Voces Unidas recently had the opportunity to host Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Deputy AG Janet Drake in Glenwood Springs to discuss issues of importance to Latinos on the Western Slope.
As we prepare to release our third annual Colorado Latino Policy Agenda (Sept. 13), we recognize that concerns about discrimination, gun violence, and hate groups remain prevalent among members of the Latino community in western Colorado. We appreciate the opportunity to discuss ways we can work together with the Attorney General’s office during the 2024 legislative session to address these concerns and protect the civil rights of Latinos on the Western Slope.
Over the past three years, our CLPA research has revealed that Latinos on the Western Slope are more likely to experience racism than any other region in the state. Additionally, Latinos statewide have expressed a distrust of law enforcement due to negative experiences attributed to racism, and a significant portion of Latinos report experiencing discrimination in the healthcare system as well.
Attorney General Weiser has committed to working with us to address those issues, along with exploring our concerns about predatory rent increases for mobile home park residents, providing additional protections for all renters, and providing additional protections for outdoor workers in the agriculture industry, on construction sites, and other job sites where workers are exposed to harsh outdoor environments. We also look forward to working with AG Weiser’s office on passing a bill clarifying that all students have the right to wear cultural regalia at any public graduation ceremony as an expression of their First Amendment rights.
Our thanks go out to AG Weiser and Deputy AG Drake for taking the time to meet and discuss these issues. We look forward to continuing the discussion as we head into the 2024 legislative session and beyond.
