On May 7, 2013, major state Latino organizations, including the Illinois Latino Family Commission (ILFC), the Illinois Association Of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE), the Latino Policy Forum (the Forum), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), the Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association (HISLEA), the Illinois Latino Council On Higher Education (ILACHE), the League Of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), NACLAC – Hispanic council on Latino advancement; Illinois Latino Agenda (co-convened by the Latino Policy Forum and the Mexican Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF); La Red Mexicana de Líderes y Organizaciones Migrantes and others, co-convened Latino Unity Day at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to make an investment in the future of the State by investing in the Latino community.

Over 100 Latino providers, state employees, advocates and businesses gathered at the State Capitol to advocate for greater investments in the Latino community. Latinos are a growing presence across the state – over two million Latinos now call Illinois home and one in four children under the age of 18 is Latino, and many Latinos are building communities outside the traditional Chicago area boundaries and extending to the suburbs and other city centers around the state, including Aurora, Waukegan, Rockford and Rock Island. The Latino population grew by more than 500,000 while other major populations actually decreased.

“Latinos are such a significant proportion of the young population in Illinois today,” stated Dr. Layla Suleiman Gonzalez, executive director of the newly established Illinois Latino Family Commission, “that it is inevitable we will be a major force in shaping the future of the state; we are calling for an investment in our community so Latino children, youth, families, employees and businesses have equitable access to state resources, including education, employment, grants, contracts, and appointments to boards and commissions.”