that you're interested let it take you and lead you on that path. Find a for mentor, surround yourself with those you can learn from. And when you get to a point where you feel that you have had some success remember that you have a responsibility to make sure others can also walk through. Don't be afraid to be the first; just make sure you are not the last.”