Harvard University Second Conference

The 2nd Annual Harvard University Latino Law and Public Policy Conference "Access To Opportunity" Friday, March 12th - Saturday, March 13th, 1999 A Synopsis by Tomás Alberto Avila

CONTENT The 2nd Annual Harvard University Latino Law and Public Policy Conference ____ 3 "Access To Opportunity" ____________________________________________________ 3 FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1999_________________________________________________________ 3 SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1999 _____________________________________________________ 3

Gaining Access to Capital ________________________________________________ 5 David Cortiella ______________________________________________________________ 5

Raul Hinojosa Ojeda ____________________________________________________ 5 Ruth Sandoval _________________________________________________________ 6 Questions & Answers ______________________________________________________________ 7

Luncheon and Afternoon Address _____________________________________________ 7 Antonio Gonzales _________________________________________________________________ 7

VOTING RIGHTS & POLITICAL REPRESENTATION ______________________ 9 Joaquin Avila ______________________________________________________________ 9 Penda Hair_________________________________________________________________ 9 Louis Desipio ______________________________________________________________ 10 Georgina Verdugo _________________________________________________________ 10

The Black Latino Political Dynamic _______________________________________ 11 Fernando Guerra __________________________________________________________ 11 Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald __________________________________ 12 Luis Fraga ________________________________________________________________ 13 The myth of coalitions_____________________________________________________________ 13

Ms. Maria Echaveste _______________________________________________________ 14 White House Deputy Chief of Staff___________________________________________________ 14

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

The 2nd Annual Harvard University Latino Law and Public Policy Conference "Access To Opportunity" Friday, March 12th - Saturday, March 13th, 1999 Banquet Keynote Address by Maria Echaveste White House Deputy Chief of Staff Sponsor by: The Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy (Kennedy School of Government) The Latino Caucus (Kennedy School of Government), and La Alianza (Harvard Law School) Agenda as follows: FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1999

6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Welcome Reception at Harvard Law School/Registration 7:00 p.m. Welcome Address: Professor Deborah Ramirez, Northeastern University School of Law SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1999 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast/Registration

9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

Emerging Trends in Education Panelists: Mr. Steve Fernandez, Boston Latin High School; Dr. Martin Ahumada, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); Ms. Sheila Chung, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF); More To Be Confirmed. Location: Harvard Law School

11:10 a.m. -12:40 p.m.

Gaining Access to Capital Panelists: Mr. Raul Hinojosa, Member of the Board, L.A.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

Community Development Bank; Mr. Rudy Fuentes, Shaw Pitt; Mr. David Cortea, Inquilinos Borricua en Accion; More To Be Confirmed Location: Harvard Law School 12:45 p.m.-2:00 p.m.

Luncheon and Afternoon Address Mr. ANTONIO GONZALES, President, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project

2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Voting Rights and Political Representation Moderator: Mr. Keith Reeves, Professor of Public Policy, Kennedy School of Government Panelists: Mr. Joaquin Avila, voting rights expert; Mr. Louis DeSipio, professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Ms. Penda Hair, attorney, formerly of NAACP Legal Defense Fund, now in private practice; Ms. Georgina Verdugo, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, formerly of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF). This panel is dedicated to the memory of Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Harvard University Public Service Professor of Jurisprudence Location: Malkin Penthouse, John F. Kennedy School of Government

4:10 p.m.-5:40 p.m.

The Black-Latino Political Dynamic and Electoral Change Moderator: Ms. Grace Flores-Hughes, Vice-President, Inter-Governmental Affairs, USTAR, LLC, and board chair Of the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy Panelists: Professor Luis Fraga, Stanford University, Department of Political Science; Mr. Fernando Guerra, Director, Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University; Congresswoman Juanita Millendar-McDonald (D-CA); More To Be Confirmed Location: Malkin Penthouse, John F. Kennedy School of Government

6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

Banquet Dinner Keynote Address: MS. MARIA ECHAVESTE, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Location: ARCO Forum of Public Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

10:00 p.m.

