Hispanic Federation will be headed to Tallahassee, Florida at the end of April to advocate on behalf of the state’s one million Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico Day not only helps to set the legislative agenda for Florida’s Puerto Rican community but also acknowledges the great contributions made by the more than 1 million Boricuas living in the Sunshine State.
“The growing numbers of Puerto Ricans in Florida is creating a new political calculus in the state,” said José Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation. “Legislators in Tallahassee need to hear from Puerto Rican community leaders about the issues they are confronting in their local communities and how government can help. Puerto Rico Day allows us to do that.”
To help kick-off the event, on Tuesday, April 25th Hispanic Federation will host Celebrando Nuestra Fuerza, an LGBTQ reception to honor the contributions of leaders and allies of the state’s LGBTQ community. During the event, HF will honor Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith with the Trailblazer Award and Nancy Rosado with the Social Justice Award.
On Wednesday, April 26th several informational panels will be held at the State Capitol to educate constituents and State representatives on the needs of the Puerto Rican community. HF’s Vice President for Policy and Governmental Relations, José Dávila, will offer a presentation titled, “The Puerto Rican Fiscal Crisis and Changing Demographics in Florida.” The presentation will focus on the research published in Hispanic Federation’s recent Nielsen-sponsored report, “Latinos in Central Florida: The Growing Hispanic Presence in the Sunshine State.” For more information on Puerto Rico Day, please visit http://florida-centropr.nationbuilder.com/ or contact Jessica Orozco Guttlein, AVP for Policy.
