SOL Summit Sets Agenda for Latinos in NYC

As New York City gears up for a mayoral race and other key election contests in the fall, defining policies for the next four years at City Hall is not only critically important to the vitality of our communities – it’s critical to the vitality of New York City. That’s why the Hispanic Federation has partnered with the New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito, Councilmembers Ydanis Rodriguez and Carlos Menchaca, other Latino Council leaders, and three of CUNY’s Latino-serving research centers to create the Summit of Latinos or SOL.

At the heart of SOL is the need for policy makers to have a clear understanding of where our communities currently stand. This is because we're nearly a third of New York City, 40% of the student population, a large part of the city's current workforce, and soon to be a plurality of that workforce. From criminal justice and mental health, to employment and education, we have convened to analyze data, hear from experts and create concrete, culturally sensitive, and actionable proposals for the City Council and the Mayor. It's not hyperbole to say that as the future of the Latino community goes, so goes the future of this city.

The full-day Summit began June 1st at 8:30am at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Over 250 people attended. The CUNY Research Institutes that have been instrumental in making SOL possible, are the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, and the Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute.

“There is a great deal at stake in the upcoming elections here in New York City, especially given what’s happening in Washington,” said Hispanic Federation President José Calderón. “We understand the importance of coming together with the top researchers and activists in the city to map the problems we face and debate the best solutions to address them. Thankfully, our city’s Latino community has some of the best minds on the complicated issues confronting our great metropolis and nation.”