Readout of White House Meeting with Latino Leaders

Yesterday, White House Public Engagement Director and Senior Advisor Cedric Richmond and White House Office of Political Outreach and Strategy Director Emmy Ruiz met with Latino leaders from across the country to listen to their priorities and to discuss how the Build Back Better agenda and pathway to citizenship would benefit Latino families. White House officials outlined how the President’s plan would lower healthcare costs for families by lowering prescription drug costs and increasing access to healthcare coverage, among other measures, and how two years of free college would be a game-changer for families looking to get ahead. White House officials also affirmed the President’s desire to see a pathway to citizenship pass through reconciliation or other means.

Latino leaders shared what their organizations have done over the course of the pandemic to meet the needs of local communities and advocate for additional resources. Leaders praised the administration for its work thus far combatting the pandemic, and shared their concerns about how much work remains to get communities vaccinated, including the healthcare benefits to a pathway to citizenship. Leaders also spoke about how the services they provide to local communities reflect many of the components in the Build Back Better agenda and how monumental those investments would be.

The meeting was the latest in activity the White House has conducted since the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Last week, the White House hosted a virtual discussion to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month and highlight the benefits of the President’s Build Back Better Agenda for the Latino community. The roundtable featured Isabel Guzman, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education and Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, who shared their experiences as Latino leaders in the President’s historic Cabinet.

• Elena Rios, President & CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association
• Darryl Morrin, National President, Latino Forward
• Andres Contreras, Executive Vice President, Chicanos Por La Causa
• Alejandro Roark, Executive Director, Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership
• Sylvia Puente, President & CEO, Latino Policy Forum
• Josie Bacallao, President and CEO, Hispanic Unity of Florida
• Santiago Marquez, CEO, Latin American Association
• Carolina Cabrera DiGiorgio, Esq. President & CEO, Congreso de Latinos Unidos

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