Latino Janitors Make the Convention Hall Shine
Editor’s Note: The 200 Latino janitors who cleaned the Pepsi Center and INVESCO Field worked behind the scenes of the Democratic National Convention to make sure everything was ready for the historic political event. Every night, when everyone else left, they worked from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Carmen Alarcón reports for New York's El Diario/La Prensa.
DENVER -- From Monday to Thursday, divided in three shifts, more than 100 Latinos entered the Pepsi Center in Denver – not to participate in the political event – but to clean the stage, floors, bathrooms, stairwells and hallways where the Democrats held their historic convention.
Every night, after the more than 3,000 Democratic delegates, plus thousands of journalists, left the 19,000-square meter convention center, groups of 40 Latino employees of the Hospitality Staff Service began their work.
The work shifts for Mexican Alejandro Cruz, 19, began at 8:00 p.m. and ended at 8:00 the next morning during the convention.
Cruz, who usually works as a waiter, had to dedicate himself to cleaning this week for the event. He says he is proud of the team of Latinos who work with him.
"The other companies who worked downtown with us realized that we, Hispanics, work fast and better," Cruz said proudly.
The cleaning company Hospitality, with 1000 employees, 80 percent of whom are Latino, has a contract with the places that have been at the center heart of the Democratic Convention: The Pepsi Center, INVESCO Field (where the presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his nomination) and Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt Hotels, where many attendees stayed.
With their workforce, they have been one of the operating engines of the spectacular Democratic convention.
Luis Valdez, a 16-year-old Mexican, also worked the shift from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. during the convention. While he waited for the company van to pick him up on Thursday morning, he had trouble staying awake.
"The work is hard," admitted Valdez, although he appreciated the job.
Three months ago, his mother and his three brothers returned to Mexico after his father was deported less than a year ago.
Today, he lives with a friend and works.
José Ángel Chan looks even more exhausted at 8:30 a.m., after his 12-hour shift. Chan is 17 years old and lives with his parents. He wants Obama to win, and the immigration situation to be fixed.
The protagonists behind the scenes that television viewers didn’t see were the 100 Latinos who cleaned the Pepsi Center and the other 100 assigned to INVESCO Field. They were responsible for getting everything ready for the historic moment when Obama became the first African American to become a Democratic presidential candidate.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
After DNC Commits $20 Million On Latino Voters, How Will GOP Respond?
Will 2008 be the election year of the Latino?
Carlos Guerra, Statesman.com, August 30, 2008
When the presidential conventions convene, you know that the four-year locust is about to chirp. Every fourth of the last 44 years, political prognosticators have wondered aloud if Latinos would pick the next president.
It started in 1960 after John F. Kennedy thanked the Viva Kennedy Clubs for putting him in the White House. Whether they did or not is disputed. Exit polls were still all but nonexistent, and U.S. census figures about Hispanics were pretty iffy.
The first U.S. census figures on Hispanics were in 1940, when the agency identified 1.9 million Latinos (1.4 percent) in a 5 percent sample of the 132 million national count. In 1970, another 5 percent sample — and a separate 15 percent sample — found that there were between 9 million (4.5 percent) and 9.6 million Latinos (4.7 percent) among America's 203 million people.
In 1980, the census finally asked people their ethnicities and 14.6 million (6.4 percent) of 227 million said they were Hispanic. In 1990, so did 22.3 million (9 percent) of 249 million U.S. residents.
Since then, the Latino population growth has increased so rapidly that political operatives have been scrambling to develop strategies to win them over.
"I can tell you it's going to take more than eating tamales and speaking some Spanish," says Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota/My Family Votes, a group working to boost Latino voter participation.
It won't be a small task.
A Pew Hispanic Center analysis of the 2000 Census and 2005 mid-decade count found 34.4 million Hispanics in 2000 and 41.9 million in 2005, a 21 percent increase that accounted for half of the nation's total growth.
Several demographic characteristics about Latinos have remained constant: They are younger than the general population, and their voter turnout rates are still relatively low.
Another group is capitalizing on new habits that young Latinos are adopting. VotoLatino has teamed up with cable network SiTV to reach young Latino voters, who María Teresa Peterson, the group's head, says are more tech-connected than people realize. With an innovative multimedia program that includes text messages, networking sites and other emerging media — and organizers who hand out cards that entitle recipients to download five free songs — the group is targeting the 50,000 Latinos who turn 18 every month.
After getting them to register, the group hopes to awaken their political interests through issue education and by encouraging involvement. Through its Web site, VotoLatino members elected representatives that will report from the two party conventions.
In addition to young Latinos, Mi Familia Vota is targeting other groups, Monterroso says.
"Mi Familia Vota has been working in partnership with (the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials), Univisión and Entrevisión since 2007 to encourage people to become citizens, and, last year, 1,029,000 of them did," he says. "We're following up to make sure they register and vote."
Aside from efforts mounted by these and other nonprofit, nonpartisan groups, Gilberto Ocañas, chairman of the Democratic National Committee's Hispanic Leadership Council, threw down a pre-convention gauntlet to the GOP about this rapidly growing voter group.
"The Obama campaign and the DNC will spend a total of $20 million, at least five times more than the DNC and the presidential campaigns have ever spent on Latinos in any previous campaign," Ocañas said. "We will target Latinos in 20 states, (because) Latinos are not just in (a few) key states, they are throughout the country."
I can't wait to see how the Republicans will respond.
cguerra@express-news.net
Carlos Guerra, Statesman.com, August 30, 2008
When the presidential conventions convene, you know that the four-year locust is about to chirp. Every fourth of the last 44 years, political prognosticators have wondered aloud if Latinos would pick the next president.
It started in 1960 after John F. Kennedy thanked the Viva Kennedy Clubs for putting him in the White House. Whether they did or not is disputed. Exit polls were still all but nonexistent, and U.S. census figures about Hispanics were pretty iffy.
The first U.S. census figures on Hispanics were in 1940, when the agency identified 1.9 million Latinos (1.4 percent) in a 5 percent sample of the 132 million national count. In 1970, another 5 percent sample — and a separate 15 percent sample — found that there were between 9 million (4.5 percent) and 9.6 million Latinos (4.7 percent) among America's 203 million people.
In 1980, the census finally asked people their ethnicities and 14.6 million (6.4 percent) of 227 million said they were Hispanic. In 1990, so did 22.3 million (9 percent) of 249 million U.S. residents.
Since then, the Latino population growth has increased so rapidly that political operatives have been scrambling to develop strategies to win them over.
"I can tell you it's going to take more than eating tamales and speaking some Spanish," says Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota/My Family Votes, a group working to boost Latino voter participation.
It won't be a small task.
A Pew Hispanic Center analysis of the 2000 Census and 2005 mid-decade count found 34.4 million Hispanics in 2000 and 41.9 million in 2005, a 21 percent increase that accounted for half of the nation's total growth.
Several demographic characteristics about Latinos have remained constant: They are younger than the general population, and their voter turnout rates are still relatively low.
Another group is capitalizing on new habits that young Latinos are adopting. VotoLatino has teamed up with cable network SiTV to reach young Latino voters, who María Teresa Peterson, the group's head, says are more tech-connected than people realize. With an innovative multimedia program that includes text messages, networking sites and other emerging media — and organizers who hand out cards that entitle recipients to download five free songs — the group is targeting the 50,000 Latinos who turn 18 every month.
After getting them to register, the group hopes to awaken their political interests through issue education and by encouraging involvement. Through its Web site, VotoLatino members elected representatives that will report from the two party conventions.
In addition to young Latinos, Mi Familia Vota is targeting other groups, Monterroso says.
"Mi Familia Vota has been working in partnership with (the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials), Univisión and Entrevisión since 2007 to encourage people to become citizens, and, last year, 1,029,000 of them did," he says. "We're following up to make sure they register and vote."
Aside from efforts mounted by these and other nonprofit, nonpartisan groups, Gilberto Ocañas, chairman of the Democratic National Committee's Hispanic Leadership Council, threw down a pre-convention gauntlet to the GOP about this rapidly growing voter group.
"The Obama campaign and the DNC will spend a total of $20 million, at least five times more than the DNC and the presidential campaigns have ever spent on Latinos in any previous campaign," Ocañas said. "We will target Latinos in 20 states, (because) Latinos are not just in (a few) key states, they are throughout the country."
I can't wait to see how the Republicans will respond.
cguerra@express-news.net
GOP Considering Steps To Address Immigration
Immigrants and the GOP
Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2008
While the Democrats were in Denver nominating Barack Obama, Republicans were busy writing their party platform. Not surprisingly, immigration was a sticking point. And while some of the more extreme proposals, such as denying citizenship to the U.S.-born children of illegal aliens, were defeated, the platform committee did vote to wall off Mexico.
The platform will go before the full Republican National Convention next week. And before approving it, the GOP would be wise to consider the demographic data that the Census Bureau released earlier this month. The media focused on Census projections that ethnic and racial minorities will comprise a majority of U.S. residents by 2042, thanks to higher minority birth rates, especially among Hispanics. But there's also a political lesson in these findings: A party that thinks it can win elections by alienating Latinos is going to be in the minority for a very long time.
A Pew poll released last month found that Hispanic registered voters favor Barack Obama over John McCain by 66% to 23%. That yawning gap almost certainly has less to do with Mr. Obama's appeal than with a perception -- courtesy of conservative immigration restrictionists -- that Latinos are not welcome in the Republican Party. Ronald Reagan regularly won a third of the Latino vote, and more than 40% of Latinos supported George W. Bush in 2004.
In recent years, however, and despite President Bush's warnings, many on the political right have tried to turn illegal immigration into a wedge issue, like guns or abortion. And while it hasn't produced victories at the polls, this strategy has succeeded in alienating many among the country's fastest-growing voting bloc. By 2020, Hispanics are projected to be 20% of the electorate, up from 9% today.
"Latino voters have moved sharply into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade," according to Pew. "Some 65% of Latino registered voters now say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 26% who identify with or lean toward the GOP." The 39-point Democratic edge was 21 points as recently as 2006. It's an example of what can happen when Republicans lose their free-market bearings and start channeling cable news populists.
Restrictionists are also deluding themselves if they think sealing the border can reverse these demographic trends. Illegal border crossings peaked in 2000 under President Clinton. They're down by half under Mr. Bush. According to Census data, Hispanic population growth is no longer being driven by immigration, legal or illegal. Since 2000, it's been driven by the higher birth rates among Latino women already here.
To woo back these voters, Republicans needn't pander or abandon conservative principles. These are economic migrants who come here looking for work, not handouts, with labor participation rates that exceed those of the native born. But at the very least, the GOP must make Hispanics feel appreciated. And that's difficult to do when the party's attacks on illegal immigration end up demonizing Hispanic migrants.
Republicans might also keep in mind that most of the illegal Latino population in the U.S. is related to people here legally. To the ears of these legal immigrants, rants against illegals are attacks on a mother or father or sister or uncle -- not some abstract law-breaker.
Perceived animosity toward Latinos can also spill into other ethnic voting blocs. In the 1990s, Republican support in California for Proposition 187, a ballot initiative that denied illegal immigrants access to social services, not only hurt the party with the Hispanic electorate. It also led to a drop in GOP support among the state's Chinese and Koreans voters, even though many of them are small-business owners with a history of voting Republican.
About half of Latino voters are foreign born, which means they're relatively new to America and have yet to form strong party ties. These voters are up for grabs, and our politics will be healthier if both parties compete for their support.
Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2008
While the Democrats were in Denver nominating Barack Obama, Republicans were busy writing their party platform. Not surprisingly, immigration was a sticking point. And while some of the more extreme proposals, such as denying citizenship to the U.S.-born children of illegal aliens, were defeated, the platform committee did vote to wall off Mexico.
The platform will go before the full Republican National Convention next week. And before approving it, the GOP would be wise to consider the demographic data that the Census Bureau released earlier this month. The media focused on Census projections that ethnic and racial minorities will comprise a majority of U.S. residents by 2042, thanks to higher minority birth rates, especially among Hispanics. But there's also a political lesson in these findings: A party that thinks it can win elections by alienating Latinos is going to be in the minority for a very long time.
A Pew poll released last month found that Hispanic registered voters favor Barack Obama over John McCain by 66% to 23%. That yawning gap almost certainly has less to do with Mr. Obama's appeal than with a perception -- courtesy of conservative immigration restrictionists -- that Latinos are not welcome in the Republican Party. Ronald Reagan regularly won a third of the Latino vote, and more than 40% of Latinos supported George W. Bush in 2004.
In recent years, however, and despite President Bush's warnings, many on the political right have tried to turn illegal immigration into a wedge issue, like guns or abortion. And while it hasn't produced victories at the polls, this strategy has succeeded in alienating many among the country's fastest-growing voting bloc. By 2020, Hispanics are projected to be 20% of the electorate, up from 9% today.
"Latino voters have moved sharply into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade," according to Pew. "Some 65% of Latino registered voters now say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 26% who identify with or lean toward the GOP." The 39-point Democratic edge was 21 points as recently as 2006. It's an example of what can happen when Republicans lose their free-market bearings and start channeling cable news populists.
Restrictionists are also deluding themselves if they think sealing the border can reverse these demographic trends. Illegal border crossings peaked in 2000 under President Clinton. They're down by half under Mr. Bush. According to Census data, Hispanic population growth is no longer being driven by immigration, legal or illegal. Since 2000, it's been driven by the higher birth rates among Latino women already here.
To woo back these voters, Republicans needn't pander or abandon conservative principles. These are economic migrants who come here looking for work, not handouts, with labor participation rates that exceed those of the native born. But at the very least, the GOP must make Hispanics feel appreciated. And that's difficult to do when the party's attacks on illegal immigration end up demonizing Hispanic migrants.
Republicans might also keep in mind that most of the illegal Latino population in the U.S. is related to people here legally. To the ears of these legal immigrants, rants against illegals are attacks on a mother or father or sister or uncle -- not some abstract law-breaker.
Perceived animosity toward Latinos can also spill into other ethnic voting blocs. In the 1990s, Republican support in California for Proposition 187, a ballot initiative that denied illegal immigrants access to social services, not only hurt the party with the Hispanic electorate. It also led to a drop in GOP support among the state's Chinese and Koreans voters, even though many of them are small-business owners with a history of voting Republican.
About half of Latino voters are foreign born, which means they're relatively new to America and have yet to form strong party ties. These voters are up for grabs, and our politics will be healthier if both parties compete for their support.
Mental Health Services Not Used by Latino Children
Latino Disparities in Child Mental Health Services
By Lopez, Cintia Bergren, Martha Dewey; Painter, Susan G
TOPIC: Access and utilization of mental health services for Latino children. PURPOSE: As Latino children may experience higher rates of unmet needs, this article examines the current literature for the reasons for the disparity and the barriers to the utilization of mental health services for Latino children.
SOURCES: An integrative literature review was undertaken from child psychiatry and nursing.
CONCLUSIONS: The literature confirmed a pattern of underutilization of mental health services by Latino children, but did not completely address the reasons for the disparity. Suggested barriers were language and cultural issues. Gaps in the literature include a lack of agreement for definition of a mental health problem and the tools to identify these, insufficient studies into the barriers for Latino children in the access and utilization of mental health services, and cultural and language issues related to Latino research.
Search terms: Latino child mental health access, Latino child mental health disparities, Latino child mental health, Latino child mental health utilization
Health Disparities Among Latinos for Child Mental Health Services
The prevention and treatment of mental health problems in children in this country has received national attention in recent years. Mental health in children includes social, developmental, emotional, and behavioral issues and is an essential component of overall health (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2001). Factors such as physical impairments, cognitive disabilities, low birth weight, a family history of mental or additive disorders or poverty, parental separation, or child abuse or neglect place children at risk for mental health problems (U.S. Public Health Service [U.S. PHS], 2000). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS, 1999), although 1 in 10 children in the United States are estimated to have a mental health problem severe enough to cause impairment, only 1 in 5 of these children receive services.
Considering the morbidities associated with mental health problems and the possible consequences of inadequate or nonexistent treatment, it is little wonder the problem of mental illness in children has been called a national public health crisis by former Surgeon General David Satcher (U.S. DHHS, 1999). While mental health problems in children can lead to problems in school, such as learning or attention difficulties, these problems can, in turn, lead to mental health problems (DeSocio & Hootman, 2004). These problems can also develop into an increase in violence, such as suicide and homicide (AAP, 2001). In fact, the Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force (2003) stated that almost 70% of youths detained in the juvenile justice system suffer from a mental health problem. Mental health problems can also increase the likelihood of risky behaviors of adolescents, such as smoking and unsafe sexual practices, that can negatively impact physical health (AAP).
Utilization of mental health services remains low among all children (U.S. DHHS, 1999). Children are a particularly vulnerable group as they completely rely on adult caregivers for their healthcare needs during the early childhood and school-age years. Even as they grow older and become more independent, children still depend on their parents or guardians to a large extent to access needed services. Barriers common to children of all backgrounds in accessing mental health services include stigma, cost, insufficient coverage for services from private health insurances, and inadequately trained mental health providers (Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force, 2003). However, there are certain groups who have even higher rates of unmet needs. The Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force reports that mental health disparities exist for Hispanic and African American children. According to the U.S. PHS (2000), the difficulties in accessing mental health services can be exacerbated by cultural differences.
The elimination or reduction of racial and socioeconomic disparities by providing culturally competent care has been stressed in several reports (Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership, 2005; U.S. DHHS, 1999; U.S. PHS, 2000). One way to begin to eliminate health disparities is to examine affected groups and to identify and address any cultural barriers or challenges. The focus of this investigation is Latino children.
The terms Latino and Hispanic are often used interchangeably and include people of any race with a Spanish-speaking background. Latinos make up 12% of the population of the United States at 39.9 million, and are one of the fastest growing groups in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). As with any cultural group, it is important to avoid stereotyping or assume its people are homogeneous. For instance, there are dozens of Hispanic countries and they are quite different from each other. In the United States, the largest Latino groups are Mexican Americans (58.8%), followed by Puerto Ricans (9.6%) and Cuban Americans (3.5%) (U.S. Census Bureau). However, there are similarities among cultures that can help in understanding its individual members.
In efforts to reduce the health disparity in Latino child mental health utilization, an integrative literature review was undertaken using the standards and guidelines set forth by Ganong (1987) to ensure a rigorous review that can contribute to nursing knowledge. The first step is to establish the purpose of the review and related questions to be answered. Next is to establish tentative selection criteria for the inclusion of studies. Third is to conduct a literature review. In order to gather information from the research, a questionnaire or survey tool should be developed. Next, rules of inference should be established for use in data analysis and interpretation. Inclusion criteria should be revised as necessary. Studies should be read using the tool to gather data. Then, data should be analyzed, followed by discussion and interpretation. The last step is to report the review.
The purpose of this paper is to examine past research on Latino child mental health access and utilization in an effort to expand the current knowledge base and determine areas for further research. The following questions-"Why is there a greater rate of unmet need among Latinos for mental health services?" and "What are the barriers facing Latinos in accessing and utilizing services for child mental health problems?"-were used to focus this investigation.
By Lopez, Cintia Bergren, Martha Dewey; Painter, Susan G
TOPIC: Access and utilization of mental health services for Latino children. PURPOSE: As Latino children may experience higher rates of unmet needs, this article examines the current literature for the reasons for the disparity and the barriers to the utilization of mental health services for Latino children.
SOURCES: An integrative literature review was undertaken from child psychiatry and nursing.
CONCLUSIONS: The literature confirmed a pattern of underutilization of mental health services by Latino children, but did not completely address the reasons for the disparity. Suggested barriers were language and cultural issues. Gaps in the literature include a lack of agreement for definition of a mental health problem and the tools to identify these, insufficient studies into the barriers for Latino children in the access and utilization of mental health services, and cultural and language issues related to Latino research.
Search terms: Latino child mental health access, Latino child mental health disparities, Latino child mental health, Latino child mental health utilization
Health Disparities Among Latinos for Child Mental Health Services
The prevention and treatment of mental health problems in children in this country has received national attention in recent years. Mental health in children includes social, developmental, emotional, and behavioral issues and is an essential component of overall health (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2001). Factors such as physical impairments, cognitive disabilities, low birth weight, a family history of mental or additive disorders or poverty, parental separation, or child abuse or neglect place children at risk for mental health problems (U.S. Public Health Service [U.S. PHS], 2000). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS, 1999), although 1 in 10 children in the United States are estimated to have a mental health problem severe enough to cause impairment, only 1 in 5 of these children receive services.
Considering the morbidities associated with mental health problems and the possible consequences of inadequate or nonexistent treatment, it is little wonder the problem of mental illness in children has been called a national public health crisis by former Surgeon General David Satcher (U.S. DHHS, 1999). While mental health problems in children can lead to problems in school, such as learning or attention difficulties, these problems can, in turn, lead to mental health problems (DeSocio & Hootman, 2004). These problems can also develop into an increase in violence, such as suicide and homicide (AAP, 2001). In fact, the Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force (2003) stated that almost 70% of youths detained in the juvenile justice system suffer from a mental health problem. Mental health problems can also increase the likelihood of risky behaviors of adolescents, such as smoking and unsafe sexual practices, that can negatively impact physical health (AAP).
Utilization of mental health services remains low among all children (U.S. DHHS, 1999). Children are a particularly vulnerable group as they completely rely on adult caregivers for their healthcare needs during the early childhood and school-age years. Even as they grow older and become more independent, children still depend on their parents or guardians to a large extent to access needed services. Barriers common to children of all backgrounds in accessing mental health services include stigma, cost, insufficient coverage for services from private health insurances, and inadequately trained mental health providers (Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force, 2003). However, there are certain groups who have even higher rates of unmet needs. The Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force reports that mental health disparities exist for Hispanic and African American children. According to the U.S. PHS (2000), the difficulties in accessing mental health services can be exacerbated by cultural differences.
The elimination or reduction of racial and socioeconomic disparities by providing culturally competent care has been stressed in several reports (Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership, 2005; U.S. DHHS, 1999; U.S. PHS, 2000). One way to begin to eliminate health disparities is to examine affected groups and to identify and address any cultural barriers or challenges. The focus of this investigation is Latino children.
The terms Latino and Hispanic are often used interchangeably and include people of any race with a Spanish-speaking background. Latinos make up 12% of the population of the United States at 39.9 million, and are one of the fastest growing groups in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). As with any cultural group, it is important to avoid stereotyping or assume its people are homogeneous. For instance, there are dozens of Hispanic countries and they are quite different from each other. In the United States, the largest Latino groups are Mexican Americans (58.8%), followed by Puerto Ricans (9.6%) and Cuban Americans (3.5%) (U.S. Census Bureau). However, there are similarities among cultures that can help in understanding its individual members.
In efforts to reduce the health disparity in Latino child mental health utilization, an integrative literature review was undertaken using the standards and guidelines set forth by Ganong (1987) to ensure a rigorous review that can contribute to nursing knowledge. The first step is to establish the purpose of the review and related questions to be answered. Next is to establish tentative selection criteria for the inclusion of studies. Third is to conduct a literature review. In order to gather information from the research, a questionnaire or survey tool should be developed. Next, rules of inference should be established for use in data analysis and interpretation. Inclusion criteria should be revised as necessary. Studies should be read using the tool to gather data. Then, data should be analyzed, followed by discussion and interpretation. The last step is to report the review.
The purpose of this paper is to examine past research on Latino child mental health access and utilization in an effort to expand the current knowledge base and determine areas for further research. The following questions-"Why is there a greater rate of unmet need among Latinos for mental health services?" and "What are the barriers facing Latinos in accessing and utilizing services for child mental health problems?"-were used to focus this investigation.
Mi Familia Vota Making House Calls To Register Latino Voters
Drive focuses on Latino vote
by Erin Zlomek - Aug. 30, 2008, The Arizona Republic
A non-profit group with its Arizona headquarters in the West Valley rolled out a campaign to register 10,000 Latinos voters across the state before the Oct. 6 registration deadline for voting in the presidential election.
Mi Familia Vota based in Avondale has targeted 42,000 Latino households, and is making house calls and mailing notes to remind those residents to vote.
The group is about 4,000 registered voters short of its October goal.
Immigrants who have just earned their citizenship and Latino youth who recently turned 18 are the primary focus of the campaign's efforts.
Such registration drives are considered necessary because of all ethnic groups, Latinos traditionally have the lowest voter turnout in both local and presidential elections, said Mark Lopez, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center.
Mi Familia Vota launched its campaign at a meeting this week that was attended by Valley teachers, public safety personnel, students and group volunteers.
by Erin Zlomek - Aug. 30, 2008, The Arizona Republic
A non-profit group with its Arizona headquarters in the West Valley rolled out a campaign to register 10,000 Latinos voters across the state before the Oct. 6 registration deadline for voting in the presidential election.
Mi Familia Vota based in Avondale has targeted 42,000 Latino households, and is making house calls and mailing notes to remind those residents to vote.
The group is about 4,000 registered voters short of its October goal.
Immigrants who have just earned their citizenship and Latino youth who recently turned 18 are the primary focus of the campaign's efforts.
Such registration drives are considered necessary because of all ethnic groups, Latinos traditionally have the lowest voter turnout in both local and presidential elections, said Mark Lopez, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center.
Mi Familia Vota launched its campaign at a meeting this week that was attended by Valley teachers, public safety personnel, students and group volunteers.
Hispanic Interns In Community Service Announced
NJ.com
TRENTON -- The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) held its graduation ceremony recently for the Class of 2008 Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and the Latino Leaders Fel lowship Institute at NJN studios.
"These young men and women have shown a commitment to learning and taking an active role in their community," said DCA commissioner Joseph Doria.
The Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and Latino Leaders Fellowship Institute is a 10-week summer program geared toward leadership and professional development. The program, which began in 1988, offers Hispanic college students the opportunity to work in a government, corporate or nonprofit setting and participate in leadership training conducted by Rutgers University's Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership.
Over the course of the program, interns are required to complete a project analyzing a policy topic of interest and its effect on the Latino community. This year's graduating class had 34 participants, some of whom received scholarships to attend.
The Class of 2008 includes: Saida Alvarenga, Judith A. Avila, Maria J. Caraballo, Lissette N. Carrion Trujillo, Damianty Chivukula, Angel D. Collado, Franklin W. Col lado, Delilah Cordovez, Mario Delgado, Valentina Di Loreto, Jacque line Diaz, Gabriel Gonzalez, Ray mond Guerrero Jr., Ana Maria Her nandez, Vanessa I. Hernandez, Roger Martinez, Lady Masucci, Briana C. Morales, Melany Narvaez, Franklin Nunez, Franmi C. Paulino, Ruben Martin, Zulema Altagracia Pena, Ivy Perez, Daniel Rodriguez, Vicente Rodriguez III, Maria E. Rojas, Jeremy Rosa, Alexander Sanchez, Reynaldo Santos Jr., Lizbeth Veliz, Desiree Williams Brown, Nestor Yepes and Federico Za natta.
More information on the Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and Latino Leaders Fellowship Institute can be ob tained by calling (609) 984-3223 or by visiting (nj.gov/dca/chprd).
TRENTON -- The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) held its graduation ceremony recently for the Class of 2008 Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and the Latino Leaders Fel lowship Institute at NJN studios.
"These young men and women have shown a commitment to learning and taking an active role in their community," said DCA commissioner Joseph Doria.
The Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and Latino Leaders Fellowship Institute is a 10-week summer program geared toward leadership and professional development. The program, which began in 1988, offers Hispanic college students the opportunity to work in a government, corporate or nonprofit setting and participate in leadership training conducted by Rutgers University's Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership.
Over the course of the program, interns are required to complete a project analyzing a policy topic of interest and its effect on the Latino community. This year's graduating class had 34 participants, some of whom received scholarships to attend.
The Class of 2008 includes: Saida Alvarenga, Judith A. Avila, Maria J. Caraballo, Lissette N. Carrion Trujillo, Damianty Chivukula, Angel D. Collado, Franklin W. Col lado, Delilah Cordovez, Mario Delgado, Valentina Di Loreto, Jacque line Diaz, Gabriel Gonzalez, Ray mond Guerrero Jr., Ana Maria Her nandez, Vanessa I. Hernandez, Roger Martinez, Lady Masucci, Briana C. Morales, Melany Narvaez, Franklin Nunez, Franmi C. Paulino, Ruben Martin, Zulema Altagracia Pena, Ivy Perez, Daniel Rodriguez, Vicente Rodriguez III, Maria E. Rojas, Jeremy Rosa, Alexander Sanchez, Reynaldo Santos Jr., Lizbeth Veliz, Desiree Williams Brown, Nestor Yepes and Federico Za natta.
More information on the Hispanic Interns in Community Service Program and Latino Leaders Fellowship Institute can be ob tained by calling (609) 984-3223 or by visiting (nj.gov/dca/chprd).
Disney Offers Royal Quinceanera Weekend
'Quinceañera,' Disney style: A rite of passage for Hispanic teenage girls
Dewayne Bevil | Sentinel Staff Writer, August 30, 2008
Walt Disney World is intensifying its Hispanic culture offerings with the introduction of a quinceañera event, which culminates today with a grand ball built for princesses.
Disney's Royal Quinceañera Weekend centers on the rite of passage of 15-year-old girls. Families of a dozen teenagers have paid several hundred to several thousand dollars to share in the celebration at Epcot.
"The girls are the princesses for the night," Disney spokeswoman Mari Santana said. "It's a wedding without a groom."
Last year, Disney World debuted quinceañera packages with options such as horse-drawn carriage rides or visits by Prince Charming.
Today each Royal Quinceañera will be formally presented to her assembled families and guests at a combined dance at the World Showplace Pavilion, decorated in blue, white and silver (" Cinderella colors," Santana said). The traditional shoe ceremonies will be included and a special cake from Disney chefs provided.
Participants will watch IllumiNations, Epcot's nightly fireworks and laser show, from a private viewing area. That will be followed by dancing until midnight under the direction of a bilingual DJ.
"Destination quinceañeras" are a trend, said Isabella Wall, an entrepreneur who has become known as "the fairy godmother of quinceañeras."
"Girls celebrating their coming of age, they dream of that princess day where they get to wear that big dress and that tiara," Wall said.
"What place is more perfect than Disney?"
Gabriella Flores and her family are vacationing here from Jersey City, N.J., and will attend the event. It's her sixth trip to Disney World.
She's bringing along her "big, poofy Cinderella-type dress," and she's not worried about sharing the spotlight with the other participants.
"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.
"I get to share with everybody."
Dewayne Bevil can be reached at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477.
Dewayne Bevil | Sentinel Staff Writer, August 30, 2008
Walt Disney World is intensifying its Hispanic culture offerings with the introduction of a quinceañera event, which culminates today with a grand ball built for princesses.
Disney's Royal Quinceañera Weekend centers on the rite of passage of 15-year-old girls. Families of a dozen teenagers have paid several hundred to several thousand dollars to share in the celebration at Epcot.
"The girls are the princesses for the night," Disney spokeswoman Mari Santana said. "It's a wedding without a groom."
Last year, Disney World debuted quinceañera packages with options such as horse-drawn carriage rides or visits by Prince Charming.
Today each Royal Quinceañera will be formally presented to her assembled families and guests at a combined dance at the World Showplace Pavilion, decorated in blue, white and silver (" Cinderella colors," Santana said). The traditional shoe ceremonies will be included and a special cake from Disney chefs provided.
Participants will watch IllumiNations, Epcot's nightly fireworks and laser show, from a private viewing area. That will be followed by dancing until midnight under the direction of a bilingual DJ.
"Destination quinceañeras" are a trend, said Isabella Wall, an entrepreneur who has become known as "the fairy godmother of quinceañeras."
"Girls celebrating their coming of age, they dream of that princess day where they get to wear that big dress and that tiara," Wall said.
"What place is more perfect than Disney?"
Gabriella Flores and her family are vacationing here from Jersey City, N.J., and will attend the event. It's her sixth trip to Disney World.
She's bringing along her "big, poofy Cinderella-type dress," and she's not worried about sharing the spotlight with the other participants.
"It's your moment, but you also share with your family and friends that you're becoming an older woman," she said.
"I get to share with everybody."
Dewayne Bevil can be reached at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477.
Hispanic Law Students Important To Dallas Group
Dallas Hispanic Bar Association reaches out to new generation
Dallas Morning News, August 30, 2008
When he first moved to Dallas 14 years ago, Dallas lawyer Jaime Ramón remembers when a small group of Hispanic lawyers, most of them in private practice, would gather to discuss issues and concerns in their community.
Back then, it was called the Mexican American Bar Association.
Today, the group has morphed into the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association, and its members – now numbering about 300 – range from high-powered partners in corporate law firms to lawyers in private practice battling employment discrimination and civil rights cases.
"There was only a handful of us who were partners in major law firms back then," said the 54-year-old partner in K&L Gates. "Today, there's a lot of vibrancy in the organization, and there's a crop of younger people coming up who have a great commitment to their community. They don't have the barriers we did, and they're very global in their thinking."
During the past several years, as the area's demographics have shifted, the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association (www.dallashispanicbar.com) has slowly emerged as an agent for change in Dallas County.
A new generation of Hispanic lawyers has become more visibly involved in the organization's civic pursuits, such as the effort to rename Ross Avenue after farm workers advocate César Chávez. Others are content to work behind the scenes to boost the city's growing Latino economic and political clout.
On Sept. 17, many of them will gather to help a younger generation of Latino law students seeking the same path to legal and economic advancement at the group's annual scholarship fundraising banquet at the Belo Mansion.
A dozen students attending an array of Texas law schools will receive from $1,500 to $2,000 in financial awards, some of them named after well-known Hispanic benefactors or emerging civic leaders – Adelfa Callejo, Gilbert Aranza and Angel Reyes.
Much of the $130,000 raised at the annual event is being channeled into the group's scholarship foundation, with a goal of raising $1 million by 2015.
This year, the organization will give its annual La Luz Achievement Award to Regina Montoya. The Harvard law school graduate served as assistant for governmental affairs to President Clinton and recently stepped down after three years as CEO of the New America Alliance.
And Mr. Ramón, who has served as a mentor to a younger generation, will be the recipient of this year's President's Award.
"The best piece of advice I ever got was from Jaime," recalled Aaron R. Ramírez, Hispanic bar president.
He was thinking of walking away from a corporate position with the nation's largest employment law firm to go into private practice with a colleague, Maricela Siewczynski.
He called Mr. Ramón filled with questions.
"He knew I had more passion for representing people than I did a company," he said. "A corporation never really says 'thank you.' They simply write a check.
"It's far more personally rewarding for me now because I can see how individuals are being wronged. Jaime told me, 'Don't ever look back.' And I haven't."
Dallas Morning News, August 30, 2008
When he first moved to Dallas 14 years ago, Dallas lawyer Jaime Ramón remembers when a small group of Hispanic lawyers, most of them in private practice, would gather to discuss issues and concerns in their community.
Back then, it was called the Mexican American Bar Association.
Today, the group has morphed into the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association, and its members – now numbering about 300 – range from high-powered partners in corporate law firms to lawyers in private practice battling employment discrimination and civil rights cases.
"There was only a handful of us who were partners in major law firms back then," said the 54-year-old partner in K&L Gates. "Today, there's a lot of vibrancy in the organization, and there's a crop of younger people coming up who have a great commitment to their community. They don't have the barriers we did, and they're very global in their thinking."
During the past several years, as the area's demographics have shifted, the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association (www.dallashispanicbar.com) has slowly emerged as an agent for change in Dallas County.
A new generation of Hispanic lawyers has become more visibly involved in the organization's civic pursuits, such as the effort to rename Ross Avenue after farm workers advocate César Chávez. Others are content to work behind the scenes to boost the city's growing Latino economic and political clout.
On Sept. 17, many of them will gather to help a younger generation of Latino law students seeking the same path to legal and economic advancement at the group's annual scholarship fundraising banquet at the Belo Mansion.
A dozen students attending an array of Texas law schools will receive from $1,500 to $2,000 in financial awards, some of them named after well-known Hispanic benefactors or emerging civic leaders – Adelfa Callejo, Gilbert Aranza and Angel Reyes.
Much of the $130,000 raised at the annual event is being channeled into the group's scholarship foundation, with a goal of raising $1 million by 2015.
This year, the organization will give its annual La Luz Achievement Award to Regina Montoya. The Harvard law school graduate served as assistant for governmental affairs to President Clinton and recently stepped down after three years as CEO of the New America Alliance.
And Mr. Ramón, who has served as a mentor to a younger generation, will be the recipient of this year's President's Award.
"The best piece of advice I ever got was from Jaime," recalled Aaron R. Ramírez, Hispanic bar president.
He was thinking of walking away from a corporate position with the nation's largest employment law firm to go into private practice with a colleague, Maricela Siewczynski.
He called Mr. Ramón filled with questions.
"He knew I had more passion for representing people than I did a company," he said. "A corporation never really says 'thank you.' They simply write a check.
"It's far more personally rewarding for me now because I can see how individuals are being wronged. Jaime told me, 'Don't ever look back.' And I haven't."
President of Hispanic Republicans From Small Town
Tri-Cities Man will be WA Hispanic Delegate at Republican National Convention
KNDO, Aug 29, 2008
RICHLAND, Wash-- A local delegate from the Tri-Cities will be representing the Hispanic Vote at the Republican Convention.
Tony Benegas is a local man with many titles. He's on the West Richland City Council.
He's the chair of the Benton County Republican Party and he's the President of Hispanic Republicans in Washington State. That last title is what got him an invitation to the convention next week.
Benegas has never been to a National Convention before, but even without prior experience his personality is sure to work a room.
"I never considered going to a national thing, but people tell me it's a wonderful experience, it's really great and frankly i'm nervous because i don't know what to expect and they tell me it's going to be a lot of fun but i'm really looking forward to it," said Benegas.
On the top of the list of people he's dying to meet is new Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
"I think she's just an outstanding candidate when I first found out that she was the nominee wow, this is incredible, I was just ecstatic. I was sweating, I was just so excited. This is someone that's really going to just energize the base," said Benegas.
Benegas says there are more Hispanic Republican voters than people realize. He says about 33 percent are actually conservative while 28 percent consider themselves moderate.
"If you ask how many are Democrats it's more like 45 percent. It's like what's going on here and it's not unusual. It's just a case of really where do you stand. How do you feel about family values and the definition of marriage, divorce, abortion. Really Hispanics are conservative cause as Reagan says, they just don't know it yet," said Benegas.
Benegas will leave on Sunday for the convention in Minnesota. KNDU will be checking in with him as the convention starts. Hopefully he will get his wish to meet new Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
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KNDO, Aug 29, 2008
RICHLAND, Wash-- A local delegate from the Tri-Cities will be representing the Hispanic Vote at the Republican Convention.
Tony Benegas is a local man with many titles. He's on the West Richland City Council.
He's the chair of the Benton County Republican Party and he's the President of Hispanic Republicans in Washington State. That last title is what got him an invitation to the convention next week.
Benegas has never been to a National Convention before, but even without prior experience his personality is sure to work a room.
"I never considered going to a national thing, but people tell me it's a wonderful experience, it's really great and frankly i'm nervous because i don't know what to expect and they tell me it's going to be a lot of fun but i'm really looking forward to it," said Benegas.
On the top of the list of people he's dying to meet is new Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
"I think she's just an outstanding candidate when I first found out that she was the nominee wow, this is incredible, I was just ecstatic. I was sweating, I was just so excited. This is someone that's really going to just energize the base," said Benegas.
Benegas says there are more Hispanic Republican voters than people realize. He says about 33 percent are actually conservative while 28 percent consider themselves moderate.
"If you ask how many are Democrats it's more like 45 percent. It's like what's going on here and it's not unusual. It's just a case of really where do you stand. How do you feel about family values and the definition of marriage, divorce, abortion. Really Hispanics are conservative cause as Reagan says, they just don't know it yet," said Benegas.
Benegas will leave on Sunday for the convention in Minnesota. KNDU will be checking in with him as the convention starts. Hopefully he will get his wish to meet new Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
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Black and White Residents Applaud Roundup of Hispanic Immigrants
Immigrant raid divides a Mississippi town
Many black and white residents of Laurel applaud the crackdown; it sends fear through the Latino community. Political change may end such raids.
By Miguel Bustillo and Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 31, 2008
LAUREL, MISS. — Fabiola Pena considered running away from her factory job when she realized she was being targeted in a federal immigration raid. She was deterred when she noticed the helicopters hovering overhead.
But helicopters were not what shocked Pena the most on her last, fateful day at Howard Industries, the largest employer in this small Southern town. It was the black co-workers who clapped and cheered, Pena said, as she and hundreds of other Latino immigrant laborers were arrested and hauled away.
"They said we took their jobs, but I was working from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.," said Pena, 21, a day after the raid last week that resulted in the arrest of nearly 600 suspected illegal immigrants. "I didn't see them working like us."
The raid at Howard Industries, a manufacturer of electrical distribution equipment, was the largest of its kind in many years,and it exposed some of the rawest emotions that fuel the illegal immigration debate.
It was also carried out during a period of political limbo: Polls suggest that for voters, the immigration issue has been eclipsed by the sputtering economy, and neither of the two major presidential candidates has made much of the topic during the election season.
As the Bush administration winds down its tenure in Washington, it has made efforts to step up immigration enforcement, especially after Congress last year failed to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws. Since then, thousands of people have been arrested in raids at dozens of facilities in the nation, generating considerable controversy. Immigrant advocates howl over the coarse treatment of suspects and the breakup of families, and anti-immigrant groups laud the raids, which they say allow for long-overdue enforcement of existing laws.
But the raids might not have much of a future after the swearing-in of Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama, both of whom have staked out moderate-to-liberal stances on immigration reform.
If the next president decides to curtail or end raids similar to the one at the Howard Industries, it will not sit well with many residents of Laurel. The raid was welcomed by a number of native-born residents in this manufacturing hub of about 25,000 people that has been transformed in recent years by the influx of Latino workers, many of whom are undocumented.
"They need to go and do this in every little town," Tonya Jackson said.
Jackson, who is black, said that over the years she had applied numerous times for a job at the locally owned manufacturer, which employs about 4,000 workers. Jackson, 30, said she never received a callback. The raid, she said, was a welcome purge of illegal Latino laborers who had taken jobs they didn't deserve.
"We've been here all our lives," she said. "And it seems like they have just arrived and are getting the nice cars and the good homes."
Her stance puts her at odds with Obama. The Democratic presidential nominee's website describes such raids as "ineffective" measures that have "placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families."
It is unclear if raids would increase or decrease under a McCain administration. Like Obama, McCain wants to create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and beef up border security. (McCain, of late, has emphasized that border security must come first).
But some illegal-immigration opponents worry that the raids and other enforcement efforts will decline once illegal residents are offered a path to citizenship, since the government will be focusing more on accommodating rather than punishing them.
Immigration advocacy groups, meanwhile, are just as worried that McCain, who has tinkered with his views on immigration, would choose to continue the raids.
The crackdown in Laurel upended the new reality here. The old lumber town, about two hours northeast of New Orleans, boasts a few stately mansions and other remnants of a quaint Southern past. More recently, the city has been transformed by taquerias and grocery stores catering to Latino immigrants who came to work at the electrical equipment factory and nearby chicken plants. The town's population in 2000 was about 18,000, according to census figures, but the Latino newcomers have helped swell that number by thousands.
Their arrival created tension in the town, with black and white residents accusing the undocumented workers of taking the few available jobs and depressing wages.
Monday's raid, part of a two-year investigation of Howard Industries, was triggered by a complaint from a union member, said Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency conducting the inquiry.
Of the 595 people arrested, about 106 were released and fitted with monitoring devices until their trial date. Among them was Pena, who was freed so she could care for her 2-year-old daughter. A number of 17-year-old workers were put into the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and the remaining workers were taken to a detention center in Jena, La., about four hours away.
Most of the workers were charged with noncriminal immigration violations and faced possible deportation; eight of them faced criminal charges of identity theft.
No managers were arrested in the raid, said Gonzalez, who noted the case remained open. Immigrant advocates often complain that workers bear a disproportionate brunt of the punishment from such raids, whereas the employers are sometimes overlooked.
Howard Industries released a statement the same day the raid took place, saying that the company performs "every check allowed" to determine the immigration status of all applicants.
After the raid, the company put up a billboard on 16th Avenue, the busy commercial thoroughfare on which it resides, that said: "Howard Industries is now hiring!"
The raid, along with rumors of further enforcement actions, has sent a wave of fear through the Latino community. A number of workers have skipped their shifts at the poultry plants. Mexican restaurants refused to open their doors, with one citing an unexplained "plumbing problem" on a sign to customers.
"There ain't a Mexican place open in this town," said Mark Childress, 49, as he went to a taqueria, only to find it closed.
Childress, a Laurel native, said he was not upset by the Latino immigration, but others said they were glad to see it being rolled back. James Warren, 33, worked at Howard Industries for a few months in 2000. But he quit because of the low wages and because he said none of the co-workers during his shift spoke English.
"It was long overdue," Warren said of the raid. "Everybody knew what was going on in there. There weren't a lot of white or black people left in there anymore, it was all Mexicans."
With both presidential candidates pledging to give illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship, Warren said he couldn't imagine the raids continuing for long.
At Peniel Christian Church one night last week, about two dozen Latino immigrants were milling around. Some held hands in a circle and prayed.
A few were waiting for lawyers; others were unaffected by the raid, but too scared to go home. Children ran through the pews, oblivious to their parents' grief.
"These people are not terrorists, communist or criminals," said pastor Roberto Valez, 58, a native of Puerto Rico. "They are here because they are hungry and in search of a better life, and they were caught working."
Pena, the former Howard Industries worker, said that not everyone treated her poorly. Her supervisor, a black woman, consoled her during the raid, she said.
"She even called my mother to let her know what happened," Pena said. "But it was in English and my mother had no idea what she was trying to say."
miguel.bustillo@latimes.com
Many black and white residents of Laurel applaud the crackdown; it sends fear through the Latino community. Political change may end such raids.
By Miguel Bustillo and Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 31, 2008
LAUREL, MISS. — Fabiola Pena considered running away from her factory job when she realized she was being targeted in a federal immigration raid. She was deterred when she noticed the helicopters hovering overhead.
But helicopters were not what shocked Pena the most on her last, fateful day at Howard Industries, the largest employer in this small Southern town. It was the black co-workers who clapped and cheered, Pena said, as she and hundreds of other Latino immigrant laborers were arrested and hauled away.
"They said we took their jobs, but I was working from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.," said Pena, 21, a day after the raid last week that resulted in the arrest of nearly 600 suspected illegal immigrants. "I didn't see them working like us."
The raid at Howard Industries, a manufacturer of electrical distribution equipment, was the largest of its kind in many years,and it exposed some of the rawest emotions that fuel the illegal immigration debate.
It was also carried out during a period of political limbo: Polls suggest that for voters, the immigration issue has been eclipsed by the sputtering economy, and neither of the two major presidential candidates has made much of the topic during the election season.
As the Bush administration winds down its tenure in Washington, it has made efforts to step up immigration enforcement, especially after Congress last year failed to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws. Since then, thousands of people have been arrested in raids at dozens of facilities in the nation, generating considerable controversy. Immigrant advocates howl over the coarse treatment of suspects and the breakup of families, and anti-immigrant groups laud the raids, which they say allow for long-overdue enforcement of existing laws.
But the raids might not have much of a future after the swearing-in of Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama, both of whom have staked out moderate-to-liberal stances on immigration reform.
If the next president decides to curtail or end raids similar to the one at the Howard Industries, it will not sit well with many residents of Laurel. The raid was welcomed by a number of native-born residents in this manufacturing hub of about 25,000 people that has been transformed in recent years by the influx of Latino workers, many of whom are undocumented.
"They need to go and do this in every little town," Tonya Jackson said.
Jackson, who is black, said that over the years she had applied numerous times for a job at the locally owned manufacturer, which employs about 4,000 workers. Jackson, 30, said she never received a callback. The raid, she said, was a welcome purge of illegal Latino laborers who had taken jobs they didn't deserve.
"We've been here all our lives," she said. "And it seems like they have just arrived and are getting the nice cars and the good homes."
Her stance puts her at odds with Obama. The Democratic presidential nominee's website describes such raids as "ineffective" measures that have "placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families."
It is unclear if raids would increase or decrease under a McCain administration. Like Obama, McCain wants to create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and beef up border security. (McCain, of late, has emphasized that border security must come first).
But some illegal-immigration opponents worry that the raids and other enforcement efforts will decline once illegal residents are offered a path to citizenship, since the government will be focusing more on accommodating rather than punishing them.
Immigration advocacy groups, meanwhile, are just as worried that McCain, who has tinkered with his views on immigration, would choose to continue the raids.
The crackdown in Laurel upended the new reality here. The old lumber town, about two hours northeast of New Orleans, boasts a few stately mansions and other remnants of a quaint Southern past. More recently, the city has been transformed by taquerias and grocery stores catering to Latino immigrants who came to work at the electrical equipment factory and nearby chicken plants. The town's population in 2000 was about 18,000, according to census figures, but the Latino newcomers have helped swell that number by thousands.
Their arrival created tension in the town, with black and white residents accusing the undocumented workers of taking the few available jobs and depressing wages.
Monday's raid, part of a two-year investigation of Howard Industries, was triggered by a complaint from a union member, said Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency conducting the inquiry.
Of the 595 people arrested, about 106 were released and fitted with monitoring devices until their trial date. Among them was Pena, who was freed so she could care for her 2-year-old daughter. A number of 17-year-old workers were put into the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and the remaining workers were taken to a detention center in Jena, La., about four hours away.
Most of the workers were charged with noncriminal immigration violations and faced possible deportation; eight of them faced criminal charges of identity theft.
No managers were arrested in the raid, said Gonzalez, who noted the case remained open. Immigrant advocates often complain that workers bear a disproportionate brunt of the punishment from such raids, whereas the employers are sometimes overlooked.
Howard Industries released a statement the same day the raid took place, saying that the company performs "every check allowed" to determine the immigration status of all applicants.
After the raid, the company put up a billboard on 16th Avenue, the busy commercial thoroughfare on which it resides, that said: "Howard Industries is now hiring!"
The raid, along with rumors of further enforcement actions, has sent a wave of fear through the Latino community. A number of workers have skipped their shifts at the poultry plants. Mexican restaurants refused to open their doors, with one citing an unexplained "plumbing problem" on a sign to customers.
"There ain't a Mexican place open in this town," said Mark Childress, 49, as he went to a taqueria, only to find it closed.
Childress, a Laurel native, said he was not upset by the Latino immigration, but others said they were glad to see it being rolled back. James Warren, 33, worked at Howard Industries for a few months in 2000. But he quit because of the low wages and because he said none of the co-workers during his shift spoke English.
"It was long overdue," Warren said of the raid. "Everybody knew what was going on in there. There weren't a lot of white or black people left in there anymore, it was all Mexicans."
With both presidential candidates pledging to give illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship, Warren said he couldn't imagine the raids continuing for long.
At Peniel Christian Church one night last week, about two dozen Latino immigrants were milling around. Some held hands in a circle and prayed.
A few were waiting for lawyers; others were unaffected by the raid, but too scared to go home. Children ran through the pews, oblivious to their parents' grief.
"These people are not terrorists, communist or criminals," said pastor Roberto Valez, 58, a native of Puerto Rico. "They are here because they are hungry and in search of a better life, and they were caught working."
