Latino and Spanish Speakers Advocacy
Regional Counsel
MALDEF
1717 K St, NW
Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036
202-293-2828 tel
202-293-2849 fax
LEP Task Force Participant
Marisa J. Demeo is the Regional Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund's (MALDEF) D.C. Office. MALDEF is a national nonprofit organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Latinos living in the United States. At MALDEF, Ms. Demeo develops policy positions for MALDEF and performs legislative advocacy on the national level for Latino civil rights in the areas of immigration, education, political access, employment, access to public funds and criminal justice. Before coming to MALDEF, Ms. Demeo was a trial attorney for three years in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she enforced federal civil rights laws related to employment discrimination against state and local governments.
José Ruiz-Alvarez
World Languages / Literacy
Librarian
The Ferguson Library
1 Public Library Plaza
Stamford, CT 06904
Voice (203) 964-1000,ext.228 ; Fax (203) 425-9789
http://www.fergusonlibrary.org/spanish.htm
Vice-President-President-Elect & Webmaster
REFORMA-Northeast Chapter
http://www.reforma-northeast.org
REFORMA (National)
The National Association to Promote Library and
Information Services to Latinos and the
Spanish-Speaking
http://www.reforma.org
REFORMA is committed to the improvement of the full spectrum of library and information services for the approximately 56.2* million Spanish-speaking and Latino people in the United States.
Established in 1971 as an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), REFORMA has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff; the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share our goals; the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos.