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Voting Rights Project
Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project is a project of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs aimed at creating an accessible and equitable system of voting for all Americans through impact litigation, research, and clinical education to expand access to the ballot box.

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News Articles & Media Coverage → Democracy & Voting Rights

Increasing calls for more diversity as Biden’s cabinet takes shape

Talking about the importance of Latino representation in “top-tier” cabinet positions: “We need to have substantive representation for better decision-making,” says Sonja Diaz, founding director of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (Also: Fusion).

Statement From UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute on the Appointment of Xavier Becerra to Lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

On December 6, 2020, the media announced the imminent nomination of California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sonja Diaz, Founding Executive Director of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, issued the following statement in response.

Fear and Loathing as Colleges Face Another Season of Red Ink

“We’re fully anticipating that some of the smaller schools will not make it,” said Patricia Gandara, a research professor of education at UCLA. “Some of the liberal arts schools, especially, are struggling to stay afloat. It’s a really terrible problem.”

Great Latinxpectations

Significantly, the Biden/Harris ticket received more votes than Hillary Clinton four years ago with record turnout in metro areas where those groups operate—with nearly 80 percent of Latinos backing Democrats, according to an analysis by UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute.

Not all appointments are equal: the need for tier one Latino cabinet officials

“Latinos will remain key to American recovery… This can only happen if Latinos, with at least one top-tier appointment, are in the room with President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris when key decisions are made,” writes UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute Executive Director, Sonja Diaz.

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