Susan Clary
While the number of Hispanic voters continues to rise in Florida, few organizations have set their sights on training and mobilizing them along the I-4 corridor on a long-term basis.
The Latino Leadership Institute (LLI), a 501c3 based in New York City, has announced it will establish its first permanent chapter and training academy in Orlando by January 2016.
“The Hispanic community in Central Florida is diverse and growing,” said Amy Mercado, former chair of the Orange County Democrats and the LLI’s new Orlando director. “No matter the party, we are going to fill a void and educate, empower, engage and mobilize everyday people in the electoral process.”
Though LLI is a nonpartisan organization, there is no doubt the effort will help Democrats. A recent study by the Pew Research Center shows the number of Hispanic Democrats is on the rise in Florida.
While the numbers of Cuban voters has dwindled, Puerto Rican voters are on the rise, according to the study released in August 2015. Younger Cuban voters born in the U.S. tend to lean Democrat, as well as eligible voters of other minorities (such a Mexico and South America).
As a result, Republican voter registration numbers for Hispanics are stagnating. More than 1.7 million voters were registered Hispanic in the state a year ago.
Mercado said the Central Florida Chapter would reach out to other Hispanic/Latino organizations and invite them to participate.
Latino Leadership Institute Academies focus on hands-on campaign training of in everything from campaign finance law, messaging, community organizing, fundraising, campaign management and campaign planning.
“We are not reinventing the wheel. Instead, we are mirroring a proven program that has been very successful in New York City,” Mercado said. “Central Florida was chosen as the first location, because of the importance of the I-4 corridor and the growth of the Hispanic/Latino population.”
There will be two training tracks: one for future candidates and campaign managers and one for community organizers.
LLI Orlando plans to partner with local high schools and colleges/universities to offer semester-long civic engagement academies to students, as well. In 2012, the organization partnered successfully with the City University of New York (CUNY).
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence recently named LLI one of the “Bright Spots in Hispanic Education Fulfilling America’s Future.” The organization would like to expand in Florida, perhaps to Tampa and Miami.
“For far too long the Latino community has been deprived of direction,” said Carmen Torres, a community activist. “LLI will be the vehicle in which we teach future generations true cultural competence, leadership, and empowerment.”
