Resolution - Hispanic Education Act.

WHEREAS, LULAC is our nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization addressing education, employment and civil rights issues in the United States of America since 1929; and

WHEREAS, LULAC is our Nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization addressing education, employment and civil rights issues in the United States of America since 1929; and

WHEREAS, Through the intense advocacy led by our New Mexico LULAC leadership during the 2009 and 2010 Legislative Sessions, Governor Richardson could no longer turn his head away from the Hispano community after he vetoed Senate Bill 21 to create the New Mexico Department of Hispano Affairs; and

WHEREAS, the Governor’s signing of an Executive Order to create the Department and his appointment of an Hispano Affairs Commission, Governor Richardson had no choice but to respond to the Hispanic community in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Governor Richardson’s veto of SB-21 and ensuing signing of an Executive Order to create the New Mexico Department of Hispano Affairs ignited a movement that made headline news across the country, the BBC news in British Columbia, across Europe and Australia; and

WHEREAS, this national and international pressure forced Governor Bill Richardson to deliver critical Legislation to the Hispano Citizenry of New Mexico and he could no longer hide or neglect the demands of LULAC and the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico’s Hispano community suffers tremendous disparities and poverty in New Mexico. Although Hispanos represent the majority population in New Mexico and New Mexico is the only Hispano majority State in the country, Hispanos are severely underrepresented in all institutions of education and employment, represent the highest numbers of working poor and poverty, represent the highest number of High School drop-outs, over 50% have no medical coverage whatsoever, less than one-third own their own homes, Hispano Business owners generate only 5% of total Business Revenues, and many other issues regarding Land Grants, Immigration & Border issues accurate representation of our history; and

WHEREAS, we reference the October 2007 study conducted by LULAC, the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, the Hispanic Statement of Cooperation (HSOC) and New Mexico Voices for Children; we further reference the signed Hispanic Statement of Cooperation (HSOC) as well as the Seven Initiatives signed by the Secretary of the Air Force and New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation as justification that Hispanos across New Mexico are far from attaining parity and equality in each of the aforementioned areas and in every institution; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the League of United Latin American Citizens will continue to fully and actively support the Hispanic Education Act owes its roots and its existence to the intense monumental and historical advocacy during the 2009 & 2010 Legislative Sessions in New Mexico. This intense lobbying effort led by NM LULAC District 1 Director Ralph Arellanes, State LULAC Director Paul A. Martinez, the entire New Mexico LULAC organization as well as the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico were the catalyst for the creation of the Hispanic Education Act. Yet, this Act alone is a far cry from the much needed Department of Hispano Affairs which must be passed and signed in 2011.

Approved this 17th day of July 2010.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President