Compton : Meeting Planners Criticized for Neglecting Latinos

A town hall meeting called “Uniting People of Color,” sponsored by the NAACP last week, has been criticized for not including enough Latinos in the planning.

With six blacks, four Latinos and one Samoan on the 11-person panel of community leaders, the dais reflected the city’s diverse population, critics acknowledged. The city is 53% black, 44% Latino, 2% Asian and 1% white.

However, Latino members of the panel were added at the last minute, and there was little outreach into the Spanish-speaking community, panel member Lorraine Cervantes said. The audience consisted mostly of African-Americans and a small group of Samoans.

“We were rushed this time and didn’t do as much as we would have liked,” NAACP organizer Velda Bingham said. “Next time, maybe in January, we will have more time to organize.”