Hispanic representation in Congress has never been higher.
According to the Pew Research Center, 53 Hispanics serve in the House of Representatives, and seven are in the Senate, including recently elected Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Bernie Moreno of Ohio.
In January, the Senate voted to confirm Marco Rubio as the Secretary of State. In so doing, Rubio became the first Hispanic secretary of State and the highest-ranking Hispanic government official in the country’s history.
As the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, in 1989, I couldn’t be happier. Of course, this is happening because Hispanics are answering the call to serve.
Successful Hispanics in business, law, the nonprofits and the service industry are sacrificing time with their families to serve in public office. Everyone does this for different reasons, but for most, it’s a desire to give back to their communities and improve the country.
As a political refugee from Cuba, I know this is the reason I chose to run and eventually serve in public office. While I’m thrilled to see more Hispanics serving in Congress and the administration, considerable work remains.
Despite recent gains, significant opportunity remains for Hispanics to increase their representation in elected offices and Fortune 500 companies, particularly on boards of directors and in C-suite positions.
Also, Hispanic lawyers and doctors constitute only 5% to 6% of the population, even though Hispanics remain one of the fastest-growing demographics and are on pace to comprise 26% of the population by 2060.
The good news is that more private, government and nonprofit sectors are joining forces to meet the moment. In 2003, my friend Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who is sadly no longer with us, founded the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute. In addition to being an organization committed to advancing diversity of thought, CHLI was created to ensure we identify and equip future generations of Hispanic leaders.
It’s why CHLI has prioritized its leadership and mentorship programs, matching talented and motivated students and young professionals with congressional internships and private and nonprofit opportunities.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the generous support of our congressional and corporate partners, who share our mission and know that investing in today’s youth is critical to ensuring the success and prosperity of our country’s future.
Many years ago, one of the best decisions I ever made was welcoming a young man from South Florida with an internship to serve in my congressional office. Little did I know that this bright and motivated individual would eventually become Florida’s Speaker of the House, a U.S. senator, and now secretary of State.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of welcoming that former intern, Marco Rubio, at CHLI’s annual gala in Washington. Alongside Rubio, we recognized the leadership of Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, Congressman Juan Vargas, and the president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader.
America’s next chapter will need more men and women like these to power the success, innovation and prosperity that made our country a beacon of liberty and opportunity for many.
This can happen only if we all play a role.
