Company Performance Metrics
- John Rivera: Founder
Salsa the Vote began in the 1990s alongside influential civic movements like Rock the Vote, when a group of friends in the music industry came together with a shared goal: to use their platforms to politically empower their communities. Founded by John “Gungie” Rivera, the organization focused on engaging the Latino community in the Greater New
York City area. Its early efforts proved highly successful, registering more than 50,000 voters.
In the years that followed, Rivera shifted his focus to honoring his late son, Cristian, who passed away from DIPG, an extremely rare and aggressive disease. He established a foundation in Cristian’s name, dedicating years to expanding its reach and impact. Through this work, Rivera witnessed a remarkable milestone—the survival of the first four DIPG patients connected to these efforts.
Amid today’s evolving political climate, Rivera has revived Salsa the Vote with renewed purpose: to energize and mobilize the Latino community once again. The organization’s mission is to expand access to democracy by serving as a trusted resource for voter registration and participation, with a particular focus on empowering Latino voices.
