1. Latinos for a Secure
Retirement:
2011 Year in Review

2. January 19: LSR coalition
announced
9 members include:
 LULAC
 LCLAA
 Hispanic Federation
 National Hispanic Council on Aging
 SER- Jobs for Progress
 National Association of Hispanic Elderly
 MANA- A National Latina Organization
 Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly
 The American GI Forum

3.  Roll out press call featured:
◦ Brent Wilkes (LULAC)
◦ Lillian Rodriguez (Hispanic Federation)
◦ Hector Sanchez (LCLAA)
◦ Jeff Cruz (LSR)
 Release of Social Security plan
Protecting Social Security:
A Blueprint for
Strengthening Social Security
for All Americans
 Generated dozens of
press clips

4. February 17 – Hill briefing with Center for
American Progress (CAP)
 Hector Sanchez (LCLAA)
 Rep. Becerra
 Rep. Schakowsy
 Christian Weller (CAP)
 Jeff Cruz (LSR)
• Nancy Altman
(Social Security Works)
• Bob Greenstein
(Center on Budget and Policy
Priorities)

5. March 27–National Latino Congreso passes
LSR/Hispanic Federation‟s Social Security
 Resolution 15 resolution Security
01 - Supporting Social
 This Resolution was Approved By the National Latino Congreso on Day 3, Sunday, March 27, 2011
 Author: Mr. Chris Espinosa
 Organization: Hispanic Federation
 WHEREAS, Social Security is critical to the well being and economic security of Latinos, providing benefits to nearly
one out of every six Latino households;
 WHEREAS, Social Security is an essential social insurance program that protects Latinos and their families if they
cannot work because of age or disability;
 WHEREAS, Social Security benefits compromise nearly all the income for almost half, 44.2 percent, of Latino elderly
households and represent over 75 percent of the total income of Latino elderly households receiving benefits;
 WHEREAS, the average Social Security benefit in 2008 for Latino men over the age of 65 was only $12,213 and
$9,536 for Latina women;
 WHEREAS, the elderly Latino poverty rate would increase from around 18 percent to over 50 percent without Social
Security;
 WHEREAS, many members of the undocumented community pay into and support the Social Security Trust Fund
and can only benefit from their investments when legalized and that these contributions are stabalizing Social
Security for all United States citizens; and
 WHEREAS, Social Security has never contributed a single penny to the national deficit and currently has a trust fund
of more than $2.5 trillion;
 WHEREAS, Social Security has always been “off-budget,” independent from the general U.S. budget with a
dedicated revenue stream from payroll contributions;
 WHEREAS, there are numerous plans to make Social Security fully solvent for the next 75 years without any cuts to
benefits or increase in the retirement age.
 THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, that organizations represented by delegates of the 2011 National Latino
Congreso oppose any reduction in Social Security benefits or increase in the retirement age; and
 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that organizations represented by delegates of the 2011 National Latino Congreso call
on the President and the United States Congress to exclude Social Security from being a part of any legislation to
reduce the federal deficit; and
 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that organizations represented by the delegates of the 2011 National Latino Congreso
support efforts to protect and strengthen Social Security; and
 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that organizations represented by the delegates of the 2011 National Latino Congreo
support efforts to ensure all deported persons that worked in this country and contributed their savings into the Social
Security system receive payments whereever they may be

6. April 6: LSR joins Democratic Seniors
Task Force to highlight the impact of the
2012 GOP Budget on American Seniors

7. “Latinos and Social Security:
¡Tu Futuro Cuenta!”
May 3: First townhall in Philadelphia, PA.
 Local co-sponsors: Democracia USA, Congreso
de Latinos Unidos.
 Approximately 80 – 100 attendees.
 Speakers included representatives from LSR,
NCLR, Philadelphia Mayor‟s Office, Sen. Casey‟s
office, and the NCPSSM.
 Dozens of media clips, including TV, radio and
newspaper

8. “Latinos and Social Security:
¡Tu Futuro Cuenta!”
May 3: Philadelphia, PA youth
townhall
 Aimed at teaching young Latinos about how
Social Security works.
 Approximately 25 attendees.

