Erica Neely, who came within a few hundred votes of unseating Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager in 2024, has launched a new organization called the Hispanic Liberty Alliance. The group aims to help Hispanic Americans achieve their dreams through education and economic opportunity.
Neely, who lost by just 200-300 votes in the initial count for Assembly District 9 before mail-in ballots widened the margin slightly, says she created the organization to give Hispanic Americans a stronger voice in their communities.
“Everyone wants the American dream – owning a home, getting a good education, and having safety in their community,” says Neely. “But there's often a lack of communication about how to achieve these goals. We want to help bridge that gap.”
The 45-year-old Las Vegas resident knows firsthand about these challenges. Born to parents from El Salvador and Mexico, Neely grew up in South Central Los Angeles. Though born in America, she struggled in school because her mother didn't speak English and couldn't help her with schoolwork.
“I couldn't read English when I was young, even though I was born here,” Neely explains. “The schools just kept passing me along to the next grade without making sure I learned the basics. The only subject I could keep up with was math because numbers are the same in any language. My mom could help me with that.”
From School Struggles to Political Activism
Neely's path to political activism started with her children's education. When her daughter was attacked by other students and the school failed to address the situation properly, Neely decided to take action. This led her to run for the school board in 2022, and though unsuccessful in that race, she continued her political journey by challenging the Assembly Speaker in 2024.
Her political journey is unusual for someone from her background. Like many in her community, she started out as a Democrat. But her views changed during the Obama administration when she saw continuing problems with the economy, crime, and homelessness despite Democratic control of government.
“I had to look at myself in the mirror and question things,” she says. “I lost my home in 2008, and I started seeing that the results weren't matching what I was being told would happen. Crime was going up, homelessness was increasing, and it was getting harder to achieve the American dream.”
Mission and Challenges
The Hispanic Liberty Alliance will focus on several key areas:
- Education reform
- Job opportunities
- Economic growth
- Home ownership
The organization plans to spread its message through a new website (HispanicLibertyAlliance.com), blog posts, and community outreach. Neely says they will work with other local groups, including business organizations.
One challenge Neely expects to face is pushing back against the idea that all Hispanic Americans must be Democrats. “That's just a stereotype,” she says. “We want people to look at the actual results of different policies, not just follow what they've always done.”
Immigration and Integration
As someone from an immigrant family, Neely has strong views about immigration and integration into American society. She emphasizes the importance of learning English and understanding American values and traditions.
“We need to focus on helping people who are already here succeed,” Neely says. She points out that her 26-year-old son, born in America, sometimes struggles to find work because he competes with workers willing to accept lower wages. She also notes that he has faced discrimination because his Spanish isn't fluent enough for some workplaces.
Looking Forward
The Hispanic Liberty Alliance aims to help break what Neely calls an “endless cycle” of following the same patterns without seeing improvement. “We need to think about tomorrow and what we're going to leave our children,” she says. “It's not just about making choices for today.”
Despite concerns about potential criticism, Neely remains optimistic about the organization's future. She says her own experience switching political parties showed her that there's room for different viewpoints in the Hispanic community.
“When I changed parties, I worried it meant rejecting my customs and values,” she explains. “But that's not true. There are better options out there. We don't have to keep doing the same things and expecting different results.”
People interested in learning more about the Hispanic Liberty Alliance can visit their website and sign up for updates. Neely promises to personally respond to those who reach out to the organization, emphasizing her commitment to building a community-focused organization that helps Hispanic Americans achieve their version of the American dream.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
