LULAC Marks Hispanic Heritage Month with Advocacy and Mobilization of Latinos on Immigration Reform and Health Care
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) September 30, 2013 -- As the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the country, LULAC will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an array of activities that promote the organization’s work to help win congressional passage of immigration reform this year.
“Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity for the Latino community to pay tribute to the many contributions our community has made to enrich the cultural fibers of America,” said LULAC National President Margaret Moran. “It’s also a time to highlight the work that still lies ahead. LULAC commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month by organizing and participating in the most sacred part of our American experience – our ability to advocate on the issues that impact our lives.”
On October 1, LULAC will hold a nationwide live stream broadcast of the grand opening of the health insurance marketplace which is projected to help 10.2 million Latino families obtain affordable health insurance. The live stream presentation will also include a step-by-step demonstration of how families can sign up for health care insurance and participants will be able to ask questions of top experts from the Health and Human Services Administration. LULAC also will participate in the National Hispanic Week of Action -- October 21-28 -- by providing information in Spanish to the Latino community regarding the new health coverage options available to them through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
During this week, as the marketplace for the historic Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, opens, LULAC will conduct ACTober: Fall Advocacy Days, which includes meetings with over 80 congressional offices on Capitol Hill to address key policy issues that affect the Latino community.
LULAC members will attend panel discussions and briefings on health care, education, immigration reform, civil rights, and the status of Puerto Rico. In addition, LULAC members will participate in a White House Policy Summit where they will be briefed by Administration officials including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz, and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition Dr. Libia Gil.
LULAC’s work and outreach will be highlighted at a press conference on Thursday, October 3, on the steps of Capitol Hill.
With immigration topping the list of LULAC priorities in 2013, LULAC has held more than 60 town halls across the country on immigration this year alone.
On health care, the national organization, with more than 900 councils, is part of the Champions for Coverage, a program launched by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which promotes activities to encourage the Latino community to sign up for health care insurance made available by the Affordable Care Act.
On October 5, LULAC will join a national campaign to press the House of Representatives to pass immigration reform. Also, with the help of its massive grassroots network and over 130,000 volunteers LULAC will also participate in marches and rallies taking place in over 40 cities across the nation.
In addition, from October 2 -6, 53 students will participate in advocacy visits as part of LULAC National Educational Services (LNESC) Washington Youth Leadership Seminar. For the past 40 years, LNESC has provided Latino students across the country with educational programs to help them succeed in school. To commemorate their service, the organization will host its 40th Anniversary Scholarship Gala on October 4 at the Newseum.
Actober is Time for Action
LULAC members and the public also are invited to participate in Action Alerts.
Click on any of the links below to contact your Member of Congress regarding the critical issues affecting the Latino community.
Sequestration
Over the next few days, Congress will be voting whether to shut down the government or pass what's called a "continuing resolution" that lets the government keep operating while Congress negotiates broader legislation to fund critical programs and services. September 30 is the deadline for Congress to do something before the end of the fiscal cycle. Until Congress agrees, the across-the-board budget cuts that went into effect earlier this year -- under what is called sequestration -- remain in effect. LULAC's advocacy days is a well-timed opportunity to weigh-in with Members of Congress to urge them to repeal the ill-conceived automatic budget cuts under sequestration.
Email your Member of Congress and urge him/her to repeal the sequestration process now.
Immigration Reform
Call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform by joining LULAC’s “I Voted for Immigration Reform” campaign. Once you join the campaign, your member of Congress will receive an “I Voted for Immigration Reform” postcard.
Click here to send a postcard to your Member of Congress urging them to pass comprehensive immigration reform now.
Education
On August 27, LULAC, as a coalition partner of the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE), released a white paper that focused on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waivers for states. The paper found that the waivers provided less accountability for the educational success of underserved students, including Latino students. However, 41 states including the District of Columbia have already been granted these waivers.
Email your Representative and tell him/her to urge the Department of Education to reform the ESEA waiver system.
Paloma Zuleta, LULAC, http://www.LULAC.org, 202-812-4477, [email protected]
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