DES MOINES — The Latino Political Network (LPN) announced its first event in 2017 which will train and empower Latinos interested in running for local office. LPN is a first-of-its-kind initiative to elect more Latinos across Iowa through non-partisan education and empowerment. The LPN training will feature two sessions on running for office with speakers, Jon Wolseth of Iowa State Extension and Sven Petersen, the Perry City Manager, as well as a presentation by LPN co-founders Rob Barron and Omar Padilla.
What: Latino Political Network Workshop
When: Saturday, February 25 from 2:30-6:00
Where: Town Craft Center
1124 Willis Avenue, Second Floor
Perry, IA 50220
Registration: Participants can register at www.lpniowa.com/events Though LPN's work is directed at Latinos, anyone is invited to attend.
The Latino Political Network is dedicated to the political education and empowerment of Iowa Latinos. It offers training focused on all facets of political campaigning and elective service. LPN has also built a network of Latino elected officials and aspiring Latino candidates in a way never before seen in Iowa. LPN will announce training in Storm Lake and Iowa City later this spring.
There is a wave of political engagement from Americans of all ethnicities and ideologies after the 2016 elections. Journalists and researchers concede that 2016 saw a record number of Latino voters, though concrete figures won’t be known till later this year. Latinos also made huge strides in winning public office with the first Latina United States Senator winning in Nevada, the first DREAMer to be elected to Congress, and the first Latino to serve in the Nebraska State Legislature. With such a strong year for Latino politics and local elections taking place in every community across Iowa this year, the time is ripe for the Latino Political Network to invest in candidate training.
The Latino Political Network was founded and is run by Rob Barron, the first Latino elected to the Des Moines School Board, and Omar Padilla, a first-generation Latin-American who is a veteran community and political organizer.