Juan Ramos will be the new face of Hispanics in Philadelphia's City Council. For the first time in two decades, Angel Ortiz will not be a member of City Council. It might be true that for any number of reasons Ortiz was not able to build a constituency, to mold an heir, to pave the way for a new generation of like-minded Hispanic leaders. His heart seemed to be in the right place regarding his concerns for the poor, the elderly, illegal immigrants and gay rights.

The fact that he drove for more than two decades without a driver's license brought him unwanted notoriety and negative press. That must have hurt in the end. In the last election, Juan Ramos had come close to being elected and that made him a credible threat this time. Ortiz's camp must have been genuinely worried, for the first time in many years. They had reason to be. What will come to light as a result of his defeat at the polls is the fact that Ortiz did not receive the support of Hispanic ward leaders of the newer high profile Hispanic leaders that have in fact formed an informal coalition opposed to his views.

The Hispanic community has been evolving over the years and while Puerto Ricans still represent a majority, the new arrivals have changed the focus and the expectations for the future. There is great new vitality in South Philadelphia and other parts of the city. The Mexican immigrants and the other smaller groups of immigrants from all over Latin America have given the Hispanic community a new face and they also arrive with different needs and different outlooks on what it means to be a citizen of this country. City Council needs to be aware of that shift.

All the talk we have been hearing about Hispanics being the largest minority group must be translated into real power. The landscape is constantly changing and the concerns of the new groups, Mexicans, Colombians, Dominicans and others must be addressed. They have growing needs for housing, jobs, education and healthcare. The fact that Angel Ortiz has been replaced by Juan Ramos, another Hispanic, means that we still have a chance to be heard and that Mr. Ramos has an opportunity, with a clean slate. Thank you to Angel Ortiz for his years of service.

 It is Ramos's turn to shift the focus toward the future, helping Philadelphians to improve their lives and helping Hispanics in specific ways with job creation, better schools, lower taxes, and better housing, attracting new businesses to the areas where they live. The truth is that as we grow and integrate into the larger community, there should be less of a need to claim special needs.

Everybody has a right to expect a clean environment, good schools and all the things that city living brings. The dream of Martin Luther King, of being judged not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character, will seem closer to reality the day we stop feeling neglected and unjustly treated by the system. Some Hispanics have already paved the way, serving in positions of responsibility. Juan Ramos embodies the hopes of many for a fresh and effective voice in city government.