Gloria Estefan to Congress: Support for women's homeless shelters ‘a no-brainer'
'I would say to the lawmakers, please, this is a no-brainer,' Estefan said at a news conference Thursday at Florida House in Washington, just steps from the Capitol.
The 'Conga' and 'Rhythm is Gonna Get You' singer, a spokesperson for the National Women's Shelter Network (NWSN), is pushing Congress to pass the Women's and Family Protection Act, which would boost funding for women's and family shelters and homelessness support services. More than 1 million women and 2.5 million children experience homelessness each year, according to the NWSN.
Despite a full plate before Congress and plenty of pressing issues, Estefan said she's hopeful that shining the spotlight on homelessness will help get the legislation passed.
'The attention is what it takes,' Estefan, 67, said.
'Absolutely, there's so much need and so many things that need to be handled. But I think that this is one of those issues that I would find hard-pressed for anybody to find a reason not to support,' the Grammy Award winner said.
'The way that we get a better America, a better United States, is to take care of all these children that have so much potential, and their mothers that care for them. And to be there on the front lines — as we need to be for people in need, marginalized, probably at the most dark moment of their lives — when they have nothing, and they need to reach out for help. I think that that's just a very easy thing for anyone to get behind, and I pray that they listen,' Estefan said.
While Estefan typically shies away from political talk — her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, said last year that the couple doesn't 'do politics' and works with both Republicans and Democrats — in 2015 she was one of several artists who recorded a song, 'We're All Mexican,' to support the Hispanic community amid a surge in anti-Latino rhetoric.
Asked her thoughts on the current political climate — since taking office President Trump has released a flood of immigration actions — Estefan, who was born in Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. as a toddler, said, 'It's tough, and always the last people in are the ones that get blamed for everything.'
'It's happened throughout my entire life. I've lived more than six decades — so this is not a new issue. It's an issue that has always happened, and usually behind political campaigns,' Estefan said.
'The fear really moves people,' the performer continued, calling immigrants 'the backbone of this country.'
'We're all a tapestry of cultures from everywhere, and unless you're Native American and were here before, you're from somewhere else — whether it's one generation back, this generation, five or 10 generations back,' she said.
'We are a country that is built by immigrants from all over the world and it makes us stronger. It's a beautiful thing to share all these cultures, and I'm just hoping that we can all raise our voices in support and pray that [we] keep moving forward in a positive direction. That's all we can do as human beings.'
While Estefan is pressing lawmakers to take a serious look at the homelessness issue, she did have time to address a lighter question from ITK: Who does the best conga in Congress?
'The Cubans better have it, because if they don't, I don't know who would. But who knows,' she replied with a grin.
But the entertainer, who's been dubbed the 'Queen of Latin Pop,' indicated that conga-ing members of Congress might not need a lesson from her on how to move their hips.
