A Stamford resident for more than 40 years, Eva Padilla likes to be involved.
Years ago, she would get out the vote in the Hispanic community the old-fashioned way -- hitting the sidewalks and knocking on doors. And today, as a retired social worker in her fifties, volunteering is what keeps her busy.
So when a local group, the Hispanic Political Action Committee, organized with the goal of encouraging local Hispanics to get involved in politics on the local and state levels, it was no surprise Padilla was one of the first members.
"I think that it's so important, especially because the Hispanic community in Stamford has grown so much in the past years," Padilla, who hails from Puerto Rico, said. "We need young people to be involved, that's the only way we're going to have the things we really need."
The new, bipartisan group is part of a growing effort among the city's Latino residents to break into politics, a change many say is needed because Hispanics are underrepresented in local government. While recent U.S. Census estimates show the Hispanic population in Stamford grew from 17 to 22 percent between 2000 and 2007, Hispanics on city boards number just 2, or less than 1 percent. READ FULL STORY
Comments