Adelante con Webb!

*Walter Tejada of the Arlington County Board

*Isis Castro, former Chair of the Fairfax County School Board

*Eileen Cassidy Rivera of the Alexandria school board

*Rosaura Aguerrebere of the Falls Church school board

*Andy Rivera of the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (DLOV)

*Jorge Figueredo, Vice President, Security One Bank (the first Latino-owned bank in VA)

*Hugo Carballo, President, Laborers Local 11 (Northern Virginia Laborers Union)

*Jose Frias, Organizer, Mid Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters (Carpenters Union)

In her remarks, Isis Castro talked about the need to elect people like Jim Webb who will lead in the area of education, as opposed to people like George Allen who have "done nothing for our children."
Jorge Figueredo of Security One Bank talked about the importance of securing our borders ("noone disagrees with that"), but also about "need[ing] a leader who will be inclusive, not look for scapegoats, and understand that we live in a diverse community."

Jose Frias of the Carpenters Union talked about how Jim Webb "listen[s] to the issues that really matter to working families."  Frias contrasted this with George Allen, who has not helped working families by, for instance, raising the minimum wage.

Eileen Cassidy Rivera of DLOV issued a statement enthusiastically endorsing Jim Webb for Senate.  Rivera talked about how Jim Webb understood the importance of providing small business opportunity, education and health care, while protecting civil rights.  Rivera praised Webb for his support of the DREAM Act and of comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to earned citizenship.  In "strongly" endorsing Webb, Mr. Rivera also pointed out that Jim Webb supports equal rights and opportunities for all Americans.

Walter Tejada of Arlington County announced the kickoff of "Adelante con Webb" - forward with Webb.  Tejada stressed the need for leadership that will "offer hope and opportunity for all Virginians," and contrasted that with the "lip service" from George Allen.  Tejada praised Webb as "an inspiration to everyone" and as "an American hero."  Tejada noted that the United States used to be the model Democracy in the world, but that the last few years "our image has taken a beating."

Speaking last, Jim Webb said that "this is a community that I care a lot about and respect."  Webb noted that several of his own children had attended JEB Stuart High School, the "most diverse high school in the United States."  Webb explained that he had gained an understanding and respect for "this diverse community" through his children and also through his service in the Marine Corps.  Webb expressed his gratitude for the endorsements of the Latinos and the unions, and declared that we need "protections for the American workforce."  Webb concluded by calling the Latino culture "a strong culture," and by stating that "we are lucky  to have the Latino culture as part of our national culture."

The event was well attended by spectators and the media.  In sum, the message of the day was simple: Adelante con Webb!

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