Education and Training

A project of Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE) and CAWP to empower Latinas in the political arena and increase their numbers in elected and appointed offices at all levels. We gratefully acknowledge The Fund for New Jersey for its major support of this program.

Overview of Elección Latina

CAWP and Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE), together with a steering committee of leaders in the Latino/a community, sponsor Elección Latina, a preconference session of the New Jersey Ready to Run™ Campaign Training for Women. Elección Latina participants attend a half-day session that targets issues of particular interest to Latinas running for political office.  Elección Latina participants then attend Ready to Run™ the next day to learn about the nuts and bolts of working on a campaign. 

Ready to Run™ offers a unique opportunity for potential women candidates to hear directly from prominent elected and appointed leaders, campaign consultants, and party officials about how to get Ready to Run™.  Topics covered include fundraising, navigating the political parties, working with the media, and developing a campaign plan.  More details on Ready to Run™ can be found here.

Facts on Latinas in Elective Office

• Nationally, 72 of the 1,791 women serving in state legislatures are Latinas. Seven of the 90 women serving in the 111th Congress are Latinas. For more details and information about Latinas serving in other elected positions around the country, visit our Latinas in elective office page.
• In New Jersey, five Latinas serve in the state legislature out of 120 seats. For more details and information about Latinas serving in other elective positions in New Jersey, view the Women in New Jersey Government fact sheet.

Elección Latina Steering Committee

Patricia Bullon
Ecuadorian Chamber of Commerce of NJ & NY

Milagros Camacho
Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey

Grissele Camacho-Pagan, Esq.
Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE)

Blanca-Hilda Cardenas
Helping Honduras, Inc.

Marilyn Carpinteyro
New Jersey Citizen Action

Melvi Davila
Peruvian American Political Action Committee

Miryam Delgado
Peruvian American Political Action Committee

Wilda Diaz
Comite Patriotico Cultural Puertorriqueno

Zulima V. Farber, Esq.
Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE)

Nilda Garcia
Latina Women’s Council of Mercer County

Wendy Martinez
New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs

Gilda Morales
Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) and
Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE)

Margarita Muñiz
Deputy Mayor, City of Newark

Jose Perez
Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey (LLANJ)

Lillian A. Plata, Esq.
Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE)

Dilia Mojica Plotkin
Morris County Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce

Anna “Cuqui” Rivera
Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey (LLANJ)

Katty Rivera
Peruvian American Political Alliance of New Jersey

Ana Shaener
Mujeres Latinas en Acción

Gloria Soto, Esq.
Latinas United for Political Empowerment (LUPE)

Questions? 

Contact Jean Sinzdak at (732) 932-9384, ext. 260 or sinzdak@rci.rutgers.edu.