Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Attends Somos el Futuro Conference in Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico - Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thursday, November 11 to participate in the Somos el Futuro Conference, an annual symposium  hosted by Somos el Futuro, Inc.

Somos el Futuro, Inc. is a nonpartisan nonprofit group devoted to meeting the needs of New York State’s Latino population. Every year, Somos holds two conferences – one in the spring and one in the fall – at which legislators, professors, students, entrepreneurs, and community leaders convene to discuss the issues with which the Latino community is concerned. Latinos constitute 21% of Westchester’s population and 17% of New York State’s.

“Somos provides a great opportunity for us to work with Latino leaders and listen to the needs of the Latino community,” said Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

“I attend this conference every year with an open mind and an open heart. It’s important for me to stay as informed as possible so I can address the concerns of New York’s growing Latino population and better serve the Latino constituents in my district.”

Leaders from New York’s Latino community held workshops and hosted discussions at this conference designed to engage participants in issues pertinent to economic development, health care, education, and other issues important to members of New York’s Latino population. This year’s workshops included a judicial roundtable on child sex trafficking and programs about workers’ compensation, education policy, regional trade and economic development, the labor movement, immigration, criminal justice reform, and Latino LGBTQ+ communities. Somos also presented participants with legislative proposals designed to improve the lives of Latino constituents. 

Somos used funds generated by the conference to provide Latino children and young adults with scholarships, collegiate internships, and post-collegiate apprenticeships to better equip Latino youth for professional development and socioeconomic success.   

As the Leader of the New York State Senate Democratic Conference and a member of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, Senator Stewart-Cousins has advocated for many of the legislative measures Somos supports, including raising the minimum wage, reforming the criminal justice system, enacting raise-the-age legislation, passing the DREAM Act, improving education and life outcomes for Latino youth, increasing funding for childcare and family services, supporting affordable housing and small businesses and creating economic opportunity.

For more information about Somos el Futuro, Inc., please visit: http://somosnewyork.org/.