REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
NATIONAL
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
OPENING
CEREMONY
WASHINGTON, DC
SEPTEMBER 26,
2002
10:30 AM
Buenos Dias. Thank
you very much Ms. Myrna Rivera. Mr.
Samuel Mayor. Mr. Will Ris.
Bien venidos a todos.
Welcome to all. Thank you
for being here today, as the Department celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.
I would like to take this opportunity to give a special
welcome to our keynote speaker, Ms. Linda Pauwels, a Captain for American
Airlines.
At the age of 25, Ms. Pauwels became the youngest woman
ever to become a jet captain -
quite an accomplishment. Welcome
Captain Pauwels. Thank you for
being with us today.
For more than 31 years, the United States has annually
celebrated the rich history and cultural traditions of our Nation’s Latino
community.
We do this not only to express our deep appreciation to
Hispanic Americans for their countless contributions to our society, but also to
allow those of us of other backgrounds to gain a better understanding of our
Nation’s distinctive diversity.
Since our Nation’s founding, Hispanic Americans have
played an integral role in our country’s exceptional story of success.
And today, Latino culture continues to shape the American experience.
More than 32 million Americans are of Hispanic origin,
approximately 1 of every 8 people in the United States.
Their contributions reach into every walk of contemporary life, and like
all Americans, their customs, traditions, and history in this country are
indelible parts of the American story.
Understanding that story, and understanding those
contributions, is of critical importance to us here at the Department of
Transportation.
We must make sure that the services provided by our
Department, and by our partners at the state and local level, meet the needs of
this vibrant community.
And we must also ensure that, as we move forward with
building the diverse workforce we need to serve this Nation, we are reaching out
for the talents and the drive of the Latino community.
This year’s theme, “Hispanic Americans:
Strength in Unity, Faith, and Diversity” is representative of the
Department of Transportation’s commitment to support and embrace the
backgrounds of all its employees.
As many of you know, this Department is working to develop
a workforce that is reflective of the American people.
And while the Department has made some strides in
recruiting and developing its workforce, we know much more needs to be done.
As part of the Department’s diversity management
initiatives, increased outreach and recruitment efforts will be undertaken to
tap the talent pool that exists in the Hispanic community.
Currently, Latinos represent only 5 percent of the
Department’s workforce. This must
change.
Increasing the representation of Hispanics in the DOT
workforce and meeting their education and employment needs will require us to
work together here at DOT, and in
partnership with those organizations that are on the front lines of supporting
this important constituent group.
Currently, the Department is developing partnerships with
such organizations as the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute, the League of
United Latin American Citizens, the ASPIRA Association and identifying new
opportunities to evaluate existing partnerships for improved outreach to the
Latino community.
The Department is also working closely with the Office of
Personnel Management and other federal agencies to respond to the President’s
Strategic Human Capital Initiative, and his desire to address the pending wave
of retirement in the federal government by recruiting from groups that have
otherwise been under-represented in the ranks of federal employment.
I need help from all of you in that effort -- whether you
work here at DOT, or work with us as partners in the broader community.
Now, more than ever, we need well-educated skilled
employees to help us meet our Nation's transportation challenges.
We cannot meet that goal unless we achieve the full
participation of the Hispanic community here at DOT, and in the transportation
industry. For example, we are, as
we speak, actively working to increase Hispanic enrollment at the U.S. Merchant
Marine Academy. And I want to do
the same for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
The opportunities are there, but we need to work together
to take advantage of them.
As I close, I just want to say one more thing while I’ve
got the podium.
According to the 2000 census, the Hispanic community is
growing seven times faster than the rest of the U.S. population and will grow to
an estimated 59 million by the year 2030. Already,
Latinos are the Nation’s single largest minority group.
So I would like to mention one opportunity today that we at the Department of Transportation are uniquely positioned to address -- and that is in the area of traffic safety.
I was very surprised to learn that motor vehicle crashes
are the leading cause of death for Hispanic Americans between the ages of 1 and
44.
Organizations such as The National Latino Children’s
Institute, The Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, The Latino
Council on Alcohol and Tobacco and the National Council of La Raza, just to name
a few, have been working vigorously with our folks at the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration to help get the message out to the Hispanic
community that buckling up saves lives.
If we were able to reach 100 percent seat belt use among
Latinos in American, thousands of lives could be saved, and thousands of
injuries prevented every year.
I would like to take this opportunity today to say: Please,
everyone, wear your seatbelts. It’s
simple; it only takes a second; and it is the most effective safety device in
your car.
So please help me get the message out to our young people that we love them too much to see them injured in crashes. Please, buckle up for yourself and for us.
Before I leave, I want to remind each of you that the
Department and all of its 14 Operating Administrations will have a variety of
cultural and professional development activities throughout Hispanic Heritage
Month. I ask that you take a
little time out from your schedules to participate in these fun and important
events.
I thank you again for being here today as we celebrate
Hispanic Heritage Month and for your excellent work in supporting and
maintaining our Nation’s transportation system.
God bless all of you and travel safely.
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