Roberto Roquillo Nomination(10)

RESOLUTION 10: Roberto Roquillo Nomination

WHEREAS THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC) supports the purpose of fostering and enlarging the opportunities for training, education, civil rights, job opportunities, housing, economic development, and welfare of all Hispanics in the United States; and,

WHEREAS, Hispanics now constitute approximately eight percent of the population of Massachusetts are the largest "minority" in the Commonwealth, but only six Hispanics are now sitting in the judiciary, representing approximately 1.5 percent of the judges, and;

WHEREAS, a court should look and sound like the people it serves, and;

WHEREAS, the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts is predominantly Hispanic, and many of its residents speak Spanish as their first language, and;

WHEREAS, most of the Chelsea District Court's business involves Hispanics, many or most of whom speak English poorly if at all, and;

WHEREAS, no judge, clerk or court personnel in the Chelsea District Court are Hispanic or Spanish speaking, and;

WHEREAS, public justice is poorly served by a judicial system which does not understand its clients and which is not understood by its clients, and;

WHEREAS, it is critical to principles of justice that judges beware of and sensitive to the needs of the community, and be able to communicate with people before the court, and;

WHEREAS, the presence of Hispanic judges would help to end ethnic stereotyping and provide a positive role model for Hispanic youth in Chelsea and Massachusetts, and;

WHEREAS, the presence of a single Latino or Latina judge on the bench in the Chelsea District Court will radically improve the quality of justice for Chelsea's Hispanic population and for the population as a whole, and;

WHEREAS, a vacancy will occur on the bench of the Chelsea District Court in August 1998, and;

WHEREAS, a coalition of local and state organizations have formed the Latino(a) Judge for Chelsea Campaign to promote the appointment of a Latino to the bench of the Chelsea District Court, including the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys; the Chelsea Hispanic Commission; City Year; Urban Edge; La Collaborative de Chelsea; ROCA, Inc.; LULAC ; National Congress of Puerto Rican Rights; Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation; Marlboro Street Neighborhood Association; the Chelsea Christian Committee; El Mundo; Radiolandia; Dia y Noche and La Semana, and;

WHEREAS, legitimate concerns of the people of Chelsea regarding adequate representation in the judicial system and public office overall are concerns o the entire Hispanic community and Hispanic attorneys in general.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the 1998 National Assembly convened in Dallas, Texas on the 4th day of July, 1998, LULAC join the Latino(a) Judge for Chelsea Campaign and calls upon the Governor of Massachusetts to appoint a Latino to fill the vacancy which will occur on the bench of the Chelsea District Court, and;

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC joins the Latino(a) Judge for Chelsea Campaign in endorsing and supporting the nomination of Roberto Ronquillo to the bench of the Chelsea District Court.

Approved this 4th day of July, 1998.

Rick Dovalina
LULAC National President