Organizers expect 300 people to attend the event, which is being billed as the "first Non-Partisan Regional Hispanic Community Candidate Forum."
JOSE FELICIANO: The part that's historic is that it's beyond the Greater Cleveland area.
Hispanic Roundtable president Jose Feliciano says political, religious and social service leaders from Hispanic communities in Youngstown, Toledo and everywhere in between have been invited to the gathering. So far, the group says it's gotten commitments from a number of political candidates, including Senate hopefuls Lee Fisher, Jennifer Brunner, Congress people Dennis Kucinich and Marcia Fudge, and several people running for the newly created Cuyahoga County Council. Feliciano suspects the candidates have been reading the latest census figures.
JOSE FELICIANO: There are probably more than 300,000 Hispanics in the state of Ohio, and that's the balance of power in any statewide race.
The candidates will have an opportunity to make a presentation to the gathering and then will be questioned by a four-member panel. Feliciano thinks Ohio's Hispanic population still doesn't quite appreciate it's growing influence, and he sees this event as a way to get that message out, as well.
The community forum is open to the public and takes place at La Sagrada Familia Church on Cleveland's west side. It's scheduled to start at 5:30pm.
