The Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus unveils new executive leadership for the 102nd General Assembly:
• State Senator Cristina Castro (22nd District), Co-Chair,
• State Representative Aarón Ortíz (1st District), Co-Chair,
• State Senator Karina Villa (25th District), Co-Chair,
• State Representative Dagmara Avelar (85th District), Secretary, and
• State Representative Edgar González, Jr. (21st District), Treasurer.
In addition to new leadership, updated and adopted bylaws define membership as self-identified Latina/Latino/Latinx members (listed on left) who along with the executive team will be responsible for stewarding the Latino Caucus Agenda in collaboration with former members who represent Latinx communities throughout Illinois. The Caucus extends its deep appreciation of the leadership of immediate past co-chairs, State Senator Omar Aquino and State Representative Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, for their commitment to ushering the body into the next phase of leadership.
The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism figure prominently in the Caucus’s Agenda developing policy solutions and advancing advocacy for equitable resource allocation that remedy disparities perpetuated by economic, education, health, housing, immigration, and justice systems that undermine human potential and generational prosperity.
While the 15 members represent distinct geographies including urban and suburban communities, they are charged with lifting the priorities and lived experiences of more than 2.2 million Latinos representing 17 percent of Illinois’ population within the chambers of the General Assembly.
