Urge Speaker Silver to Nominate a Latino/a to the Assembly Majority Leadership

December 30, 2008

Hon. Sheldon Silver, Speaker
New York State Assembly
250 Broadway, Suite 2307
New York, NY 10007

Dear Speaker Silver:

As you re-settle into your post as Speaker to the New York State (NYS) Assembly, we urge you to consider the following observation:

In light of the recent election of Senator Barack Obama to the White House, some in the media as well as various political circles are suggesting that the election of the first African-American to the highest office in this nation signifies a new political paradigm with respect to race and ethnicity. In essence, the argument goes that because of Mr. Obama’s race we are now in a post-racial era and as such any effort to press-on with a “diversity agenda” in our governmental and political institutions is redundant, pointless and unwarranted. We could not disagree more.

Ever since assuming the Assembly’s top leadership post, you have worked hard to maintain the majority in the NYS Assembly by promoting fundamental Democratic ideals such as fairness, equality and freedom. We salute you in your efforts in preserving and sustaining the Democratic majority. However, we were surprised and equally troubled to discover that there is not one Latino/a in the New York State Assembly Majority Leadership, or better yet, not even one Latino/a in leadership in the entire conference (http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?sh=lea). Yet, there are 7 African-Americans and 11 Whites in the House leadership (see, below).

Assembly Majority Leadership

1. Speaker -- Sheldon Silver
2. Majority Leader -- Ron Canestrari
3. Chair, Ways and Means Committee -- Herman D. Farrell, Jr.
4. Deputy Speaker -- VACANT
5. Speaker Pro Tempore -- Aurelia Greene
6. Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore -- Harvey Weisenberg
7. Assistant Speaker -- Rhoda Jacobs
8. Chair of Committee on Standing Committees -- William Parment
9. Deputy Majority Leader -- Earlene Hooper
10. Assistant Majority Leader -- Vivian Cook
11. Majority Whip -- N. Nick Perry
12. Deputy Majority Whip -- Dov Hikind
13. Assistant Majority Whip -- Barbara Clark
14. Chair, Majority Conference -- William Colton
15. Vice-Chair, Majority Conference -- Steven Cymbrowitz
16. Secretary, Majority Conference -- Annette Robinson
17. Chair, Majority Steering Committee -- John J. McEneny
18. Vice-Chair, Majority Steering Committee -- Patricia Eddington
19. Chair, Majority Program Committee -- Anthony S. Seminerio

We believe that just as President-Elect Obama has made an effort to have a cabinet that is reflective of all Americans so should the New York State Assembly. An atmosphere of civility and mutual respect towards ethnic, racial, religious and other differences is indispensable to an institution that values all New York State residents. We believe in that old axiom of the message being the messenger and vice-a-versa. However, beyond the appointment of Latino staffers in the New York State Assembly, the institution itself needs to make a greater effort to include Latinos/as in the majority conference leadership.

With the sudden departure of Deputy Speaker, Assemblyman Ivan C. Lafayette, the NYS Assembly has an opportunity to address this shortcoming by ensuring that a Latino/a gets nominated to fill the vacancy. We are asking you to lend your full support and influence in the selection of a Latino/a as the next Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly. Thus you will send a signal that the leadership of the Assembly is committed to enriching and fostering the representation of the full spectrum of significant political view points, intellectual perspectives, gender, sexual orientation and yes, racial and ethnic diversity. We are not seeking to have the New York State Assembly impose any artificial “balance” or an “ethnic” quota system. We are asking for the New York State Assembly to commit itself to a policy of inclusion, respect for differences, and fairness in its selection of members to serve on the Assembly Leadership conference.

The New York State Latino Democratic Committee (NYSLDC) was formed early this year to serve as a platform for the mobilization and deployment of a rapidly growing social network of civically minded, service-oriented, and politically engaged Latinos from across New York State. Our aim is to invigorate concerted civic action, gain greater access to statewide political/policy “think tables” and consequently bring about the change for which our community longs.

Our ultimate goal is to prompt open, transparent and responsible conversations regarding how political power might be shared in order to provide for the greater good of all – including Latinos. Therefore, we are calling on you as Speaker to the NYS Assembly, to stand behind the appointment of the first Latino/a to join the ranks of the Assembly Majority Leadership.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,


/s/ Juan Ramos
NYSLDC Steering Committee