'It's very simple. Three steps to the right, three steps to the left. That's all you have to do.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
17 minutes ago
- NBC News
Democrats release plan to boost party's California's House seats in fight for Congress
LOS ANGELES — In a display of cutthroat yet calculated politics, Democrats unveiled a proposal Friday that could give California's dominant political party an additional five U.S. House seats in a bid to win the fight to control Congress next year. The plan calls for an unusually timed reshaping of House district lines to greatly strengthen the Democratic advantage in the state ahead of midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending the party's fragile House majority. It amounts to a counterpunch to Texas, where the GOP is trying to add five seats to its House delegation at the urging of President Donald Trump as he tries to avoid losing control of Congress and, with it, prospects for his conservative agenda in the later part of his term. If approved by voters in a November election, the California blueprint could nearly erase Republican House members in the nation's most populous state. The Democratic plan is intended to win the party 48 of its 52 U.S. House seats, up from 43 currently. The proposal was released by the campaign arm of House Democrats, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Democrats in the state Legislature will hold hearings and plan to vote on the new maps next week. 'This is about more than drawing lines on a map. It's about drawing a line in the sand to stop Texas and Trump from rigging the election,' state Senate Democratic leader Mike McGuire said in a statement. New districts have boundaries to boost Democratic edge While a general notion behind drawing districts is to unite what's called communities of interest — neighborhoods and cities that share similar concerns or demographic traits — the proposed remapping would create a jigsaw of oddly shaped districts to maximize Democratic clout. The 1st Congressional District is currently anchored in the state's conservative far northeast corner and is represented by Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Trump supporter. The district has a nearly 18-point GOP registration edge. Under the proposal Democrats would end up with a 10-point registration advantage in the district after drastic reshaping to include parts of heavily Democratic Sonoma County near the Pacific Coast. In a post on the social platform X, LaMalfa called the proposal 'absolutely ridiculous.' In the battleground 41st District east of Los Angeles, represented by long-serving Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, Democratic and Republican registration is currently split about evenly. But in the redrawn district, Democratic registration would jump to 46%, with GOP registration falling to 26%. Other Republicans whose districts would see major changes intended to favor Democrats include Reps. Kevin Kiley in Northern California, David Valadao in the Central Valley farm belt and Darrell Issa in San Diego County. Also, embattled Democratic incumbents would see their districts padded with additional left-leaning voters. Texas remains at stalemate in push for more GOP seats The release of the plan came the same day that Texas Republicans began a second special session to approve new congressional maps sought by Trump. The GOP's first special session in Texas ended without approving new political maps, thwarted by Democrats who staged a nearly two-week walkout that meant not enough lawmakers were present to pass any legislation. Gov. Greg Abbott then quickly called a second session that started without the necessary quorum to conduct business. Newsom promises fight with Trump Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts. 'We can't stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across the country,' Newsom said. The announcement marked the first time any state beyond Texas officially waded into Trump's fight, though several governors and legislative leaders from both parties have threatened such moves. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who heads the House GOP campaign arm, said Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, is 'shredding California's Constitution and disenfranchising voters.' 'Californians oppose Newsom's stunt because they won't let a self-serving politician rig the system to further his career,' said Hudson, who heads the National Republican Congressional Committee. The looming question: How will voters react? A big risk for Democrats is whether voters will be open to setting aside district boundaries crafted by an independent commission for ones shaped for partisan advantage. Some people already have said they would sue over the effort. Republican former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime opponent of partisan redistricting, signaled that he will not side with Democrats even after talking to Newsom. He posted a photo of himself Friday at the gym wearing a T-shirt that said, 'Terminate gerrymandering,' with a reference to an obscenity and politicians. 'I'm getting ready for the gerrymandering battle,' Schwarzenegger said. What's next in Texas? Absent lawmakers have said they will return to Austin once California Democrats take more formal steps on their own redistricting plan. Trump is trying to avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when the GOP yielded control during his first presidency to a Democratic majority that stymied his agenda and twice impeached him. The nation's two most populous states have been at the forefront of the resulting battle, which has reached into multiple courtrooms and statehouses controlled by both parties. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows chided colleagues who left Austin, accusing them of 'following Gov. Newsom's lead instead of the will of Texans.' The speaker said, however, that he has 'been told' to expect a quorum Monday. 'Let's be ready to work,' Burrows said, ticking through a litany of issues without mentioning the president or redistricting. The fight goes national Trump has urged other Republican-run states to redraw maps, even dispatching Vice President JD Vance to Indiana to pressure officials there. In Missouri, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press, the state Senate received a $46,000 invoice to activate six redistricting software licenses and provide training for up to 10 staff members. Newsom encouraged other Democratic-led states to 'stand up — not just California.' House control could come down to a few seats in 2026 On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control. New maps are typically drawn once a decade after the census — the last being in 2020. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empowers independent commissions with the task. If approved, a new California map would take effect only if a Republican state does its own redistricting. It would remain through the 2030 elections. After that, Democrats say, they would return mapmaking power to the independent commission voters approved in 2008.
