Phoenix Electrician Fights for Clean Energy in DNC Ad, Here’s How

Ricardo Villafan never imagined he would see his face broadcast to thousands on one of the world’s biggest political stages. But on Thursday night, he became the face of Vice President Kamala Harris’ push for climate change at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The event, held at the United Center and broadcast live to millions of Americans over four days, focused on the working class and Harris’ promise to prioritize their needs.

Villafan, a 24-year-old Phoenix resident, published a Spanish-language op-ed in La Voz/The Republic earlier this month urging Arizonans to vote for Harris’ clean energy agenda for the future of jobs, for unions across the country like the one he belongs to, and for support for families like his own.

During the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the same misery befell the entire country.

The campaign video began with Villafan, an apprentice electrician working on the construction of the southern extension of the light rail, a Valley Metro project scheduled for completion in 2025. He talked about the importance of waking up early as the best way to beat the 90-degree heat in Phoenix.

“Climate change is not a hoax and it’s not happening in the future. It’s happening here and now,” he says in a recording of himself working on a light rail line.

Phoenix Electrician Spotlighted at Democratic Convention

This week, Villafan boarded a plane and left Arizona for the first time in his life to travel to Chicago to attend the convention in person. The Harris campaign contacted him to ask if he would like to appear in the film. He immediately said yes.

A member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, Villafan worked at a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant in north Phoenix before joining the effort to expand the light rail. He credited Harris and President Joe Biden with giving him the opportunity to work at the manufacturing company with CHIPS Act investments before landing a well-paying union internship at the light rail.

In his column, Villafan wrote how proud he is of the work he does with IBEW Local 640 and the opportunity to “build the infrastructure for more renewable energy and a more resilient grid.”

“Investing in renewable energy also helps families like mine save money on electricity bills, which also rise as summer temperatures approach. We can get tax credits and rebates by installing solar panels and switching to energy-efficient appliances. Often, the work is done by union workers. It’s a win-win situation,” he wrote.

During the Chicago convention, Villafan met with union leaders. As a proud union member, he watched as union leaders from across the country served as speakers at the convention.

“I feel great and I’m happy that people actually care about my paycheck, they care about my job, they care about my lifestyle. I can take care of my mom. I can take care of my family. And whenever they need something,” he said.

Voter Mobilization in Arizona

Returning to Arizona, Villafan said he was excited to cast his vote for Harris as the first female president of the United States. He volunteered, knocking on doors and organizing events through his union. But he was involved in politics long before that.

“I was 7 or 8 when SB 1070 was passed in Arizona,” he said. “I was afraid that my parents would be racially profiled, you know — I was afraid that I would lose them. So I started following politics.”

Like Villafan, the “show me your papers” bill mobilized an entire generation to become more politically engaged. Many of the children who lived through the fear of SB 1070, either because they were undocumented or because of their mixed-race family status, are now organizers, community leaders, and elected officials who are actively working to prevent a similar law from being approved in Arizona in November.

As a trainee, union member and engaged citizen in this election, Villafan said he takes those responsibilities seriously.

“It’s been years in the making, but I never planned on it,” he said. “But I’m happy to be putting my voice out there and putting others’ voices out there who are afraid to speak out and doing the work for them.”

La Voz editor Joanna Jacobo Rivera contributed to this article.