The line for the early train to Springfield was decidedly Latino on May 7, Latino Unity Day at the state capitol. With 2013 marking its second year, Latino Unity Day is a relatively new but vital opportunity for leaders from Latino-led, Latino-serving organizations, as well as the community at large, to send a collective, coordinated message to legislators: The state’s investment in Latinos must keep pace with the community’s growth—and its economic, cultural, and civic contributions.
The coordinated events planned for the day would be a clear demonstration of collaboration between co-conveners, including: Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association, Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees, Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education (ILACHE), Illinois Latino Family Commission, Latino Policy Forum, La Red Mexicana de Lideres and Organizaciones Migrantes, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), NACLAC—Hispanic Council on Latino Advancement, and the Illinois Latino Agenda, a group co-convened by the Latino Policy Forum and MALDEF.
El Día de la Unidad Latina comenzó con una sesión informativa sobre política y presupuesto en varios sectores de interés, como la sanidad y los servicios humanos, los empleados estatales latinos, las empresas y la educación. Mientras el público interactuaba con los ponentes, me acordé de cómo las actividades del día se hacían eco de las tres estrategias principales del Foro Político Latino: informar, influir y liderar. Literalmente un "foro" para temas e ideas, el Foro Político Latino lleva a cabo análisis para informar, influir y liderar, involucrando a los latinos en todos los niveles del proceso de elaboración de políticas con el entendimiento de que el avance de los latinos promueve un futuro compartido.
INFORM: The policy briefing was rich in information on the status of Latinos across the state and issues affecting the community. Some highlights included a discussion on health and human services by our sister agency, the Illinois Latino Family Commission, citing Latinos as simultaneously the largest uninsured group and the population with the least access to health care. Another eye-popping statistic cited by the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees is that the past decade has resulted in a net gain of just 150 Latino state employees—a population that represents 16 percent of Illinoisans is just 4.7 percent of its state government employee workforce. Lastly, our Executive Director, Sylvia Puente, drove home the importance of education funding for our communities: Even as the Latino community grew 33 percent between 2000 and 2010, education funding has been stagnant at best.
INFLUENCIA: El Foro Político Latino utiliza sus investigaciones y análisis para "influir" en los procesos legislativos y administrativos de los gobiernos locales y estatales, añadiendo una perspectiva latina a la legislación, las normas administrativas y las asignaciones de recursos. Haciéndose eco de esta práctica, el Día de la Unidad Latina incluyó tiempo para que los participantes visitaran a los legisladores. Armados con información sobre cómo afectarían las actuales propuestas legislativas a los niños, las familias y las empresas latinas, los participantes pasaron la tarde entrando y saliendo de los despachos de los legisladores y esperando la oportunidad de dedicarles un par de minutos.
LIDERAZGO: Observar a los líderes latinos y a los miembros de la comunidad realizar visitas en cada cámara legislativa demuestra la estrategia de "liderazgo" del Foro. Escuché a muchos citar estadísticas e información de la sesión informativa sobre políticas, mezclando testimonios personales con cifras concretas para construir un argumento sólido a favor de invertir en la comunidad latina. Armado con investigación y datos, cualquiera puede ser un líder.
The numbers reflect reality in Illinois: The state’s population would have decreased at the last Census had it not been for growth in the Latino community. Population growth is directly related to Illinois’ representation at the federal level as well as Illinois’ economic outlook. Latinos are an increasingly important part of Illinois’ future, and appropriate state investment in these communities will make that future stronger for all Illinoisans. Latino Unity Day served to not only drive that message home with legislators, but also with participants. Many left Springfield feeling empowered and renewed in solidarity as we marveled at what progress can be made with a united effort.