NLC Comes to Bridgeport
Hispanic and Women’s caucuses hold annual conference in the Park City
M
ore than 75 mayors, councilmembers, and other local leaders from across the United States met this past July in Bridgeport for the national summer meeting of the Women and Hispanic Caucuses of the National League of Cities (NLC). CCM worked closely with the City of Bridgeport and National League of Cities to coordinate this important summer meeting. The joint conference was the result of perfect timing for both because the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) and Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) Caucuses are led by Bridgeport officials. Bridgeport City Clerk Lydia Martinez, leads the HELO Caucus and Bridgeport City Council leader AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia leads the WIMG Caucus. HELO is a network and caucus aimed at giving a voice to Hispanic and Latino officials. The group has been around since 1976, and they develop policy and discuss issues directly affecting Hispanic and Latino communities, and provide guidance to the NLC Board of Directors. WIMG is similar to HELO as a constituency group, and has roots that go back to 1974, becoming part of NLC in 1979. WIMG aims to raise awareness about issues of concern to women, in addition to giving a voice to women who already have been elected. A schedule of intensive, hands-on workshops took place over three days on a wide range of issues, such as the role of local government in developing healthy children; preparing for the 2020 U.S. Census; paid family leave in the municipal workplace; immigration policy at the local level, bringing government attention to women’s issues; combatting violence against women and the #MeToo movement; Latino empowerment, the local housing crisis and much more. Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz spoke on a HELO panel about her Connecticut Complete Count
Committee (CCCC), along with Maria Zambrano Viggiano, Co-Chair for Census 2020 in Bridgeport, Jeff Behler from the Census Bureau, and CCM’s Executive Director Joe DeLong. CCM Deputy Director Ron Thomas moderated a panel for WIMG on Paid Family Leave in the Municipal Space. “This annual summer meeting brings together women in local government to share their experience, strengthen their skills and expand their network, and meet other women leaders — while exploring the great city of Bridgeport,” Vizzo-Paniccia emphasized. “Hispanic and Latino members come from all across America,” noted Martinez. “From Bridgeport, Connecticut to Mesa, Arizona each member brings a unique experience and point of view to the caucus. When members meet, they discuss the challenges they face, the ways they overcame them and the work they’re doing to improve their communities.”
SEPTEMBER 2019 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | 9