Salsa Party Location: Harkness Commons, Harvard Law School

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

Emerging Trend in Education 75 % of the Boston School Children are Hispanic We don't have representation and are making sure that we don't have representation. The numbers are manipulated by the powers to be. Unwritten agenda to diminish the Latino education rights and need to take legal action. Policy maker who don't care about our kids Hold the school accountable and sanction the school by the student. This conference only proves to me that what we need to do in order to change the system, is through political empowerment and nothing else.

Gaining Access to Capital David Cortiella Individual wealth should be incorporated into community wealth Community Capital - Symbolic representation of wealth a Sembrar Raices was the theme y no nos mudaremos was the concept. Economic justice not just social justice. Control by the community controlling 9 acres of land in the South End. Promesa community Organization in the South Bronx- delivering medical resources. Moving into Real Estate business to develop community capital. Started as social justice but save the opportunity for economic justice Organizations need to be supportive of NGO'S Less and less of our talent is looking to community development through We need to arise to the opportunity to rescue the institutions. Take idealism and put it to work and challenge our selves to develop economic justice

Raul Hinojosa Ojeda The community development in the Latino community has reach saturation

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

Need to create new institutions that will improve the empowerment of the Latino community. Developing a North American Development Bank similar to the World Development Bank. That bank is now a reality in San Antonio, Texas loans going to local organizations and not governments LA Community Development Bank as opposed to empowerment zone. To create a capital base that will be use as a tool to develop community economic serving as an investment banker and leveraging the community economic power. Develop a Master Plan that doesn't just include the small business, but the creation of other industries. Master Plan should include education and retraining and new institutions that will develop new ideas.

Ruth Sandoval Looking as to whom is in the position of power there are not enough of us in the banking industries Banking officials lead from a collateral point of view, which doesn't work for the Latino community The roll of government offers a lot of guaranteed lending need to change with the time and business changes. The misperception of the minority community as that's how the powers to be look at the Latino community when they go to ask for loans 1. Financial Services Provider Move away from the banking 2. Banking Community There haven't been any reforms Credit scoring/Character 3. Community Development Financial Institutions (Self regulating) 4. Micro Lenders Banks are looking to make money and not making loans.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

The Africans American communities go into the bank with their attorney, their minister, community organizer. Banking reform needs to be address Leadership needs to be elevated in order to understand the same needs. Are we as Hispanics writing books about our history? We need to more people into positions of power in the financial institutions and other organizations. Questions & Answers Hinojosa $10 billions of money transfer to Mexico from the USA Western Union has made $2 billions illegally by charging fees to transactions transferred. Treasury - Permanent Republican Institution" describe by a President Clinton African American Appointee to Dr. Hinojosa. The Latino investment in the Latino community will be larger than Latin America GND countries in 5 nations combined. Dr. Hinojosa. CRA will depend on the next election if it stays alive "Sandoval" is very difficult to collect date on race, because it's been made illegal. Community organization are tied to their funding sources. Developing a "Master Plan" The hardest money to get is the technical support money, which is the hardest to get Dr. Hinojosa

Luncheon and Afternoon Address Antonio Gonzales President, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project A new era in Latino politics and policy, higher rates of participation in the political process Texas and New Mexico had a Latino participation in the 80's

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

A whole new group of candidates that are wining in the electoral votes because of the Latino of vote 1.16 millions in 98 in California. We are electing people that we want at all levels Latinos are able to punish their enemies; politics is not but war without guns. Latinos smash a political party that attacked the Latino community. The Republic party change their strategic to include a Latino agenda and interest. Latino participation has extended beyond politics to other institutions such as the Catholic Church and AFL-CIO; Miguel Contreras is the first Latino in California to head the AFL-CIO. Good impressive news. This evolution has created a new debate about Latinos politics The older school - were not a minority society and we shouldn't be looking around with black minority civil right agenda. We have arrive to the America Agenda and we must change we're middle class We're powerless and now we're empowered. We're the leaders of our community and others Some still see or community as powerless, with news from the 60's 70's The new level of political participation for the next 10 years. 70 - 76 there was a decline in Latino participation in the political process. Subjectively there's a leadership in the Latino leadership and transitioning into new organizations and movements term limits, retirements. New demographics that emerge with the breaking of national barriers, the Mexican Puerto Rican, Cuban must work with the Central America and other immigrants. Entrepreneurial movement in the Latino community Stubborn structural ill of the Latino community which is the large poverty that exist The Latino agenda has to be broaden and training candidates and elected officials, which brings the need for schools. In Texas bringing the top 10% Latinos and Afro-Americans students into University of Texas. We can't consider ourselves powerless, we're in an increase participation in the political process and need to bring the others (poor) into the empowerment (class issue) 1.5 millions Latinos entrepreneurs have no employee and are very fragile, untrained, no access to finance.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

