In the News

December 05, 2022

By: Matthew Miranda

Latinos, mostly Democrats, continue to make gains in the Legislature, pushing them closer to equal representation with California’s population.

With midterm results finalizing, the Legislature is on track for its largest class of Latinos in history, increasing from 32 to 39 lawmakers. All but five of them are Democrats.

Latinos will now make up 32.5% of the California Legislature, which consists of 80 Assembly seats and 40 Senate seats.

December 07, 2020

By: Kim Bojorquez 

At a small gathering in mid-June, Monse Villarreal celebrated her college graduation at her family’s Sacramento home. The graduation ceremony had gone virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the first person in her household to graduate from college, it was important for the 22-year-old to mark the milestone with her loved ones.

But more than two weeks after the gathering, her grandmother, Hermelinda Ruiz, had trouble breathing and chest pain.

December 04, 2020

By: Andre Torrez

SAN FRANCISCO - California Latino Legislative Caucus on Friday urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to prioritize state farmworkers in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.

October 09, 2020

By: Kim Bojórquez

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, announced a new initiative Friday with a “laser focus” to address economic and educational disparities impacting Latinas, who represent one in every five Californians.

The “Unseen Latinas Initiative,” an effort by the California Latino Legislative Caucus led by Gonzalez, is a two-year initiative that is planned to lead to solutions to address the opportunity gaps Hispanic women face.

September 30, 2020

Depriving workers of $1,200 checks caused a $10 billion loss in economic activity.

By: Lorena Gonzalez and Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda

Among the many policy failures of our national Covid-19 response, the exclusion of 18.1 million people, including 4.9 million U.S. citizens, from federal stimulus packages will go down as one of the most economically devastating self-inflicted wounds.

September 18, 2020

By: Kim Bojorquez

A new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday allows more undocumented immigrants to receive a state tax credit worth hundreds of dollars.

The change is meant to put money in the pockets of low-income households regardless of immigration status during the recession brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. California is the only state offering the so-called Earned Income Tax Credit to undocumented residents.

August 27, 2020

By: Kim Bojórquez 

For the first time, Latinos represent the largest ethnic group among freshmen admitted to the University of California system this year.

The milestone comes 25 years after California passed Proposition 209, which among other provisions banned consideration of race or ethnicity in public education.

But Latinos affirmative action advocates say it’s not enough.

July 23, 2020

By: Kim Bojorquez 

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative released on Thursday a set of policy recommendations aimed at policymakers and political leaders to improve opportunities for Latino communities and push them towards a road to an “equitable recovery” in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 38-page agenda, titled the 21st Century Latino Agenda, focuses on climate change, voting rights, health, immigrant rights, education, housing, criminal justice and economic opportunity.

June 18, 2020

On behalf of the entire California Latino Legislative Caucus, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) and Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Chair and Vice Chair of Caucus, made the following statements after today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.