Respected rights leader speaks on immigration

By Jennie Rodriguez
Record Staff Writer
May 24, 2008 6:00 AM

STOCKTON - The highlight of El Concilio's annual gala dinner Friday night was a keynote address by Janet Murguia, who was named one of the 100 most powerful women in Washington, D.C., by Washingtonian magazine.

Murguia is president of the National Council of La Raza, a civil rights and advocacy group. And El Concilio is one of its 300 affiliates.

In April, Murguia addressed the National Press Club about politicians' use of the immigration issue, which Murguia said "demonizes" immigrants. She was the first Latino woman to do so.

"What started out as a public policy debate last spring is on the verge of becoming one of the largest civil rights issues of our generation," she said during her speech.

Murguia carried that message to the gala held at the Sheraton at Regent Pointe, where 215 Latino community leaders and political candidates gathered to hear her speak and partake in El Concilio's 40th year anniversary celebration.

The negative attention on immigration has also propelled more Latinos to vote and become citizens, Murguia said. NCLR affiliates helped more than 1 million immigrants become citizens in 2007.

"We have to be involved in this election process," she said.

"Her voice carries a lot of weight," said Jose Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of El Concilio. "We're extremely honored she is here, and it shows the partnership we have at the national level."

Before the event began, Murguia visited a south Stockton Head Start managed by El Concilio at Valle del Sol, a community development for farm workers built by Visionary Home Builders. The child development program is tailored to transition Spanish-speaking preschoolers into the English language.

Murguia said one of the group's top priorities is developing education programs for the growing Latino population.

"One out of every five children born in the United States is Latino," she said, while touring the preschool.

El Concilio, the largest Latino community organization in San Joaquin County, receives funding from the NCLR for advocacy and social services programs, including programs on immigration, health care education and child development.

"A lot of people feel (El Concilio) has become successful, but I feel they're not even close to reaching their full potential," Murguia said.

Contact reporter Jennie Rodriguez at (209) 943-8564 or jrodriguez@recordnet.com.

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