Latino Unity Day 2018 – Illinois: 2.2 Million Latinos, 1 Voice
By Roberto Valdez Jr, Latino Policy Forum Communications Associate
Christian Gutierrez, Director of Latino Affairs for Governor Bruce Rauner, declared May 9, 2018, Latino Unity Day in Springfield. This was the first time in the event’s 7-year history that the Governor’s Office officially recognized Latino Unity Day as a day of advocacy at the state capitol. The announcement by Gutierrez underlined Unity Day’s event theme, Illinois: 2.2 Million Latinos, 1 Voice, which focused on the growing Latino population in Illinois, the importance of Latinos leveraging their civic influence and speaking up about issues affecting the Latino community.
This unifying message was heard throughout the day. At the Legislative Luncheon, Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza spoke to a crowd of more than 200 Unity Day participants from across the state. She talked about the need for more Latino representation in government and about the importance of keeping elected officials accountable. Mendoza applauded the Latino Unity Day efforts for giving people an opportunity to travel to Springfield and advocate for issues and legislation involving the state budget, immigration and housing, education and Latino representation in government. The luncheon also included a legislative briefing on the priority issues of this year’s Illinois Latino Legislative Agenda. Univision Chicago Anchor Enrique Rodriguez emceed the event and youth from Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, Mariachi Matters, provided entertainment for all to enjoy.
Following the luncheon, Forum Executive Director Sylvia Puente led a rally to hear the official declaration from the Governor’s Office. We also heard from various allies including legislators and civic leaders who declared their support of issues important to Latinos in Illinois. A press conference immediately followed, citing specific legislative efforts such as the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, the Professional Licensing Legislation, Early Childhood Education bills, support for a Fair and Progressive Tax in Illinois and Census 2020 appropriations.
An annual favorite, Café con Leche, was sponsored this year by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and focused on education alliances and civic engagement. Several Latino legislators participated in this roundtable discussion. Rounding out the full day of activities was the Illinois State Constitutional Candidate Meet & Greet. Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs, when asked about his experience running for office stated, “One of the great things about running for office in Illinois is seeing the great diversity in the state.” Lt. Governor candidate Juliana Stratton and Illinois Attorney General candidate Erika Harold each also addressed Unity Day participants separately and answered questions related to the Latino legislative agenda’s policy issues. Regardless of what party affiliation you’re a part of, it's important that “we’re talking about people’s lives” and that’s why events like Unity Day are so important.
The Forum would like to thank the Latino Unity Day co-conveners for their time, sponsorship and commitment to ensuring that the event was a success. 2018 Latino Unity Day Co-Conveners: Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE)
Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF)
Illinois Latino Family Commission
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association (HISLEA)
Illinois Latino American Council on Higher Education (ILACHE)
US Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI)
Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois (HLAI)
Illinois Association of Agencies and Community Organizations for Migrant Advocacy (IAACOMA)
The Forum would also like to thank PepsiCo for sponsoring the day’s luncheon and Univision Chicago and HispanicPro for being media sponsors.