Description

Delbert and Barbara Arsenault Lectureship Short description Co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Immigration Task Force, former Housing and Urban Development secretary, and housing innovator Henry Cisneros is a testament to American leadership, diversity and community building. Long description American Latinos are the nation’s fastest-growing segment of the population, the largest minority group, the youngest segment of the population, and the most rapidly increasing proportion of the middle class. The Latino trajectory of progress is vital to the nation’s future. The difference between Latinos as a marginalized population or Latinos as full contributors to the workforce and to economic prosperity will be a critical determinant of America’s competitiveness and social stability. It is essential to act now on strategies to fully integrate Latinos into the mainstream of American life. Co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Immigration Task Force, former HUD secretary, and housing innovator Henry Cisneros is a testament to American leadership, diversity and community building. His vision of a strong, resilient society starts with fair housing and stretches beyond race and class. One of the first Hispanic Americans to run a major city, Cisneros came to national prominence when he was elected mayor of San Antonio in 1981. During his four terms, Cisneros rebuilt the city’s economy by increasing tourism, attracting high-technology firms and creating tens of thousands of jobs. The American Mayor named him one of the nation’s 15 best mayors of the 19th and 20th centuries.