by Cindy Von Quednow
John Trasviña
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Latino organizational, political and community leaders and activists gathered here from throughout the nation Jan. 19 to share in shaping their State of the Union statement for some 50 million Hispanics now residing in the United States. A few hundred participants spent the better part of the day listening and contributing to the second annual Hispanic roundtable on law, policy and civil rights at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill.
The event was hosted by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
Members of those three and numerous other organizations came together to define and refine the issues most affecting the burgeoning Latino community nationwide as a new Congress that Latinos helped choose is being seated and a new president whom Hispanics helped elect moves into the White House.
In excess of nine million Hispanics voted Nov. 4, a million more than in the 2004 presidential election.
Two-thirds of them cast their ballots for Barack Obama.
Conclave speakers focused on how the Latino community can work with the dramatically altered national political leadership to accomplish its essential goals.
“We all have a duty and we must work with each other and the new administration to make our agenda a reality,” said John Trasviña, president and general counsel of MALDEF, who opened up the event.
To accomplish certain aspirations such as a truly compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform plan, Trasviña acknowledged, will require well-organized, unifi ed efforts by the large and diverse Latino population. “We have a number of things we have to accomplish,” he said, emphasizing, “We need to push the Latino agenda forward now.”
María Elena Salinas, co-anchor of Noticiero Univisión, moderated a discussion, about the priorities under the Obama administration and the incoming Congress.
Contributing expertise were Ben Luján from New Mexico, the lone newly elected member to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus; Rosa Rosales, president of LULAC, Simon Rosenberg, president of New Democrat Network, and Trasviña.
In addition to immigration, they pressed on such issues as affordable health care, renewable energy, jobs and availability to advancing technology for Latino students.
“If we keep doing what we’re doing now, our kids are going to have even fewer opportunities than we had,” said Luján, who also stressed the need for energy independence.
Guests broke into panels expanding on improving educational access and quality, countering growing hate-crime activity against Latinos and immigrants, and addressing the impact of the economic recession on millions of Hispanic families.
Kansas State Representative Delia García and representatives from NCLR, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Anti-Defamation League and the Maryland Department of Labor shared strategy proposals, including creating greater national awareness of the problem’s Hispanic dimensions and inviting broader support from all segments of society.
“This is not a Latino issue. This is an American issue,” explained Clarissa Martínez De Castro, director of immigration and national campaigns at NCLR.
Thomas E. Pérez, Secretary of the Department of Labor in Maryland, stressed, “Hate does not exist in a vacuum. Crime does not occur in a vacuum.”How to mobilize Hispanics nationwide to capitalize on a positive, new national mind set drew focus in the special segment, “2009: Taking Back the Message to the Latino Community.” Their consensus message: Federal cooperation and community strength offer much to look forward to in the upcoming year, but not without obstacles.
It featured challenges by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and U.S. Senator Robert Menéndez (D-N.J.). “Never before has the state of the Latino union been so close to the state of the nation,” said Villaraigosa. “We have an administration that is willing to face our reality.”
Among summary speakers were U.S. Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), pioneer farm labor organizer Dolores Huerta, LULAC’s Texasbased president Rosa Rosales and ’08 Voto Latino coordinator María Teresa Petersen. Each one closed with a single beseeching word: “Adelante”…”En- gage”…”Organize”…”Act.”
(Cindy Von Quednow covered Inauguration Week events for Hispanic Link News Service. Email: vonquizu@gmail.com).
