La Raza Leader Confirmed As US Ambassador

WASHINGTON -  NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, hailed the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Raul Yzaguirre, NCLR President Emeritus (and NALIP Advocacy Award winner), as the next U.S. Chief of Mission to the Dominican Republic. 

"Ambassador Yzaguirre is well recognized and deeply respected by U.S. presidents and international heads of state as a civil rights leader with more than 50 years of service to our country. He is a perfect choice to represent the very best ideals and values of the American people on the international stage," said Janet Murguía a, NCLR President and CEO. "His legacy of building strong American institutions that have advanced the Latino community in the U.S., of which Dominican Americans are a growing segment, make his confirmation as U.S. Chief of Mission to the Dominican Republic particularly fitting." 

As NCLR's President and CEO from 1978 to 2004, Yzaguirre made an indelible mark on American society. NCLR was recognized as one of the top 12 national nonprofit organizations in the acclaimed book Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High Impact Non-Profits, which attributes NCLR's institutional growth and reach in large part to his hard work and leadership. 

Following the approval of his nomination by the Foreign Relations Committee in April, Mr. Yzaguirre's confirmation vote was delayed by an anonymous "hold." "This vote was unfortunately long overdue, but at last the Senate was able to come together to support our nation's efforts overseas and move this important nomination forward," concluded Murguía.