FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                CONTACT:  Anais Carmona
Wednesday, July 1, 2015                                           703-901-7144


PODERPAC Announces Record Number of Latinas Running for Congress

New, Restructured PAC Endorses Five Congressional Candidates for the 2016 Cycle

Washington, DC – PODERPAC announced today the five Latinas running for the House of Representatives that will be endorsed by the only PAC run by and created for Latinas running for Congress. These include:

Nanette Barragan CA-44

Lucy Flores NV-4


Ana Sol Gutierrez MD-8

Joseline Pena Melnyk MD-4

Annette Taddeo FL-26

“Latina Democrats currently hold only seven seats in Congress, and in the history of the U.S. Senate, there has never been a Latina senator. It is time to break these glass 
ceilings,” said PODERPAC Founding Honorary Board Member Congresswoman Linda Sánchez. “I am so proud of these strong women who have the courage to run for elected office and would fight for American families."

PODERPAC restructured this year to be the only federal candidate PAC focused on increasing the number of Latinas elected to the U.S. Congress. PODER PAC now provides Latina candidates running for Congress with early resources to help them launch winning campaigns.

The PAC now links candidates to a national fundraising network and helps build more effective campaign organizations as early in the race as possible. By connecting candidates with an experienced network of Latinas who have been on the frontline of campaigns from raising money, managing campaigns, registering voters, to working on important issues in their communities, PODERPAC harnesses and pools these talents to help elect more Latinas to Congress.

“The 2008 election cycle generated excitement for many Latinas across the country and crystalized the reality that women could strive for and reach the highest elected offices in our country,” said PODERPAC co-founder and Chair, Ingrid Duran. “That is the vision that created PODERPAC. Today, these five accomplished, successful leaders represent the best this country has to offer and they are an amazing inspiration not only to Latinas everywhere but to all Americans seeking great leaders who will work tirelessly for the interests of their constituents.”

This group of endorsees includes the first potential Dominican, Salvadorian, and Colombian Members of Congress. With these PODERPAC candidates, it will be possible 

WASHINGTON DC | December 4--D&P Creative Strategies and Poder PAC congratulate two Latina Members of Congress who reached an important milestone in Congress.  Elected by unanimous consent, Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA | 38) and Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM | 1) will be leading the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) as the caucus’s new Chair and 1st Vice Chair, respectively. For the first time since the creation of the CHC, two Latina women will occupy the highest leadership seats in the caucus.

As immigration reform and the 2016 elections are pushed to the forefront of American domestic policy, it is important to have leaders who understand and represent the issues and challenges faced by the Latino community. These two Latina women are not only effective policy makers who dedicate their life to public service, but they are also exemplary role models for Latinas across the country. When asked what we should expect out of the dynamic duo leading the CHC, Chairwoman Sánchez stated, “It’s a new day.”

Congresswoman Linda Sánchez is recognized as the leading voice for working families, judiciary, and trade matters. She is also known to be a breaker of barriers in Congress serving as the first Latina in history on the House Judiciary and the House Ways and Means Committees.

Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, Poder PAC's first successful endorsee for the U.S. Congress, was previously the CHC’s Whip and is recognized as the leading voice for building an economy and protecting seniors. In the 113th Congress, Lujan Grisham serves as the Hispanic voice on the House Committee on Agriculture, the House Committee on the Budget, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Their dedication, hard work, and ability to stand against the current have allowed the unheard voices of many to be represented at the highest platform of public dialogue. Both Congresswoman Sanchez and Congresswoman Lujan Grisham are characterized by a potent energy and complete devotion to bettering the Hispanic community that is sure to lead the CHC into another year of great policy-making and success. We commend your work, continued dedication to our community, and the desire to change the norm.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 8, 2014 – On September 15, 2014 PODER PAC’s Honorary Co-Chair, Rosie Perez, officially joined ABC’s Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show “The View,” as the first Latina co-host in the show’s 17-year history. Along with Whoopie Goldberg, Rosie O’Donnell, and the debut of Nicolle Wallace, “The View” began its 18th season with a new set, a new logo, and a new perspective.

