First-time Voter: A Profile
Doña Helena is from Colombia and her official name is Jesus Elena Angarita de Soto. She became a citizen at age 72 on the last day of registration and early voting of 2012. She went straight from the swearing in ceremony to the Seymour Senior Center to vote. It was a community project involving her grandkids, Binkley Church citizenship class, and friends to help her memorize the 100 questions for the exam. She carried her bag of index cards everywhere! She was determined to “help my president.”
Doña Helena
Helena is shown in one of the photographs with Ruby Ocampo, who is voting in her first presidential election this year since becoming a citizen.
Doña Helena and Ruby Ocampo
*All photographs taken by the author