Resolution - : FOR A CALL FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE, COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, AND ALL STATE CABINET SECRETARIES TO SIGN A COMPREHENSIVE NEW MEXICO HISPANO/LATINO AGENDA IN 2010 TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND STANDARD FOR EVERY NEW MEXICAN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN PERPETUITY

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, New Mexico LULAC, the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, every Hispano organization in New Mexico and an overwhelming number of Hispanos across the Great State of New Mexico are calling for the creation of a Hispano/Latino Agenda ; 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 a comprehensive Hispano/Latino Agenda be signed to address each of these areas by the New Mexico Legislative Leadership named above, LULAC, the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico and the Hispanic Statement of Cooperation. This Hispano/Latino Agenda will become effective immediately once signed in 2010 and exist in perpetuity.

Approved this 17th day of July 2010.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President