MASSACHUSETTS STATE

SENATOR JARRETT T. BARRIOS COMMITS TO HELPING SHAPE FUTURE LATINO LEADERS

For many politicians the thought of aspiring young leaders nipping at their heels or impatiently waiting on the sidelines can be threatening but not for Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett T. Barrios, who has taken on a personal responsibility to shape future Latino/a leaders.

Senator Barrios, who is bilingual and bicultural, is fully comfortable with his Cuban heritage. Growing up in Tampa, Florida, he lived a humble life enriched by family ties and a community of working-class Cuban-immigrants. He attributes his familiarity with labor unions and working class issues to his grandparents’ employment in a cigar factory and to his father, a carpenter by trade, and his mother, a state employee. Furthermore, Senator Barrios, who attended public schools, was the first in his family to graduate from Harvard College and Georgetown University and understood early on that education was vital in alleviating poverty and affording individuals better opportunities.

He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representative in 1998 and to the Senate in 2002. He has sponsored legislation that ranges from issues of public health, education and immigration to public safety. When asked by this writer what his views are on the English Language Learning Program in our public schools, Senator Barrios said, “When we speak of English language acquisition we need to connect the dots. That means supporting students in the schools and also providing adults who live at home with opportunities for ESL classes to maximize learning outcomes.”

I first met Senator Barrios last July at the Springfield Puerto Rican Day Parade. As he walked around shaking hands in the comfort of his Cuban Guyabera (embroidered shirt), he seemed humble but proud as he shared the delight displayed by the spectators who came out on that hot day to show their cultural pride. Then last fall in Boston while participating in a two-Day Latino Leadership Summit, which was co-sponsored by ¿Oíste? (a Latino political organization), Commonwealth Seminar and Senator Barrios, I was able to gain a better insight into his vision.

I was inspired as I listened to him share some of his political knowledge and influence and marveled at his ability to remain true to his convictions, all while balancing the demands of public service. It was then that it became clear to me that he was intelligent, confident and very passionate about his work. Senator Barrios’ audacity in supporting and nurturing qualified Latino/as in their pursuit of political leadership makes him an astute and profound leader and a friend in our community.