LATINAS SEEK GREATER VISIBILITY IN POLITICS AND AS ROLE MODELS.

Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer

In her generation, Maria L. Reza, 55, has seen Latinas in Los Angeles become the first to be elected to the state Assembly, the county Board of Supervisors and United States Congress.

But the way Reza sees it, the new generation of Latinas that she is shepherding through the school system have their own hurdles.

``My generation broke the barriers, but I think what we want to do is open the floodgates and let our young women not only be the firsts, but be one of many,'' said Reza, who as San Fernando cluster administrator for the Los Angeles Unified School District oversees 19 schools and 23,500 students in the Northeast San Fernando Valley.

That's why today, Reza will be one of 500 Latinas who will converge on the state Capitol for the fifth annual Latina Action Day, organized by Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the participation and education of Latinas in the political process.

Reza is also one of three San Fernando Valley Latinas selected to participate in the newly created HOPE Leadership Institute, a nine-month training program that aims to provide Latina community leaders from throughout California with an understanding of local, state and national politics to promote their communities' needs.

The other two women are Sylmar resident Corina Alarcon, founder and president of Women Advancing the Valley through Education, Economics and Empowerment; and attorney Laura Casas Frier of Granada Hills.

``If people like me don't step forward and do this for our young women, who will?'' said Reza, of Santa Clarita. ``They're our future. We need more voices. . . . For every one Latina that goes to college there are probably 10 that didn't. There's so much work to do.''

The two-day event was created to give Latinas the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of state government and give them a forum to voice concerns and opinions on key issues.

``My vision is that we will have a new generation of Californians who are very connected to government and making sure that government is responsive to their community,'' said Maria Contreras-Sweet, one of the founders of Latina Action Day and current state secretary of business, transportation and housing. Even today, with more than 5 million Latinas living in California, Latinas must fight stereotypes that show them in very few prominent professional, political or community positions, said Contreras-Sweet.

``I think there is a stereotype that has led people to believe that Latinas aren't doing these things, and we have to show them that we are and be visible,'' said Contreras-Sweet.

Today and Wednesday, participants will be able to meet one-on-one with their legislators. They will march to the capitol, attend workshops, legislative receptions and a Latina leadership gala.

For Alarcon, who has attended previous Latina Action Days, the event is an opportunity for Latinas across the state to network and share ideas on how to improve their communities.

``It was such as sense of pride being a Latina, and it gave me a sense of importance . . . and the sense of being able to make a difference,'' said Alarcon, who will be seeking help for domestic violence victims.

As WAVE president, Alarcon oversees a shelter for battered women and children in the Northeast Valley.

Though there are many San Fernando Valley Latinas that have been heavily involved in their communities, in the political arena their voices aren't often heard, said Alarcon, the estranged wife of state Sen. Richard Alarcon, who is an honorary co-chairman of Latina Action Day.

``There is a need in the Valley for a women's political action committee where we would be given some credibility,'' Alarcon said. ``I think there is a group of women that have made a difference and made an impact in the community for many, many years and should be recognized.''

As a California State University, Northridge, senior, Casas Frier, now 43, interned in Washington, D.C., for a congressman and found very few minority politicians. Today, the political landscape in California and Washington is very different, said Casas Frier, who will be attending Latina Action Day for the second time.

``What really struck me that is very different in Sacramento is that there were a lot of brown faces and minorities in the halls of power and that for once we were represented and that what we were advocating or had to say was being heard,'' said Casas Frier, who will push for more funding for Equal Opportunity Programs in higher education.

As vice president of the San Fernando Valley chapter of Comision Femenil, a group of professional Latinas who annually organize a career day at CSUN for young Latinas, Casas Frier lobbied for greater access to higher education during her past visit to Sacramento.

``I feel obligated as a Latina, as an American, as a citizen, to spread the word and shed the light to these girls, because if I made it they can make it, too,'' said Casas Frier, a first-generation Mexican immigrant who worked her way through college.

Reza's goal is to spotlight the educational needs of the Northeast San Fernando Valley by finding out whether local legislators support her efforts to earmark resources for early literacy, the building of new schools and teacher training and retraining.

Fourteen students and three teachers from San Fernando High School will accompany her to the event. Because she has attended twice before, she will have them advocate for her educational agenda.

``It's exciting to see this new generation and have them exposed to the future - a future that is available to them if they go to school and college,'' Reza said. ``And it may open the doors to them that they may not have passed through had they not gone through this experience.''

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Photo: Corina Alarcon, left, Maria Reza, and Laura Casas Frier were selected for the HOPE Institute.

David R. Crane/Daily News