Latino Action Network Announces Support For Marriage Equality

The Latino Action Network [LAN] today announced its support for the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act and urged quick passage by the State Legislature.  You can read LAN's press release below.  Please take action today by calling your Assembly representatives and ask them to vote "YES" on this important legislation.

You can find contact information for your legislative representatives at the following link:

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp

Latino Action Network Announces Support For Marriage Equality

For Immediate Release: February 15, 2012

Frank Argote-Freyre, President – 908-670-0552

Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President – 973-418-7012

            The Latino Action Network [LAN] today announced its support for the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act and urged quick passage by the State Legislature.

            “We congratulate the State Senate for passing the legislation on Monday and urge the Assembly to do the same tomorrow,” said Frank Argote-Freyre, President of the Latino Action Network. “Marriage Equality is an important civil rights issue and we believe it is long overdue in the state of New Jersey.”

Latino Action Network Testifies in Support of Assembly Bill 2147 Which Would Increase Accountability and Transparency in New Jersey Charter Schools

On Thursday, February 2, 2012 the New Jersey Assembly Education Committee considered Assembly bill 2147 (bills A3356/S3005/S3001 last session), which would increase Charter School educational and financial accountability and transparency and address the fact that New Jersey Charter School students do not represent the demographics of their sending districts.  Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President of the Latino Action Network, testified in support of A-2147 which would reform the state’s broken charter school law.  This bill was favorably reported out of committee by a unanimous bipartisan vote.  You can read his testimony below.

TESTIMONY BY

THE LATINO ACTION NETWORK

BEFORE THE NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

DELIVERED BY:

Christian Estevez, Executive Vice President

Latino Action Network

P.O. Box 943

Freehold, NJ 07728

Phone: (973) 418-7012

esteveznj@gmail.com

Good afternoon, my name is Christian Estevez and I am the Vice President of the Latino Action Network.  We are a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to mobilizing New Jersey’s Latino community to seek greater social, economic and educational justice.

I thank you for the opportunity to testify today in support of Assembly Bill A-2147 which improves accountability and transparency in New Jersey’s Charter Schools.

While our state has some of the best schools in the nation, it is also abundantly clear that many of the schools in our urban communities are in crisis.  We must do everything that we can to improve the educational opportunities available to the children in our urban communities.  We recognize that quality Charter Schools can play an important role in the provision of additional educational opportunities for our children.

We see quality Charter Schools as a part of the solution to the crisis faced by many Latino families.  We welcome any approach that contributes positively toward helping those children with the most need.  However, in cases where any school, whether they are a Charter School or a regular public school, is not providing quality opportunities to our children, they become part of the problem instead of being part of the solution.