CBS News
17 minutes ago
- CBS News
Democrats unveil maps of California's redistricting proposal
Democrats unveiled a proposal Friday that could give California's dominant political party an additional five U.S. House seats in a bid to win the fight to control Congress next year. The plan calls for an unusually timed reshaping of House district lines to greatly strengthen the Democratic advantage in the state ahead of midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending the party's fragile House majority. It amounts to a counterpunch to the Texas Republicans' plan to take five Democratically held seats and redraw them to favor the GOP at the urging of President Trump as he tries to avoid losing control of Congress and, with it, prospects for his conservative agenda in the later part of his term. The California effort seeks to take five of the state's nine GOP districts and make them more favorable to Democrats. Just like in Texas, however, it is by no means a guarantee that Democrats would win all five of these seats if a new California map becomes law. Making the shift would likely require an amendment to California's state Constitution. Overhauling the current map that is in law would need to be passed by a two-thirds vote in both the state Assembly and state Senate, and then be approved by California voters in an election. California lawmakers are scheduled to return to Sacramento on Aug. 18 amid the redistricting talk. The California State Legislature will have a short time span to move forward. If approved by voters in a special election this November, the California blueprint could nearly erase Republican House members in the nation's most populous state. The Democratic plan is intended to win the party 48 of its 52 U.S. House seats, up from 43 currently. The proposal was released by the campaign arm of House Democrats, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Democrats in the state Legislature will hold hearings and plan to vote on the new maps next week. "This is about more than drawing lines on a map. It's about drawing a line in the sand to stop Texas and Trump from rigging the election," state Senate Democratic leader Mike McGuire said in a statement. While a general notion behind drawing districts is to unite what's called communities of interest — neighborhoods and cities that share similar concerns or demographic traits — the proposed remapping would create a jigsaw of oddly shaped districts to maximize Democratic clout. The 1st Congressional District is currently anchored in the state's conservative far northeast corner and is represented by Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Trump supporter. The district has a nearly 18-point GOP registration edge. Under the proposal, Democrats would end up with a 10-point registration advantage in the district after drastic reshaping to include parts of heavily Democratic Sonoma County near the Pacific Coast. In a post on the social platform X, LaMalfa called the proposal "absolutely ridiculous." LaMalfa's first congressional district would include parts of Santa Rosa under the proposed maps, an area that is in Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson's district. In the battleground 41st District east of Los Angeles, represented by long-serving Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, Democratic and Republican registration is currently split about evenly. But in the redrawn district, Democratic registration would jump to 46%, with GOP registration falling to 26%. Other Republicans whose districts would see major changes intended to favor Democrats include Rep. Kevin Kiley in Northern California, Rep. Ken Calvert in Riverside County, Rep. David Valadao in the Central Valley farm belt and Rep. Darrell Issa in San Diego County. Also, embattled Democratic incumbents would see their districts padded with additional left-leaning voters. "Well, obviously, Newsom's entire goal was to revert to the era of drawing lines based upon partisan political factors, as politicians draw their lines," Kiley told CBS Sacramento earlier Friday. Kiley's current district covers suburbs, small towns and mountain communities from the Sacramento region to the Eastern California border. The release of the plan came the same day that Texas Republicans began a second special session to approve new congressional maps sought by Trump. The GOP's first special session in Texas ended without approving new political maps, thwarted by Democrats who staged a nearly two-week walkout that meant not enough lawmakers were present to pass any legislation. Gov. Greg Abbott then quickly called a second session that started without the necessary quorum to conduct business. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts. "We can't stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across the country," Newsom said. The announcement marked the first time any state beyond Texas officially waded into Trump's fight, though several governors and legislative leaders from both parties have threatened such moves. