La Liga: Weekly Newsletter
February 8, 2020

Issue No. 3
LULAC.org

Hello John,

We are extremely proud of LULAC’s community work in Iowa, and have several important upcoming events including a Presidential Town Hall in Nevada and a symposium for federal careers in Maryland.

By Diego Tum-Monge

LULAC Iowa and Voter Outreach

Officials of Iowa are reporting that the Latino population in Iowa increased by 135.8% from 2000-2018. This is why it is more important than ever, in a state with a smaller Latino population, to ensure that our community has an impactful voice in the elections--especially when we see the razor close results from the Iowa caucuses this year.

LULAC has a long history of defending voting rights and empowering Latinos in Iowa. In 2016, LULAC National and LULAC Iowa’s eighteen councils, led a massive ground campaign--which included a LULAC “Vote Van” that traveled more than 5,000 miles across the state. The result? Latinos accounted for one out of every eight Iowa caucus-goers.

Most recently, LULAC worked diligently to identify and register Latino voters with the close support of LULAC Iowa members. The majority of the Latinos who were registered by our work are below the age of 35. Joe Henry and Nick Salazar of Council 307 and 371 are leading LULAC Iowa in empowering and mobilizing the Latino vote in 2020, which includes the following:

• Caucus training and mock caucus workshops to educate members of the Latino community about the caucus process;
• Hosted the LULAC Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum in Des Moines where members of the local community had an opportunity to listen to the candidates and ask them questions;
• Organized satellite caucus locations in the largest Latino communities where the entire caucus process could be held in Spanish for the first time ever.

Here is what LULAC leadership has to say about these efforts.

Domingo García, LULAC National President: “Our local LULAC councils have invested years of hard work throughout the state talking to neighbors, hitting the phones, holding community meetings, and getting Latinos registered to vote. If these actions don’t encourage candidates to care about what matters to our community, what will?”

LULAC CEO Sindy Benavides: “The Latino community has grown to become the largest minority voting block as we begin the 2020 elections process. Every 30 seconds, a Latino turns 18-years old in this country. These statistics matter everywhere and even more so in states with smaller populations like Iowa. The results here now set the tone for the rest of the Democratic presidential primary cycle.”

Thank you to the hundreds of LULAC members and other Latinos from across Iowa who put in the daily work to get our voices heard in 2020. The success of your efforts in the state is a testament to all your dedication and commitment . Now, let’s move forward! Our job continues in other states including Nevada where we will host the Nevada Town Hall. Visit us for more information and to register.

LULAC Presidential Town Hall, Las Vegas

SIGN UP! Due to extreme demand, registration is mandatory to accommodate attendees.

FTI Young Professional & Collegiate Symposium
Register by: Friday, February 14

Join LULAC’s Federal Training Institute (FTI) for the “Cultivating Talent for Tomorrow” Young Professionals & Collegiate Symposium. The event is FREE and will take place on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at the William H. Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

This event is open to all students, career counselors, college staff, recent graduates and professionals interested in a career in the federal government. We will provide participants with the proper resources and information necessary to successfully apply and interview for work in the federal government. To register visit www.lulac.org/collegesymposium.

LULAC’S Legislative Conference and Award Gala

We are THREE weeks away from LULAC’s annual Legislative Conference and Award Gala.

State of Latino America Summit

Join us for this important election-year event where our conversations will explore priority issues that are impacting the Latino community. Be a part of the vital discussions with policy experts and elected officials.

Legislative Awards Gala

In the evening, we will highlight key Latino trailblazers at this year’s showcase event where we recognize notable leaders from key sectors for their work in empowering and advocating for the Latino Community.

Emerge Latino Conference

Throughout the week’s programs, our future #LatinoLeaders can learn about current policy issues and how to pursue a career in politics at our Emerge Latino Conference, as well as its climax, the WeRun Campaign Training Institute.

Photo Credit: SomosArandas.com.

Can you help my family?

