Rosalio Munoz attends the four-day National Latino Congresso in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The gathering of hundreds, said to be the largest meeting of Hispanic leaders in decades, is occurring as Congress returns for its fall session. Speakers at the Congreso include Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, and the Rev. Al Sharpton. The conference finishes Saturday afternoon with a rally. (Oscar Hidalgo / Associated Press)
Article Launched: 9/06/2006 09:50 PM
Latino leaders gather in L.A.
Event aims to resurrect reform movement.
By Peter Prengaman, Associated Press
Long Beach Press Telegram
LOS ANGELES - What is being hailed as the largest gathering of Hispanic leaders in decades began Wednesday with promises to re-energize a campaign urging lawmakers to offer a path to citizenship to more than 11 million illegal immigrants.
The four-day National Latino Congreso comes as the U.S. Congress returns for its fall session having all but shelved immigration reform.
The gathering of hundreds also comes as the immigration reform movement which brought hundreds of thousands of marchers to the streets this spring tries to regain momentum.
"This conference is designed to get us back on the offensive," said John Trasvina, interim president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. "Congress is doing nothing for Latino issues."
Sessions include speeches and workshops on registering Hispanic voters, running Hispanic political candidates, wage gaps between Hispanics and whites, environmental issues and a lack of access to health care in immigrant communities.
Speakers include Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, an outspoken advocate of legalizing undocumented immigrants, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and the Rev. Al Sharpton. The conference culminates Saturday afternoon with a rally.
The idea for the gathering developed several years ago when a handful of Hispanic leaders reviewed census data and noted Hispanics still lagged far behind whites in wages, education and access to health care, said Antonio Gonzalez, president of the Texas-based William Velasquez Institute, a think tank focusing on Hispanic issues.
"The gap between Latinos and the white majority has not diminished in 30 years," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said the data were especially alarming because Hispanics are projected to overtake whites as the country's largest group by 2050.
"The challenge of preparing us for our rightful role in America hasn't been fleshed out," he said.
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