New Jersey Latino Gubernatorial Appointments Task Force 
Looks Forward to Working with Newly Elected Governor Phil Murphy

Murphy committed to meaningful inclusion of Latinos in his administration and 

at the judiciary level during meeting with NJ Latino Task Force prior to Election Day

Trenton, N.J. – Following Tuesday’s election, the non-partisan New Jersey Latino Gubernatorial Appointments Task Force extended its congratulations to Governor-elect Phil Murphy and offered to work collaboratively with him to ensure qualified Latinos are represented in top posts across the administration and at the judiciary level.

The NJ Latino Task Force met with Governor-elect Phil Murphy in Newark, NJ prior to Election Day.  During the meeting on November 2, 2017, the group asked the then candidate to commit to appointing skilled and capable Latinos to critical positions in his administration if he were elected.

The commitments made by Governor-elect Murphy to the NJ Latino Task Force included the following:

• Foster meaningful inclusion of Latinos in top leadership positions across all departments;
• Ensure judiciary diversity is representative of Latino population growth through appointment of more Latino judges to the bench; and
• Agree to continue working with the Task Force beyond the initial meeting and to accept resumes of qualified Latinos for appointments on a rolling basis.

Outside of the NJ Latino Task Force’s core mission, the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ) and the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (SHCCNJ) also discussed with the Governor-elect the need for a disparity study to assess how minority owned businesses (MBE) are faring in the state contracts process after the Set-Aside Act was overhauled in 2003 following the Geod Corporation v. State of New Jersey case.

“We congratulate Governor-elect Phil Murphy on his hard-fought victory,” stated Roberto Frugone, NALEO Educational Fund northeast director.  “Our initial meeting together was extremely productive, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Governor-elect to ensure these measures are implemented in the coming months and years so that Latinos can put their experience and expertise to work in the new administration.”

In addition to discussing these measures, the NJ Latino Task Force also provided Governor-elect Murphy with the resumes of more than 100 qualified and talented Latinos who are willing to put their skills to work on behalf of New Jerseyans in the incoming administration.

The binders of resumes were shared with both candidates in advance of Election Day to ensure that the winner of the November 7, 2017 election would have the information needed to appoint qualified and talented Latinos to key posts during the transition period and from their first day in office.

“By sharing the resumes of more than 100 qualified Latinos directly with the Governor-elect, we are removing many of the barriers that have prevented Latinos from pursuing appointments in the administration and judiciary positions in the past,” stated Arlene Quinones Perez, HBA-NJ’s immediate past president.  “Together with the other members of the NJ Latino Task Force, we will continue to provide the incoming Governor with access to Latino candidates who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work in his administration.”

The NJ Latino Task Force was formed in October by the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund and the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (SHCCNJ) to increase the number of Latinos serving in appointed positions within the new Governor’s administration.

With the election behind us, the NJ Latino Task Force will continue to work to provide the new governor and administration with access to additional resumes of talented Latinos.  To accomplish this goal, the NJ Latino Task Force will collaborate with leading statewide and local Latino organizations to facilitate the collection of additional resumes of qualified individuals.

“Latinos in New Jersey have a wealth of expertise and experience,” stated Carlos Medina, SNCCNJ chairman.  “As business owners, attorneys, health and education experts, social workers, union members, and more, our community’s combined contributions to the vitality of the state go beyond each election cycle.  Now that the election is over, we are committed to helping the Governor-elect appoint Latinos to serve within the highest levels of the New Jersey state government from his first day in office.”

Latinos now account for one in five New Jerseyans, and more than 12 percent of all registered voters in the state.  This growing population group is quickly becoming the future of the New Jersey electorate and an essential component of the economic and entrepreneurial activity in the state.

The NJ Latino Task Force is a volunteer driven collaborative made up of the leadership from each of the member organizations, HBA-NJ, NALEO Educational Fund and SHCCNJ, and is not affiliated with any specific campaign.  The mission of the NJ Latino Task Force is to ensure that Latinos are ready to engage in the transition process for the future Governor-Elect of New Jersey.   

For more information on the NJ Latino Task Force or to submit a resume, please email NJTaskforce@naleo.org.

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About the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ)
Founded in 1980, the HBA-NJ is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association that is comprised of attorneys, judges, law professors, law students, and other professionals who share a common interest in addressing the issues affecting Hispanics within the legal community.

The purpose of the Association is to serve the public interest: (i) by cultivating the art and science of jurisprudence, (ii) by advancing the standing of the legal profession, and (iii) by preserving high standards of integrity, honor, and professional courtesy among Hispanic lawyers.

About NALEO Educational Fund
NALEO Educational Fund is the nation’s leading non-profit, non-partisan organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. For more information about NALEO Educational Fund please visit www.naleo.org.

About the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (SHCCNJ)
SNCCNJ was founded in 1989 when Business leaders met with Governor Tom Kean and were encouraged to start a Chamber to foster, mentor and train Hispanic Owned business in New Jersey. Over the years, various publications have ranked our chamber among the largest in the state. As a not-for-profit organization for over 27 years, SHCCNJ has become the voice of the 119,000 Hispanic-Owned Businesses that contributes over $20 Billion to the State’s economy. The Chamber is the premier vehicle to access the Latino community and its formidable purchasing power, as evidenced by our growth of non-Hispanic membership reaching 45 percent.