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\u201cWe need to have a voice on the Illinois Supreme Court,\u201d Reyes told IL Latino News. If elected, he would be the first Latino <\/a>to serve on the bench. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reyes is challenging incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham, one of two Black women on the State Supreme Court. She has identified herself as a Black woman candidate but makes no mention of her Latinidad. Injustice Watch reported that her mother was a Panamanian immigrant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In an interview with The Daily Line, Cunningham alluded to the fact that the state\u2019s Supreme Court could not possibly represent every identity in Illinois. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think to suggest that our Supreme Court is not diverse because it does not have a Latino on it, in many respects, really makes no sense,\u201d Cunningham said in late February. \u201cI think when the court was completely male and completely white, then you could call it a non-diverse court. But now it has five women; it has three Black people. Justice Reyes\u2019 argument, taken to its logical extreme would mean that every single ethnic group in Illinois should have a representative on the court. And, of course, that\u2019s impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cunningham\u2019s comment was met with indignation by Latino groups. \u201cWe are shocked by Justice Joy Cunningham\u2019s statements that imply our state\u2019s highest court is \u2018diverse enough\u2019 without the presence of a Latino Justice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not a zero-sum game,\u201d reads the joint statement<\/a> from the Illinois Latino Agenda<\/a> (ILA), Latino Leadership Council<\/a>, and the HLAI – Serving the Hispanic Lawyers of Illinois<\/a>. \u201cWe applaud that our highest court has more women and Black justices; however, that does not diminish the need for Latino representation. Such remarks not only overlook the critical importance of inclusive representation but also ignore the unique perspectives and contributions that a qualified Latino justice could bring to our judiciary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Illinois demographics reveal that Latinos represent 30% of Cook County and 19% of state populations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Illinois Latino News (ILLN) repeatedly asked for an interview with Justice Cunningham but was denied. \u201cRegrettably, Justice Cunningham\u2019s schedule doesn\u2019t allow an interview at this time,\u201d wrote Kerry R. Peck, chair of Justice Cunningham\u2019s campaign, in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cunningham\u2019s campaign did affirm to ILLN that the justice stood by her comments on diversity made to The Daily Line, but did not comment on whether Cunningham identifies as Afro-Latina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reyes said he sees himself as the ideal candidate for Latinos based on his lived experiences growing up with an immigrant father from Mexico City and the advocate for issues facing the Latino community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEven though we come from different parts of Latin America, we’re all the same in terms of our needs, an opportunity to further ourselves and our families. We want an opportunity to advance in education and an opportunity to advance our children as well in this society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identity politics and representation became important for voters in 2020<\/a>. Voters wanted to see their communities fairly represented in local and national positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identity politics involves individuals viewing and addressing issues based on their affiliation with a particular group. This leads to decision-making and perspectives on issues, politicians, and political parties being influenced by how they impact the relevant groups. It can involve the belief that one’s group is marginalized or facing discrimination from larger groups or society. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Michelle Bueno V\u00e0squez, a Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern University studying political science and the transnational Afro-Latino diaspora, said Black Latinos stand at a unique point when it comes to self-identification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the United States, [Latino] kind of has evolved as like a race, or Latinos are seen as a separate race,\u201d Bueno V\u00e0squez said. \u201cYour race is determined by this identity rather than your appearance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-1-1024x1024.png\")