Poder Latinx Launches “One Hot Summer / ¡Qué Calor!” Campaign to Address Rising Energy Costs and Mobilize Latino Communities Ahead of Midterms

NATIONWIDE - Poder Latinx launched the national campaign “One Hot Summer / ¡Qué Calor!”, a multi-state effort to educate and mobilize Latino and working families around rising energy costs, extreme heat, and civic engagement ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Across the country, electricity bills are increasing, adding pressure to families already balancing housing, food, healthcare, and daily expenses. In regions experiencing extreme heat, like Arizona, Texas, and California, energy is not optional, it is essential for health and safety.

For many Latino and immigrant households, these rising costs are forcing difficult trade-offs between staying safe at home and meeting basic needs. Families are opening their utility bills with growing concern about how they will keep up.

“This is a kitchen table issue for Latino households, as families brace for higher electricity bills each month,” said Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx. “Rising energy costs and extreme heat are putting real pressure on working families. But these costs are shaped by decisions, and communities deserve to understand and influence them. This campaign is about turning awareness into action, building power through trusted community spaces, culture, and storytelling.”

Through workshops, voter registration efforts, and community conversations, the campaign will help families understand their energy bills, access resources, and engage in decisions that impact their costs. When people understand their bills and know where decisions are made, they can use tools like public comment, hearings, and elections to push for fairer, more transparent systems.

As energy demand grows, Poder Latinx is also working to ensure communities are not unfairly carrying the cost.

The campaign builds on Poder Latinx’s community-based organizing model, engaging residents through focus groups, community meetings, door-to-door outreach, and educational spaces.

Findings from this work show a highly engaged community with a clear understanding of the economic pressures they face, including strong dissatisfaction with rising energy costs and broader cost-of-living challenges. These insights point to a clear opportunity to connect financial concerns with civic participation.

By linking cost-of-living challenges to civic action, Poder Latinx aims to ensure Latino communities are informed, engaged, and positioned to help shape more transparent and equitable energy systems.

For more information, visit www.poderlatinx.org/ecopoder.

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