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Latinos Day brings issues into focus

Hispanic issues came to the forefront at the North Carolina legislature in early April, as a couple of hundred supporters showed up for the second Latino Day at the Legislature. While the event didn’t draw as many as showed up for the first event two years ago, organizers were still satisfied with what was accomplished.

The non-profit Hispanic advocacy organization El Pueblo Inc. put the event together. Their aim was to bring awareness to legislators about the state’s Latino constituency and to open up discussions about bills that could have a significant impact on the state’s Hispanic residents. Some of those measures deal with migrant housing, workers' compensation for agricultural workers, driver’s licenses, and in-state tuition. One particular bill that would also affect DHHS would provide a combined $6.2 million over two years to the Division of Public Health. The funds would be used to hire qualified interpreters in local health departments and to provide incentives for the recruitment and hiring of bilingual providers.

But the biggest result of Latino Day – just like two years ago – was to put a face on the items of discussion that come to the table related to the state’s burgeoning Hispanic population. Many of the Latinos in North Carolina have limited knowledge of how government works at the state level. Latino Day afforded some of these newcomers starting a new life in this state an opportunity to witness first-hand how our legislative process works. It also allowed participants a chance to meet with their local representatives to discuss issues that matter to them. Hopefully, members of the General Assembly feel they have a responsibility to all residents of this state – and not just the voters in their individual districts.

April 6 started with a morning press conference that saw more than a dozen people, advocates and legislators step up to the podium and proclaim their reasons for being there. There were dozens of youths who also made the trek in order to voice their concerns regarding higher education. Still others were there to talk about the increasing challenge of obtaining a driver’s license. Lobbyists working with various Hispanic organizations are advocating for a number of bills that are pending.

After the press conference concluded, participants made their way into the Legislative Building to meet face-to-face with the various members of the General Assembly. Eventually, the lawmakers and participants were treated to a Mexican-American style lunch.

It’s too early to tell what the final verdict will be with any of these issues. In prior years, some bills that Hispanics opposed made it into the law books. And at other times, new laws permitting newly arrived Latinos to make an easier transition or to more adequately protect their living conditions have also become law. At the end of the day, I can only hope that legislators will look deep into their hearts, and look out for the interests of all of us…and realize that there are people in this state making a difference, contributing to a better North Carolina. It is some of these individuals that often face tougher barriers in making a new life for themselves here. And it is the merit of these tougher barriers that I hope these lawmakers will question at every turn.

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