OPM Chief Ben Barnes was among those attending the Hispanic Federation Pride & Power Legislative Luncheon.
The Hispanic Federation, which has been working to build a statewide Latino advocacy organization in Connecticut, held its 2nd annual “Orgulo Y Poder” ( Pride and Power) Legislative luncheon at the State Capitol this week, attracting some high powered government types, as well as the interest of Republican leaders.
Jose Calderon, the national President of the Hispanic Federation traveled from New York to meet with decision makers as the organization works to help harness and mobilize the power of the state’s more than 500,000 Latinos. This event, organizers say, builds on the release of its policy report – Latino Connecticut: A Call To Action, which served as a Latino voter mobilization campaign by the Hispanic Federation’s member organizations that targeted over 100,000 voters last fall. The Hispanic Federation, based in New York, serves as an umbrella organization for over 100 Latino non-profits in the tri-state area and currently represents 11 Latino-led nonprofit organizations around Connecticut.
Ironically, while conventional wisdom has dictated for years that the majority of Latinos vote Democrat, the state’s GOP left no doubt of its interest in this voter block, with the Senates’ Top Republican, Senator Len Fasano, attending and asked to speak. Democratic legislators missed the program as a caucus of the House Democrats was called for the same time.
A photo gallery of the event follows:
Ingrid Alvarez- DiMarzo, Executive Director of Hispanic Federation, CT, Senator Art Linares (R) and Jose Calderón , President of the Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Federation President Jose Calderón and Senator Art Linares discuss policy issues.
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Senator Len Fasano, the Senate Minority Leader, was asked to speak at the event.
Ingrid Alvarez-DiMarzo and Representative Aundré Bumgardner (R)
Nora Duncan, State Director of AARP and CT Attorney General George Jepsen were among those who attended the legislative luncheon.
Long time Latino Advocate Luis Caban and Secretary of State, Denise Merrill catch up at the event.
Yanil Teron, Executive Director of the Center for Latino Progress in Hartford, discusses policy issues with representatives of other non-profit agencies.
State Senator Gary Holder-Winfield (D) was the only Democratic legislator who was able to attend the program.
Jose Calderon, Lobbyist Paul Nunez, and the GOP’s new Director of Urban Affairs, Avery Gaddis
Leaders of numerous Latino-led non-profits attended the program.
Werner Oyanadel, Executive Director of LPRAC listens to the speakers at the Hispanic Federation Legislative luncheon
