By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

Latino members of District Council 37 and hundreds of their compañeros from across New York State and Puerto Rico showed political strength, cooperation and cultural pride when they united in Albany April 20-22 at the Somos El Futuro conference. The weekend’s theme, “Redrawing the Political Agenda in the 21st Century,” was a wake-up call about the political potential the Latino community has as the largest minority group in America, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

“For the last 14 years, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and the Hispanic Labor Committee have brought working family issues to our friends in Albany,” said Eliot Seide, a DC 37 Deputy Administrator. “We’ve made progress, but there is still lots of work to do.”

DISTRICT COUNCIL 37 has supported Somos, a gathering of Hispanic New York State Assembly and Senate members, unions and community activists, from its start. At this year’s conference, DC 37 Administrator Lee Saunders received an award from LCLAA, which Mr. Seide accepted on his behalf. Local 372 member Mariana Miranda also received an award for her outstanding work as a rank-and-file leader. And Public Health Nurse Judith Burger-Arroyo of Local 436 participated as a health care panelist.

The conference attracted many key New York political leaders, including State Comptroller H. Carl McCall, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Assembly members, state senators and New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidates. Participants jumped to their feet to cheer Bronx Borough President and mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Other dignitaries from Puerto Rico and Latin America attended the conference and brought international issues to the forefront. Of primary concern was the proposed Senate bill to end the U.S. Navy’s practice bombing of Vieques, a small, inhabited island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Making friends across party lines, Gov. George E. Pataki recently joined the cause. “Bombing will not be part of the future of Vieques,” he said at the finale. His involvement brought renewed national attention to Vieques and helped stay the bombing temporarily, said State Sen. Olga Mendez.

THE TASK at hand for Latinos in 2001 is to harness their political power by reaching out to register more voters for the Sept. 11 primary and the Nov. 6 elections, said speakers. New Yorkers will soon elect a new mayor, 36 new City Council members, a comptroller, public advocate and borough presidents.

As the Somos conference embraces a Latino community that has expanded beyond Puerto Ricans, who are American citizens by birth, the community faces the vast challenge of meeting the needs of Spanish-speaking immigrants from Mexico, Dominican Republic, and countries in Central and South America.

And while each nationality has its unique culture, the language, religious beliefs and hope for a better future — with access to quality education, job security and safer neighborhoods — should be a basis for unity, not division, leaders agreed.

“If we do not take advantage of our position now,” said DC 37 Latino Heritage Committee Vice Chair José Sierra, “shame on us.”