By Elizabeth deLemos

For many first-time minority voters in the upcoming presidential election, Tuesday night offered a chance for their previously “unheard voices” to ring out loud and clear.

The Latin American Student Organization (LASO) sponsored “Unheard Voices: Confronting the Issues,” aimed at minorities voicing their opinions and questions about the upcoming election. LASO invited a panel of political experts to discuss issues such as gay marriage, education and financial aid and the direction of the war in Iraq.

The panel included state Sen. Jarret Barrios, Paul Watanabe, Ph.D and author Deborah Perry Piscione. The keynote speech was given by Felix Arroyo, Jr., founding member of The New Majority, a coalition that works to unify Boston communities of color. Each speaker represented a different minority group and had done research on the challenges these groups sometimes face when entering a political forum.

Nadine Yaver, president of LASO, said she wanted to make sure the students were able to ask their questions and get the answers they were looking for. Yaver said the event was organized to reach the unrepresented minorities, such as women, Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians, and for these students to understand the issues of the presidential candidates more clearly.

“This is a great way of getting kids involved. It is so important that they know what is going on in the world, especially in today’s world,” said Nir-mala Singh, a member of LASO.

First-time voter Priscilla Dobbs said she had no idea what either candidate represented and was hoping to get a better understanding by attending the meeting.

“I had no idea about politics, and I wanted to learn,” Dobbs said. “I’m concerned about the direction our country is headed in.”

The panel addressed how the Bush administration has handled education, proper funding and financial aid.

“A rising tide rose all the yachts while all the little row boats are sinking,” Sen. Barrios said.

The final question dealt with the presidential election hot topic — the direction of the war in Iraq. The event also put a spin on the issue, asking all the panelists and those in attendance how they think the war has affected and will continue to affect the 18-24 age group.

Watanabe replied strongly to the question, saying the war is “wrong — everything about it is wrong.”

When the students had their turn to ask the questions, most focused on the war in Iraq. Many students had concerns ranging from confusion about why the United States is there in the first place to the millions of dollars being spent on the war despite a lack of funding for public education.

One student quieted the room as he stood up and, taking advantage of the opportunity offered, voiced his opinion.

“You should not be satisfied with a representative that looks like you, but rather a representative with an idea that looks like yours.”