With Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia last week, the battle lines for November were officially set. Here are five things that Latinos learned from the display of Democratic ideals and policies.
1. Democrats Are Willing to Put Immigrants – Legal and Undocumented – Front & Center
From elected leaders like Rep. Luis Gutierrez, or Rep. Loretta Sanchez to immigrant activists like DREAMER Astrid Silva and 11 -year old Karla Lopez, Democrats made it clear not only that they were the party of diversity but of comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform.
While Republicans spent their 15 minutes of fame in Cleveland promoting a security-first approach to immigration that sought to penalize undocumented families and their allies, Democrats rolled out their most progressive platform position on the issue to date. This compared to 2012, when Democrats went with a law and order them approach, that emphasized the need for everyone to wait in line for their chance at the American Dream.
The display also doesn’t just seem for show. Latinos hold key positions in Hillary Clinton’s campaign structure. People like Amanda Renteria (National Political Director), Betsaida Alcantara (Director of Media Planning), Jose Villarreal (Treasurer) and Xochitl Hinojosa (Director of Coalitions Press) are all staffers with years of experience in politics and working for the national campaign team and not just in Latino specific positions.You could argue about the parties’ approach to the issue, but it seems at least in one party, Latinos are helping to craft policy and not just defending it.