by Michael Cruz on 2016-02-10

With the 2016 presidential race well underway, many from the Latino community wished to voice their opinions and concerns at the Latino Summit in the Lawrence Hutton Community Center in Colton. On Thursday Jan. 28, members of the community came out to hear support for both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and to cast their straw vote accordingly. The summit hopes to “jump-starting” a state-wide Latino voter mobilization for the June 7 California primary election. By their projections, California will be the deciding state in nominating the democratic presidential candidate. After the primary, the plan is to continue the momentum and mobilize a nationwide Latino voter movement. In attendance was University of California Riverside political scientist and summit organizer Dr. Armando Navarro, Chairperson George Aguilar of the Inland Empire League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Colton’s District 3 councilmember Frank J. Navarro, and 61st District Assemblyman Jose Medina. Representing the “Hillary Clinton” campaign was congressman Pete Aguilar of the 31st District, and representing the “Bernie Sanders” campaign was Los Angeles Councilman Gil Cedillo of the 1st District. Joshua Coda, a 33-year-old Riverside, resident came out to learn more, “I heard about it [Latino Summit] and am interested in hearing what the Latino community has to say about Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and their reasoning for supporting either candidate.” A number of common issues where talked about amongst the crowd such as, healthcare, jobs training, fair employment, and money in politics. One such individual, retired planning manager for Colton of 17 years, Andres Soto, a Riverside resident since 1956 had this to say on the issue of jobs training and fair employment, “It’s not just about college, it’s trades as well. It’s job training, where you go to these schools and then theirs no jobs for them. For example, they’ll take a young person and say, we’ll train you to be a welder. There’s no welding jobs. Why are you training them?” Three major political themes highlighted the evening, the importance of the Latino vote for California’s primary, and presidential elections. The potential of a Latino swing vote capability, and the severe consequences facing the Latino community if they do not mobilize their voting power in the upcoming elections. 20-year-old Los Angeles resident, Arturo Gomez, spoke on the importance of the vote, “I really want to know how we can get Latinos to go out and vote, to make sure that the sleeping giant wakes up, and politicians understand that we’re an electorate that shouldn’t be taken for granted.” According to the Pew Research Center, the upcoming 2016 election cycle will see a projected 27.3 million in eligible Latino voters, but the problem arises with voter turnout. According to Francisco Sola of the Latino Voter Registration Project, the Latino vote is a young vote. Millennial Latinos will account for nearly half of the projected 27.3 million eligible voters. Sola remarked, “We are wasting our political power by not voting. We have tremendous political power.” The evening was charged with the prospect of a new president and the issues at hand. James Dudley a Moreno Valley resident for 30 years who worked as a congressional staffer, and was the executive vice president of his union local summed up the concerns facing the community that night, “It’s all about the people, we need to be doing what’s right on behalf of the people in this country.” A unifying idea that many find themselves able to agree with despite whom they vote for, doing what is right on behalf of the American people. [END] working title: Latino Summit in Election Season Long Climb Ahead for Latino Summit January 28, 2016 7 to 9 PM Hutton Center 660 Colton Avenue Colton, CA 92324 Summit Invitation: The invitation to attend the historic “San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Latino Leadership Summit" is being made by the following “community leaders,” as well as by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia and Assemblyman Jose Medina both who will chair the event. Political Scientist Dr. Armando Navarro, with the assistance of Maria Anna Gonzales, is facilitating the Summit’s organizing. Those listed below have agreed to make the “Call” for the Summit. They have endorsed it; have agreed to attend; and are inviting others to participate. Tex Acosta Estella Acuña Aurelio Aguirre George Aguilar Emilio Amaya Roberto Balentyne Victoria Baca Jose Calderon Bill Cortes Ricardo Diaz Alfonso Espinosa Mike Espinosa Gilberto Esquivel Steve Figueroa Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia Sara Garcia Graciano Gomez Mary Ann “Maria Anna” Gonzales Ruben Gonzales Patricio Guillen Gil Gutierrez Carlos Juarez Russell Jaurequi Mario Lascano Ester Macias Gloria Macias-Harrison Leroy Martinez Assemblyman Jose Medina Abigail Medina Bill Medina Andy Melendrez Enrique Murillo Kenny