Which way is the Latino vote going in February (and April)?

 

At a recent meeting, many Latino grassroots leaders formally decided to create the Chicago Latino Coalition 2011 (CLC2011), in an effort to put forward a Latino Platform for the candidates for mayor and other executive offices in the City of Chicago.

 

“Latinos are not going to be ignored in this election, nor are they going to blindly follow any candidates who declare a half-hearted support for Latino issues,” said Omar López, convener of the meeting.

 

The CLC2011 will put forward a Latino platform including issues from Education to Housing, Transportation, Services and Jobs, and will also include Budget issues,

City government and Immigration items.

 

The platform will be presented to all candidates who register for all City of Chicago offices, including Mayor, Alderman, City Clerk and Treasurer, and the CLC 2011 will do “background checks” on those candidates, to review their past commitment to the issues and the Latino community.

 

The CLC 2011 will also start voter registration to increase Latino participation in the election, which currently stands at about 17%. “Ten of 15 percent of the vote in a five or six candidate race will make the Latino community the one who elects the next mayor,” said Alberto Bocanegra Jr. “Without our vote no candidate will be able to win the Mayor’s seat in Chicago.”

 

The CLC 2011 will organize public forums in the Latino neighborhoods, so the candidates can present their points of view and debate the Latino platform.

 

Among the leaders gathered to create the CLC 2011 were Carlos Arango, Carlos Castro, Angel Correa, (Ed.) Omar López, Jorge Mújica, José Landaverde, Israel Rodríguez, Juan Andrés Mora, Carlos Pérez (MCN), Paloma Andrade, Julio César Córtez and Alonso Zaragoza.

 

For more information please contact Omar López (773) 807-0340