National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators
Encyclopedia
The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) is the non-partisan, 501(C)(3) organization founded in 1989 by then Colorado State Senator, Larry Trujillo. NHCSL today represents over 320 elected Hispanic
State legislators throughout the United States
, Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands
. Since its founding, the NHCSL's primary mission has been development of policies and procedures that enhance quality of life for Hispanic Communities across the country.
The NHCSL continues to be a leader in the fight for additional resources at all levels of government
. Hispanics nationwide can benefit from better housing
, education
, healthcare, and business opportunities in both the public
and private sector
s. NHCSL works on behalf of State Legislators with Congress
, the White House
and the national advocacy
community to influence and direct these important national priorities.
The NHCSL is the preeminent organization serving and representing the interests of Hispanic state legislators from all states, commonwealths, and territories of the United States. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for joint action on issues of common concern to all segments of the Hispanic community; a forum for information exchange
and member networking
; an institute for leadership
training; a liaison with sister U.S. Hispanic organizations throughout the country; a promoter of public/private partnerships with business and labor; and a partner with Hispanic state or provincial legislators and their associations representing Central
and South America
.
In addition to the leadership team, NHCSL is governed by a 28-member executive committee
.
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
State legislators throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
. Since its founding, the NHCSL's primary mission has been development of policies and procedures that enhance quality of life for Hispanic Communities across the country.
The NHCSL continues to be a leader in the fight for additional resources at all levels of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. Hispanics nationwide can benefit from better housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, healthcare, and business opportunities in both the public
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
and private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
s. NHCSL works on behalf of State Legislators with Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and the national advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
community to influence and direct these important national priorities.
The NHCSL is the preeminent organization serving and representing the interests of Hispanic state legislators from all states, commonwealths, and territories of the United States. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for joint action on issues of common concern to all segments of the Hispanic community; a forum for information exchange
Information exchange
Information exchange is an informal term that can either refer to bidirectional information transmission/information transfer in telecommunications and computer science or communication seen from a system-theoretic or information-theoretic point of view....
and member networking
Business networking
Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities. A business network is a type of social network whose reason for existing is business activity...
; an institute for leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
training; a liaison with sister U.S. Hispanic organizations throughout the country; a promoter of public/private partnerships with business and labor; and a partner with Hispanic state or provincial legislators and their associations representing Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
NHCSL leadership
- State Senator Iris MartinezIris MartinezIris Y. Martinez is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 20th district since 2003. She is also the Assistant Majority Leader in the State Senate.- Early life :...
(IL), President - State Representative Minnie Gonzalez (CT), First Vice President
- State Representative Mario GoicoMario GoicoMario Goico is a Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 100th district. He has served since 2003.-Committee membership:* Taxation* Vision 2020* Veterans, Military and Homeland Security...
(KS), VP for Public Policy - State Representative Pedro "Pete" Marin (GA), VP for Membership
- State Senator Juan M. Pichardo (RI), Secretary
- State Representative Mara Candelaria ReardonMara Candelaria ReardonMara Candelaria Reardon is a Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 12th District since 2006.Reardon served as executive director of Lake County, Indiana's Drug Free Alliance.-External links:...
(IN), Treasuer - State Senator Ross I. RomeroRoss I. RomeroRoss I. Romero is an American politician and Attorney from Utah. A Democrat, he is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the state's 7th senate district in Salt Lake County including the East Bench of Salt Lake City....
, Parliamentarian - State Representative Joseph E. MiroJoseph MiróJoseph E. Miró is a Republican member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing the 22nd District since 1998...
, Immediate Past President
In addition to the leadership team, NHCSL is governed by a 28-member executive committee
Executive Committee
Executive Committee may refer to:* The Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland, a government body in the United Kingdom 1921–1972* The Northern Ireland Executive, a government body in the United Kingdom...
.
NHCSL staff
- Rhina Villatoro, Policy and Communications Manager
- Nelly Robles, Administrative Policy Associate