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Government Relations Report – May 2023

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Bringing You Up to Speed

In July of last year, the government relations department was established to fulfill the third pillar of SHPE’s strategic plan. In less than a year, our dedicated team has successfully cultivated new relationships with multiple agency STEM offices, influential members of the Biden-Harris Administration, and Congressional Members representing Hispanic heritage or significant Hispanic constituencies. Expanding our outreach efforts, we actively engaged with relevant Committee members and leadership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to gain a comprehensive understanding of the decision-makers shaping STEM education and workforce development opportunities for the Hispanic community.   

Our efforts have contributed significant and valuable insights to advancing and prioritizing K-12 STEM education access, college readiness, private and public partnerships, and fostering a sense of belonging within the industry. Grounded in local, evidence-based research, our initiatives have provided relevant and indispensable data in shaping strategic decision-making for the Hispanic community. 

Events

Accomplishments

  • Ongoing advocacy for early STEM education exposure, pay and gender equity, college readiness, workforce improvement, and professional development at all levels. 
  • House floor speech honoring Rod Garcia’s life by Congressman Tony Cardenas
  • Creation of a Government Relations page on SHPE’s website with news, updates, toolkits, and additional resources.
  • Successful coordination of the initial round of “Advocate con SHPE” virtual meetings with Congressional offices and SHPE members, addressing local and national STEM workforce priorities.
  • Ongoing advocacy for early STEM education exposure, pay and gender equity, college readiness, workforce improvement, and professional development at all levels. 

What’s Next for SHPE?

While we have made significant strides by earning recognition from key decision makers and opening new avenues, there is still much work ahead of us. It is important that we maintain a consistent focus on highlighting the effectiveness of our programs, the exceptional talent within our membership, and the rich legacy we have built over nearly five decades. By increasing our presence in influential spaces, we can ensure that those with the power to drive legislative changes have our support throughout the process. 

Be assured that our commitment to collaborating with members of the legislative and executive branches remains a top priority, as we’ve shown for the past year with our proactive outreach efforts and successful projects.

Stay Tuned!

In the near future, there will be ample opportunities to actively “Advocate con SHPE” either through virtual meetings or by participating in in-person events with Members of Congress during the August recess. As you host local events to which you’d like to engage with congressional representatives or join virtual advocacy meetings, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible to Senior Associate of Government Relations, Mariana Acuña Delgado at [email protected]

Don’t miss out on the chance to make your voice heard and contribute to our advocacy efforts!