The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) celebrated its 40th Anniversary this year.
The annual conference was held in San Diego, California from July 12-15th , workshops dealt with issues impacting the Hispanic community like mortgage foreclosures, health, immigration, education, and workforce development.
Protestors stood outside the conference center shouting at the attendees and bearing crude anti “illegal immigration” posters.
NCLR president Janet Murgia delivered a passionate speech that spoke about Hispanic contributions and our current challenges with an increase in hate crimes against our community.
Some of the highlights of the conference were the keynote addresses by Senator Barrack Obama and Senator John McCain. If elected, Obama promised to address the immigration within his first 9 months in office while McCain agreed it was a priority issue, held firm on his position to secure the borders.
The University of Delaware students of the Campus Alliance of La Raza (CALR) were given the opportunity to sit on stage while Sen Obama addressed the crowd; they also facilitated a lideres workshop at the conference.
The legislative update included current pending bills that would address health and education issues, DREAM ACT the “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act” would facilitate access to college for immigrant students in the U.S. by restoring states’ rights to offer in-state tuition to immigrant students residing in their state, PROMISE Act, GPA Act and HR3842 PRIDE, “Providing Resources to Improve Dual-Language Education (PRIDE) Act,” seeks to create high-quality dual-language demonstration programs in low-income and ethnically diverse communities. HR2928 GPA, Graduation Promise Act is designed to improve low performing high schools and reduce dropout rates, HR3014 “Health Equity and Accountability Act,” would provide Latinos and immigrants with greater access to the health care system and encourage the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care while funding proven community-based programs to conduct health promotion activities; and JJDPA Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act would seek to keep youth out of jail, ensure equity and competence in the judicial process, and provide federal & state funding for alternate programs.
