Latinos and the Washington Economy

Steve Scher
03/11/2009 at 10:00 a.m.

Friday is Hispanic/Latino Lobbying Day in Olympia. How has the economic downturn affected the Latino community? What are the legislative priorities of the Hispanics and Latinos in Washington State? There are over 500,000 Hispanics and Latinos in Washington. How do they help to form the economy and culture of this state?

Plus, a conversation on the week's news in Canada from our Canadian correspondent, Vaughn Palmer.

Related Event

Washington State Hispanic/Latino Lobbying day is this Friday, March 13, in Olympia.

Guest(s)

Vaughn Palmer is a political correspondent for the Vancouver Sun.

Gilberto Mireles is an assistant professor of sociology at Whitman College. His research focuses on the socio–political integration of immigrant communities into U.S. society. He is also a commissioner on the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

Martha Cerna is a business assistance officer at the South Sound Women's Business Center. She's also a member of the newly formed Pierce County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Martha grew up in Eastern Washington and will also be presenting in Olympia this Friday.

Rosalinda Mendoza is a program assistant for the Washington State Farmworker Housing Trust. She wrote a report for the first "State of the State for Latinos" report in 2005 and will be presenting in Olympia this Friday. Rosalinda grew up in Yakima and graduated from Whitman.

Estela Vasquez is a junior sociology major at Whitman College. She will present on her research about the Latino education gap tonight in Seattle and this Friday in Olympia. She grew up in Oregon.