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"The bottom line is it's a terrific opportunity for us to be a vibrant community of the 21st century," Martinez told the crowd of more than 500 government, business and community leaders serving the Hispanic community in Central Florida.

In only 10 years, the Hispanic population of Central Florida has increased by 175 percent, according to "Hispanic Communities of Central Florida: Economic Contributions to the Region" -- a study prepared by Fishkind & Associates Inc.

Statewide, the Hispanic population grew 70.4 percent in the 1990s -- from 1.6 million in 1990 to 2.7 million in 2000. Hispanics also contribute more than $6.9 billion in spending to the region.

Martinez said Hispanic faces were rare and Hispanic businesses unheard of during his youth in Orlando. He emigrated from Cuba as a teenager in 1962 as part of an airlift of children known as Operation Pedro Pan.

"To find a Hispanic business, we had to go to a small converted gas station on Washington Street (in Orlando)," Martinez said.

Now the Orlando area boasts about 130 Hispanic-owned-andoperated private businesses.

Polk County was not included in the study.

Hispanic personal income is also rising and with it Hispanic spending power.

One of the studies found that Hispanic communities in Central Florida contribute more than $6.9 billion to the region.

By 2007, that number is expected to increase to more than $8.2 billion, according to the study.

The growth in population and economic power is followed by political involvement.

Another study said 57 percent of Hispanics in the region voted in the 2002 election. That's less than the 65 percent vote from the rest of the population.

For Martinez, the degree of political involvement isn't enough.

"Every one of you needs to be involved in the process," Martinez said to a full ballroom of listeners. "If you are heard, if you are part of the process -- you are important. If you set yourself apart, you are easily ignored, he said."