9. Don‟t make us work til we die
LSR participates in national “Don‟t make
us work „til we die” campaign”

11. LULAC National
Convention
July 1: Panel organized by LSR for
LULAC‟s National Convention in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Speakers include representatives from:
LULAC, LCLAA, LSR, NCLR, and NASI

12. July 13: LSR policy brief and quiz on
proposed chained-CPI benefit cut
 Generated dozens of print media clips

13. LSR and LULAC cohost townhall with
California Alliance for Retired
Americans
July 17: Billingual townhall in San
Diego, CA.
 Opening remarks by Benny Diaz,
LULAC‟s CA State Director.

14. NCLR National Convention
July 24: LSR participates in panel on
Retirement Security at NCLR‟s national
convention in Washington, DC.

15. LCLAA‟s National Conference
 August 5: Morning plenary session on
Retirement Security in San Juan,
Puerto Rico.

16. Medicare and Medicaid:
¡Reduciendo El Costo Del Cuidado
De Salud Para Todos!
 September 20: New report showing increasing the
Medicare age would cost Latinos $2.4 billion
 Rep. Raul Grijalva and CEPR co-director Dean Baker
participate with LSR on national press call
 National Hispanic Medical Association joins LSR
 Picked up by La Opinion and featured in Spanish
newspapers across the country.
 Generated multiple radio interviews

17. “Latinos and Social Security:
¡Tu Futuro Cuenta!”
September 21: Townhall in Miami, Florida.
 Sponsored by LSR, NCLR and AARP
 Approximately 200 attendees.
 Participants include Mayor Regalado and
representatives from LCLAA/LSR, AARP, NCLR and
the Social Security Administration.
 Dozens of media clips, including TV, radio and
newspaper

18. Oct. 13: LSR participates in rally to
protect Medicare protect Medicare in
Boston, MA.
 Releases new report showing the cost
to Massachusetts of raising the
Medicare age
 Picked up by several Boston area
newspapers and blogs

19. “Latinos and Social Security:
¡Tu Futuro Cuenta!”
October 21: Townhall in Boston, Massachusetts.
 Sponsored by LSR, NCLR, AARP, LULAC-Massachusetts, the
City of Boston Commission on Affairs of the Elderly, Action for
Boston Community Development (ABCD), ¿Oiste?, La Alianza
Hispana
 Approximately 200 attendees.
 Participants include Boston city council president Steve Murphy,
Boston chief of human services Daphne Griffin, Massachusetts
state representative Jeffrey Sanchez, city councilor Felix Arroyo,
and representatives from LSR, LULAC, LCLAA, AARP, and
NCLR.
 Generated dozens of media clips, including several TV spots.

20. LSR press calls to release state
reports in Illinois and Florida
 Nov 8: Illinois release featured Rep.
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and the Illinois
Alliance for Retired Americans
president
 Nov 10: Florida release featured Rep.
Ted Deutch (D-FL) and the Illinois
Alliance for Retired Americans
president

21. LSR co-hosts and participates in
coalition
Social Security/Medicare Rally
November 9th: Rally in Boston,
Massachusetts.
 LSR executive director Jeff Cruz speaks at
event.
 Over 1,000 attendees, after event march to
Sen. Kerry and Sen. Brown‟s district offices.
 Generated dozens of media clips.

22. Latinos for a Secure
Retirement:
2011 Year in Review
• Hosted 8 townhall events in strategic areas and a
Washington DC briefing, directly reaching more
than 1,000 people
• Spoke at 4 national public conferences
• Wrote and released 6 policy reports
• Generated more than 100 earned media clips
• Met with staff from more than a two dozen
Congressional and Senate offices
• Participated in public events with 12
Congressmen.

23. Latinos for a Secure
Retirement