Latinos United for Healthcare

PRESS RELEASE
May 19, 2014

With Castro’s Nomination, Obama would have Three Latinos Serving on his Second-Term Cabinet

Washington, D.C. -- The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) a coalition of the nation’s 37 preeminent national Latino organizations, is pleased to see news reports released this past weekend suggesting that President Barack Obama may nominate San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

In January of 2013, on the heels of former Secretaries Hilda Solis and Ken Salazar announcing their resignations from the Administration, NHLA sent the President a letter requesting that he take the historic step of appointing three Hispanic members to his Cabinet. The Latino community is currently nearly 17 percent of the U.S. population. An equivalent representation in the ranks of the 23 Cabinet-level positions would mean having three to four Latino leaders serving on the Cabinet.

In the past year, NHLA has been proud to support the Senate confirmation of two Latinos nominated by the President to serve in Cabinet-level positions: U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Maria Contreras-Sweet. Should Mayor Castro be nominated and confirmed, he will become the third Latino voice on the President’s second-term Cabinet.

Mayor Julián Castro, a San Antonio native, earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University with honors and distinction and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School. In 2001, at the age of 26, he became the youngest elected city councilman at that time in San Antonio history. In 2009, Castro was elected Mayor and became the youngest mayor of a Top 50 American city. Among his accomplishments as a three-term Mayor, Castro has focused on revitalizing the city’s urban core, attracting 21st century jobs to the region, positioning San Antonio to be a leader in the New Energy Economy, and raising the educational attainment of youth of all ages -- in particular working to expand quality pre-kindergarten education.

Mayor Castro would follow in the footsteps of Henry Cisneros, who also served as San Antonio mayor before serving in President Bill Clinton’s Administration as the Secretary of HUD, and Mel Martinez, who served as Secretary of HUD under President George W. Bush before going on to become a U.S. Senator for the state of Florida.

NHLA leaders issued the following remarks responding to reports that the President may be considering Mayor Castro for an appointment in his second-term Cabinet:

“In our efforts to support America’s Latino leaders and work towards a more inclusive government that represents and reflects the United States, we applaud the possible nomination of a third Latino Cabinet member, Mayor Julián Castro,” said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of LCLAA. “Mayor Castro exemplifies the American dream through his own personal story and would bring the expertise needed to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I hope we’ll soon hear a formal announcement from the President and I urge the Senate to support Mr. Castro’s nomination should it become official.”  

“The League of United Latin American Citizens is delighted to hear press reports that President Obama is about to nominate Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio as the new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,” said Brent A. Wilkes, National Executive Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “Mayor Castro will bring exceptional experience, fresh ideas and a deep understanding of the nation’s affordable housing needs to our nation’s top housing post.”

“The President has hit a home run with this nomination,” said Janet Murguia, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). “Julián Castro has not only been an uncommonly effective Mayor for the country’s seventh largest city, he is deeply familiar with the issues concerning communities of color in urban areas as one of the fastest rising political leaders in the Latino community.  He will bring renewed energy, rigor, and focus to HUD’s unfinished business of alleviating the housing crisis that continues to affect millions of Americans and not a moment too soon.”

“Julián Castro is eminently suited to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a visionary chief executive of a major American city,” said Angelo Falcón, National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP). “San Antonio, under his leadership, ranked No. 1 on the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities list, was graded A+ for doing business by Forbes and ranked as the nation’s No. 3 new tech hotspot by Forbes. He has been named to the World Economic Forum’s list of Young Global Leaders, Time magazine placed him on its “40 under 40” list of rising stars in American politics. Mayor Castro also is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, an Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellow and serves on the board of the LBJ Foundation. A truly impressive resume.”

"We are pleased to hear that President Obama is considering nominating San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro to serve as the nation's next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.  A rising star within the nation's deep bench of talented Latino elected officials and three-term mayor of the nation's seventh largest city, Mayor Castro would bring bold leadership and a wealth of urban revitalization and community development experience to this critical position," stated Arturo Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund.  "We stand ready to work side-by-side with the President to support Mayor Castro's nomination and to identify other qualified Latino candidates with the unique talent and expertise required to serve the nation at all levels of the Administration."

“Mayor Castro would be an exemplary member of the Cabinet in any position, and should he be nominated to any vacancy, his confirmation should garner widespread and bipartisan support,” stated MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz.  “Mayor Castro epitomizes the kind of policy knowledge and compassionate leadership that the growing Latino community can provide to the nation.”

“We support the nomination of Mayor Julián Castro for Secretary of HUD to lead the effort to promote healthy homes and living spaces to decrease asthma and improve health of all Americans,” said Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA).

“I welcome the news that President Obama may nominate San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro to the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said Jose Calderon, President of the Hispanic Federation. “Mayor Castro’s experience and background make him well-suited for this position and his nomination would underscore the President’s commitment to diversity in his cabinet. Should Mayor Castro be announced as the nominee, I trust that his nomination will move as swiftly as possible and I look forward to working with him when he assumes his role at HUD.”

“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is pleased to learn that the Administration is considering Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio for nomination as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said Antonio R. Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). “Mayor Castro would bring to the position the experience and vision of an energetic mayor of the nation’s seventh largest city, a leader fully engage with the issues facing those most in need of the services of HUD. He is eminently qualified for this position and we urge his nomination as well as a speedy and affirmative confirmation process.”

“Mayor Castro projects as an excellent leader of HUD as he would provide a fusion of compassion, experience and innovation in the crucial arena of housing and urban development,” said Ignacio Salazar, President and CEO of SER—Jobs for Progress National, Inc. “Castro is a proven leader who is extremely qualified, and he would add tremendous perspective and balance to the administration with his rare combination of youth, maturity and wisdom; he is destined for greatness!”

“The reports that Mayor Castro will be nominated to serve as HUD Secretary are very exciting news. Mayor Castro is a longtime friend of SVREP,” said Lydia Camarillo, the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP), Vice President. “Mayor Castro has the intellect, the academic credentials, the community support and the experience to serve as the HUD Secretary. Should Mayor Castro be nominated and confirmed, he will change the face of urban America as HUD Secretary.”

"The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) enthusiastically supports President Obama’s forthcoming nomination of San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary,” remarked the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) President and CEO, Alex Nogales. “Latinos have long been an integral part of the American social fabric, and it is exciting to see more talented and committed Latino public servants like Mayor Castro leading our nation.”

"We are heartened to learn that San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro is under consideration to replace HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan,” said said Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA). “If nominated, Mayor Castro will take the reins during difficult budgetary times and moments of great need. Given his impeccable resume, fresh perspective, and contagious energy, we are confident he will thrive in this new role and look forward to working with him on housing issues, especially as they relate to multigenerational poverty and providing adequate, affordable housing for diverse older Americans."

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Since creating its Latino Appointments Program in January 2013, NHLA has worked tirelessly to increase the representation of Latinos in the Administration. The coalition is active in calling for the inclusion of Latinos in entry-level to Cabinet-level political appointments. For more information, please visit www.latinoappointments.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
| Melody Gonzales | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 508-6917 |
| Estuardo Rodriguez | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 202-631-2892 |

NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

American GI Forum | ASPIRA Association, Inc. | Avance | Casa de Esperanza | Cuban American National Council | Farmworker Justice | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | Latino Justice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund | National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Council of La Raza | National Hispana Leadership Institute | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. | SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States Hispanic Leadership Institute | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S.-Mexico Foundation

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