In Sunnyside, Washington, where nearly 86% of residents are Latino and over 90% of students in the local school district are Latino, demanding representation isn’t a DEI talking point, it’s fundamentally American.
And yet, for years, city council chambers and school board meetings did not reflect the people they were meant to serve. Representation was not matching reality.
That’s why ELLA created its Emerging Leaders Program — and why ELLA Adelante, our political sister organization, now carries that work into endorsing political candidates.
But let’s be clear: this program is not about political ambition. It’s about ethics. We want to create a world where our leaders represent our people.
When we identify emerging leaders, we are not looking for people who want power for the sake of power, or to preserve corrupt systems. We are looking for people who are willing to return power to the community where it belongs. People who understand that public office is not a stepping stone — it is a responsibility.
As Maria Fernandez explains: “We look at folks from the perspective of what are their ethics, what are their values, and are they aligned with having the community’s best interests at the forefront, even before their own?”
That is the baseline.
In 2023, ELLA ran a “Representation Matters” campaign to mobilize voters. At that time, the Sunnyside City Council had zero Latino representation, despite being in a predominantly Latino community. The school board did not reflect the student body it governed.
The stories shared by past candidates were painful. Racism. Dismissal. Language barriers that were weaponized. “Don’t bring your brown agenda here,” some were told.
Parents raised serious concerns about safety, discipline policies, and accountability. At the time, the at-large voting system made it structurally difficult for communities of color to elect candidates rooted in their lived experience. Thankfully, ELLA, with the help of the ACLU, changed that, allowing for candidates with lived experience to represent our community.
You see, when leaders come from lived experience, from farmworker families, from Spanish-speaking households, from communities navigating poverty, they understand how ordinances, budgets, and policies affect real families.
They understand why safety, access to housing, youth programs, and fair wages matter.
We know that not every Latino candidate will fight for community. That’s why we seek leaders willing to question systems, challenge harmful norms, and risk political comfort for community well-being. We want our emerging leaders to have critical thinking skills and the heart to change government for the better. ELLA’s Emerging Leaders Program was built to train people in that lens and ELLA Adelante ensures we can support those who truly align with it.
The goal is not political theater. The goal is participatory democracy — where city halls and school boards finally look like, listen to, and serve the people they represent.
If that sounds like you, then we encourage you to reach out. Get involved with our Emerging Leaders Program today and start making a difference.
Posted April 06, 2026
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