It has been a hot and busy summer for the Latina Initiative. Not only did our youth enjoy a life-changing trip to DC, but we have come back ready to defend the rights of our community.  Two very important hearings happened yesterday and Latina Initiative was there to make sure that Latinas were heard.

Most pressingly, last night Denver City Council repealed I-100.  This initiative put a $2,500 bond on people who were driving without their licenses. Over 5,700 people in Denver have lost their car due to the overly high fees mandated by this ordinance.  While no one should drive without a license, this ordinance was mean spirited, aimed directly and unfairly at the Latino community and patently unconstitutional.  It was our duty at the Latina Initiative to speak out against this terrible law as part of a broad coalition led by Councilman Paul Lopez.  I spoke about fear the law has caused, the the misplaced resources, and the undue burden that this law places on low income moms and others. New Era testified regarding the unfair burden on students. Several pastors also spoke out as well as a mom who had her car towed even though she didn't know it was missing. Our testimony and the calls of the community were heard and Council voted 9 to 1 to repeal the law. For news coverage please click here, and in Spanish here. This is an important civil rights victory for Latina/os in Denver because it is the first time Council has seen anti-immigrant laws as the liability they are.

Additionally, yesterday was the Colorado Reapportionment Commission's last hearing in Denver regarding the new State House and Senate maps being drawn this summer.  Latina Initiative testified with our coalition partners Colorado Latino Forum, Mi Familia Vota and COLOR to make sure that Latina/os are not packed into too few districts or cracked into too many districts to be heard.  In testifying about the importance of our ability to elect candidates of choice, I emphasized that we should have as many majority minority districts as possible. Where that's not possible, it is the responsibility of the commission to put us with other like minded communities who embrace diversity and will vote with us and not against us.  Vice-Chair Wellington Web was clear that the Commission would respect our concerns regarding voter suppression in the new maps.  We also received assurances from Delores Atencio, the only Latina on the Commission, that she would be watching out for our needs behind closed doors. Latina Initiative feels confident that with three out of eleven Commissioners being Latino, Commissioners (Chair) Mario Carrera, Arnold Salazar, and Delores Atencio, and the strong voice of former Denver Mayor Wellington Web on the commission that Latina/os will not be marginalized in the current maps.

It is always an honor and a pleasure to be in service to community, but it is especially important that our voice is heard now.  Increased population numbers will mean nothing if we do not receive a fair shake in representation and if we feel intimidated by discriminatory laws.  Latina Initiative is proud to be on the front lines with our partners fighting for our community.