Rosie Perez is an Academy Award nominated actress, an Emmy nominated choreographer, a documentary director, and an author. However, Rosie has also devoted her time to increasing awareness of important social issues and challenges facing Latino women. She is an out-spoken supporter of Latina empowerment, and an activist for Puerto Rican rights and HIV awareness. She currently serves on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and is head of the Artistic Board for the Union Arts Partnership, which is an arts education organization that brings dance, theater, film, poetry and fine arts to students in Harlem, the Bronx and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She has served as the National Spokesperson for Comite Noviembre Puerto Rican Heritage and is a member of the Women for Peace & Justice in Vieques, Puerto Rico which aims to end the Navy’s use of that island as a test-bombing site.

We would like to offer our most sincere congratulations to Rosie who is an exemplary member of the Latino community, and thank her for her continued support and dedication to our national network. It is without a doubt that having a Latina with a serious devotion to social issues like Rosie Perez on “The View” will continue empowering Latinas nation-wide, and bring much needed representation of Latina women in the world of entertainment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Anais Carmona |703-901-7144  | Acarmona@dpcreativestrativestrategies.com

Voto Latino, Mi Familia Vota, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Latino Victory Project, Cosmo Latina, PODER PAC and more than 50 other Partners Launch Robust National Voter Registration Drive

#PowerOfOurVote Hispanic Heritage Month of Action campaign to deliver record Latino turnout for 2014 Midterm Elections.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sept. 15, 2014 – Today, more than 50 partners are launching an online voter registration campaign in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Our collective voice will ensure elected officials no longer ignore us or the issues that impact the Latino community.

The campaign kick-off urges Latinos to register to vote and then take their families, neighbors, and friends to the ballot box on Election Day, November 4. Only by exercising the power of their vote, can the Latino community influence real policy changes.

The campaign will launch a national “Hispanic Heritage Month of Action” and will have three main voter registration pushes: today (September 15), September 23 (National Voter Registration Day), and October 15 (the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month). The initiative is the first of its kind to mobilize Latinos during Hispanic Heritage Month and brings together partners across all industries to put the needs of the Latino community above individual politics.

Hispanic Heritage Month of Action relies heavily on digital and social media assets, along with ground components in key states, including outreach to young Latinos who have reached voting age. The initiative is led online by Voto Latino, on the ground by Mi Familia Vota in key Latino states, and nationally with partners, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, ImpreMedia, Entravision, Liberman Broadcasting, Cosmo Latina, Being Latino, Alliance for Citizenship, Latino Victory Project and others.* Voto Latino Chairwoman Rosario Dawson, Voto Latino Artist Coalition co-Chairs America Ferrera and Wilmer Valderrama, and Latino Victory Project co-founder Eva Longoria are also lending their voices to the campaign, which runs through October 15, the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

"It's our time, and we need to show the power of our collective voice by participating in every aspect of civic engagement," said Ingrid M. Duran, Chairwoman, PODER PAC. "If every eligible Latino registers to vote and votes we can have a voice in American Politics and a voice at the table."

“We are calling American Latinos to rise above our political differences and to unite as a community this November,” said María Teresa Kumar, President and CEO, Voto Latino. “Today and for the next month, we will show that Latinos stand tall because we have pride in our culture, and we recognize the power of our vote.”

Ben Monterroso, Executive Director, Mi Familia Vota, said the Latino community will not remain silent after the political stalemate in Washington over immigration reform, because, “Latinos understand that the only real way to impact our future is with a strong showing of our voting power. We began the immigration debate with our record turnout in the 2012 election, and we will continue fighting for our community and for immigration reform by voting.”

“Pride in our Latino culture includes pride in our Nation. As Americans, we are proud to exercise our right to vote and elect officials who reflect the values of our communities. We stand with our partners to mobilize our communities, register our family and friends, and ensure a path to reach the polls on Election Day,” said Cristóbal Alex, President of the Latino Victory Project. “Exercising our right to vote builds power in the Latino community so that the faces and voices of Latinos are reflected at every level of government and in the policies that drive our country forward.”

