This Wednesday, Delaware witnessed the first gubernatorial debate in the state’s history to focus solely on Latino and Hispanic issues. Governor hopefuls Lieutenant Governor John Carney, State Treasurer Jack Markell, and Hockessin pilot Mike Protack met at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino to address the concerns of the Delaware latino community – including immigration, discrimination, and all-important education. Although the debate was held in a casino – the real prize was meeting the young gems of the latino community.

After the debate, a statuesque brunette next to me eyed my emerald satin shirt. “That is a beautiful blouse. Where did you get it?”

“Thanks! I bought it at the beach, at Tiger Lili boutique.”

The woman looked pleased. Right answer. “That’s my store.”

Misinterpreting her answer to mean, ‘Oh girrrl, that is my STORE!’ I replied, “Oh I know. I love the clothes there too.”

“No,” she smiled. “I’m Lili. I own the store.”

Lili Kohr is the face behind Tiger Lili, a successful women’s retail boutique with four locations in Delaware. According to the 2002 Census, nearly 355 Hispanic-owned private businesses operate in Delaware – and that number is ever growing. Lili is just one of the many Hispanic Delawareans who are putting a new face on the Latino community – and shattering misconceptions about this vital voting group. For many within the Latino community in Delaware, this unprecedented focus on Hispanic issues is a perfect opportunity to correct stereotypes about Hispanic voters – and get voces suyos heard.

Mike Protack, one of the candidates in the Republican gubernatorial primary, stressed that Hispanic voices must be heard in Delaware – and that they should be just as loud as anyone else’s. “What I want to do, is for you to look at me, me look at you, and say we’re equal. That’s the goal of the next governor…This [debate] is critical. This is Delaware’s future. You’re an important group, you’re citizens of this state, you deserve to be heard, and you deserve to hear what we have to say.”

Maria Marquez, a 17-year-old volunteer with Voices Without Borders, feels it’s high time the higher-ups listened to what Latino Delawareans have to say. “This is a historical event because people don’t tend to focus on Latino issues as much. But now Latinos are getting together and putting their arguments together and they want the candidates for governor to know that we are listening. They need to focus on what we are going to say and what we’re going to do…because we want to be a part of it. We’re going to vote, and we’re going to form our own decisions.”

However, Maria makes it clear that the Hispanic community does not only have one voice to share – but many. “You can’t stereotype us. We have many different political parties within the Latino community, and don’t just focus on the Democratic Party. We focus on the Republican Party too, and have many independents. In the end, we focus more on the issues that matter to us the most, such as crime and violence and immigration.”

Indeed, it seems that many people in Delaware share Maria’s sentiment, as a large portion of the debate was devoted to discussing immigration. The gubernatorial candidates were asked how they would moderate illegal immigration – and govern those without proper documentation.

Lieutenant Governor John Carney, a