After losing midterm election race, Ricky Hurtado considers his next steps

The first and only Latino Democratic legislator in North Carolina’s House of Representatives did not get reelected in the November midterm elections.

District 63 Representative Ricky Hurtado says he doesn’t know what the future holds, but he will focus on issues that directly impact the future of young people. 

"Healthy communities are strong communities," says Hurtado. "Especially in the Latino community that was at the frontlines of the pandemic, and [was] disproportionately impacted by infections and death, we're seeing that mental health challenge firsthand among young people, students, immigrant parents, and the whole Latino family household. And so that's something that we need to address that also impacts other communities as well."

Hurtado says he’s committed to making mental health resources more accessible and will work to increase the dialogue on what local public officials' roles are in solving that challenge. 

Hurtado is the co-founder and senior advisor for LatinxEd, an education nonprofit focused on Latinx leadership and education. 

This story was produced by a partnership between WFDD and La Noticia. 

Eileen Rodriguez is a reporter for both WFDD and La Noticia through Report for America, where she covers COVID-19's impact in the Latino Communities.

Periodista de La Noticia y 88.5 WFDD, Eileen Rodríguez reporta el impacto de COVID-19 en la comunidad Latina en Carolina del Norte. Rodríguez es miembro del cuerpo de periodistas de Report for America 2021-2022