More than 7.8 million Latinos are expected to vote this November, up from 6.6 million Latinos who voted in the last midterm election in 2010, according to projections by National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). The record Latino voter turnout in 2012 propelled immigration to the top of the policy agenda. Latino voters must be heard again to create the political climate to find solutions for immigration, the economy, and other issues important to the Latino community.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month of Action, visit www.latinos2014.com or find the voter registration toolkit at www.poderpac.com

                                                             ###

* List of Partner Orgs:

Voto Latino, Mi Familia Vota, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Alliance for Citizenship, America’s Voice, Being Latino, Brown Beauty Productions, Casa de Esperanza, Center for Community Change, Colorado Immigration Voter Accountability Project, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Cosmo Latina, D&P Creative Strategies, Entravision, Familia Es Familia, Fox News Latino, Friends of the American Latino Museum, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, Hispanic Federation, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Hispanic National Bar Association, Hispanic Technology and Communications Partnership, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, ImpreMedia, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Latino List, Latino Victory Project, League of United Latin American Citizens, Liberman Broadcasting, Media Matters, Nacional Records, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, National Council of La Raza, National Hispana Leadership Institute, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, New America Alliance, Poder PAC, SEIU, SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc., The Adelante Movement, The Latino Coalition, U.S.-Mexico Foundation, Diego Bernal, Rosario Dawson, Fernando Espuelas, America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Wilmer Valderrama

In Memory of our Dear Friend & Sister:
Grace Ann Garcia 1955-2014
Anyone who knew Grace knew what a force of nature she was and how dedicated she was to democratic politics and in particular to empowering women and Latinas. Grace was involved in Senator Clinton's Presidential campaign from day one and she brought all of us along with her. She convinced many of us of the importance of contributing to Senator Clinton's campaign and being at the table.  

It was that Presidential election that compelled a conversation about creating a political action committee by Latinas and for Latinas. Grace connected all the dots and helped found PODER PAC. She was instrumental in the success of the launch of PODER PAC, helping us to strategize and raise seed funding to support Latina candidates and to build a bench of Latinas in elected office. 

When Grace followed Secretary Clinton to the State Department she had to take a leave of absence but as soon as she knew she was departing to serve as the Executive Director of Annie's List she called as said "I can rejoin the board and in this new role we can partner and do somethings together to support Latinas running in Texas" Grace never stopped thinking about ways to support and empower Latinas. We will miss your tenacity and political acumen but most of all we will miss your friendship. PODER PAC will continue in your honor, to grow, support and empower more Latinas to run for political office. We know that you will continue to guide us from above. Rest in peace our dear friend and sister. Love, The PODER PAC Board & Founding Board ​

An exciting new report by Nielsen outlines the role(s) of Latinas in transforming the fabric of our country:

Latinas, are the growth engine of the U.S. female population and are expected to represent 30 percent of the total female population by 2060, while the non-Hispanic white female population is expected to drop to 43 percent.

Latinas are becoming more educated, tech savvy and connected, allowing them
to write their own destinies and challenge the dynamic of Hispanic households.
With 86 percent of Latina women at the helm of purchasing decisions in households, the times are changing and economic power is shifting.

 “Latinas are a key driver of economic influence, giving marketers an opportunity to establish new and loyal consumer relationships by acknowledging the needs and following the unique behavior trends of Hispanic women,” said Mónica Gil senior vice president, public affairs and government relations.

Read more...

PODER PAC warmly welcomes a number of new Board Members who bring a wide array of perspectives, professional experiences, and geographic diversity. 

Lisa Baltazar, New York
Patricia Campos-Medina, New Jersey
Delia Garcia, Washington DC
Maribel Medina, California
Cindy Pena, Colorado

The addition of our new Board members expands the reach and capacity of our organization and will increase our ability to strategically expand the number of candidates endorsed, promoted, and supported by PODER PAC.  In addition to the above new Board members, we are excited to announce the return of founding Board member Grace Garcia, Texas. 

Look for additional updates and information on the many candidates we intend to highlight and support.