Hundreds of Latinos gathered in Denver this week to advocate for education equality, voter protection, healthcare equality and other issues, in what is one of the largest Latino advocacy days in the nation. Five statewide community groups organized the Sixth Annual Colorado Latino Advocacy Day (LAD) to bring community members and leaders together on the most pressing legislative issues facing the Latina and Latino community.
“As a working student, the budget cuts to higher education in our state really hinder my ability to pay for college next year,” stated Marco Durado, a youth participant.
Coordinated by the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC), Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy and Research Organization (CLLARO) and Mi Familia Vota Education Fund (MFVEF), the two-day event included advocacy training on a wide-range of policy issues including education, healthcare, civil rights/voter rights, economic justice and immigration.
“This event has proven once again that Colorado is setting a national standard for Latina and Latino civic engagement,” declared Julien Ross, Executive Director of the CIRC.
On February 20th, participants held a rally to call attention to proposed state bills and how they would be negatively impacting the Latino community.
“We saw Latinos turning out in record numbers for the 2010 election,” Olivia Mendoza, Executive Director at CLLARO, said. “We want to continue to engage our community on the importance of being informed on issues that affect or families and communities. As well as encourage them to hold our elected officials accountable. We believe Latinos will once again show their power through the ballot box this fall.”
Following the rally, participants spent the afternoon in meetings with their legislators and sitting in on committee hearings.
“Today, we took the next step, calling on our ...