Muñoz Jesus Muñoz Armando Navarro Joe Olague David Ortega Dee Ortega Eloise Reyes (being confirmed) Tom Rivera Edgar Roman Miguel Tinker Salas Angela Sambrano Michael Segura Jesus “Jesse” Sandoval Francisco Sola Manuela Sosa Randy Sosa Roberto Tijerina Victor Torres Jesse Valenzuela The endorsers of the Summit invite you to participate, invite others, and disseminate the enclosed information to other Latina/os within the two counties. Efforts are currently underway to invite Latina/o elected officials and Latina/o leaders from other sectors. Moreover, while the focus of the Summit is on San Bernardino and Riverside counties, a number of Latina/o community leaders from Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Imperial counties and Bakersfield have also been invited to attend and participate. The intent is for them to hold Summits in their respective areas or counties. Latino Summit’s Three Point Agenda: The Summit will be held on January 28, 2016, 7 to 9 PM, at the Hutton Center, 660 Colton Avenue, Colton, CA 92324. The Welcome will be given by San Bernardino LULAC Chair, George Aguilar, and co-chaired by Assemblymen Eduardo Garcia and Jose Medina. Each will briefly address the importance of the Latina/o vote. Dr. Navarro will address the urgency of politically mobilizing the Latina/o vote both in California and nationwide for the November presidential election. He will present a proposed Latino voter mobilization plan of action applicable to California. Newly elected Speaker of the California State Assembly, Democrat Anthony Rendon, has been invited to be the Summit’s keynote speaker. The Summit’s agenda also includes three major items. First, representatives from both the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders presidential campaigns have been invited to address the question, “Why Latina/os should vote for their respective candidates?” Second, there will be discussion among the Summit’s participants on the 2016 presidential election’s various Democrat and Republican presidential candidates. After the discussion, a “non-endorsing” presidential preference “straw vote” will be taken. Third, the agenda will conclude with discussion on the mechanics of a proposed Latina/o voter mobilization strategic plan of action, designed to foster statewide a grass roots voter mobilization for California’s November presidential election. Why the Call for the Summit? Several reasons justify the Call for the Summit. The following are four major explanations as to the importance for Summit, prepared by Dr. Navarro. One, nationwide Latina/os today comprise 57 million or nearly 18 percent of the country’s total population and who live in key swing vote states that could determine who wins the presidency. To-date, as has been amply documented by the media (read enclosed article), Latina/os have done nothing to organize and mobilize the nearly 15 million registered Latina/o voters for the 2016 presidential elections. We have the potential power to determine the outcome of the 2016 presidential elections; but only if Latina/os expeditiously move to actualize this power capability. Two, the nation’s “Brown Colossus” is politically asleep, plagued by a profound leadership and organizational crisis, and is in an acute state of apathy, indifference, and complacency. This is occurring at a time when the Latina/o vote is pivotal, a potential swing-vote, to determining which candidate will win their party’s nomination and presidency. Three, on the Republican side, most if not all of the presidential candidates are running “nativist, scapegoating, and an anti-Latino and immigrant campaigns.” In particular, Donald Trump has viciously and acrimoniously attacked Mexicanos, describing us as criminals and rapists. He is boasting and promising that if elected, he will erect an Iron Curtain along the U.S./Mexico border, paid for by Mexico. Four, as of today, under the Democrat Obama administration, some 100,000 primarily Central American mothers and children face deportation. Regrettably, there is the acute absence of an organized national Latino political response. This invitation was prepared by Armando Navarro, Summit’s facilitating organizer. For further information on the Summit, call or e-mail George Aguilar at 951-906-3130, e-mail address: georgemba@aol.com or Armando Navarro at 951-333-6819, e-mail address: armando.navarro@ucr.edu Please attend and invite others to this unprecedented political event that underscores that today politically Latino/as are at a critical and ominous historical juncture that requires action and voter mobilization. Thank you - Gracias, EM --------------------------------------------------- image001.jpg Enrique G. Murillo, Jr., Ph.D. Executive Director - LEAD Organization 5500 University Parkway / Room CE-305 San Bernardino, CA 92407 emurillo@csusb.edu Tel: 909-537-5632 -- Join or learn more about LEAD activities, events or programs on any of our social networks, partnerships or education projects -- LEAD - Latino Education Projects