Pena, the former Howard Industries worker, said that not everyone treated her poorly. Her supervisor, a black woman, consoled her during the raid, she said.
"She even called my mother to let her know what happened," Pena said. "But it was in English and my mother had no idea what she was trying to say."
miguel.bustillo@latimes.com
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Latinos Leaders Share Views On McCain's Selection Of Palin
Will Latinos Support the New GOP Vice Presidential Candidate?
With the selection of Governor Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential candidate, did this improve Senator McCain’s standing with Latino voters?
Adrian Perez, Publisher, Latino Journal
Sacramento, CA - Just as many political pundits were writing about Senator Barack Obama’s historic speech on Thursday night’s Democratic Party Convention finale, we were struck with an explosive response by Senator John McCain as he selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate.
There’s no question that McCain’s selection will have an impact on the women voters. But, will it make a difference among Latino voters? Here is what some of America’s leading Latino Republicans are saying about Senator McCain’s selection:
Florida Senator Mel Martinez told MSNBC:
"She (Governor Palin) does a lot for the ticket. She can strengthen McCain with some of the party faithful and bring some excitement...while appealing to disaffected Clinton voters and small-town America...This is a hockey mom who speaks to middle America in very profound way." (Martinez also called her an “energy expert from an energy state,” since she advocates opening the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.)
Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Al Cardenas said:
“You couldn't script a better person. She's the governor of a western state, a young woman, a professional and a mother of 5 who took on corruption. She'll be tough to beat -- you can't accomplish more than she has at a young age." (He also likened her inexperience to a “rookie quaterback in the NFL.)
"Let's hope she turns out to be like Dan Marino (the Miami Dolphins quarterback). If she's able to handle the intensity, the bright lights, it'll be seen as the most brilliant political move."
Florida State Representative J.C. Planas said:
"Cuban Americans share a lot of similarities with Alaskans. We are both rugged individualists who come with whatever we can fit in our back packs in search of a better life."
Former California Assembly Member Robert Pacheco told the Latino Journal:
“I am very pleased with the selection of Governor Sarah Palin. It is refreshing to see that the same old politics did not get in the way of Senator McCain in making his choice. He could have decided on a more established person but if he had, he would not have been true to himself. Senator McCain truly intends to shake up the establishment in Washington with innovative ideas to control spending by both parties. Governor Palin has established herself as one that does not condone wasteful spending and has been a strong advocate for ethics reform.” (In terms of relating to Latinos, Pacheco added: “From a Latino or Latina prospective it is thrilling to see that Governor Palin reflects the strong cultural beliefs Latinos have in love of family, raising 5 children and sustaining a 20 year marriage.”)
California Assembly Member Bonnie Garcia said:
“I believe Senator McCain has made an excellent selection. Governor Sarah Palin has demonstrated over and over again that she is a strong, resilient leader and did not have to ride anyone's coat tails. She took on the old guard - defeating two former Governors, exposed unethical behavior, refused pork barrel projects for Alaska, fought for jobs and did not cover for her abusive brother in law.” (Garcia added that Palin is “clearly una gran mujer,” a role model showing motherhood and career can be balanced.)
About the Latino Journal
The Latino Journal is the only publication that writes about public policy and government from a Latino perspective.
With the selection of Governor Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential candidate, did this improve Senator McCain’s standing with Latino voters?
Adrian Perez, Publisher, Latino Journal
Sacramento, CA - Just as many political pundits were writing about Senator Barack Obama’s historic speech on Thursday night’s Democratic Party Convention finale, we were struck with an explosive response by Senator John McCain as he selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate.
There’s no question that McCain’s selection will have an impact on the women voters. But, will it make a difference among Latino voters? Here is what some of America’s leading Latino Republicans are saying about Senator McCain’s selection:
Florida Senator Mel Martinez told MSNBC:
"She (Governor Palin) does a lot for the ticket. She can strengthen McCain with some of the party faithful and bring some excitement...while appealing to disaffected Clinton voters and small-town America...This is a hockey mom who speaks to middle America in very profound way." (Martinez also called her an “energy expert from an energy state,” since she advocates opening the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.)
Former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Al Cardenas said:
“You couldn't script a better person. She's the governor of a western state, a young woman, a professional and a mother of 5 who took on corruption. She'll be tough to beat -- you can't accomplish more than she has at a young age." (He also likened her inexperience to a “rookie quaterback in the NFL.)
"Let's hope she turns out to be like Dan Marino (the Miami Dolphins quarterback). If she's able to handle the intensity, the bright lights, it'll be seen as the most brilliant political move."
Florida State Representative J.C. Planas said:
"Cuban Americans share a lot of similarities with Alaskans. We are both rugged individualists who come with whatever we can fit in our back packs in search of a better life."
Former California Assembly Member Robert Pacheco told the Latino Journal:
“I am very pleased with the selection of Governor Sarah Palin. It is refreshing to see that the same old politics did not get in the way of Senator McCain in making his choice. He could have decided on a more established person but if he had, he would not have been true to himself. Senator McCain truly intends to shake up the establishment in Washington with innovative ideas to control spending by both parties. Governor Palin has established herself as one that does not condone wasteful spending and has been a strong advocate for ethics reform.” (In terms of relating to Latinos, Pacheco added: “From a Latino or Latina prospective it is thrilling to see that Governor Palin reflects the strong cultural beliefs Latinos have in love of family, raising 5 children and sustaining a 20 year marriage.”)
California Assembly Member Bonnie Garcia said:
“I believe Senator McCain has made an excellent selection. Governor Sarah Palin has demonstrated over and over again that she is a strong, resilient leader and did not have to ride anyone's coat tails. She took on the old guard - defeating two former Governors, exposed unethical behavior, refused pork barrel projects for Alaska, fought for jobs and did not cover for her abusive brother in law.” (Garcia added that Palin is “clearly una gran mujer,” a role model showing motherhood and career can be balanced.)
About the Latino Journal
The Latino Journal is the only publication that writes about public policy and government from a Latino perspective.
Latino Business Leader Pushes Legislature To Pass Budget
COMPROMISE ON STATE BUDGET NEEDED TO END CRISIS
By Ken Macias, Chairman, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Press Release: August 28, 2008
Sacramento, Ca - Our state has gone nearly two months without a budget. Services are already impacted across California and every day that we delay, the state’s cash crisis gets even worse.
It was good to see Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly offer a middle of the road compromise budget last week that we believe contains elements of a solid foundation that both Democrats and Republicans should work together on to pass a budget quickly. His proposal addresses our current 15.2 billion dollar budget deficit, includes long-term budget reform and offers an economic stimulus package that would offer some relief and help our struggling economy rebound. Both parties have been holed up in their ideological and partisan corners on the budget for too long.
It is time for them to make sacrifices and compromise for the sake of the state. Most importantly, they must do something this year to ensure that Californians are not forced to suffer the same difficult budget scenario year after year.
The Governor was right to prioritize budget reform, and we believe that it is time for the state to get its spending under control.
It is obvious that the Democrats will not support a budget that doesn’t include revenue increases, and the Republicans are advocating that we get spending under control and are opposed to tax increases. While we understand how difficult it is for Californians to stomach any tax increase in the context of this economy, the Governor’s plan to raise the sales tax temporarily by one-cent for three years and permanently reduce it by 1⁄4 -cent may be the best choice we have this year to address our large deficit and move our state forward. Coupled with long-term budget reform, it is much easier to support something that both Democrats and Republicans should consider as a reasonable approach.
Budget reform is a necessity to prevent disastrous scenarios such as the current impasse in Sacramento. More than anything else, needed budget reform would prevent future impasse scenarios from ever occurring again, and would allow the state to focus more of its resources on infrastructure and other one-time expenditures.
Our economy is clearly going through a really tough time and businesses all across the state are underperforming or adjusting to the business climate. Now is exactly the right time for business-friendly policies, and an economic stimulus package should address the loss of jobs and improve business conditions while not neglecting that small business is the primary engine of job creation in the state. The Governor’s proposal includes incentives and policies that do just that. Overtime laws are in desperate need of flexibility so that businesses can be more productive and adjust to the work schedules that their employees voluntarily seek. Public-private partnerships would provide a boost to the development of critical infrastructure projects. Investment in infrastructure offers both a short-term gain in jobs, and continues to help prepare our state for its growing population.
We have all been frustrated by the lack of progress on the budget this year and are all tired of hearing the same thing from all parties involved. At least the Governor is trying to pave a path through the middle of the road and we believe it’s time the Legislature joined him so that the state can move on to many of the other important things we sent our elected officials to Sacramento to do.
Kenneth A. Macias, D.P.A., M.B.A., CPA, is Chairman of the Board for the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. For more information visit them at www.cahcc.com.
By Ken Macias, Chairman, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Press Release: August 28, 2008
Sacramento, Ca - Our state has gone nearly two months without a budget. Services are already impacted across California and every day that we delay, the state’s cash crisis gets even worse.
It was good to see Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly offer a middle of the road compromise budget last week that we believe contains elements of a solid foundation that both Democrats and Republicans should work together on to pass a budget quickly. His proposal addresses our current 15.2 billion dollar budget deficit, includes long-term budget reform and offers an economic stimulus package that would offer some relief and help our struggling economy rebound. Both parties have been holed up in their ideological and partisan corners on the budget for too long.
It is time for them to make sacrifices and compromise for the sake of the state. Most importantly, they must do something this year to ensure that Californians are not forced to suffer the same difficult budget scenario year after year.
The Governor was right to prioritize budget reform, and we believe that it is time for the state to get its spending under control.
It is obvious that the Democrats will not support a budget that doesn’t include revenue increases, and the Republicans are advocating that we get spending under control and are opposed to tax increases. While we understand how difficult it is for Californians to stomach any tax increase in the context of this economy, the Governor’s plan to raise the sales tax temporarily by one-cent for three years and permanently reduce it by 1⁄4 -cent may be the best choice we have this year to address our large deficit and move our state forward. Coupled with long-term budget reform, it is much easier to support something that both Democrats and Republicans should consider as a reasonable approach.
Budget reform is a necessity to prevent disastrous scenarios such as the current impasse in Sacramento. More than anything else, needed budget reform would prevent future impasse scenarios from ever occurring again, and would allow the state to focus more of its resources on infrastructure and other one-time expenditures.
Our economy is clearly going through a really tough time and businesses all across the state are underperforming or adjusting to the business climate. Now is exactly the right time for business-friendly policies, and an economic stimulus package should address the loss of jobs and improve business conditions while not neglecting that small business is the primary engine of job creation in the state. The Governor’s proposal includes incentives and policies that do just that. Overtime laws are in desperate need of flexibility so that businesses can be more productive and adjust to the work schedules that their employees voluntarily seek. Public-private partnerships would provide a boost to the development of critical infrastructure projects. Investment in infrastructure offers both a short-term gain in jobs, and continues to help prepare our state for its growing population.
We have all been frustrated by the lack of progress on the budget this year and are all tired of hearing the same thing from all parties involved. At least the Governor is trying to pave a path through the middle of the road and we believe it’s time the Legislature joined him so that the state can move on to many of the other important things we sent our elected officials to Sacramento to do.
Kenneth A. Macias, D.P.A., M.B.A., CPA, is Chairman of the Board for the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. For more information visit them at www.cahcc.com.
Texas Hispanic Legislators Show Importance of Exercising
Hispanic Texas Legislators Champion Pedal Power At Democratic National Convention
by Jim Turner, August 29, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
Hispanic Texas Legislators Champion Pedal Power
At Democratic National Convention
Freewheelin con La Raza bike ride highlights importance of exercise, health and sustainability
DENVER — Six Hispanic legislators from Texas and more than 30 members of the Lone Star state’s delegation pedaled through the streets of Denver today to emphasize the importance of physical activity in fighting obesity, diabetes and other health conditions afflicting the Hispanic community. In addition to enjoying the fun of bike riding, the Texas delegates also showcased the health and environmental benefits of bicycling and bike sharing.
The ride, called Freewheelin con La Raza, took place on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, site of the country’s biggest bike-sharing program to date: Freewheelin. Bike sharing is an international social movement that makes bikes available throughout cities for short-term use.
Texas State Representatives taking part in the ride were: Carol Alvarado (D-Houston), Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas), Norma Chavez (D-El Paso), Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio), Ana E. Hernandez (D-Harris County), and Eddie Lucio III (D-Cameron County). Also, former San Antonio mayor and U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary Henry Cisneros addressed the Texas delegation before they departed on their ride.
“Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control paint a starkly unhealthy future for Hispanics who don’t exercise. We are more likely to be obese than non-Hispanics, twice more likely to be diagnosed as diabetic than non-Hispanics, and 50 percent more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanics,” said Rep. Martinez Fischer. “I encourage Hispanics or anyone looking to improve their health to find a fun and engaging exercise like bicycling and incorporate it into their lives.”
Freewheelin, which debuted at the Democratic convention – and moves on to the Republican National Convention next week – is an innovative bike-sharing program developed by Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and cycling advocacy organization Bikes Belong. The program is bringing 1,000 bikes to Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for anyone 18 or older to use during the Democratic and Republican Party conventions.
The ride also had another purpose: contribute toward the goal set forth last month by a bi-partisan – or “bike-partisan” – group of Congressional leaders, challenging all Democratic and Republican convention-goers to participate in Freewheelin and collectively complete 10,000 rides and bike 25,000 miles by the conventions’ close. Achieving this goal will help reduce both conventions’ carbon footprints, traffic, parking congestion and transportation costs, not to mention reducing calories.
How Freewheelin Works
Bikes are available in Denver for the Democratic convention from Aug. 25-28; and in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Republican convention from Sept. 1-4. Participants who register in advance via the Freewheelin Web site (www.freewheelinwaytogo.com) will be ready to check out a bike from one of the multiple bike stations throughout the convention cities. Online registration and use of the bikes during the conventions is free, with all related costs paid by Humana and Bikes Belong. Bikes will be available beginning at 7 a.m. each day of the conventions, and don’t have to be returned to a bike station until 7 p.m. each day. The bikes can be returned to any station.
Freewheelin bike stations are set up throughout the cities, near the convention centers and major hotel complexes. Those interested in the program, but unable to register online, can also register in person at any Freewheelin station. Greeters are on site at each bike station to assist with registration and route planning, and safety specialists will be available to answer questions and address concerns.
Freewheelin is one of a number of initiatives that Humana is developing to encourage people to have fun and get active, including everything from rewards for walking to video games that promote exercise.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at http://www.humana.com.
by Jim Turner, August 29, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
Hispanic Texas Legislators Champion Pedal Power
At Democratic National Convention
Freewheelin con La Raza bike ride highlights importance of exercise, health and sustainability
DENVER — Six Hispanic legislators from Texas and more than 30 members of the Lone Star state’s delegation pedaled through the streets of Denver today to emphasize the importance of physical activity in fighting obesity, diabetes and other health conditions afflicting the Hispanic community. In addition to enjoying the fun of bike riding, the Texas delegates also showcased the health and environmental benefits of bicycling and bike sharing.
The ride, called Freewheelin con La Raza, took place on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, site of the country’s biggest bike-sharing program to date: Freewheelin. Bike sharing is an international social movement that makes bikes available throughout cities for short-term use.
Texas State Representatives taking part in the ride were: Carol Alvarado (D-Houston), Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas), Norma Chavez (D-El Paso), Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio), Ana E. Hernandez (D-Harris County), and Eddie Lucio III (D-Cameron County). Also, former San Antonio mayor and U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary Henry Cisneros addressed the Texas delegation before they departed on their ride.
“Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control paint a starkly unhealthy future for Hispanics who don’t exercise. We are more likely to be obese than non-Hispanics, twice more likely to be diagnosed as diabetic than non-Hispanics, and 50 percent more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanics,” said Rep. Martinez Fischer. “I encourage Hispanics or anyone looking to improve their health to find a fun and engaging exercise like bicycling and incorporate it into their lives.”
Freewheelin, which debuted at the Democratic convention – and moves on to the Republican National Convention next week – is an innovative bike-sharing program developed by Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and cycling advocacy organization Bikes Belong. The program is bringing 1,000 bikes to Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for anyone 18 or older to use during the Democratic and Republican Party conventions.
The ride also had another purpose: contribute toward the goal set forth last month by a bi-partisan – or “bike-partisan” – group of Congressional leaders, challenging all Democratic and Republican convention-goers to participate in Freewheelin and collectively complete 10,000 rides and bike 25,000 miles by the conventions’ close. Achieving this goal will help reduce both conventions’ carbon footprints, traffic, parking congestion and transportation costs, not to mention reducing calories.
How Freewheelin Works
Bikes are available in Denver for the Democratic convention from Aug. 25-28; and in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Republican convention from Sept. 1-4. Participants who register in advance via the Freewheelin Web site (www.freewheelinwaytogo.com) will be ready to check out a bike from one of the multiple bike stations throughout the convention cities. Online registration and use of the bikes during the conventions is free, with all related costs paid by Humana and Bikes Belong. Bikes will be available beginning at 7 a.m. each day of the conventions, and don’t have to be returned to a bike station until 7 p.m. each day. The bikes can be returned to any station.
Freewheelin bike stations are set up throughout the cities, near the convention centers and major hotel complexes. Those interested in the program, but unable to register online, can also register in person at any Freewheelin station. Greeters are on site at each bike station to assist with registration and route planning, and safety specialists will be available to answer questions and address concerns.
Freewheelin is one of a number of initiatives that Humana is developing to encourage people to have fun and get active, including everything from rewards for walking to video games that promote exercise.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s Web site at http://www.humana.com.
Hispanics In Toledo Look To Unite and Work Together
Hispanic group ‘Conexion Latina' drafting its objectives
By Brandi Barhite, Special Sections Editor, bbarhite@toledofreepress.com
United Way Conexion Latina is officially under way.
The group started a few years ago, but was only meeting occasionally. Milva Valenzuela Wagner, director of major gifts at United Way, was put in charge of United Way Conexion Latina to give it the boost it needed.
“The overall goal is to expand the involvement of Hispanics in the community, Wagner said. “It is a volunteer group, and we will develop objectives based on expanding involvement of Hispanics in the community.”
A networking meeting in May brought together people interested in Latino issues and informed them about the work that Conexion is hoping to do, Wagner said.
Hispanics are the largest growing minority in the United States and by 2050, the Hispanic population will triple to about 100 million. Wagner said United Way tries to reach out to different segments of the population.
In Lucas County, the Hispanic population is 22,709; Wood, 4,718 and Ottawa, 1,653.
The objectives for United Way Conexion are still in the drafting stage, but include establishing connections with other organizations that benefit Hispanics; availability of bilingual information at social service agencies; and expanding awareness about participating in activities, leadership groups and nonprofit organizations.
The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the United Way building.
Wagner hopes the objectives will be finalized during that meeting and a chairperson will be elected.
“We are attracting people who otherwise might not be engaged in the community,” Wagner said. “This is probably the first time they are volunteering for any organization.”
By Brandi Barhite, Special Sections Editor, bbarhite@toledofreepress.com
United Way Conexion Latina is officially under way.
The group started a few years ago, but was only meeting occasionally. Milva Valenzuela Wagner, director of major gifts at United Way, was put in charge of United Way Conexion Latina to give it the boost it needed.
“The overall goal is to expand the involvement of Hispanics in the community, Wagner said. “It is a volunteer group, and we will develop objectives based on expanding involvement of Hispanics in the community.”
A networking meeting in May brought together people interested in Latino issues and informed them about the work that Conexion is hoping to do, Wagner said.
Hispanics are the largest growing minority in the United States and by 2050, the Hispanic population will triple to about 100 million. Wagner said United Way tries to reach out to different segments of the population.
In Lucas County, the Hispanic population is 22,709; Wood, 4,718 and Ottawa, 1,653.
The objectives for United Way Conexion are still in the drafting stage, but include establishing connections with other organizations that benefit Hispanics; availability of bilingual information at social service agencies; and expanding awareness about participating in activities, leadership groups and nonprofit organizations.
The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the United Way building.
Wagner hopes the objectives will be finalized during that meeting and a chairperson will be elected.
“We are attracting people who otherwise might not be engaged in the community,” Wagner said. “This is probably the first time they are volunteering for any organization.”
Organization Helps Hispanics Buy Homes in Chicago
Helping others realize 'Hispanic American Dream'
Chicago Sun-Times, August 29, 2008
Hipolito "Paul" Roldan joined the newly formed Hispanic Housing Development Corp. as its first -- and only -- employee.
Now, 32 years later, he is its president and oversees five divisions that work to stabilize Latino communities by developing, managing and investing in affordable housing to fulfill "the hopes and aspirations that comprise the Hispanic American Dream."
"I'm blessed to be able to do this. It's not for ambition or money. To get things accomplished is what is most important," said Roldan. "I came to Chicago and wanted to get involved in developing affordable housing. I got a job with the HHDC and have never looked back."
He and the corporation have developed -- or have in the pipeline -- close to $300 million in affordable housing, which represents about 42 sites for low- and moderate-income families in Chicago neighborhoods.
Roldan says creating affordable housing is not an easy business. "There are a lot of challenges, and it's difficult dealing with bureaucrats. But there is a big payoff, especially when you see a family moving into their first home and see a kid have the very first bedroom of his own."
"I never get sick, and I think part of that is that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing and I enjoy my work."
For more information on HHDC, call (312) 602-6500, or visit: Hispanichousingdevelopment.co
Chicago Sun-Times, August 29, 2008
Hipolito "Paul" Roldan joined the newly formed Hispanic Housing Development Corp. as its first -- and only -- employee.
Now, 32 years later, he is its president and oversees five divisions that work to stabilize Latino communities by developing, managing and investing in affordable housing to fulfill "the hopes and aspirations that comprise the Hispanic American Dream."
"I'm blessed to be able to do this. It's not for ambition or money. To get things accomplished is what is most important," said Roldan. "I came to Chicago and wanted to get involved in developing affordable housing. I got a job with the HHDC and have never looked back."
He and the corporation have developed -- or have in the pipeline -- close to $300 million in affordable housing, which represents about 42 sites for low- and moderate-income families in Chicago neighborhoods.
Roldan says creating affordable housing is not an easy business. "There are a lot of challenges, and it's difficult dealing with bureaucrats. But there is a big payoff, especially when you see a family moving into their first home and see a kid have the very first bedroom of his own."
"I never get sick, and I think part of that is that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing and I enjoy my work."
For more information on HHDC, call (312) 602-6500, or visit: Hispanichousingdevelopment.co
Group Pledges To Help Hispanic Immigrants In Nevada
Nevada Hispanic Services announces immigrant policy
By FRANK X. MULLEN JR. • fmulllen@rgj.com • August 29, 2008
The new Nevada Hispanic Services immigration policy statement pledges the organization will advocate for immigrants in legal proceedings, lobby for immigration law reform and offer advocacy and educational services to immigrants.
Advertisement
Jesse Guiterrez, executive director of the group, said the policy was written in response to inquires after federal agents last year raided several Reno-area McDonald's restaurants and arrested undocumented workers.
The policy begins with an affirmation of the importance of immigrants to the well-being of the United States and declares that all immigrants are deserving of humane treatment, due process and equal protection under law. It states that the nation deserves a fair immigration policy that will provide a path to citizenship to those immigrants already in the country and that "immigrants and their families should be permitted to remain unified."
The group promises to lobby for immigration law reform "in order to have fair and bias-free paths to legalization and eventual citizenship, including legislation that will benefit children who successfully complete or work toward higher education."
The agency also will offer consultation for immigrants facing removal "as may be needed and is available."
The document addresses some issues of immigration reform, such as "bias-free paths to legalization and potential citizenship" but doesn't use the terms legal or illegal immigrants.
Instead, the first principal listed is: "Immigrants are human beings deserving of humane and just treatment by this country's educational institutions, employers, political and governmental bodies."
Janine Hansen, president of the conservative Nevada Families Eagle Forum that has lobbied for immigration law reform and enforcement, said there must be a distinction between immigrants here legally and those who are not.
"America is a nation based on laws," Hansen said. "Americans expect that everyone will obey the law. American citizens are very resentful that our laws are flagrantly violated by illegal immigrants and exceedingly frustrated that the federal government has entirely failed to enforce the laws."
She said any statement about immigrant policies ought to reflect the need for secure borders and said all Americans should be concerned that "cost of illegal immigration is becoming unsustainable."
Hansen said she agrees citizens and noncitizens have the right to due process of law, but in the case of illegal immigrants, "they violate the law to get here, and the most important due process for them is to be deported."
Guiterrez said the NHS policy is based on humane treatment for all immigrants, regardless of legal status.
He said the policy is in the best interests of the immigrant community in general and the Latino community in particular.
The Nevada Hispanic Services board of directors approved the policy statement last month.
The group also elected new officers: Armando Gaytan, president; Ireri Rivas, vice president; Kevin Quint, treasurer; and Luz Verdin, secretary. The group's Web site is www.nhsreno.org
By FRANK X. MULLEN JR. • fmulllen@rgj.com • August 29, 2008
The new Nevada Hispanic Services immigration policy statement pledges the organization will advocate for immigrants in legal proceedings, lobby for immigration law reform and offer advocacy and educational services to immigrants.
Advertisement
Jesse Guiterrez, executive director of the group, said the policy was written in response to inquires after federal agents last year raided several Reno-area McDonald's restaurants and arrested undocumented workers.
The policy begins with an affirmation of the importance of immigrants to the well-being of the United States and declares that all immigrants are deserving of humane treatment, due process and equal protection under law. It states that the nation deserves a fair immigration policy that will provide a path to citizenship to those immigrants already in the country and that "immigrants and their families should be permitted to remain unified."
The group promises to lobby for immigration law reform "in order to have fair and bias-free paths to legalization and eventual citizenship, including legislation that will benefit children who successfully complete or work toward higher education."
The agency also will offer consultation for immigrants facing removal "as may be needed and is available."
The document addresses some issues of immigration reform, such as "bias-free paths to legalization and potential citizenship" but doesn't use the terms legal or illegal immigrants.
Instead, the first principal listed is: "Immigrants are human beings deserving of humane and just treatment by this country's educational institutions, employers, political and governmental bodies."
Janine Hansen, president of the conservative Nevada Families Eagle Forum that has lobbied for immigration law reform and enforcement, said there must be a distinction between immigrants here legally and those who are not.
"America is a nation based on laws," Hansen said. "Americans expect that everyone will obey the law. American citizens are very resentful that our laws are flagrantly violated by illegal immigrants and exceedingly frustrated that the federal government has entirely failed to enforce the laws."
She said any statement about immigrant policies ought to reflect the need for secure borders and said all Americans should be concerned that "cost of illegal immigration is becoming unsustainable."
Hansen said she agrees citizens and noncitizens have the right to due process of law, but in the case of illegal immigrants, "they violate the law to get here, and the most important due process for them is to be deported."
Guiterrez said the NHS policy is based on humane treatment for all immigrants, regardless of legal status.
He said the policy is in the best interests of the immigrant community in general and the Latino community in particular.
The Nevada Hispanic Services board of directors approved the policy statement last month.
The group also elected new officers: Armando Gaytan, president; Ireri Rivas, vice president; Kevin Quint, treasurer; and Luz Verdin, secretary. The group's Web site is www.nhsreno.org
Hispanic Parent Groups Help Students In School District
Security, communication among top concerns for Beaumont's Hispanic parents
By EMILY GUEVARA August, 28, 2008
BEAUMONT - Concerns about campus security and communication among parents, students and teachers were tops among those voiced by Hispanic parents in the Beaumont school district.
"I believe that the education (at) Fletcher is very good," said Martha Rodriguez, 36, who has four children. "The teachers are good, but the people, it's the people in this school who need help."
Rodriguez was among almost 40 Hispanic parents, some community advocates and a few educators who gathered at Fletcher Elementary School Thursday.
The meeting was the beginning of a pilot parent in Beaumont, said Jesus Abrego, director of Hispanic ministries for the Catholic Diocese of Beaumont and an advisor to the parent group. A similar organization called Padres en Accion (Parents in Action) already exists in Port Arthur.
"Parents do not understand this system and there's no one teaching them how this system works," Abrego said.
Rodriguez said there are mothers who suffer abuse in the home or children who are victims of sexual abuse. All those things affect the children's ability to get an education, she said.
Ruben Perez, 33, a scaffold builder, said he wanted to learn about the problems other parents face. Perez has three children, two who attend Caldwood Elementary. He has few problems because his kids are young - ages 10, 7, and 2 - but he said he wants to unite with other parents to prevent problems in the future.
Abrego began the meeting by pointing to the high dropout rate among Hispanic students.
"If you don't work together, nothing different is going to happen," Abrego said in Spanish.
Parents will meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday to organize a committee, said Abrego.
By EMILY GUEVARA August, 28, 2008
BEAUMONT - Concerns about campus security and communication among parents, students and teachers were tops among those voiced by Hispanic parents in the Beaumont school district.
"I believe that the education (at) Fletcher is very good," said Martha Rodriguez, 36, who has four children. "The teachers are good, but the people, it's the people in this school who need help."
Rodriguez was among almost 40 Hispanic parents, some community advocates and a few educators who gathered at Fletcher Elementary School Thursday.
The meeting was the beginning of a pilot parent in Beaumont, said Jesus Abrego, director of Hispanic ministries for the Catholic Diocese of Beaumont and an advisor to the parent group. A similar organization called Padres en Accion (Parents in Action) already exists in Port Arthur.
"Parents do not understand this system and there's no one teaching them how this system works," Abrego said.
Rodriguez said there are mothers who suffer abuse in the home or children who are victims of sexual abuse. All those things affect the children's ability to get an education, she said.
Ruben Perez, 33, a scaffold builder, said he wanted to learn about the problems other parents face. Perez has three children, two who attend Caldwood Elementary. He has few problems because his kids are young - ages 10, 7, and 2 - but he said he wants to unite with other parents to prevent problems in the future.
Abrego began the meeting by pointing to the high dropout rate among Hispanic students.
"If you don't work together, nothing different is going to happen," Abrego said in Spanish.
Parents will meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday to organize a committee, said Abrego.
Denver's Northside, Where Latinos Are Found
Where Minority Is Majority
Denver's Hispanics Could Prove Crucial On Election Day
By Jose Antonio Vargas, Washington Post Staff Writer, August 28, 2008
To find out why the Democratic National Committee chose Denver to host its convention, we leave the dizzying action downtown -- the hobnobbing celebs, delegates and pols, the bloggers and journos under the Big Tent and in the Pepsi Center, all that choreographed circus -- and drive just 10 minutes north.
Go up a hill, past new lofts and swank restaurants. Turn right, and pass the McDonald's billboard touting an Egg McMuffin in Spanish ("Los Preparamos" -- "we prepare them") and then the hunched old man ringing his bell and pushing a cart filled with Mexican ice cream for $1.50 a pop.
This is a neighborhood called Northside, home to La Casita, which churns out handmade tamales like Starbucks brews grande lattes. It's the heart of Denver's Latino community, which, at 35 percent of an estimated 560,000 residents, is by far the city's largest minority group.
In this city, the chances of electing the first black president heavily falls on the shoulders of Latinos, the country's fastest-growing electorate. And they know it, too.
Listen to Paul Sandoval, speaking about Barack Obama:
"A lot of people are still uncomfortable with him, including Hispanics. With us, it's what they call la corazón -- the heart -- and we want to feel like we know him. He's leading McCain 2 to 1 among Hispanics! Two to one! It should be 80 to 20!" says Sandoval, who's owned La Casita for 35 years.
At 64, he's a fixture on the political scene here. Served as state senator for eight years, then as a school board member for six. He was a strong backer of Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries and has doubts about Obama.
Amanda, Sandoval's youngest daughter, shakes her head and sighs. "Obama still has a lot of work to do," she says. "The thing about Hispanics is, once you get us shaking and grooving, once you get us hooked, we're set, we're there. But we're not there yet." The 29-year-old mother of two works part time at La Casita. She's an Obama supporter and has been since the senator from Illinois announced his candidacy 18 months ago.
The Sandovals represent the generation gap among Hispanic voters that was evident throughout the Democratic primaries. Obama usually won among younger Hispanics, while older ones overwhelmingly favored Clinton. Now, less than 10 weeks before Nov. 4, the subtle tension between father and daughter reflects the discussions within many Hispanic households.
Every two years, pollsters like to say that the Hispanic vote is a sleeping giant. It's a giant, all right, a critical bloc in Southwestern swing states such as New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. But it's never really asleep. It just keeps getting bigger.
Especially here, where more than 55 percent of students in the Denver public schools is Hispanic.
A few days ago, nudging their father to pay closer attention to Obama, Amanda and her sister printed out Obama's six-page economic plan for small businesses and highlighted key parts in bright orange ink. On the last page, the sisters wrote: "WE CAN'T HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE. WE NEED YOUR VOTE!"
When Denver made a bid to host this convention, Elbra Wedgeworth, then head of the City Council, told Howard Dean, the party chairman, that Denver's significant Hispanic population would be an asset.
"At a time when the Hispanic vote is up for grabs -- President Bush did well among Hispanics in 2004 -- this is an opportunity for us, as a city, as a state, to celebrate our diversity," says Wedgeworth, president of the host committee, recalling what she told Dean.
Denver, after all, is home to some of the state's most prominent Hispanic pols. Federico Peña, secretary of transportation and then secretary of energy under President Bill Clinton, became the city's first Hispanic mayor in the 1980s. Ken Salazar, a Democrat who is one of the country's three Hispanic senators, along with Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), is a familiar face in Colorado's capital.
The city also boasts one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the country. On that day, about 10 miles of Federal Boulevard, one of the main arteries, is shut down. Revelers walk the streets and enjoy the food.
The boulevard runs through Northside, full of mom-and-pop stores and up-and-coming businesses. It's a changing neighborhood, with new residents, mostly Anglos, buying up most of the new condos.
One night this week, Aztec Sol, a restaurant and bar, was teeming with customers. The Anglo ones were signed on the free WiFi as they ordered burritos, chips and guacamole, while a group of Hispanic men, fresh off work and with their niños and niñas in tow, played pool.
In this neighborhood, the Iraq war is an open sore. Almost everyone has a relative or a friend who is on duty there. Over at La Casita, Amanda Sandoval talks about her friend Mike, who returned from his second tour in Iraq "as a completely different man."
"It's the craziest thing I've ever seen," Amanda says of her friend. "He's an educated man. He got his degree in psychology. I mean, smart. And now he's like some gangster thug guy who can't have a drink and not go off about Arabs and blacks and bombs and blowing things up. It's so sad. It breaks my heart."
She says she opposed the war all along, and it was Obama's early opposition to the war, she says, that impressed her most.
Same goes for Anthony Atienzo, 31, and Jamie Montoya, 35, who sit on Montoya's porch drinking beer and smoking. "You gotta remember, a lot of the young kids fighting in Iraq are young Latinos and young blacks. Young minorities," says Atienzo, who works at a law firm downtown. "As a minority, Obama knows that."
He takes a drag on his cigarette and continues: "When Obama is elected president, if Obama is elected president, all of us minorities, I think, will look at ourselves differently. I think for so long we've been so divided -- blacks, Latinos and Asians -- and we haven't realized that together, as minorities, we have a lot of power."
"Sure, sure, you young ones might like him," the father tells the daughter, "but us older Latinos, our votes matter, too."
Paul and Amanda Sandoval chat once more outside La Casita on a recent Tuesday, waiting for Amanda's daughter, 6-year-old Isabella, to get out of school at 4 p.m. Paul says he has always identified with minority elected officials: black, brown, whatever.
"It's not a matter of race with me, with Barack Obama. It's a matter of, I have to see what he wants to do for this country. Not speeches, not rallies. Details."
Friends and customers, older Latinos like himself, he says, come up to him all the time, saying: "I don't know this guy. I don't think I trust him. Who is he?"
Amanda looks on, slightly exasperated. "Maybe you're just not looking at the right place. He's been running for president for, what, 19 months now?"
The exchange ends there. Amanda walks two blocks to pick up Isabella, who just started sixth grade last week. The girl spots the old man ringing his bell, selling Mexican ice cream and begs for one.
Says Amanda: "When I see Obama, I think: Finally, the minority's voice is being heard. The United States has nominated a black man for president. That is huge on a world scale, and it represents who America is. A country of minorities, not just white people. It's time to move on, to get beyond the past, to look to the future, to the future of someone like my daughter, who will grow up to know that a minority can lead this country."
Denver's Hispanics Could Prove Crucial On Election Day
By Jose Antonio Vargas, Washington Post Staff Writer, August 28, 2008
To find out why the Democratic National Committee chose Denver to host its convention, we leave the dizzying action downtown -- the hobnobbing celebs, delegates and pols, the bloggers and journos under the Big Tent and in the Pepsi Center, all that choreographed circus -- and drive just 10 minutes north.
Go up a hill, past new lofts and swank restaurants. Turn right, and pass the McDonald's billboard touting an Egg McMuffin in Spanish ("Los Preparamos" -- "we prepare them") and then the hunched old man ringing his bell and pushing a cart filled with Mexican ice cream for $1.50 a pop.
This is a neighborhood called Northside, home to La Casita, which churns out handmade tamales like Starbucks brews grande lattes. It's the heart of Denver's Latino community, which, at 35 percent of an estimated 560,000 residents, is by far the city's largest minority group.
In this city, the chances of electing the first black president heavily falls on the shoulders of Latinos, the country's fastest-growing electorate. And they know it, too.
Listen to Paul Sandoval, speaking about Barack Obama:
"A lot of people are still uncomfortable with him, including Hispanics. With us, it's what they call la corazón -- the heart -- and we want to feel like we know him. He's leading McCain 2 to 1 among Hispanics! Two to one! It should be 80 to 20!" says Sandoval, who's owned La Casita for 35 years.
At 64, he's a fixture on the political scene here. Served as state senator for eight years, then as a school board member for six. He was a strong backer of Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries and has doubts about Obama.
Amanda, Sandoval's youngest daughter, shakes her head and sighs. "Obama still has a lot of work to do," she says. "The thing about Hispanics is, once you get us shaking and grooving, once you get us hooked, we're set, we're there. But we're not there yet." The 29-year-old mother of two works part time at La Casita. She's an Obama supporter and has been since the senator from Illinois announced his candidacy 18 months ago.
The Sandovals represent the generation gap among Hispanic voters that was evident throughout the Democratic primaries. Obama usually won among younger Hispanics, while older ones overwhelmingly favored Clinton. Now, less than 10 weeks before Nov. 4, the subtle tension between father and daughter reflects the discussions within many Hispanic households.
Every two years, pollsters like to say that the Hispanic vote is a sleeping giant. It's a giant, all right, a critical bloc in Southwestern swing states such as New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. But it's never really asleep. It just keeps getting bigger.
Especially here, where more than 55 percent of students in the Denver public schools is Hispanic.
A few days ago, nudging their father to pay closer attention to Obama, Amanda and her sister printed out Obama's six-page economic plan for small businesses and highlighted key parts in bright orange ink. On the last page, the sisters wrote: "WE CAN'T HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE. WE NEED YOUR VOTE!"
When Denver made a bid to host this convention, Elbra Wedgeworth, then head of the City Council, told Howard Dean, the party chairman, that Denver's significant Hispanic population would be an asset.
"At a time when the Hispanic vote is up for grabs -- President Bush did well among Hispanics in 2004 -- this is an opportunity for us, as a city, as a state, to celebrate our diversity," says Wedgeworth, president of the host committee, recalling what she told Dean.
Denver, after all, is home to some of the state's most prominent Hispanic pols. Federico Peña, secretary of transportation and then secretary of energy under President Bill Clinton, became the city's first Hispanic mayor in the 1980s. Ken Salazar, a Democrat who is one of the country's three Hispanic senators, along with Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), is a familiar face in Colorado's capital.
The city also boasts one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the country. On that day, about 10 miles of Federal Boulevard, one of the main arteries, is shut down. Revelers walk the streets and enjoy the food.
The boulevard runs through Northside, full of mom-and-pop stores and up-and-coming businesses. It's a changing neighborhood, with new residents, mostly Anglos, buying up most of the new condos.
One night this week, Aztec Sol, a restaurant and bar, was teeming with customers. The Anglo ones were signed on the free WiFi as they ordered burritos, chips and guacamole, while a group of Hispanic men, fresh off work and with their niños and niñas in tow, played pool.
In this neighborhood, the Iraq war is an open sore. Almost everyone has a relative or a friend who is on duty there. Over at La Casita, Amanda Sandoval talks about her friend Mike, who returned from his second tour in Iraq "as a completely different man."
"It's the craziest thing I've ever seen," Amanda says of her friend. "He's an educated man. He got his degree in psychology. I mean, smart. And now he's like some gangster thug guy who can't have a drink and not go off about Arabs and blacks and bombs and blowing things up. It's so sad. It breaks my heart."
She says she opposed the war all along, and it was Obama's early opposition to the war, she says, that impressed her most.
Same goes for Anthony Atienzo, 31, and Jamie Montoya, 35, who sit on Montoya's porch drinking beer and smoking. "You gotta remember, a lot of the young kids fighting in Iraq are young Latinos and young blacks. Young minorities," says Atienzo, who works at a law firm downtown. "As a minority, Obama knows that."
He takes a drag on his cigarette and continues: "When Obama is elected president, if Obama is elected president, all of us minorities, I think, will look at ourselves differently. I think for so long we've been so divided -- blacks, Latinos and Asians -- and we haven't realized that together, as minorities, we have a lot of power."
"Sure, sure, you young ones might like him," the father tells the daughter, "but us older Latinos, our votes matter, too."
Paul and Amanda Sandoval chat once more outside La Casita on a recent Tuesday, waiting for Amanda's daughter, 6-year-old Isabella, to get out of school at 4 p.m. Paul says he has always identified with minority elected officials: black, brown, whatever.
"It's not a matter of race with me, with Barack Obama. It's a matter of, I have to see what he wants to do for this country. Not speeches, not rallies. Details."
Friends and customers, older Latinos like himself, he says, come up to him all the time, saying: "I don't know this guy. I don't think I trust him. Who is he?"
Amanda looks on, slightly exasperated. "Maybe you're just not looking at the right place. He's been running for president for, what, 19 months now?"
The exchange ends there. Amanda walks two blocks to pick up Isabella, who just started sixth grade last week. The girl spots the old man ringing his bell, selling Mexican ice cream and begs for one.
Says Amanda: "When I see Obama, I think: Finally, the minority's voice is being heard. The United States has nominated a black man for president. That is huge on a world scale, and it represents who America is. A country of minorities, not just white people. It's time to move on, to get beyond the past, to look to the future, to the future of someone like my daughter, who will grow up to know that a minority can lead this country."
Dems Still Didn't Give Latinos Prime-time
Latinos on the agenda at DNC
By Ed Morales, August 28, 2008
This year, Latinos should be encouraged by their increasing visibility and political power, as well as their growing standing in the Democratic Party. But there is still much work to do.
The Democratic National Convention did better by Latinos this year.
The amount of Latino speakers was way up from 2004, when there were several complaints about their relative paucity. This year’s convention featured Reps. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Silvestre Reyes, D-Tex., and Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., as well as former Secretary of Energy Federico Pena and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who, of course, ran for president.
While it may have disappointed Latinos that Richardson was not strongly considered for the vice presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign knows that Latino voters should not be taken for granted. Recent polls show that only 60 per cent of Latino voters have expressed a preference for the Illinois senator, a figure that should be improved on.
Census data from 2007 reveals that minorities are making up a growing share of the population in all but 12 of 129 counties designated as “swing counties.” These counties, in states like Colorado, Florida, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin, could help tip the balance between red and blue states.
Florida, in particular, is more likely to go Democratic in this election, partly because recent numbers show that non-Cubans outnumber traditionally conservative Cuban voters in the state’s total Hispanic voters. Their agenda is more diverse and potentially more in line with Democratic Party values.
The Democratic Party Platform for 2008, endorsed this week at the convention, mentions Latinos in connection with three concerns: their disproportionate victimization by unfair subprime mortgages; the inaccurate counting of Hispanics by the Census Bureau; and the need to reform our immigration service.
Latinos are concerned with anti-immigrant backlash, such as the murder of a Mexican immigrant in Shenandoah, Penn., as well as the government’s heavy-handed raids at a meat packing plant in Postville, Ill., and a leather factory in New Bedford, Mass. Even though the great majority of Latinos in the United States are U.S. citizens, they face a ripple effect when anti-immigrant anger becomes anti-Latino anger.
But to fully address the issues important to the nation’s Latino communities, the Democratic Party should take a close look at the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda’s just-published Public Policy Agenda for 2008. The group, which brings together 26 national Latino organizations, makes strong recommendations for addressing education, civil rights, economic empowerment, health, government accountability and the Iraq War, along with immigration.
This year, Latinos should be encouraged by their increasing visibility and political power, as well as their growing standing in the Democratic Party. But there is still much work to do.
Ed Morales is a contributor to the New York Times and Newsday and is the author of “Living in Spanglish.” He can be reached at pmproj@progressive.org.
By Ed Morales, August 28, 2008
This year, Latinos should be encouraged by their increasing visibility and political power, as well as their growing standing in the Democratic Party. But there is still much work to do.
The Democratic National Convention did better by Latinos this year.
The amount of Latino speakers was way up from 2004, when there were several complaints about their relative paucity. This year’s convention featured Reps. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Silvestre Reyes, D-Tex., and Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., as well as former Secretary of Energy Federico Pena and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who, of course, ran for president.
While it may have disappointed Latinos that Richardson was not strongly considered for the vice presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign knows that Latino voters should not be taken for granted. Recent polls show that only 60 per cent of Latino voters have expressed a preference for the Illinois senator, a figure that should be improved on.
Census data from 2007 reveals that minorities are making up a growing share of the population in all but 12 of 129 counties designated as “swing counties.” These counties, in states like Colorado, Florida, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin, could help tip the balance between red and blue states.
Florida, in particular, is more likely to go Democratic in this election, partly because recent numbers show that non-Cubans outnumber traditionally conservative Cuban voters in the state’s total Hispanic voters. Their agenda is more diverse and potentially more in line with Democratic Party values.
The Democratic Party Platform for 2008, endorsed this week at the convention, mentions Latinos in connection with three concerns: their disproportionate victimization by unfair subprime mortgages; the inaccurate counting of Hispanics by the Census Bureau; and the need to reform our immigration service.
Latinos are concerned with anti-immigrant backlash, such as the murder of a Mexican immigrant in Shenandoah, Penn., as well as the government’s heavy-handed raids at a meat packing plant in Postville, Ill., and a leather factory in New Bedford, Mass. Even though the great majority of Latinos in the United States are U.S. citizens, they face a ripple effect when anti-immigrant anger becomes anti-Latino anger.
But to fully address the issues important to the nation’s Latino communities, the Democratic Party should take a close look at the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda’s just-published Public Policy Agenda for 2008. The group, which brings together 26 national Latino organizations, makes strong recommendations for addressing education, civil rights, economic empowerment, health, government accountability and the Iraq War, along with immigration.
This year, Latinos should be encouraged by their increasing visibility and political power, as well as their growing standing in the Democratic Party. But there is still much work to do.
Ed Morales is a contributor to the New York Times and Newsday and is the author of “Living in Spanglish.” He can be reached at pmproj@progressive.org.
Mayor Asked To Appoint Latino Volunteers
Latinos in Dover seeking more clout
Advocates want seats on volunteer board
BY JULIE O'CONNOR, Star-Ledger Staff
Several advocates for Dover's Latino community have asked to join a newly formed volunteer group that oversees funding for local drug and alcohol prevention programs, after protesting its lack of Latino representation.
The Rev. Daniel Martinez told Mayor James Dodd at Tuesday's town meeting that he and Latino residents Edward Correa and Emiliano Lemos are requesting membership to the board.
"I've heard many comments that Latino people need to volunteer," Martinez said. "We want to volunteer ... the offer has been out there for a long time. I think the group would benefit from having Latino representation."
They say they are awaiting an official response from the mayor, who has the ability to appoint as many members to the group as deemed necessary.
At the meeting, Dodd said he looked forward "to a very productive municipal alliance in the future," but did not respond to Mar tinez's request for membership. Reached by phone, Dodd said he had no comment on the issue.
Previously, Martinez and Correa had questioned why only one Latino was chosen for the 12-member Municipal Alliance, a group charged with deciding what local programs get county funding. Dover is at least 60 percent Latino.
The mayor said at an Aug. 12 meeting he chose the members and a new chairwoman to revitalize the volunteer group, since participation had tapered off. Dodd has said he selected people who represent a variety of town boards and organizations.
When asked by residents at that meeting why more Latino members weren't tapped for the board, Dodd agreed Latinos should be involved but did not say why he did not appoint more than one.
Correa, a member of the Latino Leadership Alliance, said he be lieves Latino members would benefit a group that designates funding to programs involving education and empowerment of the Latino community.
"That's why we want to volunteer," he said. "We were not aware of the revitalization of the group. Now that we know what it's all about and that the mayor is hoping to add new members, we believe that we should be active, formal members of this alliance."
While county officials have said the committee's members are in tended to represent a cross-section of the community, other residents say they don't believe ethnicity should be considered.
Antonio Acosta, who supports the mayor and his promise to rehabilitate the downtown, said he be lieves the responsibility for getting involved lies with the Latino community -- not with Dodd or other officials.
Acosta, whose Puerto Rican family has lived in Dover since the late 1950s, said anyone who feels disenfranchised should just attend town meetings or run for office rather than blaming the mayor.
"I'm glad that they said they would volunteer," Acosta said of Martinez and other residents. "It is troublesome that a community that is 60 percent Hispanic has no (Latino) sitting on a governing body ... If you don't like what's happening, then run for office ... we should be part of the police department, part of the fire department. It's up to us to make that happen."
Martinez said the reason he and other Latino residents have been regularly attending town meetings is because they want to be involved. He said he hopes town officials hear that message.
"People can send in their résumés, but these are normally boards that are appointed," Marti nez said. "If they don't call or reach out to the Latino community, we don't know. We're not aware. We're not given the opportunity."
Julie O'Connor may be reached at joconnor@starledger.com or (973) 539-7910.
Advocates want seats on volunteer board
BY JULIE O'CONNOR, Star-Ledger Staff
Several advocates for Dover's Latino community have asked to join a newly formed volunteer group that oversees funding for local drug and alcohol prevention programs, after protesting its lack of Latino representation.
The Rev. Daniel Martinez told Mayor James Dodd at Tuesday's town meeting that he and Latino residents Edward Correa and Emiliano Lemos are requesting membership to the board.
"I've heard many comments that Latino people need to volunteer," Martinez said. "We want to volunteer ... the offer has been out there for a long time. I think the group would benefit from having Latino representation."
They say they are awaiting an official response from the mayor, who has the ability to appoint as many members to the group as deemed necessary.
At the meeting, Dodd said he looked forward "to a very productive municipal alliance in the future," but did not respond to Mar tinez's request for membership. Reached by phone, Dodd said he had no comment on the issue.
Previously, Martinez and Correa had questioned why only one Latino was chosen for the 12-member Municipal Alliance, a group charged with deciding what local programs get county funding. Dover is at least 60 percent Latino.
The mayor said at an Aug. 12 meeting he chose the members and a new chairwoman to revitalize the volunteer group, since participation had tapered off. Dodd has said he selected people who represent a variety of town boards and organizations.
When asked by residents at that meeting why more Latino members weren't tapped for the board, Dodd agreed Latinos should be involved but did not say why he did not appoint more than one.
Correa, a member of the Latino Leadership Alliance, said he be lieves Latino members would benefit a group that designates funding to programs involving education and empowerment of the Latino community.
"That's why we want to volunteer," he said. "We were not aware of the revitalization of the group. Now that we know what it's all about and that the mayor is hoping to add new members, we believe that we should be active, formal members of this alliance."
While county officials have said the committee's members are in tended to represent a cross-section of the community, other residents say they don't believe ethnicity should be considered.
Antonio Acosta, who supports the mayor and his promise to rehabilitate the downtown, said he be lieves the responsibility for getting involved lies with the Latino community -- not with Dodd or other officials.
Acosta, whose Puerto Rican family has lived in Dover since the late 1950s, said anyone who feels disenfranchised should just attend town meetings or run for office rather than blaming the mayor.
"I'm glad that they said they would volunteer," Acosta said of Martinez and other residents. "It is troublesome that a community that is 60 percent Hispanic has no (Latino) sitting on a governing body ... If you don't like what's happening, then run for office ... we should be part of the police department, part of the fire department. It's up to us to make that happen."
Martinez said the reason he and other Latino residents have been regularly attending town meetings is because they want to be involved. He said he hopes town officials hear that message.
"People can send in their résumés, but these are normally boards that are appointed," Marti nez said. "If they don't call or reach out to the Latino community, we don't know. We're not aware. We're not given the opportunity."
Julie O'Connor may be reached at joconnor@starledger.com or (973) 539-7910.
Hispanic Non-partisan Push To Register and Vote
Volunteers Unite to Increase Latino Voting in El Paso
Posted by Armando Saldivar, KDBC 4 News
The presidential election may still be months away, but if you're not registered you only have a month to do so. That's why representatives of various non-profit organizations helped kick off the non-partisan national campaign titled "Ya es Hora, Ve Y Vota" or "It's Time, Go Vote."
On Thursday, 16 people took the oath as deputized voter registrars. Their job will be to get as many people signed up to vote as possible and encourage participation throughout the area. The long-term goal is to mobilize more than half a million Latino registered voters. "We have issues such as immigration, which is a very important issue, but not a lot of people take account of it, because they think that's an issue only for Mexicans or undocumented immigrants. Well, no. This is a whole issue for Latinos" said Betty Camargo, Border Network for Human Rights. "You do hear people being apathetic and saying they don't care, but when we see something on the news that irks us, something that we feel is wrong, we care, and the time to care and do something about it is at the poll booth" said Estela Reyes, Centro Salud Familiar La Fe.
Organizers say in 2004 nearly eight million Latinos voted in the November election. They're hoping that number is even greater on November 4th 2008. The deadline to fill out and turn in one of these voter registration cards is October 6th.
Posted by Armando Saldivar, KDBC 4 News
The presidential election may still be months away, but if you're not registered you only have a month to do so. That's why representatives of various non-profit organizations helped kick off the non-partisan national campaign titled "Ya es Hora, Ve Y Vota" or "It's Time, Go Vote."
On Thursday, 16 people took the oath as deputized voter registrars. Their job will be to get as many people signed up to vote as possible and encourage participation throughout the area. The long-term goal is to mobilize more than half a million Latino registered voters. "We have issues such as immigration, which is a very important issue, but not a lot of people take account of it, because they think that's an issue only for Mexicans or undocumented immigrants. Well, no. This is a whole issue for Latinos" said Betty Camargo, Border Network for Human Rights. "You do hear people being apathetic and saying they don't care, but when we see something on the news that irks us, something that we feel is wrong, we care, and the time to care and do something about it is at the poll booth" said Estela Reyes, Centro Salud Familiar La Fe.
Organizers say in 2004 nearly eight million Latinos voted in the November election. They're hoping that number is even greater on November 4th 2008. The deadline to fill out and turn in one of these voter registration cards is October 6th.
"Los Braceros" Premieres On V-me
Labor Day Specials on V-me
Primetime documentary Los Braceros premieres;
Boowa and Kwala debut during preschool marathon;
Press Release
NEW YORK, August 26, 2008 – V-me, America’s fastest growing Spanish network, celebrates Labor Day with special programming throughout the day including the national Spanish premiere of Los Braceros in primetime and a kids marathon.
In primetime from 8:00 – 8:30pm(et) V-me presents the US Spanish premiere of the special documentary, Los Braceros. Los Braceros follows the lives of the 4-6 million hard-working Mexican men who said goodbye to family and friends and everything familiar to chase a dream across the border. The creation of the Bracero Program (Strong Arms to Aid the USA) in 1942 under the Bracero Treaty opened the floodgates for legal immigration of Mexican laborers. Now senior citizens, the Braceros are in many ways the foundation of today’s lively Latino community and many of the values, beliefs and experiences that form California’s Latino culture can be traced to this influential group. Los Braceros is a touching and at times emotional portrait of how these men forged a better life for themselves and their families.
Primetime documentary Los Braceros premieres;
Boowa and Kwala debut during preschool marathon;
Press Release
NEW YORK, August 26, 2008 – V-me, America’s fastest growing Spanish network, celebrates Labor Day with special programming throughout the day including the national Spanish premiere of Los Braceros in primetime and a kids marathon.
In primetime from 8:00 – 8:30pm(et) V-me presents the US Spanish premiere of the special documentary, Los Braceros. Los Braceros follows the lives of the 4-6 million hard-working Mexican men who said goodbye to family and friends and everything familiar to chase a dream across the border. The creation of the Bracero Program (Strong Arms to Aid the USA) in 1942 under the Bracero Treaty opened the floodgates for legal immigration of Mexican laborers. Now senior citizens, the Braceros are in many ways the foundation of today’s lively Latino community and many of the values, beliefs and experiences that form California’s Latino culture can be traced to this influential group. Los Braceros is a touching and at times emotional portrait of how these men forged a better life for themselves and their families.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Raid of Hispanic Immigrants Being Investigated by ACLU
ACLU Investigating Largest Immigration Raid In The Country
Reports Of Government Discrimination And Secrecy Trigger Scrutiny
Rachel Myers, (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
LAUREL, MS - In the wake of the largest workplace immigration raid in the country that involved the arrest of at least 600 workers and reports that raise grave concerns about the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Mississippi officials, the American Civil Liberties Union began an investigation of ICE's conduct and called on the Bush administration to ensure that constitutional rights are scrupulously respected going forward. Staff from the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project arrived in Mississippi today to assess the situation firsthand.
"We are deeply concerned by reports that workers at the factory where the raid occurred were segregated by race or ethnicity and interrogated, the factory was locked down for several hours, workers were denied access to counsel, and ICE failed to inform family members and lawyers following the raid where the workers were being jailed," said Mónica Ramírez, a staff attorney with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project who has traveled to Mississippi to meet with family members and lawyers about the government's actions.
On Monday, ICE agents raided a factory located in Laurel, Mississippi owned by Howard Industries Inc., detained at least 600 workers and transported the arrested workers to a federal immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, nearly 200 miles from their homes and family. Some of the workers who are parents of small children were released with an electronic monitoring device and ordered to report back to an ICE office. A few of the arrested workers have been charged under the same criminal statutes used by the government in the recent Postville, Iowa raids that were heavily criticized for the mass prosecutions and assembly-line guilty pleas that the government employed.
The ACLU of Mississippi and the national ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project are also working closely with organizations and advocates in Laurel, Hattiesburg and Jena to monitor the government's actions, assess the conduct of the raid and ensure compliance with the constitutional requirements of due process and non-discrimination.
Reports Of Government Discrimination And Secrecy Trigger Scrutiny
Rachel Myers, (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
LAUREL, MS - In the wake of the largest workplace immigration raid in the country that involved the arrest of at least 600 workers and reports that raise grave concerns about the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Mississippi officials, the American Civil Liberties Union began an investigation of ICE's conduct and called on the Bush administration to ensure that constitutional rights are scrupulously respected going forward. Staff from the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project arrived in Mississippi today to assess the situation firsthand.
"We are deeply concerned by reports that workers at the factory where the raid occurred were segregated by race or ethnicity and interrogated, the factory was locked down for several hours, workers were denied access to counsel, and ICE failed to inform family members and lawyers following the raid where the workers were being jailed," said Mónica Ramírez, a staff attorney with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project who has traveled to Mississippi to meet with family members and lawyers about the government's actions.
On Monday, ICE agents raided a factory located in Laurel, Mississippi owned by Howard Industries Inc., detained at least 600 workers and transported the arrested workers to a federal immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, nearly 200 miles from their homes and family. Some of the workers who are parents of small children were released with an electronic monitoring device and ordered to report back to an ICE office. A few of the arrested workers have been charged under the same criminal statutes used by the government in the recent Postville, Iowa raids that were heavily criticized for the mass prosecutions and assembly-line guilty pleas that the government employed.
The ACLU of Mississippi and the national ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project are also working closely with organizations and advocates in Laurel, Hattiesburg and Jena to monitor the government's actions, assess the conduct of the raid and ensure compliance with the constitutional requirements of due process and non-discrimination.
Raid of Hispanic Immigrants Being Investigated by ACLU
ACLU Investigating Largest Immigration Raid In The Country
Reports Of Government Discrimination And Secrecy Trigger Scrutiny
Rachel Myers, (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
LAUREL, MS - In the wake of the largest workplace immigration raid in the country that involved the arrest of at least 600 workers and reports that raise grave concerns about the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Mississippi officials, the American Civil Liberties Union began an investigation of ICE's conduct and called on the Bush administration to ensure that constitutional rights are scrupulously respected going forward. Staff from the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project arrived in Mississippi today to assess the situation firsthand.
"We are deeply concerned by reports that workers at the factory where the raid occurred were segregated by race or ethnicity and interrogated, the factory was locked down for several hours, workers were denied access to counsel, and ICE failed to inform family members and lawyers following the raid where the workers were being jailed," said Mónica Ramírez, a staff attorney with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project who has traveled to Mississippi to meet with family members and lawyers about the government's actions.
On Monday, ICE agents raided a factory located in Laurel, Mississippi owned by Howard Industries Inc., detained at least 600 workers and transported the arrested workers to a federal immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, nearly 200 miles from their homes and family. Some of the workers who are parents of small children were released with an electronic monitoring device and ordered to report back to an ICE office. A few of the arrested workers have been charged under the same criminal statutes used by the government in the recent Postville, Iowa raids that were heavily criticized for the mass prosecutions and assembly-line guilty pleas that the government employed.
The ACLU of Mississippi and the national ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project are also working closely with organizations and advocates in Laurel, Hattiesburg and Jena to monitor the government's actions, assess the conduct of the raid and ensure compliance with the constitutional requirements of due process and non-discrimination.
Reports Of Government Discrimination And Secrecy Trigger Scrutiny
Rachel Myers, (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
LAUREL, MS - In the wake of the largest workplace immigration raid in the country that involved the arrest of at least 600 workers and reports that raise grave concerns about the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Mississippi officials, the American Civil Liberties Union began an investigation of ICE's conduct and called on the Bush administration to ensure that constitutional rights are scrupulously respected going forward. Staff from the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project arrived in Mississippi today to assess the situation firsthand.
"We are deeply concerned by reports that workers at the factory where the raid occurred were segregated by race or ethnicity and interrogated, the factory was locked down for several hours, workers were denied access to counsel, and ICE failed to inform family members and lawyers following the raid where the workers were being jailed," said Mónica Ramírez, a staff attorney with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project who has traveled to Mississippi to meet with family members and lawyers about the government's actions.
On Monday, ICE agents raided a factory located in Laurel, Mississippi owned by Howard Industries Inc., detained at least 600 workers and transported the arrested workers to a federal immigration detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, nearly 200 miles from their homes and family. Some of the workers who are parents of small children were released with an electronic monitoring device and ordered to report back to an ICE office. A few of the arrested workers have been charged under the same criminal statutes used by the government in the recent Postville, Iowa raids that were heavily criticized for the mass prosecutions and assembly-line guilty pleas that the government employed.
The ACLU of Mississippi and the national ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project are also working closely with organizations and advocates in Laurel, Hattiesburg and Jena to monitor the government's actions, assess the conduct of the raid and ensure compliance with the constitutional requirements of due process and non-discrimination.
Latinos Account For More Than 14 Percent of U.S. Workforce
Labor Day report finds disparity in job quality for Latinos
Phoenix Business Journal - by Adam Kress
A report released Thursday examines the changing role of Latinos in the workplace.
Labor Day 2008: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce was published by the National Council of La Raza -- a national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. The report shows the effects of the economic downturn on Hispanic workers, and the impact of eroding job quality on benefits and fatal workplace injuries.
According to the report, there are more than 20 million Latino workers in the U.S., accounting for more than 14 percent of the labor force. But despite that strong participation, Latinos are concentrated in occupations that frequently fall short on critical indicators of job quality, including employer-based health and retirement plans.
The report also shows that workplace disparities are most apparent in the health and safety of Latino workers. Nearly 1,000 Latinos were killed on the job in 2006 -- the highest fatality rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
For more: www.nclr.org.
Phoenix Business Journal - by Adam Kress
A report released Thursday examines the changing role of Latinos in the workplace.
Labor Day 2008: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce was published by the National Council of La Raza -- a national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. The report shows the effects of the economic downturn on Hispanic workers, and the impact of eroding job quality on benefits and fatal workplace injuries.
According to the report, there are more than 20 million Latino workers in the U.S., accounting for more than 14 percent of the labor force. But despite that strong participation, Latinos are concentrated in occupations that frequently fall short on critical indicators of job quality, including employer-based health and retirement plans.
The report also shows that workplace disparities are most apparent in the health and safety of Latino workers. Nearly 1,000 Latinos were killed on the job in 2006 -- the highest fatality rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
For more: www.nclr.org.
Survey Says Latinos Favor Obama
Obama builds large lead among Latinos in key Southwest states, McCain leads among Latinos in Florida
WEBWIRE, August 28, 2008
Latino voters favor Barack Obama over John McCain by a 3-1 margin in the key battleground states of New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, according a new poll released today by Latino Decisions and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. In Florida, the poll showed that Latino voters favor McCain by a slim margin.
"Despite Hillary Clinton’s success among Latinos in the primary, this new poll reveals that Obama is doing very well among Latino voters in battleground states. Now the most important question is what the Latino voter turnout will be" said University of Washington political scientist Matt Barreto, an expert in Latino voting trends who was the poll’s lead researcher.
The survey found that in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, 68 percent of Latinos planned to vote for Obama, compared to 22 percent for McCain, while 10 percent were undecided.
Latino Decisions, a collaboration between Barreto, Pacific Market Research and Stanford University political scientist Gary Segura, conducted the poll by telephone Aug. 18-24. It reached 750 registered Latino voters in the four states. Latino Decisions will release another poll taken in the same four states in mid-September following the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
In the three Southwest states, Obama’s lead among Latinos was consistent. In New Mexico, Obama was favored over McCain 70 to 21 percent; in Colorado, Obama was favored 69 to 24 percent; and in Nevada, Obama was favored 68 to 22 percent. In all three Southwest states, a majority of Latinos are of Mexican descent and have traditionally voted Democratic.
In Florida, where Cuban-Americans constitute a significant portion of the Latino electorate, McCain led Obama 48 to 45 percent. In 2004, President Bush won 56 percent of the Florida Latino vote compared to 44 percent for John Kerry.
In 2008, the Latino vote is expected to increase to 9 million, or roughly 8 percent of voters. By comparison, 7.6 million Latinos voted in 2004 and 5.9 million in 2000.
Voters were identified using the complete voter registration databases for each state, which was then merged with a Spanish-surname list from the U.S. census. All respondents were verified as Latino and registered voters. Pacific Market Research in Renton, Wash. conducted the survey. It was available in English and Spanish, according to preference of the respondent.
The entire survey carries a margin of error of 4 percentage points; however, each state has a smaller sample size and carries a margin of error of about 7 percentage points.
WEBWIRE, August 28, 2008
Latino voters favor Barack Obama over John McCain by a 3-1 margin in the key battleground states of New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, according a new poll released today by Latino Decisions and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. In Florida, the poll showed that Latino voters favor McCain by a slim margin.
"Despite Hillary Clinton’s success among Latinos in the primary, this new poll reveals that Obama is doing very well among Latino voters in battleground states. Now the most important question is what the Latino voter turnout will be" said University of Washington political scientist Matt Barreto, an expert in Latino voting trends who was the poll’s lead researcher.
The survey found that in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, 68 percent of Latinos planned to vote for Obama, compared to 22 percent for McCain, while 10 percent were undecided.
Latino Decisions, a collaboration between Barreto, Pacific Market Research and Stanford University political scientist Gary Segura, conducted the poll by telephone Aug. 18-24. It reached 750 registered Latino voters in the four states. Latino Decisions will release another poll taken in the same four states in mid-September following the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
In the three Southwest states, Obama’s lead among Latinos was consistent. In New Mexico, Obama was favored over McCain 70 to 21 percent; in Colorado, Obama was favored 69 to 24 percent; and in Nevada, Obama was favored 68 to 22 percent. In all three Southwest states, a majority of Latinos are of Mexican descent and have traditionally voted Democratic.
In Florida, where Cuban-Americans constitute a significant portion of the Latino electorate, McCain led Obama 48 to 45 percent. In 2004, President Bush won 56 percent of the Florida Latino vote compared to 44 percent for John Kerry.
In 2008, the Latino vote is expected to increase to 9 million, or roughly 8 percent of voters. By comparison, 7.6 million Latinos voted in 2004 and 5.9 million in 2000.
Voters were identified using the complete voter registration databases for each state, which was then merged with a Spanish-surname list from the U.S. census. All respondents were verified as Latino and registered voters. Pacific Market Research in Renton, Wash. conducted the survey. It was available in English and Spanish, according to preference of the respondent.
The entire survey carries a margin of error of 4 percentage points; however, each state has a smaller sample size and carries a margin of error of about 7 percentage points.
Children of Latino Immigrants Fully Participate In American Life
Latino Markets Becoming Acculturated
By George Anderson
Hispanic immigrants find comfort in shopping in stores that offer familiar products and surroundings similar to what they knew at home. Equally true is that the children of those immigrants are looking to fully participate in the American way of life and for Latino markets that means apple pie might be finding space next to pastelito de guayab (Cuban pastries with guava).
According to the NPD Group, the Latino beverage and food market is expected to grow to $8.4 billion over the next three years, a leap of 47 percent over 2006's numbers.
Mainstream retailers such as Walmart in the U.S. have been quick to identify this opportunity and are making efforts to attract Latinos with both traditional products and those that provide them with a symbolic entry to the American way of living.
Harry Balzer of the NPD Group told Marketplace on National Public Radio that children of immigrants are drawn to American supermarkets and Latino stores need to adapt if they are going to appeal to the generations of consumers to follow.
"As you spend more time in America, you all of a sudden start eating ham sandwiches and hot dogs and hamburgers," Mr. Balzer told Marketplace.
By George Anderson
Hispanic immigrants find comfort in shopping in stores that offer familiar products and surroundings similar to what they knew at home. Equally true is that the children of those immigrants are looking to fully participate in the American way of life and for Latino markets that means apple pie might be finding space next to pastelito de guayab (Cuban pastries with guava).
According to the NPD Group, the Latino beverage and food market is expected to grow to $8.4 billion over the next three years, a leap of 47 percent over 2006's numbers.
Mainstream retailers such as Walmart in the U.S. have been quick to identify this opportunity and are making efforts to attract Latinos with both traditional products and those that provide them with a symbolic entry to the American way of living.
Harry Balzer of the NPD Group told Marketplace on National Public Radio that children of immigrants are drawn to American supermarkets and Latino stores need to adapt if they are going to appeal to the generations of consumers to follow.
"As you spend more time in America, you all of a sudden start eating ham sandwiches and hot dogs and hamburgers," Mr. Balzer told Marketplace.
Hispanic Student Growth Continues To Capture Nationwide Interest
Number of Hispanic students soaring locally
By CAROL MCGRAW, THE GAZETTE
The number of Hispanic students in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 1990, and the trend is even more pronounced in Colorado and El Paso County schools.
One in five students, or 10 million Hispanic students, attend the nation's public schools, says a study released Tuesday by the Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington, D.C.-based research organization. The study covers 1990 through 2006.
The report said the growth in Hispanic enrollment will continue for decades, and by 2050 there likely will be more Hispanic students than non-Hispanic white students. The Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase by 166 percent by 2050 to 28 million students. The non-Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase by 4 percent to 45 million, the study says.
The Pew study used statistics from the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey. Here are some of the other highlights:
• Most Hispanic students - 84 percent - were born in the U.S.
• Two-thirds of Hispanic students are of Mexican heritage.
• More than 52 percent are being educated in Texas and California.
• More than a quarter of the Hispanic students live in poverty.
• About 70 percent speak a language other than English at home, and 18 percent speak English with difficulty.
• Colorado has a strong historical base of Hispanics, but is not one of the socalled "emerging Hispanic states" attracting the new wave of immigrants, the Pew report says.
Those new Hispanic states are Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia and Washington.
Even so, Colorado has seen a significant influx of non-English speakers, notes Barbara Medina, an assistant commissioner with the Colorado Department of Education. She said Colorado for decades had a Hispanic population congregated in the San Luis Valley area and the Denver metro area.
The state's Hispanic student population has increased from about 94,000 students in 1990 to 224,250 in 2007. (In 1990 the state's total student population was about 574,000, and 794,026 in 2006.)
With the increase in Hispanic students has come a host of challenges for schools: budget issues; providing language classes to new arrivals; high dropout rates among Hispanic males; discipline issues; an academic achievement gap; and finding quality teachers to teach diverse students.
"We are one of 12 states that have experienced high growth in English language
learners." Medina said. "Many schools are embracing the challenge in unique and creative ways. Others are struggling more. It's hit or miss across the state."
She mentioned Harrison School District 2 as having some of the more innovative programs.
"Harrison hasn't arrived yet, but it is embracing the issues and preparing the teaching force and heading in the right direction," Medina said.
In El Paso County, Colorado Springs School District 11 has the most Hispanic students- with 6,476 students in 2006. Harrison School District 2 has the largest percentage of Hispanic students - 40 percent.
Mike Miles, superintendant at Harrison, said having a 40 percent Hispanic student population is challenging. First of all, it's hard on the budget. Those needing special English classes increased 30 percent in three years to 1,000 last year. It normally costs about $7,000 a year to educate a student. But for those needing the English lessons, that cost rises to $8,500. The extra $1.5 million is not paid for by the state, but comes from the district's general fund.
High poverty rates exacerbate the problem. The district's free and reduced lunch numbers have risen from 62 percent to 71 percent during the past two years.
"Many school districts ask parents to pay for things like athletic fees. But our folks can't pay them," Miles said.
"A lot of schools save money by asking students to print out their homework online. Our kids don't have computers. Most schools are having parents pay for the new graphing calculators. We have to buy those for students."
Miles notes "the good news about all this, is that we do have a diverse population and we like that. Our students learn to celebrate diversity."
The district has instituted some strong programs to teach English, concentrating not only on speaking, but also on writing, reading and listening, said Jean Koch, principal of Harrison Adult and Family Education. Those who don't have English proficiency have their own classrooms. When they become more proficient, they are integrated into regular classes.
They also have programs for students under 21 who aren't enrolled in regular high school, and a program for older adults or relatives who have children in school.
One of the unusual aspects of the program is that the entire family learns English together. While parents are in class, their children come to school, too, and get extra help with homework and literacy.
Angelina Sanchez is learning English along with her four children in the Harrison district. The two oldest children speak well and are in regular classrooms. Another is in a program where more support is given, and the fourth is in a Head Start program.
She said through an interpreter she's thankful for the classes. Her own are enjoyable, but frustrating at times. She hopes to learn English to not only help her with her restaurant job, but also help her children with homework. She hopes they will have better career opportunities than she had, she added. Her daughter already wants to be a doctor, and her son, an accountant.
Contact the writer: 636-0371 or carol.mcgraw@gazette.com
By CAROL MCGRAW, THE GAZETTE
The number of Hispanic students in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 1990, and the trend is even more pronounced in Colorado and El Paso County schools.
One in five students, or 10 million Hispanic students, attend the nation's public schools, says a study released Tuesday by the Pew Hispanic Center, a Washington, D.C.-based research organization. The study covers 1990 through 2006.
The report said the growth in Hispanic enrollment will continue for decades, and by 2050 there likely will be more Hispanic students than non-Hispanic white students. The Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase by 166 percent by 2050 to 28 million students. The non-Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase by 4 percent to 45 million, the study says.
The Pew study used statistics from the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey. Here are some of the other highlights:
• Most Hispanic students - 84 percent - were born in the U.S.
• Two-thirds of Hispanic students are of Mexican heritage.
• More than 52 percent are being educated in Texas and California.
• More than a quarter of the Hispanic students live in poverty.
• About 70 percent speak a language other than English at home, and 18 percent speak English with difficulty.
• Colorado has a strong historical base of Hispanics, but is not one of the socalled "emerging Hispanic states" attracting the new wave of immigrants, the Pew report says.
Those new Hispanic states are Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia and Washington.
Even so, Colorado has seen a significant influx of non-English speakers, notes Barbara Medina, an assistant commissioner with the Colorado Department of Education. She said Colorado for decades had a Hispanic population congregated in the San Luis Valley area and the Denver metro area.
The state's Hispanic student population has increased from about 94,000 students in 1990 to 224,250 in 2007. (In 1990 the state's total student population was about 574,000, and 794,026 in 2006.)
With the increase in Hispanic students has come a host of challenges for schools: budget issues; providing language classes to new arrivals; high dropout rates among Hispanic males; discipline issues; an academic achievement gap; and finding quality teachers to teach diverse students.
"We are one of 12 states that have experienced high growth in English language
learners." Medina said. "Many schools are embracing the challenge in unique and creative ways. Others are struggling more. It's hit or miss across the state."
She mentioned Harrison School District 2 as having some of the more innovative programs.
"Harrison hasn't arrived yet, but it is embracing the issues and preparing the teaching force and heading in the right direction," Medina said.
In El Paso County, Colorado Springs School District 11 has the most Hispanic students- with 6,476 students in 2006. Harrison School District 2 has the largest percentage of Hispanic students - 40 percent.
Mike Miles, superintendant at Harrison, said having a 40 percent Hispanic student population is challenging. First of all, it's hard on the budget. Those needing special English classes increased 30 percent in three years to 1,000 last year. It normally costs about $7,000 a year to educate a student. But for those needing the English lessons, that cost rises to $8,500. The extra $1.5 million is not paid for by the state, but comes from the district's general fund.
High poverty rates exacerbate the problem. The district's free and reduced lunch numbers have risen from 62 percent to 71 percent during the past two years.
"Many school districts ask parents to pay for things like athletic fees. But our folks can't pay them," Miles said.
"A lot of schools save money by asking students to print out their homework online. Our kids don't have computers. Most schools are having parents pay for the new graphing calculators. We have to buy those for students."
Miles notes "the good news about all this, is that we do have a diverse population and we like that. Our students learn to celebrate diversity."
The district has instituted some strong programs to teach English, concentrating not only on speaking, but also on writing, reading and listening, said Jean Koch, principal of Harrison Adult and Family Education. Those who don't have English proficiency have their own classrooms. When they become more proficient, they are integrated into regular classes.
They also have programs for students under 21 who aren't enrolled in regular high school, and a program for older adults or relatives who have children in school.
One of the unusual aspects of the program is that the entire family learns English together. While parents are in class, their children come to school, too, and get extra help with homework and literacy.
Angelina Sanchez is learning English along with her four children in the Harrison district. The two oldest children speak well and are in regular classrooms. Another is in a program where more support is given, and the fourth is in a Head Start program.
She said through an interpreter she's thankful for the classes. Her own are enjoyable, but frustrating at times. She hopes to learn English to not only help her with her restaurant job, but also help her children with homework. She hopes they will have better career opportunities than she had, she added. Her daughter already wants to be a doctor, and her son, an accountant.
Contact the writer: 636-0371 or carol.mcgraw@gazette.com
Latina Works Toward Addressing Latino Concerns In Tacoma
Tacoma’s Centro Latino new leader sees big potential
SCOTT FONTAINE; scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com
August 28th, 2008
Joy Gomez-Gonzalez didn’t enjoy working for just a paycheck during her career as an immigration lawyer.
Many of her cases involved attempts to obtain extraordinary-abilities visas – not always grass-roots stuff. “I don’t care if you’re the No. 1 beekeeper in Yugoslavia,” she said. So she began defending some of South Florida’s neediest, but she wanted to do even more for the community.
Two months ago, she joined Tacoma’s Centro Latino as its executive director.
“She has a genuine passion for what she believes in – the opportunities in the Latino community,” said Patricia Chase, the vice chairwoman of the group’s board of directors. “We’re in an incredible position: We have money to build a better place for Centro Latino, and we need someone with really, really strong leadership. Joy has that.”
She takes over the social service agency that’s been without a permanent executive director for more than a year. Julio Quan retired in spring 2007 after less than two years leading Centro Latino. Sergio Hernandez served as an interim leader.
Meanwhile, Tacoma’s Hispanic population continues to grow. It numbers 18,295 or 9 percent of the population, according to 2006 census estimates. That’s up from 7 percent in the 2000 Census.
The News Tribune sat down with Gomez-Gonzalez, 33, at the nonprofit’s offices this week. Here is an excerpt of the conversation:
For readers who don’t know what Centro Latino does, can you give us a quick overview of your work?
Our mission statement is to empower the Latino community in Tacoma. We do that in a number of areas now: education, work development, ESL classes. We run the gamut right now. We have family support workers going into homes. We have teachers working on literacy programs, because a large number of our adults are illiterate in Spanish and English. We are targeting teens with dropout prevention and tutoring, job linkage, apprenticeship programs. And we’re going to start with younger children, hopefully to get them before they drop out or go into gangs.
What’s the biggest problem in Tacoma’s Latino community?
Gangs, the dropout rate, an increasing number of AIDS cases – all these are results of the problem, but they’re not the problem itself. The problem is the lack of a sense of empowerment. If people feel they don’t have a voice, protection, a knowledge of resources and a way to access those resources, all these problems come into play.
You were a successful lawyer in South Florida. Why move to Tacoma?
I want to set down roots. I want to be a part of a community and mold the community into what it could be. And Centro Latino has so much that it can be. This is such a community filled with resources and so rich in opportunity. We just haven’t reached our potential yet. But we will.
You have a colorful background. Tell us about that.
I grew up in Hong Kong. My parents were missionaries. I went to boarding school in Taiwan, and I moved to San Francisco for college. I graduated with a degree in La Raza (Latino) studies and a minor in marketing. While I was there, I helped run a program called Project Rebound, which helped ex-offenders get back into college. And I did work with migrant farm workers and their children, helping keep them in school.
After I graduated, I moved to Florida and did work in the Dominican Republic. It was supposed to be a two-week project, helping build an aqueduct in a tiny little village, but it ended up being a lot longer, off and on for about two years. I loved every minute of it. I later worked with (Florida’s equivalent of Child Protective Services) and went to law school at Stetson University.
How has the Latino population in Tacoma changed recently?
The number is exploding. There’s a large number of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Peruvians. We’re all here. A lot of people, when they talk about the East Side, just think about Mexicans. It’s not just that contingent. There’s a large number of diverse Latin populations.
What are your long-term visions for Centro Latino?
I’ve got a six-month plan. We’re going to strengthen the services we provide, and there are services we don’t provide that we need to. We’re just starting an early-childhood pilot program at McKinley Elementary – just 20 kids right now. … We need to do more adult literacy work. … A year from now, I want us to be providing a lot more early-childhood programs. I want to do more with youth. We’ve just signed an artists’ collaborative to work with our youth. I’d like to do more activism, more political involvement for youth and adults. We’re doing a mass register-to-vote drive right now.
We want to reach out to the rest of the community – offering things like dance classes, cooking classes, culture classes. … It’s important for the community to know that not all Latinos are Mexicans. We don’t all eat tacos. We’re not all undocumented. It’s important to realize the richness that Latinos can bring to your community, but how it can benefit the community.
I also have a financial plan. … I have a five-year goal to untie us from the grants and move toward private funding and fee-for-service stuff. I’ve got five-year and 10-year plans, too. We need representatives from the community, and we don’t have that now. So we’re going to start in early childhood and build a community that has a voice and take a leadership role. … We will get there, because that’s the community I want to live in, and that’s the community I want my daughters to grow up in.
Scott Fontaine: 253-320-4758
SCOTT FONTAINE; scott.fontaine@thenewstribune.com
August 28th, 2008
Joy Gomez-Gonzalez didn’t enjoy working for just a paycheck during her career as an immigration lawyer.
Many of her cases involved attempts to obtain extraordinary-abilities visas – not always grass-roots stuff. “I don’t care if you’re the No. 1 beekeeper in Yugoslavia,” she said. So she began defending some of South Florida’s neediest, but she wanted to do even more for the community.
Two months ago, she joined Tacoma’s Centro Latino as its executive director.
“She has a genuine passion for what she believes in – the opportunities in the Latino community,” said Patricia Chase, the vice chairwoman of the group’s board of directors. “We’re in an incredible position: We have money to build a better place for Centro Latino, and we need someone with really, really strong leadership. Joy has that.”
She takes over the social service agency that’s been without a permanent executive director for more than a year. Julio Quan retired in spring 2007 after less than two years leading Centro Latino. Sergio Hernandez served as an interim leader.
Meanwhile, Tacoma’s Hispanic population continues to grow. It numbers 18,295 or 9 percent of the population, according to 2006 census estimates. That’s up from 7 percent in the 2000 Census.
The News Tribune sat down with Gomez-Gonzalez, 33, at the nonprofit’s offices this week. Here is an excerpt of the conversation:
For readers who don’t know what Centro Latino does, can you give us a quick overview of your work?
Our mission statement is to empower the Latino community in Tacoma. We do that in a number of areas now: education, work development, ESL classes. We run the gamut right now. We have family support workers going into homes. We have teachers working on literacy programs, because a large number of our adults are illiterate in Spanish and English. We are targeting teens with dropout prevention and tutoring, job linkage, apprenticeship programs. And we’re going to start with younger children, hopefully to get them before they drop out or go into gangs.
What’s the biggest problem in Tacoma’s Latino community?
Gangs, the dropout rate, an increasing number of AIDS cases – all these are results of the problem, but they’re not the problem itself. The problem is the lack of a sense of empowerment. If people feel they don’t have a voice, protection, a knowledge of resources and a way to access those resources, all these problems come into play.
You were a successful lawyer in South Florida. Why move to Tacoma?
I want to set down roots. I want to be a part of a community and mold the community into what it could be. And Centro Latino has so much that it can be. This is such a community filled with resources and so rich in opportunity. We just haven’t reached our potential yet. But we will.
You have a colorful background. Tell us about that.
I grew up in Hong Kong. My parents were missionaries. I went to boarding school in Taiwan, and I moved to San Francisco for college. I graduated with a degree in La Raza (Latino) studies and a minor in marketing. While I was there, I helped run a program called Project Rebound, which helped ex-offenders get back into college. And I did work with migrant farm workers and their children, helping keep them in school.
After I graduated, I moved to Florida and did work in the Dominican Republic. It was supposed to be a two-week project, helping build an aqueduct in a tiny little village, but it ended up being a lot longer, off and on for about two years. I loved every minute of it. I later worked with (Florida’s equivalent of Child Protective Services) and went to law school at Stetson University.
How has the Latino population in Tacoma changed recently?
The number is exploding. There’s a large number of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Peruvians. We’re all here. A lot of people, when they talk about the East Side, just think about Mexicans. It’s not just that contingent. There’s a large number of diverse Latin populations.
What are your long-term visions for Centro Latino?
I’ve got a six-month plan. We’re going to strengthen the services we provide, and there are services we don’t provide that we need to. We’re just starting an early-childhood pilot program at McKinley Elementary – just 20 kids right now. … We need to do more adult literacy work. … A year from now, I want us to be providing a lot more early-childhood programs. I want to do more with youth. We’ve just signed an artists’ collaborative to work with our youth. I’d like to do more activism, more political involvement for youth and adults. We’re doing a mass register-to-vote drive right now.
We want to reach out to the rest of the community – offering things like dance classes, cooking classes, culture classes. … It’s important for the community to know that not all Latinos are Mexicans. We don’t all eat tacos. We’re not all undocumented. It’s important to realize the richness that Latinos can bring to your community, but how it can benefit the community.
I also have a financial plan. … I have a five-year goal to untie us from the grants and move toward private funding and fee-for-service stuff. I’ve got five-year and 10-year plans, too. We need representatives from the community, and we don’t have that now. So we’re going to start in early childhood and build a community that has a voice and take a leadership role. … We will get there, because that’s the community I want to live in, and that’s the community I want my daughters to grow up in.
Scott Fontaine: 253-320-4758
Cape Coral Group To Honor Hispanic Achievement
Hispanic Achievement Awards nominations sought; Honors handed out in 7 categories
By DREW WINCHESTER, dwinchester@breezenewspapers.com
The Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board is now accepting nominations for its ninth annual Hispanic Achievement Awards.
According to Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board staff, the awards are aimed at recognizing people from the community who have had a positive affect on life in Lee County, and have also made significant strides in bridging the gap between cultures.
Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Chairman Luis Rivera said award nominees do not have to be Hispanic.
“We want to recognize not only the Hispanic community but individuals who have contributed to the Hispanic community,” Rivera said. “The awards really honor contributions to Lee County as a whole.”
Awards will be presented in seven different categories including: Elementary Student of the Year, Middle School Student of the Year, High School/College Student of the Year, Ministry of the Year, Educator of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Employee of the Year and Business Organization of the Year.
Winners are determined by a nomination committee, staffed by people separate from the advisory board. The committee is headed by Evelyn Rivera of the Hispanic Teacher’s Association.
Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Vice-Chair Veronica Culbertson said the board utilizes a separate committee to make sure there is no personal interest involved with the selection of the award winners.
Founded in 1991, the advisory board was established by county ordinance for the purpose of advising and assisting the Board of Lee County Commissioners with issues relative to the Hispanic community.
Rivera added the board is “tasked” by that ordinance from 1991 to identify the problems, if any, within the Hispanic community and to communicate those issues to the county commission.
Rivera credits commissioners for having the foresight to envision the growth of Hispanic population on Lee County in the early ’90s.
“I have been with the board since 2003, so to some degree I am speculating,” Rivera said. “But, no one could’ve imagined the growth of the Hispanic community within the county. No one could have guessed.”
Winners of the achievement awards will be announced at a banquet on Sept. 30 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Fort Myers. Tickets are $25 and include a full buffet dinner.
Rivera said the group has an easy-to-use nomination form, available by contacting the chairman at Luis.Rivera@henlaw.com, or by calling 344-1533.
By DREW WINCHESTER, dwinchester@breezenewspapers.com
The Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board is now accepting nominations for its ninth annual Hispanic Achievement Awards.
According to Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board staff, the awards are aimed at recognizing people from the community who have had a positive affect on life in Lee County, and have also made significant strides in bridging the gap between cultures.
Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Chairman Luis Rivera said award nominees do not have to be Hispanic.
“We want to recognize not only the Hispanic community but individuals who have contributed to the Hispanic community,” Rivera said. “The awards really honor contributions to Lee County as a whole.”
Awards will be presented in seven different categories including: Elementary Student of the Year, Middle School Student of the Year, High School/College Student of the Year, Ministry of the Year, Educator of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Employee of the Year and Business Organization of the Year.
Winners are determined by a nomination committee, staffed by people separate from the advisory board. The committee is headed by Evelyn Rivera of the Hispanic Teacher’s Association.
Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Vice-Chair Veronica Culbertson said the board utilizes a separate committee to make sure there is no personal interest involved with the selection of the award winners.
Founded in 1991, the advisory board was established by county ordinance for the purpose of advising and assisting the Board of Lee County Commissioners with issues relative to the Hispanic community.
Rivera added the board is “tasked” by that ordinance from 1991 to identify the problems, if any, within the Hispanic community and to communicate those issues to the county commission.
Rivera credits commissioners for having the foresight to envision the growth of Hispanic population on Lee County in the early ’90s.
“I have been with the board since 2003, so to some degree I am speculating,” Rivera said. “But, no one could’ve imagined the growth of the Hispanic community within the county. No one could have guessed.”
Winners of the achievement awards will be announced at a banquet on Sept. 30 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Fort Myers. Tickets are $25 and include a full buffet dinner.
Rivera said the group has an easy-to-use nomination form, available by contacting the chairman at Luis.Rivera@henlaw.com, or by calling 344-1533.
Obama's Wife Says 12 Million Immigrants Should Not Live In Shadows
Michelle Obama rallies Hispanic caucus
Associated Press - August 27, 2008
DENVER (AP) - Barack Obama's wife says Hispanics should not have to live in fear of raids by immigration agents.
Michelle Obama addressed a Hispanic caucus to the Democratic National Convention today.
She said her husband wants to reform immigration policies and provide illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. And Michelle Obama told the group that, if he's elected president, there would be "an immigration policy that brings 12 million people out of the shadows." Cheering caucus members shouted "Yes we can!" in Spanish.
Hispanics could play a key role in the November election, especially in the West where the Obama campaign has been courting them.
Associated Press - August 27, 2008
DENVER (AP) - Barack Obama's wife says Hispanics should not have to live in fear of raids by immigration agents.
Michelle Obama addressed a Hispanic caucus to the Democratic National Convention today.
She said her husband wants to reform immigration policies and provide illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. And Michelle Obama told the group that, if he's elected president, there would be "an immigration policy that brings 12 million people out of the shadows." Cheering caucus members shouted "Yes we can!" in Spanish.
Hispanics could play a key role in the November election, especially in the West where the Obama campaign has been courting them.
Latino Entrepreneur Picked "Hispanic Business Man of the Year"
Interactive Chat CEO Named California Hispanic Business Man of the Year
Vista, California Serial Entrepreneur Eddie Batiz Recognized by California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
Vista, California (PRWEB) August 28, 2008 -- Eddie Batiz of Vista, California, serial entrepreneur and founder of Inbound Clicks and Batiz.com, has been named 2008 Business Man of the Year by the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CAHCC) at their 29th annual convention held in San Francisco earlier this month.
Eddie has faced common obstacles and gotten past them. He's taken advantage of our organization's deep network of and partnered with other Hispanic business owners. We're proud to honor Eddie Batiz this year.
"Eddie Batiz is an inspirational example of the successful Hispanic entrepreneur," said Joel Ayala, President and CEO of the CAHCC. "Eddie has faced common obstacles and gotten past them. He's taken advantage of our organization's deep network of and partnered with other Hispanic business owners. We're proud to honor Eddie Batiz this year," Ayala noted.
Batiz has made a career of starting and growing businesses. He founded Inbound Clicks because he saw a need in the market for businesses of all sizes to better engage web visitors. He discovered that chat and other interactive capabilities can lead to increased ecommerce sales and improved customer service. His expertise and interactive services helped to increase the ecommerce sales of 1800MATTRESS by 600 percent.
"I am surprised but honored to be recognized by the CAHCC," said Eddie Batiz. "Since founding my first company in 1982 I've learned the key is struggling to stay alive. Looking for every resource you can to meet the next milestone, make the next sale--especially in this tough economy. And never throwing in the towel," he added.
About California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
The CAHCC is the premier and largest regional Hispanic business organization in the nation that promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs.
About Inbound Clicks
Inbound Clicks provides capabilities that allow businesses to add a live sales force or customer service team to websites. Inbound Clicks' interactive chat services helped to increase the ecommerce sales of 1800MATTRESS by 600 percent. The company can be reached on 1-800-317-7090 or on the web at http://www.inboundclicks.com/
About Batiz.com, Inc.
Batiz.com, since 1998, is an award-winning development firm specializing in customized branding solutions, application development, network infrastructure and systems integration. The San Diego- and New York-based firm was named to Entrepreneur magazine's 2001 "Hot 100 Fastest Growing Companies" list and Hispanic Magazine's "Hispanic Entrepreneur 100" list for 2002 among others. Visit them at http://batiz.com/
Vista, California Serial Entrepreneur Eddie Batiz Recognized by California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
Vista, California (PRWEB) August 28, 2008 -- Eddie Batiz of Vista, California, serial entrepreneur and founder of Inbound Clicks and Batiz.com, has been named 2008 Business Man of the Year by the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CAHCC) at their 29th annual convention held in San Francisco earlier this month.
Eddie has faced common obstacles and gotten past them. He's taken advantage of our organization's deep network of and partnered with other Hispanic business owners. We're proud to honor Eddie Batiz this year.
"Eddie Batiz is an inspirational example of the successful Hispanic entrepreneur," said Joel Ayala, President and CEO of the CAHCC. "Eddie has faced common obstacles and gotten past them. He's taken advantage of our organization's deep network of and partnered with other Hispanic business owners. We're proud to honor Eddie Batiz this year," Ayala noted.
Batiz has made a career of starting and growing businesses. He founded Inbound Clicks because he saw a need in the market for businesses of all sizes to better engage web visitors. He discovered that chat and other interactive capabilities can lead to increased ecommerce sales and improved customer service. His expertise and interactive services helped to increase the ecommerce sales of 1800MATTRESS by 600 percent.
"I am surprised but honored to be recognized by the CAHCC," said Eddie Batiz. "Since founding my first company in 1982 I've learned the key is struggling to stay alive. Looking for every resource you can to meet the next milestone, make the next sale--especially in this tough economy. And never throwing in the towel," he added.
About California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
The CAHCC is the premier and largest regional Hispanic business organization in the nation that promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs.
About Inbound Clicks
Inbound Clicks provides capabilities that allow businesses to add a live sales force or customer service team to websites. Inbound Clicks' interactive chat services helped to increase the ecommerce sales of 1800MATTRESS by 600 percent. The company can be reached on 1-800-317-7090 or on the web at http://www.inboundclicks.com/
About Batiz.com, Inc.
Batiz.com, since 1998, is an award-winning development firm specializing in customized branding solutions, application development, network infrastructure and systems integration. The San Diego- and New York-based firm was named to Entrepreneur magazine's 2001 "Hot 100 Fastest Growing Companies" list and Hispanic Magazine's "Hispanic Entrepreneur 100" list for 2002 among others. Visit them at http://batiz.com/
Raising Gas Cost Higher Concern Among Hispanics
'Pocketbook concerns' top priority for Hispanic voters
By Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News, August 28, 2008
The largest Hispanic voter research project that Democratic pollster Andrew Myers has ever heard of included 17 focus groups and nearly 1,800 separate interviews in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona.
All that work, and the result is this: The top concerns of Hispanics look pretty much like the top concerns of everyone else.
"Pocketbook concerns dominate," said Myers, of Myers Research in Springfield, Va., which worked on Project New West: Hispanic Voters in the New Western Battleground.
That means the rising cost of gas is a very serious concern for 93 percent of those interviewed, and gay marriage is a very serious concern for only 32 percent.
Or, as one respondent told Myers' group, "I would support gay marriage if it would fill my tank with gas so I could get to work."
Social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and illegal immigration have moved to the back burner, Myers said in a press conference with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson during this week's Democratic National Convention.
"When we asked in an open- ended exercise, what is the most important issue in deciding your vote for president, a full majority, 55 percent, said the economy, jobs - everything is clustered in that area," Myers said.
"That was followed by the war in Iraq, which is as much an economic issue in these voters' minds because we're spending $2 billion a week there rather than focusing on our needs at home."
Illegal immigration was a deciding issue for one in four of those interviewed, Myers noted, and only 35 percent listed it as a serious concern. "When they express concerns about illegal immigration," he said, "it is far more about the Republican rhetoric, which has damaged them deeply."
The research was done in July and August. The poll of likely Hispanic voters in the four states has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, Myers said.
What Hispanics care about has been a hot topic in DNC meetings this week, and it is hard to overstate the perceived importance of the Hispanic vote. On Monday, Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke at the Hispanic delegate caucus and, on Wednesday, Michelle Obama appeared before the group.
"There is nothing that will be easy about the next few months," Michelle Obama said. "That's why you all are so important."
Myers' poll shows Barack Obama leading likely rival John McCain by nearly 2-to-1 among Hispanic voters in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
So why the heavy push? Simple, Myers said, Hispanic voter registration rates and voter participation rates are far lower than those of Anglos and blacks.
In 2004, 58 percent of Hispanics ages 18 and older were registered to vote, 11 percentage points below blacks and 17 points below whites, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
And in the 2006 election in Colorado, a state with a Hispanic population of about 20 percent, only 7 percent turned out to vote, exit polling showed. Low turnouts also were seen in Nevada and Arizona.
Some Hispanic leaders, including Richardson, have said the Obama campaign is not doing enough to court the Hispanic vote.
"He needs to visit more, he needs to campaign more in the West," Richardson said this week. "He needs to put more resources in the West, more volunteers, more offices."
Obama's deputy Latino vote director agreed that the Hispanic outreach effort may have started a little late.
"Our campaign for a year leading up to Iowa was focused completely on Iowa," said Carlos Odio. "There wasn't any national campaign or outreach constituency."
It worked in winning Obama the Iowa primary. But a state with a Hispanic population of less than 4 percent provided little practice in courting Hispanics.
Contrast that to Clinton's effort, which included spending $100 million pre-Iowa on a full constituency outreach that included Hispanics, among others.
"We were focused on the numbers," Odio said. "It wasn't about developing relationships per se."
The emphasis now has shifted to "introducing" Obama to Hispanic voters, Odio said.
"One of the things the campaign takes a lot of pride in is something we like to call the enthusiasm gap between our supporters and McCain's supporters," Odio said. "Our supporters are a lot more enthused. But I wouldn't necessarily say that's the case with Hispanics, because they're still getting to know him."
In the 70 or so days before Election Day, he said Obama's activity in the West will pick up:
"We think if we win Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, Barack Obama is president of the United States."
Talk of the convention
"I have a hard time when people like me are Republicans. I don't get it because they're not on our side."
Steve Hildebrand, gay man and deputy campaign manager for Barack Obama, speaking to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus
"This is the year the sleeping giant has awakened, and that is you."
Former Denver Mayor Federico Pena to the Hispanic caucus
"They robbed us in Florida in 2000, but not this time. They took our votes in Ohio in 2004, but not this time."
The Rev. Al Sharpton, exhorting the Black Caucus to get out and vote.
"We really need you. We need your having our backs. We need you to pray for us. And we need you to work very hard over the next few months."
Michelle Obama, making a plea for help from the Black Caucus.
"One more conservative judge (on the U.S. Supreme Court) and we lose the Americans with Disabilities Act, we lose the Fair Housing Act, we lose everything that we value."
Julie Reiskin, Denver disabilities advocate, telling the Disability Caucus what she thinks would happen if John McCain wins the White House.
"Sen. McCain had honorably served as a POW and was courageous . . . and he kept faith with his fellow POWs. He has not kept faith with American veterans."
Retired Air Force Col. Dick Klass, telling the Veterans and Military Families Caucus that McCain has been "AWOL" on support for vet programs.
"Let's show the whole world what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it. And let's elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States."
Black Entertainment Television co-founder Sheila Johnson, challenging the Women's Caucus
"If his name was John Jones and he grew up in New York, I think it would be much less of an issue."
Steve Geller, Florida's Senate minority leader, on the challenge of convincing some older Jewish voters that Obama is not an Arab.
By Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News, August 28, 2008
The largest Hispanic voter research project that Democratic pollster Andrew Myers has ever heard of included 17 focus groups and nearly 1,800 separate interviews in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona.
All that work, and the result is this: The top concerns of Hispanics look pretty much like the top concerns of everyone else.
"Pocketbook concerns dominate," said Myers, of Myers Research in Springfield, Va., which worked on Project New West: Hispanic Voters in the New Western Battleground.
That means the rising cost of gas is a very serious concern for 93 percent of those interviewed, and gay marriage is a very serious concern for only 32 percent.
Or, as one respondent told Myers' group, "I would support gay marriage if it would fill my tank with gas so I could get to work."
Social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and illegal immigration have moved to the back burner, Myers said in a press conference with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson during this week's Democratic National Convention.
"When we asked in an open- ended exercise, what is the most important issue in deciding your vote for president, a full majority, 55 percent, said the economy, jobs - everything is clustered in that area," Myers said.
"That was followed by the war in Iraq, which is as much an economic issue in these voters' minds because we're spending $2 billion a week there rather than focusing on our needs at home."
Illegal immigration was a deciding issue for one in four of those interviewed, Myers noted, and only 35 percent listed it as a serious concern. "When they express concerns about illegal immigration," he said, "it is far more about the Republican rhetoric, which has damaged them deeply."
The research was done in July and August. The poll of likely Hispanic voters in the four states has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, Myers said.
What Hispanics care about has been a hot topic in DNC meetings this week, and it is hard to overstate the perceived importance of the Hispanic vote. On Monday, Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke at the Hispanic delegate caucus and, on Wednesday, Michelle Obama appeared before the group.
"There is nothing that will be easy about the next few months," Michelle Obama said. "That's why you all are so important."
Myers' poll shows Barack Obama leading likely rival John McCain by nearly 2-to-1 among Hispanic voters in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
So why the heavy push? Simple, Myers said, Hispanic voter registration rates and voter participation rates are far lower than those of Anglos and blacks.
In 2004, 58 percent of Hispanics ages 18 and older were registered to vote, 11 percentage points below blacks and 17 points below whites, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
And in the 2006 election in Colorado, a state with a Hispanic population of about 20 percent, only 7 percent turned out to vote, exit polling showed. Low turnouts also were seen in Nevada and Arizona.
Some Hispanic leaders, including Richardson, have said the Obama campaign is not doing enough to court the Hispanic vote.
"He needs to visit more, he needs to campaign more in the West," Richardson said this week. "He needs to put more resources in the West, more volunteers, more offices."
Obama's deputy Latino vote director agreed that the Hispanic outreach effort may have started a little late.
"Our campaign for a year leading up to Iowa was focused completely on Iowa," said Carlos Odio. "There wasn't any national campaign or outreach constituency."
It worked in winning Obama the Iowa primary. But a state with a Hispanic population of less than 4 percent provided little practice in courting Hispanics.
Contrast that to Clinton's effort, which included spending $100 million pre-Iowa on a full constituency outreach that included Hispanics, among others.
"We were focused on the numbers," Odio said. "It wasn't about developing relationships per se."
The emphasis now has shifted to "introducing" Obama to Hispanic voters, Odio said.
"One of the things the campaign takes a lot of pride in is something we like to call the enthusiasm gap between our supporters and McCain's supporters," Odio said. "Our supporters are a lot more enthused. But I wouldn't necessarily say that's the case with Hispanics, because they're still getting to know him."
In the 70 or so days before Election Day, he said Obama's activity in the West will pick up:
"We think if we win Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, Barack Obama is president of the United States."
Talk of the convention
"I have a hard time when people like me are Republicans. I don't get it because they're not on our side."
Steve Hildebrand, gay man and deputy campaign manager for Barack Obama, speaking to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus
"This is the year the sleeping giant has awakened, and that is you."
Former Denver Mayor Federico Pena to the Hispanic caucus
"They robbed us in Florida in 2000, but not this time. They took our votes in Ohio in 2004, but not this time."
The Rev. Al Sharpton, exhorting the Black Caucus to get out and vote.
"We really need you. We need your having our backs. We need you to pray for us. And we need you to work very hard over the next few months."
Michelle Obama, making a plea for help from the Black Caucus.
"One more conservative judge (on the U.S. Supreme Court) and we lose the Americans with Disabilities Act, we lose the Fair Housing Act, we lose everything that we value."
Julie Reiskin, Denver disabilities advocate, telling the Disability Caucus what she thinks would happen if John McCain wins the White House.
"Sen. McCain had honorably served as a POW and was courageous . . . and he kept faith with his fellow POWs. He has not kept faith with American veterans."
Retired Air Force Col. Dick Klass, telling the Veterans and Military Families Caucus that McCain has been "AWOL" on support for vet programs.
"Let's show the whole world what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it. And let's elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States."
Black Entertainment Television co-founder Sheila Johnson, challenging the Women's Caucus
"If his name was John Jones and he grew up in New York, I think it would be much less of an issue."
Steve Geller, Florida's Senate minority leader, on the challenge of convincing some older Jewish voters that Obama is not an Arab.
Hispanic Community Will Be Showcased at Republican Convention
Latin Superstar Daddy Yankee to Kick Off 2008 Republican National Convention Week with Fiesta Americana Concert
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hispanic Leadership Fund today announced that it will hold a concert during the Republican National Convention featuring Latin recording artist and Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee. The Fiesta Americana Concert, co-hosted with The Latino Coalition and the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute, will be held on September 1, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. at MYTH nightclub in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Approximately 3000 convention delegates and special guests are expected to attend, including members of Minnesota’s rapidly growing Hispanic community.
This event will showcase the Hispanic community and demonstrate a clear message of support for key issues such as tough, but fair immigration reform, free trade in the Americas and prosperity through ownership. This event will also allow for an opportunity to highlight sharp policy differences between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama regarding these issues, and will kick off Convention week in great style.
Headline artist Daddy Yankee, chosen by TIME magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” is a rising star in Reggaeton – a music genre he helped create. In 2008, he won Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year and Reggaeton Album of the Year.
Throughout his career, Daddy Yankee has been involved in philanthropic activities and shown support for key issues affecting the Hispanic population. At a recent event with Senator McCain in Arizona, Daddy Yankee said: “I am here endorsing Senator McCain because I believe in his ideals and his proposals to lead this nation. And like I said before, he has been a fighter for the Hispanic community, and I know that for me personally, I chose him as the best candidate because he has been a fighter for the immigration issue.”
The Hispanic Leadership Fund is a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to promoting common-sense public policy solutions rooted in free enterprise, limited government, and individual freedom.
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hispanic Leadership Fund today announced that it will hold a concert during the Republican National Convention featuring Latin recording artist and Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee. The Fiesta Americana Concert, co-hosted with The Latino Coalition and the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute, will be held on September 1, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. at MYTH nightclub in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Approximately 3000 convention delegates and special guests are expected to attend, including members of Minnesota’s rapidly growing Hispanic community.
This event will showcase the Hispanic community and demonstrate a clear message of support for key issues such as tough, but fair immigration reform, free trade in the Americas and prosperity through ownership. This event will also allow for an opportunity to highlight sharp policy differences between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama regarding these issues, and will kick off Convention week in great style.
Headline artist Daddy Yankee, chosen by TIME magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” is a rising star in Reggaeton – a music genre he helped create. In 2008, he won Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year and Reggaeton Album of the Year.
Throughout his career, Daddy Yankee has been involved in philanthropic activities and shown support for key issues affecting the Hispanic population. At a recent event with Senator McCain in Arizona, Daddy Yankee said: “I am here endorsing Senator McCain because I believe in his ideals and his proposals to lead this nation. And like I said before, he has been a fighter for the Hispanic community, and I know that for me personally, I chose him as the best candidate because he has been a fighter for the immigration issue.”
The Hispanic Leadership Fund is a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to promoting common-sense public policy solutions rooted in free enterprise, limited government, and individual freedom.
Hispanic High School Students Get Help From McDonald's
McDonald's ups outreach on Hispanic scholarships
Kimberly Maul, August 28, 2008
OAK BROOK, IL: McDonald's increased communications efforts for its second year of helping Hispanic high school students prepare for college. It is promoting its “Steps for Success College Workshops” and the company's scholarship program, funded by Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).
McDonald's partnered with Hispanic American Commitment to Education Resources (part of RMHC) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund for the effort. Valencia Pérez & Echeveste, which handles Hispanic consumer marketing for McDonald's, is providing PR support.
In August, the campaign began promoting the Steps for Success Workshops, which are free, bilingual, and designed for Hispanic students and their parents.
Mariela Dabbah, author of several Spanish- and English-language books on college and education, is the spokeswoman, and will host five, all-day-Saturday workshops starting September 6 in California.
“McDonald's has a strong commitment to education, especially in the Hispanic community,” said Cristina Alfaro, manager of the communications department for McDonald's. “We understand, for parents, it is... important to get their kids to college, but they don't know how.”
The fast-food chain provided funding for four, $100,000 scholarships, which were awarded to Hispanic high school graduates in June. This year was the first time since the 1984 launch that the scholarships were awarded on a national level, and Alfaro hopes to bring in more applicants for future scholarships.
“We wanted to... create more awareness of the workshops and the scholarships,” Alfaro said.
Kimberly Maul, August 28, 2008
OAK BROOK, IL: McDonald's increased communications efforts for its second year of helping Hispanic high school students prepare for college. It is promoting its “Steps for Success College Workshops” and the company's scholarship program, funded by Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).
McDonald's partnered with Hispanic American Commitment to Education Resources (part of RMHC) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund for the effort. Valencia Pérez & Echeveste, which handles Hispanic consumer marketing for McDonald's, is providing PR support.
In August, the campaign began promoting the Steps for Success Workshops, which are free, bilingual, and designed for Hispanic students and their parents.
Mariela Dabbah, author of several Spanish- and English-language books on college and education, is the spokeswoman, and will host five, all-day-Saturday workshops starting September 6 in California.
“McDonald's has a strong commitment to education, especially in the Hispanic community,” said Cristina Alfaro, manager of the communications department for McDonald's. “We understand, for parents, it is... important to get their kids to college, but they don't know how.”
The fast-food chain provided funding for four, $100,000 scholarships, which were awarded to Hispanic high school graduates in June. This year was the first time since the 1984 launch that the scholarships were awarded on a national level, and Alfaro hopes to bring in more applicants for future scholarships.
“We wanted to... create more awareness of the workshops and the scholarships,” Alfaro said.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute To Hear Sen. John McCain
Sen. John McCain to Address CHCI Awards Gala
Politics, August 28, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CapitalWirePR) August 28, 2008-- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) celebrates 31 years of serving Latino youth with its 31st Annual Awards Gala on Wednesday, September 10, 2008. This year’s theme, The Power to Make the Difference, commemorates the vast contributions Hispanic Americans have made to this country and celebrates the historic opportunity it has to impact the future of the United States.
Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona will address the crowd of more than 2,300, including as many as 40 Members of Congress in attendance.
This year’s Chairman’s Award, selected by CHCI Chairman Joe Baca (CA-43), will be presented to three pioneering Members of Congress, Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz (TX-27), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), and Jose E. Serrano (NY-16).
Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez (Ret.) and actress Rosie Perez will be presented with the CHCI Medallion of Excellence for Leadership and Community Service Awards. Sanchez is only the second Hispanic four-star general in Army history with more than 33 years of military service. Perez is an Oscar nominated actress, who has dedicated her life to giving back to the community through her work to combat AIDS and promote arts education for underprivileged children.
The event will be emceed by Tony Plana, star of ABC’s hit comedy “Ugly Betty,” with gala entertainment provided by Grammy award-winning artists Los Lonely Boys. Gala Reception entertainment will be provided by Mariachi Sol de Mexico® de Jose Hernandez.
Gala Host Toyota joins in supporting CHCI’s leadership development programs for Hispanic youth, along with Premiere Sponsor Comcast.
CONTACT:
Contact: Scott Gunderson Rosa 202-548-5876 sgunderson_rosa@chci.org
Politics, August 28, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CapitalWirePR) August 28, 2008-- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) celebrates 31 years of serving Latino youth with its 31st Annual Awards Gala on Wednesday, September 10, 2008. This year’s theme, The Power to Make the Difference, commemorates the vast contributions Hispanic Americans have made to this country and celebrates the historic opportunity it has to impact the future of the United States.
Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona will address the crowd of more than 2,300, including as many as 40 Members of Congress in attendance.
This year’s Chairman’s Award, selected by CHCI Chairman Joe Baca (CA-43), will be presented to three pioneering Members of Congress, Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz (TX-27), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), and Jose E. Serrano (NY-16).
Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez (Ret.) and actress Rosie Perez will be presented with the CHCI Medallion of Excellence for Leadership and Community Service Awards. Sanchez is only the second Hispanic four-star general in Army history with more than 33 years of military service. Perez is an Oscar nominated actress, who has dedicated her life to giving back to the community through her work to combat AIDS and promote arts education for underprivileged children.
The event will be emceed by Tony Plana, star of ABC’s hit comedy “Ugly Betty,” with gala entertainment provided by Grammy award-winning artists Los Lonely Boys. Gala Reception entertainment will be provided by Mariachi Sol de Mexico® de Jose Hernandez.
Gala Host Toyota joins in supporting CHCI’s leadership development programs for Hispanic youth, along with Premiere Sponsor Comcast.
CONTACT:
Contact: Scott Gunderson Rosa 202-548-5876 sgunderson_rosa@chci.org
Thursday, August 28, 2008
N.M. Governor Predicts Hispanic Voters Will Win White House for Dems
West's Hispanic voters will carry election for Obama, Richardson says
By MIKE SACCONE, The Daily Sentinel, August 26, 2008
DENVER — Hispanic voters in the Rocky Mountain West will help deliver the White House to Democratic candidate Barack Obama, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson predicted Tuesday during a Democratic National Convention event.
Richardson said the rapid growth of Hispanic populations in three swing states, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, make them ripe for Obama to win their 19 electoral votes in November.
“These states, I predict, will go Democratic by small margins because of the Hispanic voters,” Richardson said.
Had 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won these three states in 2004 he would have defeated President George W. Bush.
According to census data, in 2006 Hispanics made up 19.7 percent of Colorado’s population, 44 percent of New Mexico’s population and 24.5 percent of Nevada’s population.
Census data also show Hispanics age 18 and over make up 19.6 percent of the population in the Rocky Mountain West compared to 13 percent across the nation.
“Explosive population growth, dramatic demographic changes are reshaping the region,” Richardson said.
He said Obama’s appeal among Hispanic voters outweighs the strength of his message on environmentalism and other Western issues.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research firm, found in a July survey that Hispanic voters preferred Obama to his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, by a 66 percent to 23 percent margin.
The same survey showed that 76 percent of Hispanic voters viewed Obama favorably, while 44 percent viewed his opponent favorably.
Richardson told The Daily Sentinel his only critique of Obama’s work in the West is that he is not campaigning enough in the region.
“He needs to visit more,” Richardson said. “He needs to campaign more in the West. They need to put more resources in the West.”
Richardson’s comments came as part of the Western Majority Project’s lecture series at the Democratic National Convention.
E-mail Mike Saccone at mike.saccone@gjsentinel.com.
Daily Sentinel staff member Erik Lincoln contributed to this report.
By MIKE SACCONE, The Daily Sentinel, August 26, 2008
DENVER — Hispanic voters in the Rocky Mountain West will help deliver the White House to Democratic candidate Barack Obama, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson predicted Tuesday during a Democratic National Convention event.
Richardson said the rapid growth of Hispanic populations in three swing states, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, make them ripe for Obama to win their 19 electoral votes in November.
“These states, I predict, will go Democratic by small margins because of the Hispanic voters,” Richardson said.
Had 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won these three states in 2004 he would have defeated President George W. Bush.
According to census data, in 2006 Hispanics made up 19.7 percent of Colorado’s population, 44 percent of New Mexico’s population and 24.5 percent of Nevada’s population.
Census data also show Hispanics age 18 and over make up 19.6 percent of the population in the Rocky Mountain West compared to 13 percent across the nation.
“Explosive population growth, dramatic demographic changes are reshaping the region,” Richardson said.
He said Obama’s appeal among Hispanic voters outweighs the strength of his message on environmentalism and other Western issues.
The Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research firm, found in a July survey that Hispanic voters preferred Obama to his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, by a 66 percent to 23 percent margin.
The same survey showed that 76 percent of Hispanic voters viewed Obama favorably, while 44 percent viewed his opponent favorably.
Richardson told The Daily Sentinel his only critique of Obama’s work in the West is that he is not campaigning enough in the region.
“He needs to visit more,” Richardson said. “He needs to campaign more in the West. They need to put more resources in the West.”
Richardson’s comments came as part of the Western Majority Project’s lecture series at the Democratic National Convention.
E-mail Mike Saccone at mike.saccone@gjsentinel.com.
Daily Sentinel staff member Erik Lincoln contributed to this report.
Richardson: Barack Needs To Dedicate Himself To Winning Hispanic Vote
Richardson: Hispanic Voters Key to Winning Western Swing States
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson warned Tuesday that in order to win crucial states in the Mountain West, Barack Obama needs to dedicate himself to winning support from Hispanic voters.
Hillary Rodham Clinton ’s early strong support from the bloc raised questions about whether Obama would be able to win over all of her Hispanic voters.
Andrew Myers, a pollster with Project New West, said Tuesday he wanted to dispel the myth of the unattainable Hispanic voters. “It is simply not the case,” Myers said. According Myers’ polling, Obama holds a 39-point edge among Hispanic voters in Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. The key, he said, was to boost turnout among Hispanic voters in the states.
Richardson cautioned that Democrats could not be complacent: “This is a defining moment for the Democratic Party and for America. Therefore it is our sincere hope that Senator Obama dedicates the resources, time and commitment to this new West,” said Richardson said.
Winning support from Richardson himself was a coup for Obama. Richardson endorsed Obama after abandoning his own presidential campaign, and the endorsement came despite long ties to the Clintons. He served as secretary of Energy and ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton.
Richardson spoke during the second day of the Democratic National Committee in Denver about New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Arizona under the auspices of the Western Majority Project, which seeks to increase the Democratic presence across the West.
Richardson said that adding the Nevada caucus to the early nominating calendar and holding the national convention in Denver “shows that our party is being serious about competing beyond the coasts and upper Midwest. Traditionally the Democratic Party has been the party of the Northeast, the West Coast, and a few states in the Midwest, and that’s about it. That strategy needs to change if we’re going to win,” Richardson said.
President Bush won all eight intermountain West states in 2004, but Democrats have made advances in the last four years, Richardson said. Growth in the Hispanic community is intertwined with overall population increases in the West. Hispanics constitute 23 percent of the intermountain West population and more than 20 percent of the electorate in Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, he said. Richardson predicted that Democrats would win three key Western battleground states – Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado - because of Hispanic turnout, “more so than the ‘New Environmentalism’ in the Mountain West, and more so than individualism in the West,” he said.
Despite identifying Arizona as a key Western state, Richardson later conceded that it was a long shot for Democrats to expect to win McCain’s home state. “Arizona’s going to be very tough. ... Let’s be realistic,” he said.
“My view is we want to spend enough time and money to keep Senator McCain and the Republicans busy,” he added.
Speaking earlier in the day, Rep. Chris Van Hollen told CQ Politics that the Obama campaign needed to continue the track it has taken with appealing to Hispanics. “I think they just need to keep doing what they’re doing, and just turn up the intensity level as you head into the final stages here. I think they recognize – I know they recognize – how important the Hispanic vote is, I know that they’re working hard on it,” Van Hollen said.
Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said his committee was working on the issue as well and that he met Tuesday morning with the New West Program to work on targeting Hispanic voters. “We’ve been very engaged with our own caucus,” the Democratic Hispanic Caucus, in congressional districts, he said.
— With reporting by CQ Reporter Lauren Philips.
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson warned Tuesday that in order to win crucial states in the Mountain West, Barack Obama needs to dedicate himself to winning support from Hispanic voters.
Hillary Rodham Clinton ’s early strong support from the bloc raised questions about whether Obama would be able to win over all of her Hispanic voters.
Andrew Myers, a pollster with Project New West, said Tuesday he wanted to dispel the myth of the unattainable Hispanic voters. “It is simply not the case,” Myers said. According Myers’ polling, Obama holds a 39-point edge among Hispanic voters in Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. The key, he said, was to boost turnout among Hispanic voters in the states.
Richardson cautioned that Democrats could not be complacent: “This is a defining moment for the Democratic Party and for America. Therefore it is our sincere hope that Senator Obama dedicates the resources, time and commitment to this new West,” said Richardson said.
Winning support from Richardson himself was a coup for Obama. Richardson endorsed Obama after abandoning his own presidential campaign, and the endorsement came despite long ties to the Clintons. He served as secretary of Energy and ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton.
Richardson spoke during the second day of the Democratic National Committee in Denver about New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Arizona under the auspices of the Western Majority Project, which seeks to increase the Democratic presence across the West.
Richardson said that adding the Nevada caucus to the early nominating calendar and holding the national convention in Denver “shows that our party is being serious about competing beyond the coasts and upper Midwest. Traditionally the Democratic Party has been the party of the Northeast, the West Coast, and a few states in the Midwest, and that’s about it. That strategy needs to change if we’re going to win,” Richardson said.
President Bush won all eight intermountain West states in 2004, but Democrats have made advances in the last four years, Richardson said. Growth in the Hispanic community is intertwined with overall population increases in the West. Hispanics constitute 23 percent of the intermountain West population and more than 20 percent of the electorate in Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, he said. Richardson predicted that Democrats would win three key Western battleground states – Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado - because of Hispanic turnout, “more so than the ‘New Environmentalism’ in the Mountain West, and more so than individualism in the West,” he said.
Despite identifying Arizona as a key Western state, Richardson later conceded that it was a long shot for Democrats to expect to win McCain’s home state. “Arizona’s going to be very tough. ... Let’s be realistic,” he said.
“My view is we want to spend enough time and money to keep Senator McCain and the Republicans busy,” he added.
Speaking earlier in the day, Rep. Chris Van Hollen told CQ Politics that the Obama campaign needed to continue the track it has taken with appealing to Hispanics. “I think they just need to keep doing what they’re doing, and just turn up the intensity level as you head into the final stages here. I think they recognize – I know they recognize – how important the Hispanic vote is, I know that they’re working hard on it,” Van Hollen said.
Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said his committee was working on the issue as well and that he met Tuesday morning with the New West Program to work on targeting Hispanic voters. “We’ve been very engaged with our own caucus,” the Democratic Hispanic Caucus, in congressional districts, he said.
— With reporting by CQ Reporter Lauren Philips.
Hispanic Voters Feeling Pressure of Politics
Democrats court the Hispanic vote
By WILLIAM DOUGLAS, McClatchy Newspapers
Sensing an opening because of conservatives' hardline approach to immigration, Democrats are increasing their efforts to reach Hispanic voters in key Southwest states, a move they hope will help propel Sen. Barack Obama to the White House.
Republicans, however, aren't ceding the Hispanic vote. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who will accept the Republican presidential nomination next week, is also aggressively courting Hispanic voters, looking to build upon inroads into the voting bloc made by President Bush - a former Texas governor - and his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
However, Democrats think that Bush's low approval ratings, the weakening of the Republican brand nationally, and a perception among some Hispanics that McCain has flip-flopped on comprehensive immigration reform, improve Obama's chances with Hispanics in New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. Hispanics make up about 12 percent of eligible voters in the Southwest - 37 percent in New Mexico.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who's Hispanic, predicted at the Democratic convention Tuesday that Obama will get more than 70 percent of the national Hispanic vote, helped by big numbers in the Southwest.
To achieve their goals, Democrats and allied groups are bolstering their Hispanic voter-registration drives and increasing their radio and television advertising aimed at Hispanics, according to the Western Majority Project, a group formed by Democratic strategists to build upon electoral gains the party has made in the Southwest.
"What I'm seeing is a highly motivated and excited electorate eager to have their voices heard," said Eliseo Medina, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union, which endorsed Obama. "Whether we come from Mexico, El Salvador, from Argentina, Panama or Puerto Rico, we all are united and understand that this election is about us, it's about our families, our communities, and this is our chance to be heard."
A survey done for the Western Majority Project found that Obama holds an overall 64 percent to 25 percent lead over McCain among Hispanics in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado.
A recent poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Center found Obama leading McCain among Hispanics nationally by 66 percent to 23 percent, which seems to answer questions raised during the Democratic primaries about whether Obama could attract Hispanic votes.
But several Hispanic officials and organizations warn that Obama shouldn't consider heavy Hispanic support a lock.
"The big, big question for Latino voters is not whether Democrats will get the Latino votes. The question is what the margin will be," said Cecilia Munoz, senior vice president for policy for the National Council of La Raza, a nonprofit Hispanic organization that fights poverty and discrimination. "If McCain gets 40 percent (of the Latino vote), he can win. And Senator McCain, though he may be behind, is not giving up and is running very hard in the Latino community."
McCain is looking to follow in Bush's footsteps with Hispanic voters. The president captured between 32 percent and 44 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004; analysts' estimates vary. Bush's Texas ties and understanding of Hispanic culture attracted voters.
McCain's Arizona offers a sizeable Hispanic population, but he faces a challenge with Hispanic voters because of a perceived shift in his position on immigration. He helped craft a failed immigration-overhaul bill that included a guest-worker program that critics blasted as amnesty for illegal immigrants, but this year on the campaign trail he stressed securing America's borders.
Munoz said that both McCain and Obama could improve their fortunes among Hispanics if they shift campaign talk away from race and concentrate on issues more important to Hispanic voters: health care, education and the war in Iraq.
"Race is a conversation we can relate to, but it is one we have impatience with," she said. "It's a distraction from more substantive conversations about the economy, the war in Iraq and about making change that the community needs."
Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, said it's understandable that race issues - largely focusing on the concerns of blacks and whites - are being discussed now, given America's history and Obama being the first African-American presidential nominee of a major party.
But Vargas said that if Obama and McCain want to win the Hispanic vote, they must do more than spend millions of dollars on Spanish-language radio and television ads. They must give something more precious: their time.
"I think both parties need to do more, particularly in going out and campaigning themselves before Hispanic voters," Vargas said. "The next six weeks will be critical in determining how serious they are about the Hispanic vote."
By WILLIAM DOUGLAS, McClatchy Newspapers
Sensing an opening because of conservatives' hardline approach to immigration, Democrats are increasing their efforts to reach Hispanic voters in key Southwest states, a move they hope will help propel Sen. Barack Obama to the White House.
Republicans, however, aren't ceding the Hispanic vote. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who will accept the Republican presidential nomination next week, is also aggressively courting Hispanic voters, looking to build upon inroads into the voting bloc made by President Bush - a former Texas governor - and his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
However, Democrats think that Bush's low approval ratings, the weakening of the Republican brand nationally, and a perception among some Hispanics that McCain has flip-flopped on comprehensive immigration reform, improve Obama's chances with Hispanics in New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. Hispanics make up about 12 percent of eligible voters in the Southwest - 37 percent in New Mexico.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who's Hispanic, predicted at the Democratic convention Tuesday that Obama will get more than 70 percent of the national Hispanic vote, helped by big numbers in the Southwest.
To achieve their goals, Democrats and allied groups are bolstering their Hispanic voter-registration drives and increasing their radio and television advertising aimed at Hispanics, according to the Western Majority Project, a group formed by Democratic strategists to build upon electoral gains the party has made in the Southwest.
"What I'm seeing is a highly motivated and excited electorate eager to have their voices heard," said Eliseo Medina, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union, which endorsed Obama. "Whether we come from Mexico, El Salvador, from Argentina, Panama or Puerto Rico, we all are united and understand that this election is about us, it's about our families, our communities, and this is our chance to be heard."
A survey done for the Western Majority Project found that Obama holds an overall 64 percent to 25 percent lead over McCain among Hispanics in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado.
A recent poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Center found Obama leading McCain among Hispanics nationally by 66 percent to 23 percent, which seems to answer questions raised during the Democratic primaries about whether Obama could attract Hispanic votes.
But several Hispanic officials and organizations warn that Obama shouldn't consider heavy Hispanic support a lock.
"The big, big question for Latino voters is not whether Democrats will get the Latino votes. The question is what the margin will be," said Cecilia Munoz, senior vice president for policy for the National Council of La Raza, a nonprofit Hispanic organization that fights poverty and discrimination. "If McCain gets 40 percent (of the Latino vote), he can win. And Senator McCain, though he may be behind, is not giving up and is running very hard in the Latino community."
McCain is looking to follow in Bush's footsteps with Hispanic voters. The president captured between 32 percent and 44 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004; analysts' estimates vary. Bush's Texas ties and understanding of Hispanic culture attracted voters.
McCain's Arizona offers a sizeable Hispanic population, but he faces a challenge with Hispanic voters because of a perceived shift in his position on immigration. He helped craft a failed immigration-overhaul bill that included a guest-worker program that critics blasted as amnesty for illegal immigrants, but this year on the campaign trail he stressed securing America's borders.
Munoz said that both McCain and Obama could improve their fortunes among Hispanics if they shift campaign talk away from race and concentrate on issues more important to Hispanic voters: health care, education and the war in Iraq.
"Race is a conversation we can relate to, but it is one we have impatience with," she said. "It's a distraction from more substantive conversations about the economy, the war in Iraq and about making change that the community needs."
Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, said it's understandable that race issues - largely focusing on the concerns of blacks and whites - are being discussed now, given America's history and Obama being the first African-American presidential nominee of a major party.
But Vargas said that if Obama and McCain want to win the Hispanic vote, they must do more than spend millions of dollars on Spanish-language radio and television ads. They must give something more precious: their time.
"I think both parties need to do more, particularly in going out and campaigning themselves before Hispanic voters," Vargas said. "The next six weeks will be critical in determining how serious they are about the Hispanic vote."
No Jobs Also Hurts Hispanic Businesses
It's The Economy: The Hispanic Community
Marina Giovannelli
WILMINGTON, NC (2008-08-26) Analysts can put a number on rising inflation and dips in the housing market.
But it's harder to measure the effects of a sputtering economy on minority communities that sometimes work and live on the fringes of the mainstream economy.
In her small Mexican store on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington, Esmeralda Mondrago sits behind her silent cash register. She's been in business about a year and a half, and she's getting ready to put a for sale sign up in the window.
"The economy is very low, I don't have sales, and to be honest, I'm not making enough to pay the rent, and the bills are higher every day," says Mondrago.
She says business has slowed to a trickle in the last three months. Esmeralda's husband David Mondrago says their customers are mostly Hispanic, and they're now buying cheaper food Wal-Mart and Food Lion.
"People prefer to buy stuff at big stores like Wal-Mart and Foodlion, and with stores like this, people just stop in to buy some little thing," says Mondrago.
Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic businesses are hurting. But because most Hispanics work in industries hit hardest by the economy, they're shopping less at businesses that cater to them.
Construction break down
David Mondrago is a roofer. He says he used to work construction six days a week. Now he's lucky if he works four days a week.
Rakesh Kochhar, a research analyst with the Pew Hispanic Center, says the unemployment rate for Hispanics stands two percentage points higher than for non-Hispanics.
"The Hispanic unemployment rate has increased steadily, caused by the construction slowdown," says Kochhar.
Kochhar says the unemployment gap between Hispanics and non-Hispanics grew 75 percent in the last two years as developers reigned in construction.
"As the industry hit a slump, the workers that were let go were newly arrived, foreign born Hispanics," says Kochhar.
And the Hispanic construction workers who are still employed face obstacles that non-Hispanic workers may not.
Vulnerable workers
Danny moved to Wilmington from Honduras and found work building fences. When the time came to collect his second pay check, Danny says his employer refused to pay up. Danny asked we not use his last name for fear of retribution from his former employer.
"He said he was going to call immigration on me," says Danny.
Danny says his former employer insisted he had not worked those hours, and threatened to call immigration. "I went to get help from Amigos Internationals," says Danny.
Amigos Internationals is a Hispanic outreach organization in the Cape Fear region. After a year of legal battles, his employer was forced to pay Danny for his work.
Jeremy McKinney is an immigration lawyer in Greensboro, and he's dealt with labor disputes similar to Danny's.
"The cases usually unfold with the employer getting away with it because fundamentally the worker is undocumented and the employer knows it and is taking full advantage of it," says McKinney.
Immigration politics at play
Stepped up immigration enforcement across the state may make it harder for Hispanics to bounce back from economic hits.
While Cape Fear Community College enrollment spikes with people looking to improve their job prospects, undocumented Hispanics are not allowed to take classes.
And a state law passed two years ago says undocumented immigrants can't get drivers licenses.
Carlos Siercke is the director of the North Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"The employers are desperate because the hard working people are staying home, because in part some of them could not renew their drivers license," says Siercke.
Silver lining
But Siercke also says the economic downturn and loss of construction jobs may have a silver lining for the Hispanic community.
Siercke says entrepreneurs are seizing the economic climate as a business opportunity.
"So these people that are transitioning from construction into other types of jobs to start their own business," says Siercke.
And existing business owners are branching out and looking for new clients, possibly reversing the economic chain reaction with in the Hispanic business community.
"I've seen people venture into the non-Hispanic market, taking to people selling ink cartridges, tapping into other markets, venturing out to rest of general population, in long run, its good," says Siercke.
So like people across the country, Hispanics are feeling the pinch of a tight economy.
And while it didn't turn out well for Wilmington grocery store owner Esmeralda Mondrago, the current economic downturn may be an opportunity for Hispanics across the state to achieve the American dream on their own terms.
Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.
Marina Giovannelli
WILMINGTON, NC (2008-08-26) Analysts can put a number on rising inflation and dips in the housing market.
But it's harder to measure the effects of a sputtering economy on minority communities that sometimes work and live on the fringes of the mainstream economy.
In her small Mexican store on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington, Esmeralda Mondrago sits behind her silent cash register. She's been in business about a year and a half, and she's getting ready to put a for sale sign up in the window.
"The economy is very low, I don't have sales, and to be honest, I'm not making enough to pay the rent, and the bills are higher every day," says Mondrago.
She says business has slowed to a trickle in the last three months. Esmeralda's husband David Mondrago says their customers are mostly Hispanic, and they're now buying cheaper food Wal-Mart and Food Lion.
"People prefer to buy stuff at big stores like Wal-Mart and Foodlion, and with stores like this, people just stop in to buy some little thing," says Mondrago.
Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic businesses are hurting. But because most Hispanics work in industries hit hardest by the economy, they're shopping less at businesses that cater to them.
Construction break down
David Mondrago is a roofer. He says he used to work construction six days a week. Now he's lucky if he works four days a week.
Rakesh Kochhar, a research analyst with the Pew Hispanic Center, says the unemployment rate for Hispanics stands two percentage points higher than for non-Hispanics.
"The Hispanic unemployment rate has increased steadily, caused by the construction slowdown," says Kochhar.
Kochhar says the unemployment gap between Hispanics and non-Hispanics grew 75 percent in the last two years as developers reigned in construction.
"As the industry hit a slump, the workers that were let go were newly arrived, foreign born Hispanics," says Kochhar.
And the Hispanic construction workers who are still employed face obstacles that non-Hispanic workers may not.
Vulnerable workers
Danny moved to Wilmington from Honduras and found work building fences. When the time came to collect his second pay check, Danny says his employer refused to pay up. Danny asked we not use his last name for fear of retribution from his former employer.
"He said he was going to call immigration on me," says Danny.
Danny says his former employer insisted he had not worked those hours, and threatened to call immigration. "I went to get help from Amigos Internationals," says Danny.
Amigos Internationals is a Hispanic outreach organization in the Cape Fear region. After a year of legal battles, his employer was forced to pay Danny for his work.
Jeremy McKinney is an immigration lawyer in Greensboro, and he's dealt with labor disputes similar to Danny's.
"The cases usually unfold with the employer getting away with it because fundamentally the worker is undocumented and the employer knows it and is taking full advantage of it," says McKinney.
Immigration politics at play
Stepped up immigration enforcement across the state may make it harder for Hispanics to bounce back from economic hits.
While Cape Fear Community College enrollment spikes with people looking to improve their job prospects, undocumented Hispanics are not allowed to take classes.
And a state law passed two years ago says undocumented immigrants can't get drivers licenses.
Carlos Siercke is the director of the North Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"The employers are desperate because the hard working people are staying home, because in part some of them could not renew their drivers license," says Siercke.
Silver lining
But Siercke also says the economic downturn and loss of construction jobs may have a silver lining for the Hispanic community.
Siercke says entrepreneurs are seizing the economic climate as a business opportunity.
"So these people that are transitioning from construction into other types of jobs to start their own business," says Siercke.
And existing business owners are branching out and looking for new clients, possibly reversing the economic chain reaction with in the Hispanic business community.
"I've seen people venture into the non-Hispanic market, taking to people selling ink cartridges, tapping into other markets, venturing out to rest of general population, in long run, its good," says Siercke.
So like people across the country, Hispanics are feeling the pinch of a tight economy.
And while it didn't turn out well for Wilmington grocery store owner Esmeralda Mondrago, the current economic downturn may be an opportunity for Hispanics across the state to achieve the American dream on their own terms.
Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.
More Enrollments of National Hispanic Scholars
UNM Enrolls Higher Number of National Merit and National Hispanic Scholars
University of New Mexico
UNM has 15 National Merit Scholars and 24 National Hispanic Scholars in the freshman class this fall. That is a major increase from 2007 when the university had four National Merit and 10 National Hispanic Scholars.
Rosalie Otero, director of the University Honors Programs says National Merit Scholars and National Hispanic Scholars are very important to universities because they are proven leaders and students. She says, “They raise the level of discourse and bring their outstanding talents to the flagship institution.”
Students who qualify as National Merit Scholars or National Hispanic Scholars take a PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test administered by the College Board, a non-profit membership association. Universities are notified of the students with the highest scores. At UNM all National Merit and National Hispanic Scholars are on full scholarship.
University of New Mexico
UNM has 15 National Merit Scholars and 24 National Hispanic Scholars in the freshman class this fall. That is a major increase from 2007 when the university had four National Merit and 10 National Hispanic Scholars.
Rosalie Otero, director of the University Honors Programs says National Merit Scholars and National Hispanic Scholars are very important to universities because they are proven leaders and students. She says, “They raise the level of discourse and bring their outstanding talents to the flagship institution.”
Students who qualify as National Merit Scholars or National Hispanic Scholars take a PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test administered by the College Board, a non-profit membership association. Universities are notified of the students with the highest scores. At UNM all National Merit and National Hispanic Scholars are on full scholarship.
More Latino Players In NFL
Study: NFL has slightly more Latino, Asian players
MIAMI (AP) — The NFL has maintained a steady number of black head coaches, while slightly increasing the ranks of minority players, earning a B+ in an annual diversity study.
However, the league didn't get a grade for gender diversity in results released Wednesday. The NFL is the only pro sports organization that refuses to share its data with University of Central Florida researchers who do the annual studies.
In the 2007 season, 66 percent of NFL players were black, a one point decrease from the previous year. White players continued to make up 31 percent of the total, but the difference was made up by a small increase in Latino and Asian players.
The NFL has six black head coaches and five black general managers entering this season, the same as 2007.
MIAMI (AP) — The NFL has maintained a steady number of black head coaches, while slightly increasing the ranks of minority players, earning a B+ in an annual diversity study.
However, the league didn't get a grade for gender diversity in results released Wednesday. The NFL is the only pro sports organization that refuses to share its data with University of Central Florida researchers who do the annual studies.
In the 2007 season, 66 percent of NFL players were black, a one point decrease from the previous year. White players continued to make up 31 percent of the total, but the difference was made up by a small increase in Latino and Asian players.
The NFL has six black head coaches and five black general managers entering this season, the same as 2007.
84 Percent of Latino Students Born In U.S.
More information from the PEW report on Latino students
Pew Hispanic Center report: "A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students"
MORE INFORMATION
The Pew report highlighted other statistics about language, economics and family, including:
84 percent of Latino students were born in the United States.
The majority (69 percent) of Latino students are of Mexican descent, followed by Puerto Rican (9 percent), Dominican (3 percent), Salvadoran (3 percent) and Cuban (2 percent).
More than one-fourth of Latino students live in poverty. The median household income of Latino students was $40,248 compared to $60,372 for non-Latino students.
One in five Latino immigrant students lives with one parent; the proportion is one in four for second-generation students, and 44 percent for third- and higher-generation students.
Pew Hispanic Center report: "A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students"
MORE INFORMATION
The Pew report highlighted other statistics about language, economics and family, including:
84 percent of Latino students were born in the United States.
The majority (69 percent) of Latino students are of Mexican descent, followed by Puerto Rican (9 percent), Dominican (3 percent), Salvadoran (3 percent) and Cuban (2 percent).
More than one-fourth of Latino students live in poverty. The median household income of Latino students was $40,248 compared to $60,372 for non-Latino students.
One in five Latino immigrant students lives with one parent; the proportion is one in four for second-generation students, and 44 percent for third- and higher-generation students.
Hispanic Media Growing
Latino Media Outlets on the Rise in Milwaukee
By Marti Mikkelson, August 27, 2008 | WUWM | Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee County’s Latino population has grown nearly 35-percent since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The increase has sparked a growth in media outlets that cater to the Latino community. WUWM’s Marti Mikkelson reports on a couple relatively new media services designed to keep Spanish-speaking residents informed this election season.
It’s the middle of August and the immigration reform group Voces de la Frontera has just published its monthly newspaper. The front page is decked out in bright colors, inviting readers to march in the upcoming Labor Day rally in downtown Milwaukee. Today, group members are handing out copies of the paper to shoppers at the El Rey grocery store on 16th St, in the heart of the Latino community.
“You going to come to our march? The first hundred days, just immigration reform in Milwaukee?”
Martin Delgado takes a copy of the newspaper and sits on a nearby chair to read it.
“Si, para enforma y que enforma a todos los Latinos…
Delgado tells me he’s become a regular reader of the newspaper since he moved here in May, and views it as an important source of information in the Latino community.
After speaking with Delgado, we crossed the street. That’s where Alicia Perron is selling sno-cones from a cart. One group member hands her a copy of the paper. Perron tells me she uses it to find out what’s going on in Milwaukee’s Latino community.
“Yo creo que si tenemos informacion porque otro vez en la noticias o con ustedes…
Perron says she’d like more information on the presidential candidates so she can decide which one best represents Latino interests. Writer of the paper Christine Neumann-Ortiz says that’s one reason Voces de la Frontera decided to begin publishing a newspaper last summer. She says the group found many people in the Latino community don’t have enough information, and therefore don’t go to the polls.
“We started doing get out the vote activities since 2004 and we’ve been involved in that 2004, 2006, this year, and we have seen, and this has been backed up by national studies, the reason that you have such a low voter turnout is that it’s still a community that is fairly new to the voting process. You know, there’s kind of a habit that needs to be created and people are a little bit removed from the process,” Neumann-Ortiz says.
Neumann-Ortiz says the paper provides the Latino community with candidates’ positions on issues, along with details on where to vote and how to register. She says the group distributes 15,000 copies of the paper each month, and believes it has brought more people to its voter registration drives.
Another source of information for the Latino population is a new Spanish speaking radio station that signed on the air last summer, WJTI-AM. Its studios are located in the Esperanza Unida building on the near south side. A handful of local announcers preside over the music and programming. President John Torres says the station fills a void in the Latino community.
“We’re more than just a jukebox radio station. We have hourly newscasts provided by CNN Espanol. We also have local news in the morning following our CNN,” Torres says.
At the time I was interviewing Torres, the station was airing a syndicated program called “Doctor’s Appointment.” Torres says the call-in show answers questions about health care issues in the Latino community. But he says as we head into fall, the station will engage in political discussions.
“We believe that it would be very important to provide a flow of information regarding the candidates running for President and for local offices, so in the past, we’ve invited local candidates to appear and we expect that as we approach the November election, we’ll have experts or supporters from each camp on our airwaves to again provide the information that people need to make the right choices,” Torres says.
Torres says by the end of the year, the station hopes to launch a weekly program dealing with legal issues. He says the station is talking with several local law firms to get attorneys signed on to the program.
By Marti Mikkelson, August 27, 2008 | WUWM | Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee County’s Latino population has grown nearly 35-percent since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The increase has sparked a growth in media outlets that cater to the Latino community. WUWM’s Marti Mikkelson reports on a couple relatively new media services designed to keep Spanish-speaking residents informed this election season.
It’s the middle of August and the immigration reform group Voces de la Frontera has just published its monthly newspaper. The front page is decked out in bright colors, inviting readers to march in the upcoming Labor Day rally in downtown Milwaukee. Today, group members are handing out copies of the paper to shoppers at the El Rey grocery store on 16th St, in the heart of the Latino community.
“You going to come to our march? The first hundred days, just immigration reform in Milwaukee?”
Martin Delgado takes a copy of the newspaper and sits on a nearby chair to read it.
“Si, para enforma y que enforma a todos los Latinos…
Delgado tells me he’s become a regular reader of the newspaper since he moved here in May, and views it as an important source of information in the Latino community.
After speaking with Delgado, we crossed the street. That’s where Alicia Perron is selling sno-cones from a cart. One group member hands her a copy of the paper. Perron tells me she uses it to find out what’s going on in Milwaukee’s Latino community.
“Yo creo que si tenemos informacion porque otro vez en la noticias o con ustedes…
Perron says she’d like more information on the presidential candidates so she can decide which one best represents Latino interests. Writer of the paper Christine Neumann-Ortiz says that’s one reason Voces de la Frontera decided to begin publishing a newspaper last summer. She says the group found many people in the Latino community don’t have enough information, and therefore don’t go to the polls.
“We started doing get out the vote activities since 2004 and we’ve been involved in that 2004, 2006, this year, and we have seen, and this has been backed up by national studies, the reason that you have such a low voter turnout is that it’s still a community that is fairly new to the voting process. You know, there’s kind of a habit that needs to be created and people are a little bit removed from the process,” Neumann-Ortiz says.
Neumann-Ortiz says the paper provides the Latino community with candidates’ positions on issues, along with details on where to vote and how to register. She says the group distributes 15,000 copies of the paper each month, and believes it has brought more people to its voter registration drives.
Another source of information for the Latino population is a new Spanish speaking radio station that signed on the air last summer, WJTI-AM. Its studios are located in the Esperanza Unida building on the near south side. A handful of local announcers preside over the music and programming. President John Torres says the station fills a void in the Latino community.
“We’re more than just a jukebox radio station. We have hourly newscasts provided by CNN Espanol. We also have local news in the morning following our CNN,” Torres says.
At the time I was interviewing Torres, the station was airing a syndicated program called “Doctor’s Appointment.” Torres says the call-in show answers questions about health care issues in the Latino community. But he says as we head into fall, the station will engage in political discussions.
“We believe that it would be very important to provide a flow of information regarding the candidates running for President and for local offices, so in the past, we’ve invited local candidates to appear and we expect that as we approach the November election, we’ll have experts or supporters from each camp on our airwaves to again provide the information that people need to make the right choices,” Torres says.
Torres says by the end of the year, the station hopes to launch a weekly program dealing with legal issues. He says the station is talking with several local law firms to get attorneys signed on to the program.
Latino Voters Feel Underappreciated
Latinos May Need More Convincing From Obama
Although Many In A Recent Focus Group Were Predisposed Toward The Democrat, They Lacked A Bond With Him
by Charlie Cook, Aug. 27, 2008
Polls are showing the presidential general election race tightening. The Gallup nightly tracking poll released on Tuesday afternoon had Republican Sen. John McCain edging 2 points ahead of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. Most of the other highly reliable surveys, including a separate Gallup/USA Today poll taken late last week, still show Obama ahead by 3 or 4 points. Even though the results of the Gallup tracking poll of 2,684 registered voters was within the plus-or-minus-2-percent margin of error, it was still the best showing for McCain in this blue-chip survey all summer. This is clearly a very close race, with many factors at play.
With Latinos now the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the country, it should be no surprise that they have become a critical voting bloc. A quick look at the maps of the most competitive states in this election shows why. Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico are each hotly contested, and Hispanics are at least 20 percent of the electorate in each. In New Mexico, Hispanic voters account for more than 40 percent. With that in mind, the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania had pollster Peter Hart conduct another in its series of focus groups on Monday morning, this time with a dozen Latino voters from the Denver area.
To sit behind the glass and watch Hart conducting a focus group is to watch a maestro at work. For two hours, he and a colleague probed the views of the dozen Latinos, five of whom started off the session supporting Obama, two more were undecided but leaning his way, two were completely undecided, and another pair supported McCain. Those numbers are pretty much in line with what most national surveys of Latino voters are showing.
The Latino voters clearly felt underappreciated. Whether first, second, or third generation, they see themselves as hardworking people willing to do jobs that others pass up. They want to provide for their families and yet often find themselves scapegoats for society's problems. Health care is a huge issue among these voters; and with Hispanics making up a disproportionately large share of the military, particularly those in combat duty, the war in Iraq is also an important issue.
Obama started and ended the two hours well ahead of McCain, but the passion and enthusiasm for the Democrat that is so widespread among African-Americans and younger white voters was clearly less evident. Just one or two participants showed any real bond.
Only the two McCain backers -- both men, one of whom was a 68-year-old Air Force retiree who was passionately against tax increases that he anticipated under a President Obama and the other a 51-year-old online bookstore salesman and committed social conservative -- had any real disagreement with Obama on substantive issues. Most other participants had a predisposition toward Obama, but they weren't enamored of him and they couldn't cite many positive things about him other than that he was very intelligent and good at basketball. As Hart commented to reporters after the focus group, "We're seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama. We're not seeing the human side."
While the focus group revealed little to ratify the suspicion among some of a political and cultural rivalry between African-Americans and Latinos, it did show some commonality of interest. It seemed important for all minorities that a minority, even if not someone from their own group, could get elected president. But then, some doubted that a minority could win the White House just yet.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether Latino voters, while generally supportive of Obama, will turn out in significant numbers if they lack a sense of personal chemistry with him. In that sense, the challenge for Obama this week, and particularly when he speaks Thursday night, is to connect with these Hispanic voters on a real and personal level -- precisely the same challenge that he has with Anglo voters over age 50.
Although Many In A Recent Focus Group Were Predisposed Toward The Democrat, They Lacked A Bond With Him
by Charlie Cook, Aug. 27, 2008
Polls are showing the presidential general election race tightening. The Gallup nightly tracking poll released on Tuesday afternoon had Republican Sen. John McCain edging 2 points ahead of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. Most of the other highly reliable surveys, including a separate Gallup/USA Today poll taken late last week, still show Obama ahead by 3 or 4 points. Even though the results of the Gallup tracking poll of 2,684 registered voters was within the plus-or-minus-2-percent margin of error, it was still the best showing for McCain in this blue-chip survey all summer. This is clearly a very close race, with many factors at play.
With Latinos now the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the country, it should be no surprise that they have become a critical voting bloc. A quick look at the maps of the most competitive states in this election shows why. Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico are each hotly contested, and Hispanics are at least 20 percent of the electorate in each. In New Mexico, Hispanic voters account for more than 40 percent. With that in mind, the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania had pollster Peter Hart conduct another in its series of focus groups on Monday morning, this time with a dozen Latino voters from the Denver area.
To sit behind the glass and watch Hart conducting a focus group is to watch a maestro at work. For two hours, he and a colleague probed the views of the dozen Latinos, five of whom started off the session supporting Obama, two more were undecided but leaning his way, two were completely undecided, and another pair supported McCain. Those numbers are pretty much in line with what most national surveys of Latino voters are showing.