Talk about the broader issues, because the Latinos are in the broader community therefore they benefit. The Fortune 1000 has not created a job in 10 years Home health care worker unions 15 - 20% increases in their revenue. Having more pensions and playing the stock market and access to health care, we want an HMO not more HMO services. Intermestic agenda - the stubborn problems of immigration drugs, democratization in our countries which need to be addres by the residents in USA from each of our countries, because let's not forget "poor there, poor here".

VOTING RIGHTS & POLITICAL REPRESENTATION Joaquin Avila Vote dilution - racial polarization, when ethnic groups vote differently. Racially Restrictive Governance - The restriction of ethnic groups from participating in the voting process. Voting Rights Litigation - You have to leverage other institution to gain it. Voting Rights Act - Section 5 Engage in litigation California to implementing section 5 Leverage resources to maximize our efforts

Penda Hair You better get ready! Afro-American and Latinos need to figure out how to work together, because otherwise, the voting rights will disappear 1982 amendment. The Democratic wanted to keep their incumbent white official in power. We have to draw better-looking maps in the redistricting The reason for the redistricting problems and the ugliness of the district maps developed, after the 2000 census will create a clash with the Democratic party, and their desire to retain their elected candidates who in their majority are White, will clash with the Latino community and Afro-Americans. Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

We need to make sure that the redistricting process will be creative, inclusive and realistic. I'm worry about districts composed of 30% Latino and 30% Afro-American, because they'll face difficulty electing an unknown from their ethnic groups. Redistricting should include the transferring of money raising skills, and other necessary skills to the minorities and not just voting capabilities. Build coalitions of Latino, Blacks and poor Whites that will become the working class agenda of political empowerment.

Louis Desipio I'll disagree with Antonio in his report of increased Latino voting participation, because according to my research there's been a decrease in the Latino political participation. California experienced decline in Latino voting in 92-96 while Texas, Chicago increased. New York experience an increased in the Dominican community, but the Puerto Rican participation decreased. Florida also experienced an increased. The sum of the pool of non-voters was greater than 80's. Are we Latinos taking advantage of the political participation? Do the new naturalize get out to vote? The naturalize citizens get out to vote less than their counterpart. Mobilization of the newly naturalize to take advantage of the increase of Latino political movement. Organizing doesn't start with registering to vote and need to be foster by the leaders.

Georgina Verdugo 15 bills tinkering with canceling the census in congress. The congress doesn't want the census numbers to change the decennial census improvement act. The census agenda has become the deal breakers or deal makers in congregational negotiations. Census monitoring board is another layer into beuracracy of the census.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

