Thread: Conference to focus on Latino issues

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_4212424

8/21/2006
Conference to focus on Latino issues
Area lawmakers to attend
By Nisha Gutierrez Staff Writer
Whittier Daily News

Area Latino leaders are gearing up for a five-day national conference expected to form a political agenda for the Latino community.

The National Latino Congreso will be held Sept. 6-10 in Los Angeles. Areas of focus include the environment, health, education reform, labor issues, immigration and economic development strategies, officials said.

Claudia Ornelas, a youth organizer with the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, said the conference is expected to draw thousands of delegates from various organizations nationwide.

"What we are trying to do is get Latino leaders together to talk about the most pressing issues in our community," Ornelas said. "We want people to voice their concerns and opinions and propose different ideas, and at the end the goal is to develop a new agenda and plan of action for Latino issues."

Baldwin Park Councilman Ricardo Pacheco said he is looking forward to talking about immigration and education.

"There are so many undocumented people in our community that are being mistreated, and that needs to be addressed so we can move forward. Because if not, it creates an underclass of people who are not participating in American society," Pacheco said.

"We also need to make sure Latinos are being educated and getting degrees because there is a gap right now, we need to determine the causes and effects ... hopefully the conference will help us come up with ways to deal with these problems."

Pacheco said another major issue for Latinos is income levels.

"The average Latino makes about $35,000, and with the cost of living going up it's not enough for us to live anymore," Pacheco said.

La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan believes whatever agenda is formulated should be universal.

"I think it's important that the Latino community understands our agenda should go beyond the Latino community," Lujan said. "It should be all-encompassing and reach all races."

Garvey School Board Member Felipe Agredano said he is eager to exchange information and ideas.

"It's important to look at some of the accomplishments that have been made for Latinos over the years at local and national levels," Agredano said. "I am looking forward to working to bring about change."

Rep Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, who will be speaking at the conference about the effects of global warming, said she hopes the Congress acts as a problem-solving workshop.

"By participating in the National Latino Congreso, I look forward to finding a new direction to improve the quality of life in our communities," Solis said. "And also to find long-term strategies and solutions to preserve our natural resources and protect public health."

Officials said the National Latino Congreso will be the first comprehensive gathering of Latino leaders, elected officials and organizations since 1977.

"We also need to make sure Latinos are being educated and getting degrees because there is a gap right now, we need to determine the causes and effects ... hopefully the conference will help us come up with ways to deal with these problems."

it's not their society....

"The average Latino makes about $35,000, and with the cost of living going up it's not enough for us to live anymore," Pacheco said.

This doesn't sound like cheap labor to me. I have read that the average income in America is $32,000. If this were true then they would be making more than the average wage.