In the News

SACRAMENTO — When the California Latino Legislative Caucus helped pass a number of pro-immigrant legislation last year, they were heralded by many within the Latino community as trailblazers for recognizing both the changing demographics of the state and their needs.

This year, the Caucus has prepared a different agenda to continue helping and addressing the critical needs faced by the Latino community.

Enrollment by Latinos in California's healthcare insurance exchange surged in the final month of sign-ups after an intensive push to reach that key population.

When Romualdo Pacheco became California’s first Latino to serve as lieutenant governor in 1871 — and later the state’s first Latino governor in 1875 — little did he know that it would be more than a century later before a Latino won a statewide office.

That dry spell was broken when Cruz M. Bustamante, who had made history by becoming the first Latino to serve as Assembly Speaker, won the lieutenant governor’s seat in 2000.

SACRAMENTO — The Diego Luna-directed 'César Chávez' movie, opening nationally on March 28, does not mark the first effort by Hollywood to film the story about the iconic farmworker leader.

"When my father was still alive, he had many Hollywood stars visit him and propose playing his part in a Hollywood film, but he always respectfully declined," said Paul Chávez, César's son and president of the César E. Chávez Foundation.

"At that time, he just thought there were more important things to get done, so time just went by."