Day Two at the National Latino Congreso

Estoy aquí para el segundo día del Congreso Latino Nacional. It's been another full day of thoughtful speeches, incisive comments and impassioned remarks--now at the Sheraton Hotel. I write this while observing the Congreso’s resolutions approval process ("Raise Your Paddles").

If you don't care about politics, you'll be ruled by those who do. - Ruben Luengas

The very interesting and often pithy, Ruben Luengas of Telemundo, was the Master of Ceremony during the State and Local Issues luncheon featuring California state Senator Gil Cedillo, Arizona state Minority Whip, Steve Gallardo, and former Governor and current Attorney General, Jerry Brown. About a dozen of other elected officials were present, including recent Pat Brown Institute honoree and California state Assemblyman, Hector De La Torre. Also present was former Polanco Fellow, current Cedillo aide, and future UC Davis law student, Marvin Pineda; Earth Day Network Communications Manager, Raquel Garcia; and Coro Health Fellows alumna and OxFam supporter, Duyen Nguyen.

My former boss and state Senator from the Downtown Los Angeles, Gil Cedillo, area gave a thoughtful speech about his late wife, efforts to support presidential candidate Barack Obama, and the unfinished work of passing the California DREAM Act and Driver’s License bill (for undocumented immigrants).

By far, the "red bull moment" of the day goes to California state Assemblyman Mike Eng. During the luncheon, the other half of the Monterey Park power couple gave a full-throated introduction of the Attorney General that surprised nearly all in the room. His remarks began to crescendo with “I knew Willie Velazquez” and crested with chants of “Sí, se puede.”

It might have been the coffee or simply the energy infused in his introduction but Brown was very animated in his remarks—often reaching back into history and his own record of public service. The former and possibly future Governor focused on subprime mortgages, the oil/energy issue and education. Following are a few additional nuggets:

• “It’s not a Latino issue; it’s an American issue.” (on supporting driver’s license for undocumented immigrants and the California DREAM Act)
  
• “We need to retake our country; we need to retake our state.”
  
• “I signed the first bilingual education bill in California history. I was there.”

The Congreso crowd swarmed Brown afterwards with requests for handshakes and photos.

After the consideration of many resolutions, Day Two at the National Latino Congreso closed with WCVI and SVREP President, Antonio Gonzalez, introducing Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and CEO of PolicyLink. Lifting words notwithstanding, Ms. Blackwell received a standing ovation twice--as she approached the podium and upon finishing her comments. Tomorrow's final session on the "Challenges and Opportunities in Black-Latino Relations: Call for a Black-Latino Summit" should prove insightful.

(Footage of the speakers I recorded will be posted in the coming days.)