Over the past few years, the issues facing Latino community in Prince William County have been numerous, especially in the wake of the global pandemic. Last night before a large crowd of attendees at Fred Lynn Middle School in Woodbridge, these issues were addressed in a roundtable discussion.

Led by Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin, the purpose of the event was to bring together the diverse community and provide updates on initiatives that several organizations were working on, from housing to education. Joining her in the discussion were a bevy of community leaders:

• Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, representing the 31st District House of Delegates
• Jorge Figueredo of Edu-Futuro
• Christian Martinez, CASA Advocacy Specialist
• Maria Burgos, Prince William County Office of Equity and Inclusion
• Alicia Pardo, of Tenants and Workers United

Franklin began the discussion by highlighting several of the advancements that have been made over the past few years. Chief among these accomplishments was the funding of the CASA Welcome Center, which will assist immigrant families with essential services. Also, providing mobile clinics for COVID-19 vaccines and testing kits within the Bayview area, which is a highly populated Latino section of the county. She also announced the upcoming ceremony on July 16th, in which Jefferson Davis Highway will be renamed.

Guzman, who was instrumental in getting the General Assembly to approve a Health Services Department in 2023 to provide further necessities for the Latino community, as well as promoting the Mental Health Center in the county, highlighted the need for sensible gun control in the Commonwealth. Although there have been advancements in legislation, such as the prevention of abusers and those with mental health issues from purchasing guns, she emphasized that there is still much work to be done.

“There are loopholes in the system, and that’s what we continue to see,” said Guzman.

Other announcements came to light during the event, such as when Figueredo announced that Edu-Futuro, which specializes in helping immigrant youth and families achieve post-secondary educational goals, will be opening a Prince William County office. Burgos also informed the attendees that there will be monthly listening sessions starting on June 22nd, in which the community can ask questions and be informed on what the county is doing regarding equity and inclusion initiatives.

Although reports of progress were discussed during the presentations, challenges remain. Affordable housing for families making less than $40,000 and making sure that immigrant families have access to bi-lingual services still persists, as well as ensuring that ESOL students are given equal opportunities to succeed in the classroom.

Overall, it was a night of hope and promise to one of Prince William County’s most rapidly growing communities. In a press release, Guzman offered the following statement:

“It was an honor to join Supervisor Franklin for a bilingual town hall so that the Hispanic community could not only attend, but also learn what the state and local governments are doing to improve the lives of working families in Virginia.  Our goal is to meet ALL residents where they are and listen to their concerns in the language they prefer. We want PWC residents to get access to their elected officials outside of board chambers and the legislative session. Residents expressed their desire for safety in our schools, free or reduced cost for summer activities for youth, more services for children with special needs, access to early childhood education, and mental health services for children and youth.”

(Editor’s Note: The article was updated to include the statement from Delegate Guzman.)