Why Become a Member?
"LI moves Latino issues forward in Colorado."
- U.S. Interior Secretary and LI co-founder, Ken Salazar
It is often noted and well-understood by political, business and community leaders that if one segment of society is struggling and not engaged it is a drain on the whole. In Colorado, Latinas make up nearly 10% of the state's population. Yet, as our recent report found, Latinas rank at the bottom in terms of political participation. Because Latinas' political voice has not been realized, it has set the stage for uninformed policy decisions and weakens our state's democracy.
Since 2004, LI has worked to strengthen Colorado's democracy by engaging more Latinas in the political process. We have reached more than 100,000 Colorado Latinas through our events, advocacy efforts, election work, leadership development trainings, youth outreach programs and citizenship classes. Through our work, LI removes barriers that often restrict Latinas from participating in politics such as time, resources and information.
We inspire Latinas to advocate for policy changes such as improvements to our education system, pay equity for women, humane immigration reform, environmental justice and increased access to healthcare. The end goal is to empower Latinas, and ultimately their families, to become a more respected voice in politics. Taken together, our efforts help Colorado's democracy flourish and moves forward policy agendas that benefit all Coloradans.
"By becoming a member of LI, you will add
your name to a collective voice that seeks social justice and advances
civil rights in Colorado."
- Celena Duran, LI Member & Volunteer
