Policy Platform

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) is an advocacy organization whose platform promotes opportunities that advance Latinas.  From this broad platform HOPE has selected key issue areas on which to focus: Education, Health Care and Economic Empowerment. 

HOPE engages in policy work that directly leads to the following outcomes in each issue area:

HEALTH CARE

• Increased access to quality health care for Latinas

EDUCATION

• Increased graduation rates from college among Latinas
• Increased Latina transfer rates from Community Colleges to four-year institutions

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

• Increased prosperity for Latinas

CIVIC PARTICIPATION

• Increased voter registration
• Increased voter participation

WORKING WITH HOPE

Sponsoring Organization

HOPE will sponsor only one piece of state legislation per year.  HOPE Board approval is needed.  The internal approval process takes at least one month.

Supporting / Opposing Organization

If the legislation is within HOPE’s policy platform and desired outcomes in education, health, and economic empowerment, HOPE will consider lending its name.  HOPE Board approval is needed.  The internal approval process takes at least one month.

If legislation is outside of HOPE’s policy platform, HOPE will most likely be unable to lend it’s name.  However, those decisions are made on a case by case basis, as determined by the HOPE policy committee.

Testifiers

In key areas of education (e.g. community college) and health care (e.g. teen pregnancy prevention), HOPE has a cadre of Latinas that may serve as testifiers for legislative hearings.  Our Latina Leaders live across the state and two weeks of advance notice would be appreciated to coordinate a testimony.

Informing and Mobilizing

These options are available only if HOPE is sponsoring, supporting or opposing legislation.

Enewsletter

HOPE distributes enewsletters to a database of over 2000 regarding issues that pertain to Latinas.  Two days advance prep work goes into producing an enewsletter.  All content must be approved by the Executive Director. 

Phone Tree and Letter writing campaigns

HOPE may reach out to its board, advisory board and HOPE Leadership Institute Alumnae within a couple of hours.  However, we do not at this time have the capacity to follow-up beyond the initial request. 

CRITERIA AND PROCESS

The following criteria are used to evaluate legislation or other policy:
 
CRITERIA

1. Is within HOPE’s defined policy platform
2. The policy is “Latina Smart” - addresses the specific needs of the Latina Community based on the Latina experience, and data
3. Accomplishes HOPE’s agreed upon advocacy outcomes
4. Impacts a large segment of Latinas
5. HOPE is filling a niche
6. Does not comprise HOPE’s integrity

The following process is used by HOPE in evaluating legislation or other policy:

PROCESS

1. HOPE staff conducts analyses and provides recommendations to the HOPE Policy Committee.
2. HOPE Policy Committee reviews staff analyses, requests further information if needed, puts forward a recommendation to the HOPE Board or Executive Committee for approval.
3. HOPE Board or Executive Committee request further information or vote on final approval.
4. Upon approval, HOPE staff prepare letter

CONTACT HOPE

For more information, please contact:

Helen Torres
Executive Director
634 South Spring Street, Suite 920
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Phone: 213-622-0606 x1
Fax:  213-622-0007
Email:  htorres@latinas.org