LULAC's 17th Annual Legislative Conference and Awards Gala is a Huge Success
February 27, 2014
Contact: Paloma Zuleta, pzuleta at LULAC.org, (202) 812-4477
WASHINGTON, D.C. – LULAC members from across the country traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the LULAC Annual Legislative Conference and Awards Gala. Issues discussed at this year’s legislative conference included comprehensive immigration reform, health disparities, educational inequalities, and technology. The legislative sessions were free and open to the public. LULAC also hosted a technology luncheon where Texas Senator Wendy Davis was recognized with the Presidential Award for her commitment to strengthening the public school system in Texas.
The conference also included the inaugural Emerge Latino Conference. The multi-day leadership event provided students with public policy briefings on critical issues. Congressman Jeff Denham, was honored at the Emerge Latino Collegiate Luncheon with the LULAC Legislative Award.
“This year’s 17th Annual Legislative Conference and Awards Gala was especially meaningful to me because it was the last time I would be presiding over this conference as national president,” said LULAC National President Margaret Moran. “As the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the nation, LULAC took great pride in celebrating the accomplishments of the distinguished honorees.”
At last night’s awards gala, the National Service Award was presented to the Honorable Thomas E. Perez, Secretary of Labor. The Secretary issued a call to action seeking support for fair wages; comprehensive immigration reform; redoubling the efforts to sign people up for the Affordable Care Act; and calling on our fellow Latinos to register and vote in upcoming elections.
The Long Standing Service Award was bestowed upon Eliseo Medina, who accepted the award and in his remarks made a passionate call for immigration reform. Mr. Medina made the compelling point that the cost of doing nothing on immigration reform is more deaths; more children being torn from their families and allowing a status quo that is making a mockery out of a country of immigrants.
The National Presidential Award was presented to the Honorable Leticia Van de Putte, Texas State Senator. The Texas Senator, who is running for Lieutenant Governor, highlighted the significant power of the Latino vote and called upon those in attendance to press politicians to support the issues that improve the quality of life for our community.
The conference was followed by advocacy hill visits where LULAC members met with over 190 Congressional offices, as well as, with agency leaders.
Elected and appointed officials who participated in this year’s Legislative Conference and Awards Gala included: The Honorable Michelle Lujan Grisham; The Honorable Marc Veasey; The Honorable Henry Cuellar; The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart; The Honorable Joe Garcia; The Honorable Zoe Lofgren; The Honorable Joaquin Castro; The Honorable Steven Horsford; The Honorable Mark Takano; The Honorable Grace F. Napolitano; The Honorable Raul Ruiz; The Honorable Ruben Hinojosa; The Honorable Alan Grayson; The Honorable David Cicilline; The Honorable Donald Payne Jr., The Honorable Xavier Becerra; The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; The Honorable John Conyers; The Honorable Blake Farenthold; The Honorable Alan Lowenthal; The Honorable Tony Cardenas; The Honorable Henry C. Johnson; The Honorable Ricardo Rangel; The Honorable Raul Grijalva; The Honorable Pedro Pierluisi; The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee; and The Honorable Patricia Roybal Caballero.
Sponsors for the Awards Gala included Diamond sponsor Walmart; and Platinum sponsors AT&T, Comcast/NBCUniversal/Telemundo, Ford Motor Company, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Toyota and Walgreens.
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