Sen. Linares, Sen. Fasano Meet With Hispanic Federation (CT Latino News)

Article as it appeared on CT Latino News

The Hispanic Federation, which has been working to build a statewide Latino advocacy organization in Connecticut, held its 2nd annual “Orgulo Y Poder” ( Pride and Power) Legislative luncheon at the State Capitol this week, attracting some high powered government types, as well as the interest of Republican leaders.

Jose Calderon, the national President of the Hispanic Federation traveled from New York to meet with decision makers as the organization works to help harness and mobilize the power of the state’s more than 500,000 Latinos. This event, organizers say, builds on the release of its policy report – Latino Connecticut: A Call To Action, which served as a Latino voter mobilization campaign by the Hispanic Federation’s member organizations that targeted over 100,000 voters last fall. The Hispanic Federation, based in New York, serves as an umbrella organization for over 100 Latino non-profits in the tri-state area and currently represents 11 Latino-led nonprofit organizations around Connecticut.

Ironically, while conventional wisdom has dictated for years that the majority of Latinos vote Democrat, the state’s GOP left no doubt of its interest in this voter block, with the Senates’ Top Republican, Senator Len Fazzano, attending and asked to speak. Democratic legislators missed the program as a caucus of the House Democrats was called for the same time.