The Latino voters clearly felt underappreciated. Whether first, second, or third generation, they see themselves as hardworking people willing to do jobs that others pass up. They want to provide for their families and yet often find themselves scapegoats for society's problems. Health care is a huge issue among these voters; and with Hispanics making up a disproportionately large share of the military, particularly those in combat duty, the war in Iraq is also an important issue.
Obama started and ended the two hours well ahead of McCain, but the passion and enthusiasm for the Democrat that is so widespread among African-Americans and younger white voters was clearly less evident. Just one or two participants showed any real bond.
Only the two McCain backers -- both men, one of whom was a 68-year-old Air Force retiree who was passionately against tax increases that he anticipated under a President Obama and the other a 51-year-old online bookstore salesman and committed social conservative -- had any real disagreement with Obama on substantive issues. Most other participants had a predisposition toward Obama, but they weren't enamored of him and they couldn't cite many positive things about him other than that he was very intelligent and good at basketball. As Hart commented to reporters after the focus group, "We're seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama. We're not seeing the human side."
While the focus group revealed little to ratify the suspicion among some of a political and cultural rivalry between African-Americans and Latinos, it did show some commonality of interest. It seemed important for all minorities that a minority, even if not someone from their own group, could get elected president. But then, some doubted that a minority could win the White House just yet.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether Latino voters, while generally supportive of Obama, will turn out in significant numbers if they lack a sense of personal chemistry with him. In that sense, the challenge for Obama this week, and particularly when he speaks Thursday night, is to connect with these Hispanic voters on a real and personal level -- precisely the same challenge that he has with Anglo voters over age 50.
Hispanic Decision At Voting Booth Is Difficult
Hispanic Faith Voters Face Tough Choice
By Heather Sells, CBN News Reporter, August 27, 2008
CBNNews.com - DENVER - Reaching people of faith is a clear goal for Democrats this week, but they are also giving specific attention to Hispanics.
A majority of this group identify themselves as Catholic or evangelical and for many, their faith makes it difficult to know which way to vote.
The nation's 46 million Hispanics loom as a potential swing vote this year, strategically placed on the electoral map.
Faith is another key identity: 83 percent say they're either Catholic or evangelical.
Another trend: about two-thirds of Latino registered voters lean Democratic.
Like Honduran Immigrant Antonio Hernandez.
"(Democrats) fall a little closer to the lower classes than the Republicans do. I think they've been a little closer to the Hispanic community," Hernandez said.
Democrats are showing how serious they are about courting Hispanics this year by pumping $20 million into their outreach. And of course, their decision to head west for their convention, where so many Hispanics live, makes a strong statement as well.
But because of their faith, many Hispanics say it's a difficult choice.
"When Hispanic Christians go to the voting booth they have a tough call to make -- 'do I go in there as a Christian first or as a Hispanic-American first?' said Samuel Rodriquez with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
Rodriguez says many are troubled by Obama's positions on abortion and marriage.
"Man and woman, mom and dad in the home. To us, it's the primary antidote to juvenile deliquency, teen pregnancy, gang activity -- and these are proven scientific facts," he said.
Democrats have expanded the abortion platform this year to include talk of abortion reduction. But there are skeptics.
"I don't think (the platform) will change the practicing Catholic or the conservative evangelical. It's too little too late," said Alejandro Bermudez with Acipresa, an organization dedicated to keeping Hispanic Catholics informed.
However, many Hispanics do believe Democrats understand their economic needs. And while they appreciate McCain's work on immigration reform, they're troubled by the GOP's often inflammatory anti-immigration rhetoric.
"The media pundits, those on talk radio that basically speak on behalf of the Republican Party, not officially, but they become the de facto, prophetic voices of the Republican Party and as a result, you're alienating a naturally conservative base," Rodriguez said.
Projections show Hispanics will only continue to grow in numbers -- and political power. By the year 2050, they are expected to make up 29 percent of the population -- which makes them a political must-win for both parties.
By Heather Sells, CBN News Reporter, August 27, 2008
CBNNews.com - DENVER - Reaching people of faith is a clear goal for Democrats this week, but they are also giving specific attention to Hispanics.
A majority of this group identify themselves as Catholic or evangelical and for many, their faith makes it difficult to know which way to vote.
The nation's 46 million Hispanics loom as a potential swing vote this year, strategically placed on the electoral map.
Faith is another key identity: 83 percent say they're either Catholic or evangelical.
Another trend: about two-thirds of Latino registered voters lean Democratic.
Like Honduran Immigrant Antonio Hernandez.
"(Democrats) fall a little closer to the lower classes than the Republicans do. I think they've been a little closer to the Hispanic community," Hernandez said.
Democrats are showing how serious they are about courting Hispanics this year by pumping $20 million into their outreach. And of course, their decision to head west for their convention, where so many Hispanics live, makes a strong statement as well.
But because of their faith, many Hispanics say it's a difficult choice.
"When Hispanic Christians go to the voting booth they have a tough call to make -- 'do I go in there as a Christian first or as a Hispanic-American first?' said Samuel Rodriquez with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
Rodriguez says many are troubled by Obama's positions on abortion and marriage.
"Man and woman, mom and dad in the home. To us, it's the primary antidote to juvenile deliquency, teen pregnancy, gang activity -- and these are proven scientific facts," he said.
Democrats have expanded the abortion platform this year to include talk of abortion reduction. But there are skeptics.
"I don't think (the platform) will change the practicing Catholic or the conservative evangelical. It's too little too late," said Alejandro Bermudez with Acipresa, an organization dedicated to keeping Hispanic Catholics informed.
However, many Hispanics do believe Democrats understand their economic needs. And while they appreciate McCain's work on immigration reform, they're troubled by the GOP's often inflammatory anti-immigration rhetoric.
"The media pundits, those on talk radio that basically speak on behalf of the Republican Party, not officially, but they become the de facto, prophetic voices of the Republican Party and as a result, you're alienating a naturally conservative base," Rodriguez said.
Projections show Hispanics will only continue to grow in numbers -- and political power. By the year 2050, they are expected to make up 29 percent of the population -- which makes them a political must-win for both parties.
Latino Dem Leader Loses Seat After Stunt
Latino stuck his neck out to get Democrat outreach funds
By Peter Hecht - phecht@sacbee.com, August 27, 2008
DENVER – When the clock strikes midnight Thursday after Barack Obama makes his acceptance speech, Sacramento superdelegate Steven Ybarra will lose his seat on the Democratic National Committee.
Ybarra, a Sacramento City College professor and veteran Latino activist, got voted off the select Democratic panel after a brash publicity stunt – offering to sell his vote to Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton for a $20 million party pledge to compete for Latino votes.
But after Ybarra, 61, lost his re-election bid for a state party leadership post, and thus his DNC seat, a curious thing happened: The party pledged $20 million for a sophisticated voter recruitment effort.
Now the tall, barrel-chested man is working swank hotel ballrooms and party caucuses to push for a Latino turnout for Obama.
The Obama campaign's effort will direct Internet, television and radio appeals to English-speaking Latinos under 35 and to Spanish-speaking Latinos over 35. The effort seeks to drive up mail voting and Democratic turnout in four critical swing states – New Mexico, Florida, Colorado and Arizona – with large populations of eligible Latino voters.
The McCain campaign is responding with its own Latino outreach, including its "Estamos con McCain" ("We're With McCain") Web site and campaign tours in California and the swing states by Latino military veteran Everett Alvarez, who was a prisoner of war with McCain in Vietnam.
Ybarra, who describes himself as an activist son of a railroad foreman and "union thug," is working to lock in Latinos who overwhelmingly supported Clinton over Obama in the primaries.
In late July, the nationwide Pew Hispanic Center poll found Obama had picked up much of her Latino support and led McCain among Latinos by 66 percent to 23 percent. But Ybarra says Democrats will lose if Obama doesn't get 70 percent.
"If we win Reno, we win Nevada," he says. "If we win Yuma, we win Arizona. … If we take Homestead, we take Florida and the election."
Though Ybarra insists his superdelegate vote was never for sale, some party leaders weren't exactly pleased with his bombast and the national press coverage it received.
Sam Rodriguez, a former California Democratic Party political director who consults with the Obama campaign, praised Ybarra's skills as field director in getting out the vote. But Rodriguez took issue with uncomfortable inferences to vote-selling – theatrical or not.
"Sometimes words do matter," said Rodriguez, who said the Democrats' $20 million outlay had nothing to do with Ybarra.
Janet Murguía, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, expressed surprise and pleasure after learning in Denver about the stand he took.
"That's one way to do it," Murguía said.
Murguía said Democrats too long have assumed the Latino vote was their domain. She said the party got a jolt in the 2004 presidential election when President Bush – former governor of heavily Latino Texas – got 40 percent of the Hispanic vote.
On Tuesday, Ybarra, wearing an American flag vest and sandals revealing toes missing from a construction accident, was ebulliently greeted at a Latino Leaders Network luncheon featuring New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Denver Mayor and former Energy Secretary Federico Peña.
He was fawned over by U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County. Paula Villescaz, a 19-year-old delegate from Sacramento, applauded him for securing the $20 million.
Then Ybarra turned to Reuben Duarte, a 22-year-old UC Berkeley student and an at-large Democratic delegate.
In one quick conversation, Ybarra lined up a recruit for voter outreach:
Ybarra: "Are you ready for Reno?"
Duarte: "Yes."
Ybarra: How's your Spanish?"
Duarte: "Bad."
Ybarra: "Stick around. It will get better."
By Peter Hecht - phecht@sacbee.com, August 27, 2008
DENVER – When the clock strikes midnight Thursday after Barack Obama makes his acceptance speech, Sacramento superdelegate Steven Ybarra will lose his seat on the Democratic National Committee.
Ybarra, a Sacramento City College professor and veteran Latino activist, got voted off the select Democratic panel after a brash publicity stunt – offering to sell his vote to Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton for a $20 million party pledge to compete for Latino votes.
But after Ybarra, 61, lost his re-election bid for a state party leadership post, and thus his DNC seat, a curious thing happened: The party pledged $20 million for a sophisticated voter recruitment effort.
Now the tall, barrel-chested man is working swank hotel ballrooms and party caucuses to push for a Latino turnout for Obama.
The Obama campaign's effort will direct Internet, television and radio appeals to English-speaking Latinos under 35 and to Spanish-speaking Latinos over 35. The effort seeks to drive up mail voting and Democratic turnout in four critical swing states – New Mexico, Florida, Colorado and Arizona – with large populations of eligible Latino voters.
The McCain campaign is responding with its own Latino outreach, including its "Estamos con McCain" ("We're With McCain") Web site and campaign tours in California and the swing states by Latino military veteran Everett Alvarez, who was a prisoner of war with McCain in Vietnam.
Ybarra, who describes himself as an activist son of a railroad foreman and "union thug," is working to lock in Latinos who overwhelmingly supported Clinton over Obama in the primaries.
In late July, the nationwide Pew Hispanic Center poll found Obama had picked up much of her Latino support and led McCain among Latinos by 66 percent to 23 percent. But Ybarra says Democrats will lose if Obama doesn't get 70 percent.
"If we win Reno, we win Nevada," he says. "If we win Yuma, we win Arizona. … If we take Homestead, we take Florida and the election."
Though Ybarra insists his superdelegate vote was never for sale, some party leaders weren't exactly pleased with his bombast and the national press coverage it received.
Sam Rodriguez, a former California Democratic Party political director who consults with the Obama campaign, praised Ybarra's skills as field director in getting out the vote. But Rodriguez took issue with uncomfortable inferences to vote-selling – theatrical or not.
"Sometimes words do matter," said Rodriguez, who said the Democrats' $20 million outlay had nothing to do with Ybarra.
Janet Murguía, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, expressed surprise and pleasure after learning in Denver about the stand he took.
"That's one way to do it," Murguía said.
Murguía said Democrats too long have assumed the Latino vote was their domain. She said the party got a jolt in the 2004 presidential election when President Bush – former governor of heavily Latino Texas – got 40 percent of the Hispanic vote.
On Tuesday, Ybarra, wearing an American flag vest and sandals revealing toes missing from a construction accident, was ebulliently greeted at a Latino Leaders Network luncheon featuring New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Denver Mayor and former Energy Secretary Federico Peña.
He was fawned over by U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County. Paula Villescaz, a 19-year-old delegate from Sacramento, applauded him for securing the $20 million.
Then Ybarra turned to Reuben Duarte, a 22-year-old UC Berkeley student and an at-large Democratic delegate.
In one quick conversation, Ybarra lined up a recruit for voter outreach:
Ybarra: "Are you ready for Reno?"
Duarte: "Yes."
Ybarra: How's your Spanish?"
Duarte: "Bad."
Ybarra: "Stick around. It will get better."
Almost One In Three of Country's Latino Students are in California
Surging Latino growth has country looking to California schools
OTHER STATES STUDY CALIFORNIA FOR LESSONS
By Sharon Noguchi, Mercury News,08/27/2008
Latinos make up nearly half of California's K-12 public school students, and their numbers are surging across the country, underscoring a growing challenge for educators who are looking to the Golden State for ways to adapt to the changing face of America's classrooms.
Almost one in three of the country's Latino students go to school in California. But the numbers, revealed Tuesday in one of the first comprehensive looks at Latinos in public schools, show Latinos now make up the largest minority student group in 22 states.
Since 1990, the number of Latino school-age children nationwide almost doubled and now is projected to swell another 166 percent through 2050. By contrast, whites, blacks, Asians and other non-Hispanics in K-12 edged up just 9 percent in the same 16 years, and will slow to 4 percent growth through 2050, according to the report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
And the report illuminated a significant challenge across the country: More than one-third of Latino students have a parent who hasn't completed high school - considered a bigger factor in student success than English fluency.
The changing dynamics are already playing out in California, where educators are struggling to address an academic achievement gap between Latinos and blacks and their higher-performing Asian and white peers.
Test scores
Test "scores around the country are going to go down," because there will be more children with disadvantages such as not speaking English, said Marty Krovetz, professor emeritus of education at San Jose State University.
However, the numbers of Latinos who identified themselves as fluent in English were surprising. While 70 percent of Latino students speak a language other than English at home, 82 percent speak English fluently, according to the report based on the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey of 3 million households.
But the low education level of Latino parents is putting a greater burden on schools to educate and guide students toward college and career tracks, experts say.
Without parents who understand the school system, "they are at a startling disadvantage," said Richard Fry, one of the authors of the Pew study. As a result, "you're asking an awful lot of high school guidance counselors, because the parents aren't there to help students."
It also has immediate economic repercussions. Whether students are likely to live in a household earning $50,000 or more is related to the education level of their parents, the survey reported.
Silicon Valley schools are years ahead in figuring what works and what doesn't when it comes to changing demographics.
The biggest challenge for schools is educating immigrant students, especially those who start school at an older age. Students who don't become fluent in English are more likely to drop out. According to a June 2007 U.S. Department of Education report, 37 percent of foreign-born Latinos age 16-24 drop out, while only 14 percent of second-generation and 12 percent of third- or higher-generations Latinos drop out.
"When language is a factor, it becomes extra challenging to meet the high standards," said Manny Barbara, superintendent of the Oak Grove School District in San Jose.
Last year in Oak Grove, 47 percent of the 11,600 students were Latino. And the district has changed as it evolved into a demographic "mini California," Barbara said. "We really want to be culturally responsive in our teaching."
Teacher training
The district offers training in teaching English learners. Barbara convenes a Latino advisory committee, which conducts meetings bilingually, and principals also meet with Latino parents. Schools offer English classes to parents, and also a program to help parents prepare their children for college.
Such outreach, coupled with high standards, has resulted in higher achievement. In 2006-07, Oak Grove's Latino students - and all other demographic groups - met the state's increasingly tougher language and math standards.
High expectations and teacher and parent commitment also are key to success of four small schools in San Jose educating primarily Latino students, Krovetz said.
'Relentless focus'
Those schools - SUCCESS in Franklin-McKinley district and Renaissance, Adelante and LUCHA in the Alum Rock district - "have a relentless focus and high expectations for kids," he said.
So states like Minnesota, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Nebraska and Maryland with growing Latino populations in public schools might be looking at schools here.
"Much of the country," Krovetz said, "is going to have to learn the lesson from pockets of success in California, New Mexico and Texas."
Contact Sharon Noguchi at snoguchi@mercurynews.com or (408) 271-3775.
OTHER STATES STUDY CALIFORNIA FOR LESSONS
By Sharon Noguchi, Mercury News,08/27/2008
Latinos make up nearly half of California's K-12 public school students, and their numbers are surging across the country, underscoring a growing challenge for educators who are looking to the Golden State for ways to adapt to the changing face of America's classrooms.
Almost one in three of the country's Latino students go to school in California. But the numbers, revealed Tuesday in one of the first comprehensive looks at Latinos in public schools, show Latinos now make up the largest minority student group in 22 states.
Since 1990, the number of Latino school-age children nationwide almost doubled and now is projected to swell another 166 percent through 2050. By contrast, whites, blacks, Asians and other non-Hispanics in K-12 edged up just 9 percent in the same 16 years, and will slow to 4 percent growth through 2050, according to the report by the Pew Hispanic Center.
And the report illuminated a significant challenge across the country: More than one-third of Latino students have a parent who hasn't completed high school - considered a bigger factor in student success than English fluency.
The changing dynamics are already playing out in California, where educators are struggling to address an academic achievement gap between Latinos and blacks and their higher-performing Asian and white peers.
Test scores
Test "scores around the country are going to go down," because there will be more children with disadvantages such as not speaking English, said Marty Krovetz, professor emeritus of education at San Jose State University.
However, the numbers of Latinos who identified themselves as fluent in English were surprising. While 70 percent of Latino students speak a language other than English at home, 82 percent speak English fluently, according to the report based on the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey of 3 million households.
But the low education level of Latino parents is putting a greater burden on schools to educate and guide students toward college and career tracks, experts say.
Without parents who understand the school system, "they are at a startling disadvantage," said Richard Fry, one of the authors of the Pew study. As a result, "you're asking an awful lot of high school guidance counselors, because the parents aren't there to help students."
It also has immediate economic repercussions. Whether students are likely to live in a household earning $50,000 or more is related to the education level of their parents, the survey reported.
Silicon Valley schools are years ahead in figuring what works and what doesn't when it comes to changing demographics.
The biggest challenge for schools is educating immigrant students, especially those who start school at an older age. Students who don't become fluent in English are more likely to drop out. According to a June 2007 U.S. Department of Education report, 37 percent of foreign-born Latinos age 16-24 drop out, while only 14 percent of second-generation and 12 percent of third- or higher-generations Latinos drop out.
"When language is a factor, it becomes extra challenging to meet the high standards," said Manny Barbara, superintendent of the Oak Grove School District in San Jose.
Last year in Oak Grove, 47 percent of the 11,600 students were Latino. And the district has changed as it evolved into a demographic "mini California," Barbara said. "We really want to be culturally responsive in our teaching."
Teacher training
The district offers training in teaching English learners. Barbara convenes a Latino advisory committee, which conducts meetings bilingually, and principals also meet with Latino parents. Schools offer English classes to parents, and also a program to help parents prepare their children for college.
Such outreach, coupled with high standards, has resulted in higher achievement. In 2006-07, Oak Grove's Latino students - and all other demographic groups - met the state's increasingly tougher language and math standards.
High expectations and teacher and parent commitment also are key to success of four small schools in San Jose educating primarily Latino students, Krovetz said.
'Relentless focus'
Those schools - SUCCESS in Franklin-McKinley district and Renaissance, Adelante and LUCHA in the Alum Rock district - "have a relentless focus and high expectations for kids," he said.
So states like Minnesota, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Nebraska and Maryland with growing Latino populations in public schools might be looking at schools here.
"Much of the country," Krovetz said, "is going to have to learn the lesson from pockets of success in California, New Mexico and Texas."
Contact Sharon Noguchi at snoguchi@mercurynews.com or (408) 271-3775.
Hispanics Viewed As Critical Voting Bloc
Hispanic voters at center of massive tug-of-war between Dems, GOP
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News, gjeffers@dallasnews.com
DENVER — Seventeen million strong, Hispanics have become a critical voting bloc for national and local races.
And as the contest between Barack Obama and John McCain tightens, the campaign to woo these voters is raging like never before.
Democratic convention
Clinton summons support for Obama at Democratic National Convention
Young people, using social networking sites, boost Obama campaign
Romney: Biden 'wrong' on foreign policy
Air Force cadets mum, but academy's visitors freely give their opinions about war
Gromer Jeffers Jr.: Hispanic voters at center of massive tug-of-war between Dems, GOP
Partisan bloggers building up the buzz at political conventions
Fact check: Michelle Obama's career and public service
Wayne Slater: Like her mother 20 years ago, Ann Richards' daughter steps into the spotlight
More Elections 2008
For Democrats, who have historically enjoyed the lion’s share of Hispanic support, keeping those voters is more critical, and trickier, for November.
Polls show Barack Obama leads John McCain with Hispanic voters, including those in key battleground states in the southwest.
But the lingering bruise felt by Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters have some Democrats worried that the New York senator’s Hispanic supporters will either stay home or vote for Mr. McCain.
What’s more, Mr. McCain, who hails from Arizona, has aggressively courted Hispanic voters and gained points with them when he co-sponsored a bill that included a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Even so, Los Angles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, one of Mrs. Clinton’s national campaign co-chairs, said Mr. Obama was still poised to win over Hispanics.
“The overwhelming support Latinos gave to Hillary Clinton was a vote for Hillary Clinton and not a vote against Barack Obama,” Mr. Villaraigosa told The Dallas Morning News. “In three national polls, Barack Obama is leading McCain by an average of 35 points, so Latinos are getting behind Barack Obama.”
But Mr. Villaraigosa said there was still work to be done.
“Our job is to make sure we increase that margin and increase the number of voters who turn out,” he said. “If they vote in the 70th percentile, Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States.”
But some Hispanic voters want to hear more from Mr. Obama.
“It would definitely help if Obama reached out to our communities and if the Hispanic leadership brought him with them and stood by him,” said Dolly Elizondo, chairwoman of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party. “There are people who still want to hear it from Hillary Clinton. Then they need to hear from Obama.”
Mrs. Clinton addressed the Hispanic Caucus on Monday and urged delegates to strongly support Mr. Obama.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee is ramping up its Hispanic outreach. Officials have announced that they will spend $20 million to register Hispanic voters and lure them to the polls in several southwestern states and Florida. That’s on top of Mr. Obama’s Hispanic outreach.
At the Democratic convention, there were plenty of workshops, luncheons and parties where Hispanic voters reflected on their growing influence.
A report released at the convention predicts Hispanic voters could generate 46 electoral votes. About 9.2 million Hispanics are expected to vote, up 20 percent from 2004.
“This election demonstrates that Latino voters have become a permanent element of the political landscape,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. “You don’t need the majority of the vote. You just need a significant share.”
The mobilization for Hispanic voters could pay dividends for down-ballot candidates.
In Texas, state Rep. Rick Noriega is hoping for a big Hispanic turnout to boost his chances against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
Locally, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez wants to head off Republican challenger Lowell Cannaday with an increased Hispanic turnout.
“We saw what aggressive campaigning in the Latino community could produce this spring,” said state Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas. “If it continues through November, Texas Democrats could be in for something big.”
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News, gjeffers@dallasnews.com
DENVER — Seventeen million strong, Hispanics have become a critical voting bloc for national and local races.
And as the contest between Barack Obama and John McCain tightens, the campaign to woo these voters is raging like never before.
Democratic convention
Clinton summons support for Obama at Democratic National Convention
Young people, using social networking sites, boost Obama campaign
Romney: Biden 'wrong' on foreign policy
Air Force cadets mum, but academy's visitors freely give their opinions about war
Gromer Jeffers Jr.: Hispanic voters at center of massive tug-of-war between Dems, GOP
Partisan bloggers building up the buzz at political conventions
Fact check: Michelle Obama's career and public service
Wayne Slater: Like her mother 20 years ago, Ann Richards' daughter steps into the spotlight
More Elections 2008
For Democrats, who have historically enjoyed the lion’s share of Hispanic support, keeping those voters is more critical, and trickier, for November.
Polls show Barack Obama leads John McCain with Hispanic voters, including those in key battleground states in the southwest.
But the lingering bruise felt by Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters have some Democrats worried that the New York senator’s Hispanic supporters will either stay home or vote for Mr. McCain.
What’s more, Mr. McCain, who hails from Arizona, has aggressively courted Hispanic voters and gained points with them when he co-sponsored a bill that included a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Even so, Los Angles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, one of Mrs. Clinton’s national campaign co-chairs, said Mr. Obama was still poised to win over Hispanics.
“The overwhelming support Latinos gave to Hillary Clinton was a vote for Hillary Clinton and not a vote against Barack Obama,” Mr. Villaraigosa told The Dallas Morning News. “In three national polls, Barack Obama is leading McCain by an average of 35 points, so Latinos are getting behind Barack Obama.”
But Mr. Villaraigosa said there was still work to be done.
“Our job is to make sure we increase that margin and increase the number of voters who turn out,” he said. “If they vote in the 70th percentile, Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States.”
But some Hispanic voters want to hear more from Mr. Obama.
“It would definitely help if Obama reached out to our communities and if the Hispanic leadership brought him with them and stood by him,” said Dolly Elizondo, chairwoman of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party. “There are people who still want to hear it from Hillary Clinton. Then they need to hear from Obama.”
Mrs. Clinton addressed the Hispanic Caucus on Monday and urged delegates to strongly support Mr. Obama.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee is ramping up its Hispanic outreach. Officials have announced that they will spend $20 million to register Hispanic voters and lure them to the polls in several southwestern states and Florida. That’s on top of Mr. Obama’s Hispanic outreach.
At the Democratic convention, there were plenty of workshops, luncheons and parties where Hispanic voters reflected on their growing influence.
A report released at the convention predicts Hispanic voters could generate 46 electoral votes. About 9.2 million Hispanics are expected to vote, up 20 percent from 2004.
“This election demonstrates that Latino voters have become a permanent element of the political landscape,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. “You don’t need the majority of the vote. You just need a significant share.”
The mobilization for Hispanic voters could pay dividends for down-ballot candidates.
In Texas, state Rep. Rick Noriega is hoping for a big Hispanic turnout to boost his chances against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
Locally, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez wants to head off Republican challenger Lowell Cannaday with an increased Hispanic turnout.
“We saw what aggressive campaigning in the Latino community could produce this spring,” said state Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas. “If it continues through November, Texas Democrats could be in for something big.”
Median Hispanic Household Income is $38,679
Texas still leads nation in rate of uninsured residents
By JASON ROBERSON / The Dallas Morning News, jroberson@dallasnews.com
Texas once again led the nation with the highest percentage of residents without health insurance, a U.S. Census Bureau report showed Tuesday, although the same study also reports a slight dip last year in the percentage without coverage across the nation.
Almost one of every four Texas residents – 24.8 percent – were uninsured in 2006 and 2007, based on an average of the rates for those two years. That's up from 23.9 percent for 2004 and 2005.
The national number also increased a bit for the two-year period to 15.5 percent. However, looking at 2007 by itself, the percentage of uninsured in the country fell from 15.8 percent in 2006 to 15.3 percent in 2007. (State percentages were given only for two-year periods.)
California still has the highest number – not percentage – of uninsured residents at 6.7 million, compared with 5.7 million Texans. The Texas number is up from 5.5 million in 2006.
McCain adviser
But the numbers are misleading, said John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a right-leaning Dallas-based think tank. Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort. (Hospital emergency rooms by law cannot turn away a patient in need of immediate care.)
"So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime," Mr. Goodman said. "The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care.
"So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."
Mr. Goodman's analysis drew a sharp response from the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an Austin-based think tank focusing on poverty issues. "That is not the same thing as having health insurance," said Eva Deluna, a budget analyst for the center. People without insurance are less likely to seek care, and when they do, the cost to the health system is greater, she said.
Fight on statistics
According to Mr. Goodman, only people who are denied care are truly uninsured – everyone who gets care is effectively insured by some mechanism. "So instead of producing worthless statistics that people fling around in vacuous editorials and pointless debates, the Census Bureau should produce meaningful numbers, identifying all of the sources of funds people will draw on if they need medical care," he said.
Ms. Deluna argued that the situation actually is worse now than the Census Bureau reported. The just-released data does not reflect the recent economic downturn, she said.
It makes no sense, she continued, for Texas to have the nation's highest percentage of uninsured residents, while having one of the nation's strongest economies for job growth.
In luring jobs to Texas, state and local officials have simply focused on the number of jobs, rather than on quality jobs offering health insurance, Ms Deluna said.
"People are working harder than ever, but the jobs they have don't provide health insurance," she said.
The number of Texans receiving health insurance through their jobs dropped to 11.9 million last year, from 12.1 million the year before, according to the Census Bureau.
Nationally, the overall number without insurance fell to 45.7 million last year, from 47 million in 2006.
The decline came as more Americans shifted to government Medicaid and Medicare coverage, said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit health care advocacy group in Washington D.C.
An estimated 1.3 million additional people signing up for Medicaid and 1 million more signing up for Medicare were the main drivers of the lower uninsured rate, he said. "Ironically, this all happened while the president was trying to cut back on Medicaid," Mr. Pollack said.
Household incomes
In other findings, the report said:
• The nation's official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5 percent, unchanged from 2006. However, the number of Americans living in poverty grew to 37.3 million in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006.
• Real median income, adjusted for inflation, rose for both black and non-Hispanic white households between 2006 and 2007, representing the first real increase in annual household income for each group since 1999.
• Among racial groups, black households had the lowest median income in 2007 at $33,916. That compares with a median of $54,920 for non-Hispanic white households. Asian households had the highest median income, $66,103. The median income for Hispanic households was $38,679.
By JASON ROBERSON / The Dallas Morning News, jroberson@dallasnews.com
Texas once again led the nation with the highest percentage of residents without health insurance, a U.S. Census Bureau report showed Tuesday, although the same study also reports a slight dip last year in the percentage without coverage across the nation.
Almost one of every four Texas residents – 24.8 percent – were uninsured in 2006 and 2007, based on an average of the rates for those two years. That's up from 23.9 percent for 2004 and 2005.
The national number also increased a bit for the two-year period to 15.5 percent. However, looking at 2007 by itself, the percentage of uninsured in the country fell from 15.8 percent in 2006 to 15.3 percent in 2007. (State percentages were given only for two-year periods.)
California still has the highest number – not percentage – of uninsured residents at 6.7 million, compared with 5.7 million Texans. The Texas number is up from 5.5 million in 2006.
McCain adviser
But the numbers are misleading, said John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a right-leaning Dallas-based think tank. Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort. (Hospital emergency rooms by law cannot turn away a patient in need of immediate care.)
"So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime," Mr. Goodman said. "The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care.
"So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."
Mr. Goodman's analysis drew a sharp response from the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an Austin-based think tank focusing on poverty issues. "That is not the same thing as having health insurance," said Eva Deluna, a budget analyst for the center. People without insurance are less likely to seek care, and when they do, the cost to the health system is greater, she said.
Fight on statistics
According to Mr. Goodman, only people who are denied care are truly uninsured – everyone who gets care is effectively insured by some mechanism. "So instead of producing worthless statistics that people fling around in vacuous editorials and pointless debates, the Census Bureau should produce meaningful numbers, identifying all of the sources of funds people will draw on if they need medical care," he said.
Ms. Deluna argued that the situation actually is worse now than the Census Bureau reported. The just-released data does not reflect the recent economic downturn, she said.
It makes no sense, she continued, for Texas to have the nation's highest percentage of uninsured residents, while having one of the nation's strongest economies for job growth.
In luring jobs to Texas, state and local officials have simply focused on the number of jobs, rather than on quality jobs offering health insurance, Ms Deluna said.
"People are working harder than ever, but the jobs they have don't provide health insurance," she said.
The number of Texans receiving health insurance through their jobs dropped to 11.9 million last year, from 12.1 million the year before, according to the Census Bureau.
Nationally, the overall number without insurance fell to 45.7 million last year, from 47 million in 2006.
The decline came as more Americans shifted to government Medicaid and Medicare coverage, said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit health care advocacy group in Washington D.C.
An estimated 1.3 million additional people signing up for Medicaid and 1 million more signing up for Medicare were the main drivers of the lower uninsured rate, he said. "Ironically, this all happened while the president was trying to cut back on Medicaid," Mr. Pollack said.
Household incomes
In other findings, the report said:
• The nation's official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5 percent, unchanged from 2006. However, the number of Americans living in poverty grew to 37.3 million in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006.
• Real median income, adjusted for inflation, rose for both black and non-Hispanic white households between 2006 and 2007, representing the first real increase in annual household income for each group since 1999.
• Among racial groups, black households had the lowest median income in 2007 at $33,916. That compares with a median of $54,920 for non-Hispanic white households. Asian households had the highest median income, $66,103. The median income for Hispanic households was $38,679.
Hispanic Student SAT Tests Scores Up
Scores Stable as More Minorities Take SAT
By Maria Glod and Michael Alison Chandler, Washington Post Staff Writers
August 27, 2008
SAT performance held steady for 2008 high school graduates even as participation rose among minority students and those who are part of the first generation in their families to go to college, the College Board reported yesterday.
In Maryland, the number of black and Hispanic students who took the college entrance exam rose sharply, and the overall score, which includes public and private schools, remained unchanged compared with the previous year -- 1498 on a 2400-point scale. In Virginia, more black, Asian and Hispanic students took the test, and the overall score rose two points, to 1522.
In the District, the overall score dropped 21 points, to 1390, with decreases on all three sections of the exam -- reading, writing and math. But the number of black test-takers in the city rose 27 percent.
Nationwide, the number of students taking the SAT surpassed 1.5 million for the first time, up 8 percent from five years ago and almost 30 percent over the past decade. Forty percent of test-takers were minority students, up from 39 percent last year, and 36 percent were among a group described as first-generation collegegoers, up from 35 percent.
College Board officials considered the boost in participation evidence that the high school students who aspire to a college degree are growing more ethnically and economically diverse.
Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, a nonprofit organization based in New York, said the pool of test-takers "more than ever . . . reflects the face of education in this country."
"It's essential that all students strive to attend college -- and then succeed in their classes and, ultimately, graduate. We're gratified to see that our country is moving increasingly toward being a nation of college graduates," he said.
Some educators, policymakers and others concerned about high school quality saw the consistency in scores from last year as a bright spot. Scores on standardized exams often dip when the number of test-takers increases.
Education experts said that recent efforts to improve the quality of high school courses and expand academic options, to ensure that students are ready for college, are possibly starting to take hold.
"Some of these kids wouldn't have taken the SAT just a few years ago. They wouldn't have wanted to. They wouldn't have been encouraged to. And both are changing," said former West Virginia governor Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, a group seeking to improve high schools. "I also take it as a challenge. It's not fair to build the expectation level and not be able to deliver on the quality of education."
In 2005, the SAT was revamped and expanded to include a writing section, changes that prompted test scores to fall and some students to complain that the exam was too long.
But that downward trend leveled off with the Class of 2008. The average scores, including public and private schools, were: critical reading, 502 (out of 800); math, 515; and writing, 494. The combined average was 1511.
For Fairfax County public schools, the average score rose 15 points, to 1654, from last year. Montgomery County public schools' scores dropped seven points, to 1617. The two counties, with the region's largest school systems, reported that fewer students took the test. Officials in both counties said that fewer black students took the exam. Hispanic participation decreased slightly in Fairfax.
One possible explanation is that more students are opting to take the ACT, another widely used entrance exam, school officials said. In addition, some colleges are making the SAT test optional for
admissions. Fairfax school officials also said more students opted not to answer a question on their ethnicity.
In Arlington County schools, the overall number of students tested dropped, although the tally of black and Hispanic test-takers rose. Black students
received higher scores in all three sections, but the scores for Hispanic students fell across the board.
The SAT used to be taken mainly by an elite group of top-performing students. Kathleen Wills, director of planning and evaluation for Arlington schools, said a small dip in performance is expected as more students who aren't at the top of their class join the test-takers.
"When you see participation increase, it's not surprising to see the overall averages drop," Wills said. "The first groups that participate are likely to be the highest-achieving students."
Staff writers Nelson Hernandez, Ian Shapira, Bill Turque and Theresa Vargas contributed to this report.
By Maria Glod and Michael Alison Chandler, Washington Post Staff Writers
August 27, 2008
SAT performance held steady for 2008 high school graduates even as participation rose among minority students and those who are part of the first generation in their families to go to college, the College Board reported yesterday.
In Maryland, the number of black and Hispanic students who took the college entrance exam rose sharply, and the overall score, which includes public and private schools, remained unchanged compared with the previous year -- 1498 on a 2400-point scale. In Virginia, more black, Asian and Hispanic students took the test, and the overall score rose two points, to 1522.
In the District, the overall score dropped 21 points, to 1390, with decreases on all three sections of the exam -- reading, writing and math. But the number of black test-takers in the city rose 27 percent.
Nationwide, the number of students taking the SAT surpassed 1.5 million for the first time, up 8 percent from five years ago and almost 30 percent over the past decade. Forty percent of test-takers were minority students, up from 39 percent last year, and 36 percent were among a group described as first-generation collegegoers, up from 35 percent.
College Board officials considered the boost in participation evidence that the high school students who aspire to a college degree are growing more ethnically and economically diverse.
Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, a nonprofit organization based in New York, said the pool of test-takers "more than ever . . . reflects the face of education in this country."
"It's essential that all students strive to attend college -- and then succeed in their classes and, ultimately, graduate. We're gratified to see that our country is moving increasingly toward being a nation of college graduates," he said.
Some educators, policymakers and others concerned about high school quality saw the consistency in scores from last year as a bright spot. Scores on standardized exams often dip when the number of test-takers increases.
Education experts said that recent efforts to improve the quality of high school courses and expand academic options, to ensure that students are ready for college, are possibly starting to take hold.
"Some of these kids wouldn't have taken the SAT just a few years ago. They wouldn't have wanted to. They wouldn't have been encouraged to. And both are changing," said former West Virginia governor Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, a group seeking to improve high schools. "I also take it as a challenge. It's not fair to build the expectation level and not be able to deliver on the quality of education."
In 2005, the SAT was revamped and expanded to include a writing section, changes that prompted test scores to fall and some students to complain that the exam was too long.
But that downward trend leveled off with the Class of 2008. The average scores, including public and private schools, were: critical reading, 502 (out of 800); math, 515; and writing, 494. The combined average was 1511.
For Fairfax County public schools, the average score rose 15 points, to 1654, from last year. Montgomery County public schools' scores dropped seven points, to 1617. The two counties, with the region's largest school systems, reported that fewer students took the test. Officials in both counties said that fewer black students took the exam. Hispanic participation decreased slightly in Fairfax.
One possible explanation is that more students are opting to take the ACT, another widely used entrance exam, school officials said. In addition, some colleges are making the SAT test optional for
admissions. Fairfax school officials also said more students opted not to answer a question on their ethnicity.
In Arlington County schools, the overall number of students tested dropped, although the tally of black and Hispanic test-takers rose. Black students
received higher scores in all three sections, but the scores for Hispanic students fell across the board.
The SAT used to be taken mainly by an elite group of top-performing students. Kathleen Wills, director of planning and evaluation for Arlington schools, said a small dip in performance is expected as more students who aren't at the top of their class join the test-takers.
"When you see participation increase, it's not surprising to see the overall averages drop," Wills said. "The first groups that participate are likely to be the highest-achieving students."
Staff writers Nelson Hernandez, Ian Shapira, Bill Turque and Theresa Vargas contributed to this report.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
California Latino Leader Put On Sidelines Of Dem Convention
Villaraigosa denies Denver snub; says he's working hard for Obama
Some speculated that the mayor's limited role at the convention was retribution for his support for Clinton during the primaries.
By John L. Mitchell and Phil Willon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 27, 2008
DENVER -- -- Far from center stage, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spent the first day of the Democratic National Convention straining to speak over clattering dishes as he addressed a breakfast meeting Monday of the Florida delegation.
On the second day, Villaraigosa remained on the sidelines, as early Barack Obama supporters like Federico Peña, the former mayor of Denver, and Rep. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles took the stage.
With no prime-time speaking slot or other major role at the four-day convention, one of the nation's best-known Latino elected officials has been relegated mostly to side events. He has filled the void by feverishly working crowds and the news media and appearing on cable's MSNBC and Fox News. He spoke to delegates from New Hampshire on Sunday, Florida on Monday and Minnesota and Texas on Tuesday.
All the while, Villaraigosa has been careful to brush aside any speculation that he was snubbed by Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama as retribution for his aggressive campaigning for rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries.
"I've been asked that question 100 times," said Villaraigosa, who spoke at the Democratic convention in 2004 when he was a city councilman. "I'm going to Pueblo, Colo., this week to campaign for Barack Obama, and I'm going to campaign as hard for his candidacy" as he did for Clinton.
"It matters to Angelenos who is in the White House. If I have a voice to add to this debate, I intend to use it."
Still, some of Villaraigosa's close political allies said that, as mayor of the nation's second-largest city, he had felt slighted. Hoping to correct that perception, one of Obama's top advisors, Valerie Jarrett, is scheduled to met privately with Villaraigosa on Thursday.
"The purpose of the meeting is to talk about the significant role that Villaraigosa will play in the campaign as it moves from now forward," said Kerman Maddox, who is close to the mayor and serves as a member of the Obama national finance committee. "The Obama campaign wants to make sure that he plays a crucial role in the campaign. They want to reassure the mayor that the Obama campaign appreciates everything he is doing."
Villaraigosa was one of Clinton's most tireless and effective advocates on the primary campaign trail, a strong voice in states where Latino voters were critical. Clinton credited Villaraigosa with helping deliver a popular victory in Nevada's Democratic caucuses in January, after which questions grew about Obama's ability to win over Latinos. Another public thank-you came when Clinton spoke Tuesday night -- the mayor sat just behind Bill Clinton in the convention hall.
Villaraigosa made a swift pivot to Obama when the primary season ended, citing the Illinois senator's inspiring message and the perils of another Republican administration in the White House. In July, the Obama campaign asked Villaraigosa to introduce him at a convention of Latino civil rights leaders, and met with him and three other Latino supporters of Clinton at the National Conference of Mayors in Miami.
But vestiges of Villaraigosa's loyalty to Clinton linger, even when he tried to put a positive spin on the outcome of the divisive primary in his address to the Florida delegation Monday.
"As someone who campaigned hard for her," Villaraigosa said, "I said this is the most talented field of presidential candidates in my memory. I can't remember a time when so many talented Democrats were in one campaign at one time. And first and foremost among them were Barack Obama and Joe Biden."
Los Angeles-based political consultant Kam Kuwata, who has taken a lead role in planning the Denver convention, said the Obama campaign never intended to keep Villaraigosa off the main stage.
"I'm personally not aware that he made a request to speak," said Kuwata, who has worked as a political consultant for Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former L.A. Mayor James K. Hahn, who lost a reelection bid to Villaraigosa in 2005. "My understanding is that he has been one of the tremendous surrogates for Sen. Obama."
Compared with past conventions, there also is significantly less time for speakers, primarily because the festivities will move to Denver's NFL stadium for Obama's speech Thursday, he said. The Illinois senator also wanted to have a number of "average, everyday folks" speak at the convention, Kuwata said.
City Council President Eric Garcetti, an early Obama backer, said that the mayor was not being punished but had simply joined a train that had already left the station. "We have to get as many people on the train as possible," he said. "But the train has to keep moving."
Jaime Regalado, who heads the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the Obama campaign also had to make some practical decisions about the convention lineup.
The Latino politicians scheduled to speak at the convention include Peña, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, all of whom come from swing states that Obama needs to win in November, Regalado said. California, on the other hand, is expected to back Obama by a wide margin, he said.
"If you're trying to cover your bases pragmatically, and already have three or four Latinos on the program, what is Antonio going to do?" Regalado said. "I'm not sure there was a strong feeling that Antonio could be much of a help at this convention."
Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez of Los Angeles, who also worked for Clinton, said that both he and Villaraigosa had told the Obama campaign they would help in any way possible and that "they still have some work to do" to win over Latino voters.
"It's expected, in this type of situation, that if you were not there from the very beginning, it's not expected that you'll be part of the shindig at the convention," said Nuñez, a Villaraigosa friend. But, he said, the mayor deserved better, if only for Obama's own self-interest: "He's the mayor of the largest Democratic city in the nation."
Some speculated that the mayor's limited role at the convention was retribution for his support for Clinton during the primaries.
By John L. Mitchell and Phil Willon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 27, 2008
DENVER -- -- Far from center stage, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spent the first day of the Democratic National Convention straining to speak over clattering dishes as he addressed a breakfast meeting Monday of the Florida delegation.
On the second day, Villaraigosa remained on the sidelines, as early Barack Obama supporters like Federico Peña, the former mayor of Denver, and Rep. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles took the stage.
With no prime-time speaking slot or other major role at the four-day convention, one of the nation's best-known Latino elected officials has been relegated mostly to side events. He has filled the void by feverishly working crowds and the news media and appearing on cable's MSNBC and Fox News. He spoke to delegates from New Hampshire on Sunday, Florida on Monday and Minnesota and Texas on Tuesday.
All the while, Villaraigosa has been careful to brush aside any speculation that he was snubbed by Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama as retribution for his aggressive campaigning for rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries.
"I've been asked that question 100 times," said Villaraigosa, who spoke at the Democratic convention in 2004 when he was a city councilman. "I'm going to Pueblo, Colo., this week to campaign for Barack Obama, and I'm going to campaign as hard for his candidacy" as he did for Clinton.
"It matters to Angelenos who is in the White House. If I have a voice to add to this debate, I intend to use it."
Still, some of Villaraigosa's close political allies said that, as mayor of the nation's second-largest city, he had felt slighted. Hoping to correct that perception, one of Obama's top advisors, Valerie Jarrett, is scheduled to met privately with Villaraigosa on Thursday.
"The purpose of the meeting is to talk about the significant role that Villaraigosa will play in the campaign as it moves from now forward," said Kerman Maddox, who is close to the mayor and serves as a member of the Obama national finance committee. "The Obama campaign wants to make sure that he plays a crucial role in the campaign. They want to reassure the mayor that the Obama campaign appreciates everything he is doing."
Villaraigosa was one of Clinton's most tireless and effective advocates on the primary campaign trail, a strong voice in states where Latino voters were critical. Clinton credited Villaraigosa with helping deliver a popular victory in Nevada's Democratic caucuses in January, after which questions grew about Obama's ability to win over Latinos. Another public thank-you came when Clinton spoke Tuesday night -- the mayor sat just behind Bill Clinton in the convention hall.
Villaraigosa made a swift pivot to Obama when the primary season ended, citing the Illinois senator's inspiring message and the perils of another Republican administration in the White House. In July, the Obama campaign asked Villaraigosa to introduce him at a convention of Latino civil rights leaders, and met with him and three other Latino supporters of Clinton at the National Conference of Mayors in Miami.
But vestiges of Villaraigosa's loyalty to Clinton linger, even when he tried to put a positive spin on the outcome of the divisive primary in his address to the Florida delegation Monday.
"As someone who campaigned hard for her," Villaraigosa said, "I said this is the most talented field of presidential candidates in my memory. I can't remember a time when so many talented Democrats were in one campaign at one time. And first and foremost among them were Barack Obama and Joe Biden."
Los Angeles-based political consultant Kam Kuwata, who has taken a lead role in planning the Denver convention, said the Obama campaign never intended to keep Villaraigosa off the main stage.
"I'm personally not aware that he made a request to speak," said Kuwata, who has worked as a political consultant for Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former L.A. Mayor James K. Hahn, who lost a reelection bid to Villaraigosa in 2005. "My understanding is that he has been one of the tremendous surrogates for Sen. Obama."
Compared with past conventions, there also is significantly less time for speakers, primarily because the festivities will move to Denver's NFL stadium for Obama's speech Thursday, he said. The Illinois senator also wanted to have a number of "average, everyday folks" speak at the convention, Kuwata said.
City Council President Eric Garcetti, an early Obama backer, said that the mayor was not being punished but had simply joined a train that had already left the station. "We have to get as many people on the train as possible," he said. "But the train has to keep moving."
Jaime Regalado, who heads the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the Obama campaign also had to make some practical decisions about the convention lineup.
The Latino politicians scheduled to speak at the convention include Peña, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, all of whom come from swing states that Obama needs to win in November, Regalado said. California, on the other hand, is expected to back Obama by a wide margin, he said.
"If you're trying to cover your bases pragmatically, and already have three or four Latinos on the program, what is Antonio going to do?" Regalado said. "I'm not sure there was a strong feeling that Antonio could be much of a help at this convention."
Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez of Los Angeles, who also worked for Clinton, said that both he and Villaraigosa had told the Obama campaign they would help in any way possible and that "they still have some work to do" to win over Latino voters.
"It's expected, in this type of situation, that if you were not there from the very beginning, it's not expected that you'll be part of the shindig at the convention," said Nuñez, a Villaraigosa friend. But, he said, the mayor deserved better, if only for Obama's own self-interest: "He's the mayor of the largest Democratic city in the nation."
Kansas School Introduces New Latino Studies Education Program
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Introduces New Latino/a Studies Minor
infoZine Staff
Lawrence, KS - infoZine- The interdisciplinary program, hosted by the American Studies Program, offers students the opportunity to study what census reports have identified as the largest minority group in the United States and Kansas. That change in population statistics combined with faculty and student interest in the field were factors in the creation of the minor.
"The establishment of the Latino/a studies minor is part of ongoing efforts in the College to ensure programs are relevant for today's student and our rapidly changing world," said College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Joseph E. Steinmetz. "I'm pleased our curriculum reflects current population trends and vast social and political effects of the 'largest' minority on contemporary American culture."
Steinmetz added that the minor may help with recruitment efforts of Latino/a students to the university, further diversifying the student body.
Traditionally, these programs have been on the East and West Coasts or in the Southwest, said Latino/a studies adviser Marta Caminero-Santangelo. With Latino populations growing in Midwestern states, KU is fulfilling a need in the region for Latino/a studies programs. Other universities with similar programs include Columbia University, Iowa State University, Arizona State University and several University of California campuses.
The effort to establish the new minor was spearheaded by Caminero-Santangelo, who is also an associate professor of English and U.S. Latino/a literature scholar. The opportunity to create the minor was made possible through expansion of faculty with expertise in Latino/a topics.
Many of those faculty were involved in the first-ever, national, interdisciplinary U.S. Latino/a studies conference, "Nuestra America in the U.S.?," which was held at KU last February and coincided with the launch of the new minor.
Caminero-Santangelo said the new minor complements several majors and career paths, including political science and anthropology.
"It signals an interest and training in issues having to do with what is now, statistically, the largest minority 'group' in the U.S., so of course it would be very valuable to a wide variety of career paths that require knowledge of the diversity of U.S. cultures," she said.
In order to provide a comprehensive curriculum on the importance of the Latino community's broad impact on U.S. culture, society and politics, courses for the minor are spread out among several departments. These include American studies, anthropology, English, political science, Spanish and Portuguese, social welfare, sociology, geography, history and Latin American studies.
The incorporation of Latin American studies in the minor distinguishes KU's program from other universities', said Ruben Flores, assistant professor of American studies.
"One thing that makes KU different, I would argue, is the extent of our emphasis on Latin America as a component of Latino studies, which traditionally has been U.S.-centered," Flores said.
Several faculty members involved with the minor specialize in Latin American subjects: Flores and Stuart Day, associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese, study Mexico; Tanya Golash-Boza, assistant professor of American studies and sociology, studies Peru; Brent Metz, assistant professor of anthropology, studies Central American indigenous cultures; and Yajaira Padilla, assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese, studies Salvadoran literatures from El Salvador.
infoZine Staff
Lawrence, KS - infoZine- The interdisciplinary program, hosted by the American Studies Program, offers students the opportunity to study what census reports have identified as the largest minority group in the United States and Kansas. That change in population statistics combined with faculty and student interest in the field were factors in the creation of the minor.
"The establishment of the Latino/a studies minor is part of ongoing efforts in the College to ensure programs are relevant for today's student and our rapidly changing world," said College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Joseph E. Steinmetz. "I'm pleased our curriculum reflects current population trends and vast social and political effects of the 'largest' minority on contemporary American culture."
Steinmetz added that the minor may help with recruitment efforts of Latino/a students to the university, further diversifying the student body.
Traditionally, these programs have been on the East and West Coasts or in the Southwest, said Latino/a studies adviser Marta Caminero-Santangelo. With Latino populations growing in Midwestern states, KU is fulfilling a need in the region for Latino/a studies programs. Other universities with similar programs include Columbia University, Iowa State University, Arizona State University and several University of California campuses.
The effort to establish the new minor was spearheaded by Caminero-Santangelo, who is also an associate professor of English and U.S. Latino/a literature scholar. The opportunity to create the minor was made possible through expansion of faculty with expertise in Latino/a topics.
Many of those faculty were involved in the first-ever, national, interdisciplinary U.S. Latino/a studies conference, "Nuestra America in the U.S.?," which was held at KU last February and coincided with the launch of the new minor.
Caminero-Santangelo said the new minor complements several majors and career paths, including political science and anthropology.
"It signals an interest and training in issues having to do with what is now, statistically, the largest minority 'group' in the U.S., so of course it would be very valuable to a wide variety of career paths that require knowledge of the diversity of U.S. cultures," she said.
In order to provide a comprehensive curriculum on the importance of the Latino community's broad impact on U.S. culture, society and politics, courses for the minor are spread out among several departments. These include American studies, anthropology, English, political science, Spanish and Portuguese, social welfare, sociology, geography, history and Latin American studies.
The incorporation of Latin American studies in the minor distinguishes KU's program from other universities', said Ruben Flores, assistant professor of American studies.
"One thing that makes KU different, I would argue, is the extent of our emphasis on Latin America as a component of Latino studies, which traditionally has been U.S.-centered," Flores said.
Several faculty members involved with the minor specialize in Latin American subjects: Flores and Stuart Day, associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese, study Mexico; Tanya Golash-Boza, assistant professor of American studies and sociology, studies Peru; Brent Metz, assistant professor of anthropology, studies Central American indigenous cultures; and Yajaira Padilla, assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese, studies Salvadoran literatures from El Salvador.
Tennessee Hispanic Leader Share Culture and Fears of Hispanic Voters
Tennessee delegation hears from state Hispanic leader
By BILL THEOBALD • Gannett News Service • August 25, 2008
DENVER — On the first morning of the Democratic National Convention, Tennessee delegation heard Monday from an emerging force in the state's political, economic and cultural life: Hispanics.
Fabian Bedne, Nashville, chairman of Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats, said that newly arrived Hispanics need to be encouraged to become involved in politics because they grew up in countries with corrupt governments.
"We tend to mistrust the system, mistrust the government," said Bedne, who came to the U.S. from Argentina 18 years ago.
Bedne told a crowd of several hundred delegates, alternates, and family gathered in the delegation's eastside hotel for breakfast that many Hispanics also don't trust the media because in their countries it is a tool of the state. To reach them, he said, requires personal contact. "Word of mouth is what matters," he said.
After a breakfast, Tennessee delegates were headed downtown for meetings of various political groups, a lunch in their honor sponsored by Rep. Lincoln Davis of Pall Mall, and tonight's first evening of convention business at the Pepsi Center arena. Michelle Obama, wife presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, is the featured speaker.
By BILL THEOBALD • Gannett News Service • August 25, 2008
DENVER — On the first morning of the Democratic National Convention, Tennessee delegation heard Monday from an emerging force in the state's political, economic and cultural life: Hispanics.
Fabian Bedne, Nashville, chairman of Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats, said that newly arrived Hispanics need to be encouraged to become involved in politics because they grew up in countries with corrupt governments.
"We tend to mistrust the system, mistrust the government," said Bedne, who came to the U.S. from Argentina 18 years ago.
Bedne told a crowd of several hundred delegates, alternates, and family gathered in the delegation's eastside hotel for breakfast that many Hispanics also don't trust the media because in their countries it is a tool of the state. To reach them, he said, requires personal contact. "Word of mouth is what matters," he said.
After a breakfast, Tennessee delegates were headed downtown for meetings of various political groups, a lunch in their honor sponsored by Rep. Lincoln Davis of Pall Mall, and tonight's first evening of convention business at the Pepsi Center arena. Michelle Obama, wife presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, is the featured speaker.
Clinton Tells Hispanic Caucus To Support Obama
DNC: Hillary Clinton Makes Surprise Visit to Hispanic Caucus
Former candidates urges support of Obama
By Andrew Villegas, avillegas@greeleytribune.com
With hopes for the vice presidency gone and Democratic Party officials preaching reconciliation, Sen. Hillary Clinton appealed to her base Monday morning to use the same exuberance they used for her to elect Sen. Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.
An enthusiastic Clinton yelled her thanks to the members of the Democratic National Committee Hispanic Caucus, meeting in Denver as part of the Democratic National Conventiion, for supporting her candidacy.
But at the same time, she looked to unify a Latino base under Obama’s leadership.
Clinton made an unscheduled appearance Monday morning at the Hispanic Caucus meeting, which attracted hundreds of Latinos from around the country. The caucus-goers chanted “Hillary! Hillary!” when Clinton arrived and a throng of people pushed to the small stage to gather a glimpse of the former presidential candidate and First Lady.
“I came here to say thank you for the support you gave me,” Clinton said. “Now we come together here in Denver to pledge our support and to unify behind the next president of the United States, Barack Obama.”
Clinton said a Democratic president is key to ensuring affordable health care.
“I know with all my heart that we cannot afford four more years of the same failed policies,” Clinton said. “I will be forever grateful (if you) work for Barack Obama as hard as you worked for me.”
Clinton embraced Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and his older brother Rep. John Salazar, also from Colorado, on stage as well as Ramona Martinez, former Denver City Councilwoman and chairowoman of the Hispanic Caucus.
Greeley resident Polly Baca, who was slated to give the invocation as the gavel falls on the official ceremony Monday night, was also at the caucus.
“This is my 12th convention,” Baca said, adding that she’s been to every convention since 1972. “It’s a statewide gift—we want to show the world what we are in Colorado.”
Sen. Salazar told caucus-goers that “the Latino community is on the move.”
“Some may say that there will not be a time in our lifetime when we will see a Latino president,” Salazar said. “I believe in my lifetime I will see that happen.”
Others spoke that the Latino community would decide the presidency.
Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said Latinos—with their votes—will continue to make major contributions to the United States.
“I believe the road to the White House comes through the Latino population,” Menendez said.
Former candidates urges support of Obama
By Andrew Villegas, avillegas@greeleytribune.com
With hopes for the vice presidency gone and Democratic Party officials preaching reconciliation, Sen. Hillary Clinton appealed to her base Monday morning to use the same exuberance they used for her to elect Sen. Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.
An enthusiastic Clinton yelled her thanks to the members of the Democratic National Committee Hispanic Caucus, meeting in Denver as part of the Democratic National Conventiion, for supporting her candidacy.
But at the same time, she looked to unify a Latino base under Obama’s leadership.
Clinton made an unscheduled appearance Monday morning at the Hispanic Caucus meeting, which attracted hundreds of Latinos from around the country. The caucus-goers chanted “Hillary! Hillary!” when Clinton arrived and a throng of people pushed to the small stage to gather a glimpse of the former presidential candidate and First Lady.
“I came here to say thank you for the support you gave me,” Clinton said. “Now we come together here in Denver to pledge our support and to unify behind the next president of the United States, Barack Obama.”
Clinton said a Democratic president is key to ensuring affordable health care.
“I know with all my heart that we cannot afford four more years of the same failed policies,” Clinton said. “I will be forever grateful (if you) work for Barack Obama as hard as you worked for me.”
Clinton embraced Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and his older brother Rep. John Salazar, also from Colorado, on stage as well as Ramona Martinez, former Denver City Councilwoman and chairowoman of the Hispanic Caucus.
Greeley resident Polly Baca, who was slated to give the invocation as the gavel falls on the official ceremony Monday night, was also at the caucus.
“This is my 12th convention,” Baca said, adding that she’s been to every convention since 1972. “It’s a statewide gift—we want to show the world what we are in Colorado.”
Sen. Salazar told caucus-goers that “the Latino community is on the move.”
“Some may say that there will not be a time in our lifetime when we will see a Latino president,” Salazar said. “I believe in my lifetime I will see that happen.”
Others spoke that the Latino community would decide the presidency.
Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said Latinos—with their votes—will continue to make major contributions to the United States.
“I believe the road to the White House comes through the Latino population,” Menendez said.
Pan-American Pre-law boot camp helps Latinos get into law school
Institute helps prepare Hispanic students for law school admissions
Jeremy Roebuck
Juan Zamora has always stood out from his peers in the legal community.
Tattoos cover his forearms and biceps.
He spent his teen years in and out of alternative education programs for students expelled from school.
And as a Hispanic male from one of the poorest regions in the country, he belongs to a group that has historically struggled to get into law school.
But the now 31-year-old attorney at the McAllen-based Hockema & Longoria law firm is exactly the type of student the University of Texas-Pan America's pre-law boot camp has been trying to reach for nearly a decade, its director Jerry Polinard said.
The Law School Preparation Institute, which graduated its eighth class this month, was started on the campus in 2001 in hopes of increasing the number of minority applications at state law schools.
Each summer, a new crop of aspiring attorneys undergoes an intense session of classes on legal writing, reasoning and argument coupled with visits from legal professors, admissions deans and test prep experts.
"This is arguably the most intensive undergraduate program on the campus," Polinard said. "Not only does this enhance their chances of getting into law school but their chances of staying in."
In 1996, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that race could no longer be considered in admissions decisions at the University of Texas Law School. But that left a problem in recruiting minority candidates, Polinard said.
Studies have shown that Hispanics tend to score lower on their Law School Admissions Test than their Anglo peers because of the heavy emphasis placed on language skills. And that test score remains the single most important factor in making admissions decisions at most schools.
But through the UTPA institute, students not only prepare themselves to overcome that score gap but get a taste for the rigor of law school courses, Polinard said.
Of the institute's graduates who have gone through the application process, 90 percent have been accepted to at least one school - almost double the overall acceptance rate of UTPA students.
Of those that have gone on to start law school, only two have not graduated.
"Everybody always said if you can get through (the institute) you can get through law school," said John Rudy Flores, a recent UTPA graduate who completed the program this month.
Zamora, who decided to become a lawyer while reading the novels of attorney-author John Grisham as a teen, attended the institute in 2003.
In the years since, he has graduated from the UT Law, clerked for U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa and currently works as a general civil litigation attorney.
"It exposed us and gave us a precursor to what to expect," he said. "I felt very well prepared to go to that next level."
Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.
Jeremy Roebuck
Juan Zamora has always stood out from his peers in the legal community.
Tattoos cover his forearms and biceps.
He spent his teen years in and out of alternative education programs for students expelled from school.
And as a Hispanic male from one of the poorest regions in the country, he belongs to a group that has historically struggled to get into law school.
But the now 31-year-old attorney at the McAllen-based Hockema & Longoria law firm is exactly the type of student the University of Texas-Pan America's pre-law boot camp has been trying to reach for nearly a decade, its director Jerry Polinard said.
The Law School Preparation Institute, which graduated its eighth class this month, was started on the campus in 2001 in hopes of increasing the number of minority applications at state law schools.
Each summer, a new crop of aspiring attorneys undergoes an intense session of classes on legal writing, reasoning and argument coupled with visits from legal professors, admissions deans and test prep experts.
"This is arguably the most intensive undergraduate program on the campus," Polinard said. "Not only does this enhance their chances of getting into law school but their chances of staying in."
In 1996, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that race could no longer be considered in admissions decisions at the University of Texas Law School. But that left a problem in recruiting minority candidates, Polinard said.
Studies have shown that Hispanics tend to score lower on their Law School Admissions Test than their Anglo peers because of the heavy emphasis placed on language skills. And that test score remains the single most important factor in making admissions decisions at most schools.
But through the UTPA institute, students not only prepare themselves to overcome that score gap but get a taste for the rigor of law school courses, Polinard said.
Of the institute's graduates who have gone through the application process, 90 percent have been accepted to at least one school - almost double the overall acceptance rate of UTPA students.
Of those that have gone on to start law school, only two have not graduated.
"Everybody always said if you can get through (the institute) you can get through law school," said John Rudy Flores, a recent UTPA graduate who completed the program this month.
Zamora, who decided to become a lawyer while reading the novels of attorney-author John Grisham as a teen, attended the institute in 2003.
In the years since, he has graduated from the UT Law, clerked for U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa and currently works as a general civil litigation attorney.
"It exposed us and gave us a precursor to what to expect," he said. "I felt very well prepared to go to that next level."
Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Calls For Change
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rally Dems In Denver
Denver, CO (AHN) - Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have just spoken at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
"Under Bush, one out of every three Latinos lack health insurance. Senator Barack Obama is the change we need... let's get our country back on track," Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) told a cheering crowd at the Pepsi Center.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), chairman of the House Intelligence panel and former head of the Hispanic caucus, added that Obama "will restore American power and prestige to the world. He'll take the fight to the terrorists, he'll bring home our troops from Iraq responsibly."
The speeches from the members of the caucus were made after an address by Denver mayor John Hickenlooper. The convention is the most diverse in party history, with 44.3 percent of delegates representing minorities. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean convened the convention to order Monday afternoon in accordance with his role as the temporary chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Michelle Obama will be one of several family members, including Obama's sister Maya Soetero-Ng, who will be addressing Democrats along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and a number of Illinois state officials Monday night. They plan to highlight Obama's life story - a tricky task considering Obama is the son of a Kenyan man and a Kansas woman who was brought up in Hawaii and Indonesia and is looking to become the first African-American president.
A video tribute for Sen. Ted Kennedy is scheduled to be shown, but Democrats may have another headliner with a speech by a Kennedy. The ailing senator has reportedly prepared a speech and will attend the opening night once his doctors give their approval.
Denver, CO (AHN) - Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have just spoken at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
"Under Bush, one out of every three Latinos lack health insurance. Senator Barack Obama is the change we need... let's get our country back on track," Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) told a cheering crowd at the Pepsi Center.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), chairman of the House Intelligence panel and former head of the Hispanic caucus, added that Obama "will restore American power and prestige to the world. He'll take the fight to the terrorists, he'll bring home our troops from Iraq responsibly."
The speeches from the members of the caucus were made after an address by Denver mayor John Hickenlooper. The convention is the most diverse in party history, with 44.3 percent of delegates representing minorities. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean convened the convention to order Monday afternoon in accordance with his role as the temporary chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Michelle Obama will be one of several family members, including Obama's sister Maya Soetero-Ng, who will be addressing Democrats along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and a number of Illinois state officials Monday night. They plan to highlight Obama's life story - a tricky task considering Obama is the son of a Kenyan man and a Kansas woman who was brought up in Hawaii and Indonesia and is looking to become the first African-American president.
A video tribute for Sen. Ted Kennedy is scheduled to be shown, but Democrats may have another headliner with a speech by a Kennedy. The ailing senator has reportedly prepared a speech and will attend the opening night once his doctors give their approval.
Hispanics Give Obama High Marks On Health Care, Education, Jobs
Obama, Lacking Personal Connection, Draws Hispanics on Issues
By Catherine Dodge
Aug. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama may lack a strong personal connection with Hispanics, but he gets good marks on issues those voters say matter most: health care, the Iraq war, education and jobs.
``I see a sunrise and a sunset,'' said Republican Dwayne Chavez, a 43-year-old blood-bank technician from Aurora, Colorado, describing the differences between Illinois Senator Obama and his Republican rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona. ``One with a future ahead of them, and the other in the twilight.''
While more than 60 percent of Hispanics say they support Obama, expanding that margin may be a decisive factor in the November election, when Latinos are likely to play a crucial role nationally and in battleground states such as Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida.
Yet when Latino voters in a focus group in Denver yesterday were asked about Obama's persona -- what it would be like to share potluck dinner, car pool or have him as a neighbor -- there was a disconnect, with many pointing only to his intelligence and basketball skills.
`One-Dimensional'
``We're seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama,'' said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the focus group for the Philadelphia-based Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. ``We are not seeing the human side.''
Hispanics ``just don't feel he's reached out and touched people,'' Hart said.
Of the 12 voters in the group, seven said they favored or were leaning toward Obama, three backed McCain, and two were undecided.
Nationwide, Hispanics are the biggest and fastest-growing minority group. The Census Bureau estimates they have about doubled in number since 1990, to more than 44 million.
President George W. Bush won 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004. McCain, who has a strong record with these voters because of his support for an immigration overhaul that offered a path to citizenship, is looking to match Bush's success.
Troubling for McCain, 71, is that in the 2006 congressional elections, Republican candidates saw their support among Hispanics dip to 30 percent after their party derailed the immigration proposals and called for stepped-up border security.
3-to-1 Margin
A poll of registered Latino voters released last month by the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Center showed they favored Obama over McCain by a margin of almost 3-to-1. Obama, 47, is perceived as best able to handle the issues of greatest concern to Hispanics: jobs, health care, education, immigration and cost of living.
Democrat Paloma Gamarra, 34, a single mother and data analyst from Boulder, Colorado, said Obama is in touch with the concerns of Hispanics.
``He was raised by a single mother,'' she said. ``He knows our struggles.''
If past trends hold, the Pew Hispanic Center estimated that Latinos, who comprise 9 percent of the electorate, would make up only about 6.5 percent of voters in November. There are indications, however, that participation will increase. Fifty- six percent of registered Latinos voted in the primaries, compared with 47 percent in 2004.
Battleground States
The concentration of Hispanics in battleground states such as Colorado, where they account for 12 percent of the vote, makes them a crucial target. In New Mexico, about 40 percent of eligible voters are Latino; they account for 13 percent of the electorate in Nevada and about 14 percent in Florida.
To capture these voters, the Obama campaign announced a $20 million Hispanic voter-mobilization effort in July.
``Hispanic voters are one of the great untapped resources in electoral politics,'' said Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Both parties ``are going to be very cognizant of attracting and keeping these voters.''
Because Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada are battlegrounds and Democrats have increased registration numbers overall, ``this is probably your best chance in a long time to see Latino voters be a critical factor in the outcome,'' said Eric Juenke, a political scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
McCain Opportunity
Still, the lack of personal connection with Obama may give McCain an opportunity to prevent the Democrats from widening their margin of support with Hispanics, and allow the Republican to match Bush's 40 percent support.
Even while most Latinos in the focus group favored Obama, many said Americans wouldn't elect a black president; they also said they were worried about an assassination attempt.
``There are too many closed-minded people,'' said Democrat Alex Moreno, 36, of Arvada, Colorado. ``They are just going to say `No, we are not going to have a black president.'''
Obama's choice of running-mate, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, was praised by the participants in the focus group. While running for the Democratic nomination this year, Biden, 65, had questioned Obama's readiness to be president.
The Biden selection shows Obama is ``open to bringing in people who don't necessarily agree with him,'' said Democrat Carlos Gomez, 37 of Littleton, Colorado.
The focus-group voters, while praising McCain's patriotism and experience, expressed concerns about his age.
``This guy is already forgetting things,'' Moreno said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Catherine Dodge in Denver at cdodge1@bloomberg.net.
By Catherine Dodge
Aug. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Barack Obama may lack a strong personal connection with Hispanics, but he gets good marks on issues those voters say matter most: health care, the Iraq war, education and jobs.
``I see a sunrise and a sunset,'' said Republican Dwayne Chavez, a 43-year-old blood-bank technician from Aurora, Colorado, describing the differences between Illinois Senator Obama and his Republican rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona. ``One with a future ahead of them, and the other in the twilight.''
While more than 60 percent of Hispanics say they support Obama, expanding that margin may be a decisive factor in the November election, when Latinos are likely to play a crucial role nationally and in battleground states such as Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida.
Yet when Latino voters in a focus group in Denver yesterday were asked about Obama's persona -- what it would be like to share potluck dinner, car pool or have him as a neighbor -- there was a disconnect, with many pointing only to his intelligence and basketball skills.
`One-Dimensional'
``We're seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama,'' said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the focus group for the Philadelphia-based Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. ``We are not seeing the human side.''
Hispanics ``just don't feel he's reached out and touched people,'' Hart said.
Of the 12 voters in the group, seven said they favored or were leaning toward Obama, three backed McCain, and two were undecided.
Nationwide, Hispanics are the biggest and fastest-growing minority group. The Census Bureau estimates they have about doubled in number since 1990, to more than 44 million.
President George W. Bush won 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004. McCain, who has a strong record with these voters because of his support for an immigration overhaul that offered a path to citizenship, is looking to match Bush's success.
Troubling for McCain, 71, is that in the 2006 congressional elections, Republican candidates saw their support among Hispanics dip to 30 percent after their party derailed the immigration proposals and called for stepped-up border security.
3-to-1 Margin
A poll of registered Latino voters released last month by the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Center showed they favored Obama over McCain by a margin of almost 3-to-1. Obama, 47, is perceived as best able to handle the issues of greatest concern to Hispanics: jobs, health care, education, immigration and cost of living.
Democrat Paloma Gamarra, 34, a single mother and data analyst from Boulder, Colorado, said Obama is in touch with the concerns of Hispanics.
``He was raised by a single mother,'' she said. ``He knows our struggles.''
If past trends hold, the Pew Hispanic Center estimated that Latinos, who comprise 9 percent of the electorate, would make up only about 6.5 percent of voters in November. There are indications, however, that participation will increase. Fifty- six percent of registered Latinos voted in the primaries, compared with 47 percent in 2004.
Battleground States
The concentration of Hispanics in battleground states such as Colorado, where they account for 12 percent of the vote, makes them a crucial target. In New Mexico, about 40 percent of eligible voters are Latino; they account for 13 percent of the electorate in Nevada and about 14 percent in Florida.
To capture these voters, the Obama campaign announced a $20 million Hispanic voter-mobilization effort in July.
``Hispanic voters are one of the great untapped resources in electoral politics,'' said Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Both parties ``are going to be very cognizant of attracting and keeping these voters.''
Because Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada are battlegrounds and Democrats have increased registration numbers overall, ``this is probably your best chance in a long time to see Latino voters be a critical factor in the outcome,'' said Eric Juenke, a political scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
McCain Opportunity
Still, the lack of personal connection with Obama may give McCain an opportunity to prevent the Democrats from widening their margin of support with Hispanics, and allow the Republican to match Bush's 40 percent support.
Even while most Latinos in the focus group favored Obama, many said Americans wouldn't elect a black president; they also said they were worried about an assassination attempt.
``There are too many closed-minded people,'' said Democrat Alex Moreno, 36, of Arvada, Colorado. ``They are just going to say `No, we are not going to have a black president.'''
Obama's choice of running-mate, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, was praised by the participants in the focus group. While running for the Democratic nomination this year, Biden, 65, had questioned Obama's readiness to be president.
The Biden selection shows Obama is ``open to bringing in people who don't necessarily agree with him,'' said Democrat Carlos Gomez, 37 of Littleton, Colorado.
The focus-group voters, while praising McCain's patriotism and experience, expressed concerns about his age.
``This guy is already forgetting things,'' Moreno said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Catherine Dodge in Denver at cdodge1@bloomberg.net.
Hispanic Congressional Leaders Push for Votes
Democrats Emphasize Pitch for Hispanic Vote
Hispanic Business, Aug. 26, 2008
DENVER (dpa) -- The presence of Hispanic Congressional leaders at the Democratic convention kick-off in Denver, Colorado, underlined the center-left party's renewed push for votes in the Republican-leaning Mountain West region.
A key factor in holding the convention in Denver was to help pursue the growing number of Hispanic voters in the Rocky Mountain state and in nearby New Mexico and Nevada.
Florida is also a key battleground in the Hispanic strategy for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who will accept the party's nomination on Thursday.
Silvestre Reyes, congressman from Texas and a key player on the armed services and select intelligence committees, charged that eight years under US President George W Bush had done "grave damage to our national security and undermined our democratic values."
Congressman Jose Serrano, another Hispanic leader from the South Bronx, New York, one of the poorest congressional districts in the nation, said: "Our families cannot afford four more years of recession, stagnation and failure. Barack Obama will steer us back in the right direction."
Hispanic Business, Aug. 26, 2008
DENVER (dpa) -- The presence of Hispanic Congressional leaders at the Democratic convention kick-off in Denver, Colorado, underlined the center-left party's renewed push for votes in the Republican-leaning Mountain West region.
A key factor in holding the convention in Denver was to help pursue the growing number of Hispanic voters in the Rocky Mountain state and in nearby New Mexico and Nevada.
Florida is also a key battleground in the Hispanic strategy for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who will accept the party's nomination on Thursday.
Silvestre Reyes, congressman from Texas and a key player on the armed services and select intelligence committees, charged that eight years under US President George W Bush had done "grave damage to our national security and undermined our democratic values."
Congressman Jose Serrano, another Hispanic leader from the South Bronx, New York, one of the poorest congressional districts in the nation, said: "Our families cannot afford four more years of recession, stagnation and failure. Barack Obama will steer us back in the right direction."
Union Calls Authorities On Largest Hispanic Immigration Raid
ICE: Nearly 600 detained in Mississippi plant raid as co-workers applaud
By HOLBROOK MOHR, The Associated Press, August 26, 2008
LAUREL, Miss. -- The largest single-workplace immigration raid in U.S. history has caused panic among Hispanic families in this small southern Mississippi town, where federal agents rounded up nearly 600 plant workers suspected of being in the country illegally.
One worker caught in Monday's sweep at the Howard Industries transformer plant said fellow workers applauded as immigrants were taken into custody. Federal officials said a tip from a union member prompted them to start investigating several years ago.
Fabiola Pena, 21, cradled her 2-year-old daughter as she described a chaotic scene at the plant as the raid began, followed by clapping.
"I was crying the whole time. I didn't know what to do," Pena said. "We didn't know what was happening because everyone started running. Some people thought it was a bomb but then we figured out it was immigration."
About 100 of the 595 detained workers were released for humanitarian reasons, many of them mothers who were fitted with electronic monitoring bracelets and allowed to go home to their children, officials said.
About 475 other workers were transferred to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Jena, La. Nine who were under 18 were transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
John Foxworth, an attorney representing some of the immigrants, said eight appeared in federal court in Hattiesburg on Tuesday because they face criminal charges for allegedly using false Social Security and residency identification.
He said the raid was traumatic for families.
"There was no communication, an immediate loss of any kind of news and a lack of understanding of what's happening to their loved ones," he said. "A complete and utter feeling of helplessness."
The superintendent of the county school district said about half of approximately 160 Hispanic students were absent Tuesday.
Roberto Velez, pastor at Iglesia Cristiana Peniel, where an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the 200 parishioners were caught up in the raid, said parents were afraid immigration officials would take them.
"They didn't send their kids to school today," he said. "How scared is that?"
Those detained were from Brazil, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru, said Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman.
Elizabeth Alegria, 26, a Mexican immigrant, was working at the plant Monday when ICE agents stormed in. When they found out she has two sons, ages 4 and 9, she was fitted with a bracelet and told to appear in federal court next month. Her husband, Andres, was not so lucky.
"I'm very traumatized because I don't know if they are going to let my husband go and when I will see him," Elizabeth Alegria said through a translator Tuesday as she returned to the Howard Industries parking lot to retrieve her sport utility vehicle.
"We have kids without dads and pregnant mothers who got their husbands taken away," said Velez's son, Robert, youth pastor at the church. "It was like a horror story. They got handled like they were criminals."
Howard Industries is in Mississippi's Pine Belt region, known for commercial timber growth and chicken processing plants. The tech company produces dozens of products ranging from electrical transformers to medical supplies, according to its Web site.
Gonzalez said agents had executed search warrants at both the plant and the company headquarters in nearby Ellisville. She said no company executives had been detained, but this is an "ongoing investigation and yesterday's action was just the first part."
A woman at the Ellisville headquarters told The Associated Press on Tuesday that no one was available to answer questions.
In a statement to the Laurel Leader-Call newspaper, Howard Industries said the company "runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for its jobs."
"It is company policy that it hires only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants," the statement said.
Gov. Haley Barbour recently signed a law requiring Mississippi employers to use a U.S. Homeland Security system to check new workers' immigration status.
The law took effect July 1 for businesses with state contracts and takes effect Jan. 1 for other businesses. Mississippi lawmakers once used laptops made by Howard Industries, but it's not clear whether the company has current state contracts.
Under the law, a company found guilty of employing illegal immigrants could lose public contracts for three years and the right to do business in Mississippi for one year.
The law also makes it a felony for an illegal immigrant to accept a job in Mississippi. A message was left with the district attorney's office after hours seeking comment on whether he would use the law to bring state charges against Howard Industries or the workers.
The Mississippi raid is one of several nationwide in recent years.
On May 12, federal immigration officials swept into Agriprocessors, the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant, in Iowa. Nearly 400 workers were detained and dozens of fraudulent permanent resident alien cards were seized from the plant's human resources department, according to court records. In December 2006, 1,297 were arrested at Swift meatpacking plants in Nebraska and five other states.
By HOLBROOK MOHR, The Associated Press, August 26, 2008
LAUREL, Miss. -- The largest single-workplace immigration raid in U.S. history has caused panic among Hispanic families in this small southern Mississippi town, where federal agents rounded up nearly 600 plant workers suspected of being in the country illegally.
One worker caught in Monday's sweep at the Howard Industries transformer plant said fellow workers applauded as immigrants were taken into custody. Federal officials said a tip from a union member prompted them to start investigating several years ago.
Fabiola Pena, 21, cradled her 2-year-old daughter as she described a chaotic scene at the plant as the raid began, followed by clapping.
"I was crying the whole time. I didn't know what to do," Pena said. "We didn't know what was happening because everyone started running. Some people thought it was a bomb but then we figured out it was immigration."
About 100 of the 595 detained workers were released for humanitarian reasons, many of them mothers who were fitted with electronic monitoring bracelets and allowed to go home to their children, officials said.
About 475 other workers were transferred to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Jena, La. Nine who were under 18 were transferred to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
John Foxworth, an attorney representing some of the immigrants, said eight appeared in federal court in Hattiesburg on Tuesday because they face criminal charges for allegedly using false Social Security and residency identification.
He said the raid was traumatic for families.
"There was no communication, an immediate loss of any kind of news and a lack of understanding of what's happening to their loved ones," he said. "A complete and utter feeling of helplessness."
The superintendent of the county school district said about half of approximately 160 Hispanic students were absent Tuesday.
Roberto Velez, pastor at Iglesia Cristiana Peniel, where an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the 200 parishioners were caught up in the raid, said parents were afraid immigration officials would take them.
"They didn't send their kids to school today," he said. "How scared is that?"
Those detained were from Brazil, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru, said Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman.
Elizabeth Alegria, 26, a Mexican immigrant, was working at the plant Monday when ICE agents stormed in. When they found out she has two sons, ages 4 and 9, she was fitted with a bracelet and told to appear in federal court next month. Her husband, Andres, was not so lucky.
"I'm very traumatized because I don't know if they are going to let my husband go and when I will see him," Elizabeth Alegria said through a translator Tuesday as she returned to the Howard Industries parking lot to retrieve her sport utility vehicle.
"We have kids without dads and pregnant mothers who got their husbands taken away," said Velez's son, Robert, youth pastor at the church. "It was like a horror story. They got handled like they were criminals."
Howard Industries is in Mississippi's Pine Belt region, known for commercial timber growth and chicken processing plants. The tech company produces dozens of products ranging from electrical transformers to medical supplies, according to its Web site.
Gonzalez said agents had executed search warrants at both the plant and the company headquarters in nearby Ellisville. She said no company executives had been detained, but this is an "ongoing investigation and yesterday's action was just the first part."
A woman at the Ellisville headquarters told The Associated Press on Tuesday that no one was available to answer questions.
In a statement to the Laurel Leader-Call newspaper, Howard Industries said the company "runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for its jobs."
"It is company policy that it hires only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants," the statement said.
Gov. Haley Barbour recently signed a law requiring Mississippi employers to use a U.S. Homeland Security system to check new workers' immigration status.
The law took effect July 1 for businesses with state contracts and takes effect Jan. 1 for other businesses. Mississippi lawmakers once used laptops made by Howard Industries, but it's not clear whether the company has current state contracts.
Under the law, a company found guilty of employing illegal immigrants could lose public contracts for three years and the right to do business in Mississippi for one year.
The law also makes it a felony for an illegal immigrant to accept a job in Mississippi. A message was left with the district attorney's office after hours seeking comment on whether he would use the law to bring state charges against Howard Industries or the workers.
The Mississippi raid is one of several nationwide in recent years.
On May 12, federal immigration officials swept into Agriprocessors, the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant, in Iowa. Nearly 400 workers were detained and dozens of fraudulent permanent resident alien cards were seized from the plant's human resources department, according to court records. In December 2006, 1,297 were arrested at Swift meatpacking plants in Nebraska and five other states.
Over 20 Percent Latinos Live In Poverty
New Government Poverty Figures Paint Incomplete Picture of Struggling Low-Income Families
PR Newswire, 08/26/2008
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the percentage of Americans in poverty increased from 12.3 percent in 2006 to 12.5 percent in 2007. However, these figures do not paint a complete picture of America's struggling low-income families.
Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World said it's important to bear in mind that the numbers reflect data from 2007, prior to the effects of the worsening economic downturn the nation has suffered this year.
"Also conspicuously absent from these latest figures is the impact that drastically increasing living expenses such as healthcare, childcare, transportation, and housing have had on low-income families," said Rev. Beckmann. "The current way we measure poverty in the U.S. is woefully out of date. It assumes that food consumes a third of a family's budget, which does not reflect today's realities and fails to capture the true extent of the hardship experienced by American families."
He added that work support programs like the Food Stamp Program, Earned Income Tax Credit and child care and housing assistance have been shown to reduce poverty. "We must strengthen our social safety nets to better help struggling families," he urged.
Additional Census Bureau Report findings for 2007 include:
* For children younger than 18, the poverty rate increased from 17.4 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2007, bringing the number of children living in poverty to 13.3 million.
* For Hispanics, 21.5 percent were living in poverty in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006. Poverty rates remained statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic whites (8.2 percent), blacks (24.5 percent) and Asians (10.2 percent) in 2007.
* The number of people living in poverty in the South increased to 15.5 million in 2007, up from 14.9 million in 2006.
According to Rev. Beckmann the new poverty data and a recent government report on rising job losses in 2008 reinforce the urgent need for Congress to enact a second economic stimulus package. He warned that it suggests that rebate checks from the first economic stimulus package of 2008 helped to mitigate the impact of the slowing economy but not boost it. Many economists are concerned that the economy will further slow down later this year as the tax rebate money is spent.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist, we provide help and opportunity far beyond the communities where we live. www.bread.org
SOURCE Bread for the World
PR Newswire, 08/26/2008
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the percentage of Americans in poverty increased from 12.3 percent in 2006 to 12.5 percent in 2007. However, these figures do not paint a complete picture of America's struggling low-income families.
Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World said it's important to bear in mind that the numbers reflect data from 2007, prior to the effects of the worsening economic downturn the nation has suffered this year.
"Also conspicuously absent from these latest figures is the impact that drastically increasing living expenses such as healthcare, childcare, transportation, and housing have had on low-income families," said Rev. Beckmann. "The current way we measure poverty in the U.S. is woefully out of date. It assumes that food consumes a third of a family's budget, which does not reflect today's realities and fails to capture the true extent of the hardship experienced by American families."
He added that work support programs like the Food Stamp Program, Earned Income Tax Credit and child care and housing assistance have been shown to reduce poverty. "We must strengthen our social safety nets to better help struggling families," he urged.
Additional Census Bureau Report findings for 2007 include:
* For children younger than 18, the poverty rate increased from 17.4 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2007, bringing the number of children living in poverty to 13.3 million.
* For Hispanics, 21.5 percent were living in poverty in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006. Poverty rates remained statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic whites (8.2 percent), blacks (24.5 percent) and Asians (10.2 percent) in 2007.
* The number of people living in poverty in the South increased to 15.5 million in 2007, up from 14.9 million in 2006.
According to Rev. Beckmann the new poverty data and a recent government report on rising job losses in 2008 reinforce the urgent need for Congress to enact a second economic stimulus package. He warned that it suggests that rebate checks from the first economic stimulus package of 2008 helped to mitigate the impact of the slowing economy but not boost it. Many economists are concerned that the economy will further slow down later this year as the tax rebate money is spent.
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist, we provide help and opportunity far beyond the communities where we live. www.bread.org
SOURCE Bread for the World
Report: 57 Percent of Latino Inmates are Parents
Nation's Prisons Were Parents to 1,706,600 Minor Children at Midyear 2007
PR Newswire, 08/26/2008
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An estimated 809,800 prisoners of the 1,518,535 held in the nation's prison at midyear 2007 were parents of minor children, according to a report by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Parents in prison: 52 percent of state inmates and 63 percent of federal inmates reported having an estimated 1,706,600 minor children. Among state inmates, the percent of parents in prison decreased from 55 percent in 1997 but has remained stable for federal inmates.
About 2.3 percent of the 74 million children in the U.S. resident population who were under the age of 18 on July 1, 2007, had a parent in prison. Black and Hispanic children were about eight and three times, respectively, more likely than white children to have a parent in prison. Among minor children in the U.S. resident population, 6.7 percent of black children, 2.4 percent of Hispanic children, and 0.9 percent of white children had a parent in prison. State inmates who were parents reported that nearly a quarter of their children were age four or younger and reported having two children on average.
Among fathers in state and federal prisons, more than four in 10 were black, about three in 10 were white, and about two in 10 were Hispanic. Among mothers, 48 percent were white, 28 percent were black, and 17 percent were Hispanic.
State inmates age 25 to 34 (64 percent) were most likely to report being a parent, those age 55 or older (13 percent) were the least likely. Hispanic (57 percent) and black (54 percent) state inmates were more likely to report being a parent than white (46 percent) inmates. Findings were similar among men held in state prison, while the likelihood of being a parent did not vary by race among women.
Among male state inmates, public-order (60 percent) and drug (59 percent) offenders were more likely than violent (47 percent) and property (48 percent) offenders to be fathers. In state prison, inmates with a criminal history (53 percent) were more likely to report being a parent than those without a criminal history (48 percent).
About two-thirds (64 percent) of mothers held in state prison and nearly half (47 percent) of fathers reported living with their minor children either in the month before arrest or just prior to incarceration. Among state inmates, mothers (42 percent) were two and a half times more likely than fathers (17 percent) to report living in a single-parent household in the month before their arrest.
Among parents living with their minor children prior to incarceration, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of mothers compared to just over a quarter (26 percent) of fathers reported providing most of the daily care of their children. More than half of mothers (52 percent) and fathers (54 percent) held in state prison reported providing primary financial support to their minor children.
Eighty-five percent of mothers and 78 percent of fathers in state prison reported having contact with a child (minor or adult) since admission to prison. About half (47 percent) of parents who expected to be released within six months reported at least weekly contact compared to 39 percent with 12 to 59 months, and 32 percent with 60 or more months.
Among parents in state prison, nine percent reported homelessness in the year before arrest, 20 percent had a history of physical or sexual abuse, 41 percent had a current medical problem, 57 percent had a mental health problem, and 67 percent met the criteria for substance dependence or abuse. Seven in ten parents in state prison who met the criteria for substance dependence or abuse reported ever being in a program or receiving treatment for alcohol or drug abuse; more than four in 10 received treatment since admission. Forty-six percent of parents who had a mental health problem reported ever having treatment; 31 percent had received treatment since admission.
Among parents held in state prison, over half (57 percent) had attended self-help or improvement classes since admission. Mothers (27 percent) were about two and a half times more likely than fathers (11 percent) to attend parenting or child-rearing classes.
The majority (52 percent) of parents in state prison reported that they had served 12 to 59 months. Mothers (38 percent) were more likely than fathers (21 percent) to report having served fewer than 12 months. More than six in 10 mothers held in state prison expected to be released in less than 12 months; compared to four in 10 fathers.
The report, Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children (NCJ 222984), was written by BJS statisticians Lauren E. Glaze and Laura M. Maruschak. Following publication, the report can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/pptmc.htm.
For additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics' statistical reports and programs, please visit the BJS Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.
PR Newswire, 08/26/2008
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An estimated 809,800 prisoners of the 1,518,535 held in the nation's prison at midyear 2007 were parents of minor children, according to a report by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Parents in prison: 52 percent of state inmates and 63 percent of federal inmates reported having an estimated 1,706,600 minor children. Among state inmates, the percent of parents in prison decreased from 55 percent in 1997 but has remained stable for federal inmates.
About 2.3 percent of the 74 million children in the U.S. resident population who were under the age of 18 on July 1, 2007, had a parent in prison. Black and Hispanic children were about eight and three times, respectively, more likely than white children to have a parent in prison. Among minor children in the U.S. resident population, 6.7 percent of black children, 2.4 percent of Hispanic children, and 0.9 percent of white children had a parent in prison. State inmates who were parents reported that nearly a quarter of their children were age four or younger and reported having two children on average.
Among fathers in state and federal prisons, more than four in 10 were black, about three in 10 were white, and about two in 10 were Hispanic. Among mothers, 48 percent were white, 28 percent were black, and 17 percent were Hispanic.
State inmates age 25 to 34 (64 percent) were most likely to report being a parent, those age 55 or older (13 percent) were the least likely. Hispanic (57 percent) and black (54 percent) state inmates were more likely to report being a parent than white (46 percent) inmates. Findings were similar among men held in state prison, while the likelihood of being a parent did not vary by race among women.
Among male state inmates, public-order (60 percent) and drug (59 percent) offenders were more likely than violent (47 percent) and property (48 percent) offenders to be fathers. In state prison, inmates with a criminal history (53 percent) were more likely to report being a parent than those without a criminal history (48 percent).
About two-thirds (64 percent) of mothers held in state prison and nearly half (47 percent) of fathers reported living with their minor children either in the month before arrest or just prior to incarceration. Among state inmates, mothers (42 percent) were two and a half times more likely than fathers (17 percent) to report living in a single-parent household in the month before their arrest.
Among parents living with their minor children prior to incarceration, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of mothers compared to just over a quarter (26 percent) of fathers reported providing most of the daily care of their children. More than half of mothers (52 percent) and fathers (54 percent) held in state prison reported providing primary financial support to their minor children.
Eighty-five percent of mothers and 78 percent of fathers in state prison reported having contact with a child (minor or adult) since admission to prison. About half (47 percent) of parents who expected to be released within six months reported at least weekly contact compared to 39 percent with 12 to 59 months, and 32 percent with 60 or more months.
Among parents in state prison, nine percent reported homelessness in the year before arrest, 20 percent had a history of physical or sexual abuse, 41 percent had a current medical problem, 57 percent had a mental health problem, and 67 percent met the criteria for substance dependence or abuse. Seven in ten parents in state prison who met the criteria for substance dependence or abuse reported ever being in a program or receiving treatment for alcohol or drug abuse; more than four in 10 received treatment since admission. Forty-six percent of parents who had a mental health problem reported ever having treatment; 31 percent had received treatment since admission.
Among parents held in state prison, over half (57 percent) had attended self-help or improvement classes since admission. Mothers (27 percent) were about two and a half times more likely than fathers (11 percent) to attend parenting or child-rearing classes.
The majority (52 percent) of parents in state prison reported that they had served 12 to 59 months. Mothers (38 percent) were more likely than fathers (21 percent) to report having served fewer than 12 months. More than six in 10 mothers held in state prison expected to be released in less than 12 months; compared to four in 10 fathers.
The report, Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children (NCJ 222984), was written by BJS statisticians Lauren E. Glaze and Laura M. Maruschak. Following publication, the report can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/pptmc.htm.
For additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics' statistical reports and programs, please visit the BJS Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.
Naverrette: Obama Needs To Overcome Distrust
Obama's huge task awaits
Ruben Naverrete, UNION-TRIBUNE, August 24, 2008
In Denver this week, Barack Obama will make history by becoming the first African-American presidential nominee of a major political party.
It's a great moment for the country. But it could also be a hollow victory for Obama given the emerging consensus that the Democrat isn't doing as well as he should be with all his advantages – robust fundraising, positive press, huge crowds, passionate supporters, etc. In fact, according to some recent polls, Obama isn't as popular as he was a few months ago. Democrats' worst fear is that this could translate to another defeat in November.
Three polls show the contest between Obama and John McCain as a virtual dead heat. A New York Times/CBS News poll and a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey each found 45 percent for Obama and 42 percent for McCain. A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll had nearly identical numbers, giving Obama 45 percent to McCain's 43 percent.
Pundits offer theories that are all over the board. Some say Obama remains a mystery to many voters, while others claim the Russia-Georgia crisis highlighted concerns over his foreign policy gravitas.
In the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg survey, 80 percent of respondents said McCain had the experience to be president. Only 44 percent said the same thing about Obama, while 48 percent said he lacked the experience for the job.
Also, there are still concerns about Obama's patriotism, an issue that his campaign probably hoped it had put to rest. Eighty-four percent considered McCain strongly patriotic, but only 55 percent could say that about Obama. In fact, more than a third – 35 percent – had doubts about Obama's patriotism.
Finally, in the last two months, McCain's supporters have become more enthusiastic about their candidate while the enthusiasm level of Obama's supporters has remained static. So McCain seems to be closing the “passion gap.”
There promises to be plenty of passion in Denver this week, but not all of it beneficial to Obama. Some delegates are passionately committed to the idea that, if the goal is to beat McCain, the man for the job is a woman. Indeed, The Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that Hillary Clinton would have a larger lead over McCain – 49 percent to 43 percent – if she were the Democratic nominee.
That finding caught my eye because it implies that there are Democrats out there who would vote for Clinton but, for whatever reason, aren't planning to vote for Obama.
I hadn't heard much about this group of dissatisfied Democrats, and I wanted to know more. So I spoke to a couple of them recently. One is a white male running for elective office for the first time, and the other is a Hispanic woman from a family of Democrats. These are people who might not go so far as to vote for McCain, but they could just skip the top of the ballot. Both supported Clinton in the primaries, and yet their concerns over Obama are more than just sour grapes. It boils down to this: They don't like him, don't trust him, don't relate to him, and don't think he's ready to be president.
The first-time politician said he thought a lot of his fellow Democrats still have trouble connecting to Obama and that, with voters looking for assurances that leaders are listening to them and understanding their concerns – particularly about the economy – Obama isn't quite there. The Hispanic female thinks Obama isn't likable enough, doesn't have enough experience and that his supporters have been too cavalier about vanquishing Clinton's historic bid to become the first woman president.
There is the challenge for Obama going into the convention. A lot of his recent policy triangulations seem intended to help him reach out to independents and even moderate Republicans. But he has put the cart before the donkey. He still has problems closing the deal with the Democratic base, something he needs to do in Denver.
In the speech of his life, Obama needs to convince Democrats that he is likable, capable and approachable enough to get elected president. And he needs to convince them that, if elected, he'll wake up every day aware of the fact that – as remarkable as his odyssey has been – it was never really about him but about the American people and, as he has acknowledged a number of times, the country that made his story possible.
Ruben Naverrete, UNION-TRIBUNE, August 24, 2008
In Denver this week, Barack Obama will make history by becoming the first African-American presidential nominee of a major political party.
It's a great moment for the country. But it could also be a hollow victory for Obama given the emerging consensus that the Democrat isn't doing as well as he should be with all his advantages – robust fundraising, positive press, huge crowds, passionate supporters, etc. In fact, according to some recent polls, Obama isn't as popular as he was a few months ago. Democrats' worst fear is that this could translate to another defeat in November.
Three polls show the contest between Obama and John McCain as a virtual dead heat. A New York Times/CBS News poll and a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey each found 45 percent for Obama and 42 percent for McCain. A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll had nearly identical numbers, giving Obama 45 percent to McCain's 43 percent.
Pundits offer theories that are all over the board. Some say Obama remains a mystery to many voters, while others claim the Russia-Georgia crisis highlighted concerns over his foreign policy gravitas.
In the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg survey, 80 percent of respondents said McCain had the experience to be president. Only 44 percent said the same thing about Obama, while 48 percent said he lacked the experience for the job.
Also, there are still concerns about Obama's patriotism, an issue that his campaign probably hoped it had put to rest. Eighty-four percent considered McCain strongly patriotic, but only 55 percent could say that about Obama. In fact, more than a third – 35 percent – had doubts about Obama's patriotism.
Finally, in the last two months, McCain's supporters have become more enthusiastic about their candidate while the enthusiasm level of Obama's supporters has remained static. So McCain seems to be closing the “passion gap.”
There promises to be plenty of passion in Denver this week, but not all of it beneficial to Obama. Some delegates are passionately committed to the idea that, if the goal is to beat McCain, the man for the job is a woman. Indeed, The Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that Hillary Clinton would have a larger lead over McCain – 49 percent to 43 percent – if she were the Democratic nominee.
That finding caught my eye because it implies that there are Democrats out there who would vote for Clinton but, for whatever reason, aren't planning to vote for Obama.
I hadn't heard much about this group of dissatisfied Democrats, and I wanted to know more. So I spoke to a couple of them recently. One is a white male running for elective office for the first time, and the other is a Hispanic woman from a family of Democrats. These are people who might not go so far as to vote for McCain, but they could just skip the top of the ballot. Both supported Clinton in the primaries, and yet their concerns over Obama are more than just sour grapes. It boils down to this: They don't like him, don't trust him, don't relate to him, and don't think he's ready to be president.
The first-time politician said he thought a lot of his fellow Democrats still have trouble connecting to Obama and that, with voters looking for assurances that leaders are listening to them and understanding their concerns – particularly about the economy – Obama isn't quite there. The Hispanic female thinks Obama isn't likable enough, doesn't have enough experience and that his supporters have been too cavalier about vanquishing Clinton's historic bid to become the first woman president.
There is the challenge for Obama going into the convention. A lot of his recent policy triangulations seem intended to help him reach out to independents and even moderate Republicans. But he has put the cart before the donkey. He still has problems closing the deal with the Democratic base, something he needs to do in Denver.
In the speech of his life, Obama needs to convince Democrats that he is likable, capable and approachable enough to get elected president. And he needs to convince them that, if elected, he'll wake up every day aware of the fact that – as remarkable as his odyssey has been – it was never really about him but about the American people and, as he has acknowledged a number of times, the country that made his story possible.
