Statewide Latino Advocacy Day - Pennsylvania: March 2008

According to a recent New York Times article, up to ten states will be allowed more discretion on determining which local schools to target additional efforts on.
“The rising number of failing schools is overwhelming states’ capacities to turn them around, and states have complained that the law imposes the same set of sanctions, which can escalate to a school’s closing, on the nation’s worst schools as well as those doing a reasonable job despite some problems,” the NYT article stated.
The measure is drawing both support and criticism from teachers, think tanks, and other groups. For example, the country’s largest teachers union is supporting the measure. However, the representative of the American Federation of Teachers, was quoted in the NYT article as saying: “N.C.L.B. is in need of a dramatic overhaul and cannot be patched up with Band-Aids and pilot programs.”

Read the full article here: “U.S. Eases ‘No Child’ Law as Applied to Some States”

On March 6th, 2008, a delegation from Congreso visited Washington, DC, to participate in NCLR's National Advocacy Day and to speak with Pennsylvania congressmen Robert Casey, Arlen Specter, Robert Brady, and Chaka Fattah. Read below the reactions and comments from our Congreso advocates:

Congreso advocates greet senator Robert Casey.

Congreso advocates Rafael Arismendi,

Edward Garcia, and Ben Morris.

Congreso advocates meet with Senator Robert Casey.

Comments from Sarah Cortes:
Congreso was by far the largest single group there (and loudest), and we came away with some real and tangible results from our meetings.

It is powerful to know that we were able to walk into a federal legislator’s office, educate them about a bill we are in favor of, and leave having convinced them to co-sponsor that bill. We had a great meeting with Senator Casey. He was receptive to what we had to say, engaged in discussion with us, and our numbers were again impressive. We were able to do just as Fattah asked, and provide him with more support for his bill. Our repeated presence in Specter’s office has driven home the fact that we are “go to” people in PA for juvenile justice on a community level.

As a group we were able to sit down together and come up with concrete talking points and strategies for these meetings, and what an articulate, well informed and persuasive group you all are! It was inspiring to watch you all in action.

Comments from Paul Shoe:
WOW, the highest call in a democracy is that of a citizen. I was reminded of that on March 6th, as we navigated through capitol buildings, met various staffers, and legislators of our state the pulse of being in the environment where our future as a country is worked out. The sight and sound of the place made my heart flutter a little standing side by side with you all voicing our stance on national issues that are directly related to our daily work here in our great city. Let us not forget what we did on March 6th, burn it in your memory save some it for later and then chew some more on what happened, let it marinate some. Why, because we need to get ready for another round writing letters, making phone calls, and lifting other up to join in. Participating with you all is my joy for the week.

Some things aren’t worth doing alone but are worth doing together. Thanks for the company, laughs, pointed conversations, and coaching.

Comments from Alida Padilla:
I feel I am truly blessed to be working with a great group of people who have repeatedly shown their dedication and commitment with advocacy issues. Your willingness and drive to be involved in advocacy is part of my motivation to continue doing this kind of community work. We can accomplish so much more when we band together for a common cause.

Advocacy Day this year was truly different from the years past. I think that the years before have paved the way for an effective strategy that came to fruition this year. I want to say good job to Sarah (our relentless mother hen-in a good way!) for keeping it all together and making this trip more seamless and focused than it has been. I appreciated that focus as it gave us an opportunity to become more-result oriented. We can celebrate the small steps taken to a bigger path that awaits us!

For the youth, I want to say thank you for being there. Your presence exemplifies the reasons why we are so determined to let our voices be heard, because we do it for YOUR future, OUR future. I am very proud of you and hope that you came away with a great learning experience, an understanding of the political process, and an actualization how much you DO count.