Latino voters a force in Senate race
By Michael Riley, The Denver Post, 09/29/2008
Early in April, a group of high-power Republican Latinos sat down with GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer and pressed him to reach out to the state's Latino voters. They advised him to hire Latino staffers, offered to introduce him to community leaders and reminded him of the importance of attending the community's political events, such as the annual Bernie Valdez luncheon.
Schaffer "had a little bit of a problem" with it, said Gil Cisneros, who attended the meeting and is now helping John McCain coordinate a Latino outreach in Colorado.
"He said, 'Well, I've never campaigned like that. I consider myself to be an American first,' " Cisneros said in an interview the day after the parley, suggesting Schaffer didn't like to think about voters based on their racial or ethnic group.
In hindsight, the meeting may turn out to be a key moment in the campaign, especially given the latest Senate poll numbers released Tuesday by Quinnipiac University and The Wall Street Journal.
The poll shows Democrat Mark Udall with an overall lead of 8 percentage points, but he trails Schaffer among white voters 45 percent to 44 percent. Among Latinos, Udall leads by a gaping 43 points, 64 percent to 21 percent.
That means Latinos — and to a lesser extent African-Americans — are almost entirely responsible for the Democrat's edge in the race and that the failure by Schaffer and other Republicans to make inroads among those voters may be an Achilles' heel for the party in 2008.
Schaffer campaign manager Dick Wadhams said his candidate has no specific Latino outreach effort but that Schaffer has focused his career on issues that appeal broadly to Latino voters — including a strong emphasis on education and support for lower taxes.
The Republican Senate candidate has attended some Latino-targeted events, including one this month headlined by McCain surrogate and Texas Congressman Henry Bonilla. But it's Schaffer's overall message that Wadhams said will ultimately win over Latinos.
"Only one candidate in the race has spent time trying to reform education and do something about the high dropout rate in Denver's inner city that affects so many minority kids, especially Hispanics, and that's Bob Schaffer," Wadhams said.
"In the final analysis, Bob will get a significant percentage of the Hispanic vote as Hispanic voters tune into the race and see the differences between these two candidates," he said.
But if Udall's ability to win the Senate seat depends heavily on Colorado's quarter-million Latino voters, his campaign reflects it.
He has a massive outreach operation that includes dedicated staff, Latino-oriented events and a postcard campaign in which Latino supporters write to friends and neighbors to solicit their votes.
At a recent campaign event at La Rumba, a downtown Denver salsa club, the five-term congressman wasn't above dropping a few names. Besides Crisanta Duran, the campaign's political director and Latino liaison, he also introduced his chief of staff, Alan Salazar, and his press secretary, Tara Trujillo — perhaps the campaign's most public face behind Udall.
"Mark is reaching out to Latino voters because he believes it is important that they have a seat at the table — something they haven't always had under the Republican administration — when it comes to the issues that matter most to them," said Trujillo, a native of Pueblo.
Nationally, Latino voters typically lean to Democratic candidates by a two-to-one margin. But in the last eight years, President Bush and some of the GOP's top strategists have argued that the party's long-term success depends on changing that.
In fact, analysts say Colorado offers Republicans some possible inroads. The Catholic Church here is both a vocal supporter of pro-life policies — which tend to be endorsed more by Republicans — and an influential force in the lives of Latino families.
And a Democratic-led state legislature passed one of the toughest packages of anti-immigration laws anywhere in the country two years ago, which might have neutralized an issue that tends to play badly for the GOP among Latino voters.
But political analysts say those have largely been wasted opportunities. Latino voters appear to be trending even more Democratic in 2008 than they have in the past. (Barack Obama leads among Latino voters in Colorado by 68 percent to 26 percent, the Quinnipiac poll showed.)
For the Republicans in Colorado, "what you're dealing with in a close race is not to win the Hispanic vote but to keep from losing it by as large a margin as you might have," said Norman Provizer, a political-science professor at Metro State College in Denver.
"It's really how well campaigns resonate with the voters, and part of this is how well they resonate with particular minority communities. You're conveying a message that you're more open to things, are more sympathetic," Provizer said.
Cisneros, the Latino Republican leader, agreed.
"You've got to be out there at some of these functions. You've got to be out there with the community," Cisneros said after his earlier meeting with Schaffer. "I don't think that's racist. I think that's practical, everyday politics."
Michael Riley: 303-954-1614 or mriley@denverpost.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Dems kill immigrant legislation to please unions
Democrats err on immigration, Latino issues
Statesman Journal
SAN DIEGO — As they recall the failure of immigration reform in Congress, Democrats want to come off as the good guys.
This means burying the fact that their patrons in organized labor instructed them to kill any compromise that included guest workers — a concept AFL-CIO President John Sweeney termed "a bad idea (that) harms all workers."
And it means trying to refute a new Spanish-language television ad from the McCain-Palin campaign that blames Barack Obama and other Senate Democrats for undermining immigration reform in 2007 with procedural delays and "poison pill" amendments intended to make the legislation unpalatable to Republicans.
Translated, the ad says: "Obama and his congressional allies say they are on the side of immigrants. But are they? The press reports that their efforts were 'poison pills' that made immigration reform fail. The result: No guest worker program. No path to citizenship. No secure borders. No reform. Is that being on our side? Obama and his congressional allies: Ready to block immigration reform, but not ready to lead."
That is exactly what happened. It was smart but cynical politics. Led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrats were able to please the unions and deny a Republican president a huge legislative victory, all the while making it look as if the opposing party was to blame for the debacle.
Luckily, some members of the media kept their eye on the ball and put the blame where it belonged: on Reid and the Democrats. The Washington Post's David Broder, in a column published in June 2007, blasted Reid for going "out of his way to rewrite (the immigration bill) to meet the demands of organized labor."
Now, in response to the McCain-Palin ad, Democrats are practicing revisionist history. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey said in a statement released by the Obama campaign: "To say that Barack Obama and Senate Democrats blocked the bill that Republicans filibustered is hypocritical and not true. John McCain has lost his credibility when it comes to the immigration issue ... (He) cannot attack Democrats on immigration in Spanish while pandering to the extreme right Tancredo wing of the Republican Party in English."
I understand that Menendez is trying to earn Obama's good graces after being a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton in the primaries. But did he really compare McCain to Tom Tancredo, the nativist congressman who also sought the GOP nomination in this year's primaries?
Senator, I know Tom Tancredo. I've written about Tom Tancredo. And John McCain is no Tom Tancredo. One of the few things that these men share is a strong dislike for one another. In one debate, McCain described Tancredo's explanation of what makes someone an American as "beyond my realm of thinking."
Others on the left are also lending a hand to Democratic efforts at damage control. They include groups dedicated to the admirable goal of achieving comprehensive immigration reform. What is not so admirable is the way that these groups have turned on McCain, whom not long ago they praised for fighting the good fight on the immigration issue. Now they claim that McCain has flip-flopped.
Baloney. They're the ones who flip-flopped, and for no grander reason than because we're in an election year.
"We are stunned," declared Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, a Washington-based liberal-leaning organization in a statement.
"A Spanish-language ad approved by Sen. John McCain accuses Sen. Obama and the Democrats of derailing immigration reform? He knows better. The whole political world knows better. Comprehensive immigration reform was blocked not by Democrats but by Republicans. ... Immigrants and Latinos are intelligent. They know the difference between fact and fiction."
I always appreciate it when non-Latinos are patronizing and tell me what I should or shouldn't know. I know this much: Some folks inside the Beltway are so eager to put a Democrat in the White House that they're putting party before truth.
They include Latino groups such as the National Council of La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund who, as Sharry said, should know better.
During a conference call last week with reporters, NCLR Vice President Cecilia Munoz also criticized the ad and called immigration an issue that "tends to determine who the good guys are and the bad guys are for Latinos."
That implies that these advocacy groups can tell the difference. That's the point. Blinded by partisanship, they haven't a clue.
Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191. Send e-mail to ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
Statesman Journal
SAN DIEGO — As they recall the failure of immigration reform in Congress, Democrats want to come off as the good guys.
This means burying the fact that their patrons in organized labor instructed them to kill any compromise that included guest workers — a concept AFL-CIO President John Sweeney termed "a bad idea (that) harms all workers."
And it means trying to refute a new Spanish-language television ad from the McCain-Palin campaign that blames Barack Obama and other Senate Democrats for undermining immigration reform in 2007 with procedural delays and "poison pill" amendments intended to make the legislation unpalatable to Republicans.
Translated, the ad says: "Obama and his congressional allies say they are on the side of immigrants. But are they? The press reports that their efforts were 'poison pills' that made immigration reform fail. The result: No guest worker program. No path to citizenship. No secure borders. No reform. Is that being on our side? Obama and his congressional allies: Ready to block immigration reform, but not ready to lead."
That is exactly what happened. It was smart but cynical politics. Led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrats were able to please the unions and deny a Republican president a huge legislative victory, all the while making it look as if the opposing party was to blame for the debacle.
Luckily, some members of the media kept their eye on the ball and put the blame where it belonged: on Reid and the Democrats. The Washington Post's David Broder, in a column published in June 2007, blasted Reid for going "out of his way to rewrite (the immigration bill) to meet the demands of organized labor."
Now, in response to the McCain-Palin ad, Democrats are practicing revisionist history. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey said in a statement released by the Obama campaign: "To say that Barack Obama and Senate Democrats blocked the bill that Republicans filibustered is hypocritical and not true. John McCain has lost his credibility when it comes to the immigration issue ... (He) cannot attack Democrats on immigration in Spanish while pandering to the extreme right Tancredo wing of the Republican Party in English."
I understand that Menendez is trying to earn Obama's good graces after being a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton in the primaries. But did he really compare McCain to Tom Tancredo, the nativist congressman who also sought the GOP nomination in this year's primaries?
Senator, I know Tom Tancredo. I've written about Tom Tancredo. And John McCain is no Tom Tancredo. One of the few things that these men share is a strong dislike for one another. In one debate, McCain described Tancredo's explanation of what makes someone an American as "beyond my realm of thinking."
Others on the left are also lending a hand to Democratic efforts at damage control. They include groups dedicated to the admirable goal of achieving comprehensive immigration reform. What is not so admirable is the way that these groups have turned on McCain, whom not long ago they praised for fighting the good fight on the immigration issue. Now they claim that McCain has flip-flopped.
Baloney. They're the ones who flip-flopped, and for no grander reason than because we're in an election year.
"We are stunned," declared Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, a Washington-based liberal-leaning organization in a statement.
"A Spanish-language ad approved by Sen. John McCain accuses Sen. Obama and the Democrats of derailing immigration reform? He knows better. The whole political world knows better. Comprehensive immigration reform was blocked not by Democrats but by Republicans. ... Immigrants and Latinos are intelligent. They know the difference between fact and fiction."
I always appreciate it when non-Latinos are patronizing and tell me what I should or shouldn't know. I know this much: Some folks inside the Beltway are so eager to put a Democrat in the White House that they're putting party before truth.
They include Latino groups such as the National Council of La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund who, as Sharry said, should know better.
During a conference call last week with reporters, NCLR Vice President Cecilia Munoz also criticized the ad and called immigration an issue that "tends to determine who the good guys are and the bad guys are for Latinos."
That implies that these advocacy groups can tell the difference. That's the point. Blinded by partisanship, they haven't a clue.
Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191. Send e-mail to ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
Hispanic shopping behavior study results
Winning the Hispanic shopping trip
Miami Herald
Here are some excerpts from a study of Hispanic shopping behavior conducted in Miami and three of the other largest Hispanic markets in the United States during 2006 by Unilever.
• The Hispanic shopper makes a higher number of bigger trips, fill-in and major stock-up trips, and far fewer quick trips than the general market consumer. Quick trips are 44 percent of all trips she makes versus 62 percent for general market shoppers.
• The Hispanic shopper is significantly more aware (by a 48 percent to 36 percent margin) of ''specials'' before going to the store than are general shoppers.
• The Hispanic shopper knows her needs beforehand, hence a full 56 percent of her trips are routine versus 26 percent in the general market. She may spend less per routine trip, but a full 54 percent of her total grocery spending occurs on routine trips versus 22 percent in the general market.
• Only 2 percent of the Hispanic shoppers' trips are urgent versus 19 percent for the general market.
• 35 percent of all Hispanic shopping trips occur after 6 p.m. compared to only 18 percent in the general market.
Miami Herald
Here are some excerpts from a study of Hispanic shopping behavior conducted in Miami and three of the other largest Hispanic markets in the United States during 2006 by Unilever.
• The Hispanic shopper makes a higher number of bigger trips, fill-in and major stock-up trips, and far fewer quick trips than the general market consumer. Quick trips are 44 percent of all trips she makes versus 62 percent for general market shoppers.
• The Hispanic shopper is significantly more aware (by a 48 percent to 36 percent margin) of ''specials'' before going to the store than are general shoppers.
• The Hispanic shopper knows her needs beforehand, hence a full 56 percent of her trips are routine versus 26 percent in the general market. She may spend less per routine trip, but a full 54 percent of her total grocery spending occurs on routine trips versus 22 percent in the general market.
• Only 2 percent of the Hispanic shoppers' trips are urgent versus 19 percent for the general market.
• 35 percent of all Hispanic shopping trips occur after 6 p.m. compared to only 18 percent in the general market.
Conference of Hispanic scientists to cover drug use in Hispanic communities
World-Renowned Hispanic Scientists Gather To Address Disparities In Hispanic Drug Use, Treatment And Prevention
Medical News Today, 29 Sep 2008
The National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) on Drug Abuse will hold its eighth annual conference, "Community, Behavioral and Molecular Sciences in Addictive Disorders," October 1-3, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Nora Volkow , director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), will present the keynote address, "Imaging Obesity and Addiction." In her address, Dr. Volkow will examine the links between obesity and addiction from the basic biological, the epidemiologic, and the treatment perspective. "Both drugs and food activate the same neurochemical response in the brain," said Dr. Volkow. "We must leverage the science from one disorder to inform the other."
Funded by NIDA, the NHSN brings together scientists across multiple disciplines researching Hispanic drug abuse and related topics. The Hispanic population is hugely impacted by drug abuse and its consequences, yet the number of Hispanic scientists is disproportionately low.
"The U.S. Hispanic population is growing at a rate faster than our scientific capabilities to address their health needs," said Dr. José Szapocznik, Chair of NHSN. "The partnership between NIDA and NHSN continues to make strides in attracting early career scientists and students to drug abuse research, and weaving together national and international scientists working with populations of Spanish and Latin American origins. This year's conference continues a tradition of broadly interdisciplinary topics ranging from neuroscience to drug markets and risk-enhancing community environments."
For more information on the conference, please contact Omar Montejo at 305-243-5654 or omontejo@med.miami.edu.
Medical News Today, 29 Sep 2008
The National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) on Drug Abuse will hold its eighth annual conference, "Community, Behavioral and Molecular Sciences in Addictive Disorders," October 1-3, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Nora Volkow , director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), will present the keynote address, "Imaging Obesity and Addiction." In her address, Dr. Volkow will examine the links between obesity and addiction from the basic biological, the epidemiologic, and the treatment perspective. "Both drugs and food activate the same neurochemical response in the brain," said Dr. Volkow. "We must leverage the science from one disorder to inform the other."
Funded by NIDA, the NHSN brings together scientists across multiple disciplines researching Hispanic drug abuse and related topics. The Hispanic population is hugely impacted by drug abuse and its consequences, yet the number of Hispanic scientists is disproportionately low.
"The U.S. Hispanic population is growing at a rate faster than our scientific capabilities to address their health needs," said Dr. José Szapocznik, Chair of NHSN. "The partnership between NIDA and NHSN continues to make strides in attracting early career scientists and students to drug abuse research, and weaving together national and international scientists working with populations of Spanish and Latin American origins. This year's conference continues a tradition of broadly interdisciplinary topics ranging from neuroscience to drug markets and risk-enhancing community environments."
For more information on the conference, please contact Omar Montejo at 305-243-5654 or omontejo@med.miami.edu.
Bank Foundation gives grant to Hispanic group for surveys and research
Wells Fargo Foundation Provides $250,000 Grant to Empower Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sep 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Representatives from the Wells Fargo Foundation announced Thursday, September 25, a new grant for $250,000 to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USHCC Foundation) to continue efforts to build the capacity of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. The new grant will build on activities started in 2007 by the USHCC Foundation. Those previous activities were funded by a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to identify the needs of local and regional Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. The announcement was made during the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's 29th Annual National Convention and Business Expo.
The recently completed first-phase grant activities included a survey and research that have identified several priority areas for the Hispanic business community. According to the survey, local, regional and statewide Hispanic Chambers of Commerce seek training and resources to strengthen governance and administrative functions. Additionally, the research found that Hispanic businesses are in need of capital to begin, grow and expand their companies, an issue of particular importance in the current economic climate.
"The USHCC Foundation is committed to the advancement of the Hispanic community's economic development and entrepreneurship skills," said David C. Lizarraga, Chair of the Board for the USHCC and USHCC Foundation. "This new Wells Fargo Foundation grant will support our proactive strategies to empower Hispanic-owned businesses and help expand the reach of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce."
"For many years, Wells Fargo has enjoyed a growing and supportive alliance with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce," said Tim Rios, Senior Vice President of Corporate Community Development and national spokesperson for the Wells Fargo Latino Business Services Program. "We look forward to continuing and expanding our relationship with the USHCC Foundation and this grant illustrates Wells Fargo's continued commitment to the Latino business community."
The future activities supported by the new grant will focus on improving governance and financial models of local chambers, as well as assisting them in fundraising and procurement. Future studies are planned to explore in more detail the financial needs of Hispanic-owned businesses to assess the size of need, determine the need for loans versus equity financing, identify the outreach or educational program needed to increase the financial capacity of Hispanic-owned businesses, and to better understand what role local Hispanic Chambers of Commerce may play in meeting the needs of their respective members.
Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sep 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Representatives from the Wells Fargo Foundation announced Thursday, September 25, a new grant for $250,000 to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USHCC Foundation) to continue efforts to build the capacity of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. The new grant will build on activities started in 2007 by the USHCC Foundation. Those previous activities were funded by a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to identify the needs of local and regional Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. The announcement was made during the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's 29th Annual National Convention and Business Expo.
The recently completed first-phase grant activities included a survey and research that have identified several priority areas for the Hispanic business community. According to the survey, local, regional and statewide Hispanic Chambers of Commerce seek training and resources to strengthen governance and administrative functions. Additionally, the research found that Hispanic businesses are in need of capital to begin, grow and expand their companies, an issue of particular importance in the current economic climate.
"The USHCC Foundation is committed to the advancement of the Hispanic community's economic development and entrepreneurship skills," said David C. Lizarraga, Chair of the Board for the USHCC and USHCC Foundation. "This new Wells Fargo Foundation grant will support our proactive strategies to empower Hispanic-owned businesses and help expand the reach of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce."
"For many years, Wells Fargo has enjoyed a growing and supportive alliance with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce," said Tim Rios, Senior Vice President of Corporate Community Development and national spokesperson for the Wells Fargo Latino Business Services Program. "We look forward to continuing and expanding our relationship with the USHCC Foundation and this grant illustrates Wells Fargo's continued commitment to the Latino business community."
The future activities supported by the new grant will focus on improving governance and financial models of local chambers, as well as assisting them in fundraising and procurement. Future studies are planned to explore in more detail the financial needs of Hispanic-owned businesses to assess the size of need, determine the need for loans versus equity financing, identify the outreach or educational program needed to increase the financial capacity of Hispanic-owned businesses, and to better understand what role local Hispanic Chambers of Commerce may play in meeting the needs of their respective members.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Navarrette: Latinos known for being optimistic and overcome obstacles
Reconnecting Latino voters with hope
Ruben Navarrette, UNION-TRIBUNE, September 28, 2008
America's largest minority is a paradox. Latinos have a reputation for being fatalistic. Yet many, especially immigrants, also share an entrepreneurial belief that people chart their own destinies. The result is 46 million Americans – 15 percent of the U.S. population – who vacillate between pessimism and optimism.
At the moment, pessimism has the upper hand. According to a new survey from the Pew Hispanic Center, Latinos in the United States are increasingly gloomy about their own situation, the economy and their prospects for future success.
That is true of many Americans. However, it's precisely because Latinos – as with other groups with a strong immigrant tradition – are known for being optimistic and overcoming obstacles that a surge of pessimism should be taken seriously. Imagine what other groups typically less optimistic are going through.
Many Latinos say they are being picked on, discriminated against and turned into scapegoats. They have been blamed for crime, crowded schools and overburdened hospitals. Now they're supposedly responsible for traffic congestion, pollution, global warming and the Wall Street financial crisis?
A reader who usually complains about how Latinos are changing the culture suggested a novel theory for the banking meltdown. The main cause, he said, was “loans to Hispanics who could and would not pay their mortgages.”
That's odd. From what I've seen – including a story on CBS' “60 Minutes” – most of the folks who are handing over house keys and deserting bad mortgages don't look Hispanic. Besides, all this blame heaped on Latinos makes you wonder what non-Latinos have been doing with their time. Haven't they contributed anything to America's problems? Can't they be more productive?
It is little wonder that half of Latinos surveyed said the Latino condition in the United States was worse now than a year ago. In last year's survey, a third felt that way. Nearly 10 percent of Latinos polled said they had been stopped by police or other authorities and questioned about their immigration status, including 8 percent of U.S.-born Latinos who shouldn't have to put up with such harassment. Nearly 15 percent claimed it had been difficult to get or keep jobs because of their ethnicity; 10 percent said the same thing about housing. And 57 percent of Latinos said they worried that a friend or relative would be deported.
This last figure seems high and, for many, will reinforce the stereotype that most U.S. Latinos are undocumented. The Pew Hispanic Center made a point of not asking foreign-born respondents about their legal status. As a result, the sample may include a disproportionate share of illegal immigrants.
That may also explain why a majority of those surveyed opposed workplace raids and the criminal prosecution of illegal immigrants. According to Pew, a majority – 53 percent – even opposed the more innocuous practice of businesses attempting to electronically verify the legal status of workers.
I find this troubling. The Hispanic community has always put a strong emphasis on law and order. That is a tradition to be proud of, and it must not be compromised just because some Latinos favor an open border and won't accept that illegal immigrants are breaking the law.
So what does the fact that so many Latinos are unhappy portend for the presidential election? It could be bad news for John McCain, the survey suggests. About a third of Latinos say the immigration issue will influence how they vote; 50 percent said Barack Obama was the better candidate for immigrants, while just 12 percent said that about McCain. Sixty-six percent of Latinos back Obama, and just 23 percent support McCain.
Others polls show more enthusiasm for McCain among Latinos. Experts insist that McCain needs 35 percent of the Latino vote to have a chance to win. If McCain's problems with Latinos go beyond illegal immigrants who can't vote to include U.S. citizens who can, the Republican has miles to go – and not long to get there.
So should McCain give up on winning over Latinos? No way. He should be optimistic and channel that optimism into his message. By doing that, he could connect with Latinos – and, at the same time, help them reconnect with the hopefulness that brought them to this country in the first place.
Navarrette can be reached via ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
Ruben Navarrette, UNION-TRIBUNE, September 28, 2008
America's largest minority is a paradox. Latinos have a reputation for being fatalistic. Yet many, especially immigrants, also share an entrepreneurial belief that people chart their own destinies. The result is 46 million Americans – 15 percent of the U.S. population – who vacillate between pessimism and optimism.
At the moment, pessimism has the upper hand. According to a new survey from the Pew Hispanic Center, Latinos in the United States are increasingly gloomy about their own situation, the economy and their prospects for future success.
That is true of many Americans. However, it's precisely because Latinos – as with other groups with a strong immigrant tradition – are known for being optimistic and overcoming obstacles that a surge of pessimism should be taken seriously. Imagine what other groups typically less optimistic are going through.
Many Latinos say they are being picked on, discriminated against and turned into scapegoats. They have been blamed for crime, crowded schools and overburdened hospitals. Now they're supposedly responsible for traffic congestion, pollution, global warming and the Wall Street financial crisis?
A reader who usually complains about how Latinos are changing the culture suggested a novel theory for the banking meltdown. The main cause, he said, was “loans to Hispanics who could and would not pay their mortgages.”
That's odd. From what I've seen – including a story on CBS' “60 Minutes” – most of the folks who are handing over house keys and deserting bad mortgages don't look Hispanic. Besides, all this blame heaped on Latinos makes you wonder what non-Latinos have been doing with their time. Haven't they contributed anything to America's problems? Can't they be more productive?
It is little wonder that half of Latinos surveyed said the Latino condition in the United States was worse now than a year ago. In last year's survey, a third felt that way. Nearly 10 percent of Latinos polled said they had been stopped by police or other authorities and questioned about their immigration status, including 8 percent of U.S.-born Latinos who shouldn't have to put up with such harassment. Nearly 15 percent claimed it had been difficult to get or keep jobs because of their ethnicity; 10 percent said the same thing about housing. And 57 percent of Latinos said they worried that a friend or relative would be deported.
This last figure seems high and, for many, will reinforce the stereotype that most U.S. Latinos are undocumented. The Pew Hispanic Center made a point of not asking foreign-born respondents about their legal status. As a result, the sample may include a disproportionate share of illegal immigrants.
That may also explain why a majority of those surveyed opposed workplace raids and the criminal prosecution of illegal immigrants. According to Pew, a majority – 53 percent – even opposed the more innocuous practice of businesses attempting to electronically verify the legal status of workers.
I find this troubling. The Hispanic community has always put a strong emphasis on law and order. That is a tradition to be proud of, and it must not be compromised just because some Latinos favor an open border and won't accept that illegal immigrants are breaking the law.
So what does the fact that so many Latinos are unhappy portend for the presidential election? It could be bad news for John McCain, the survey suggests. About a third of Latinos say the immigration issue will influence how they vote; 50 percent said Barack Obama was the better candidate for immigrants, while just 12 percent said that about McCain. Sixty-six percent of Latinos back Obama, and just 23 percent support McCain.
Others polls show more enthusiasm for McCain among Latinos. Experts insist that McCain needs 35 percent of the Latino vote to have a chance to win. If McCain's problems with Latinos go beyond illegal immigrants who can't vote to include U.S. citizens who can, the Republican has miles to go – and not long to get there.
So should McCain give up on winning over Latinos? No way. He should be optimistic and channel that optimism into his message. By doing that, he could connect with Latinos – and, at the same time, help them reconnect with the hopefulness that brought them to this country in the first place.
Navarrette can be reached via ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
Charlotte's effort to register Latino voters creates success
Latino groups reach out for new voters: Bank also helps registration campaign, which may have suffered amid the gas shortage and poor weather.
September 28, 2008 The Charlotte Observer
For the last four weeks, BB&T bank and Latino community organizations in Charlotte have urged Latino immigrants to register to vote.
They've succeeded, registering nearly 1,000 new voters. But on Saturday, when they organized a final big push, they ran into the continuing gas shortage and bad weather.
"We were worried about that, that it may have an impact," said Ruben Campillo of the Latin American Coalition, one of the community organizations hosting the voter drive at Compare Foods groceries throughout the area. "The work will continue, even if we don't register the number of people we had hoped for."
The campaign, called "Tu Voz Cuenta!" ("Your Voice Counts!"), began about four weeks ago with a series of advertisements in La Noticia, Charlotte's Spanish-language newspaper. The idea, Campillo said, was to help Charlotte's legal Latinos realize the importance of voting in an election year.
The drive Saturday took place at seven area Compare Foods -- four in Charlotte, one each in Gastonia, Monroe and Kannapolis -- and a Gastonia BB&T. Compare Foods are popular in Latino communities, and volunteers passed out voter registration forms, ballots and pamphlets on voting.
The gas crisis was a problem. Near the Compare Foods at Independence Shopping Center, a line of about 75 cars stretched west approaching a nearby BP. That frustrated some potential voters -- and volunteers, too.
"I know a lot of members who were going to come who couldn't make it because they didn't have gas," said volunteer Wendy Arieta, 26.
But the campaign overall has succeeded in part because of Barack Obama's nomination, Arieta said. She's said several Latinos she knows want to vote this year because Obama is the first minority presidential candidate. "That makes it more exciting for everybody," she said.
Still, her Saturday had its frustrating moments. Some said they were already registered. Others ignored her. Still others did what a crew-cut young man in a white t-shirt did on his way into the store -- tell Arieta he didn't care for either presidential candidate.
"He's probably illegal and can't register to vote," she said. "I've heard that about three times today."
But Arieta eventually found a taker -- Manuel Rodriguez, 28, who said he hadn't registered since moving to Charlotte from New York three years ago.
"Look at the country. Somebody's got to do something, right?" Rodriguez said. "Everybody's struggling."
Greg Lacour: 704-358-5067
September 28, 2008 The Charlotte Observer
For the last four weeks, BB&T bank and Latino community organizations in Charlotte have urged Latino immigrants to register to vote.
They've succeeded, registering nearly 1,000 new voters. But on Saturday, when they organized a final big push, they ran into the continuing gas shortage and bad weather.
"We were worried about that, that it may have an impact," said Ruben Campillo of the Latin American Coalition, one of the community organizations hosting the voter drive at Compare Foods groceries throughout the area. "The work will continue, even if we don't register the number of people we had hoped for."
The campaign, called "Tu Voz Cuenta!" ("Your Voice Counts!"), began about four weeks ago with a series of advertisements in La Noticia, Charlotte's Spanish-language newspaper. The idea, Campillo said, was to help Charlotte's legal Latinos realize the importance of voting in an election year.
The drive Saturday took place at seven area Compare Foods -- four in Charlotte, one each in Gastonia, Monroe and Kannapolis -- and a Gastonia BB&T. Compare Foods are popular in Latino communities, and volunteers passed out voter registration forms, ballots and pamphlets on voting.
The gas crisis was a problem. Near the Compare Foods at Independence Shopping Center, a line of about 75 cars stretched west approaching a nearby BP. That frustrated some potential voters -- and volunteers, too.
"I know a lot of members who were going to come who couldn't make it because they didn't have gas," said volunteer Wendy Arieta, 26.
But the campaign overall has succeeded in part because of Barack Obama's nomination, Arieta said. She's said several Latinos she knows want to vote this year because Obama is the first minority presidential candidate. "That makes it more exciting for everybody," she said.
Still, her Saturday had its frustrating moments. Some said they were already registered. Others ignored her. Still others did what a crew-cut young man in a white t-shirt did on his way into the store -- tell Arieta he didn't care for either presidential candidate.
"He's probably illegal and can't register to vote," she said. "I've heard that about three times today."
But Arieta eventually found a taker -- Manuel Rodriguez, 28, who said he hadn't registered since moving to Charlotte from New York three years ago.
"Look at the country. Somebody's got to do something, right?" Rodriguez said. "Everybody's struggling."
Greg Lacour: 704-358-5067
Top-selling location for Latino related books
Bookstore is top Latino literary site
By Sandra T. Molina, Staff Writer 09/27/2008
PICO RIVERA - When the Borders Books & Music store opened on Washington Boulevard in 2003, many wondered if it would survive in the blue-collar, predominantly Latino neighborhood.
But now the store is the chain's top-selling location for Latino-related books. And it has become a must-stop for Latino authors hoping to break into Los Angeles' literary world.
"We have the highest volume (per store) of Latino-related materials in the country, including Florida and Puerto Rico," said George Escutia, Borders' sales manager.
"Publishing houses are definitely seeking us out," he said.
In 2003, the opening of the store was criticized - and even scoffed at - after the city agreed to use a federal redevelopment grant to pay Borders a $10,833 monthly subsidy for 15 years.
Councilman Gregory Salcido and former City Manager Dennis Courtemarche were strong proponents of the Borders project. Neither was surprised about the store's success and the strong standing it has in the publishing world.
"We knew Borders would establish Pico Rivera as having arrived," Courtemarche said.
The company, he said, took a gamble when it came to the city.
During the 2000 Census, 88percent of Pico Rivera residents called themselves Latino, making it one of the least-diverse communities in California, according to Census data.
"It was the first time Borders opened in a predominately Latino neighborhood," Courtemarche said.
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Salcido called the subsidy the "best tax money the city ever spent."
The trend of prominent Latino authors visiting the store happened somewhat spontaneously, Escutia said.
After a few well-attended in-store appearances by authors, Borders started to schedule writers on a regular basis.
"Something accidentally took off here," Escutia said.
Now the store sponsors an event or author each month.
Borders has played host to top-selling journalist and author Teresa Rodriguez, who wrote "The Daughters of Juarez" about 400 women who died in the Mexican border city of Juarez.
Journalist Jorge Ramos also made an appearance.
In addition, education author Ernesto Caravantes and Mexican Mafia chronicler Tony Rafael also have been showcased at the store.
The most recent writer to appear at Borders was Gustavo Arellano of " Ask a Mexican!" fame.
In fact, the 29-year-old author, columnist and wiseacre made Pico Rivera the launching pad for his national promotion tour for "Orange County," his latest book.
"My publisher, Scribner, made the conscious choice to have me start off here because of the store's reputation," Arellano said.
Although he is an established writer, Arellano said the Pico Rivera Borders has also gained a reputation for helping up-and-coming Latino authors gain a name in the literary world.
"It's very commendable to help those who may not otherwise get the exposure," he said.
Borders, in choosing Pico Rivera, wanted to carve out a niche for itself by providing Latino-authored works, but also Spanish versions of the biggest sellers and a large selection of Spanish-language periodicals.
"It was a major feather in our cap, and it's satisfying to see their success," said Salcido, who calls his part in securing Borders his biggest accomplishment on the council.
The city, he added, saw the major chain store not only as a sales tax revenue-maker, but as a business that would attract other high-end businesses.
sandra.molina@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3028
By Sandra T. Molina, Staff Writer 09/27/2008
PICO RIVERA - When the Borders Books & Music store opened on Washington Boulevard in 2003, many wondered if it would survive in the blue-collar, predominantly Latino neighborhood.
But now the store is the chain's top-selling location for Latino-related books. And it has become a must-stop for Latino authors hoping to break into Los Angeles' literary world.
"We have the highest volume (per store) of Latino-related materials in the country, including Florida and Puerto Rico," said George Escutia, Borders' sales manager.
"Publishing houses are definitely seeking us out," he said.
In 2003, the opening of the store was criticized - and even scoffed at - after the city agreed to use a federal redevelopment grant to pay Borders a $10,833 monthly subsidy for 15 years.
Councilman Gregory Salcido and former City Manager Dennis Courtemarche were strong proponents of the Borders project. Neither was surprised about the store's success and the strong standing it has in the publishing world.
"We knew Borders would establish Pico Rivera as having arrived," Courtemarche said.
The company, he said, took a gamble when it came to the city.
During the 2000 Census, 88percent of Pico Rivera residents called themselves Latino, making it one of the least-diverse communities in California, according to Census data.
"It was the first time Borders opened in a predominately Latino neighborhood," Courtemarche said.
Advertisement
Salcido called the subsidy the "best tax money the city ever spent."
The trend of prominent Latino authors visiting the store happened somewhat spontaneously, Escutia said.
After a few well-attended in-store appearances by authors, Borders started to schedule writers on a regular basis.
"Something accidentally took off here," Escutia said.
Now the store sponsors an event or author each month.
Borders has played host to top-selling journalist and author Teresa Rodriguez, who wrote "The Daughters of Juarez" about 400 women who died in the Mexican border city of Juarez.
Journalist Jorge Ramos also made an appearance.
In addition, education author Ernesto Caravantes and Mexican Mafia chronicler Tony Rafael also have been showcased at the store.
The most recent writer to appear at Borders was Gustavo Arellano of " Ask a Mexican!" fame.
In fact, the 29-year-old author, columnist and wiseacre made Pico Rivera the launching pad for his national promotion tour for "Orange County," his latest book.
"My publisher, Scribner, made the conscious choice to have me start off here because of the store's reputation," Arellano said.
Although he is an established writer, Arellano said the Pico Rivera Borders has also gained a reputation for helping up-and-coming Latino authors gain a name in the literary world.
"It's very commendable to help those who may not otherwise get the exposure," he said.
Borders, in choosing Pico Rivera, wanted to carve out a niche for itself by providing Latino-authored works, but also Spanish versions of the biggest sellers and a large selection of Spanish-language periodicals.
"It was a major feather in our cap, and it's satisfying to see their success," said Salcido, who calls his part in securing Borders his biggest accomplishment on the council.
The city, he added, saw the major chain store not only as a sales tax revenue-maker, but as a business that would attract other high-end businesses.
sandra.molina@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3028
MALDEF accuses sheriff of racial profiling and detaining legal Hispanics
Challenges to a Sheriff, Both Popular and Reviled
By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD September 28, 2008
PHOENIX — Joe Arpaio, a cherished figure in the movement against illegal immigration, is running for a fifth term as the Maricopa County sheriff. But a referendum on his contentious approach to law enforcement — and the growing challenges to it — is already under way in the public arena.
Sheriff Arpaio has raised more than $500,000, and he is mobbed by well-wishers at campaign events, at which he signs autographs and poses for photographs. A poll last month showed him with a comfortable lead over his challenger.
“It’s exciting, taking on an issue that’s really worldwide,” said Sheriff Arpaio, 76, whose deputies, often in the glare of television cameras, have been instructed to pick up illegal immigrants across the county, the nation’s fourth largest and among the fastest growing.
The question is whether Sheriff Arpaio, one of America’s most colorful law enforcement officials, has overstepped his bounds.
A federal lawsuit by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund accuses the sheriff’s department of racial profiling and detaining legal residents and American citizens for long periods while their status is checked. The Government Accountability Office, a watchdog arm of Congress, is re-evaluating a program under which federal officials trained the deputies here and elsewhere in immigration enforcement.
And the mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon, has asked the Justice Department to investigate the tactics employed by Sheriff Arpaio, who first gained national attention years ago for forcing inmates to wear pink underwear, housing them in tents and feeding them food of a green hue.
“The sheriff always did his pink underwear and other publicity stunts,” Mr. Gordon said in an interview, in which he expressed regret over not speaking out sooner. “While they were funny, they weren’t breaking the Constitution and they weren’t endangering lives.”
Mr. Gordon said he acted in April after meeting privately at a church with Hispanic constituents who complained that Sheriff Arpaio, in routine patrols and crime sweeps that included the arrest of large numbers of illegal immigrants, had sown a fear of all law enforcement officials, raising concerns that crimes were going unreported.
In addition, the mayor said, a Hispanic aide, who has since joined the racial profiling lawsuit, complained to him of a sheriff’s deputy singling her out to produce a Social Security card while other, non-Hispanic motorists stopped along with her for driving in a restricted area only had to show their licenses.
In the face of all this, Sheriff Arpaio, his voice a laconic baritone this side of John Wayne, remains unbowed.
“I don’t get any kicks because we locked up 30 guys, especially those coming here for jobs,” Sheriff Arpaio said. “What overrides the compassion, I took an oath of office to enforce that law. That’s the difference. What right does an official have to say, I will not defend the Constitution?”
For the better part of two years, it has not been uncommon for people in Maricopa County stopped for traffic infractions to be asked about their immigration status, particularly if they speak only Spanish and wear certain clothing, including jeans and shirts that officials consider characteristic of south of the border.
Most sheriff’s deputies “can make a quick recognition on somebody’s accent, how they’re dressed,” said Bruce Sands, chief of enforcement for the sheriff’s department, where deputies have received training from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The sheriff’s department says the crackdown has rid the county of hundreds of illegal immigrants, including many with felony offenses, and Sheriff Arpaio defends factoring in speech and dress as in line with the training of federal immigration agents; an ICE spokesman would say only that “we use a number of factors” to make such determinations.
Lately, Sheriff Arpaio’s deputies have raided local businesses in an effort to enforce a new state law that aims to punish employers for hiring workers in the country illegally. So far, however, no employers have been charged, though dozens of illegal immigrants have been arrested.
Sheriff Arpaio and his tactics have been closely watched by people on all sides of the immigration debate as they play out in this border state, an incubator for ideas on local enforcement of immigration law.
“What starts in Arizona spreads across the country,” said Chris Newman of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which has mounted protests of Wells Fargo in Chicago, El Paso, Phoenix and San Francisco because it leases space to the sheriff’s office here.
Displaying what even critics call an uncanny knack for reading the popular mood, nearly two years ago Sheriff Arpaio shifted much of his attention to the region’s illegal immigrant population, arresting scores of them during routine and saturation patrols of selected areas and turning them over to federal officials for deportation. He has arrested smugglers as well as the people they were transporting, following state court rulings in his favor.
The Government Accountability Office investigation is examining the federal program known as 287(g), which has provided training to 63 local law enforcement agencies, with Maricopa County having the largest number of participants, in detecting detainees’ immigration status. The inquiry arose through a request by the House Homeland Security Committee, whose members were approached by members of the Arizona delegation concerned about possible civil rights violations.
Separately, ICE officials said the agency was auditing its program with Maricopa, but they characterized that review as routine and not the result of complaints. Richard Rocha, a spokesman for the agency, said it believed the sheriff “is acting within the scope” of the agreement.
Already, however, Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat who had welcomed an endorsement from Sheriff Arpaio, a Republican, in her first race for governor, this spring took away state money for his office that had gone in part to immigration enforcement. But Ms. Napolitano, who declined to be interviewed, has remained largely silent on the civil rights concerns raised in the Hispanic community.
A new coalition of labor and community groups, Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, has accused Sheriff Arpaio of retaliating against opponents.
After a night of saturation patrols in the small suburb of Guadalupe led to a televised confrontation with Rebecca Jimenez, who was then mayor, Sheriff Arpaio threatened to withdraw from a contract to provide policing for the community. The Board of Supervisors approved the move last week but on Monday is to have a revote after it excluded members of the public from its meeting because of protests, possibly violating state law.
Sheriff Arpaio and a close ally, Andrew Thomas, the county attorney and a Republican who has zealously prosecuted immigration law, have publicly sparred with the state attorney general, Terry Goddard, a Democrat, who won his seat over Mr. Thomas in 2002 in a heated campaign.
Sheriff Arpaio announced a corruption inquiry of Mr. Goddard’s office in April 2007, but no charges have resulted.
“We are now a year and a half from that initial press conference where he told the world that’s what he was doing, an unusual way to start an investigation, and we still don’t have a result,” Mr. Goddard said in an interview.
All the focus on immigration has shifted attention from one of Sheriff Arpaio’s primary duties, overseeing 10,000 inmates.
A federal judge is expected to rule soon on an effort by the American Civil Liberties Union to keep in place the federal oversight of the jails that was started in 1995, citing deteriorating conditions and lax medical care in five jails that the A.C.L.U. says pose a risk of serious injury or death to pretrial inmates.
But, despite the intense fire, which now includes daily protests accusing him of failing to process thousands of warrants and costing taxpayers excessive amounts in legal settlements, few here predict the sheriff will lose his job to the challenger, Dan Saban. He is the former police chief in Buckeye and a longtime nemesis who switched parties to run as a Democrat.
At a recent fund-raiser, Robert Marino, a Democrat from Glendale, asked Sheriff Arpaio to sign a copy of his book, “Joe’s Law.”
“Illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and he is enforcing it,” said Mr. Marino, echoing the mantra of his supporters. “He is taking them away from Arizona and back to Mexico. I just wish other people were behind him.”
By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD September 28, 2008
PHOENIX — Joe Arpaio, a cherished figure in the movement against illegal immigration, is running for a fifth term as the Maricopa County sheriff. But a referendum on his contentious approach to law enforcement — and the growing challenges to it — is already under way in the public arena.
Sheriff Arpaio has raised more than $500,000, and he is mobbed by well-wishers at campaign events, at which he signs autographs and poses for photographs. A poll last month showed him with a comfortable lead over his challenger.
“It’s exciting, taking on an issue that’s really worldwide,” said Sheriff Arpaio, 76, whose deputies, often in the glare of television cameras, have been instructed to pick up illegal immigrants across the county, the nation’s fourth largest and among the fastest growing.
The question is whether Sheriff Arpaio, one of America’s most colorful law enforcement officials, has overstepped his bounds.
A federal lawsuit by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund accuses the sheriff’s department of racial profiling and detaining legal residents and American citizens for long periods while their status is checked. The Government Accountability Office, a watchdog arm of Congress, is re-evaluating a program under which federal officials trained the deputies here and elsewhere in immigration enforcement.
And the mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon, has asked the Justice Department to investigate the tactics employed by Sheriff Arpaio, who first gained national attention years ago for forcing inmates to wear pink underwear, housing them in tents and feeding them food of a green hue.
“The sheriff always did his pink underwear and other publicity stunts,” Mr. Gordon said in an interview, in which he expressed regret over not speaking out sooner. “While they were funny, they weren’t breaking the Constitution and they weren’t endangering lives.”
Mr. Gordon said he acted in April after meeting privately at a church with Hispanic constituents who complained that Sheriff Arpaio, in routine patrols and crime sweeps that included the arrest of large numbers of illegal immigrants, had sown a fear of all law enforcement officials, raising concerns that crimes were going unreported.
In addition, the mayor said, a Hispanic aide, who has since joined the racial profiling lawsuit, complained to him of a sheriff’s deputy singling her out to produce a Social Security card while other, non-Hispanic motorists stopped along with her for driving in a restricted area only had to show their licenses.
In the face of all this, Sheriff Arpaio, his voice a laconic baritone this side of John Wayne, remains unbowed.
“I don’t get any kicks because we locked up 30 guys, especially those coming here for jobs,” Sheriff Arpaio said. “What overrides the compassion, I took an oath of office to enforce that law. That’s the difference. What right does an official have to say, I will not defend the Constitution?”
For the better part of two years, it has not been uncommon for people in Maricopa County stopped for traffic infractions to be asked about their immigration status, particularly if they speak only Spanish and wear certain clothing, including jeans and shirts that officials consider characteristic of south of the border.
Most sheriff’s deputies “can make a quick recognition on somebody’s accent, how they’re dressed,” said Bruce Sands, chief of enforcement for the sheriff’s department, where deputies have received training from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The sheriff’s department says the crackdown has rid the county of hundreds of illegal immigrants, including many with felony offenses, and Sheriff Arpaio defends factoring in speech and dress as in line with the training of federal immigration agents; an ICE spokesman would say only that “we use a number of factors” to make such determinations.
Lately, Sheriff Arpaio’s deputies have raided local businesses in an effort to enforce a new state law that aims to punish employers for hiring workers in the country illegally. So far, however, no employers have been charged, though dozens of illegal immigrants have been arrested.
Sheriff Arpaio and his tactics have been closely watched by people on all sides of the immigration debate as they play out in this border state, an incubator for ideas on local enforcement of immigration law.
“What starts in Arizona spreads across the country,” said Chris Newman of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which has mounted protests of Wells Fargo in Chicago, El Paso, Phoenix and San Francisco because it leases space to the sheriff’s office here.
Displaying what even critics call an uncanny knack for reading the popular mood, nearly two years ago Sheriff Arpaio shifted much of his attention to the region’s illegal immigrant population, arresting scores of them during routine and saturation patrols of selected areas and turning them over to federal officials for deportation. He has arrested smugglers as well as the people they were transporting, following state court rulings in his favor.
The Government Accountability Office investigation is examining the federal program known as 287(g), which has provided training to 63 local law enforcement agencies, with Maricopa County having the largest number of participants, in detecting detainees’ immigration status. The inquiry arose through a request by the House Homeland Security Committee, whose members were approached by members of the Arizona delegation concerned about possible civil rights violations.
Separately, ICE officials said the agency was auditing its program with Maricopa, but they characterized that review as routine and not the result of complaints. Richard Rocha, a spokesman for the agency, said it believed the sheriff “is acting within the scope” of the agreement.
Already, however, Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat who had welcomed an endorsement from Sheriff Arpaio, a Republican, in her first race for governor, this spring took away state money for his office that had gone in part to immigration enforcement. But Ms. Napolitano, who declined to be interviewed, has remained largely silent on the civil rights concerns raised in the Hispanic community.
A new coalition of labor and community groups, Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, has accused Sheriff Arpaio of retaliating against opponents.
After a night of saturation patrols in the small suburb of Guadalupe led to a televised confrontation with Rebecca Jimenez, who was then mayor, Sheriff Arpaio threatened to withdraw from a contract to provide policing for the community. The Board of Supervisors approved the move last week but on Monday is to have a revote after it excluded members of the public from its meeting because of protests, possibly violating state law.
Sheriff Arpaio and a close ally, Andrew Thomas, the county attorney and a Republican who has zealously prosecuted immigration law, have publicly sparred with the state attorney general, Terry Goddard, a Democrat, who won his seat over Mr. Thomas in 2002 in a heated campaign.
Sheriff Arpaio announced a corruption inquiry of Mr. Goddard’s office in April 2007, but no charges have resulted.
“We are now a year and a half from that initial press conference where he told the world that’s what he was doing, an unusual way to start an investigation, and we still don’t have a result,” Mr. Goddard said in an interview.
All the focus on immigration has shifted attention from one of Sheriff Arpaio’s primary duties, overseeing 10,000 inmates.
A federal judge is expected to rule soon on an effort by the American Civil Liberties Union to keep in place the federal oversight of the jails that was started in 1995, citing deteriorating conditions and lax medical care in five jails that the A.C.L.U. says pose a risk of serious injury or death to pretrial inmates.
But, despite the intense fire, which now includes daily protests accusing him of failing to process thousands of warrants and costing taxpayers excessive amounts in legal settlements, few here predict the sheriff will lose his job to the challenger, Dan Saban. He is the former police chief in Buckeye and a longtime nemesis who switched parties to run as a Democrat.
At a recent fund-raiser, Robert Marino, a Democrat from Glendale, asked Sheriff Arpaio to sign a copy of his book, “Joe’s Law.”
“Illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and he is enforcing it,” said Mr. Marino, echoing the mantra of his supporters. “He is taking them away from Arizona and back to Mexico. I just wish other people were behind him.”
HACR honors Hispanic programmer for Tyson
Tyson Executive Earns Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Honor
Wilhelm One of 26 Executives Recognized by HACR
Press Release
SPRINGDALE, Ark., Sep 24, 2008 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- One of the nation's leading Hispanic organizations has recognized an executive of Tyson Foods, Inc. for her corporate leadership and commitment to the Hispanic community.
Adriana Wilhelm, a Lead Programmer Analyst for Tyson in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is one of 26 executives from across the country recently honored by The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) at its 2nd annual Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers (YHCA) program. The annual leadership program recognizes young Hispanic achievers at Fortune 500 companies.
"We're extremely proud of Adriana and this prestigious, national honor she has received," said Gary Cooper, senior vice president and chief information officer for Tyson Foods. "She does a great job for us and represents our company and our community very well."
Wilhelm, who was born in Medellin, Colombia, is currently the project and team lead of a computer-based business intelligence implementation project for Tyson. She holds a bachelor's degree in international business and economics and a master's degree in information systems from the University of Arkansas and is fluent in German, English and Spanish. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Ozark Affiliate and has been part of breast cancer awareness efforts in the Hispanic community.
Wilhelm and the others honored by HACR were nominated by their respective companies and selected after a review of their accomplishments, established leadership qualities, industry expertise, education and employment experiences, as well as a demonstrated commitment to their communities.
"We believe that a company's success will be increasingly determined by the diverse talent they recruit into their management teams, which is why we developed the HACR YHCA program to highlight the progress being made by a growing number of corporations," said HACR President & CEO Carlos Orta.
Tyson Foods, Inc., founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world's largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 104,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.
This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com
Wilhelm One of 26 Executives Recognized by HACR
Press Release
SPRINGDALE, Ark., Sep 24, 2008 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- One of the nation's leading Hispanic organizations has recognized an executive of Tyson Foods, Inc. for her corporate leadership and commitment to the Hispanic community.
Adriana Wilhelm, a Lead Programmer Analyst for Tyson in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is one of 26 executives from across the country recently honored by The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) at its 2nd annual Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers (YHCA) program. The annual leadership program recognizes young Hispanic achievers at Fortune 500 companies.
"We're extremely proud of Adriana and this prestigious, national honor she has received," said Gary Cooper, senior vice president and chief information officer for Tyson Foods. "She does a great job for us and represents our company and our community very well."
Wilhelm, who was born in Medellin, Colombia, is currently the project and team lead of a computer-based business intelligence implementation project for Tyson. She holds a bachelor's degree in international business and economics and a master's degree in information systems from the University of Arkansas and is fluent in German, English and Spanish. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Ozark Affiliate and has been part of breast cancer awareness efforts in the Hispanic community.
Wilhelm and the others honored by HACR were nominated by their respective companies and selected after a review of their accomplishments, established leadership qualities, industry expertise, education and employment experiences, as well as a demonstrated commitment to their communities.
"We believe that a company's success will be increasingly determined by the diverse talent they recruit into their management teams, which is why we developed the HACR YHCA program to highlight the progress being made by a growing number of corporations," said HACR President & CEO Carlos Orta.
Tyson Foods, Inc., founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world's largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 104,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.
This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com
Sunday, September 28, 2008
New Mexico Republican resigns after controversy about Latino voters
Battle For The West: NM GOP Foot in Mouth
Huffington Post, Ryan Rivera
The chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party resigned Thursday following comments reported on a BBC blog last week that most observers said fell somewhere between insensitive and poorly articulated to outright racist. The money shot: "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won't vote for a black president," said Fernando C de Baca.
Bernalillo County, New Mexico's most populous with Albuquerque its major population hub, is 44.9 percent Hispanic and 3.0 percent black according to 2006 census estimates.
Though C de Baca contends his comments were taken out of context, members of his own party urged him to step down. "Mr. C de Baca's divisive comments this past Friday were inappropriate, they were offensive and the fact that they were even spoken was poor judgment at best," said state GOP chairman Allen Weh earlier in the week.
In an opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal, C de Baca insisted he wasn't speaking for all Hispanics or even himself. "I was setting the context of why I believe, as a student of history, culture and government, that some New Mexicans of different ethic backgrounds -- cultural realities -- would view this historic presidential election differently," he said. "I do not believe that Obama shares his grandmother's thoughts any more than I share my grandfather's."
C de Baca pointed to similar comments made by Democratic state senator Mary Jane Garcia earlier this year as reported in the Rocky Mountain News: "I don't know one single Hispanic over 50 who will cast a vote for Obama...there have always been conflicts between blacks and browns," she said in August. Both C de Baca and Garcia are in their 70s.
Barbara Armijo attempts to sift through the comments to find the reality in a piece in the New Mexico Independent headlined "Racial tension between Hispanics and blacks is real." Juan Jose Pena, state commander of the American G.I. Forum of New Mexico and chairman of the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, acknowledges there may be simmering resentment among older generations of Hispanics. "It is nevertheless true that there were many disagreements and conflicts between Hispanos and Blacks during the Civil Rights Movement...The newspapers and TV stations were covering Martin Luther King and the Black Movement was bigger and stronger than the Chicano or Native American movements at the time," Pena, an Obama supporter, said in the article.
Sen. Barack Obama's real or imagined Latino problem sparked headlines during his primary battle with Sen. Hillary Clinton, but the Illinois senator holds about a 2-to-1 or better lead with Latinos in most recent polls. The conclusion: the Latino vote was pro-Clinton, not anti-Obama. But this doesn't mean race is not a factor with some voters, Latino or otherwise. A somewhat controversial poll earlier this week concluded that absent racial predjudices, Obama would poll 6 points higher.
Out of a job and still bemoaning the lack of context offered in the controversy over his remarks, Republican C de Baca equates his clumsy (mis)statements with triggering the same type of discussion on race as Obama's landmark Philadelphia speech. "In retrospect, I am glad these issues have arisen. They should be discussed, and openly," ended C de Baca's opinion.
Huffington Post, Ryan Rivera
The chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party resigned Thursday following comments reported on a BBC blog last week that most observers said fell somewhere between insensitive and poorly articulated to outright racist. The money shot: "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won't vote for a black president," said Fernando C de Baca.
Bernalillo County, New Mexico's most populous with Albuquerque its major population hub, is 44.9 percent Hispanic and 3.0 percent black according to 2006 census estimates.
Though C de Baca contends his comments were taken out of context, members of his own party urged him to step down. "Mr. C de Baca's divisive comments this past Friday were inappropriate, they were offensive and the fact that they were even spoken was poor judgment at best," said state GOP chairman Allen Weh earlier in the week.
In an opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal, C de Baca insisted he wasn't speaking for all Hispanics or even himself. "I was setting the context of why I believe, as a student of history, culture and government, that some New Mexicans of different ethic backgrounds -- cultural realities -- would view this historic presidential election differently," he said. "I do not believe that Obama shares his grandmother's thoughts any more than I share my grandfather's."
C de Baca pointed to similar comments made by Democratic state senator Mary Jane Garcia earlier this year as reported in the Rocky Mountain News: "I don't know one single Hispanic over 50 who will cast a vote for Obama...there have always been conflicts between blacks and browns," she said in August. Both C de Baca and Garcia are in their 70s.
Barbara Armijo attempts to sift through the comments to find the reality in a piece in the New Mexico Independent headlined "Racial tension between Hispanics and blacks is real." Juan Jose Pena, state commander of the American G.I. Forum of New Mexico and chairman of the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, acknowledges there may be simmering resentment among older generations of Hispanics. "It is nevertheless true that there were many disagreements and conflicts between Hispanos and Blacks during the Civil Rights Movement...The newspapers and TV stations were covering Martin Luther King and the Black Movement was bigger and stronger than the Chicano or Native American movements at the time," Pena, an Obama supporter, said in the article.
Sen. Barack Obama's real or imagined Latino problem sparked headlines during his primary battle with Sen. Hillary Clinton, but the Illinois senator holds about a 2-to-1 or better lead with Latinos in most recent polls. The conclusion: the Latino vote was pro-Clinton, not anti-Obama. But this doesn't mean race is not a factor with some voters, Latino or otherwise. A somewhat controversial poll earlier this week concluded that absent racial predjudices, Obama would poll 6 points higher.
Out of a job and still bemoaning the lack of context offered in the controversy over his remarks, Republican C de Baca equates his clumsy (mis)statements with triggering the same type of discussion on race as Obama's landmark Philadelphia speech. "In retrospect, I am glad these issues have arisen. They should be discussed, and openly," ended C de Baca's opinion.
6th Annual Hispanic Television Summit planned for October
Leading Executives to Attend Signature Event for Hispanic Television and Digital Video
The Sixth Annual Hispanic Television Summit Presented by Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable To Be Held Wednesday, October 22 & Thursday, October 23, 2008 At the New York Hilton Hotel
Market Watch
NEW YORK, Sept 26, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In just six years, the Hispanic Television Summit, presented by industry trade publications, Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable, has become the signature annual conference for industry-influencers and leaders involved in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American audiences.
One reason for this distinction is that the Summit delivers the "freshest" industry information in response to the current trends in the television and digital video marketplace. As a result, the Summit attracts speakers, panelists, and participants who are top executives from broadcast, cable, satellite, broadband and mobile, as well as those from related businesses like advertising, finance, consumer electronics, video technology and other consumer goods.
The distinctive topic of the Hispanic Television Summit always focuses on the latest trends for generating revenues within the Hispanic television and digital media space. The particular focus this year, 2008 will place the spotlight on the Hispanic viewing audience including the effects of the digital transition, re-transmission and "must-carry" rights, as well as technical advances that have increased the number of new distribution options like multi-casting, switched video and cross-platform on multiple screens (TV, computer and mobile phone).
The Award for a Lifetime of Achievement in Hispanic Television will be presented at a luncheon ceremony on Thursday, October 23, and honors renowned television journalist, Jorge Ramos, best known as the anchor of the network primetime evening news program, "Noticiero Univision" and the host of Univision's weekly newsmagazine series, "Al Punto". Univision's CEO Joe Uva, will proudly present introductory comments. Prior Award recipients include the host of Sabado Gigante, Don Francisco (Mario Kreutzberger), sports announcer, Andres Cantor, newsmagazine host of Al Rojo Vivo, Maria Celeste Arraras, and beloved talk-show star of El Show de Cristina, Cristina Saralegui.
Several keynote presentations include one by Melinda Witmer, who as Chief Programming Executive for Time Warner Cable is one of the cable TV industry's leading decision makers. Ms. Witmer will speak about the opportunity to serve the viewing interests of the diverse Hispanic TV household. Another keynote will be delivered by the COO of Telemundo Communications Group, Jackie Hernandez, who will address the need to meet the priorities of both viewer and advertiser at the same time and will share findings from a recent research study. Yet another keynote presentation will be made by Robin Blunt, who VP of promotions and Retailer Marketing at the Simon Property Group -- a leading, nation-wide shopping mall management company. Mr. Blunt will share data about Hispanic shopping habits, and describe recent executions of co-promotions targeted to Hispanics, as well as offering creative promotional ideas that are easily applied to the TV industry.
Each of the seven (7) panels will focus on its own particular part of the overall equation.
One panel will address how advertising sales and advertising measurement are affected by a multi-screen "view-when-you-want" environment controlled more by the viewer and less by the network.
Another panel, focuses on marketing digital programming and services to Hispanics -- whether it is to promote subscription to an Hispanic tier or transactional pay-per-view.
A programming panel specifically addresses the interests of Latinas ... whether it's programming for themselves or programming for members of her family.
A promotions panel is presented with the assistance of the Multicultural Marketing Committee of NAMIC (National Association of Multi-ethnicities in Communications) and addresses how to attract Hispanic audiences.
Another panel focuses specifically on content distribution, taking note of innovative ways to expand programming options for the viewer via switched video, multicasting and video on demand, as well as traditional models.
A new addition this year is the panel that takes a look at how Hispanics are using new consumer electronics and how manufacturers are expanding viewing satisfaction with new technologies.
And, the always popular finance panel features those who are currently investing in digital video and television properties in the Hispanic market.
The Summit is being produced for the sixth time for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable by New York-based Schramm Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a leading marketing and media services company which includes Hispanic marketing of TV content among its specialties.
To register: visit http://www.multichannel.com/hispanicsummit or call Sandy Friedman at 646-746-6740
Multichannel News covers multichannel television and communications providers, such as cable operators, satellite TV firms, and telephone companies, as well as emerging Internet video and communication services. http://www.multichannel.com
Broadcasting & Cable covers the business of television for industry professionals offering breaking news and analysis on programming, syndication, the station business, technology and advertising for broadcasting, cable, satellite, telco TV and the Web. http://www.broadcastingcable.com
SOURCE Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable
The Sixth Annual Hispanic Television Summit Presented by Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable To Be Held Wednesday, October 22 & Thursday, October 23, 2008 At the New York Hilton Hotel
Market Watch
NEW YORK, Sept 26, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In just six years, the Hispanic Television Summit, presented by industry trade publications, Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable, has become the signature annual conference for industry-influencers and leaders involved in the business of television and digital video targeted to the US Hispanic and Latin American audiences.
One reason for this distinction is that the Summit delivers the "freshest" industry information in response to the current trends in the television and digital video marketplace. As a result, the Summit attracts speakers, panelists, and participants who are top executives from broadcast, cable, satellite, broadband and mobile, as well as those from related businesses like advertising, finance, consumer electronics, video technology and other consumer goods.
The distinctive topic of the Hispanic Television Summit always focuses on the latest trends for generating revenues within the Hispanic television and digital media space. The particular focus this year, 2008 will place the spotlight on the Hispanic viewing audience including the effects of the digital transition, re-transmission and "must-carry" rights, as well as technical advances that have increased the number of new distribution options like multi-casting, switched video and cross-platform on multiple screens (TV, computer and mobile phone).
The Award for a Lifetime of Achievement in Hispanic Television will be presented at a luncheon ceremony on Thursday, October 23, and honors renowned television journalist, Jorge Ramos, best known as the anchor of the network primetime evening news program, "Noticiero Univision" and the host of Univision's weekly newsmagazine series, "Al Punto". Univision's CEO Joe Uva, will proudly present introductory comments. Prior Award recipients include the host of Sabado Gigante, Don Francisco (Mario Kreutzberger), sports announcer, Andres Cantor, newsmagazine host of Al Rojo Vivo, Maria Celeste Arraras, and beloved talk-show star of El Show de Cristina, Cristina Saralegui.
Several keynote presentations include one by Melinda Witmer, who as Chief Programming Executive for Time Warner Cable is one of the cable TV industry's leading decision makers. Ms. Witmer will speak about the opportunity to serve the viewing interests of the diverse Hispanic TV household. Another keynote will be delivered by the COO of Telemundo Communications Group, Jackie Hernandez, who will address the need to meet the priorities of both viewer and advertiser at the same time and will share findings from a recent research study. Yet another keynote presentation will be made by Robin Blunt, who VP of promotions and Retailer Marketing at the Simon Property Group -- a leading, nation-wide shopping mall management company. Mr. Blunt will share data about Hispanic shopping habits, and describe recent executions of co-promotions targeted to Hispanics, as well as offering creative promotional ideas that are easily applied to the TV industry.
Each of the seven (7) panels will focus on its own particular part of the overall equation.
One panel will address how advertising sales and advertising measurement are affected by a multi-screen "view-when-you-want" environment controlled more by the viewer and less by the network.
Another panel, focuses on marketing digital programming and services to Hispanics -- whether it is to promote subscription to an Hispanic tier or transactional pay-per-view.
A programming panel specifically addresses the interests of Latinas ... whether it's programming for themselves or programming for members of her family.
A promotions panel is presented with the assistance of the Multicultural Marketing Committee of NAMIC (National Association of Multi-ethnicities in Communications) and addresses how to attract Hispanic audiences.
Another panel focuses specifically on content distribution, taking note of innovative ways to expand programming options for the viewer via switched video, multicasting and video on demand, as well as traditional models.
A new addition this year is the panel that takes a look at how Hispanics are using new consumer electronics and how manufacturers are expanding viewing satisfaction with new technologies.
And, the always popular finance panel features those who are currently investing in digital video and television properties in the Hispanic market.
The Summit is being produced for the sixth time for Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable by New York-based Schramm Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a leading marketing and media services company which includes Hispanic marketing of TV content among its specialties.
To register: visit http://www.multichannel.com/hispanicsummit or call Sandy Friedman at 646-746-6740
Multichannel News covers multichannel television and communications providers, such as cable operators, satellite TV firms, and telephone companies, as well as emerging Internet video and communication services. http://www.multichannel.com
Broadcasting & Cable covers the business of television for industry professionals offering breaking news and analysis on programming, syndication, the station business, technology and advertising for broadcasting, cable, satellite, telco TV and the Web. http://www.broadcastingcable.com
SOURCE Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable
Latina educator among the top 25 Latino educators
Dr. Erlinda Martinez Honored Among Top 25 Latino Educators by National Latino Leaders Magazine
Press Release
Santa Ana, CA, September 27, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Santa Ana College President, Dr. Erlinda Martinez, was selected as one of the “Top 25 Latinos in Education” according to Latino Leaders magazine, a national magazine that targets Latino readership. The list, which appears in the magazine’s most recent issue (September/October), includes leaders throughout the country who hold influential positions in institutions of higher education. The “Top 25” list is the inaugural list of its kind and
Dr. Martinez is the only Orange County college president selected.
“It is such a distinguished and exclusive honor for one of our institutional leaders to be recognized on such a platform as the Latino Leaders magazine,” said Dr. Edward Hernandez, Jr., Rancho Santiago Community College District chancellor. “We are very proud of Dr. Martinez’ recognition and for her extensive contributions to Santa Ana College.”
About Santa Ana College
Part of Rancho Santiago Community College District, Santa Ana College serves nearly 40,000 credit and non-credit students each semester and offers 136 certificate and associate degree programs. The mission of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is to respond to the educational needs of an ever-changing community and to provide programs and services that reflect academic excellence. Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of RSCCD, which serve the residents of Anaheim Hills, East Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, customized training for business and industry, and programs to train nurses, firefighters and law enforcement personnel.
Press Release
Santa Ana, CA, September 27, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Santa Ana College President, Dr. Erlinda Martinez, was selected as one of the “Top 25 Latinos in Education” according to Latino Leaders magazine, a national magazine that targets Latino readership. The list, which appears in the magazine’s most recent issue (September/October), includes leaders throughout the country who hold influential positions in institutions of higher education. The “Top 25” list is the inaugural list of its kind and
Dr. Martinez is the only Orange County college president selected.
“It is such a distinguished and exclusive honor for one of our institutional leaders to be recognized on such a platform as the Latino Leaders magazine,” said Dr. Edward Hernandez, Jr., Rancho Santiago Community College District chancellor. “We are very proud of Dr. Martinez’ recognition and for her extensive contributions to Santa Ana College.”
About Santa Ana College
Part of Rancho Santiago Community College District, Santa Ana College serves nearly 40,000 credit and non-credit students each semester and offers 136 certificate and associate degree programs. The mission of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is to respond to the educational needs of an ever-changing community and to provide programs and services that reflect academic excellence. Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of RSCCD, which serve the residents of Anaheim Hills, East Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, customized training for business and industry, and programs to train nurses, firefighters and law enforcement personnel.
Immigration raids and deportation taking toll on Latino mental health
Latinos have new place to go as mental health needs grow
Dallas Morning News, September 27, 2008
A shaky economy, the threat of immigration raids and deportations, and rising health care concerns are taking a toll on the mental health of many Latino families.
In North Texas, especially, where the population has swelled with an influx of immigrants, health care providers are seeing a dire need for more mental health services.
"We're seeing a lot of financial pressure, a lot more vocational job loss, and it's trickling down to the family unit," said Dr. Misty Solt, a licensed professional counselor and the director of a new mental health clinic at the Southern Methodist University campus in Plano.
The SMU Center for Family Counseling, at 5228 Tennyson Parkway, will offer mental health services at a reduced cost.
The clinic is an integral part of the university's master's degree in counseling program. One of the degree requirements is practical experience.
Graduate students who have completed most of the academic work will serve as counselors under the direct supervision of licensed faculty and staff.
Many of the students are bilingual – a skill highly sought in our increasingly bicultural region.
Tony Picchioni, director of the Dispute Resolution Program, said the university is aware of the growing need for bilingual counselors and the impact that culture has on mental health.
"Culture is one of the major drivers of therapy," Dr. Picchioni said. "No course today can be monolithic. It has to reflect the dynamism of a pluralistic society."
But today's aspiring counselors also will have other factors to deal with, as worries over the economy grow.
"We're seeing a lot more anxiety and depression" among all groups, Dr. Solt said. "It must be at an all-time high."
She's also seeing a lot of child-rearing issues, especially among pre-adolescents 9 to 12, who often push the boundaries set by their traditional parents.
And people are turning to traditional coping mechanisms that can be highly destructive, such as substance abuse. They also can end up using the Internet excessively in trying to escape from their anxiety.
For Latino youths, they can even turn to suicide, as a new federal study shows.
The report, released this summer, concluded that Hispanic teenagers are more likely to attempt suicide than their white and black classmates.Rarely do Latinos think of turning to a therapist during stressful times. More often, like so many Americans, they're more likely to seek help from their priests or pastors.
That's one of the reasons the SMU clinic has spent several weeks building relationships with local churches.
"We're leaning on them to help us build thrust there," Dr. Solt said.
Jenny Gomez, a licensed therapist who is with the St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, said many Latinos may feel shame in seeking out a counselor.
"Sometimes, there's a stigma about asking for help," she said. "We hope they embrace it and see it as a compassionate environment."
Dallas Morning News, September 27, 2008
A shaky economy, the threat of immigration raids and deportations, and rising health care concerns are taking a toll on the mental health of many Latino families.
In North Texas, especially, where the population has swelled with an influx of immigrants, health care providers are seeing a dire need for more mental health services.
"We're seeing a lot of financial pressure, a lot more vocational job loss, and it's trickling down to the family unit," said Dr. Misty Solt, a licensed professional counselor and the director of a new mental health clinic at the Southern Methodist University campus in Plano.
The SMU Center for Family Counseling, at 5228 Tennyson Parkway, will offer mental health services at a reduced cost.
The clinic is an integral part of the university's master's degree in counseling program. One of the degree requirements is practical experience.
Graduate students who have completed most of the academic work will serve as counselors under the direct supervision of licensed faculty and staff.
Many of the students are bilingual – a skill highly sought in our increasingly bicultural region.
Tony Picchioni, director of the Dispute Resolution Program, said the university is aware of the growing need for bilingual counselors and the impact that culture has on mental health.
"Culture is one of the major drivers of therapy," Dr. Picchioni said. "No course today can be monolithic. It has to reflect the dynamism of a pluralistic society."
But today's aspiring counselors also will have other factors to deal with, as worries over the economy grow.
"We're seeing a lot more anxiety and depression" among all groups, Dr. Solt said. "It must be at an all-time high."
She's also seeing a lot of child-rearing issues, especially among pre-adolescents 9 to 12, who often push the boundaries set by their traditional parents.
And people are turning to traditional coping mechanisms that can be highly destructive, such as substance abuse. They also can end up using the Internet excessively in trying to escape from their anxiety.
For Latino youths, they can even turn to suicide, as a new federal study shows.
The report, released this summer, concluded that Hispanic teenagers are more likely to attempt suicide than their white and black classmates.Rarely do Latinos think of turning to a therapist during stressful times. More often, like so many Americans, they're more likely to seek help from their priests or pastors.
That's one of the reasons the SMU clinic has spent several weeks building relationships with local churches.
"We're leaning on them to help us build thrust there," Dr. Solt said.
Jenny Gomez, a licensed therapist who is with the St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, said many Latinos may feel shame in seeking out a counselor.
"Sometimes, there's a stigma about asking for help," she said. "We hope they embrace it and see it as a compassionate environment."
Univeristy of Deleware program helps Latino students
UD is home to ASPIRA academies for Latino youths
Havidán Rodríguez, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs
Sept. 26, 2008----ASPIRA is a nationwide organization devoted to the education and leadership development of Latino youth. This fall, ASPIRA of Delaware has moved to the UD campus for its Saturday academies, which encourage high school seniors to continue with their education, inform them of the opportunities that are available and help them select a college or university, take college entrance exams, and complete college and financial aid applications.
“ASPIRA is a critical and innovative program aimed at increasing the presence, voice and visibility of Latino or Hispanic students in institutions of higher learning,” said Havidán Rodríguez, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs at UD. “ASPIRA has a long and very successful track record in helping Latino students achieve academically and in encouraging them to attend universities throughout the country.
“We are delighted to have the Delaware ASPIRA program Saturday academies take place at UD. This is another important initiative that highlights the University's commitment to 'Delaware First,' to increasing community engagement on our campus and to enhancing diversity at UD, as outlined in our strategic plan.”
The Saturday academies program began with an orientation for the parents of the ASPIRA students and on Saturday, Sept.13, students began meeting on a regular basis during the academic year. UD hosted the students for lunch at the Blue & Gold Club at the first meeting.
“This is the fourth year we have had the Saturday academies in Delaware, which serves about 25 to 30 students, and we have a very high success rate in students who finish high school and go on to college," said Dr. Jaime Rivera, director of the Division of Public Health in Delaware. "Our goal is to help students take control of their lives, make decisions and move ahead and learn about the opportunities that are available to them.”
Dr. Rivera is an ASPIRA of New York City alumnus and credits the program for helping him to attend the City College of New York and later Harvard Medical School. He and his wife Carmen were instrumental in starting ASPIRA of Delaware, and he now chairs the board. Future plans include initiating a charter school in Delaware and a providing a traveling adviser of Latino students who will work in different high schools with administrators, teachers, parents and students.
“The University of Delaware has been very generous to us with the Saturday academies, and we value their partnership,” Dr. Rivera said.
Margaret Rivera (she and Dr. Rivera are not related), manager of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity at AstraZeneca, is ASPIRA vice chairperson and in charge of programs. She formerly chaired ASPIRA of New Jersey and was on the national board.
The Saturday academies program provides students with opportunities to gain better understanding of the admission and financial aid process, have an awareness of career planning, be exposed to professionals in a variety of disciplines and jobs and build self-esteem and leadership abilities, Rivera said. ASPIRA has a program for parents, as well, to provide them with the tools and resources to help their children.
“I rely exclusively on volunteers who give up their Saturday morning to implement the program and to serve as role models to the high school seniors we serve,” Margaret Rivera said.
Article by Sue Moncure
Havidán Rodríguez, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs
Sept. 26, 2008----ASPIRA is a nationwide organization devoted to the education and leadership development of Latino youth. This fall, ASPIRA of Delaware has moved to the UD campus for its Saturday academies, which encourage high school seniors to continue with their education, inform them of the opportunities that are available and help them select a college or university, take college entrance exams, and complete college and financial aid applications.
“ASPIRA is a critical and innovative program aimed at increasing the presence, voice and visibility of Latino or Hispanic students in institutions of higher learning,” said Havidán Rodríguez, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs at UD. “ASPIRA has a long and very successful track record in helping Latino students achieve academically and in encouraging them to attend universities throughout the country.
“We are delighted to have the Delaware ASPIRA program Saturday academies take place at UD. This is another important initiative that highlights the University's commitment to 'Delaware First,' to increasing community engagement on our campus and to enhancing diversity at UD, as outlined in our strategic plan.”
The Saturday academies program began with an orientation for the parents of the ASPIRA students and on Saturday, Sept.13, students began meeting on a regular basis during the academic year. UD hosted the students for lunch at the Blue & Gold Club at the first meeting.
“This is the fourth year we have had the Saturday academies in Delaware, which serves about 25 to 30 students, and we have a very high success rate in students who finish high school and go on to college," said Dr. Jaime Rivera, director of the Division of Public Health in Delaware. "Our goal is to help students take control of their lives, make decisions and move ahead and learn about the opportunities that are available to them.”
Dr. Rivera is an ASPIRA of New York City alumnus and credits the program for helping him to attend the City College of New York and later Harvard Medical School. He and his wife Carmen were instrumental in starting ASPIRA of Delaware, and he now chairs the board. Future plans include initiating a charter school in Delaware and a providing a traveling adviser of Latino students who will work in different high schools with administrators, teachers, parents and students.
“The University of Delaware has been very generous to us with the Saturday academies, and we value their partnership,” Dr. Rivera said.
Margaret Rivera (she and Dr. Rivera are not related), manager of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity at AstraZeneca, is ASPIRA vice chairperson and in charge of programs. She formerly chaired ASPIRA of New Jersey and was on the national board.
The Saturday academies program provides students with opportunities to gain better understanding of the admission and financial aid process, have an awareness of career planning, be exposed to professionals in a variety of disciplines and jobs and build self-esteem and leadership abilities, Rivera said. ASPIRA has a program for parents, as well, to provide them with the tools and resources to help their children.
“I rely exclusively on volunteers who give up their Saturday morning to implement the program and to serve as role models to the high school seniors we serve,” Margaret Rivera said.
Article by Sue Moncure
Hispanic leader was legend in U.S. for equal rights
Dionicio Morales, Mexican-American activist, dies
By Airan Scruby and Mike Sprague, Staff Writers
MONTEBELLO - Activist and founder of the Mexican American Opportunities Foundation Dionicio Morales has died at Beverly Hospital. He was 89 years old.
Morales, who died Wednesday, was a Pico Rivera resident who began his career fighting on behalf of farm workers during the brasero era, when Mexicans were allowed to work in the United States about the time of World War II. In 1963, he founded the Mexican American Opportunities Foundation (MAOF), which would grow to become the largest Latino-based, community-oriented non-profit organization in the United States.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commented on Morales' death on Thursday.
"Dionicio Morales was a legend in the Latino community who dedicated his life to improving the world around him," Schwarzenegger said.
In 1998, Morales wrote an autobiography detailing his family's plight as they came from Mexico to the United States in the early 1900's, struggling under the weight of poverty and discrimination. He also wrote about his fight to create a service organization for low-income families of Mexican descent.
MAOF provides early-education programs, senior programs, food banks, job training and more.
In the early days, Morales ran his foundation from his garage. Now, MOAF's work extends across seven counties in California.
According to Victor Ledesma of the Hispanic Outreach Taskforce in Whittier, MAOF now has close to a $100 million budget.
He said Morales was a pioneer for Mexican-American rights.
"I think that he's leaving us with a really good legacy," Ledesma said. "I see him similar to Cesar Chavez."
According to Ledesma, Morales retired about eight years ago from the foundation and had been on dialysis for several years.
Morales is survived by his wife and four children.
airan.scruby@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3029
By Airan Scruby and Mike Sprague, Staff Writers
MONTEBELLO - Activist and founder of the Mexican American Opportunities Foundation Dionicio Morales has died at Beverly Hospital. He was 89 years old.
Morales, who died Wednesday, was a Pico Rivera resident who began his career fighting on behalf of farm workers during the brasero era, when Mexicans were allowed to work in the United States about the time of World War II. In 1963, he founded the Mexican American Opportunities Foundation (MAOF), which would grow to become the largest Latino-based, community-oriented non-profit organization in the United States.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commented on Morales' death on Thursday.
"Dionicio Morales was a legend in the Latino community who dedicated his life to improving the world around him," Schwarzenegger said.
In 1998, Morales wrote an autobiography detailing his family's plight as they came from Mexico to the United States in the early 1900's, struggling under the weight of poverty and discrimination. He also wrote about his fight to create a service organization for low-income families of Mexican descent.
MAOF provides early-education programs, senior programs, food banks, job training and more.
In the early days, Morales ran his foundation from his garage. Now, MOAF's work extends across seven counties in California.
According to Victor Ledesma of the Hispanic Outreach Taskforce in Whittier, MAOF now has close to a $100 million budget.
He said Morales was a pioneer for Mexican-American rights.
"I think that he's leaving us with a really good legacy," Ledesma said. "I see him similar to Cesar Chavez."
According to Ledesma, Morales retired about eight years ago from the foundation and had been on dialysis for several years.
Morales is survived by his wife and four children.
airan.scruby@sgvn.com (562) 698-0955, Ext. 3029
Latino advocacy organization honored by Black Caucus
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS HONORS NCLR FOR
LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH POLICY ADVOCACY
Press Release
Washington, DC—The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., was honored this past week by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) at the 2008 CBC Health Braintrust for its work to eliminate racial health disparities. Jennifer Ng’andu, Associate Director of the NCLR’s Health Policy Project, received the 2008 CBC Health Braintrust Leadership in Advocacy Award for her work on the “Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007.”
The “Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007” is the strongest health disparities legislation before Congress, with the backing of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Among making many important improvements to the health care system, this legislation would drastically improve health care access and quality for Latinos and other minority communities, diversify the health care workforce, increase funding for language assistance services and community-based health promotion activities, and enhance the enforcement of civil rights in health care settings.
Over the past year, NCLR has worked to build support among our nation’s leaders for this legislation. As part of its National Advocacy Day, NCLR, its Affiliates, and other community-based partners worked to educate Congress about the impact of health inequities at the local level. Approximately 75 advocates traveled to Capitol Hill, calling on Congress to make critical health services more accessible to minority communities. Hundreds of groups from throughout the country joined the effort, helping to increase congressional support and resulting in the first two congressional hearings in 2007. This marked the first time in eight years that hearings were held on the subject. NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía testified for the second hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Under Ng’andu’s leadership, NCLR will continue to urge Congress to support health equity legislation in the upcoming year.
About Jennifer Ng’andu
As Associate Director of NCLR’s Health Policy Project, Ng’andu oversees the development and advancement of policies aimed at improving the health status of Latinos and creating parity for immigrants in the health care system. She is a board member of the National Physicians Alliance and the Herndon Alliance.
Ng’andu earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University.
LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH POLICY ADVOCACY
Press Release
Washington, DC—The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., was honored this past week by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) at the 2008 CBC Health Braintrust for its work to eliminate racial health disparities. Jennifer Ng’andu, Associate Director of the NCLR’s Health Policy Project, received the 2008 CBC Health Braintrust Leadership in Advocacy Award for her work on the “Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007.”
The “Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007” is the strongest health disparities legislation before Congress, with the backing of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Among making many important improvements to the health care system, this legislation would drastically improve health care access and quality for Latinos and other minority communities, diversify the health care workforce, increase funding for language assistance services and community-based health promotion activities, and enhance the enforcement of civil rights in health care settings.
Over the past year, NCLR has worked to build support among our nation’s leaders for this legislation. As part of its National Advocacy Day, NCLR, its Affiliates, and other community-based partners worked to educate Congress about the impact of health inequities at the local level. Approximately 75 advocates traveled to Capitol Hill, calling on Congress to make critical health services more accessible to minority communities. Hundreds of groups from throughout the country joined the effort, helping to increase congressional support and resulting in the first two congressional hearings in 2007. This marked the first time in eight years that hearings were held on the subject. NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía testified for the second hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Under Ng’andu’s leadership, NCLR will continue to urge Congress to support health equity legislation in the upcoming year.
About Jennifer Ng’andu
As Associate Director of NCLR’s Health Policy Project, Ng’andu oversees the development and advancement of policies aimed at improving the health status of Latinos and creating parity for immigrants in the health care system. She is a board member of the National Physicians Alliance and the Herndon Alliance.
Ng’andu earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
California statewide ballot about abortion attracks Latino support
Poll: Prop. 4 leads, with Latino support for parental notice on teen abortions
By Julia Prodis Sulek Mercury News 09/26/2008
With strong support from Latinos, a slim majority of California voters favor a statewide ballot initiative that would require doctors to notify parents before teenagers have abortions, according to a Field Poll released today.
Similar parental notification measures have failed twice in California in the past four years. But the new poll found a slightly stronger base of support for Proposition 4 than the measures in 2005 and 2006, which also showed early leads in polls. Forty-nine percent of likely California voters favor Proposition 4, while 41 percent oppose it and 10 percent are undecided, according to the Field Poll.
Undecided voters who tend to oppose new initiatives could make a crucial difference on Election Day, but Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo sees a significant factor at play this year.
"If there's a shift going on, it's coming from the Latino voters," DiCamillo said. "Because this is a presidential election, Latino voters will constitute a larger proportion of the turnout than was true two years ago."
Latino voters, who are overwhelmingly Catholic, are expected to be 17 percent of the electorate in November. They appear to be favoring the measure 62 percent to 31 percent — a 31-point margin. In 2006, the margin among Latinos was 22 percentage points, DiCamillo said.
The initiative would require parental notification, not consent. When a
girl younger than 18 asks a doctor for an abortion, the doctor must send a letter to her parents. No matter what opposition a parent might have, an abortion can still be performed 48 hours later.
For those who support parental notification, most said they believed parents needed to be involved or parents "have a right to know."
"My heart aches for any woman who has to go through that," said Velma McIntire, 54, of San Jose who participated in the Field Poll and supports parental notification. "I've had friends and relatives who had an abortion at a young age and they are going through so much counseling now. If a mom has gone through that and their daughters are pregnant, they can say, 'You know? Been there, done that.' So I'm real passionate about that."
She also believes the measure might deter teenagers from indulging in risky behavior if they think their parents might find out.
Most of the opponents of Proposition 4 said they view abortion as a woman's personal decision.
"I always felt that if parents and a child had a close enough relationship, the child would have gone to the parents," said Susan Saiz, who is not Latino but is married to one. If the teenager has a bad relationship with her parents and is forced to tell them about an unwanted pregnancy, "maybe their parents would make their lives very difficult."
Across the country, 44 states have either approved or enacted some form of parental notification law. It has failed twice in California, in part because of an opposition campaign stressing that teenagers from abusive homes might take dangerous actions, like self-abortions or suicide, to avoid telling their parents about a pregnancy.
The authors of Proposition 4, however, have modified the measure this time to try to address that opposition: If a minor says she comes from an abusive home, the doctor can notify another adult family member of the girl's choosing before performing an abortion. The doctor, then, would be required to notify authorities of the abuse.
"The other side says there are girls being abused and we're saying, 'Yes, let's help them,'"‰" said Katie Short of Ventura, co-author of Proposition 4 and a lawyer with the anti-abortion group Life Legal Defense Foundation.
But Fran Linkin of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in San Jose says that if teenagers are required to report abuse, it could make matters worse for them.
"We want teens in abusive homes to be protected," Linkin said. "If she knows she has to come in and notify her parents, then she will put off care completely. She won't come in if she knows word will get back that will put her in more danger when she goes back to that very same door."
While Linkin is disappointed in the poll results with little more than a month before election day, "we've always lagged in the beginning in terms of opposition to parental notification, but it's always pulled through in the end."
The strongest opposition to the measure comes from voters in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, two Democratic strongholds, the poll said. Voters in the Central Valley and outside of Los Angeles in Southern California, on the other hand, favor Proposition 4 by 19 and 23 points, respectively. Men also tend much more than women to support parental notification, as do Protestants, Catholics and evangelical Christians.
Democrats oppose the measure by 11 points, but Republicans favor it by a nearly 3-1 ratio.
Contact Julia Prodis Sulek at jsulek@mercurynews.com or (408) 278-3409.
By Julia Prodis Sulek Mercury News 09/26/2008
With strong support from Latinos, a slim majority of California voters favor a statewide ballot initiative that would require doctors to notify parents before teenagers have abortions, according to a Field Poll released today.
Similar parental notification measures have failed twice in California in the past four years. But the new poll found a slightly stronger base of support for Proposition 4 than the measures in 2005 and 2006, which also showed early leads in polls. Forty-nine percent of likely California voters favor Proposition 4, while 41 percent oppose it and 10 percent are undecided, according to the Field Poll.
Undecided voters who tend to oppose new initiatives could make a crucial difference on Election Day, but Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo sees a significant factor at play this year.
"If there's a shift going on, it's coming from the Latino voters," DiCamillo said. "Because this is a presidential election, Latino voters will constitute a larger proportion of the turnout than was true two years ago."
Latino voters, who are overwhelmingly Catholic, are expected to be 17 percent of the electorate in November. They appear to be favoring the measure 62 percent to 31 percent — a 31-point margin. In 2006, the margin among Latinos was 22 percentage points, DiCamillo said.
The initiative would require parental notification, not consent. When a
girl younger than 18 asks a doctor for an abortion, the doctor must send a letter to her parents. No matter what opposition a parent might have, an abortion can still be performed 48 hours later.
For those who support parental notification, most said they believed parents needed to be involved or parents "have a right to know."
"My heart aches for any woman who has to go through that," said Velma McIntire, 54, of San Jose who participated in the Field Poll and supports parental notification. "I've had friends and relatives who had an abortion at a young age and they are going through so much counseling now. If a mom has gone through that and their daughters are pregnant, they can say, 'You know? Been there, done that.' So I'm real passionate about that."
She also believes the measure might deter teenagers from indulging in risky behavior if they think their parents might find out.
Most of the opponents of Proposition 4 said they view abortion as a woman's personal decision.
"I always felt that if parents and a child had a close enough relationship, the child would have gone to the parents," said Susan Saiz, who is not Latino but is married to one. If the teenager has a bad relationship with her parents and is forced to tell them about an unwanted pregnancy, "maybe their parents would make their lives very difficult."
Across the country, 44 states have either approved or enacted some form of parental notification law. It has failed twice in California, in part because of an opposition campaign stressing that teenagers from abusive homes might take dangerous actions, like self-abortions or suicide, to avoid telling their parents about a pregnancy.
The authors of Proposition 4, however, have modified the measure this time to try to address that opposition: If a minor says she comes from an abusive home, the doctor can notify another adult family member of the girl's choosing before performing an abortion. The doctor, then, would be required to notify authorities of the abuse.
"The other side says there are girls being abused and we're saying, 'Yes, let's help them,'"‰" said Katie Short of Ventura, co-author of Proposition 4 and a lawyer with the anti-abortion group Life Legal Defense Foundation.
But Fran Linkin of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in San Jose says that if teenagers are required to report abuse, it could make matters worse for them.
"We want teens in abusive homes to be protected," Linkin said. "If she knows she has to come in and notify her parents, then she will put off care completely. She won't come in if she knows word will get back that will put her in more danger when she goes back to that very same door."
While Linkin is disappointed in the poll results with little more than a month before election day, "we've always lagged in the beginning in terms of opposition to parental notification, but it's always pulled through in the end."
The strongest opposition to the measure comes from voters in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, two Democratic strongholds, the poll said. Voters in the Central Valley and outside of Los Angeles in Southern California, on the other hand, favor Proposition 4 by 19 and 23 points, respectively. Men also tend much more than women to support parental notification, as do Protestants, Catholics and evangelical Christians.
Democrats oppose the measure by 11 points, but Republicans favor it by a nearly 3-1 ratio.
Contact Julia Prodis Sulek at jsulek@mercurynews.com or (408) 278-3409.
Latino lifelong advocate for quality education to be honored
Latino educational leader in San Diego is recognized
By Pablo Jaime Sáinz
A local parent and education organization will honor a leader in education for Latinos in San Diego County.
The non-profit organization Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) will recognize Dr. Alberto Ochoa at an event on Sunday, September 28, “for more than 30 years of advocacy, inspiration, encouragement, and motivation to the Latino community and San Diego State University.”
Ochoa, who is retiring this year, is Professor Emeritus in the Policy Studies in Language and Culture Department at SDSU and a lifelong advocate for quality education for minorities, especially Latinos.
As a professor at SDSU, he was responsible for recruiting and training hundreds of bilingual teachers and teachers who are sensitive to the cultural and educational needs of Latino students.
“We’re celebrating 33 years of Dr. Ochoa’s legacy in education,” said David Valladolid, CEO and president of PIQE. “Certainly his legacy will be his work at SDSU, getting Latinos through the programs to become teachers; his legacy also includes his public policy work, always advocating for bilingual education, for the rights of Latino children and their parents; his legacy will also include encouraging Latino parents to take control of their children’s education.”
Ochoa, who was born in Mexico City and moved to Los Angeles with his family as a child, said it is an honor to receive this recognition from a group of parents.
“I’m proud to see that these Latino parents, many of whom don’t speak English, regardless of racism and discrimination, they have the courage to demand the educational rights their children are entitled to,” Ochoa said. “These parents, even if the have to work two jobs to support their families, are involved in their children’s education. They are an example for all the community.”
Ochoa co-founded the Parent Institute for Quality Education in 1987 in San Diego and still serves as chair of its board of directors. Today PIQE has regional offices throughout California and the southwest, thanks to the tenacity and leadership of Ochoa, Valladolid said.
“I think he brought to the Parent Institute a strong belief that Latino parents have the full capacity to understand the educational system in order to advocate for the education of their children,” Valladolid said.
He added that currently PIQE serves about 75,000 parents throughout California and the southwest.
Ochoa’s role as an educator extended far beyond the research he did at SDSU or the students he trained to become bilingual teachers there. As an education activist, he continues to advocate for equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of family income or ethnicity. He also continues to encourage parents to not be afraid to speak up for their children’s education.
“One of the principles I’ve abided by is that the schools belong to our community, that parents need to reclaim their rights to have a voice in their schools,” Ochoa said. “It doesn’t matter if these parents are here legally or illegally, the fact is that we all pay taxes and those taxes pay for schools.”
On October 25, once again he will help with the organization of the Latino Education Summit, at the San Diego County Office of Education. The summit is an annual “state of Latino education” where parents and educators learn more about the challenges and improvements for Latinos in education at all levels.
“For Dr. Ochoa, education is not a sermon or a lecture; it’s a dialogue,” Valladolid said.
For more information on the recognition event for Dr. Ochoa, please call PIQE at (858) 483-4499. All funds raised at the event will be donated to PIQE and Californians Together.
By Pablo Jaime Sáinz
A local parent and education organization will honor a leader in education for Latinos in San Diego County.
The non-profit organization Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) will recognize Dr. Alberto Ochoa at an event on Sunday, September 28, “for more than 30 years of advocacy, inspiration, encouragement, and motivation to the Latino community and San Diego State University.”
Ochoa, who is retiring this year, is Professor Emeritus in the Policy Studies in Language and Culture Department at SDSU and a lifelong advocate for quality education for minorities, especially Latinos.
As a professor at SDSU, he was responsible for recruiting and training hundreds of bilingual teachers and teachers who are sensitive to the cultural and educational needs of Latino students.
“We’re celebrating 33 years of Dr. Ochoa’s legacy in education,” said David Valladolid, CEO and president of PIQE. “Certainly his legacy will be his work at SDSU, getting Latinos through the programs to become teachers; his legacy also includes his public policy work, always advocating for bilingual education, for the rights of Latino children and their parents; his legacy will also include encouraging Latino parents to take control of their children’s education.”
Ochoa, who was born in Mexico City and moved to Los Angeles with his family as a child, said it is an honor to receive this recognition from a group of parents.
“I’m proud to see that these Latino parents, many of whom don’t speak English, regardless of racism and discrimination, they have the courage to demand the educational rights their children are entitled to,” Ochoa said. “These parents, even if the have to work two jobs to support their families, are involved in their children’s education. They are an example for all the community.”
Ochoa co-founded the Parent Institute for Quality Education in 1987 in San Diego and still serves as chair of its board of directors. Today PIQE has regional offices throughout California and the southwest, thanks to the tenacity and leadership of Ochoa, Valladolid said.
“I think he brought to the Parent Institute a strong belief that Latino parents have the full capacity to understand the educational system in order to advocate for the education of their children,” Valladolid said.
He added that currently PIQE serves about 75,000 parents throughout California and the southwest.
Ochoa’s role as an educator extended far beyond the research he did at SDSU or the students he trained to become bilingual teachers there. As an education activist, he continues to advocate for equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of family income or ethnicity. He also continues to encourage parents to not be afraid to speak up for their children’s education.
“One of the principles I’ve abided by is that the schools belong to our community, that parents need to reclaim their rights to have a voice in their schools,” Ochoa said. “It doesn’t matter if these parents are here legally or illegally, the fact is that we all pay taxes and those taxes pay for schools.”
On October 25, once again he will help with the organization of the Latino Education Summit, at the San Diego County Office of Education. The summit is an annual “state of Latino education” where parents and educators learn more about the challenges and improvements for Latinos in education at all levels.
“For Dr. Ochoa, education is not a sermon or a lecture; it’s a dialogue,” Valladolid said.
For more information on the recognition event for Dr. Ochoa, please call PIQE at (858) 483-4499. All funds raised at the event will be donated to PIQE and Californians Together.
Latino vote split along both parties, issues are key
Economy, immigration could boost Hispanic vote
by Mike Martinez - Sept. 25, 2008 Cronkite News Service
Victor Camacho, an electrician, said he'll be thinking about the business he's lost lately when he casts a ballot for president.
"I think it's important to vote because the economy is bad," Camacho said as he left a restaurant. "I have definitely felt that my business is hurting."
Camacho also said organizations including Mi Familia Vota and Immigrants Without Borders have encouraged him to vote based on issues including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's crackdowns on illegal immigrants.
"I definitely think it's important to vote on laws that would make Hispanics a target for police," Camacho said.
Both presidential campaigns are eager to woo Hispanics, a group that traditionally hasn't maximized its impact as a voting bloc. This year, experts and activists say, the struggling economy, immigration policy, the candidates themselves and groups promoting voter registration could make Hispanic voters a more powerful force around Arizona and the nation.
Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, the House minority whip, said immigration policy and Arpaio's actions are motivating Hispanic voters. But he also said Hispanics will vote for who is best prepared to deal with the economy.
He bases this, in part, on seeing a skyrocketing number of foreclosed homes in his district.
"The same issues that energize and motivate the non-Hispanic community energize and motivate the Hispanic community as well," Gallardo said.
Gallardo also said that having a minority on the presidential ticket is encouraging all Americans, including Hispanics, to get out and vote.
Hispanics account for 1.9 million, or 29.7 percent, of Arizona's population of 6.3 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the Pew Research Center, there are 673,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Arizona.
Fred Solop, a professor of political science at Northern Arizona University, said that Democrats and Republicans are targeting Hispanic voters this year because the Latino vote is split across both parties.
"The Latino population may be leaning more liberally on social programs, but when it come to some of these values questions, such as gay marriage or abortion, they actually look more like conservative voters," Solop said.
Elias Bermudez, founder and CEO of Immigrants Without Borders, an immigrant-rights group, said the economy will draw more Hispanics to the polls.
"In the past everybody was happy, their bellies were full, so nobody really gave a hoot about participating in the election," Bermudez said. "Nowadays, everyone is losing their footing because of what is going on with politics. I hope and pray that this time they will come out and vote."
Carlos Duarte, field director for Mi Familia Vota, said his organization is trying to make sure more Hispanics vote this year. Mi Familia Vota workers are knocking on doors and holding voting parties to educate Hispanics about voting. The group has distributed 120,000 voter registration forms via a Spanish-language newspaper.
"If they don't come out to the polls, they will continue to be underrepresented and we will continue to not have a voice in the political process," Duarte said. "This is something that doesn't just affect the Latino community but the community as a whole because you will have a segment of the population without a voice."
Political strategist Jaime Molera said political parties are concentrating on picking up the Hispanic vote more than ever, including direct mail and automated phone pitches as well as door-to-door outreach.
Meanwhile, Molera said, Hispanics are more increasingly aware of issues and the ramifications of not voting.
"Hispanics are going to find that bad things are going to happen to them if they don't get involved," Molera said.
by Mike Martinez - Sept. 25, 2008 Cronkite News Service
Victor Camacho, an electrician, said he'll be thinking about the business he's lost lately when he casts a ballot for president.
"I think it's important to vote because the economy is bad," Camacho said as he left a restaurant. "I have definitely felt that my business is hurting."
Camacho also said organizations including Mi Familia Vota and Immigrants Without Borders have encouraged him to vote based on issues including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's crackdowns on illegal immigrants.
"I definitely think it's important to vote on laws that would make Hispanics a target for police," Camacho said.
Both presidential campaigns are eager to woo Hispanics, a group that traditionally hasn't maximized its impact as a voting bloc. This year, experts and activists say, the struggling economy, immigration policy, the candidates themselves and groups promoting voter registration could make Hispanic voters a more powerful force around Arizona and the nation.
Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, the House minority whip, said immigration policy and Arpaio's actions are motivating Hispanic voters. But he also said Hispanics will vote for who is best prepared to deal with the economy.
He bases this, in part, on seeing a skyrocketing number of foreclosed homes in his district.
"The same issues that energize and motivate the non-Hispanic community energize and motivate the Hispanic community as well," Gallardo said.
Gallardo also said that having a minority on the presidential ticket is encouraging all Americans, including Hispanics, to get out and vote.
Hispanics account for 1.9 million, or 29.7 percent, of Arizona's population of 6.3 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the Pew Research Center, there are 673,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Arizona.
Fred Solop, a professor of political science at Northern Arizona University, said that Democrats and Republicans are targeting Hispanic voters this year because the Latino vote is split across both parties.
"The Latino population may be leaning more liberally on social programs, but when it come to some of these values questions, such as gay marriage or abortion, they actually look more like conservative voters," Solop said.
Elias Bermudez, founder and CEO of Immigrants Without Borders, an immigrant-rights group, said the economy will draw more Hispanics to the polls.
"In the past everybody was happy, their bellies were full, so nobody really gave a hoot about participating in the election," Bermudez said. "Nowadays, everyone is losing their footing because of what is going on with politics. I hope and pray that this time they will come out and vote."
Carlos Duarte, field director for Mi Familia Vota, said his organization is trying to make sure more Hispanics vote this year. Mi Familia Vota workers are knocking on doors and holding voting parties to educate Hispanics about voting. The group has distributed 120,000 voter registration forms via a Spanish-language newspaper.
"If they don't come out to the polls, they will continue to be underrepresented and we will continue to not have a voice in the political process," Duarte said. "This is something that doesn't just affect the Latino community but the community as a whole because you will have a segment of the population without a voice."
Political strategist Jaime Molera said political parties are concentrating on picking up the Hispanic vote more than ever, including direct mail and automated phone pitches as well as door-to-door outreach.
Meanwhile, Molera said, Hispanics are more increasingly aware of issues and the ramifications of not voting.
"Hispanics are going to find that bad things are going to happen to them if they don't get involved," Molera said.
Alabama seeks to increase services to Hispanic community
More social services needed for Tuscaloosa's Hispanic community
By Ashley Boyd Staff Writer September 26, 2008
Agencies that provide assistance to Hispanics living in Tuscaloosa say the growing number of immigrants is straining the social service network at a time when a slowing economy is creating a greater need for services.
Members of the Hispanic Providers Network gathered this week to discuss central issues affecting Tuscaloosa's growing Hispanic community. Representatives from local groups that provide community services for Hispanics said the language barrier continues to the biggest hurdle.
'The Hispanic community is growing, and we have not yet reached the peak of growth,' said Annette Watters, project manager at the Alabama State Data Center at the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama.
Alabama's Hispanic population grew 48.8 percent from 2000 to 2006, according to Watters, more than 10 times the overall rate of population growth for the state during that period.
'While we want to emphasize the positive aspects of the Hispanic community, we are still facing the usual problems of drivers without licenses, not knowing how to open a bank account and trouble identifying themselves. It's the odds and ends that make life difficult in foreign culture,' said Adrian Straley, a deacon at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
'The language barrier is a big issue. I think it would be good if we could encourage people to learn more Spanish. People don't know how to relay messages,' said Tonia Talerico, a community representative with Bradford Health Services.
Teresa Costanzo, the executive director of Tuscaloosa's One Place, said the language barrier has prevented Hispanics from complying with requests for parenting classes as well as marriage and relationship classes.
'We have a great curriculum but no one on staff that is fluent in Spanish. There's a definite need for more bilingual service providers in Tuscaloosa,' Costanzo said.
The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, Shelton State and Holy Spirit are three locations that are working to enable cross cultural communication through ESL classes. The center has a language lab that teaches English and Spanish. The lab is free and open five days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
In addition to serving as a center of worship for the Hispanic community, Holy Spirit Catholic Church also coordinates several outreach programs that include free ESL courses, health fairs, religious education programs and workshops.
Alberta Baptist Church is another church that attracts the Hispanic community and offers weekly language courses. In addition to local churches, there are several organizations and student initiatives that work with the Hispanic community as well.
The Spanish Outreach Program is a new University of Alabama program where students work with the Hispanic community to improve education, health care, law enforcement, fire prevention and other social services within the Latin community. Students are placed in situations where they can facilitate communication through written translations, personal dialogue, interpretation, individual tutoring and language based tasks.
'Since we opened the doors 10 years ago, they have stayed here. This is where they get what they need,' said Mary Jane Smitherman, the secretary at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
University of Alabama Anthropology doctoral student Sarah Szurek, who attended the Hispanic Providers Network meeting, is taking Hispanic outreach to a new level with her research project that looks at Mexican food and eating habits and its relationship to health. By going out into the community and visiting Hispanic's homes, workplaces, churches and other popular venues, Szurek said she is learning a lot about the Tuscaloosa Hispanic community's way of life.
'My goal is to educate the community about the Latino community and the kind of problems they have,' Szurek said.
Angel Narvaez-Lugo, a research assistant for Szurek, said, 'The one thing we get asked a lot about is where they can go to learn English. I'm always surprised by the Hispanics who want to come and learn the language.'
Costanzo, at Tuscaloosa's One Place, said the plight of some immigrants is getting more dire.
'As the economy gets worse, more people are needing help and requesting our services. I can't imagine how difficult life is for Hispanics who don't speak English. We're getting more and more phone calls with requests for food, clothing, utility and gas and job assistance. People are desperate, and it's concerning me,' Costanzo said.
By Ashley Boyd Staff Writer September 26, 2008
Agencies that provide assistance to Hispanics living in Tuscaloosa say the growing number of immigrants is straining the social service network at a time when a slowing economy is creating a greater need for services.
Members of the Hispanic Providers Network gathered this week to discuss central issues affecting Tuscaloosa's growing Hispanic community. Representatives from local groups that provide community services for Hispanics said the language barrier continues to the biggest hurdle.
'The Hispanic community is growing, and we have not yet reached the peak of growth,' said Annette Watters, project manager at the Alabama State Data Center at the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama.
Alabama's Hispanic population grew 48.8 percent from 2000 to 2006, according to Watters, more than 10 times the overall rate of population growth for the state during that period.
'While we want to emphasize the positive aspects of the Hispanic community, we are still facing the usual problems of drivers without licenses, not knowing how to open a bank account and trouble identifying themselves. It's the odds and ends that make life difficult in foreign culture,' said Adrian Straley, a deacon at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
'The language barrier is a big issue. I think it would be good if we could encourage people to learn more Spanish. People don't know how to relay messages,' said Tonia Talerico, a community representative with Bradford Health Services.
Teresa Costanzo, the executive director of Tuscaloosa's One Place, said the language barrier has prevented Hispanics from complying with requests for parenting classes as well as marriage and relationship classes.
'We have a great curriculum but no one on staff that is fluent in Spanish. There's a definite need for more bilingual service providers in Tuscaloosa,' Costanzo said.
The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, Shelton State and Holy Spirit are three locations that are working to enable cross cultural communication through ESL classes. The center has a language lab that teaches English and Spanish. The lab is free and open five days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
In addition to serving as a center of worship for the Hispanic community, Holy Spirit Catholic Church also coordinates several outreach programs that include free ESL courses, health fairs, religious education programs and workshops.
Alberta Baptist Church is another church that attracts the Hispanic community and offers weekly language courses. In addition to local churches, there are several organizations and student initiatives that work with the Hispanic community as well.
The Spanish Outreach Program is a new University of Alabama program where students work with the Hispanic community to improve education, health care, law enforcement, fire prevention and other social services within the Latin community. Students are placed in situations where they can facilitate communication through written translations, personal dialogue, interpretation, individual tutoring and language based tasks.
'Since we opened the doors 10 years ago, they have stayed here. This is where they get what they need,' said Mary Jane Smitherman, the secretary at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
University of Alabama Anthropology doctoral student Sarah Szurek, who attended the Hispanic Providers Network meeting, is taking Hispanic outreach to a new level with her research project that looks at Mexican food and eating habits and its relationship to health. By going out into the community and visiting Hispanic's homes, workplaces, churches and other popular venues, Szurek said she is learning a lot about the Tuscaloosa Hispanic community's way of life.
'My goal is to educate the community about the Latino community and the kind of problems they have,' Szurek said.
Angel Narvaez-Lugo, a research assistant for Szurek, said, 'The one thing we get asked a lot about is where they can go to learn English. I'm always surprised by the Hispanics who want to come and learn the language.'
Costanzo, at Tuscaloosa's One Place, said the plight of some immigrants is getting more dire.
'As the economy gets worse, more people are needing help and requesting our services. I can't imagine how difficult life is for Hispanics who don't speak English. We're getting more and more phone calls with requests for food, clothing, utility and gas and job assistance. People are desperate, and it's concerning me,' Costanzo said.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Are Latinos responding to McCain's overtures?
McCain Courts Latino Voters
McCain Revisits Immigration Reform as Polls Show Obama Ahead Amongst Latinos
By John Dougherty 9/25/08
YUMA, Ariz.—This dusty agricultural city, home of a Marine Corps air station and Army proving grounds for more than a decade was the center of a big wave of illegal immigration into the United States. Today, immigration registers barely a blip on the local political radar screen as some Border Patrol agents pine for the good old days of mass arrests and too much to do.
In 2004, the Border Patrol arrested 139,000 illegal immigrants trying to cross the 118-mile-long “Yuma Sector,” that stretches from the Imperial San Dunes in California to the heart of the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona. But building a fence, installing high-tech monitoring equipment, temporarily deploying National Guard troops and sharply increasing the number of Border Patrol agents have slashed arrests to less than 8,000 this year.
“Yuma has experienced the largest drop off in [illegal immigrant] arrests in Border Patrol history,” Border Patrol spokesman Michael Bernacke said. The steep decline, he said, shows that fewer immigrants are attempting to cross the border illegally because they know the chance of getting caught has increased. “We are enforcing the law like it’s supposed to be enforced, and we are prosecuting everybody for illegal entry.”
The drop in border arrests has been linked to a lower crime rate in Yuma, where police used to regularly raid “drop houses” — places where smugglers stashed illegal immigrants before shipping them to other U.S. cities. When asked about the situation, Yuma Mayor Larry Nelson said, “First secure the border before you do anything else with immigration.”
This position has been strongly voiced by Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, ever since his bipartisan effort, with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), for comprehensive immigration reform failed in June 2007. Their plan was supported by President George W. Bush, who also proposed immigration reform that offered a pathway to legalization, even citizenship, for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the United States.
That suggestion of amnesty was the opposite of what the GOP base wanted. In fact, McCain’s immigration-reform plan was cited as one reason why his run for the presidency almost collapsed in 2007.
But during the primary season in early 2008, and throughout the summer, McCain repeatedly said that securing the border must come before any other immigration issue. “We know what the situation is today — people want the borders secured first,” McCain said in a January debate among GOP presidential hopefuls. Unlike in the first half of 2007, he made no mention of a “pathway for citizenship” for illegal immigrants.
But that all changed this week. At a campaign rally in Scranton, Pa., on Monday, McCain again declared his support for comprehensive immigration reform that would include a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, though the border remains far from secure — notwithstanding the dramatic strides made in Yuma.
The Latino Vote
Why has McCain resurrected illegal immigration as an issue in a presidential campaign that has largely ignored the subject?
A survey released last week by the Pew Hispanic Center, a non-partisan research group, might have something to do with this. For it contained some bad news for McCain. The survey revealed that he lagged far behind his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, among Latino registered voters. Some 55 percent of the respondents said Obama was “the better candidate” for Latinos, compared to 11 percent for McCain. The survey was conducted from June 9 to July 13.
It was part of the center’s Sept. 18 report on how Latinos view U.S. immigration enforcement policy. That report, among other things, revealed that 65 percent of Latino registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 26 percent identify with or lean toward Republican Party – the widest gap in the last decade.
What’s worrisome for McCain is that Latino voters are expected to play a pivotal role November — especially in three Southwest states: New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. Latino voters are at least 20 percent of the electorate in Colorado and Nevada, and more than 40 percent in New Mexico.
To win in November, McCain would need Colorado and Nevada, reliably red states in past elections, as well as New Mexico, which voted for Al Gore in 2000 and Bush in 2004. Obama currently has a wide lead among Latino voters in all three states.
According to a Sept. 10 poll for the NDN, a Democratic policy organization, Obama led McCain 62 percent to 20 percent among Latino voters in Nevada; while McCain enjoyed a 46 percent to 37 percent lead among non-Latinos. In New Mexico, Latinos favored the Democrat by 56 percent to 23 percent percent; while non-Latinos backed McCain by 50 percent to 34 percent. The poll found Obama breaking through in Colorado with non-Latino voters — with a narrow 45 percent to 41 percent lead over McCain; and 20 point lead, 56 percent to 26 percent, among Latinos.
Among all voters, Obama appears to be widening his lead in New Mexico — 53 percent to 42 percent, with 5 percent undecided according to a Sept. 19 survey by Public Policy Polling. In Nevada, McCain is leading Obama by 46 percent to 45 percent in a Sept. 22 poll released by Suffolk University based on a survey of 600 likely voters. In Colorado, Rassmusen Reports daily presidential tracking poll released Sept. 24 gave Obama a 49 percent to 47 percent lead over McCain.
McCain’s stepped-up effort to attract Latino voters by reviving his call for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants still runs the risk of alienating the conservative base of his party — and even some of the mainstream GOP. After it almost scuttled his presidential campaign last summer, McCain had switched gears. By December of 2007, he was saying that he would no longer vote for the comprehensive immigration reform bill that he had co-sponsored.
McCain’s comments Monday were aimed at 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants. But he broadened them to include illegal Latino immigrants. “I knew that if I took on the issue of illegal immigration, it was going to hurt me in my own party,” the Arizona senator said before a largely Irish-American crowd. “We cannot have a continuing situation where there are 12 million people in this country illegally, where there are broken borders.”
His solution was unambiguous: “We will enact comprehensive immigration reform so that we can put people — after they have to do certain things, obviously — give them a path to citizenship in this country as part of an overall immigration reform package. That’s what I’ll do.”
The statement goes considerably beyond his position on immigration reform that appears on his Website — which offers illegal immigrants only “a path to legal residence.”
Employer Penalty Debate
McCain’s seemingly contradictory views on immigration–border security first versus comprehensive reform–mirror the politics of his state and the split within the GOP on the issue. A 2007 state law that severely penalizes employers for hiring illegal immigrants has pitted the moderate and conservative wings of the state GOP against each other.
The employer sanctions law was spearheaded by conservative state Republican Rep. Russell Pearce, who has repeatedly lambasted McCain for his moderate approach to immigration reform. It is considered the harshest such measure in the nation. Judging from anecdotal reports, it’s working: illegal immigrants — there are an estimated 450,000 in Arizona — are leaving the state because they can’t find work.
Under the law, if businesses knowingly hire illegal immigrants, they could lose their state licenses to operate and be permanently shut down. So far, no business has been prosecuted, despite several high-profile raids that have resulted in the arrests of illegal immigrants.
At least five major McCain fund-raisers in Arizona, members of a coalition of moderate Republican business leaders, are seeking either to overturn the law in federal court or amend it via a November ballot initiative. Last week, a three-judge panel in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state law. The business coalition is expected to appeal that decision to the full appeals court.
The five McCain fund-raisers, who each pledged to raise at least $50,000 or more for his presidential campaign during the primary and general election cycles, are members of the pro-business Wake Up Arizona. The two most prominent are Jim Click, a Tucson automobile dealer who has raised more than $500,000 for McCain, and James LeVecke, owner of Carl Jr. fast-food franchises, who has raised more than $100,000.
The three other bundlers, who have raised at least $50,000 each for McCain’s campaign, are Jerry Colangelo, former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks; Jeff Moorad, general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Francis Najafi, chief executive officer of the Pivotal Group, a Phoenix real estate investment and development company.
Andrew Pacheco, a Republican Phoenix attorney who leads Wake Up Arizona, says that the proposed initiative, titled Stop Illegal Hiring, would strengthen penalties for identity theft, but would abolish the current law’s requirement that all employers must use the federal E-Verify database to determine the legal status of an employee.
He and other supporters of the initiative say it would punish only those who break the law, rather than innocent people employed by a business that could be closed because it hired a couple of illegal immigrants.
“I’m all for immigration in every regard, because I just think that’s where we should be,” said Colangelo, a prominent civic leader as well as a sports icon, told me. “That’s reality. That’s America. That’s how it is, and that’s how it will be.”
He said his support for the initiative has nothing to do with McCain.
The four other McCain bundlers who also support the ballot initiative — Najafi, Moorad, Click and LeVecke — did not return phone calls seeking comment. Pacheco said the McCain campaign has not been involved with group’s legal challenge to the employer sanctions law or the initiative.
The economic effects of the employer sanctions law remains a subject of intense debate. The state’s economy is weighed down by the housing meltdown, which has caused the loss of more than 30,000 construction jobs since August 2007.
Economists don’t expect to have a comprehensive report on the costs and benefits of the law until next summer, well after the November vote. “This is a very, very interesting experiment that Arizona is going through,” said John McDowell, an economics professor at Arizona State University. “No one really understands what the economic impacts are.”
Back in Yuma, Mayor Nelson has developed his own plan to address illegal immigration – one that departs from McCain’s rekindled support for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Having seen the positive effects of tougher border enforcement, Nelson is convinced that securing the border should be a top priority.
But he also says that the admitting procedures for legal visitors should be made easier. Thousands of Mexican farm workers who legally enter the country every morning to work on Yuma farms often face delays of two hours or longer, Nelson said. In addition, because Mexican residents frequently shop in the United States, they should be allowed to enter the country more quickly. Mexican residents, he said, spend more than $500 million a year in retail stores in Yuma County.
Once the border is secure and admitting procedures are improved, Nelson said, the U.S. should identify and go after illegal immigrants in the country, deporting those who have committed crimes, are unemployed or are on welfare. Those with jobs should be given a work permit to stay as a legal resident, he said.
Nelson then draws a line between his and McCain’s position on this. “There should be no preferential path to citizenship,” the mayor said. “They can apply for citizenship and go through the normal process.”
McCain Revisits Immigration Reform as Polls Show Obama Ahead Amongst Latinos
By John Dougherty 9/25/08
YUMA, Ariz.—This dusty agricultural city, home of a Marine Corps air station and Army proving grounds for more than a decade was the center of a big wave of illegal immigration into the United States. Today, immigration registers barely a blip on the local political radar screen as some Border Patrol agents pine for the good old days of mass arrests and too much to do.
In 2004, the Border Patrol arrested 139,000 illegal immigrants trying to cross the 118-mile-long “Yuma Sector,” that stretches from the Imperial San Dunes in California to the heart of the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona. But building a fence, installing high-tech monitoring equipment, temporarily deploying National Guard troops and sharply increasing the number of Border Patrol agents have slashed arrests to less than 8,000 this year.
“Yuma has experienced the largest drop off in [illegal immigrant] arrests in Border Patrol history,” Border Patrol spokesman Michael Bernacke said. The steep decline, he said, shows that fewer immigrants are attempting to cross the border illegally because they know the chance of getting caught has increased. “We are enforcing the law like it’s supposed to be enforced, and we are prosecuting everybody for illegal entry.”
The drop in border arrests has been linked to a lower crime rate in Yuma, where police used to regularly raid “drop houses” — places where smugglers stashed illegal immigrants before shipping them to other U.S. cities. When asked about the situation, Yuma Mayor Larry Nelson said, “First secure the border before you do anything else with immigration.”
This position has been strongly voiced by Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, ever since his bipartisan effort, with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), for comprehensive immigration reform failed in June 2007. Their plan was supported by President George W. Bush, who also proposed immigration reform that offered a pathway to legalization, even citizenship, for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants already in the United States.
That suggestion of amnesty was the opposite of what the GOP base wanted. In fact, McCain’s immigration-reform plan was cited as one reason why his run for the presidency almost collapsed in 2007.
But during the primary season in early 2008, and throughout the summer, McCain repeatedly said that securing the border must come before any other immigration issue. “We know what the situation is today — people want the borders secured first,” McCain said in a January debate among GOP presidential hopefuls. Unlike in the first half of 2007, he made no mention of a “pathway for citizenship” for illegal immigrants.
But that all changed this week. At a campaign rally in Scranton, Pa., on Monday, McCain again declared his support for comprehensive immigration reform that would include a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, though the border remains far from secure — notwithstanding the dramatic strides made in Yuma.
The Latino Vote
Why has McCain resurrected illegal immigration as an issue in a presidential campaign that has largely ignored the subject?
A survey released last week by the Pew Hispanic Center, a non-partisan research group, might have something to do with this. For it contained some bad news for McCain. The survey revealed that he lagged far behind his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, among Latino registered voters. Some 55 percent of the respondents said Obama was “the better candidate” for Latinos, compared to 11 percent for McCain. The survey was conducted from June 9 to July 13.
It was part of the center’s Sept. 18 report on how Latinos view U.S. immigration enforcement policy. That report, among other things, revealed that 65 percent of Latino registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 26 percent identify with or lean toward Republican Party – the widest gap in the last decade.
What’s worrisome for McCain is that Latino voters are expected to play a pivotal role November — especially in three Southwest states: New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. Latino voters are at least 20 percent of the electorate in Colorado and Nevada, and more than 40 percent in New Mexico.
To win in November, McCain would need Colorado and Nevada, reliably red states in past elections, as well as New Mexico, which voted for Al Gore in 2000 and Bush in 2004. Obama currently has a wide lead among Latino voters in all three states.
According to a Sept. 10 poll for the NDN, a Democratic policy organization, Obama led McCain 62 percent to 20 percent among Latino voters in Nevada; while McCain enjoyed a 46 percent to 37 percent lead among non-Latinos. In New Mexico, Latinos favored the Democrat by 56 percent to 23 percent percent; while non-Latinos backed McCain by 50 percent to 34 percent. The poll found Obama breaking through in Colorado with non-Latino voters — with a narrow 45 percent to 41 percent lead over McCain; and 20 point lead, 56 percent to 26 percent, among Latinos.
Among all voters, Obama appears to be widening his lead in New Mexico — 53 percent to 42 percent, with 5 percent undecided according to a Sept. 19 survey by Public Policy Polling. In Nevada, McCain is leading Obama by 46 percent to 45 percent in a Sept. 22 poll released by Suffolk University based on a survey of 600 likely voters. In Colorado, Rassmusen Reports daily presidential tracking poll released Sept. 24 gave Obama a 49 percent to 47 percent lead over McCain.
McCain’s stepped-up effort to attract Latino voters by reviving his call for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants still runs the risk of alienating the conservative base of his party — and even some of the mainstream GOP. After it almost scuttled his presidential campaign last summer, McCain had switched gears. By December of 2007, he was saying that he would no longer vote for the comprehensive immigration reform bill that he had co-sponsored.
McCain’s comments Monday were aimed at 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants. But he broadened them to include illegal Latino immigrants. “I knew that if I took on the issue of illegal immigration, it was going to hurt me in my own party,” the Arizona senator said before a largely Irish-American crowd. “We cannot have a continuing situation where there are 12 million people in this country illegally, where there are broken borders.”
His solution was unambiguous: “We will enact comprehensive immigration reform so that we can put people — after they have to do certain things, obviously — give them a path to citizenship in this country as part of an overall immigration reform package. That’s what I’ll do.”
The statement goes considerably beyond his position on immigration reform that appears on his Website — which offers illegal immigrants only “a path to legal residence.”
Employer Penalty Debate
McCain’s seemingly contradictory views on immigration–border security first versus comprehensive reform–mirror the politics of his state and the split within the GOP on the issue. A 2007 state law that severely penalizes employers for hiring illegal immigrants has pitted the moderate and conservative wings of the state GOP against each other.
The employer sanctions law was spearheaded by conservative state Republican Rep. Russell Pearce, who has repeatedly lambasted McCain for his moderate approach to immigration reform. It is considered the harshest such measure in the nation. Judging from anecdotal reports, it’s working: illegal immigrants — there are an estimated 450,000 in Arizona — are leaving the state because they can’t find work.
Under the law, if businesses knowingly hire illegal immigrants, they could lose their state licenses to operate and be permanently shut down. So far, no business has been prosecuted, despite several high-profile raids that have resulted in the arrests of illegal immigrants.
At least five major McCain fund-raisers in Arizona, members of a coalition of moderate Republican business leaders, are seeking either to overturn the law in federal court or amend it via a November ballot initiative. Last week, a three-judge panel in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state law. The business coalition is expected to appeal that decision to the full appeals court.
The five McCain fund-raisers, who each pledged to raise at least $50,000 or more for his presidential campaign during the primary and general election cycles, are members of the pro-business Wake Up Arizona. The two most prominent are Jim Click, a Tucson automobile dealer who has raised more than $500,000 for McCain, and James LeVecke, owner of Carl Jr. fast-food franchises, who has raised more than $100,000.
The three other bundlers, who have raised at least $50,000 each for McCain’s campaign, are Jerry Colangelo, former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks; Jeff Moorad, general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Francis Najafi, chief executive officer of the Pivotal Group, a Phoenix real estate investment and development company.
Andrew Pacheco, a Republican Phoenix attorney who leads Wake Up Arizona, says that the proposed initiative, titled Stop Illegal Hiring, would strengthen penalties for identity theft, but would abolish the current law’s requirement that all employers must use the federal E-Verify database to determine the legal status of an employee.
He and other supporters of the initiative say it would punish only those who break the law, rather than innocent people employed by a business that could be closed because it hired a couple of illegal immigrants.
“I’m all for immigration in every regard, because I just think that’s where we should be,” said Colangelo, a prominent civic leader as well as a sports icon, told me. “That’s reality. That’s America. That’s how it is, and that’s how it will be.”
He said his support for the initiative has nothing to do with McCain.
The four other McCain bundlers who also support the ballot initiative — Najafi, Moorad, Click and LeVecke — did not return phone calls seeking comment. Pacheco said the McCain campaign has not been involved with group’s legal challenge to the employer sanctions law or the initiative.
The economic effects of the employer sanctions law remains a subject of intense debate. The state’s economy is weighed down by the housing meltdown, which has caused the loss of more than 30,000 construction jobs since August 2007.
Economists don’t expect to have a comprehensive report on the costs and benefits of the law until next summer, well after the November vote. “This is a very, very interesting experiment that Arizona is going through,” said John McDowell, an economics professor at Arizona State University. “No one really understands what the economic impacts are.”
Back in Yuma, Mayor Nelson has developed his own plan to address illegal immigration – one that departs from McCain’s rekindled support for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Having seen the positive effects of tougher border enforcement, Nelson is convinced that securing the border should be a top priority.
But he also says that the admitting procedures for legal visitors should be made easier. Thousands of Mexican farm workers who legally enter the country every morning to work on Yuma farms often face delays of two hours or longer, Nelson said. In addition, because Mexican residents frequently shop in the United States, they should be allowed to enter the country more quickly. Mexican residents, he said, spend more than $500 million a year in retail stores in Yuma County.
Once the border is secure and admitting procedures are improved, Nelson said, the U.S. should identify and go after illegal immigrants in the country, deporting those who have committed crimes, are unemployed or are on welfare. Those with jobs should be given a work permit to stay as a legal resident, he said.
Nelson then draws a line between his and McCain’s position on this. “There should be no preferential path to citizenship,” the mayor said. “They can apply for citizenship and go through the normal process.”
Target: Register 1 million Latino voters for November election
Massive Latino voter registration drive launched
By JULIANA BARBASSA
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday, aiming to register nearly one million Hispanic voters.
Hispanics have long been seen as a potentially powerful voting force, but that promise has yet to fully materialize.
This campaign — whose name in Spanish, "Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota!" translates as "It's Time, Go Vote" — intends to change that by providing eligible new citizens with the information and the incentive they need to take part in the American political process, organizers said.
"This effort will not only put voter registration forms in the hands on Latinos, but also may help shape the political landscape," said Janet Murgia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza.
Only 47 percent of Hispanic citizens of any race turned out to vote in the 2004 presidential election, compared with 67 percent for non-Hispanic white citizens and 60 percent for blacks, according to census figures.
The campaign's print media partner, impreMedia, will insert 990,500 voter registration cards into its publications between Friday and Monday in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
Community organizers will follow up with information on how to register and why it's important to vote. Their message will be reinforced by television and radio spots by media giant Univision Communication and Entravision Communications.
Hispanics traditionally have leaned Democratic, but organizers emphasized this effort was nonpartisan and intended only to increase civic participation and make the Hispanic voice heard on issues that matter most to them: the economy, education and immigration reform.
"This is neither a pro-Democratic or a pro-Republican effort," said Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs, State Farm Insurance Companies, which helped fund the campaign." "It's pro-voting, and pro-American."
By JULIANA BARBASSA
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday, aiming to register nearly one million Hispanic voters.
Hispanics have long been seen as a potentially powerful voting force, but that promise has yet to fully materialize.
This campaign — whose name in Spanish, "Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota!" translates as "It's Time, Go Vote" — intends to change that by providing eligible new citizens with the information and the incentive they need to take part in the American political process, organizers said.
"This effort will not only put voter registration forms in the hands on Latinos, but also may help shape the political landscape," said Janet Murgia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza.
Only 47 percent of Hispanic citizens of any race turned out to vote in the 2004 presidential election, compared with 67 percent for non-Hispanic white citizens and 60 percent for blacks, according to census figures.
The campaign's print media partner, impreMedia, will insert 990,500 voter registration cards into its publications between Friday and Monday in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
Community organizers will follow up with information on how to register and why it's important to vote. Their message will be reinforced by television and radio spots by media giant Univision Communication and Entravision Communications.
Hispanics traditionally have leaned Democratic, but organizers emphasized this effort was nonpartisan and intended only to increase civic participation and make the Hispanic voice heard on issues that matter most to them: the economy, education and immigration reform.
"This is neither a pro-Democratic or a pro-Republican effort," said Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs, State Farm Insurance Companies, which helped fund the campaign." "It's pro-voting, and pro-American."
Target: Register 1 million voters for November election
Massive Latino voter registration drive launched
By JULIANA BARBASSA
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday, aiming to register nearly one million Hispanic voters.
Hispanics have long been seen as a potentially powerful voting force, but that promise has yet to fully materialize.
This campaign — whose name in Spanish, "Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota!" translates as "It's Time, Go Vote" — intends to change that by providing eligible new citizens with the information and the incentive they need to take part in the American political process, organizers said.
"This effort will not only put voter registration forms in the hands on Latinos, but also may help shape the political landscape," said Janet Murgia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza.
Only 47 percent of Hispanic citizens of any race turned out to vote in the 2004 presidential election, compared with 67 percent for non-Hispanic white citizens and 60 percent for blacks, according to census figures.
The campaign's print media partner, impreMedia, will insert 990,500 voter registration cards into its publications between Friday and Monday in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
Community organizers will follow up with information on how to register and why it's important to vote. Their message will be reinforced by television and radio spots by media giant Univision Communication and Entravision Communications.
Hispanics traditionally have leaned Democratic, but organizers emphasized this effort was nonpartisan and intended only to increase civic participation and make the Hispanic voice heard on issues that matter most to them: the economy, education and immigration reform.
"This is neither a pro-Democratic or a pro-Republican effort," said Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs, State Farm Insurance Companies, which helped fund the campaign." "It's pro-voting, and pro-American."
By JULIANA BARBASSA
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A coalition of Spanish-language media and community organizations kicked off a massive voter registration drive Thursday, aiming to register nearly one million Hispanic voters.
Hispanics have long been seen as a potentially powerful voting force, but that promise has yet to fully materialize.
This campaign — whose name in Spanish, "Ya es Hora, Ve y Vota!" translates as "It's Time, Go Vote" — intends to change that by providing eligible new citizens with the information and the incentive they need to take part in the American political process, organizers said.
"This effort will not only put voter registration forms in the hands on Latinos, but also may help shape the political landscape," said Janet Murgia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza.
Only 47 percent of Hispanic citizens of any race turned out to vote in the 2004 presidential election, compared with 67 percent for non-Hispanic white citizens and 60 percent for blacks, according to census figures.
The campaign's print media partner, impreMedia, will insert 990,500 voter registration cards into its publications between Friday and Monday in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
Community organizers will follow up with information on how to register and why it's important to vote. Their message will be reinforced by television and radio spots by media giant Univision Communication and Entravision Communications.
Hispanics traditionally have leaned Democratic, but organizers emphasized this effort was nonpartisan and intended only to increase civic participation and make the Hispanic voice heard on issues that matter most to them: the economy, education and immigration reform.
"This is neither a pro-Democratic or a pro-Republican effort," said Mike Fernandez, Vice President of Public Affairs, State Farm Insurance Companies, which helped fund the campaign." "It's pro-voting, and pro-American."
NPR Poll of Hispanic voters in Colorado
Hispanic Vote May Tip The Balance In Colorado
by Robert Siegel: The Latest NPR Poll
All Things Considered, September 24, 2008 · In Colorado, where Republicans have carried the past two presidential elections, a new poll shows Democratic Sen. Barack Obama edging rival Sen. John McCain by four percentage points.
Of the more than 1,400 likely voters surveyed for the Quinnipiac University/Wall Street Journal poll 49 percent preferred Obama, compared with 45 percent for McCain.
One reason for the Illinois senator's lead is his appeal among Colorado's Hispanic voters. The poll, released Sept. 23, showed support for Obama among this group at 68 percent to McCain's 26 percent.
Two key Hispanic politicians have been out trying to muster support in the swing state for their respective candidates.
The Democratic Campaign
Last Sunday afternoon, as the Denver Broncos were barely surviving the passing attack of the New Orleans Saints, a local political star returned to the ground game of political campaigning.
Former Cabinet Secretary Federico Pena, Denver's first Hispanic mayor, was out knocking on doors in the working class, mostly Hispanic neighborhood he used to represent.
Pena found a startling variety of responses. At one door, there was an enthusiastic greeting; at another just barking dogs. One homeowner engrossed in watching the Broncos game told the former mayor in no uncertain terms to "f*** off." There were also many who were indifferent or caught feeling guilty because they weren't registered to vote.
Through it all, Pena retained the cheery air of a politic pro. His canvassing team helped those who weren't registered fill out applications. They also distributed several applications for absentee ballots.
Twenty percent of Colorado's population is Hispanic, and most of them typically vote Democrat. But Hispanic turnout is usually low, so the "get out the vote" effort is crucial.
And most Coloradoans are expected to vote early by mail this year, so it's vital to get out applications for mail-in ballots. Historically, that has been a Republican strong suit, but Democrats are narrowing the gap this year.
In a conference room at his investment firm in downtown Denver, Pena said the major issues for Hispanics are the same as for everyone else, except for one: immigration. He says the immigration debate and immigration crackdowns have made many Latino citizens feel they have been discriminated against.
"That's an issue that is slightly below the surface, but it's resonating when it comes to Barack Obama vs. Sen. McCain, because people see Sen. McCain has abandoned his position on immigration," Pena says.
"[McCain's] conversion to the right wing of the Republican party has now aligned him with the very negative rhetoric of many of the members of his party and the anti-immigrant forces. And that has gotten out to Latinos around the country, and that's why Sen. McCain is doing poorly with Latinos around the United States."
In order for Democrats to carry Colorado, Pena says, they have to win big in Denver. They also have to win or run even in the swing counties outside the city, and they have to run in the high 30s or low 40s in GOP strongholds.
"The one unknown here is voter turnout," Pena says. "Four years ago, we had a very large voter turnout in Colorado. I predict this year we will beat that record. The other unpredictable is the youth vote. We're going to have an extraordinary youth vote. We've registered many, many people under the radar screen. Those two factors have not been polled — by either the state polls or the national polls — and that's, I think, the silver lining in our campaign."
The Republican Campaign
Former state Sen. Larry Trujillo, a Democratic officeholder turned Republican activist, has driven more than 100 miles from his home near Pueblo to visit the town of Monte Vista, about four hours southwest of Denver.
From the motel rooms at Kelloff's Best Western Movie Manor, customers can watch a movie through the windows on a giant screen outside. But Trujillo hasn't come to see a movie. He has come to distribute yard signs and bumper stickers to a dozen Republican activists from the San Luis Valley.
Local Republicans express enthusiasm about McCain's choice of running mate, Sarah Palin, but seem frustrated by what they see as a slow start to the campaign effort in Colorado.
"Where have you been?" one man asks. "Where has the McCain campaign been?"
In the meeting room at Kelloff's Restaurant, with a spectacular view of the San Juan Mountains behind him, Trujillo talks to the local leaders — several of whom are Hispanic, like him.
This is an old crowd. Trujillo introduces Rudolfo Silver Jaramillo, a retired county school supervisor who was a pilot in World War II.
"As a World War II veteran, and seeing what a concentration camp was all about in Weimar, Germany, and knowing what the next president, McCain, went through, makes me say that every veteran in the United States is committed to voting for him for what he went through for his country," Jaramillo says.
There are Colorado veterans who are vehemently opposed to McCain for voting against some Veterans Affairs spending, but the appeal to patriotism goes a long way with a group that has a strong history of military service.
At the McCain campaign office in Colorado Springs, one of 10 in the state, Trujillo talks about the Arizona senator's appeal in Colorado. (The Obama campaign has 26 offices throughout the state).
"McCain, I think, wanted to have good strong borders, but also have a work program to allow people to come in, be identified and then go back," Trujillo says. "And I think that's a plus-plus for McCain in Colorado."
Although Colorado Republicans assume they will lose the Hispanic vote, the question is by how much.
"I think you've got to get at least 25 percent of the Latino vote to do good," Trujillo says. "I think McCain will surpass that."
It looks like it's going to be close in Colorado.
by Robert Siegel: The Latest NPR Poll
All Things Considered, September 24, 2008 · In Colorado, where Republicans have carried the past two presidential elections, a new poll shows Democratic Sen. Barack Obama edging rival Sen. John McCain by four percentage points.
Of the more than 1,400 likely voters surveyed for the Quinnipiac University/Wall Street Journal poll 49 percent preferred Obama, compared with 45 percent for McCain.
One reason for the Illinois senator's lead is his appeal among Colorado's Hispanic voters. The poll, released Sept. 23, showed support for Obama among this group at 68 percent to McCain's 26 percent.
Two key Hispanic politicians have been out trying to muster support in the swing state for their respective candidates.
The Democratic Campaign
Last Sunday afternoon, as the Denver Broncos were barely surviving the passing attack of the New Orleans Saints, a local political star returned to the ground game of political campaigning.
Former Cabinet Secretary Federico Pena, Denver's first Hispanic mayor, was out knocking on doors in the working class, mostly Hispanic neighborhood he used to represent.
Pena found a startling variety of responses. At one door, there was an enthusiastic greeting; at another just barking dogs. One homeowner engrossed in watching the Broncos game told the former mayor in no uncertain terms to "f*** off." There were also many who were indifferent or caught feeling guilty because they weren't registered to vote.
Through it all, Pena retained the cheery air of a politic pro. His canvassing team helped those who weren't registered fill out applications. They also distributed several applications for absentee ballots.
Twenty percent of Colorado's population is Hispanic, and most of them typically vote Democrat. But Hispanic turnout is usually low, so the "get out the vote" effort is crucial.
And most Coloradoans are expected to vote early by mail this year, so it's vital to get out applications for mail-in ballots. Historically, that has been a Republican strong suit, but Democrats are narrowing the gap this year.
In a conference room at his investment firm in downtown Denver, Pena said the major issues for Hispanics are the same as for everyone else, except for one: immigration. He says the immigration debate and immigration crackdowns have made many Latino citizens feel they have been discriminated against.
"That's an issue that is slightly below the surface, but it's resonating when it comes to Barack Obama vs. Sen. McCain, because people see Sen. McCain has abandoned his position on immigration," Pena says.
"[McCain's] conversion to the right wing of the Republican party has now aligned him with the very negative rhetoric of many of the members of his party and the anti-immigrant forces. And that has gotten out to Latinos around the country, and that's why Sen. McCain is doing poorly with Latinos around the United States."
In order for Democrats to carry Colorado, Pena says, they have to win big in Denver. They also have to win or run even in the swing counties outside the city, and they have to run in the high 30s or low 40s in GOP strongholds.
"The one unknown here is voter turnout," Pena says. "Four years ago, we had a very large voter turnout in Colorado. I predict this year we will beat that record. The other unpredictable is the youth vote. We're going to have an extraordinary youth vote. We've registered many, many people under the radar screen. Those two factors have not been polled — by either the state polls or the national polls — and that's, I think, the silver lining in our campaign."
The Republican Campaign
Former state Sen. Larry Trujillo, a Democratic officeholder turned Republican activist, has driven more than 100 miles from his home near Pueblo to visit the town of Monte Vista, about four hours southwest of Denver.
From the motel rooms at Kelloff's Best Western Movie Manor, customers can watch a movie through the windows on a giant screen outside. But Trujillo hasn't come to see a movie. He has come to distribute yard signs and bumper stickers to a dozen Republican activists from the San Luis Valley.
Local Republicans express enthusiasm about McCain's choice of running mate, Sarah Palin, but seem frustrated by what they see as a slow start to the campaign effort in Colorado.
"Where have you been?" one man asks. "Where has the McCain campaign been?"
In the meeting room at Kelloff's Restaurant, with a spectacular view of the San Juan Mountains behind him, Trujillo talks to the local leaders — several of whom are Hispanic, like him.
This is an old crowd. Trujillo introduces Rudolfo Silver Jaramillo, a retired county school supervisor who was a pilot in World War II.
"As a World War II veteran, and seeing what a concentration camp was all about in Weimar, Germany, and knowing what the next president, McCain, went through, makes me say that every veteran in the United States is committed to voting for him for what he went through for his country," Jaramillo says.
There are Colorado veterans who are vehemently opposed to McCain for voting against some Veterans Affairs spending, but the appeal to patriotism goes a long way with a group that has a strong history of military service.
At the McCain campaign office in Colorado Springs, one of 10 in the state, Trujillo talks about the Arizona senator's appeal in Colorado. (The Obama campaign has 26 offices throughout the state).
"McCain, I think, wanted to have good strong borders, but also have a work program to allow people to come in, be identified and then go back," Trujillo says. "And I think that's a plus-plus for McCain in Colorado."
Although Colorado Republicans assume they will lose the Hispanic vote, the question is by how much.
"I think you've got to get at least 25 percent of the Latino vote to do good," Trujillo says. "I think McCain will surpass that."
It looks like it's going to be close in Colorado.
Abortions up among Hispanic women
Abortions hit 30-year low in United States: study
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The abortion rate in the United States has hit a 30-year low, with the decline particularly marked among teens, who once had the highest rate of abortion, a report showed Wednesday.
"Many Americans will welcome the news that there are fewer abortions, particularly among teens, and that a larger proportion of abortions are now happening very early in pregnancy," said Sharon Camp, president of the Guttmacher Institute which compiled the report.
The teen abortion rate fell by more than half, from 42 abortions per 1,000 teenage girls in 1989 to 20 per 1,000 in 2004, said the report, which looked at trends among women who had abortions in a 30-year period starting in 1974 -- a year after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States.
The rate for all women aged 15-44 was 20 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004.
Overall rates of abortion in the United States peaked soon after the procedure was legalized in 1973, remained fairly constant through the 1980s, and have declined steadily since then, according to the report.
"After reaching a peak of 1.61 million in 1990, the number of abortions declined to about 1.22 million in 2004, even as the population of the country continued to grow," the report said.
From 1974 to 1989, 18- to 19-year-olds had the highest rate of abortion among all women, peaking during those 15 years at 62 abortions per 1,000 women in their age group, the report showed.
But teen abortions have been declining steadily since.
"A large part of the decline in abortion among teens -- which began long before abstinence-only sex education programs began receiving federal funding -- is attributable to increased use of contraceptives and use of more effective methods," the report said.
Although abortion rates have fallen across the board for all racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic and black women have disproportionately more abortions than non-Hispanic white women, the report showed.
The rate among Hispanic women was still at 28 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004, and among black women it was more than double the across-the-board rate, running at 50 per 1,000.
The high rates among black and Hispanic women "in large part reflect the increasing size of the minority population in the United States," the report said.
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The abortion rate in the United States has hit a 30-year low, with the decline particularly marked among teens, who once had the highest rate of abortion, a report showed Wednesday.
"Many Americans will welcome the news that there are fewer abortions, particularly among teens, and that a larger proportion of abortions are now happening very early in pregnancy," said Sharon Camp, president of the Guttmacher Institute which compiled the report.
The teen abortion rate fell by more than half, from 42 abortions per 1,000 teenage girls in 1989 to 20 per 1,000 in 2004, said the report, which looked at trends among women who had abortions in a 30-year period starting in 1974 -- a year after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States.
The rate for all women aged 15-44 was 20 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004.
Overall rates of abortion in the United States peaked soon after the procedure was legalized in 1973, remained fairly constant through the 1980s, and have declined steadily since then, according to the report.
"After reaching a peak of 1.61 million in 1990, the number of abortions declined to about 1.22 million in 2004, even as the population of the country continued to grow," the report said.
From 1974 to 1989, 18- to 19-year-olds had the highest rate of abortion among all women, peaking during those 15 years at 62 abortions per 1,000 women in their age group, the report showed.
But teen abortions have been declining steadily since.
"A large part of the decline in abortion among teens -- which began long before abstinence-only sex education programs began receiving federal funding -- is attributable to increased use of contraceptives and use of more effective methods," the report said.
Although abortion rates have fallen across the board for all racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic and black women have disproportionately more abortions than non-Hispanic white women, the report showed.
The rate among Hispanic women was still at 28 abortions per 1,000 women in 2004, and among black women it was more than double the across-the-board rate, running at 50 per 1,000.
The high rates among black and Hispanic women "in large part reflect the increasing size of the minority population in the United States," the report said.
Hispanic illegal immigrants sought to help rebuild Ike's rath
Cleanup spurs labor need
Undocumented workers will be linchpin in efforts
By JENALIA MORENO and SUSAN CARROLL Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Sept. 25, 2008
All across southeast Texas, roofs need repair, debris must be discarded and towns hope to rebuild.
Hurricane Ike's destruction is sparking one of the largest rebuilding efforts the state has seen in decades, but at the same time is highlighting a thorny facet of the region's labor force: A lot of the recovery work will be done by illegal immigrants.
Homeowners have already turned to day laborers — many of whom are undocumented — to help clear brush, tent roofs and repair other storm damage. Contractors have hired them to rebuild or restore businesses and the city's infrastructure.
And the major work of rebuilding small towns along the Gulf Coast or big homes in Galveston will likely be aided by undocumented workers.
But this tug and pull of the labor force highlights an uneasy dilemma: The region needs the muscle of undocumented immigrants, but simultaneously is a cog in a broader crackdown of illegal immigrants at worksites.
"There's just no mechanism in place right now to provide those important laborers work authorization," said Leigh Ganchan, a Houston immigration attorney with Haynes and Boone. "It's a shame that employers can't tap into a whole segment of society that's willing and capable to provide those services. Our nation is more vulnerable than it would like to admit, I think. Vulnerable, meaning we need people to help us rebuild our infrastructure after major disasters like this."
Carlos González, Mexico's consul general in Houston, expects the area's existing immigrant population will do the rebuilding work, a key difference with what happened post-Katrina. New Orleans experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants because it did not have as large of an immigrant population as Houston.
"You will find the immigrant community — as they always have — will play a very big role," said Laura Murillo, president of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
However, Americans devastated by the storm should have the option of doing the rebuilding, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for a Washington, D.C.-group that seeks to stop illegal immigration.
"Those people should have first crack at the reconstruction jobs," said Mehlman with the Federation for American Immigration Reform. "I'm sure there are an awful lot of people who can use the jobs and use the paychecks to get themselves back on their feet."
The looming demand for immigrant labor for rebuilding efforts illustrates how dependent Texas industry and commerce are on undocumented workers.
According to a 2006 study by the Greater Houston Partnership, construction is the largest employer of undocumented workers in the city, employing nearly 36,000 people.
"The storm hasn't done anything but point out again how badly these workers are needed and how much they contribute," said Angela Blanchard, president and chief executive officer of Neighborhood Centers Inc.
Chase Duhon, with an Austin-based company that contracted to remove brush and debris across Houston, said he's having trouble finding legal local workers to help with hurricane cleanup. He posted an ad online to find more workers.
"We don't hire anyone who's illegal," said Duhon, a Houston native. "We want to keep it local. We want to use people here in Texas, but there's so much work, there are people coming from Michigan and Massachusetts."
Paralyzed by politics, immigration reform has yet to be approved by Congress despite years of hot debate. Supporters of reforms — such as a guest worker program — say storms like Ike prove how hard it is for employers to fill certain jobs.
"We need the labor. These people want to work," said Norman Adams, co-founder of Texans for Sensible Immigration Reform and president of Adams Insurance Service. "I don't think anybody has enough workers here."
Adams said the contractor repairing his water-damaged office building in the Heights area after the storm hired immigrant workers.
Honduran immigrant Esteban Valle, 49, said construction work has picked up since Ike hit.
"I think there's more work," said Valle, a legal permanent resident who previously lived in Dallas. "But it's easier for me because I have papers."
At one of the city's most popular day labor sites, the competition was stiff, with those skilled in trades like roof repair and hanging plaster wallboard often getting picked first.
"It's difficult because we don't have papers, and there are so many people," said 22-year-old Emanuel Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant from southern Mexico, gesturing to three dozen men gathered at the corner of Shepherd Drive and 11th.
Staff writer Jim Pinkerton contributed to this report.
jenalia.moreno@chron.com susan.carroll@chron.com
Undocumented workers will be linchpin in efforts
By JENALIA MORENO and SUSAN CARROLL Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Sept. 25, 2008
All across southeast Texas, roofs need repair, debris must be discarded and towns hope to rebuild.
Hurricane Ike's destruction is sparking one of the largest rebuilding efforts the state has seen in decades, but at the same time is highlighting a thorny facet of the region's labor force: A lot of the recovery work will be done by illegal immigrants.
Homeowners have already turned to day laborers — many of whom are undocumented — to help clear brush, tent roofs and repair other storm damage. Contractors have hired them to rebuild or restore businesses and the city's infrastructure.
And the major work of rebuilding small towns along the Gulf Coast or big homes in Galveston will likely be aided by undocumented workers.
But this tug and pull of the labor force highlights an uneasy dilemma: The region needs the muscle of undocumented immigrants, but simultaneously is a cog in a broader crackdown of illegal immigrants at worksites.
"There's just no mechanism in place right now to provide those important laborers work authorization," said Leigh Ganchan, a Houston immigration attorney with Haynes and Boone. "It's a shame that employers can't tap into a whole segment of society that's willing and capable to provide those services. Our nation is more vulnerable than it would like to admit, I think. Vulnerable, meaning we need people to help us rebuild our infrastructure after major disasters like this."
Carlos González, Mexico's consul general in Houston, expects the area's existing immigrant population will do the rebuilding work, a key difference with what happened post-Katrina. New Orleans experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants because it did not have as large of an immigrant population as Houston.
"You will find the immigrant community — as they always have — will play a very big role," said Laura Murillo, president of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
However, Americans devastated by the storm should have the option of doing the rebuilding, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for a Washington, D.C.-group that seeks to stop illegal immigration.
"Those people should have first crack at the reconstruction jobs," said Mehlman with the Federation for American Immigration Reform. "I'm sure there are an awful lot of people who can use the jobs and use the paychecks to get themselves back on their feet."
The looming demand for immigrant labor for rebuilding efforts illustrates how dependent Texas industry and commerce are on undocumented workers.
According to a 2006 study by the Greater Houston Partnership, construction is the largest employer of undocumented workers in the city, employing nearly 36,000 people.
"The storm hasn't done anything but point out again how badly these workers are needed and how much they contribute," said Angela Blanchard, president and chief executive officer of Neighborhood Centers Inc.
Chase Duhon, with an Austin-based company that contracted to remove brush and debris across Houston, said he's having trouble finding legal local workers to help with hurricane cleanup. He posted an ad online to find more workers.
"We don't hire anyone who's illegal," said Duhon, a Houston native. "We want to keep it local. We want to use people here in Texas, but there's so much work, there are people coming from Michigan and Massachusetts."
Paralyzed by politics, immigration reform has yet to be approved by Congress despite years of hot debate. Supporters of reforms — such as a guest worker program — say storms like Ike prove how hard it is for employers to fill certain jobs.
"We need the labor. These people want to work," said Norman Adams, co-founder of Texans for Sensible Immigration Reform and president of Adams Insurance Service. "I don't think anybody has enough workers here."
Adams said the contractor repairing his water-damaged office building in the Heights area after the storm hired immigrant workers.
Honduran immigrant Esteban Valle, 49, said construction work has picked up since Ike hit.
"I think there's more work," said Valle, a legal permanent resident who previously lived in Dallas. "But it's easier for me because I have papers."
At one of the city's most popular day labor sites, the competition was stiff, with those skilled in trades like roof repair and hanging plaster wallboard often getting picked first.
"It's difficult because we don't have papers, and there are so many people," said 22-year-old Emanuel Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant from southern Mexico, gesturing to three dozen men gathered at the corner of Shepherd Drive and 11th.
Staff writer Jim Pinkerton contributed to this report.
jenalia.moreno@chron.com susan.carroll@chron.com
First hand accounts of Hispanic migration to Tulsa
Book tells Tulsa's Hispanic history
By DEON HAMPTON World Staff Writer 9/25/2008
A book featuring compelling first-hand accounts of area Hispanics migrating to Tulsa was unveiled Wednesday during the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon.
Yolanda Charney, a guest panelist, said the book — "Latinos Presentes!" — was inspired by a Tulsa World sports story on Morey Villareal, a former Hispanic coach at Rogers High School. Michael M. Smith, a history professor at Oklahoma State University, and 40 other Hispanic writers contributed to the book.
Hispanics were here during statehood, and their untold stories make this a great book, Charney said during the luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. One story tells about the life of a Cuban woman who left behind her family to relocate to the Tulsa area, she said.
Tina Peña, also a guest panelist, said readers can learn about the contributions Hispanics made in Oklahoma.
Judy Randle, who edited the book, said, "What I enjoyed most was learning about Tulsa."
A seven-minute video about the history of Hispanics in Tulsa also was viewed during the luncheon. The book took nearly two years and $20,000 in donations to complete. The paperbacks
aren't for sale but are available for checkout through the Tulsa City-County Library.
Wednesday's discussion of "Latinos Presentes!" is one of several events held to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
By DEON HAMPTON World Staff Writer 9/25/2008
A book featuring compelling first-hand accounts of area Hispanics migrating to Tulsa was unveiled Wednesday during the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon.
Yolanda Charney, a guest panelist, said the book — "Latinos Presentes!" — was inspired by a Tulsa World sports story on Morey Villareal, a former Hispanic coach at Rogers High School. Michael M. Smith, a history professor at Oklahoma State University, and 40 other Hispanic writers contributed to the book.
Hispanics were here during statehood, and their untold stories make this a great book, Charney said during the luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. One story tells about the life of a Cuban woman who left behind her family to relocate to the Tulsa area, she said.
Tina Peña, also a guest panelist, said readers can learn about the contributions Hispanics made in Oklahoma.
Judy Randle, who edited the book, said, "What I enjoyed most was learning about Tulsa."
A seven-minute video about the history of Hispanics in Tulsa also was viewed during the luncheon. The book took nearly two years and $20,000 in donations to complete. The paperbacks
aren't for sale but are available for checkout through the Tulsa City-County Library.
Wednesday's discussion of "Latinos Presentes!" is one of several events held to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Centro Familia set to open new location for Hispanic preschoolers
Center for Hispanic Preschoolers Moving Into Larger Home
By Amber Parcher Gazette Staff Writer September 25, 2008
The freshly painted rooms are stocked with Goya-brand foods, crackers and other snacks. Shin-high chairs around tables are placed next to a colorful reading mat. On the wall, phrases such as "We will clean up" are repeated in English and Spanish.
The space is the new Centro Familia day-care center in the basement of First Baptist Church, at 10914 Georgia Ave. in Wheaton, set to open this week.