Latino Voter Focus Group Says, Obama Needs To Do More
Focus Group: Obama Doesn’t Reach Out and Touch Voters
By Katharine Q. Seelye
DENVER — If a focus group of a dozen Latino voters in Colorado is any indication, Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, still has a way to go to connect with ordinary people.
The Annenberg Center for Public Policy ran a focus group here this morning, with five voters supporting Mr. Obama; three supporting his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain; and four undecided. After listening to them for two hours, Peter Hart, the Democratic pollster who helped oversee the session, said his main conclusion was that Mr. Obama had not reached voters on a human level or conveyed who he was or what he was like.
“This person is closer to Adlai Stevenson than he is to Bill Clinton,” Mr. Hart told reporters after the session. “There is not the sense of that visceral connection.”
This surprised him, he said, because the issues favor the Democrats, and Mr. McCain has not done such a great job of connecting either. But, he said, “you just didn’t feel like we’ve reached out and touched people.”
There were several questions designed to elicit how the voters felt about the candidates. The answers were pretty vague — yet another sign that this campaign may have been going on for almost two years, but many voters have yet to tune in.
On Mr. McCain, many in the group knew he was a veteran and said he was a patriot and had experience, although many also said he was too old to be president.
As for Mr. Obama, many said he was “intelligent,” and they knew he played basketball. But they couldn’t come up with more specifics about him or a sense of his personality.
“We’re seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama,” Mr. Hart said. “We’re not seeing the human side. There’s nothing wrong with the big rallies, and you have to do that and that’s important. But it’s equally important for us to get a sense of what he’s like as a neighbor, what he’s like as a human being.
“There needs to be a much more personal dimension than has been developed at this stage of the game.”
By Katharine Q. Seelye
DENVER — If a focus group of a dozen Latino voters in Colorado is any indication, Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, still has a way to go to connect with ordinary people.
The Annenberg Center for Public Policy ran a focus group here this morning, with five voters supporting Mr. Obama; three supporting his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain; and four undecided. After listening to them for two hours, Peter Hart, the Democratic pollster who helped oversee the session, said his main conclusion was that Mr. Obama had not reached voters on a human level or conveyed who he was or what he was like.
“This person is closer to Adlai Stevenson than he is to Bill Clinton,” Mr. Hart told reporters after the session. “There is not the sense of that visceral connection.”
This surprised him, he said, because the issues favor the Democrats, and Mr. McCain has not done such a great job of connecting either. But, he said, “you just didn’t feel like we’ve reached out and touched people.”
There were several questions designed to elicit how the voters felt about the candidates. The answers were pretty vague — yet another sign that this campaign may have been going on for almost two years, but many voters have yet to tune in.
On Mr. McCain, many in the group knew he was a veteran and said he was a patriot and had experience, although many also said he was too old to be president.
As for Mr. Obama, many said he was “intelligent,” and they knew he played basketball. But they couldn’t come up with more specifics about him or a sense of his personality.
“We’re seeing too much of a one-dimensional Obama,” Mr. Hart said. “We’re not seeing the human side. There’s nothing wrong with the big rallies, and you have to do that and that’s important. But it’s equally important for us to get a sense of what he’s like as a neighbor, what he’s like as a human being.
“There needs to be a much more personal dimension than has been developed at this stage of the game.”
Study Shows Latino Babies at Risk
Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies
By RONI CARYN RABIN, August 25, 2008
Until she was 11 months old, Aleanie Remy-Marquez could have starred in an advertisement for breast milk. She took to nursing easily, was breast-fed exclusively for six or seven months, and ate little else even after that. She was alert and precocious and developed at astonishing speed, her mother said, sitting at four months and walking by eight months.
But once Aleanie started putting weight on her feet, her mother noticed that her legs were curving in a bow shape below the knees. Doctors diagnosed vitamin D-deficiency rickets, a softening of the bones that develops when children do not get enough vitamin D — a crucial ingredient for absorbing calcium and building bone, and the one critical hormone that breast milk often cannot provide enough of.
“I thought I was doing the best thing for her,” said Stephanie Remy-Marquez, of Hyde Park, Mass., after blood tests showed her daughter had no detectable vitamin D. X-ray images of the baby’s wrists and knees showed the edges of the bones and growth plates as blurry and fraying instead of crisp and sharp.
“Breast milk is supposed to be an entire meal, dessert and drinks included,” Ms. Remy-Marquez said. “I thought it was the ultimate cocktail.”
Aleanie’s case was unusual enough to be written up in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in May, but several similar reports have been published in recent years. Some experts fear that vitamin D deficiency, which can be asymptomatic, may be more common than pediatricians realize and that rickets — perceived to be a 19th-century scourge that was wiped out with the fortification of milk — may be going undetected.
Physicians have known for more than a century that exclusive breast-feeding may be associated with vitamin D deficiency and rickets, and that the condition is easily prevented and treated with inexpensive vitamin drops or cod liver oil. But doctors are reluctant to say anything that might discourage breast-feeding.
Now some researchers are also linking vitamin D deficiency with other chronic diseases like diabetes, autoimmune disorders and even cancer, and there have been calls to include blood tests of vitamin D levels in routine checkups.
“I completely support breast-feeding, and I think breast milk is the perfect food, and the healthiest way to nourish an infant,” said Dr. Catherine M. Gordon, director of the bone health program at Children’s Hospital Boston and an author of several studies on vitamin D deficiency, including Aleanie’s case.
“However,” Dr. Gordon continued, “we’re finding so many mothers are vitamin D deficient themselves that the milk is therefore deficient, so many babies can’t keep their levels up. They may start their lives vitamin D deficient, and then all they’re getting is vitamin D deficient breast milk.”
Some doctors and public health officials say conditions may be ripe for rickets to re-emerge: more infants are being breast-fed for extended periods, children are drinking more juice or soda and less milk, and they are spending less time exposed to sunlight, which enables the skin to synthesize vitamin D.
Children with dark skin, like Aleanie, who is African-American, appear to be at even greater risk for rickets because they do not synthesize vitamin D through the skin as easily as those with light skin.
The solution, Dr. Gordon said, is not to quit breast-feeding but to supplement breast-fed infants with vitamin drops, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The academy issued guidelines in 2003 recommending that infants be given 200 international units of vitamin D daily, and it may be increasing the recommended level soon.
But pediatricians do not consistently prescribe vitamin drops. A 2004 survey of North Carolina pediatricians found that fewer than half routinely recommended them, and one in six never recommended them.
Vitamin D deficiency may not be immediately apparent, even as it affects growth, muscle and bone mineralization, said Dr. Craig Langman, professor of kidney disease and pediatrics at Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“It sort of sneaks up on you,” he said. “So the worst scenario is the gas tank is empty and the car won’t go — you have rickets. But at very low levels of gas the car doesn’t perform very well and you start having intermittent loss of power and that sort of thing; as a result you may not be forming enough bone during childhood.”
A recent review of 14 studies, done by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and published in The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in June, found that extreme vitamin D deficiency was rare in the United States, but that up to 78 percent of breast-fed babies who were not supplemented in wintertime were deficient.
Meanwhile, the number of papers describing cases of nutritional rickets in babies and young children in the United States has been accumulating over the past decade or so, from places as disparate as Alaska, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas.
The patients are more likely to be African-American and dark-skinned, and more likely to have been exclusively breast-fed for an extended period of time, without vitamin supplementation. Rates are often higher when there is less sunlight.
In a study conducted by Dr. Gordon of vitamin D levels in 365 mostly African-American and Latino infants and toddlers, 40 percent had low levels and 12 percent were deficient. Although there is a debate about what levels are considered deficient, one toddler in the study was found to have rickets, 13 children showed evidence of bone loss and 3 had bone changes consistent with rickets.
The study, published in The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in June, found that breast-feeding without supplementation was a significant risk factor.
“Human milk is very low in vitamin D, absolutely — there is no question about that,” said Dr. Frank Greer, professor of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and chairman of the committee on nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Historically speaking, we probably got it from the sun, but now we’re afraid of the sun and we don’t go out as much.”
Teenagers are also at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Although their large bones protect them against rickets, they are at risk for osteopenia and even osteoporosis, and may have weaker bones that are more likely to fracture, said Dr. Robert Schwartz, professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., who said he had observed cases of osteopenia and osteoporosis in teenagers.
“The tragedy of this is that when they’re young, they’re building up bone for the rest of their life,” Dr. Schwartz said. As people age and their bones weaken, he said: “Those who had adequate vitamin D and calcium will slide down from the top of the mountain. These kids will slide down from the middle.”
By RONI CARYN RABIN, August 25, 2008
Until she was 11 months old, Aleanie Remy-Marquez could have starred in an advertisement for breast milk. She took to nursing easily, was breast-fed exclusively for six or seven months, and ate little else even after that. She was alert and precocious and developed at astonishing speed, her mother said, sitting at four months and walking by eight months.
But once Aleanie started putting weight on her feet, her mother noticed that her legs were curving in a bow shape below the knees. Doctors diagnosed vitamin D-deficiency rickets, a softening of the bones that develops when children do not get enough vitamin D — a crucial ingredient for absorbing calcium and building bone, and the one critical hormone that breast milk often cannot provide enough of.
“I thought I was doing the best thing for her,” said Stephanie Remy-Marquez, of Hyde Park, Mass., after blood tests showed her daughter had no detectable vitamin D. X-ray images of the baby’s wrists and knees showed the edges of the bones and growth plates as blurry and fraying instead of crisp and sharp.
“Breast milk is supposed to be an entire meal, dessert and drinks included,” Ms. Remy-Marquez said. “I thought it was the ultimate cocktail.”
Aleanie’s case was unusual enough to be written up in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in May, but several similar reports have been published in recent years. Some experts fear that vitamin D deficiency, which can be asymptomatic, may be more common than pediatricians realize and that rickets — perceived to be a 19th-century scourge that was wiped out with the fortification of milk — may be going undetected.
Physicians have known for more than a century that exclusive breast-feeding may be associated with vitamin D deficiency and rickets, and that the condition is easily prevented and treated with inexpensive vitamin drops or cod liver oil. But doctors are reluctant to say anything that might discourage breast-feeding.
Now some researchers are also linking vitamin D deficiency with other chronic diseases like diabetes, autoimmune disorders and even cancer, and there have been calls to include blood tests of vitamin D levels in routine checkups.
“I completely support breast-feeding, and I think breast milk is the perfect food, and the healthiest way to nourish an infant,” said Dr. Catherine M. Gordon, director of the bone health program at Children’s Hospital Boston and an author of several studies on vitamin D deficiency, including Aleanie’s case.
“However,” Dr. Gordon continued, “we’re finding so many mothers are vitamin D deficient themselves that the milk is therefore deficient, so many babies can’t keep their levels up. They may start their lives vitamin D deficient, and then all they’re getting is vitamin D deficient breast milk.”
Some doctors and public health officials say conditions may be ripe for rickets to re-emerge: more infants are being breast-fed for extended periods, children are drinking more juice or soda and less milk, and they are spending less time exposed to sunlight, which enables the skin to synthesize vitamin D.
Children with dark skin, like Aleanie, who is African-American, appear to be at even greater risk for rickets because they do not synthesize vitamin D through the skin as easily as those with light skin.
The solution, Dr. Gordon said, is not to quit breast-feeding but to supplement breast-fed infants with vitamin drops, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The academy issued guidelines in 2003 recommending that infants be given 200 international units of vitamin D daily, and it may be increasing the recommended level soon.
But pediatricians do not consistently prescribe vitamin drops. A 2004 survey of North Carolina pediatricians found that fewer than half routinely recommended them, and one in six never recommended them.
Vitamin D deficiency may not be immediately apparent, even as it affects growth, muscle and bone mineralization, said Dr. Craig Langman, professor of kidney disease and pediatrics at Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“It sort of sneaks up on you,” he said. “So the worst scenario is the gas tank is empty and the car won’t go — you have rickets. But at very low levels of gas the car doesn’t perform very well and you start having intermittent loss of power and that sort of thing; as a result you may not be forming enough bone during childhood.”
A recent review of 14 studies, done by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and published in The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in June, found that extreme vitamin D deficiency was rare in the United States, but that up to 78 percent of breast-fed babies who were not supplemented in wintertime were deficient.
Meanwhile, the number of papers describing cases of nutritional rickets in babies and young children in the United States has been accumulating over the past decade or so, from places as disparate as Alaska, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas.
The patients are more likely to be African-American and dark-skinned, and more likely to have been exclusively breast-fed for an extended period of time, without vitamin supplementation. Rates are often higher when there is less sunlight.
In a study conducted by Dr. Gordon of vitamin D levels in 365 mostly African-American and Latino infants and toddlers, 40 percent had low levels and 12 percent were deficient. Although there is a debate about what levels are considered deficient, one toddler in the study was found to have rickets, 13 children showed evidence of bone loss and 3 had bone changes consistent with rickets.
The study, published in The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in June, found that breast-feeding without supplementation was a significant risk factor.
“Human milk is very low in vitamin D, absolutely — there is no question about that,” said Dr. Frank Greer, professor of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and chairman of the committee on nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Historically speaking, we probably got it from the sun, but now we’re afraid of the sun and we don’t go out as much.”
Teenagers are also at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Although their large bones protect them against rickets, they are at risk for osteopenia and even osteoporosis, and may have weaker bones that are more likely to fracture, said Dr. Robert Schwartz, professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., who said he had observed cases of osteopenia and osteoporosis in teenagers.
“The tragedy of this is that when they’re young, they’re building up bone for the rest of their life,” Dr. Schwartz said. As people age and their bones weaken, he said: “Those who had adequate vitamin D and calcium will slide down from the top of the mountain. These kids will slide down from the middle.”
Latino Reggaeton Artist Endorses McCain
McCain’s Daddy Yankee Endorsement
By Michael Cooper
PHOENIX – Maybe someone should tell Senator John McCain that Daddy Yankee’s big reggaetón smash from a few years back, “Gasolina,” is not exactly about off-shore oil drilling.
The two men appeared here at Central High School this morning, where Mr. McCain was endorsed by Mr., er, Yankee. The presumptive Republican nominee was upstaged by the reggaetón sensation, who received squeals, and then, when Mr. McCain guided him over to some of the teenage girls gathered in the library, hugs and kisses.
Daddy Yankee called Mr. McCain “a fighter for the Hispanic community” and “a fighter for the immigration issue.’’ Mr. McCain, who noted that his wife, Cindy, had gone to Central High School, said, “I just want to say thank you, Daddy Yankee.’’
Daddy Yankee, a native of Puerto Rico, become a crossover hit a few years ago when his song “Gasolina” brought reggaetón , a Spanish-language spinoff of dance-hall reggae, to a wide audience. Although its catchy refrain, “Dame mas gasoline,’’ or give me more gasoline, fits in nicely with Mr. McCain’s “drill here, drill now” message these days, it is usually understood as a double entendre that has little to do with fossil fuels.
The event here was originally billed as a press conference. But Mr. McCain, who has said he would have press conferences as often as every week as president, has now gone nearly two weeks without taking questions from the national press corps. He is scheduled to appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.’’
Afterwards, Mr. McCain took Daddy Yankee on his plane, which is headed to Sacramento. He said that he had met Mr. McCain when they both named to Time’s 100 most influential list a couple of years ago. Asked on the plane what “Gasolina” is about, he smiled and said, “Energy independence.”
By Michael Cooper
PHOENIX – Maybe someone should tell Senator John McCain that Daddy Yankee’s big reggaetón smash from a few years back, “Gasolina,” is not exactly about off-shore oil drilling.
The two men appeared here at Central High School this morning, where Mr. McCain was endorsed by Mr., er, Yankee. The presumptive Republican nominee was upstaged by the reggaetón sensation, who received squeals, and then, when Mr. McCain guided him over to some of the teenage girls gathered in the library, hugs and kisses.
Daddy Yankee called Mr. McCain “a fighter for the Hispanic community” and “a fighter for the immigration issue.’’ Mr. McCain, who noted that his wife, Cindy, had gone to Central High School, said, “I just want to say thank you, Daddy Yankee.’’
Daddy Yankee, a native of Puerto Rico, become a crossover hit a few years ago when his song “Gasolina” brought reggaetón , a Spanish-language spinoff of dance-hall reggae, to a wide audience. Although its catchy refrain, “Dame mas gasoline,’’ or give me more gasoline, fits in nicely with Mr. McCain’s “drill here, drill now” message these days, it is usually understood as a double entendre that has little to do with fossil fuels.
The event here was originally billed as a press conference. But Mr. McCain, who has said he would have press conferences as often as every week as president, has now gone nearly two weeks without taking questions from the national press corps. He is scheduled to appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.’’
Afterwards, Mr. McCain took Daddy Yankee on his plane, which is headed to Sacramento. He said that he had met Mr. McCain when they both named to Time’s 100 most influential list a couple of years ago. Asked on the plane what “Gasolina” is about, he smiled and said, “Energy independence.”
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
One in Five Publich School Students Nationwide are Latino
HISPANICS ARE ONE-IN-FIVE OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS NATIONWIDE
WASHINGTON - The number of Hispanic students in the nation's public schools nearly doubled from 1990 to 2006, accounting for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollments over that period. Presently, 10 million Hispanic students attend the nation's public schools, 20% of all public school students.
In 2006 Hispanics were about half of all public school students in California, up from 36% in 1990. They were more than 40% of enrollments in three additional states (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) and between 20% and 40% of all public school students in five states (Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Florida and New York). Overall, Hispanics are the largest minority group in the public schools in 22 states.
Strong growth in Hispanic enrollment is expected to continue for decades, according to a recently released U.S. Census Bureau population projection. In 2050, there will be more school-age Hispanic children than school-age non-Hispanic white children.
In order to illuminate this growing group of public school students, the Pew Hispanic Center today releases "One-in-Five and Growing Fast: A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students," a statistical portrait of the demographic, language, and family background characteristics of the nation's 10 million Hispanic public school students.
Key findings from the report:
* The vast majority of Hispanic public school students (84%) were born in the United States.
* Seven-in-ten (70%) Hispanic students speak a language other than English at home.
* Nearly one-in-five (18%) of all Hispanic students speak English with difficulty.
* Nearly three-in-five Hispanic students (57%) live in households with both of their parents compared with 69% of non-Hispanic white students and 30% of non-Hispanic black students.
* More than seven-in-ten U.S. born Hispanic students of immigrant parents (71%) live with both parents. Smaller shares of foreign-born students (58%) and U.S.-born students of native parentage (48%) reside with both parents.
* More than a quarter of Hispanic students (28%) live in poverty, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic students. In comparison, more than a third of non-Hispanic black students (35%) reside in poverty and about one-in-ten non-Hispanic white students live in a poor household.
* Foreign-born Hispanic students (35%) are more likely than their native-born counterparts (27%) to live in poverty.
The report, One-in-Five and Growing Fast: A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students, is available on the Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.
Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
WASHINGTON - The number of Hispanic students in the nation's public schools nearly doubled from 1990 to 2006, accounting for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollments over that period. Presently, 10 million Hispanic students attend the nation's public schools, 20% of all public school students.
In 2006 Hispanics were about half of all public school students in California, up from 36% in 1990. They were more than 40% of enrollments in three additional states (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) and between 20% and 40% of all public school students in five states (Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Florida and New York). Overall, Hispanics are the largest minority group in the public schools in 22 states.
Strong growth in Hispanic enrollment is expected to continue for decades, according to a recently released U.S. Census Bureau population projection. In 2050, there will be more school-age Hispanic children than school-age non-Hispanic white children.
In order to illuminate this growing group of public school students, the Pew Hispanic Center today releases "One-in-Five and Growing Fast: A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students," a statistical portrait of the demographic, language, and family background characteristics of the nation's 10 million Hispanic public school students.
Key findings from the report:
* The vast majority of Hispanic public school students (84%) were born in the United States.
* Seven-in-ten (70%) Hispanic students speak a language other than English at home.
* Nearly one-in-five (18%) of all Hispanic students speak English with difficulty.
* Nearly three-in-five Hispanic students (57%) live in households with both of their parents compared with 69% of non-Hispanic white students and 30% of non-Hispanic black students.
* More than seven-in-ten U.S. born Hispanic students of immigrant parents (71%) live with both parents. Smaller shares of foreign-born students (58%) and U.S.-born students of native parentage (48%) reside with both parents.
* More than a quarter of Hispanic students (28%) live in poverty, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic students. In comparison, more than a third of non-Hispanic black students (35%) reside in poverty and about one-in-ten non-Hispanic white students live in a poor household.
* Foreign-born Hispanic students (35%) are more likely than their native-born counterparts (27%) to live in poverty.
The report, One-in-Five and Growing Fast: A Profile of Hispanic Public School Students, is available on the Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.
Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Internet Access To Latino Leadership Events From Convention
NextGenWeb Utilizes Broadband to LIVE STREAM Latino Leadership Events from Democratic National Convention
DENVER, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join us on NextGenWeb from Monday, August 25, through Thursday, August 28, as broadband brings much of the key Latino action to you live from Denver, CO. The events brought to you by NextGenWeb are just one example of how high-speed Internet is changing the way we live, work, communicate -- and in this instance, watch our elective process at work.
Watch the events. Share your thoughts and perspectives with fellow NextGenWeb'ers. Take time to explore the resources on the site and see how broadband is helping to solve some of America's biggest challenges – from making health care more affordable and accessible, to creating new jobs, expanding access to a quality education and reducing our carbon footprint and the pinch of high gas prices through telecommuting.
Be sure to tune in LIVE to the Latino Leaders Network Luncheon on Tuesday, August 26 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time) to see Senator Ken Salazar, Governor Bill Richardson and more.
NextGenWeb will also have full video coverage of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda 2008 Hispanic Policy Agenda on Wednesday, August 27 immediately following its conclusion at 3:30 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time).
The NHLA will be introducing its agenda for six policy issues: education, immigration, civil rights, economic empowerment, health, and government accountability.
For more information, visit NextGenWeb.org.
DENVER, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join us on NextGenWeb from Monday, August 25, through Thursday, August 28, as broadband brings much of the key Latino action to you live from Denver, CO. The events brought to you by NextGenWeb are just one example of how high-speed Internet is changing the way we live, work, communicate -- and in this instance, watch our elective process at work.
Watch the events. Share your thoughts and perspectives with fellow NextGenWeb'ers. Take time to explore the resources on the site and see how broadband is helping to solve some of America's biggest challenges – from making health care more affordable and accessible, to creating new jobs, expanding access to a quality education and reducing our carbon footprint and the pinch of high gas prices through telecommuting.
Be sure to tune in LIVE to the Latino Leaders Network Luncheon on Tuesday, August 26 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time) to see Senator Ken Salazar, Governor Bill Richardson and more.
NextGenWeb will also have full video coverage of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda 2008 Hispanic Policy Agenda on Wednesday, August 27 immediately following its conclusion at 3:30 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time).
The NHLA will be introducing its agenda for six policy issues: education, immigration, civil rights, economic empowerment, health, and government accountability.
For more information, visit NextGenWeb.org.
Growing Latino Student Population Warrants Center
Advocates seek Latino center
Task force to study possible space
By: Kellen Moore, Assistant University Editor, 8/25/08
Students are working to create a Latina/o center on campus.
A task force soon to be formed will study ways to meet the needs of UNC's growing Latino student population, and many who are invested in Latino issues hope the task force's ultimate recommendation will favor the creation of a physical space for Latino students.
"It would make so much more sense in terms of organization and in terms of strength and planning to be able to have a central gathering place," said María DeGuzmán, director of Latina/o studies.
But for now, the center's blueprints are blank.
"We're actually trying to stay away from designing what the center actually is," said Ron Bilbao, a member of the Carolina Hispanic Association and the student advisory committee to the chancellor. "We're staying away from getting lost in the details."
The center, Bilbao envisions, would be a gathering place for existing Latino organizations. It also could house the Latina/o studies minor and focus on research.
The center could be set up within an existing building on campus, on Franklin Street or as a free-standing building, Bilbao said.
For some, the center would be more than just a meeting place.
"A center like that is a strong statement on the part of the University to say to the students, 'You really are a part of our mission and our University culture and you're not just a token minority,'" DeGuzmán said.
Creating a new center on campus isn't easy.
The first step was to talk with professors and students about the idea. Chispa began the process about two years ago.
"It's hard to talk to people about a new center," Bilbao said. "The first reaction is, 'Oh, not another center,' but there's a need. Our job as students is to prove that need and then to find a way for the University to fill that need."
Interested center creators also must prove that the center won't duplicate existing programs.
"If there is an interest of collecting or building up a film library, that would be a definite duplication of resources," said Lou Pérez, director of the Institute for the Study of the Americas, adding that he supported the idea.
Students attempted to prove that need to former Chancellor James Moeser this spring and met favorable response, Bilbao said.
He added that he thought Chancellor Holden Thorp would uphold Moeser's commitment, although he hasn't met with the new chancellor. The Board of Trustees also must approve new centers.
No time frame has been set for the center's creation, which might take several years.
Talks about a possible American Indian Center on campus began in 2004. The center was formally announced in September 2006, and now has space in Abernethy Hall.
The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History was established in 1988. Plans for a freestanding building were approved in 1993, but the center did not open until August 2004.
Bilbao and others said they hope the Latina/o center won't take as long.
"I pledged to my peers freshman year that my goal was to work at the center my senior year," said Bilbao, a junior.
UNC's degree-seeking undergraduate Latino population has grown 327 percent in the last eight years.
When it comes to a Latina/o center, some say the sooner, the better.
"There's been kind of a lag in awareness of Latina/o populations in the United States," DeGuzmán said. "There are some real historical blinders. The faster we become aware and try to integrate, the better off we will be."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Task force to study possible space
By: Kellen Moore, Assistant University Editor, 8/25/08
Students are working to create a Latina/o center on campus.
A task force soon to be formed will study ways to meet the needs of UNC's growing Latino student population, and many who are invested in Latino issues hope the task force's ultimate recommendation will favor the creation of a physical space for Latino students.
"It would make so much more sense in terms of organization and in terms of strength and planning to be able to have a central gathering place," said María DeGuzmán, director of Latina/o studies.
But for now, the center's blueprints are blank.
"We're actually trying to stay away from designing what the center actually is," said Ron Bilbao, a member of the Carolina Hispanic Association and the student advisory committee to the chancellor. "We're staying away from getting lost in the details."
The center, Bilbao envisions, would be a gathering place for existing Latino organizations. It also could house the Latina/o studies minor and focus on research.
The center could be set up within an existing building on campus, on Franklin Street or as a free-standing building, Bilbao said.
For some, the center would be more than just a meeting place.
"A center like that is a strong statement on the part of the University to say to the students, 'You really are a part of our mission and our University culture and you're not just a token minority,'" DeGuzmán said.
Creating a new center on campus isn't easy.
The first step was to talk with professors and students about the idea. Chispa began the process about two years ago.
"It's hard to talk to people about a new center," Bilbao said. "The first reaction is, 'Oh, not another center,' but there's a need. Our job as students is to prove that need and then to find a way for the University to fill that need."
Interested center creators also must prove that the center won't duplicate existing programs.
"If there is an interest of collecting or building up a film library, that would be a definite duplication of resources," said Lou Pérez, director of the Institute for the Study of the Americas, adding that he supported the idea.
Students attempted to prove that need to former Chancellor James Moeser this spring and met favorable response, Bilbao said.
He added that he thought Chancellor Holden Thorp would uphold Moeser's commitment, although he hasn't met with the new chancellor. The Board of Trustees also must approve new centers.
No time frame has been set for the center's creation, which might take several years.
Talks about a possible American Indian Center on campus began in 2004. The center was formally announced in September 2006, and now has space in Abernethy Hall.
The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History was established in 1988. Plans for a freestanding building were approved in 1993, but the center did not open until August 2004.
Bilbao and others said they hope the Latina/o center won't take as long.
"I pledged to my peers freshman year that my goal was to work at the center my senior year," said Bilbao, a junior.
UNC's degree-seeking undergraduate Latino population has grown 327 percent in the last eight years.
When it comes to a Latina/o center, some say the sooner, the better.
"There's been kind of a lag in awareness of Latina/o populations in the United States," DeGuzmán said. "There are some real historical blinders. The faster we become aware and try to integrate, the better off we will be."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
University To Honor Latino Heritage Month
Purdue's Latino Cultural Center honors Latino Heritage Month
The connection between the Latino and Asian cultures will be explored and celebrated as Purdue's Latino Cultural Center recognizes Latino Heritage Month with a series of events.
(Media-Newswire.com) - WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The connection between the Latino and Asian cultures will be explored and celebrated as Purdue's Latino Cultural Center recognizes Latino Heritage Month with a series of events.
The theme this year is from the Chinese philosopher Confucius: "Study the past if you would define the future." The monthlong activities will be highlighted by the center's annual open house, a historic neighborhood tour in Chicago and a lecture by ethnic studies scholar Ronald Takaki.
"Most people are unaware of the various Asian migrations to Latin America and how it helped to shape the Latino and Latin American cultures," said Gilberto Corral, program coordinator for the Latino Cultural Center. "We will examine a lot of the Asian influences within the diverse Latino cultures. This celebration combines the efforts of the LCC, various Purdue departments and many different community organizations in planning and sponsoring different events."
Purdue's events are part of the national Hispanic Heritage Month, established as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
This year's celebration will begin at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 with an open house at the Latino Cultural Center, 600 N. Russell St. Visitors can interact with Latino and Asian student organizations and enjoy cultural demonstrations. There also will be a university resource tent for students.
Other events, which are free and open to the public, include:
* Sept. 23. 7 p.m. Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Room 1010. The film "Gaijin: Road to Freedom" will be shown. Based on a true story, this film, directed by Tizuka Yamasaki, tells the story of the struggles Japanese immigrants faced as they moved and settled in Brazil looking for a better life. The film is in its authentic Portuguese and Japanese dialogue with English subtitles.
* Sept. 27. 10 a.m. Latino Cultural Center. The bilingual book club La Polilla Café will discuss Seiichi Higashide 's memoir "Adios to Tears." Higashide recounts his arrest in Peru and deportation to the U.S., where he was held for more than two years in an interment camp. He also discusses his efforts to obtain redress for the human rights violations of the Peruvian-Japanese internees.
* Sept. 27. 7 p.m. Matthews Hall, Room 210. Latino Heritage Show. Delta Phi Mu, Purdue's first Latina-based sorority, will host its 10th annual cultural show. The sorority promotes the essence of Latino and Latina culture.
* Oct. 1. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 214. Latino Scholars Forum. The Latino Faculty and Staff Association, along with the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, will host the second annual multidisciplinary forum. Faculty, staff and graduate students will have an opportunity to present their scholarly interests in an academic setting and discuss research with peers to promote scholarly activity in the Latino community.
* Oct. 4. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Historic Neighborhood Tour in Chicago. The center will explore the historic Pilsen neighborhood and the Chinatown district, including Ping Tom Park. Pilsen, once the home of Eastern European and Italian immigrants, is now mostly Latino. Those interested in the tour must register by calling 494-2530 or e-mail: gcorral@purdue.edu.
* Oct. 7. 7 p.m. Fowler Hall. Latino Heritage Month Speaker featuring Ronald Takaki, an award-winning ethnic studies scholar and a retired professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He will discuss multicultural education and how the changing face of the population is affecting education.
* Oct. 9. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Krannert School of Management Drawing Room. Tea with the Latino Cultural Center. Visitors will enjoy traditional teas and cuisine of Asia and Latin America while recognizing faculty and staff for their contributions to Purdue, the cultural center and support to students.
For more information, see the center's Web site at http://www.purdue.edu/lcc
The Latino Cultural Center was established in 2003 as Purdue's first center for Hispanic and Latino culture. The organization is a gathering place where people of similar cultures and backgrounds can come together to share events in the university community.
Writer: Clyde Hughes, ( 765 ) 494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu
Source: Gilberto Corral, ( 765 ) 494-2530, gcorral@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: ( 765 ) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
The connection between the Latino and Asian cultures will be explored and celebrated as Purdue's Latino Cultural Center recognizes Latino Heritage Month with a series of events.
(Media-Newswire.com) - WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The connection between the Latino and Asian cultures will be explored and celebrated as Purdue's Latino Cultural Center recognizes Latino Heritage Month with a series of events.
The theme this year is from the Chinese philosopher Confucius: "Study the past if you would define the future." The monthlong activities will be highlighted by the center's annual open house, a historic neighborhood tour in Chicago and a lecture by ethnic studies scholar Ronald Takaki.
"Most people are unaware of the various Asian migrations to Latin America and how it helped to shape the Latino and Latin American cultures," said Gilberto Corral, program coordinator for the Latino Cultural Center. "We will examine a lot of the Asian influences within the diverse Latino cultures. This celebration combines the efforts of the LCC, various Purdue departments and many different community organizations in planning and sponsoring different events."
Purdue's events are part of the national Hispanic Heritage Month, established as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
This year's celebration will begin at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 with an open house at the Latino Cultural Center, 600 N. Russell St. Visitors can interact with Latino and Asian student organizations and enjoy cultural demonstrations. There also will be a university resource tent for students.
Other events, which are free and open to the public, include:
* Sept. 23. 7 p.m. Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Room 1010. The film "Gaijin: Road to Freedom" will be shown. Based on a true story, this film, directed by Tizuka Yamasaki, tells the story of the struggles Japanese immigrants faced as they moved and settled in Brazil looking for a better life. The film is in its authentic Portuguese and Japanese dialogue with English subtitles.
* Sept. 27. 10 a.m. Latino Cultural Center. The bilingual book club La Polilla Café will discuss Seiichi Higashide 's memoir "Adios to Tears." Higashide recounts his arrest in Peru and deportation to the U.S., where he was held for more than two years in an interment camp. He also discusses his efforts to obtain redress for the human rights violations of the Peruvian-Japanese internees.
* Sept. 27. 7 p.m. Matthews Hall, Room 210. Latino Heritage Show. Delta Phi Mu, Purdue's first Latina-based sorority, will host its 10th annual cultural show. The sorority promotes the essence of Latino and Latina culture.
* Oct. 1. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 214. Latino Scholars Forum. The Latino Faculty and Staff Association, along with the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, will host the second annual multidisciplinary forum. Faculty, staff and graduate students will have an opportunity to present their scholarly interests in an academic setting and discuss research with peers to promote scholarly activity in the Latino community.
* Oct. 4. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Historic Neighborhood Tour in Chicago. The center will explore the historic Pilsen neighborhood and the Chinatown district, including Ping Tom Park. Pilsen, once the home of Eastern European and Italian immigrants, is now mostly Latino. Those interested in the tour must register by calling 494-2530 or e-mail: gcorral@purdue.edu.
* Oct. 7. 7 p.m. Fowler Hall. Latino Heritage Month Speaker featuring Ronald Takaki, an award-winning ethnic studies scholar and a retired professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He will discuss multicultural education and how the changing face of the population is affecting education.
* Oct. 9. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Krannert School of Management Drawing Room. Tea with the Latino Cultural Center. Visitors will enjoy traditional teas and cuisine of Asia and Latin America while recognizing faculty and staff for their contributions to Purdue, the cultural center and support to students.
For more information, see the center's Web site at http://www.purdue.edu/lcc
The Latino Cultural Center was established in 2003 as Purdue's first center for Hispanic and Latino culture. The organization is a gathering place where people of similar cultures and backgrounds can come together to share events in the university community.
Writer: Clyde Hughes, ( 765 ) 494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu
Source: Gilberto Corral, ( 765 ) 494-2530, gcorral@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: ( 765 ) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Thousands of Latinos Gather To Honor Marriage and Family
Thousands of Latinos Gather for AFM Rally on Eve of DNC Convention
DENVER,, Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Viva la Familia! Rally Draws Over 5,000 to Downtown Denver
Thousands of Latinos from the Denver-metropolitan area joined national Catholic and Evangelical leaders from Colorado, California, and Arizona at an Alliance for Marriage outdoor celebration on Sunday to honor marriage and family. Police estimate 4,000 to 6,000 people attended the event.
"To the Latino family, traditional marriage represents the antidote to destructive social behavior such as drug activity, teenage pregnancy, gang involvement, high school dropout and many others," said Rev. Sam Rodriguez, Jr., an AFM Advisory Board Member and President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
"Viva la Familia! reminds us all that the most important social institution is the family," said Luis Soto, Executive Director of Centro San Juan Diego, Archdiocese of Denver.
"As a Latina I must speak now for marriage - speak now or forever hold my peace," said Rev. Eve Nunez, President and Founder of the Arizona Latino Commission. "Latinos are a people of values, for life, for marriage - God's design, one man and one woman."
"We all know that marriage -a permanent union between one man and one woman - is the best way for our happiness and a promising future," said Alejandro Bermudez, Director of the Catholic Information Agency ACI-Prensa, the most read Spanish Catholic web site in the world.
Entertainment was provided by the renowned Mexican performer Cepillin, who was for many years a great TV star in more than 18 countries. The event also featured the Catholic recording artist Ge'La and Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui.
The Alliance for Marriage is a multicultural coalition whose Board of Advisors includes Rev. Walter Fauntroy -- the D.C. Coordinator of the March on Washington for Martin Luther King Jr. -- as well as other civil rights and religious leaders, and national legal experts.
SOURCE Alliance for Marriage Foundation
DENVER,, Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Viva la Familia! Rally Draws Over 5,000 to Downtown Denver
Thousands of Latinos from the Denver-metropolitan area joined national Catholic and Evangelical leaders from Colorado, California, and Arizona at an Alliance for Marriage outdoor celebration on Sunday to honor marriage and family. Police estimate 4,000 to 6,000 people attended the event.
"To the Latino family, traditional marriage represents the antidote to destructive social behavior such as drug activity, teenage pregnancy, gang involvement, high school dropout and many others," said Rev. Sam Rodriguez, Jr., an AFM Advisory Board Member and President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
"Viva la Familia! reminds us all that the most important social institution is the family," said Luis Soto, Executive Director of Centro San Juan Diego, Archdiocese of Denver.
"As a Latina I must speak now for marriage - speak now or forever hold my peace," said Rev. Eve Nunez, President and Founder of the Arizona Latino Commission. "Latinos are a people of values, for life, for marriage - God's design, one man and one woman."
"We all know that marriage -a permanent union between one man and one woman - is the best way for our happiness and a promising future," said Alejandro Bermudez, Director of the Catholic Information Agency ACI-Prensa, the most read Spanish Catholic web site in the world.
Entertainment was provided by the renowned Mexican performer Cepillin, who was for many years a great TV star in more than 18 countries. The event also featured the Catholic recording artist Ge'La and Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui.
The Alliance for Marriage is a multicultural coalition whose Board of Advisors includes Rev. Walter Fauntroy -- the D.C. Coordinator of the March on Washington for Martin Luther King Jr. -- as well as other civil rights and religious leaders, and national legal experts.
SOURCE Alliance for Marriage Foundation
Comprehensive Study on the State of Latinos to be Released
State of Latinos in America; University of Denver and Grupo Salinas' Fundacion Azteca America Present Preliminary Findings of Agenda Latino White Paper
Full Report to Be Issued in Washington D.C. on September 23
LOS ANGELES, Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- One of the key recommendations of a preliminary report on the state of Latinos in the United States is to establish a presidential advisory committee on Latino issues to increase the access of the Latino community to vital educational, health, economic, and civic opportunities.
The University of Denver (DU) and Grupo Salinas' Fundacion Azteca America, the non-profit arm of the Azteca America Network, present today the preliminary findings of a comprehensive study on the state of Latinos in the United States.
The full report, which was produced by DU's Latino Center for Community Engagement and Scholarship (DULCCES), includes detailed policy recommendations for the incoming Administration and Congress and will be presented to members of Congress during a televised forum in Washington, D.C. September 23.
"We're looking forward to presenting the findings and policy recommendations to the camps of both Republican and Democratic candidates, as well as to key members of Congress and other policy makers in September," said Luis J. Echarte, chairman of Azteca America and Fundacion Azteca America. "A stronger Latino community means a stronger nation as a whole. It's time to take the next step from diagnosis to action."
The report, entitled "The State of Latinos 2008: Defining an Agenda for the Future," is the result of exhaustive academic research and consultations with panelists at the State of Latinos event held in Denver on May 30, which included participation by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute; the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; the National Council of La Raza; Voto Latino; NDN; the League of United Latin American Citizens; the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials; the Latino Issues Forum; the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. Audience members also included local Latino community leaders, Senator Ken Salazar, D-Colo. and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.
DULCCES also held a forum with prominent local community leaders and leading academics to complement the consultation process.
"We are proud of the Latino Center and pleased they are engaged in this important work with Fundacion Azteca America in an attempt to address one of the great issues of the day," said DU Chancellor Robert Coombe.
The report focuses on five issues of importance to the Latino community: education, health care, the economy, immigration and the Latino vote.
Among the general findings are that Latino communities want to be self- sufficient and contribute to the U.S. society. However, Latinos face major challenges in accessing quality education, health care, and economic services. A lack of comprehensive immigration reform widens disparities and limits the future progress of the Latino community and the nation.
The topics covered are of vital importance to the nation as a whole. However, the efforts take on special significance due to the high and growing number of Latinos in U.S public schools, and their overrepresentation of the community in high school dropout rates. Cultural and communication barriers for public services such as health care are very costly to the nation in the short and long term. Although the state of the economy affects citizens across the nation, the predominance of the housing downturn among current economic woes is especially difficult for the Latino community, given its ties to the construction industry.
About DU and DULCCES
The University of Denver ( www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,117 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Denver as a Research University with high research activity.
About Fundacion Azteca America
Fundacion Azteca America is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for members of the Hispanic community currently in the U.S. Fundacion Azteca America, Fundacion Azteca, Azteca America and TV Azteca are companies of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas. For more information, visit www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org
Full Report to Be Issued in Washington D.C. on September 23
LOS ANGELES, Aug 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- One of the key recommendations of a preliminary report on the state of Latinos in the United States is to establish a presidential advisory committee on Latino issues to increase the access of the Latino community to vital educational, health, economic, and civic opportunities.
The University of Denver (DU) and Grupo Salinas' Fundacion Azteca America, the non-profit arm of the Azteca America Network, present today the preliminary findings of a comprehensive study on the state of Latinos in the United States.
The full report, which was produced by DU's Latino Center for Community Engagement and Scholarship (DULCCES), includes detailed policy recommendations for the incoming Administration and Congress and will be presented to members of Congress during a televised forum in Washington, D.C. September 23.
"We're looking forward to presenting the findings and policy recommendations to the camps of both Republican and Democratic candidates, as well as to key members of Congress and other policy makers in September," said Luis J. Echarte, chairman of Azteca America and Fundacion Azteca America. "A stronger Latino community means a stronger nation as a whole. It's time to take the next step from diagnosis to action."
The report, entitled "The State of Latinos 2008: Defining an Agenda for the Future," is the result of exhaustive academic research and consultations with panelists at the State of Latinos event held in Denver on May 30, which included participation by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute; the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; the National Council of La Raza; Voto Latino; NDN; the League of United Latin American Citizens; the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials; the Latino Issues Forum; the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. Audience members also included local Latino community leaders, Senator Ken Salazar, D-Colo. and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.
DULCCES also held a forum with prominent local community leaders and leading academics to complement the consultation process.
"We are proud of the Latino Center and pleased they are engaged in this important work with Fundacion Azteca America in an attempt to address one of the great issues of the day," said DU Chancellor Robert Coombe.
The report focuses on five issues of importance to the Latino community: education, health care, the economy, immigration and the Latino vote.
Among the general findings are that Latino communities want to be self- sufficient and contribute to the U.S. society. However, Latinos face major challenges in accessing quality education, health care, and economic services. A lack of comprehensive immigration reform widens disparities and limits the future progress of the Latino community and the nation.
The topics covered are of vital importance to the nation as a whole. However, the efforts take on special significance due to the high and growing number of Latinos in U.S public schools, and their overrepresentation of the community in high school dropout rates. Cultural and communication barriers for public services such as health care are very costly to the nation in the short and long term. Although the state of the economy affects citizens across the nation, the predominance of the housing downturn among current economic woes is especially difficult for the Latino community, given its ties to the construction industry.
About DU and DULCCES
The University of Denver ( www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,117 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Denver as a Research University with high research activity.
About Fundacion Azteca America
Fundacion Azteca America is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for members of the Hispanic community currently in the U.S. Fundacion Azteca America, Fundacion Azteca, Azteca America and TV Azteca are companies of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas. For more information, visit www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org
United Farm Workers President Wants Union Election System Changed
Farmworkers union chief wants change in voting
By Jim Sanders - jsanders@sacbee.com, August 25, 2008
United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez has worked for more than three decades in the labor union co-founded by Cesar Chavez in the 1960s.
Rodriguez was at the Capitol last week to lobby for Assembly Bill 2386, which would make it easier for the union to organize by allowing farmworkers to sign cards in lieu of secret-ballot voting.
Why alter the system of ballot-booth voting for union representation?
We know that when farmworkers have representation, they feel security. … (Under the current system) there's just too much intimidation and coercion that takes place – abuse of the system (by growers seeking to discourage participation).
Percent of farmworkers in UFW?
Probably somewhere around 3 percent to 4 percent in the state, at most.
Will Cesar Chavez Day ever be a national holiday?
I definitely think it will come about. I don't have a real indication as to when. But I think people want to have heroes. … Cesar Chavez is someone who made huge sacrifices and dedicated his life toward improving farmworkers and their lifestyles and giving them opportunities.
Will California ever allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses or college aid?
Definitely (within four years) we're not only going to have changes in immigration reform, but we'll see farmworkers – immigrant farmworkers – be able to have … their children go to colleges, and universities, and to begin to access the American dream like everyone else does. There's a lot of hope.
The UFW endorsed Hillary Clinton. How does it feel now about Barack Obama?
Oh, we're very much supportive of him. We're going to work as hard as we possibly can to see him get into office.
Do you consider Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a friend of the UFW?
Well, I would characterize the governor as someone who has looked upon farmworkers as human beings. When he (signed emergency regulations in 2006 to protect outdoor workers), he did something that no other previous governor had done. And we'd been fighting for it since 1990.
By Jim Sanders - jsanders@sacbee.com, August 25, 2008
United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez has worked for more than three decades in the labor union co-founded by Cesar Chavez in the 1960s.
Rodriguez was at the Capitol last week to lobby for Assembly Bill 2386, which would make it easier for the union to organize by allowing farmworkers to sign cards in lieu of secret-ballot voting.
Why alter the system of ballot-booth voting for union representation?
We know that when farmworkers have representation, they feel security. … (Under the current system) there's just too much intimidation and coercion that takes place – abuse of the system (by growers seeking to discourage participation).
Percent of farmworkers in UFW?
Probably somewhere around 3 percent to 4 percent in the state, at most.
Will Cesar Chavez Day ever be a national holiday?
I definitely think it will come about. I don't have a real indication as to when. But I think people want to have heroes. … Cesar Chavez is someone who made huge sacrifices and dedicated his life toward improving farmworkers and their lifestyles and giving them opportunities.
Will California ever allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses or college aid?
Definitely (within four years) we're not only going to have changes in immigration reform, but we'll see farmworkers – immigrant farmworkers – be able to have … their children go to colleges, and universities, and to begin to access the American dream like everyone else does. There's a lot of hope.
The UFW endorsed Hillary Clinton. How does it feel now about Barack Obama?
Oh, we're very much supportive of him. We're going to work as hard as we possibly can to see him get into office.
Do you consider Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a friend of the UFW?
Well, I would characterize the governor as someone who has looked upon farmworkers as human beings. When he (signed emergency regulations in 2006 to protect outdoor workers), he did something that no other previous governor had done. And we'd been fighting for it since 1990.
Obama Needs Rio Grande Valley Hispanics
Valley Hispanics key to Obama
By GUILLERMO X. GARCIA, San Antonio Express-news, Aug. 24, 2008
BROWNSVILLE — Sitting in her front yard next to a tarnished Lady Liberty, Herminia Becerra suddenly breaks into a loud, a cappella version of El Gallito, a ranchera tune whose lyrics she adapts to fit the occasion.
Known as the "Queen of the Politiqueras," as vote brokers here are known, the 79-year-old clan matriarch ignores the thick, morning humidity and buzzing mosquitoes to sing with purpose about Nov. 4 and her candidate.
"We need to elect Omada," she says between verses, mispronouncing her new candidate's name.
Taking up the song again, her raspy voice carries, stopping drivers in the pothole-filled barrio street. She responds by raising her voice higher and flashing a thumbs-up salute.
Some 70 miles away, at the other end of the socio-economic ladder and on the other side of the Rio Grande Valley, sits Alonso Cantu, a bank owner, developer and heavyweight Democratic Party fundraiser.
Said to be a personal friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton — he hosted them at overnight stays at his McAllen home and bundled donations of at least $750,000 for her failed presidential run in addition to raising money for her U.S. Senate race — Cantu has yet to open his wallet to the Obama campaign.
Party officials here say it is only a matter of time before he and his deep-pocketed friends pony up.
Others are more cautious that Cantu, who declined to be interviewed, will come around.
"Certainly he is a key in the Valley," said Gilberto Ocañas, chair of the Hispanic Leadership Council and one of the officials asked to bring Latino heavy hitters like Cantu into the Obama camp.
"He raised hundreds and hundreds of thousands for Hillary in the primary," said Ocañas, an Austin-based printer. "We want him to do the same for Obama."
For Obama to gain traction among the region's nearly 1 million Rio Grande Valley residents, the overwhelming majority of whom are Hispanic, he will need an assist from the likes of Cantu and Becerra, who like many in the region backed the former first lady.
In the record-breaking March primary, Clinton outpolled Obama here in Cameron County, the southernmost part of Texas and one of its poorest, by more than 2 to 1.
Most political observers do not expect Obama to carry Texas, where Democrats do not hold a single statewide office.
The Obama campaign knows the nation's fastest-growing ethnic group will be key and has stepped up its outreach efforts. Exit polls nationally showed Latinos did not warm to Obama during the primaries.
The politiquera tradition
Politiqueras have a storied history in the Valley. At their best, they assist the elderly or the infirm by helping fill in vote-by-mail applications, election officials say.
At worst, they use legally questionable methods to sway the politically unsophisticated into voting for the candidate employing the politiquera, said Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos.
Becerra says she has been investigated for her methods, but not charged, by two former Cameron County district attorneys. Becerra is adamant that no one pays her. She says she helps people because it is her passion in life.
Villalobos and law enforcement officials familiar with how the uniquely Valley politiqueras operate say they can earn up to $200 a week by "guaranteeing" to deliver a certain number of votes.
"I promoted Hillary because she knows us, she understands us," Becerra said, turning serious when asked about the issue of payment for her services. "I got not one cent from her, and I'll get as much from (Obama)."
Not always in lockstep
Even if Clinton can rally Hispanics to Obama's side, that does not mean that members of the country's fastest-growing ethnic group will be lockstep Democrats, said Lionel Sosa, the San Antonio marketing guru who is heading up John McCain's Hispanic outreach effort.
"Will Latinos cast a vote for McCain because they can't bring themselves to vote for a black man?" asks Sosa, who has shaped the message to Hispanics for the last seven Republican presidential candidates. "Yes, some will, and others may stay home, and others may hold their nose and vote the (Democratic) ticket."
Ocañas countered that Hispanics are energized — a half-million new Hispanic voters registered in Texas this year — even if their choice for president was defeated.
"People are not going to stay home, and the traditional GOP effort to tamp down voting by the elderly, by minorities and by the working class, all strong Democratic voters, won't play," he said.