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who heads the House GOP campaign arm, said Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, is "shredding California's Constitution and disenfranchising voters." "Californians oppose Newsom's stunt because they won't let a self-serving politician rig the system to further his career," said Hudson, who heads the National Republican Congressional Committee. Under current law, California has an independent redistricting commission that was approved by voters earlier this century. Newsom has emphasized that the ballot effort would not get rid of the commission, though it would essentially suspend it. If the measure passes, the commission would then resume being able to write maps after the 2030 census. A big risk for Democrats is whether voters will be open to setting aside district boundaries crafted by the independent commission for ones shaped for partisan advantage. Some people already have said they would sue over the effort. Republican former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime opponent of partisan redistricting, signaled that he will not side with Democrats even after talking to Newsom. He posted a photo of himself Friday at the gym wearing a T-shirt that said, "Terminate gerrymandering," with a reference to an obscenity and politicians. "I'm getting ready for the gerrymandering battle," Schwarzenegger said. On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control. New maps are typically drawn once a decade after the census — the last being in 2020. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empowers independent commissions with the task. If approved, a new California map would take effect only if a Republican state does its own redistricting. It would remain through the 2030 elections. After that, Democrats say, they would return mapmaking power to the independent commission voters approved in Woodall and Nidia Cavazos contributed to this report.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
10 things you need to know about California Democrats' redistricting plan
The Palm Springs portion of Calvert's district, meanwhile, would be tacked onto the seat now held by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, who would suddenly find himself in a district with a four-point Democratic advantage that spans Riverside and San Diego counties. Issa, who lost in the 2018 wave and moved to nab a safer GOP seat in 2020, would find himself once again a target. (More on those races below.) 2. Vulnerable Democrats get some relief Knocking off Republicans is just one side of the coin. Democrats also want to ease the pressure on their frontline members. Democrats in some of last year's toughest campaigns — including Adam Gray in the Central Valley, Derek Tran and Dave Min in Orange County and George Whitesides in Los Angeles County — all would see their districts turn a deeper shade of blue. Gov. Gavin Newsom, eager to maximize the intimidation factor for Texas, told Crooked Media that shoring up those vulnerable Democrats is in itself a net gain for his party. If Texas proceeds with its plan, he said, 'We'll neutralize them and we'll also punch above our weight in those four additional seats.' By that logic, the bluer tinge of the districts represented by Rep. Josh Harder and Mike Levin — two Democrats who are perpetually on the bubble of a serious challenge, but so far have not been marquee races — also add to the Democrats' spoils. Are the seats really 'additional' if Democrats already have them? No, but taking them off the board for Republicans would undeniably be a net positive for the party, allowing them to focus their resources in other tight races in California and throughout the country. 3. Don't count your chickens A lot has to go right for this to work, if 'work' is defined as 'Democrats flip enough seats in California to offset five Texas pickups.' Even if voters approve the new maps, coloring a district bluer on paper guarantees nothing. Just ask the string of Democrats who have tried, unsuccessfully, to oust Valadao from a seat where registered Democrats have for years outnumbered Republicans. The new map adds left-leaning voters to Valadao's district, but he's defied the voter-registration odds before. Meanwhile, some efforts to bolster Democratic incumbents are not guaranteed to work. Gray's Central Valley seat and the Orange County district held by Tran do get marginally more Democratic, but will still likely require Democrats to spend heavily in those races next year to ensure a win. 'I understand that Gov. Newsom is positioning himself as the top opponent to President Trump and the White House. So that's why he has ratcheted up his rhetoric,' said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, a nonpartisan campaign almanac. 'But he's offering some premature political analysis.' 4. Vibing with the Voting Rights Act Democrats could have sought even more gains but compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act stopped them from fully icing out Republicans on the congressional maps. They say it's a stark contrast to the ongoing, GOP-led redistricting efforts in red states like Texas — where there's little attempt to comply with prior Voting Rights Act requirements that prioritize fair representation of non-white voters through the creation of minority-majority districts and minority 'opportunity' districts.
