Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Latino Caucus
January 28, 2015
Iris Y. Martinez
State Senator
Caucus Co-Chair
Cynthia Soto
State Representative
Caucus Co-Chair
Elizabeth Hernandez
State Representative
Caucus Vice-Chair
Silvana Tabares
State Representative
Caucus Secretary
William Delgado
State Senator
Antonio Muoz
State Senator
Martin Sandoval
State Senator
Edward J. Acevedo
State Representative
Jaime M. Andrade
State Representative
Luis Arroyo
State Representative
Daniel Burke
State Representative
John Cabello
State Representative
Linda Chapa LaVia
State Representative
Fred Crespo
State Representative
Will Guzzardi
State Representative
and our community has much to lose. Compared to the previous administration, the current status of Latinos in
the Rauner administration is as follows:
Quinn Administration
Governors Office
4
State Agency Directors
4
(DOC, ISP, IDFPR, VA)
Latino High Level Staff
228
(SPSAs and PSAs)
Latinos in Boards and Commissions
Education:
ISBE, Chair
P-20 Council, Chair
EFAB, Chair
ICCB, 1 member, 1 nominee
Rauner Administration
Governors Office
1
State Agency Directors
1
(DOL)
Latino High Level Staff
207
(SPSAs and PSAs)
Latinos in Boards and Commissions
Education:
ICCB, 1 member
(-21)
The loss of Latinos in leadership positions at Boards and Commissions focused on education is of particular concern
given that education is a top priority issue for Latinos across the state. It is alarming to us, as a Caucus and as a
community, to have lost so many important and influential Latino voices in statewide education policy and resource
allocation boards. We are committed to working with you to ensure there is significant Latino leadership in these
important statewide decision making tables and across key Boards and Commissions.
We applaud your recent executive order requiring state contractors to report the number of minorities and
veterans participating in training opportunities. As you well stated we need to ensure jobs and business
opportunities are open to everyone, but especially those who serve our country or are underrepresented in the
economy..I will be a governor who champions our veterans and historically-disadvantaged communities.
However, recent actions by your administration seem to be moving in the opposite direction from this executive
order. We urge you to lead by example by ensuring that Latinos can participate fully in the employment and
management opportunities in your administration.
There is much at stake for the Latino community and for the state as a whole. The Caucus is anxious to meet with
you and discuss ways that we can work together to improve Latino representation in the states workforce,
especially in decision making positions. We propose to move forward with quarterly monitoring of Latino
employment, along with other key state indicators such as boards and commissions, grants, contracts, capital
development, etc.
We are looking forward to meeting with you this week to discuss these urgent matters.
Sincerely,
____________________________________
Senator Iris Y. Martinez, Co-Chair
Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus
Cc: Latino Caucus Members
__________________________________________
Representative Cynthia Soto, Co-Chair
Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus