Jocelyn Sida knew from volunteering in political campaigns that her only chance to become a delegate from California was to get out the vote – and she did just that. She enlisted more than 40 cousins, aunts, uncles and friends to register.

They not only helped her win a spot in the California delegation – which, at 547 delegates and 46 alternates is the nation’s largest – but Sida said her supporters also plan to vote in November for the first time.

“I told myself, win or lose, I won because of the fact that I was able to mobilize an entire family to register to vote,” said Sida. “Some of them had to become citizens to do it.”

Sida, who is 23 and lives in Fontana, west of Los Angeles, said she has been involved in politics since age 17; she hopes one day to run for office. She is on the executive board of the San Bernardino County Young Democrats.

“Helping out the minority community here in Southern California is my main goal,” Sida said. “To do that, we need to mobilize the young people to go out and register their family members.”

Sida continues to surprise her immigrant parents with her ambition. “They only speak Spanish,” she said. “They immigrated here in the ’70s. My dad used to be a welder; my mom was a housewife. My parents are shocked that someone from the family is involved in politics.”

The youngest of three children, Sida said she was the first to go to college and studied law last year at Stanford University.

“I’m American. I was born here. I have the ability to be anybody I want to be. I thank my parents every day for that – for sacrificing for us, and being away from their families. I want to show them that their American dream is still alive.”

Elizabeth Leland