SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Latino Community Foundation’s (LCF) Latino Policy Summit, brings together over 400 Latino leaders to ensure 39% of California’s population is ready to lead and participate in two major civic engagement opportunities in 2020 — the Census and Presidential Election. On Wednesday, April 24th from 8:30am – 12:30pm at the Golden 1 Center, the Summit will convene these leaders from across California to set forth a plan to ensure all Latinos are counted in the 2020 Census and to continue building on the historic Mid-term voter turnout of 2018 that led to major victories in local and state elections.
“We are living in one of the most defining moments in our nation and state’s history. 2019 is a year of preparation and sowing the seeds of change we want to reap for the next decade. As our country experiences a seismic shift in demographics, Latinos have a critical role in shaping the moral, political, and economic future of our country,” said Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. “We have already seen the power young Latinos had in the 2018 Midterm Elections, and now we must make sure they continue to make their voices heard.”
California has the largest Latino voting bloc in the nation with over 7.7 million eligible voters (estimated by Pew Research Center). The 2018 Midterm Elections saw the power of the Latino vote, especially among Latinos ages 18-24 who turned out in record numbers. Places like the Central Valley saw a more than 200 percent increase in voter turnout from 2014. The midterms also saw more Latinos elected to offices across all levels of state government.
LCF will unveil a new mapping tool created with Measure of America, a project of the Social Science Research Council that will provide data on the Latino population’s health, education, employment, housing, and civic engagement across the state. The new California Latino Power Map will also provide a first-of-its-kind visual database of Latino nonprofits across the state. The map will serve as a resource to aid philanthropists, grassroots leaders, businesses, government agencies, and elected officials in identifying local Latino leadership and learning about the powerful work undertaken in their communities. The tool will provide journalists access to information to help in their reporting. It will also allow community leaders to connect to nonprofits, advocate for their constituents, and target services.
Scheduled keynote speakers include Ann O’Leary, Chief of Staff to Governor Gavin Newsom, and Senator Maria Elena Durazo. Speakers on the two plenary panels include Luis Sanchez, Executive Director of Power California; Ditas Katague, Director of the California Census Office; and State Senator Melissa Hurtado.
Because of the strong support of organizations such as John F. Kennedy University, Univision, and Oportun, the annual Policy Summit is the largest gathering of Latino civic influencers across the state.
For more information and schedule, please click here.
What: LCF’s Latino Policy Summit
When: Wednesday, April
24, Check in 8:30 - 9:30am. Program starts at 9:30am - 12:30pm.
Where:
Golden 1 Center, 500 David J. Stern Walk, Sacramento
About Latino Community Foundation:
The Latino Community Foundation is on a mission to unleash the power of Latinos in California by investing in Latino-led organizations dedicated to the transformation of their communities. LCF has the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country and has invested millions of dollars to improve the livelihood of Latino families. It is the only statewide foundation solely focused on investing in Latino youth and families in California. For more info, visit: www.latinocf.org