The Black Latino Political Dynamic Fernando Guerra Black and Latino relationship in California has been the best ever in the last 10 years, despite many obstacles such as government positions and unions. The experience being live in California proves that if the groups are left alone without any intervention from government and national organizations, the groups can do fine by themselves. Prior to 1990 the scenario was that Afro Americans were 13% of the population in Los Angeles, and controlled 20% of the City Council. Out of 80 Assemblymen, 4 were Latinos. After 1996 a mass mobilization and elite mobilization was put into place and political networks were put into place to recruit candidates, fund them and get them elected. One of those recruited was Richard Polanco who was able to pump $1 million into his campaign. Another myth that has been dispelled in California, is that Latinos have to come at the expense of the Afro American community, as the Afro Americans have been able to hold their positions in government. The one reality that has to be accepted by both groups, is that the fast growth of the Latino community will encroached into the African American communities and both groups will to learn to work together and share power. The Black – Latino community will have to accept the reality of a multicultural political power and learn how to capture power, how to keep power as well as how to loose power and prepare for the change in power that will benefit all. Electoral competition is good, but we can’t let it get out of hand. We need to define the relationship in a win-win situation and frame it as an agenda. Latinos are still only 20% of the electorate vote in Los Angeles, but tend to begin the process of defining Latino seats and start working for it, instead of collaborating.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA) I just want to remind Fernando that “one does not give power, one takes it away”. Ethnic minorities make up the majority of this nation, and Latinos are becoming the largest minority. I just want to remind us that this movement didn’t start now, but instead it started in 1954 with Rosa Park refusing to give her seat . Cesar Chavez join Martin Luther King in 1962 in the struggle for equality, and that’s where the Latino/Black relationship starts. The minority coalesce with other groups may produce immediate success, but they won’t last unless the minority groups co coalesce together. The history has been that once one emerged with power the majority will rise to squash that power. During the 1990 census, 830,00 Latinos & Afro Americans were undercounted and it cause the loss of a congregational seat in California and we need to rectify that loss by regaining the seat. Minorities must be cautious no to bring the friction that’s being promoted by the opposition into our communities. Your time is here and you must garner those who don’t vote in order to gain the political power which you rightfully deserve. Let’s challenge the system that’s in front of us, such as the census and the congregational maneuvering and fight against it.

Ronald Walters 12 states with less than 60% whites by 2025 13 states where the Black – Latino will be more than 20% 6 of the 13 states may influence 32% of the electorate votes. There has been a general declined in voters participation, which reached 37% in the last election, which is the lowest in 50 years. One of the big changes that has taken place in the last 10 years, is the creation of a national political infrastructure in the minority community never seen before which allow the mobilization of foot soldiers in local elections, without the need to transfer personnel from other communities. We need to combine political infrastructure that will allow us to take the power away from the majority. Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

There’s a new racial paradigm Class related issues would cause political turbulence that could cause roadblocks to the minority political empowerment.

Luis Fraga We need to provide ourselves with analytical focus and create a 12 year political plan that will cover the next 3 presidential elections for political incorporation in order to gain power, and expand equality and justice. The spike in voter participation have been uneven. We need to reach the youth between the ages 0f 14-17 and exposed them to the political process, before they reach the age of 18 because waiting until they reach such age is too late to get them into the process. By reaching them at the early age, they’ll influence their parents in a trickle up motivation. Policy gains-signs of advancement. Our greatest challenge is coming to terms with the disparities of Latinos and Afro Americans against whites. The myth of coalitions Preconditions Recognition of respective self interest. Redefining the national agenda with direct coalition with the Afro American community. Four Dimensional Stages in Changing a National Agenda 1. 2. 3. 4.

Create a new policy image Institutionalization of formal rules and procedures Identification and realization of sacrifices. Strategically maintaining consensus with stakeholders.

Developing an informed public interest. Conceptualize what's in everyone's interest. Arguing enhances self interest power. Recommends reading the following books: Contingent Color concienseness Black Wealth/White Wealth

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis

The Ownership Solution Majoritism Leadership promoting self determination, consensus building focus and need to have the following rolls: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Litigators Entrepreneurs Advocates Visionaries

Ms. Maria Echaveste White House Deputy Chief of Staff An elite in leadership Opportunity rest in political power and influence. The power of the disable lobbying have and the Latinos don't have, can be seen in 2 decisions made by Congress. IDEA ( Individual Disability Act) Which gave schools the responsibility to put together a committee of experts to determine if a child's learning problems were due to a disability. Title 1 (Limited English Students) Reauthorize the Kinder Garden and elementary school appropriations. The reason the Nicaraguans obtain their amnesty, was because they had strong Republican political ties. Now the Salvadoran are requesting the same rights through the same process. These decisions will allow 200-300 thousands to become legalize During President Clinton's visit to Central America, the presidents made it very clear that immigration and the Caribbean Basin Initiative are very important issues to them and would like him to address it strongly. The reason CBI hasn't been extended to Central America, has been because of the Needle Work Union opposition to the initiative. The President is aware that if he doesn't address the immigration issue the illegal immigration will get worse.

Tomás Alberto Avila

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Access to Opportunity Conference Synopsis