Esperanza, Inc. is venue for candidate training program

On November 13, 2009, the Civic Involvement Committee of Convención 2010, the Hispanic Roundtable (HRT), and the Young Latino Network (YLN), sponsored a Candidate and Campaign Management Training Program at Esperanza, Inc., on the near West Side of Cleveland. 

The program was presented by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, whose president is Dr. Juan Andrade.

Some 15 eager potential candidates and campaign managers—many from YLN—participated. José C. Feliciano, Jr., the president of YLN, helped kick off the event, commenting: “Hispanics are undervalued in the Greater Cleveland area and it is incumbent upon us is to encourage and develop candidates for public office for the future development of our community.”

José C. Feliciano, Sr.

The co-leader of the event was Jerry Peña, who is also on the Civic Involvement Committee of Convención 2010.

One of the key trainers was Andy Hernández, Executive Director of the Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development in Austin, Texas.  He was a leadership scholar-in -esidence at the Center for Policy Studies at the University of Texas in San Antonio.  Hernández has been recognized by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the United States. 

Randy Parraz, from Phoenix, Arizona, was also a presenter. Parraz is the political organizer for the Capitalized Laborers’ Union of North America (LIUNA).  In 2005, the global non-profit foundation, Echoing Green, recognized Parraz as one of the “Best Emerging Social Entrepreneurs.” 

The topics covered at the training program included: the rationale for running, understanding the dynamics of voter decision-making, learning to think strategically, message development and discipline, voter contact strategies, canvassing, building an organizational and volunteer base, media, fund raising, and campaign timeline.

José C. Feliciano, Sr., Chairman of the Hispanic Roundtable, recognized and thanked YLN and U.S.H.L.I., for this “magnificent training opportunity for Latinos in Cleveland.”  He promised that the Hispanic Roundtable would continue to sponsor these leadership opportunities for the Latino community.  Feliciano observed that programs such as these are in the “sweet spot of the Hispanic Roundtable’s mission, one of the principal elements being Latino empowerment.” 

Other attendees included: Luis Cartagena, Ruth Ramos, Yary Cora, Stephanie Morales, Ingrid Vargas, Victor Catala, Jr., and Ricardo A. Guilfu.