Donate Now: Aid to Latino Families of Baltimore Bridge Tragedy Donate Here
* 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the families impacted by the devastating Baltimore bridge collapse.

LULAC New York State Director Challenges Men To Stand Up For Women

Nation’s Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Will Confront Gender Violence at Its First Major Assembly in Twenty Months

Washington, DC - Aureo Ivan Cardona, New York State Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), calls out men to stand in defense of Latinas or face the threat of even more violence and abuse targeting the community's females. Cardona's call-to-action comes on the eve of the National Women's Conference on November 12 and 13th in New York City. Hundreds of women from across the country and Puerto Rico will address a range of critical issues Latinas face, including increasing gender violence.

Cardona says he feels compelled to issue the warning in the wake of a controversial message on Twitter last Sunday by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), which includes the animated killing of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY). Gosar posted the altered video over the weekend. On Monday, Twitter added a warning to the posting, saying it violated the platform's guidelines of "hateful conduct" but allowed it to remain online "in the public interest."

"Even though we may not agree with all of AOC's views and ideals, she is still a woman, a New Yorker, and still a Boricua, so she's very close to us," says Cardona. "When those fantasies, like Gosar's, become real, these words can be perilous. I am a kid from the South Bronx, and we don't allow abuse of our women or our people, so we fight back. We need to stand up, speak up like men, and tell psychopaths, be careful. They're barking up the wrong tree, and we will defend everything that we are and have, including all the members of our families," adds Cardona.

The theme of the LULAC National Women's Conference is "Overcoming Obstacles Through Resilience and Perseverance." One of the conference organizers, Ralina Cardona, is a LULAC Board Officer, Vice-President for the Northeast, and Aureo Cardona's daughter. She credits his solid and supportive affirmation during her upbringing for her achievements, including being elected to office and passionate public service.

“I think what intimidates men like Gosar and other macho bullies is a woman’s intellect, her mind, and her ability to outshine and even eclipse them,” says Ralina. "Men go after AOC because they can't match her mental capacity and her talent. Sure, men are usually physically stronger, but that's about it. This week's conference is about having strategies to confront gender violence, lack of equity, and equality to overcome these historical injustices. We denounce hateful conduct against AOC or any woman, even in a so-called fantasy which is sick," adds Cardona.

###

About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services, and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/