Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Mark Dayton today met with Irene Rodriquez, who represented Minnesota at the seventh annual Hispanic Leadership Summit, in Washington, DC. Rodriguez, whom Dayton selected as delegate, is Executive Director of the Resource Center of the Americas, a Minneapolis-based non-profit that educates and organizes to promote human rights, democratic participation, and economic justice throughout the Americas.

“I was delighted to meet with Ms. Irene Rodriquez at this important national conference,” said Dayton. “Irene is a distinguished community leader and an excellent representative for Minnesotans at this summit.”

Hosted by the Senate and House Democratic Leadership, the Senate Hispanic Task Force, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today’s summit unveiled the Compromiso Demócrata con el Pueblo Latino—A New Direction for Latino Families. The Summit engages Hispanic leaders from across the country in a dialogue about how we can continue to work together to address the needs of the Latino community and create opportunities and prosperity for Hispanic families.

The 2006 Hispanic Leadership Summit coincides with the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. Those weeks mark the anniversaries of the independence of seven Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15; Mexico on September 16; and Chile on September 18.

The Latino community is the fastest growing minority population in Minnesota. According to the State Demographer’s Office, Minnesota’s Hispanic non-white population is expected to increase to 6 percent by 2030, up from 3 percent in 2000.

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