A Latino family from Aurora, Illinois needs our help after being beaten and shot by thieves during a holiday trip to Mexico just before Christmas. Luis Gutierrez, 52-years old, was driving the family’s SUV at night with his daughter and elderly father when they were confronted by gunmen at a roadside rest stop. The attackers demanded their money and possessions, beat the three victims, then forced Gutierrez into their vehicle. The assailants were arguing about when and where to kill him because the driver didn't want to clean up the blood from his car. During the argument, Gutierrez managed to escape but not before being shot twice leaving him in critical condition. Following their rescue, the family was airlifted back to the U.S. His son says, “My father has dedicated his life to protecting his family and providing us with a better future. I am not sure why this happened to us but I am extremely thankful for the community coming together to help.”

LULAC has agreed to support this family as we see the struggle they are facing. Will you join us in supporting Luis and his family?

Grow with Google Workshops: Business Model
Applications will open later this month.

If you are interested in learning more about applied digital skills or simply want to pick up a skill with Google Suite, join our Grow with Google workshops happening throughout eight states. The Grow with Google workshops are designed to empower aspiring Latino entrepreneurs and small business owners by helping them to improve their service processes and office administration. The first workshops are coming up!

Keep a look out for the next Request for Proposals (RFP) on the second phase of the Grow with Google Workshops which will center on business development in our community. You will be invited to submit a proposal in mid-February 2020.

For any questions about the Grow with Google workshops or funding opportunities, reach out to Alberto Vargas, GwG Program Coordinator at [email protected].

Latina Entrepreneur Academy
Join us for our last two informational calls!

There are two calls coming up for the Latina Entrepreneur Academy. These are scheduled for Friday, February 14 at 1 p.m. (MST) and Tuesday, February 18 at 2 p.m. (MST). This is your opportunity to connect with us, learn more about the Academy and how to submit your own application for this RFP cycle.

Call-in number: 866-364-151
Conference Code: 7486909436
Security Pin: 2020

Join us to get answers to any of your questions. For more information or to download the RFP, please visit www.LULAC.org/academy or email [email protected].

Become a Voter Protection Organizer
The Advancement Project is Hiring in Washington, D.C.!

The Advancement Project is dedicated to empowering communities most impacted by economic and racial injustices. Are you an experienced community organizer with an interest in voter protection? Become a Voter Protection Organizer to train and empower local communities.

WATCH: In Iowa, How Bernie Sanders Won a Trilingual Satellite Caucus
The Intercept; Thursday, February 6

“I’m very confident that if LULAC would not have stepped up and [advocated for bilingual sites], the Iowa Democratic Party would not have secured those bilingual satellite caucuses.”

Meet Veronica Escobar, the Texas Congresswoman Delivering the State of the Union Rebuttal in Spanish
Remezcla; Tuesday, February 4

“Escobar, who made history in 2017 when she and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) became the first Latinas elected to Congress from Texas, called the opportunity ‘incredible.’” Watch the spanish Democratic response>>

In a nod to Spanish-speaking Latino voters, Iowa caucus features bilingual sites.
NBC News; Thursday, January 30

“According to LULAC, 1 of every 8 caucus goers in 2016 was Latino. The group has since focused on voter registration, adding 10,000 new Latino voters, and said about 70 percent of Latinos in the state are registered.”

‘Othered’ in America: An old story, still playing out daily
AP News; Monday, February 3

“For minorities in the United States — from Latinos to African Americans to Muslims and beyond — being viewed with suspicion is something that can happen at any time in a number of ways.”

LULAC Press Releases

LULAC National Leadership Reacts to President Trump’s State of the Union Address
Tuesday, February 4

Trump Continues To Fulfill Racist Agenda With Addition Of New Countries To Travel Ban
Monday, February 3

LULAC Denounces USCIS Public Charge Rule Implementation
Monday, February 3

Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using @LULAC and #LULAC for a chance to be in the next issue of La Liga! Here are the Highlights of the Week.

Let’s continue to empower all Latinos to use and grow their voices. See you next week.

WHAT’S NEXT?

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