For Events & Photos from 2015-2019, CLICK HERE
VLLC Summer Fiesta Politica!
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August 31, 2022, was the date of VLLC’s Summer Fiesta Politica, with special guest Congressman Don Beyer. We had a wonderful gathering of friends, activists and supporters at Chilcanos Restobar in Falls Church for the purpose of raising funds to promote Latino voter turnout in Virginia this November. Through this effort, we will encourage Latinos to vote for candidates who respect and support the Latino and immigrant communities in Virginia. Your help will make it possible for VLLC to purchase print and radio advertising, promote our message on social media, and hire staff who can actively work on our Latino Get Out The Vote effort. Thank you to all who attended this event!
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We especially appreciate the support of our sponsors and hosts:
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Gold Sponsors
SEIU 32BJ
UNITE HERE
Hon. Don Beyer
Hon. Kathleen Murphy
Silver Sponsors
Hon. César del Aguila
Hon. Alfonso Lopez
Hon. J Walter Tejada
Bronze Sponsors
Carla Bustillos
Estuardo Rodriguez
Hosts
Hon. Canek Aguirre, Hon. Fernando "Marty" Martinez, Hon. Ignacia Moreno, Hon. Dalia Palchik, Hon. Tannia Talento, Hon. Emma Violand-Sanchez, Beatriz Amberman, Paul Berry, Maria Cristina Caballero, Dulce Carrillo, Javier Cuebas, Carolina Espinal, Chris Falcón, Raul Herrera, Lorinda Maes, Sam McTyre, Sergio Rimola, Zuraya Tapia-Hadley,
Andres Tobar, Albert Vega, Cecilia Williams
VLLC hosts press conference to protest Virginia Governor’s divisive actions against Latinos and Immigrants, and to highlight immigrant contributions in Commonwealth
On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, the Virginia Latino Leaders Council (VLLC), along with the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations and the Dream Project, hosted a press conference to protest the actions of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin against Latinos and immigrants. The press conference took place at 11:00 am at Café Sazón, 4704 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA. In particular, speakers decried the governor’s actions that pit communities against each other and that diminish support for our hard working immigrant students and families, calling instead for steps that bring us together and provide continued support. We specifically questioned why, despite a $2 billion budget surplus, the governor chose to divert scholarship funding from Latino immigrant students to Historically Black colleges and universities, effectively pitting one group against another, when both communities are in need of support. We illustrated the many ways our immigrant students contribute to Virginia, and as future voters, reflect a growing power.
Speakers included Andres Tobar, VLLC Executive Director; the Honorable J. Walter Tejada, President of VLLC; Beatriz Amberman, Chair, Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations; Karen Vallejos, Executive Director of The Dream Project; and Hareth Andrade, an early Virginia Dream Project scholarship recipient.
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(Pictured from left to right: VLLC Board Member Emma Violand Sanchez, Dream Project Executive Director Karen Vallejos, Former Dream Scholar Hareth Andrade, State Delegate Alfonso Lopez; VLLC President J. Walter Tejada, VLLC Board Member Leesburg Councilman Marty Martinez, VLLC Executive Director Andres Tobar)
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Podcast of Press Conference
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VLLC Co-Sponsors Unidos por Ucrania (United for Ukraine)
On Saturday, April 9, 2022, the Virginia Latino Leaders Council joined Latino organizations SALEX and the Virginia League of United Latin American Citizens, to co-sponsor Unidos por Ucrania, with the goal of collecting new coats, blankets and other cold-weather items to ship to victims of the war in Ukraine. Thanks to community support, we collected many bags of items that were sent via Poland for distribution.
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Traditional Annual Working Meeting with the Governor
On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, VLLC hosted our Annual Working Meeting with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to discuss current issues of concern to the Latino community. Unfortunately, this traditional meeting was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and we were thrilled this year to continue our conversation virtually. We met with the governor and high-level staff, including representatives from the Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Virginia Secretary of Education, the Virginia Department of Health, and staff from the governor’s office. Along with VLLC members, our invited presenters this year included representatives of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board (VLAB), Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights (VACIR), and the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO). Topics highlighted the limited access to the COVID vaccine for Latino and immigrant communities; challenges to obtaining Driver’s Privilege Cards; equitable educational opportunities for Latinos and immigrants; the absence of high-level Latino staff in the current administration, and others.
For Events & Photos from 2015-2019, CLICK HERE