Public Employee Press

Somos el Futuro conference
Activists press for Latino issues in Albany

Latino community activists joined elected officials and union leaders from around the state in Albany on the weekend of March 20 for the 28th annual Somos el Futuro conference.

The theme of the weekend summit was "Somos Now: Leading a new generation of change, opportunity, progress and success."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio attended the Albany conference, urging the governor to invest more in the city schools. "Don't call our children failing if you haven't even tried to invest in them," he said.

DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido participated in the "Building a Stronger New York" panel and highlighted the important role that the public sector plays in providing essential services to New Yorkers. "Our workers are the frontline of public service," he said.

Local 1407 President and DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin also attended. He was a panelist on the discussion about the Dream Act, a measure that would allow high school graduates who are undocumented immigrants to apply for state financial aid for college. The legislation has support in the state Assembly but not in the Republican-controlled Senate.

"These young New Yorkers deserve support in their effort to receive a college education and become productive citizens," Uddin said.

NYC Laborers Local 924, participated in the panel Local 924, participated in the panel on affordable housing and called for more affordable housing like the Mitchell-Lama cooperative apartments created in 1955.

"If it wasn't for the Mitchell-Lama program, I might be still living with my mother or be homeless," he said. To help lower construction costs, Simmons said, there should be tax breaks for suppliers of building materials.