By Joyce Gramza
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-938729.mp3
Syracuse, NY –
A network of some 20 organizations and agencies representing Latinos in the state have released a position paper they call "The Latino Agenda" to the Cuomo-Duffy administration.
The organizations held six news conferences in cities from Buffalo to Albany. They say Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor-elect Robert Duffy won with more than 81 percent of the Latino vote statewide.
In Syracuse, Rita Paniague, executive director of the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County, or "La Liga," says Latino communities hold out high hopes for the new administration.
"We are, in fact, very optimistic on the Cuomo and Duffy election," Paniague says.
"However, we want to make sure that promises are not forgotten or broken, as has been the experience with other administrations in the past Such as, that they will help us with either funding for our agencies, or they will help and assist us with job creation. And once they are elected, then we completely lose them," she says.
Paniague says Latinos must join together to hold policitians to campaign promises.
She says a major "broken promise" of the past was the failure to increase diversity in the state workforce.
The position paper cites figures showing that, while the state's Hispanic population has grown, its government has actually become less diverse and that Latinos and minorities are hugely under-represented in the management of state agencies and the State University of New York system.
That's why one of the 12 recommendations on the "Latino Agenda" is that a newly-created position, Chief Diversity Officer, reporting directly to the Governor, should be filled by a Hispanic.
"This is extremely important to us," Paniague says. "It can begin to chip away at the culture of benign neglect that has adversely impacted the Upstate and Downstate Hispanic community."
Another recommendation: a formal effort or agency targeted to assisting the estimated 27 percent of small businesses in the state that are owned by immigrants or minorities.
Paniague says another major issue is funding for agencies that serve Latino communities in ways the state otherwise couldn't. For example, she says 75 percent of people seeking La Liga's assistance in navigating health care and other challenges are not fluent in English.
"At this point, we're not only serving the client, but we're also serving the government office by bridging the language gap for everybody," says Paniague.
She says Albany will also need to respond to a large influx in immigration to Upstate New York.
"I'm sure that in January the results of the census will show a huge increase in the Latino community in the Upstate New York area."
She says Upstate agencies in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Utica have formed a new group called the "Latino Upstate Alliance" to work together to attract a proper share of Albany's attention.
After the Latino community has supported the candidacy and governorship of elected Governor Cuomo, we definitely are going to be watching to make sure that we get what we're requiring," Paniague says.