In my opinion one of the major issues affecting the Latino community is the lack of representation in public policy. Despite the fact that Latinos are the largest minority with over 42 million Latinos living in this country, making up around 15% of the population, the Latino community lacks a voice in pertinent governmental organizations and institutions, which indisputably has an effect on policy. Policies which are rudimentary, fundamental, and necessary for the achievement of Latinos within our community, such as health, immigration, education, constitutional law, and economics.

According to Carol Hardy-Fanta, Director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, “The presence – or absence – of Latinos in top advisory positions and as members of boards, commiss-ions, undeniably effects the development and achievement of the Latino community as a whole.” She claims that whites recently made up eighty-seven percent of the top policy-leaders appointed by governors and the President of the United States, while people of color, who make up a quarter of the population, held only twelve percent of policy leadership posts in the United States. Latinos represents only two percent.

Due to the lack of Latino representation in governmental bodies and agencies, Latino communities necessarily lack many of the essential elements and resources to be develop. By that fact, the Latino community, being aware of the consequences that follow from this lack of representation, has a responsibility as informed and educated individuals to take steps to redress these wrongs. These inefficiencies stagnate the development of the Latino population as a whole.

As a member of the Latino community, I feel it urgent that we address the issue of lack of representation of Latinos in the public policy arena. It is an issue that deserves immediate attention, and will never be addressed by others in same way the Latino community can. It is a concern that is intrinsic to our wellbeing. As citizens and residents within the United States, it’s an issue that inherently falls to the responsibility of the Latinos.

Through my interactions with people I have understood that individuals within this society are innately self-interested. If it is the case that individuals are driven by self-interest, we can assume that while we continue to have the halls of Congress, our judicial systems, statewide positions, state legislator positions, county official positions, encompassed by white, Protestant lawyers the Latino interest will not be heard, and never addressed.

I have come to realize that mere chance has never improved the circumstances of the minority population. Action and self-reliance will be the means by which the Latino community will see the light and remove inequality.

Juana Matias is the Undergraduate Student Body President