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  • and tonight, with so many personal milestones disrupted by the Corona virus, we were impressed by multiple young women who are taking their coming of age event and deciding to use it to push people to register to vote.

  • It's the latest in our future phenoms series, a rite of passage marked by this special occasion and a beautiful dress to match.

  • So I had my wedding, and I don't remember stressing so much.

  • Samantha Ariola Skin Senora is finally here, a celebration of her 15th birthday.

  • This is a very Hispanic tradition of your womanhood.

  • So you think of the big dress that dances, the changing of the shoes and everything.

  • It's very big deal, an event she's been planning for a CZ long as she can remember.

  • So I started planning when I was four, complete with a mariachi band.

  • Along with getting gussied up and growing up comes responsibility when you are generations and generations of strong women.

  • While Samantha's still three years away from being eligible to cast her first vote, she's using this special time in her life to get others registered to vote, an effort that was prompted by the shooting in their town of El Paso last year Run me out run tragedy spurred her mom, Joanna, to take action.

  • I thought, having my daughter's in sing Etta as a platform to empower people to go out and vote, just seeing something that we really wanted to.

  • This is important to choose political representatives and really focus on people.

  • Samantha is one of dozens of Latina teens have partnered with Jolt Initiative, Latino youth advocacy group, to boost voter turnout in the Latino community.

  • Ah, voting bloc that's been steadily increasing.

  • Ah, 15 year old can't vote and I'm like, That's fine because in three years she will.

  • And once we plant that seed of activism of like being politically aware, like who knows where she'll end up right?

  • 32 million Latino voters Air currently eligible to vote in the general election for the first time, they're expected to be the largest ethnic minority in a U.

  • S.

  • Presidential election.

  • Here in Texas, Latinos make up 1/3 of the electorate and growing in small part thanks to Samantha.

  • She's using this night to make a difference, with scores of teens stepping off the dance floor to sign pledge cards to register to vote.

  • Jonas sets up a sparkly photo background with a ring light.

  • Everyone gets a photo and Joel gets their cell number not only to text them photos but to send them a text on the day they turn 18 reminding them to register to vote, going through the usual channels of voter registration and having people come out and vote, they don't always work, especially with a minority population.

  • When you have the conversation 1 to 1 with people, people that you know, uh, I think it it's more powerful.

  • The idea of the traditional quinceanera is evolving.

  • For some.

  • This is attacking our community.

  • Back in 2017 these young women showed up in their Kitson, yet addresses at the Austin state capital to protest s before Texas Sanctuary Law.

  • Just last month, at this jolt initiative town hall, teens lined up to get in.

  • But on this night, it's about turning up the turnout, Getting future voices geared up to be heard yet another rite of passage worth celebrating.

  • Hi, everyone.

  • George Stephanopoulos here.

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  • Thanks for watching.

and tonight, with so many personal milestones disrupted by the Corona virus, we were impressed by multiple young women who are taking their coming of age event and deciding to use it to push people to register to vote.

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