Latino politicians convening in Atlanta should embrace new chapter in activism
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Hundreds of Latino elected officials from across the country have gathered in downtown Atlanta for the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) 42nd annual conference from July 22-24.
By some measures, the Latino community is thriving.
According to the Pew Research Center, 53 Hispanics are serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and seven are serving in the U.S. Senate, including recently elected Senators Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Bernie Moreno, R- Ohio.
Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio became the highest-ranking Hispanic government official in our country’s history.
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But by other measures, the Latino community is in desperate need of bold leadership.
Despite growing in population by leaps and bounds in recent years (including here in Georgia), Latinos lag in various key economic indicators, including lower median income, less accumulated wealth on average, lower rates of homeownership and retirement, and limited access to credit.
Health and education disparities persist, and reforms to our country’s immigration system appear intractable.
The old ways of seeking power must change
For too long, Latino activism has relied heavily on protest, confrontation and outrage.
These tools have played an important role in our history and have helped raise awareness about the challenges our community faces. But awareness alone is not enough. Protest is not policy, and outrage is not change.
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If we limit ourselves to marching and reacting, we’re not leading, we’re waiting. If we align unconditionally with one political party, we give up the leverage that comes from being principled and independent. Too often, Latino voters are courted during campaign season, then forgotten when it’s time to govern.
This must change.
We need a new chapter in Latino civic engagement — one that’s focused less on partisan allegiance and more on principled leadership. One that stops yelling at the system and starts reshaping it.
The good news? It’s already happening.
In recent elections, more Latinos have begun to break from traditional political patterns, voting not based on party loyalty, but on policy solutions. Many chose center-right candidates not because they were told to, but because they believed those candidates best reflected their values: a freer economy, increased border security, safer communities and yes, freedom.
This isn’t about being partisan — it’s about being empowered.
After all, Latinos are among the most entrepreneurial groups in America. We open businesses at a faster rate than any other demographic. We fill essential roles in industries across the economy. And yet, too many are crushed by inflation, blocked from accessing capital or held back by red tape that punishes innovation and risk-taking.
Embrace strong borders and compassionate enforcement
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LIBRE is taking these issues head-on and aggressively moving our country toward a more prosperous and stronger America.
A change in Washington is ushering in more pro-growth economic policies, but work remains, including work at the state level.
We must remove those barriers, not by expanding government programs, but by creating an environment where opportunity and prosperity can flourish.
On immigration, we need changes that are realistic, compassionate and rooted in the rule of law.
That means securing the border and fixing a broken immigration system. It means creating viable pathways for immigrants contributing positively to our local community, including migrant farmworkers, to get right with the law.
And it means rejecting extreme positions on both sides — neither open-border policies nor punitive enforcement will solve the problem.
End symbolic wins and bring in structural reforms
Real solutions require courage, compromise, and leadership — qualities we must demand from both parties.
Latinos now represent nearly 20% of the U.S. population. We are young. We are dynamic.
But if we want to shape that future, we can’t sit around waiting for someone to hand us a seat at the table; we must build our own.
At this year’s NALEO conference, my message to our country’s Latino elected officials and nationwide is simple: Let’s stop being predictable. Let’s challenge power, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Let’s stop settling for symbolic gestures and start pushing for structural reform. Progress doesn’t belong to one side of the political aisle. It belongs to those willing to think freely, act boldly, and lead with authenticity.
This is a new era in Latino activism. It is not louder but smarter, not angrier but more determined, not partisan but more powerful.
And it starts with us.
Daniel Garza is the founder and president of The LIBRE Initiative, the country’s leading center-right Latino organization
