Central Station opened its doors to host the first Bushwick event for the National Latino Outreach Team for Bernie. Organizers from Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign offices spoke about the importance of grassroots efforts and getting involved in communities like Bushwick where the voter turnout has historically been very low.

Two organizers from Chicago, Yesenia Mata and Anahi Tapia, spoke about how they increased voter turnout in their neighborhood by 68%. Their personal experiences served as a reminder that getting involved is sometimes a simple matter of seeing a lack of something in your community and filling that void.

The keynote speaker, Debbie Medina, emphasized the ways in which Brooklyn struggles when politicians forget about the plight of the residents. She said of Bernie Sanders, a fellow Brooklyn native: “He’s here for us.”