Latina Civic Statement on Laura Matos’ Appointment to New Jersey Legislative Appointment Commission

Trenton – January 26, 2022 – On behalf of the board members of Latina Civic, we wish to commend New Jersey State Democratic Chairman LeRoy Jones on his appointment of Laura Matos to the New Jersey Legislative Apportionment Commission.

Laura’s advocacy for issues that impact women and her relentless pursuit of equal representation and inclusion for the Latino community are what make today’s actions so important. With her appointment, Latinos will now have a voice on the New Jersey Legislative Apportionment Commission on decisions that will impact our community for the next ten years.

In a state that boasts a Latino population that comprises 21% of the state’s total, the lack of Latino representation on this commission has always been a problem. It takes leadership and courage to take bold action, and today Chairman Jones’ proved his commitment to ensure Latino representation in the important process of creating a fairer and more inclusive New Jersey.

Based on Census data, we already know the Latino population has increased dramatically in most of New Jersey’s 21 counties. Latinos have also played a pivotal role in the electoral process, becoming the largest minority voting group in the 2020 elections. Yet it wasn’t until today that the fastest growing population in the state will now have a voice, providing equal democratic representation, and political opportunities for Latinos on all levels of government.

For the last 20 years, members of Latina Civic have been vocal advocates on discussions surrounding redistricting to increase the number of legislators in the state. With Laura’s appointment to the Commission and her vast experience in government and politics, she proves to be a member that will use her grounding as a public servant for New Jersey Latino families and their rights to prosper as members of our society.

Laura was born and raised in Burlington County and has dedicated her professional life to public service. She resides at the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, the fifth most populous county in the state.
Recently, Laura was unanimously confirmed as the Chair of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission after being appointed by Governor Murphy. This commission oversees 1.1 million acres of Pinelands land across 53 municipalities in seven counties.

Previously, Laura worked for eight years in the Governor’s Office, working for Governor Jim McGreevey, Governor Richard J. Codey and Governor Jon Corzine. With more than 20 years in public service and governmental experience, Laura will make an incredible asset to this Commission.

Currently, Laura serves as the Women’s Caucus Chair for the New Jersey State Democratic Committee and has been a leader in Latina Civic, serving as Latina Civic PAC’s Chairwoman.

The recognition of and action towards remedying the lack of Latino representation among the voting members of this committee takes a big step in restoring the New Jersey Democratic Party’s commitment to a more accurately representative process. We look forward to seeing the impacts Laura and the rest of the New Jersey Legislative Apportionment Commission create for all Latinos in New Jersey.
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