The DNC’s National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Council (“The Ethnic Council”) reaches across all ethnic, racial, national origin, and religious identifications to encompass the common heritage that America’s diverse constituencies share as immigrants to a pluralistic nation, committed to democracy, human rights, peace, opportunity, fairness, and freedom. The Ethnic Council honors this immigrant heritage, our shared values, and America’s rich ethnic diversity, in the spirit of the Democratic Party’s proud and enduring tradition of community development, opportunity and empowerment.

The Democratic Party’s ethnic council stands for the immigrant heritage of America. The Democratic Party was built upon this immigrant tradition and gained its strength in the 1930s by becoming the voice of working Americans. We have not outgrown these fundamental ideas. For both new immigrant groups and old, the idea of heritage and history retained while Americanization is accomplished, is a treasured value. Speaking to that value among voters has the ability to connect when other values conflict.

The Democratic Party’s ethnic council is a broad coalition of proven, recognized leaders representing Democratic networks organized along immigrant/ethnic lines from all backgrounds, faiths, ethnicities, and demographic or geographic origins. The ethnic council serves as the forum for coordination, cooperation, and consensus building among these diverse groups, as well as the vehicle for the public assertion and advancement of their shared aspirations.