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LULAC national convention in Little Rock this week Sunday, Jun 26, 2005 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Hola! will be the greeting of choice here this week when as many as 10,000 Hispanic political, community and business leaders from across the nation arrive for the 76th annual League of United Latin American Citizens National Convention and Exposition. The weeklong convention starts Monday with the theme, "Emerging Latino Communities: Strengthening America." Former President Clinton and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will address conventioneers, and singer Gloria Estefan is scheduled to entertain. "There are 40 million Latinos in the U.S. and we hope this year's convention will shine a light on emerging Latino communities and the unique contributions they offer," LULAC National President Hector Flores said in a recent news release announcing the convention. "Little Rock is one of the fastest growing Latino communities in the United States and is contributing to the new face of America," he said. According to 2003 U.S. Census data, Arkansas' Hispanic population grew 437 percent since 1990. Although the state's Hispanic population continues to rise, some are questioning how accommodating the state has been in welcoming its new residents. Hispanic organizations across the nation no longer see Arkansas as a "Hispanic-friendly state," said Angela Schnuerle, who works for U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark. She told the Democratic Party's state committee in May that the state "is being looked at nationally as a model of anti-immigration legislation." "Hispanics no longer know who is friend and who is foe," she said. Specifically, she mentioned the failure during the recently completed legislative session of a bill that would have made children of illegal immigrants eligible for state scholarships to colleges. "We had a Republican governor support the student bill, then we had a Democrat introduce the student bill that allowed undocumented kids to go to college with in-state tuition," she said. "The Democratic Party endorsed that bill, yet we could not get it passed through a majority of Democratic legislators." The measure was approved in the House but failed in the Senate, even after the scholarship eligibility section was removed and the bill was amended to make illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition rates. "This was the first time that Hispanics in Arkansas have been united and were willing to put money and time and get involved in politics," she said. She also mentioned Act 2210 of 2005, which adds restrictions to obtaining a driver's license. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 31, will hamper the new Mexican consulate office planned for Little Rock, she said. Act 2210 will require anyone seeking an Arkansas driver's license for the first time to show a Social Security card or have a Social Security number verified through the Social Security Administration database. Immigrants would have to show proof that they are lawfully in the United States. Schnuerle also noted that state Sen. Jim Holt, R-Springdale, has said he is planning a petition drive to get a constitutional amendment on the 2006 general election ballot that would put limits on state services for illegal immigrants and stricter identification requirements for voter registration. Gary W. Campbell, a Fort Smith city director who also serves as the city's vice mayor, said the state might be a little slow to fully embrace Hispanics who have moved into the state, but he added he thinks things will soon change for the better. Campbell attended the annual Arkansas Municipal League convention in Hot Springs earlier this month and moderated a panel discussion on embracing the Hispanic population. Robert Trevino, Gov. Mike Huckabee's policy adviser for economic development, participated in the discussion, as did Hope City Manager Catherine Cook and Ida Fineburg, chair of the Rogers Community Support Board. "We have a significant influx of Hispanics and by and large I think it's pretty positive," he said. "Their culture is different and I think we're trying to figure out how to get them to understand our culture, and it's important for us to understand their culture and work together. I think we're still feeling our way along on that." Campbell recalled the Vietnamese refugees who settled in the Fort Smith area in the 1970s and said they have assimilated into the community and are doing well. He also said Fort Smith has a large number of Italian, German and Irish immigrants. "I think the Hispanics are going to be very successful, but there's always some rocky spots in the road," he said. "One of the things you have to realize that in times past the way of life was a little slower and it seemed to give people more time to assimilate. "Things are moving much faster these days, so we've got to get in there and help them to understand and get settled," he said. The Fort Smith Board of Directors, Campbell said, has been trying to address the problems faced by Hispanics in the community. A special multicultural committee has been formed to examine the issue, and the board recently passed legislation that allows city employees to earn an additional $1,000 if they become proficient in Spanish. "What we want is when somebody who is of Hispanic origin needs help, we've got a better chance of having somebody who can communicate with them," Campbell said, adding that the legislation was pushed by the city's police department. "We're not going to stop immigration. This country was built by immigrants bringing their creativity and work ethics to make this country better," he said. "Are there differences, yes, there are, but something can be done. We've got to look at what they bring, rather than at the fact that they are different." LULAC is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide. |
