Rise to a Higher Standard

El Diario/La Prensa
New York Monday, August 17, 2009

As the confetti settles around the appointment of now Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Latinos should take a look at how the leadership and mobilization bar has been raised in our community.

The Sotomayor appointment was not merely an individual success—it was a political achievement. Latinos pushed this deserved appointment. We closed ranks around Sotomayor’s nomination. National and local leaders brilliantly advocated for her and mounted sharp campaigns against vicious attacks.

We were excited about the caliber of Sotomayor, the prospect of a Latina serving on the nation’s highest court and the model that she, and the organizing behind her, provide.

We have seen what we as a community have the power to accomplish. This is our point of comparison—which is why the state of affairs among local elected officials leaves so much to be desired.

In New York, and on the other side of the Hudson as well, too many of our elected leaders have acted like unwise Latinos. Scandals and corruption are certainly not exclusive to our community. But that is little consolation to districts that are in urgent need of principled and aggressive representatives.

To be fair, there are a number of elected officials who put the well-being of the communities they represent first. They deserve more of our attention. But they should not be waging lonely and individual fights.

It is high time to put this house in order. Here are some of the urgent steps that need to be taken:

--We need a convener. One of our senior Latino elected leaders should call New York colleagues into a private session with the aim of building a strategic agenda based on community needs.

--We need a cohesive effort by community leaders and grassroots organizations to monitor and tug the collars of elected representatives. They must also work with politicians to move policies forward.

--The family dynasties clogging the leadership pipeline must end. And those dissatisfied with these political monopolies must not remain passive—challengers must step up to plate.

Elected leaders who cannot provide the quality representation our community needs must move aside or be shown the way out.