Los Angeles, California -- The California Redistricting Commission has announced that it will extend the deadline for written testimony of the First Draft Maps to Tuesday, June 28, to allow for further public input.  Although the period for providing in-person testimonials has ended, residents can still provide written testimony and submit these to the commission via fax or e-mail.
 
ABC will assist local residents who would like to submit a written testimonial to the commission, but do not have access to e-mail or fax.  Residents are encouraged to bring their written testimonials to the ABC office by Tuesday, June 28, 2011, located at 350 S. Bixel Street, Ste. 180, Los Angeles, CA  90017.  Redistricting will undoubtedly affect Latinos for decades to come.  This is why it is crucial that Latino communities make their voices heard by providing written testimony to the commission in order to ensure equal representation.
 
Alliance for a Better Community (ABC) and local residents from the Pico Union area attended the final Redistricting Commission Meeting at Rio Hondo College in Whittier last Friday to urge the revision of a proposed congressional map that would severely diminish Latino political progress.
 
The meeting was one of several held throughout the state that gave residents an opportunity to provide testimonials about the impact of the new map on their communities.  According to Latino leaders, the proposed map does not reflect the community's growing electoral influence and will disempower minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, while virtually ignoring a history of disenfranchisement and limited political participation within these communities.
 
According to Unai Montes-Irueste, who testified at the commission meeting on behalf of ABC, of particular concern would be an imbalance in political representation created by the clustering of areas like Pico-Union and Koreatown, which have large populations of children, with areas like Beverly Hills that have a larger voting age population.
 
"By joining affluent and disadvantaged communities in a congressional district, the probability of having the poorer community's voice heard by a congressperson who represents its interests is greatly diminished," Montes-Irueste told commissioners.  "Pico Union and Koreatown have a great deal in common with communties like East Hollywood, Echo Park, El Sereno, and Eagle Rock, who, if given a chance, might have the opportunity to bring needed resources to improve conditions in their areas," he added.
 
For more information about the Redistricting Commission's proposed maps, contact Cyndi Bendezu at cyndi@afabc.org, or call (213) 250-0052.