HELO Elects Leadership, Makes Plans for 2009
by Mary Gordon and Sadira Daher
 During this year’s Congress of Cities in Orlando, Fla., the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) revived its work plan for the year ahead and co-sponsored an NLC Leadership Training Institute (LTI) seminar, “Mentoring: Local Government Leaders Share a Legacy of Excellence.” HELO also elected a new Board of Directors; its new president is Carlos Silva, councilmember, Bridgeport, Conn.
“As president of HELO, I call upon our Board and members to strive to bring HELO more honors and visibility in 2009,” said Silva. “We are a strong and vibrant coalition of leaders from around the nation, and we have much to contribute to NLC and our colleague organizations across the country. Immediate Past President Marie Lopez Rogers, mayor, Avondale, Ariz., wanted us to co-sponsor the LTI on mentoring because this subject is so important to our future leaders. We have strengths that we must impart to others to ensure that we bring along interested newcomers to elected office.”
Silva plans to work with HELO Board members on increasing HELO membership and fundraising and ensuring that HELO members seek positions as chairs of NLC committees. He remarked that members must continue to make their voices heard as part of the decision-making with the NLC policy and advocacy steering committees.
President Silva announced that HELO would be developing a three- to five-year strategic plan to address these activities. HELO is also interested in becoming active in setting up meetings with members of Congress as part of NLC’s lobbying activities early next year.
Again this year, HELO partnered with the League of California Cities – Latino Caucus (LCC-LC) to host a joint reception event with other NLC constituency groups — the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) and Women in Municipal Government (WIMG). At this event, HELO honored Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, with the HELO National Leadership Award.
“I am very honored to receive this award from HELO for national leadership,” said Diaz. “It is a pleasure to be invited to be a part of this very special occasion.”
This event was co-sponsored by Comcast and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
As mentioned, HELO elected its new Board of Directors at this year’s conference. In addition to President Silva, officers are: Sergio Rodriguez, alderman, New Haven, Conn., first vice president; Karen Avilla, city treasurer, Carson, Calif., second vice president; Adrienne Foster, councilmember, Roeland Park, Kan., treasurer; Louie Lujan, mayor, La Puente, Calif., secretary; and Lopez Rogers, immediate past president.
At-large members are: Charles Blango, alderman, New Haven, Conn.; Pauline Medrano, councilmember, Dallas; Anibal Ramos Jr., councilmember, Newark, N.J.; Joe Santiago, councilmember, Cleveland; T. Oscar Trevino, mayor, North Richland Hills, Texas; Luz Urbaez Weinberg, commissioner, Aventura, Fla.; Gilbert Lopez, councilmember, Coolidge, Ariz.; Joseph Rodríguez, alderman, New Haven, Conn.; Jo Winch, council majority leader, Hartford, Conn.; and Joseph Gonzalez, councilmember, South El Monte, Calif.
Advisory Council members are: Richard Alarcón, councilmember, Los Angeles; Joseph Maestas, mayor, Española, N.M.; Luis Quintana, councilmember, Newark, N.J.; and Evelyn “Mimi” Woodson, councilmember, Columbus, Ga.
Details: For more information about HELO and sponsorship/membership opportunities, contact NLC staff at (202) 626-3169.
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