The March primary turnout numbers show the importance of tapping the Hispanic vote in the lower Valley.
When people here vote, it is overwhelmingly for the Democrat. Of the county's nearly 168,000 registered voters in March, some 47,000 voted; nearly 33,000 for Clinton, almost 15,000 for Obama. Less than 5,000 cast ballots in the GOP primary, according to Cameron County Elections Administrator Rogelio Ortiz.
About 10 percent of primary voters in the county cast ballots for the GOP, Ortiz said.
ggarcia@express-news.net
By GUILLERMO X. GARCIA, San Antonio Express-news, Aug. 24, 2008
BROWNSVILLE — Sitting in her front yard next to a tarnished Lady Liberty, Herminia Becerra suddenly breaks into a loud, a cappella version of El Gallito, a ranchera tune whose lyrics she adapts to fit the occasion.
Known as the "Queen of the Politiqueras," as vote brokers here are known, the 79-year-old clan matriarch ignores the thick, morning humidity and buzzing mosquitoes to sing with purpose about Nov. 4 and her candidate.
"We need to elect Omada," she says between verses, mispronouncing her new candidate's name.
Taking up the song again, her raspy voice carries, stopping drivers in the pothole-filled barrio street. She responds by raising her voice higher and flashing a thumbs-up salute.
Some 70 miles away, at the other end of the socio-economic ladder and on the other side of the Rio Grande Valley, sits Alonso Cantu, a bank owner, developer and heavyweight Democratic Party fundraiser.
Said to be a personal friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton — he hosted them at overnight stays at his McAllen home and bundled donations of at least $750,000 for her failed presidential run in addition to raising money for her U.S. Senate race — Cantu has yet to open his wallet to the Obama campaign.
Party officials here say it is only a matter of time before he and his deep-pocketed friends pony up.
Others are more cautious that Cantu, who declined to be interviewed, will come around.
"Certainly he is a key in the Valley," said Gilberto Ocañas, chair of the Hispanic Leadership Council and one of the officials asked to bring Latino heavy hitters like Cantu into the Obama camp.
"He raised hundreds and hundreds of thousands for Hillary in the primary," said Ocañas, an Austin-based printer. "We want him to do the same for Obama."
For Obama to gain traction among the region's nearly 1 million Rio Grande Valley residents, the overwhelming majority of whom are Hispanic, he will need an assist from the likes of Cantu and Becerra, who like many in the region backed the former first lady.
In the record-breaking March primary, Clinton outpolled Obama here in Cameron County, the southernmost part of Texas and one of its poorest, by more than 2 to 1.
Most political observers do not expect Obama to carry Texas, where Democrats do not hold a single statewide office.
The Obama campaign knows the nation's fastest-growing ethnic group will be key and has stepped up its outreach efforts. Exit polls nationally showed Latinos did not warm to Obama during the primaries.
The politiquera tradition
Politiqueras have a storied history in the Valley. At their best, they assist the elderly or the infirm by helping fill in vote-by-mail applications, election officials say.
At worst, they use legally questionable methods to sway the politically unsophisticated into voting for the candidate employing the politiquera, said Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos.
Becerra says she has been investigated for her methods, but not charged, by two former Cameron County district attorneys. Becerra is adamant that no one pays her. She says she helps people because it is her passion in life.
Villalobos and law enforcement officials familiar with how the uniquely Valley politiqueras operate say they can earn up to $200 a week by "guaranteeing" to deliver a certain number of votes.
"I promoted Hillary because she knows us, she understands us," Becerra said, turning serious when asked about the issue of payment for her services. "I got not one cent from her, and I'll get as much from (Obama)."
Not always in lockstep
Even if Clinton can rally Hispanics to Obama's side, that does not mean that members of the country's fastest-growing ethnic group will be lockstep Democrats, said Lionel Sosa, the San Antonio marketing guru who is heading up John McCain's Hispanic outreach effort.
"Will Latinos cast a vote for McCain because they can't bring themselves to vote for a black man?" asks Sosa, who has shaped the message to Hispanics for the last seven Republican presidential candidates. "Yes, some will, and others may stay home, and others may hold their nose and vote the (Democratic) ticket."
Ocañas countered that Hispanics are energized — a half-million new Hispanic voters registered in Texas this year — even if their choice for president was defeated.
"People are not going to stay home, and the traditional GOP effort to tamp down voting by the elderly, by minorities and by the working class, all strong Democratic voters, won't play," he said.
The March primary turnout numbers show the importance of tapping the Hispanic vote in the lower Valley.
When people here vote, it is overwhelmingly for the Democrat. Of the county's nearly 168,000 registered voters in March, some 47,000 voted; nearly 33,000 for Clinton, almost 15,000 for Obama. Less than 5,000 cast ballots in the GOP primary, according to Cameron County Elections Administrator Rogelio Ortiz.
About 10 percent of primary voters in the county cast ballots for the GOP, Ortiz said.
ggarcia@express-news.net
New Orleans Business Owners Step Up To Help Hispanics
Businesses, city respond to rapid Hispanic influx
Construction industry welcomes new labor pool ‘anxious to work’
by Emilie Bahr
Martin Gutierrez recently attempted to count the number of Latin American restaurants that have cropped up in the New Orleans area in the past few years. He’d lost interest in the exercise by the time he reached a few dozen.
The city’s restaurant scene is just one reflection of the changes that have occurred since tens of thousands of Hispanic laborers came here seeking construction jobs after Hurricane Katrina.
There are also new law and medical offices, insurance agencies, grocery stores and a variety of other businesses catering to the Hispanic population. Gutierrez, whose post as director of community outreach programs for the Archdiocese of New Orleans includes oversight of the Hispanic Apostolate, said that office has more than tripled its nine-person staff to account for a correlating rise in demand for services.
“We are finding Hispanic families in places we’ve never before found Hispanics,” Gutierrez said, pointing to areas such as Mid-City and Treme that had not previously been home to many Hispanics.
Jim Landis, CEO of Landis Construction Co., had his managers take Spanish lessons after Katrina to tap into the new labor pool, which he calls a boon to the construction industry, providing “qualified workers anxious to work.”
Darlene Kattan, director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, describes the surge in Hispanic immigrants and the opportunities that have come with it “a win-win situation for the business community.”
A work force development program offered through the chamber’s two-year-old Hispanic Business Resources and Technology Center continues to enroll new participants every day, Kattan said. They range from immigrants who already had been living in the metro region when Katrina hit to those who came here as laborers after the storm and are now looking to attain the necessary skills to move into another line of work.
“We have a doctor in the course right now,” Kattan said. “He was a physician in his home country and came here (before Katrina) at an older age — too late to go to medical school. He’s been working in a warehouse doing inventory.”
Now, Kattan said, he is studying to work in the medical field.
Not all segments of the community have been as receptive to the city’s new Hispanic residents. Immediately after Katrina, some blacks worried about unfair competition for rebuilding jobs.
Mayor C. Ray Nagin gave voice to these fears in October 2005, when he was quoted asking, “How do I make sure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?”
“I think it was to be expected,” Gutierrez said of the occasionally frosty reaction among locals. “The change that we had in New Orleans was tremendous. And anytime you have change, you have friction.”
Gutierrez sees progress in integrating the Hispanic community with the broader population. He notes, for example, the Hispanic Apostolate is working with the New Orleans Police Department on a public safety initiative.
“I think the fact that we are at the table is a sign that the city and other governmental entities are paying more attention to the Latino community,” he said. “In general, the community has appreciated the contributions Latinos and other immigrant groups have made post-Katrina.”
To Larry Bagneris, director of the city’s Human Relations Commission, which works to enforce anti-discrimination laws, the resentment purported to have arisen among blacks toward Hispanics after the storm was vastly overblown — the result, he said, of a small, but vocal minority.
“I don’t see tensions here,” Bagneris said. “This has always been a melting pot. This city has always welcomed immigrants from our very beginning 300 years ago.”
As for the mayor’s comments, Bagneris said they were taken out of context.
“When the mayor made that statement, there were hundreds of illegal aliens here, being ill housed, ill fed,” he said. “His concern was we want to make sure that these people are taken care of.”
Gutierrez, meantime, guesses many of the city’s new Hispanic residents are around for the long term.
“As long as jobs will be available,” he said, “people will stay.”•
Construction industry welcomes new labor pool ‘anxious to work’
by Emilie Bahr
Martin Gutierrez recently attempted to count the number of Latin American restaurants that have cropped up in the New Orleans area in the past few years. He’d lost interest in the exercise by the time he reached a few dozen.
The city’s restaurant scene is just one reflection of the changes that have occurred since tens of thousands of Hispanic laborers came here seeking construction jobs after Hurricane Katrina.
There are also new law and medical offices, insurance agencies, grocery stores and a variety of other businesses catering to the Hispanic population. Gutierrez, whose post as director of community outreach programs for the Archdiocese of New Orleans includes oversight of the Hispanic Apostolate, said that office has more than tripled its nine-person staff to account for a correlating rise in demand for services.
“We are finding Hispanic families in places we’ve never before found Hispanics,” Gutierrez said, pointing to areas such as Mid-City and Treme that had not previously been home to many Hispanics.
Jim Landis, CEO of Landis Construction Co., had his managers take Spanish lessons after Katrina to tap into the new labor pool, which he calls a boon to the construction industry, providing “qualified workers anxious to work.”
Darlene Kattan, director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, describes the surge in Hispanic immigrants and the opportunities that have come with it “a win-win situation for the business community.”
A work force development program offered through the chamber’s two-year-old Hispanic Business Resources and Technology Center continues to enroll new participants every day, Kattan said. They range from immigrants who already had been living in the metro region when Katrina hit to those who came here as laborers after the storm and are now looking to attain the necessary skills to move into another line of work.
“We have a doctor in the course right now,” Kattan said. “He was a physician in his home country and came here (before Katrina) at an older age — too late to go to medical school. He’s been working in a warehouse doing inventory.”
Now, Kattan said, he is studying to work in the medical field.
Not all segments of the community have been as receptive to the city’s new Hispanic residents. Immediately after Katrina, some blacks worried about unfair competition for rebuilding jobs.
Mayor C. Ray Nagin gave voice to these fears in October 2005, when he was quoted asking, “How do I make sure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?”
“I think it was to be expected,” Gutierrez said of the occasionally frosty reaction among locals. “The change that we had in New Orleans was tremendous. And anytime you have change, you have friction.”
Gutierrez sees progress in integrating the Hispanic community with the broader population. He notes, for example, the Hispanic Apostolate is working with the New Orleans Police Department on a public safety initiative.
“I think the fact that we are at the table is a sign that the city and other governmental entities are paying more attention to the Latino community,” he said. “In general, the community has appreciated the contributions Latinos and other immigrant groups have made post-Katrina.”
To Larry Bagneris, director of the city’s Human Relations Commission, which works to enforce anti-discrimination laws, the resentment purported to have arisen among blacks toward Hispanics after the storm was vastly overblown — the result, he said, of a small, but vocal minority.
“I don’t see tensions here,” Bagneris said. “This has always been a melting pot. This city has always welcomed immigrants from our very beginning 300 years ago.”
As for the mayor’s comments, Bagneris said they were taken out of context.
“When the mayor made that statement, there were hundreds of illegal aliens here, being ill housed, ill fed,” he said. “His concern was we want to make sure that these people are taken care of.”
Gutierrez, meantime, guesses many of the city’s new Hispanic residents are around for the long term.
“As long as jobs will be available,” he said, “people will stay.”•
Hispanics Becoming More Important Every Year
An older, more diverse and more populous America
MarketWatch
There will also be many more Americans in 30 years, all of whom will demand energy, health care and other services, plus jobs. By 2039, the U.S. population is expected to hit the 400 million mark, up from the current 305 million.
A major demographic shift is also underway: In 2042, today's minorities are expected to become the majority in the U.S., up from a third now. Non-Hispanic, single-race whites are projected to comprise 46% of the U.S. population in 2050. By that year, meanwhile, the Hispanic population will almost triple from its current level, making nearly one in three Americans Hispanic.
Politically, Hispanics "will be more important every year going forward," says Susan Minushkin, the deputy director of the Pew Hispanic Center. "Every year, more Latinos turn 18," she says.
Moreover, they're concentrated in states that have a lot of electoral votes, such as Florida and Texas. Over the past two years, more Hispanics have become Democrats. Minushkin says that she can't predict voting behavior but that as long as U.S. Latinos represent a young, working population, issues like education, health care and the economy will top their concerns.
In addition to being more diverse, the U.S. will also be much older in a matter of decades. By 2030, all of the 80 million-plus Baby Boomers -- another key voting bloc -- will be 65 and older. That year, nearly one in five U.S. residents is expected to be 65 and older.
That demographic change will have important political and social implications, both now and in the future.
Neither Obama nor McCain is "going to be particularly anxious to alienate the largest voting bloc in history," says Patrick Tucker, director of communications at the World Future Society, a nonpartisan scientific and educational organization.
Meanwhile, Tucker says, younger Americans will pay more taxes and have access to fewer government benefits over the next 30 years. Indeed, Social Security is projected to register its first shortfall as early as 2042.
However, argues Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, part of the projected shortfall would be eliminated by rapid immigration.
MarketWatch
There will also be many more Americans in 30 years, all of whom will demand energy, health care and other services, plus jobs. By 2039, the U.S. population is expected to hit the 400 million mark, up from the current 305 million.
A major demographic shift is also underway: In 2042, today's minorities are expected to become the majority in the U.S., up from a third now. Non-Hispanic, single-race whites are projected to comprise 46% of the U.S. population in 2050. By that year, meanwhile, the Hispanic population will almost triple from its current level, making nearly one in three Americans Hispanic.
Politically, Hispanics "will be more important every year going forward," says Susan Minushkin, the deputy director of the Pew Hispanic Center. "Every year, more Latinos turn 18," she says.
Moreover, they're concentrated in states that have a lot of electoral votes, such as Florida and Texas. Over the past two years, more Hispanics have become Democrats. Minushkin says that she can't predict voting behavior but that as long as U.S. Latinos represent a young, working population, issues like education, health care and the economy will top their concerns.
In addition to being more diverse, the U.S. will also be much older in a matter of decades. By 2030, all of the 80 million-plus Baby Boomers -- another key voting bloc -- will be 65 and older. That year, nearly one in five U.S. residents is expected to be 65 and older.
That demographic change will have important political and social implications, both now and in the future.
Neither Obama nor McCain is "going to be particularly anxious to alienate the largest voting bloc in history," says Patrick Tucker, director of communications at the World Future Society, a nonpartisan scientific and educational organization.
Meanwhile, Tucker says, younger Americans will pay more taxes and have access to fewer government benefits over the next 30 years. Indeed, Social Security is projected to register its first shortfall as early as 2042.
However, argues Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, part of the projected shortfall would be eliminated by rapid immigration.
There is a new Hispanic majority in Florida
Bad news for GOP? Fla.'s Hispanic voters no longer Cuban
By Casey Woods | Miami Herald
MIAMI — Carlos Pereira grinned widely as he stood in the outgoing tide of newly sworn-in citizens leaving a Miami naturalization ceremony. So far, he had registered 328 people, mostly from Latin American countries. Only 62 of them were from Cuba.
''This year is exceptional because there is so much diversity,'' said Pereira, a native of Honduras who heads the Miami-based Center for Immigrant Orientation. ``This change is exciting because it will bring a diversity to political power.''
The trend that Pereira sees in the voter registration trenches mirrors the one pollsters are seeing statewide: There is a new Hispanic majority in Florida, and it is not Cuban.
According to numbers from the Democratic polling firm Bendixen and Associates, 44 percent of the state's 1.1 million Hispanic voters hail from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and other Latin American countries — slightly more than the Cubans, at 40 percent. In 2000, non-Cuban voters represented 19 percent of the Hispanic vote, Bendixen polling shows.
Hispanic Democrats also now outnumber Hispanic Republicans in Florida, making what had long been a relatively predictable voter population for politicians much more fluid.
''In order to survive here, candidates are going to have to keep the Cuban line, but also have to increasingly appeal to the non-Cuban Hispanics by catering to their issues,'' said Florida International University pollster Dario Moreno.
The newcomers, many of them just entering the U.S. political fray, are poised to exert unprecedented influence in this election year as the unquestioned dominance of the traditionally Republican Cuban voting block begins to wane.
By Casey Woods | Miami Herald
MIAMI — Carlos Pereira grinned widely as he stood in the outgoing tide of newly sworn-in citizens leaving a Miami naturalization ceremony. So far, he had registered 328 people, mostly from Latin American countries. Only 62 of them were from Cuba.
''This year is exceptional because there is so much diversity,'' said Pereira, a native of Honduras who heads the Miami-based Center for Immigrant Orientation. ``This change is exciting because it will bring a diversity to political power.''
The trend that Pereira sees in the voter registration trenches mirrors the one pollsters are seeing statewide: There is a new Hispanic majority in Florida, and it is not Cuban.
According to numbers from the Democratic polling firm Bendixen and Associates, 44 percent of the state's 1.1 million Hispanic voters hail from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and other Latin American countries — slightly more than the Cubans, at 40 percent. In 2000, non-Cuban voters represented 19 percent of the Hispanic vote, Bendixen polling shows.
Hispanic Democrats also now outnumber Hispanic Republicans in Florida, making what had long been a relatively predictable voter population for politicians much more fluid.
''In order to survive here, candidates are going to have to keep the Cuban line, but also have to increasingly appeal to the non-Cuban Hispanics by catering to their issues,'' said Florida International University pollster Dario Moreno.
The newcomers, many of them just entering the U.S. political fray, are poised to exert unprecedented influence in this election year as the unquestioned dominance of the traditionally Republican Cuban voting block begins to wane.
Hispanic American Council Selects New Executive Director
Kalamazoo's Hispanic American Council has a new director
Posted by Stephanie Esters | Kalamazoo Gazette August 25, 2008
KALAMAZOO -- The local Hispanic American Council has selected a 36-year-old Grand Rapids commercial lender as its new executive director, filling a position that had been vacant for a year.
Ramon Berlanga, a business administration graduate from Grand Valley State University, worked as a commercial lender/assistant vice president for Mercantile Bank until he began his work with the council on Aug. 4.
"I really plan to manage the organization as a business," Berlanga said of the 25-year-old Hispanic American Council, located at 930 Lake St. "I think a lot of the time we don't have that mentality but I view this as my business and (plan on) utilizing what I learned in helping and assisting other businesses ... to run this organization as a business."
He'd also like to see the organization serve more people in a larger area, he said.
Berlanga succeeds Ana Light, the association's last full-time director, who left in February 2007, said Diana Hernandez, president of the council's board.
A search firm identified four candidates for the job, and Berlanga was chosen from two finalists. "It was a very, very hard decision," Hernandez said. "Either way we would have been delighted.
"There was just something about Ramon that came through ... when he interacted with the community people -- l saw that when he engaged (with) some of our community, the people that we served."
Funding to support the executive director's position and to support a new Web site, www.HispanicAmericanCouncil.org, came from the Michigan Racial and Economic Justice Initiative of the Arcus Foundation, started here by Jon Stryker and with offices in Kalamazoo and New York.
The Hispanic American Council received $55,000 in the initiative's first round of grants.
The council's services include instruction in English as a second language for adults, literacy activities for their children, a summer youth higher-education and career-exploration program, and interpretation and translation services in both Spanish and English.
Last year the council helped 126 adults who studied English as a second language, 144 children who were exposed to evening literacy activities and 489 people who received translation services for written documents.
Contact Stephanie Esters se@kalamazoogazette.com or 388-8554
Posted by Stephanie Esters | Kalamazoo Gazette August 25, 2008
KALAMAZOO -- The local Hispanic American Council has selected a 36-year-old Grand Rapids commercial lender as its new executive director, filling a position that had been vacant for a year.
Ramon Berlanga, a business administration graduate from Grand Valley State University, worked as a commercial lender/assistant vice president for Mercantile Bank until he began his work with the council on Aug. 4.
"I really plan to manage the organization as a business," Berlanga said of the 25-year-old Hispanic American Council, located at 930 Lake St. "I think a lot of the time we don't have that mentality but I view this as my business and (plan on) utilizing what I learned in helping and assisting other businesses ... to run this organization as a business."
He'd also like to see the organization serve more people in a larger area, he said.
Berlanga succeeds Ana Light, the association's last full-time director, who left in February 2007, said Diana Hernandez, president of the council's board.
A search firm identified four candidates for the job, and Berlanga was chosen from two finalists. "It was a very, very hard decision," Hernandez said. "Either way we would have been delighted.
"There was just something about Ramon that came through ... when he interacted with the community people -- l saw that when he engaged (with) some of our community, the people that we served."
Funding to support the executive director's position and to support a new Web site, www.HispanicAmericanCouncil.org, came from the Michigan Racial and Economic Justice Initiative of the Arcus Foundation, started here by Jon Stryker and with offices in Kalamazoo and New York.
The Hispanic American Council received $55,000 in the initiative's first round of grants.
The council's services include instruction in English as a second language for adults, literacy activities for their children, a summer youth higher-education and career-exploration program, and interpretation and translation services in both Spanish and English.
Last year the council helped 126 adults who studied English as a second language, 144 children who were exposed to evening literacy activities and 489 people who received translation services for written documents.
Contact Stephanie Esters se@kalamazoogazette.com or 388-8554
Monday, August 25, 2008
Hoping To Solidify Latino Vote, Obama Chooses Biden, A Catholic and Friend of the Hispanic Caucus
Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY, August 23, 2008
WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama has chosen Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware to be his running mate, turning to a leading authority on foreign policy and a longtime Washington hand to fill out the Democratic ticket, Mr. Obama announced in text and e-mail messages early Saturday.
Mr. Obama’s selection ended a two-month search that was conducted almost entirely in secret. It reflected a critical strategic choice by Mr. Obama: To go with a running mate who could reassure voters about gaps in his résumé, rather than to pick someone who could deliver a state or reinforce Mr. Obama’s message of change.
Mr. Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is familiar with foreign leaders and diplomats around the world. Although he initially voted to authorize the war in Iraq — Mr. Obama opposed it from the start — Mr. Biden became a persistent critic of President George W. Bush’s policies in Iraq.
The brief text message from the Obama campaign came about 3 a.m., less than three hours after word of the decision had begun leaking out. “Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee. Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!”
His e-mail announcement began: “Friend — I have some important news that I want to make official. I’ve chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.”
The selection was disclosed as Mr. Obama moves into a critical part of his campaign, preparing for the party’s four-day convention in Denver starting on Monday. Mr. Obama’s aides viewed the introduction of his vice presidential choice — including an afternoon rally Saturday at the old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., the same place where Mr. Obama announced his candidacy on a freezing winter morning almost two years ago — and a tour of swing states as the beginning of a week-long stretch in which Mr. Obama hopes to dominate the stage and position himself for the fall campaign.
Word of Mr. Obama’s decision leaked out hours before his campaign had been scheduled to inform supporters via text and e-mail message, and hours after informing two other top contenders for the vice presidential nomination — Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia — that they had not been chosen.
As the selection process moved to an end, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, whom Mr. Obama had defeated in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, had slipped out of contention — to the degree that Mr. Obama had never seriously considered her.
Mr. Biden is Roman Catholic, giving him appeal to that important voting bloc, though he favors abortion rights. He was born in a working-class family in Scranton, Pa., a swing state where he remains well-known. Mr. Biden is up for re-election to the Senate this year and he would presumably run simultaneously for both seats.
Mr. Biden is known for being both talkative and prone to making the kind of statements that get him in trouble. In 2007, when he was competing for Mr. Obama for the presidential nomination, he declared that Mr. Obama was “not yet ready” for the presidency.
The McCain campaign jumped on that early Saturday, as it responded to the selection, offering a glimpse into the line of criticism that awaits the Democratic ticket.
“There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama’s poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing — that Barack Obama is not ready to be President,” said Ben Porritt, a spokesman for Mr. McCain.
Although Mr. Biden is not exactly a household name, he is probably the best known of all the Democrats who were in contention for the spot, given his political and personal history (not to mention his regular appearances on the Sunday morning television news shows). He first ran for the Senate from Delaware when he was just 29.
Mr. Biden has run twice for the presidency himself, in 1988 and again in 2008, dropping out early in both cases. He was also the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during two of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination battles of the past 50 years: the confirmation proceedings for Robert H. Bork, who was defeated, and Clarence Thomas, who was confirmed after an explosive hearing in which Anita Hill had accused Mr. Thomas of sexual harassment. Mr. Biden led the opposition to both nominations, although he came under criticism from some feminists for not immediately disclosing what were at first Ms. Hill’s closed-door accusations against Mr. Thomas.
Mr. Obama’s choice of Mr. Biden suggested some of the weaknesses the Obama campaign is trying to address at a time when national polls suggest that his race with Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is tightening.
Chief among Mr. Biden’s strengths is his familiarity with foreign policy and national security issues, highlighted just this past weekend with the invitation he received from the embattled president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to visit Georgia in the midst of its tense faceoff with Russia. From the moment he dropped out of the presidential race, he had been mentioned as a potential Secretary of State should either Mr. Obama or Mrs. Clinton win the election.
He is also something of a fixture in Washington, and would bring to the campaign — and the White House — a familiarity with the way the city and Congress works that Mr. Obama cannot match after his relatively short stint in Washington.
At 65, Mr. Biden adds a few years and gray hair to a ticket that otherwise might seem a bit young (Mr. Obama is 47). He is, as Mr. Obama’s advisers were quick to argue, someone who appears by every measure prepared to take over as president, setting a standard that appears intended to at least somewhat hamstring Mr. McCain should he be tempted to go for a more adventurous choice for No. 2.
He has a long history of making statements that get him in trouble. He was forced to apologize to Mr. Obama almost the moment he entered the race for president after he was quoted as describing Mr. Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” a remark that drew criticism for being racially insensitive. While campaigning in New Hampshire, Mr. Biden said that “you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.”
Mr. Biden quit the presidential race this year after barely making a mark; he came in fifth in Iowa. He was forced to quit the 1988 presidential race in the face of accusations that he had plagiarized part of a speech from Neil Kinnock, the British Labor Party leader. Shortly afterward, he was found to have suffered two aneurysms.
He is also, at least arguably, a Washington insider, having worked there for so long, though he still commutes home to Wilmington every night by train.
The choice by Mr. Obama in some ways mirrors the choice by Mr. Bush of Dick Cheney as his running mate in 2000; at his age, it appears unlikely that Mr. Biden would be in a position to run for president should Mr. Obama win and serve two terms. Shorn of any remaining ambition to run for president on his own, he could find himself in a less complex political relationship with Mr. Obama than most vice presidents have with their presidents.
Mr. Biden was born in Scranton, grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington, Del., and went to Syracuse Law School. As a young man, he was in the center of a gripping family drama: barely a month after he was elected to the Senate, his wife and their three children were in a car accident with a drunken driver resulted in the death of his wife and daughter. His two sons survived, and Mr. Biden remarried five years later.
Carl Hulse and Jim Rutenberg contributed reporting.
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY, August 23, 2008
WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama has chosen Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware to be his running mate, turning to a leading authority on foreign policy and a longtime Washington hand to fill out the Democratic ticket, Mr. Obama announced in text and e-mail messages early Saturday.
Mr. Obama’s selection ended a two-month search that was conducted almost entirely in secret. It reflected a critical strategic choice by Mr. Obama: To go with a running mate who could reassure voters about gaps in his résumé, rather than to pick someone who could deliver a state or reinforce Mr. Obama’s message of change.
Mr. Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is familiar with foreign leaders and diplomats around the world. Although he initially voted to authorize the war in Iraq — Mr. Obama opposed it from the start — Mr. Biden became a persistent critic of President George W. Bush’s policies in Iraq.
The brief text message from the Obama campaign came about 3 a.m., less than three hours after word of the decision had begun leaking out. “Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee. Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!”
His e-mail announcement began: “Friend — I have some important news that I want to make official. I’ve chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.”
The selection was disclosed as Mr. Obama moves into a critical part of his campaign, preparing for the party’s four-day convention in Denver starting on Monday. Mr. Obama’s aides viewed the introduction of his vice presidential choice — including an afternoon rally Saturday at the old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., the same place where Mr. Obama announced his candidacy on a freezing winter morning almost two years ago — and a tour of swing states as the beginning of a week-long stretch in which Mr. Obama hopes to dominate the stage and position himself for the fall campaign.
Word of Mr. Obama’s decision leaked out hours before his campaign had been scheduled to inform supporters via text and e-mail message, and hours after informing two other top contenders for the vice presidential nomination — Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia — that they had not been chosen.
As the selection process moved to an end, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, whom Mr. Obama had defeated in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, had slipped out of contention — to the degree that Mr. Obama had never seriously considered her.
Mr. Biden is Roman Catholic, giving him appeal to that important voting bloc, though he favors abortion rights. He was born in a working-class family in Scranton, Pa., a swing state where he remains well-known. Mr. Biden is up for re-election to the Senate this year and he would presumably run simultaneously for both seats.
Mr. Biden is known for being both talkative and prone to making the kind of statements that get him in trouble. In 2007, when he was competing for Mr. Obama for the presidential nomination, he declared that Mr. Obama was “not yet ready” for the presidency.
The McCain campaign jumped on that early Saturday, as it responded to the selection, offering a glimpse into the line of criticism that awaits the Democratic ticket.
“There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama’s poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing — that Barack Obama is not ready to be President,” said Ben Porritt, a spokesman for Mr. McCain.
Although Mr. Biden is not exactly a household name, he is probably the best known of all the Democrats who were in contention for the spot, given his political and personal history (not to mention his regular appearances on the Sunday morning television news shows). He first ran for the Senate from Delaware when he was just 29.
Mr. Biden has run twice for the presidency himself, in 1988 and again in 2008, dropping out early in both cases. He was also the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during two of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination battles of the past 50 years: the confirmation proceedings for Robert H. Bork, who was defeated, and Clarence Thomas, who was confirmed after an explosive hearing in which Anita Hill had accused Mr. Thomas of sexual harassment. Mr. Biden led the opposition to both nominations, although he came under criticism from some feminists for not immediately disclosing what were at first Ms. Hill’s closed-door accusations against Mr. Thomas.
Mr. Obama’s choice of Mr. Biden suggested some of the weaknesses the Obama campaign is trying to address at a time when national polls suggest that his race with Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is tightening.
Chief among Mr. Biden’s strengths is his familiarity with foreign policy and national security issues, highlighted just this past weekend with the invitation he received from the embattled president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, to visit Georgia in the midst of its tense faceoff with Russia. From the moment he dropped out of the presidential race, he had been mentioned as a potential Secretary of State should either Mr. Obama or Mrs. Clinton win the election.
He is also something of a fixture in Washington, and would bring to the campaign — and the White House — a familiarity with the way the city and Congress works that Mr. Obama cannot match after his relatively short stint in Washington.
At 65, Mr. Biden adds a few years and gray hair to a ticket that otherwise might seem a bit young (Mr. Obama is 47). He is, as Mr. Obama’s advisers were quick to argue, someone who appears by every measure prepared to take over as president, setting a standard that appears intended to at least somewhat hamstring Mr. McCain should he be tempted to go for a more adventurous choice for No. 2.
He has a long history of making statements that get him in trouble. He was forced to apologize to Mr. Obama almost the moment he entered the race for president after he was quoted as describing Mr. Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” a remark that drew criticism for being racially insensitive. While campaigning in New Hampshire, Mr. Biden said that “you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.”
Mr. Biden quit the presidential race this year after barely making a mark; he came in fifth in Iowa. He was forced to quit the 1988 presidential race in the face of accusations that he had plagiarized part of a speech from Neil Kinnock, the British Labor Party leader. Shortly afterward, he was found to have suffered two aneurysms.
He is also, at least arguably, a Washington insider, having worked there for so long, though he still commutes home to Wilmington every night by train.
The choice by Mr. Obama in some ways mirrors the choice by Mr. Bush of Dick Cheney as his running mate in 2000; at his age, it appears unlikely that Mr. Biden would be in a position to run for president should Mr. Obama win and serve two terms. Shorn of any remaining ambition to run for president on his own, he could find himself in a less complex political relationship with Mr. Obama than most vice presidents have with their presidents.
Mr. Biden was born in Scranton, grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington, Del., and went to Syracuse Law School. As a young man, he was in the center of a gripping family drama: barely a month after he was elected to the Senate, his wife and their three children were in a car accident with a drunken driver resulted in the death of his wife and daughter. His two sons survived, and Mr. Biden remarried five years later.
Carl Hulse and Jim Rutenberg contributed reporting.
Troubled Past Catches Up To Latino Mayor
Mayor With a Past Has a Future in Prison
By NATE SCHWEBER, August 22, 2008
WHEN a federal judge sentenced former Mayor Samuel Rivera to 21 months in federal prison on Aug. 15, an era ended in this tattered city of nearly 70,000, leaving many here debating Mr. Rivera’s tumultuous past and wondering what is to come.
To many, Mr. Rivera, 61, had been an improbable choice as mayor; he was an explosive man who had been implicated in the deaths of two young men. But to others in this city of shifting demographics, he was the forceful leader they needed to fight crime.
“He was a good politician in his first four years,” said Gary Schaer, the former City Council president who became acting mayor when Mr. Rivera resigned. “But in the last three years, he became inebriated with his own power, he forgot himself.”
Mr. Rivera, the first Hispanic mayor in this city about 15 miles from Manhattan, was a symbol of how Passaic had been transformed from a 19th-century industrial powerhouse, home to a large, middle-class Slavic population, to a 21st-century blue-collar enclave that is nearly 70 percent Hispanic, said Edward A. Smyk, the Passaic County historian.
“The Latino population in Passaic had been increasing over the years, and they felt they didn’t have a voice,” Mr. Smyk said. “And it was one of their compatriots they elected.”
But Mr. Rivera could never leave his past — including several brushes with the law — far behind him.
On New Year’s Eve 1966, Mr. Rivera shot and killed his brother-in-law Miguel Matos, 23, while showing his young niece how to load the pistol he used as a security guard. A court ruled the death accidental.
In 1980, Mr. Rivera, then a professional wrestler and a police officer in Puerto Rico, slashed his stomach after his partner, Thomas Lopez, shot and killed Aristides Navarro, 22, a suspected drug dealer. Five years later, Mr. Rivera confessed in court that he had falsely claimed that Mr. Navarro attacked him to give Mr. Lopez a defense for having killed the man.
After he was elected mayor, John J. Farmer Jr., New Jersey’s attorney general at the time, tried — but failed — to stop him from taking office because of his guilty plea in Puerto Rico.
Rolando Pacheo, 29, a lifelong Passaic resident who works at Kmart, volunteered for Mr. Rivera’s mayoral campaign and said he did not hold the man’s history against him.
“Whatever happened in the past before he was councilman and mayor should not have been brought up,” Mr. Pacheo said. “To have a Hispanic mayor for the first time in our city was a big deal.”
Last September, Mr. Rivera was arrested and charged with accepting a $5,000 bribe in exchange for lucrative insurance deals with the city. He pleaded guilty on May 9 and resigned that day.
During his sentencing, Mr. Rivera gave a letter to Federal District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in which he wrote that he had entered politics “with the sole purpose of helping others,” and that he had accepted a bribe a year ago not out of greed but out of “bad judgment and stupidity.”
Speaking up for Mr. Rivera, Miguel Ocasio, 50, a truck driver, said that several years ago, when he needed an apartment, Mr. Rivera helped him find one. “He did a lot of things for a lot of people,” he said. “He made a mistake, but he’s a good mayor.”
When Mr. Rivera left office, the Council dropped the mayor’s salary from the nearly $120,000 Mr. Rivera had earned as the third-highest-paid mayor in the state to a little more than $72,000, to “show the people that you’re not to be enriched” by the position, said Keith Furlong, spokesman for the city.
Though many declined to be interviewed out of fear of retaliation, others in Passaic spoke out against Mr. Rivera.
“I’m not a fan of his,” said Marco Kury, 59, a store owner. “We need a change.”
Henry Klingeman, Mr. Rivera’s attorney, said that Mr. Rivera was “relieved” that his bribery case was over and was “satisfied” with his sentence.
Daniel Schwartz, councilman at large in Passaic, said that now that Mr. Rivera was going to jail, “the city can close this chapter and focus on more important issues, like the budget.”
Former Mayor Margie Semler, 85, who was unseated by Mr. Rivera, said that she was glad that he would go to prison, but she wondered what he, and the city, would do next.
“He’ll be back again,” Ms. Semler said. “Whether he’s as big as life or whether he’s in the shadows remains to be seen.”
By NATE SCHWEBER, August 22, 2008
WHEN a federal judge sentenced former Mayor Samuel Rivera to 21 months in federal prison on Aug. 15, an era ended in this tattered city of nearly 70,000, leaving many here debating Mr. Rivera’s tumultuous past and wondering what is to come.
To many, Mr. Rivera, 61, had been an improbable choice as mayor; he was an explosive man who had been implicated in the deaths of two young men. But to others in this city of shifting demographics, he was the forceful leader they needed to fight crime.
“He was a good politician in his first four years,” said Gary Schaer, the former City Council president who became acting mayor when Mr. Rivera resigned. “But in the last three years, he became inebriated with his own power, he forgot himself.”
Mr. Rivera, the first Hispanic mayor in this city about 15 miles from Manhattan, was a symbol of how Passaic had been transformed from a 19th-century industrial powerhouse, home to a large, middle-class Slavic population, to a 21st-century blue-collar enclave that is nearly 70 percent Hispanic, said Edward A. Smyk, the Passaic County historian.
“The Latino population in Passaic had been increasing over the years, and they felt they didn’t have a voice,” Mr. Smyk said. “And it was one of their compatriots they elected.”
But Mr. Rivera could never leave his past — including several brushes with the law — far behind him.
On New Year’s Eve 1966, Mr. Rivera shot and killed his brother-in-law Miguel Matos, 23, while showing his young niece how to load the pistol he used as a security guard. A court ruled the death accidental.
In 1980, Mr. Rivera, then a professional wrestler and a police officer in Puerto Rico, slashed his stomach after his partner, Thomas Lopez, shot and killed Aristides Navarro, 22, a suspected drug dealer. Five years later, Mr. Rivera confessed in court that he had falsely claimed that Mr. Navarro attacked him to give Mr. Lopez a defense for having killed the man.
After he was elected mayor, John J. Farmer Jr., New Jersey’s attorney general at the time, tried — but failed — to stop him from taking office because of his guilty plea in Puerto Rico.
Rolando Pacheo, 29, a lifelong Passaic resident who works at Kmart, volunteered for Mr. Rivera’s mayoral campaign and said he did not hold the man’s history against him.
“Whatever happened in the past before he was councilman and mayor should not have been brought up,” Mr. Pacheo said. “To have a Hispanic mayor for the first time in our city was a big deal.”
Last September, Mr. Rivera was arrested and charged with accepting a $5,000 bribe in exchange for lucrative insurance deals with the city. He pleaded guilty on May 9 and resigned that day.
During his sentencing, Mr. Rivera gave a letter to Federal District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in which he wrote that he had entered politics “with the sole purpose of helping others,” and that he had accepted a bribe a year ago not out of greed but out of “bad judgment and stupidity.”
Speaking up for Mr. Rivera, Miguel Ocasio, 50, a truck driver, said that several years ago, when he needed an apartment, Mr. Rivera helped him find one. “He did a lot of things for a lot of people,” he said. “He made a mistake, but he’s a good mayor.”
When Mr. Rivera left office, the Council dropped the mayor’s salary from the nearly $120,000 Mr. Rivera had earned as the third-highest-paid mayor in the state to a little more than $72,000, to “show the people that you’re not to be enriched” by the position, said Keith Furlong, spokesman for the city.
Though many declined to be interviewed out of fear of retaliation, others in Passaic spoke out against Mr. Rivera.
“I’m not a fan of his,” said Marco Kury, 59, a store owner. “We need a change.”
Henry Klingeman, Mr. Rivera’s attorney, said that Mr. Rivera was “relieved” that his bribery case was over and was “satisfied” with his sentence.
Daniel Schwartz, councilman at large in Passaic, said that now that Mr. Rivera was going to jail, “the city can close this chapter and focus on more important issues, like the budget.”
Former Mayor Margie Semler, 85, who was unseated by Mr. Rivera, said that she was glad that he would go to prison, but she wondered what he, and the city, would do next.
“He’ll be back again,” Ms. Semler said. “Whether he’s as big as life or whether he’s in the shadows remains to be seen.”
State Police Outreach To Latinos
State Police eye Latino recruits
Event is planned Sept. 6 at Puerto Rican Committee
Sunday News, Aug 24, 2008
By MEGAN HART, Staff
Many people only meet the Pennsylvania State Police after they've been caught speeding.
Recruiters hope to change that.
"Get to Know Your State Police Day" will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Puerto Rican Committee of Lancaster, 150-152 S. Prince St.
The State Police, members of the State Civil Service Commission and the Liquor Control Enforcement Office will set up recruiting tables. The event is open to the general public, though police are especially looking for Latino applicants.
State Police Cpl. Daniel Gonzalez, who visited Lancaster week, cited the rapidly growing Latino population as a reason for the push to diversify.
"It's very important to have individuals who can relate to the culture and the community," he said.
A similar event held Aug. 16 in Philadelphia generated 30 qualified State Police applicants, Gonzalez said, and the civil service commission had lines of applicants for most of the day. Tara Amato, a liquor enforcement officer in the Philadelphia office, estimated that about 400 people attended and 50 filled out applications for liquor control positions.
Police are considering another event in Pittsburgh, Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez encouraged families to come and learn about safety and how police work. Displays include a rollover simulator to demonstrate the importance of seat belts, vehicles seized in drug raids and police equipment.
Gonzalez said police are looking to improve their relationship with communities.
"We shouldn't just react to the situation; we should be part of the community," he said.
Gonzalez said most of his work in recruiting went on at colleges, but that the force is trying to open up to other parts of the community.
"A lot of times people see us on the highways, but they don't know us," he said.
"We want to be able to say: 'We're welcoming you and we hope you welcome us.' "
Megan Hart is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact her at mhart@lnpnews.com.
Event is planned Sept. 6 at Puerto Rican Committee
Sunday News, Aug 24, 2008
By MEGAN HART, Staff
Many people only meet the Pennsylvania State Police after they've been caught speeding.
Recruiters hope to change that.
"Get to Know Your State Police Day" will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Puerto Rican Committee of Lancaster, 150-152 S. Prince St.
The State Police, members of the State Civil Service Commission and the Liquor Control Enforcement Office will set up recruiting tables. The event is open to the general public, though police are especially looking for Latino applicants.
State Police Cpl. Daniel Gonzalez, who visited Lancaster week, cited the rapidly growing Latino population as a reason for the push to diversify.
"It's very important to have individuals who can relate to the culture and the community," he said.
A similar event held Aug. 16 in Philadelphia generated 30 qualified State Police applicants, Gonzalez said, and the civil service commission had lines of applicants for most of the day. Tara Amato, a liquor enforcement officer in the Philadelphia office, estimated that about 400 people attended and 50 filled out applications for liquor control positions.
Police are considering another event in Pittsburgh, Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez encouraged families to come and learn about safety and how police work. Displays include a rollover simulator to demonstrate the importance of seat belts, vehicles seized in drug raids and police equipment.
Gonzalez said police are looking to improve their relationship with communities.
"We shouldn't just react to the situation; we should be part of the community," he said.
Gonzalez said most of his work in recruiting went on at colleges, but that the force is trying to open up to other parts of the community.
"A lot of times people see us on the highways, but they don't know us," he said.
"We want to be able to say: 'We're welcoming you and we hope you welcome us.' "
Megan Hart is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact her at mhart@lnpnews.com.
Imagen Awards Honors Hispanic Entertainment Contributions
'La Misma Luna' sweeps Imagen Awards
AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "La Misma Luna" swept the honors at the 23nd annual Imagen Awards.
The film about a Mexican mother and her son won awards for best film, actor, actress, supporting actor and director during a star-studded ceremony Thursday at the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel. Established in 1985, the Imagen Awards honor contributions by and about Hispanics in the entertainment industry in 18 categories.
Television awards went to "Ugly Betty" for best prime-time program; "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" for best reality show; "Mind of Mencia" star Carlos Mencia for best actor; "Snowglobe" star Christina Milian for best actress; "Heroes" co-star Dania Ramirez for best supporting actress and "Ugly Betty" co-star Tony Plana for best supporting actor.
Plana, the 54-year-old Cuban-American actor who appeared in "Three Amigos!" and "An Officer and a Gentleman" before his turn as Betty Suarez's father in "Ugly Betty," was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Norman Lear Writer's Award was given to "La Misma Luna" executive producer and screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos.
On the Net:
* http://www.imagen.org/
AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "La Misma Luna" swept the honors at the 23nd annual Imagen Awards.
The film about a Mexican mother and her son won awards for best film, actor, actress, supporting actor and director during a star-studded ceremony Thursday at the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel. Established in 1985, the Imagen Awards honor contributions by and about Hispanics in the entertainment industry in 18 categories.
Television awards went to "Ugly Betty" for best prime-time program; "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" for best reality show; "Mind of Mencia" star Carlos Mencia for best actor; "Snowglobe" star Christina Milian for best actress; "Heroes" co-star Dania Ramirez for best supporting actress and "Ugly Betty" co-star Tony Plana for best supporting actor.
Plana, the 54-year-old Cuban-American actor who appeared in "Three Amigos!" and "An Officer and a Gentleman" before his turn as Betty Suarez's father in "Ugly Betty," was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Norman Lear Writer's Award was given to "La Misma Luna" executive producer and screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos.
On the Net:
* http://www.imagen.org/
Hispanic for Political Action To Host Candidate Event
Latino group to host candidates
By The Record, August 24, 2008
STOCKTON - The group Hispanics for Political Action is inviting local and state candidates to meet with the group from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Italian Athletic Club, 3541 Cherryland Ave.
The meet-and-greet event will feature a dinner and a no-host bar. Tickets are $25.
For more information, contact Michael Villanueva at (209) 957-5133 or Yolanda Rodriguez at (209) 474-7796.
By The Record, August 24, 2008
STOCKTON - The group Hispanics for Political Action is inviting local and state candidates to meet with the group from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Italian Athletic Club, 3541 Cherryland Ave.
The meet-and-greet event will feature a dinner and a no-host bar. Tickets are $25.
For more information, contact Michael Villanueva at (209) 957-5133 or Yolanda Rodriguez at (209) 474-7796.
Latino Social and Political Diversity Requires Different Strategies by Campaigns
The Latino vote
As the campaigns are finding out, it isn't that simple, especially in key Western states
By Alicia Caldwell, 08/23/2008
Latinos have emerged in this presidential campaign as one of the most sought-after voting "blocs" in the battleground states of Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
But earning their vote is no easy task.
The social and political diversity within the ethnic group is forcing campaigns to employ different and perhaps unfamiliar strategies.
"Campaigning among Hispanics is basically a new science," said Sergio Bendixen, a Miami-based consultant who is a leader in Hispanic opinion polling. "Before 2000, no one had a Hispanic consultant or a wing of the campaign assigned to the Hispanic electorate."
The political and demographic take on Hispanics in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico is not one story but many, and that diversity embodies the complexity of trying to win over a voting bloc that's not really a bloc.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
In New Mexico, particularly in the northern part of the state, there are a lot of socially conservative Hispanics. Some have served in the military or have family members who have. National security generally is an important issue.
They come from families that have lived in the same region for hundreds of years and hold close to their Spanish ancestry.
They vote in impressive numbers, and are solidly rooted in the middle class. They have helped propel other Hispanics into elected offices.
When in New Mexico, call them Hispanics, not Latinos, or risk being pegged as someone unfamiliar with how they see themselves.
" 'Latino' is a term that people from California use when they come to New Mexico," said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling, a New Mexico firm.
In Nevada, there are many newcomers in the construction and culinary industries. Of those Latinos eligible to vote, many don't have a tradition of doing so. Their interests tend toward labor and economics.
There are few Latino elected officials in Nevada, though the state has seen huge increases in the Latino population. Many eligible Latino voters use Spanish as a primary language.
"Almost two-thirds of registered voters are immigrants, and Spanish-language television is the way to get them," said Bendixen.
But bringing them to the polls is a tough assignment. Only 25 percent of Nevada Latinos eligible to vote went to the polls in the 2006 mid-term elections, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. In New Mexico, the number was 52 percent. In Colorado, it was 40 percent.
Those numbers illustrate how Colorado falls somewhere between New Mexico and Nevada on the continuum of assimilation and political participation. Most eligible Latino voters in Colorado are English-dominant, of Mexican descent and were born in the U.S. But they still have strong Latino cultural ties, and might listen to Spanish radio.
Rick Ridder, a Denver-based political consultant, said more than 90 percent of Latino voters prefer to be interviewed in English.
"It's very much 'I want to participate. I speak English,' " he said. "But as far as entertainment, they listen to Spanish radio."
Arturo Jimenez, who successfully campaigned for a se
As the campaigns are finding out, it isn't that simple, especially in key Western states
By Alicia Caldwell, 08/23/2008
Latinos have emerged in this presidential campaign as one of the most sought-after voting "blocs" in the battleground states of Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
But earning their vote is no easy task.
The social and political diversity within the ethnic group is forcing campaigns to employ different and perhaps unfamiliar strategies.
"Campaigning among Hispanics is basically a new science," said Sergio Bendixen, a Miami-based consultant who is a leader in Hispanic opinion polling. "Before 2000, no one had a Hispanic consultant or a wing of the campaign assigned to the Hispanic electorate."
The political and demographic take on Hispanics in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico is not one story but many, and that diversity embodies the complexity of trying to win over a voting bloc that's not really a bloc.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
In New Mexico, particularly in the northern part of the state, there are a lot of socially conservative Hispanics. Some have served in the military or have family members who have. National security generally is an important issue.
They come from families that have lived in the same region for hundreds of years and hold close to their Spanish ancestry.
They vote in impressive numbers, and are solidly rooted in the middle class. They have helped propel other Hispanics into elected offices.
When in New Mexico, call them Hispanics, not Latinos, or risk being pegged as someone unfamiliar with how they see themselves.
" 'Latino' is a term that people from California use when they come to New Mexico," said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling, a New Mexico firm.
In Nevada, there are many newcomers in the construction and culinary industries. Of those Latinos eligible to vote, many don't have a tradition of doing so. Their interests tend toward labor and economics.
There are few Latino elected officials in Nevada, though the state has seen huge increases in the Latino population. Many eligible Latino voters use Spanish as a primary language.
"Almost two-thirds of registered voters are immigrants, and Spanish-language television is the way to get them," said Bendixen.
But bringing them to the polls is a tough assignment. Only 25 percent of Nevada Latinos eligible to vote went to the polls in the 2006 mid-term elections, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. In New Mexico, the number was 52 percent. In Colorado, it was 40 percent.
Those numbers illustrate how Colorado falls somewhere between New Mexico and Nevada on the continuum of assimilation and political participation. Most eligible Latino voters in Colorado are English-dominant, of Mexican descent and were born in the U.S. But they still have strong Latino cultural ties, and might listen to Spanish radio.
Rick Ridder, a Denver-based political consultant, said more than 90 percent of Latino voters prefer to be interviewed in English.
"It's very much 'I want to participate. I speak English,' " he said. "But as far as entertainment, they listen to Spanish radio."
Arturo Jimenez, who successfully campaigned for a se