For three years, Centro Familia, a Silver Spring-based organization that focuses on early childhood development for low-income children, had been operating a free bilingual child-care program for 3- and 4-year-olds in Resurrection Lutheran Church in Kensington. The goal of the program is closing the achievement gap for Hispanics in Montgomery County schools. But with just two teachers, the tiny operation could handle only 15 children in three hours.
So, in August, the "escuelita" -- little school -- moved to its new location to expand its enrollment to 41 children in all-day child care. Officials with Centro Familia said the center should open this week after it receives its final permits.
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The school is supported by a $250,000 grant from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, it will charge tuition to parents who can afford to pay but will remain free for the 30 children already at the school. Tuition of $200 a week will help pay for the $1 million expansion project, said Centro Familia's office manager, Diego Alvarez.
The school provides lessons, in Spanish and English, to children about to enter kindergarten. But La Escuelita is also a school for the parents, said Erica Serrano, Centro Familia's program director. She said the school's primary objective is to promote interaction between parents and their children.
In many cases, Serrano said, parents the center works with are unsure how to supplement their children's education or don't interact with them. That can leave children starting kindergarten without proper discipline or basic social skills, she said.
"They get to school, and the teachers just ignore them in a way because they're the problem kids," Serrano said.
La Escuelita requires that parents participate in their children's homework, said Leticia Jurado, one of the school's teachers. Parents are given weekly assignments to do with their children, Jurado said, as she displayed the wall of macaroni-decorated photos the children made with their parents.
She said work or the obligations of large families often limit parent-to-child interaction.
In fact, every mother in the program is either pregnant or has another young child, said the school's family coordinator, Amparo Hincapie, who is working with parents who qualify to apply for federal child-care grants for tuition
Bibi Kahn's 4-year-old daughter is one of the school's students. Kahn said she wanted her daughter to learn how to write but was unsure how to accomplish that. Now, she said, her daughter is thriving even before she starts kindergarten.
"She's very happy, very social," she said. "She likes her teacher a lot."
By Amber Parcher Gazette Staff Writer September 25, 2008
The freshly painted rooms are stocked with Goya-brand foods, crackers and other snacks. Shin-high chairs around tables are placed next to a colorful reading mat. On the wall, phrases such as "We will clean up" are repeated in English and Spanish.
The space is the new Centro Familia day-care center in the basement of First Baptist Church, at 10914 Georgia Ave. in Wheaton, set to open this week.
For three years, Centro Familia, a Silver Spring-based organization that focuses on early childhood development for low-income children, had been operating a free bilingual child-care program for 3- and 4-year-olds in Resurrection Lutheran Church in Kensington. The goal of the program is closing the achievement gap for Hispanics in Montgomery County schools. But with just two teachers, the tiny operation could handle only 15 children in three hours.
So, in August, the "escuelita" -- little school -- moved to its new location to expand its enrollment to 41 children in all-day child care. Officials with Centro Familia said the center should open this week after it receives its final permits.
ad_icon
The school is supported by a $250,000 grant from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, it will charge tuition to parents who can afford to pay but will remain free for the 30 children already at the school. Tuition of $200 a week will help pay for the $1 million expansion project, said Centro Familia's office manager, Diego Alvarez.
The school provides lessons, in Spanish and English, to children about to enter kindergarten. But La Escuelita is also a school for the parents, said Erica Serrano, Centro Familia's program director. She said the school's primary objective is to promote interaction between parents and their children.
In many cases, Serrano said, parents the center works with are unsure how to supplement their children's education or don't interact with them. That can leave children starting kindergarten without proper discipline or basic social skills, she said.
"They get to school, and the teachers just ignore them in a way because they're the problem kids," Serrano said.
La Escuelita requires that parents participate in their children's homework, said Leticia Jurado, one of the school's teachers. Parents are given weekly assignments to do with their children, Jurado said, as she displayed the wall of macaroni-decorated photos the children made with their parents.
She said work or the obligations of large families often limit parent-to-child interaction.
In fact, every mother in the program is either pregnant or has another young child, said the school's family coordinator, Amparo Hincapie, who is working with parents who qualify to apply for federal child-care grants for tuition
Bibi Kahn's 4-year-old daughter is one of the school's students. Kahn said she wanted her daughter to learn how to write but was unsure how to accomplish that. Now, she said, her daughter is thriving even before she starts kindergarten.
"She's very happy, very social," she said. "She likes her teacher a lot."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Candidates battle for Florida Hispanic vote
Florida Hispanics sticking with GOP
With polls showing John McCain leading among Hispanics in Florida, Barack Obama rolled out Spanish- language ads calling his rival out of touch.
BY BETH REINHARD, CASEY WOODS AND JOSE PAGLIERY
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com
As Democrat Barack Obama headlines a rally Wednesday during his second campaign swing through Florida in as many weeks, he faces a challenge in the diverse battleground state: winning over Hispanics.
He's 10 percentage points behind Republican John McCain among Hispanics in Florida, according to a Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll released Sunday that showed a tight race overall. McCain is favored by Hispanics 51 to 41 percent in the survey. The poll's margin of error for the Hispanic voter numbers is 10.6 percentage points.
A Mason-Dixon poll released Tuesday showed McCain leading by 6 percentage points among Hispanics; that lead is within the margin of error.
The gaps exist despite a statewide surge in Democratic registration among Hispanics and Obama's promise to spend a record-setting $20 million on Hispanic outreach nationwide. Tuesday, the campaign released ads on Spanish-language television and radio in Florida that depict McCain as oblivious to the millions of Americans without health insurance or jobs.
McCain also released a Spanish-language ad last week hammering Obama for his willingness to meet with leaders such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
RELATED RACES
Obama's current drag among Hispanics could hurt the Democratic Party's chances of unseating three South Florida Cuban-American Republicans in Congress -- Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- said Roland Sanchez-Medina, vice president of the Cuban-American Bar Association.
''I don't think the Obama campaign is doing as good a job as they can in getting his message out to Hispanic voters,'' said Sanchez-Medina, who supports the Democratic nominee. ``I'd like to see the campaign dedicate a lot more time to Florida.''
Obama's camp pointed to a Sept. 10 poll by the New Democratic Network that found Hispanic voters in Florida evenly split between the nominees. According to the poll, Obama ran strong among Hispanics in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada -- other key swing states with large Spanish-speaking populations but few Republican-leaning Cuban Americans.
`FIGHT HARDER'
''The Hispanic vote is going to be competitive, and we are going to fight harder than any other Democrat has in Florida,'' said Miami consultant Freddy Balsera, who advises Obama on Hispanic outreach. ``It's going to be a very issues-based plan that draws the distinctions between Obama on healthcare, the economy and tax cuts for working-class families versus McCain.''
Since winning the Hispanic vote in 2006, Florida Democrats have been predicting a sea change in which older Cuban Americans will be outnumbered at the polls by younger Cuban Americans and newer arrivals from Latin America who are more concerned with healthcare than their homelands. Democrats also have been counting on a backlash among Hispanics to rhetoric from conservative Republicans over immigration.
But Republicans say Obama hurt his chances with some Hispanic voters by saying he would be willing to meet with antagonistic government leaders in Cuba and Venezuela. A new Spanish-language ad depicts Hugo Chávez ranting against ''filthy Yankees'' and asks: ``Did you see who Obama wants to talk with?''
The ad will be effective among Venezuelans, as well as in the Cuban and Colombian communities that share a hostility toward Chávez, said Republican state Rep. Juan Carlos Zapata, who is Colombian American.
''Obama is talking about talking to bad guys, and a lot of people are here in Florida because they left those bad guys, people like Chávez and Castro,'' Zapata said.
Obama's opposition to a free trade agreement with Colombia has also turned off some Hispanic voters who have been successful in international trade, Zapata said.
Interviews with voters and community leaders suggest Obama's challenge is less about foreign policy and more about who he's not. Many Hispanic voters felt more comfortable with Hillary Clinton -- a name brand in politics -- than the junior senator from Illinois.
''When Obama put Biden on the ticket and not Hillary, he definitely lost his calculator,'' said Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, who helped conduct the Miami Herald poll.
Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker said his survey found a clear divide in the Hispanic community, with overwhelming support for McCain among Cuban Americans and strong backing for Obama among other Hispanic voters. But the McCain supporters are more likely to go the polls because they've been in the United States longer, Coker said.
EXPERIENCE CONCERNS
One such voter is Ruben Maranges, 79, who was born in Cuba but has lived in New York and Miami for four decades. He said of Obama: ``I don't think he has the experience to lead this country. They need to understand the economy, foreign affairs.''
Rhadames Peguero, executive director of the Allapattah-based Dominican American National Foundation, pointed to another issue that may lurk behind Obama's failure to capture part of the Hispanic vote: racism. On a recent day at The Home Depot in Hialeah, where Peguero lives, he overhead a man say to his companion, ''No voy a votar por ese negro,'' -- ``I'm not voting for that black man.''
''It's not the majority, but there are some racist feelings in the community,'' Peguero said.
As the nation's economy spirals downward, Obama's poll numbers have been creeping up. His new Spanish-language television spot derides McCain for saying last week in Jacksonville that ''the fundamentals of our economy are strong.'' McCain later said he was talking about the resilience of the American workforce.
McCain and Obama also have dueling ads on immigration, even though they were on the same side of the landmark legislation that would have allowed illegal workers to earn citizenship.
McCain is running spots that accuse Obama of trying to destroy the legislation with ''poison pill'' amendments, though the GOP's conservative wing largely doomed the effort.
Obama is also airing a misleading ad that tries to link McCain to anti-immigrant remarks by talk host Rush Limbaugh.
Miami Herald staff writer Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.
With polls showing John McCain leading among Hispanics in Florida, Barack Obama rolled out Spanish- language ads calling his rival out of touch.
BY BETH REINHARD, CASEY WOODS AND JOSE PAGLIERY
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com
As Democrat Barack Obama headlines a rally Wednesday during his second campaign swing through Florida in as many weeks, he faces a challenge in the diverse battleground state: winning over Hispanics.
He's 10 percentage points behind Republican John McCain among Hispanics in Florida, according to a Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll released Sunday that showed a tight race overall. McCain is favored by Hispanics 51 to 41 percent in the survey. The poll's margin of error for the Hispanic voter numbers is 10.6 percentage points.
A Mason-Dixon poll released Tuesday showed McCain leading by 6 percentage points among Hispanics; that lead is within the margin of error.
The gaps exist despite a statewide surge in Democratic registration among Hispanics and Obama's promise to spend a record-setting $20 million on Hispanic outreach nationwide. Tuesday, the campaign released ads on Spanish-language television and radio in Florida that depict McCain as oblivious to the millions of Americans without health insurance or jobs.
McCain also released a Spanish-language ad last week hammering Obama for his willingness to meet with leaders such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
RELATED RACES
Obama's current drag among Hispanics could hurt the Democratic Party's chances of unseating three South Florida Cuban-American Republicans in Congress -- Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- said Roland Sanchez-Medina, vice president of the Cuban-American Bar Association.
''I don't think the Obama campaign is doing as good a job as they can in getting his message out to Hispanic voters,'' said Sanchez-Medina, who supports the Democratic nominee. ``I'd like to see the campaign dedicate a lot more time to Florida.''
Obama's camp pointed to a Sept. 10 poll by the New Democratic Network that found Hispanic voters in Florida evenly split between the nominees. According to the poll, Obama ran strong among Hispanics in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada -- other key swing states with large Spanish-speaking populations but few Republican-leaning Cuban Americans.
`FIGHT HARDER'
''The Hispanic vote is going to be competitive, and we are going to fight harder than any other Democrat has in Florida,'' said Miami consultant Freddy Balsera, who advises Obama on Hispanic outreach. ``It's going to be a very issues-based plan that draws the distinctions between Obama on healthcare, the economy and tax cuts for working-class families versus McCain.''
Since winning the Hispanic vote in 2006, Florida Democrats have been predicting a sea change in which older Cuban Americans will be outnumbered at the polls by younger Cuban Americans and newer arrivals from Latin America who are more concerned with healthcare than their homelands. Democrats also have been counting on a backlash among Hispanics to rhetoric from conservative Republicans over immigration.
But Republicans say Obama hurt his chances with some Hispanic voters by saying he would be willing to meet with antagonistic government leaders in Cuba and Venezuela. A new Spanish-language ad depicts Hugo Chávez ranting against ''filthy Yankees'' and asks: ``Did you see who Obama wants to talk with?''
The ad will be effective among Venezuelans, as well as in the Cuban and Colombian communities that share a hostility toward Chávez, said Republican state Rep. Juan Carlos Zapata, who is Colombian American.
''Obama is talking about talking to bad guys, and a lot of people are here in Florida because they left those bad guys, people like Chávez and Castro,'' Zapata said.
Obama's opposition to a free trade agreement with Colombia has also turned off some Hispanic voters who have been successful in international trade, Zapata said.
Interviews with voters and community leaders suggest Obama's challenge is less about foreign policy and more about who he's not. Many Hispanic voters felt more comfortable with Hillary Clinton -- a name brand in politics -- than the junior senator from Illinois.
''When Obama put Biden on the ticket and not Hillary, he definitely lost his calculator,'' said Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, who helped conduct the Miami Herald poll.
Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker said his survey found a clear divide in the Hispanic community, with overwhelming support for McCain among Cuban Americans and strong backing for Obama among other Hispanic voters. But the McCain supporters are more likely to go the polls because they've been in the United States longer, Coker said.
EXPERIENCE CONCERNS
One such voter is Ruben Maranges, 79, who was born in Cuba but has lived in New York and Miami for four decades. He said of Obama: ``I don't think he has the experience to lead this country. They need to understand the economy, foreign affairs.''
Rhadames Peguero, executive director of the Allapattah-based Dominican American National Foundation, pointed to another issue that may lurk behind Obama's failure to capture part of the Hispanic vote: racism. On a recent day at The Home Depot in Hialeah, where Peguero lives, he overhead a man say to his companion, ''No voy a votar por ese negro,'' -- ``I'm not voting for that black man.''
''It's not the majority, but there are some racist feelings in the community,'' Peguero said.
As the nation's economy spirals downward, Obama's poll numbers have been creeping up. His new Spanish-language television spot derides McCain for saying last week in Jacksonville that ''the fundamentals of our economy are strong.'' McCain later said he was talking about the resilience of the American workforce.
McCain and Obama also have dueling ads on immigration, even though they were on the same side of the landmark legislation that would have allowed illegal workers to earn citizenship.
McCain is running spots that accuse Obama of trying to destroy the legislation with ''poison pill'' amendments, though the GOP's conservative wing largely doomed the effort.
Obama is also airing a misleading ad that tries to link McCain to anti-immigrant remarks by talk host Rush Limbaugh.
Miami Herald staff writer Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.
McCain YouTube ad focuses on Latinos in Chicago
McCain documentary on Obama and the Latino community in Chicago: MIA
by Ed Morrissey Hot Air.com September 24, 2008
The McCain campaign has a new Internet-only spot out today hitting Barack Obama on his connections to the Latino community. The spot consists of man-on-the-street interviews in the Latino section of Chicago, talking with various residents about Obama’s record of engagement in their community and on their issues. Most of those shown can’t come up with any examples of leadership on Latino issues — with the exception of repopularizing Cesar Chavez’Si Se Puede:
Conservatives will find a few points to enjoy, but overall perhaps give this a failing grade. On taxes, for instance, the documentary shows that Obama’s reputation as a taxer doesn’t make many allies. Most of these are small-business owners who will get hammered by Obama tax increases on capital gains and payroll taxes.
Other than that, though, it takes a turn towards the pandering that unfortunately has become a part of retail politics. The main complaint voiced throughout this is that Obama didn’t pay enough attention to their economic issues, and I doubt they mean that their unhappiness comes from a lack of effort at cutting funding for pork projects. That’s more or less confirmed when the documentary notes how many of these people supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries and have switched to McCain after Obama won the nomination.
Of course, conservatives aren’t the target audience here, and this intends to push back on Obama’s claim to truly represent Latino interests. Clearly, the rhetoric replaces any action here, just as it does on reform. If viewers can stick out the six-minute length and the strange camera work (which keeps rolling left and right), it will remind Latinos that Barack Obama is nothing but talk.
by Ed Morrissey Hot Air.com September 24, 2008
The McCain campaign has a new Internet-only spot out today hitting Barack Obama on his connections to the Latino community. The spot consists of man-on-the-street interviews in the Latino section of Chicago, talking with various residents about Obama’s record of engagement in their community and on their issues. Most of those shown can’t come up with any examples of leadership on Latino issues — with the exception of repopularizing Cesar Chavez’Si Se Puede:
Conservatives will find a few points to enjoy, but overall perhaps give this a failing grade. On taxes, for instance, the documentary shows that Obama’s reputation as a taxer doesn’t make many allies. Most of these are small-business owners who will get hammered by Obama tax increases on capital gains and payroll taxes.
Other than that, though, it takes a turn towards the pandering that unfortunately has become a part of retail politics. The main complaint voiced throughout this is that Obama didn’t pay enough attention to their economic issues, and I doubt they mean that their unhappiness comes from a lack of effort at cutting funding for pork projects. That’s more or less confirmed when the documentary notes how many of these people supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries and have switched to McCain after Obama won the nomination.
Of course, conservatives aren’t the target audience here, and this intends to push back on Obama’s claim to truly represent Latino interests. Clearly, the rhetoric replaces any action here, just as it does on reform. If viewers can stick out the six-minute length and the strange camera work (which keeps rolling left and right), it will remind Latinos that Barack Obama is nothing but talk.
Hispanics will top 12 percent of Iowa's population by 2030
Iowa's Latino population predicted to skyrocket
By Alyssa Cashman The Gazette
As more and more Latinos move into Iowa, officials predict that by 2030 the state will be home to more than 330,000 Latino residents.
"It will be the largest generational growth in Iowa since 1880," said Armando Villareal, head of the Iowa Division for Latino Affairs.
Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau released Tuesday show that Latinos remain a minority in the state, but their numbers are expected to increase steadily from the current count of 120,000.
About 4 percent of Iowans in 2007 were Hispanic, up from 3.8 percent in 2006, and of those, 3.2 percent were from Mexico. The remaining Latinos came from various South and Central American countries.
Linn County followed the state trend, as the number of Latinos in the county jumped from 1.9 percent to 2.1 percent. Linn County still ranked low compared to counties such as Woodbury in western Iowa, where the population is 11 percent Latino.
Hot topic
Immigration has become a hot topic in Congress and in state legislative elections, said Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
"There will be 135 million more people in our population by the middle of the century," Mehlman said of the expected increase in Latino residents. "Just the sheer number of people will have a huge impact on this nation."
Although some Iowans are quick to note the negative consequences of immigration, Villareal said Latinos are helping Iowa.
"In towns like Perry, they are revitalizing the downtown and business," Villareal said. "And they're hard workers."
Mehlman said there are benefits to immigration, but that some sort of policy needs to be put into place to let those into the country with "personal traits" that would most benefit the country.
"It's a moving target," he said. "We may need one group with certain skills in 2008 but that may not be applicable in 2020."
Work force numbers
Hispanic workers make up about 3.2 percent of the Iowan work force, mostly in low-paying jobs with few benefits, Villareal said.
Iowa is ideal for Mexican farmers because of the abundance of corn farming, which was Mexico's principle crop before 1994.
According to the census, more than 37 percent of the Hispanics in Iowa came to the state after 2000.
Despite being part of America for hundreds of years, Latinos are still one of the most disadvantaged demographics in the nation.
The raid on Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville on May 12 showed that the problem of illegal immigrants working for little money is still a huge problem in the state.
"There have been no avenues created for low wage (Latino) workers to be in the light," Villareal said.
In Iowa, fewer than 17 percent of Latinos have four-year degrees, which advocates say will be detrimental to the future of the country.
"It's almost incumbent that Latinos be given an education," Villareal said. "It's an investment in future taxpayers."
UI efforts
Several Latino groups at the University of Iowa are working to create a supportive environment for their peers. Olga Rua, 28, in charge of the Latino Graduate Student Association, said more Chicanos, or children born in the United States to Latino immigrants, are coming to the UI.
"The atmosphere is very good for Latinos now," said Rua, who is originally from Columbia.
But it may be a while before politicians get the ball rolling on Latino rights. There's simply no political will on behalf of legislators in Iowa or nationally, Villareal said. And the public's biases prevent much discussion on the subject in political settings or otherwise.
Villareal said that presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain understand that the system needs to be fixed, but feelings of distrust make it difficult for honest discussion to take place.
By Alyssa Cashman The Gazette
As more and more Latinos move into Iowa, officials predict that by 2030 the state will be home to more than 330,000 Latino residents.
"It will be the largest generational growth in Iowa since 1880," said Armando Villareal, head of the Iowa Division for Latino Affairs.
Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau released Tuesday show that Latinos remain a minority in the state, but their numbers are expected to increase steadily from the current count of 120,000.
About 4 percent of Iowans in 2007 were Hispanic, up from 3.8 percent in 2006, and of those, 3.2 percent were from Mexico. The remaining Latinos came from various South and Central American countries.
Linn County followed the state trend, as the number of Latinos in the county jumped from 1.9 percent to 2.1 percent. Linn County still ranked low compared to counties such as Woodbury in western Iowa, where the population is 11 percent Latino.
Hot topic
Immigration has become a hot topic in Congress and in state legislative elections, said Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
"There will be 135 million more people in our population by the middle of the century," Mehlman said of the expected increase in Latino residents. "Just the sheer number of people will have a huge impact on this nation."
Although some Iowans are quick to note the negative consequences of immigration, Villareal said Latinos are helping Iowa.
"In towns like Perry, they are revitalizing the downtown and business," Villareal said. "And they're hard workers."
Mehlman said there are benefits to immigration, but that some sort of policy needs to be put into place to let those into the country with "personal traits" that would most benefit the country.
"It's a moving target," he said. "We may need one group with certain skills in 2008 but that may not be applicable in 2020."
Work force numbers
Hispanic workers make up about 3.2 percent of the Iowan work force, mostly in low-paying jobs with few benefits, Villareal said.
Iowa is ideal for Mexican farmers because of the abundance of corn farming, which was Mexico's principle crop before 1994.
According to the census, more than 37 percent of the Hispanics in Iowa came to the state after 2000.
Despite being part of America for hundreds of years, Latinos are still one of the most disadvantaged demographics in the nation.
The raid on Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville on May 12 showed that the problem of illegal immigrants working for little money is still a huge problem in the state.
"There have been no avenues created for low wage (Latino) workers to be in the light," Villareal said.
In Iowa, fewer than 17 percent of Latinos have four-year degrees, which advocates say will be detrimental to the future of the country.
"It's almost incumbent that Latinos be given an education," Villareal said. "It's an investment in future taxpayers."
UI efforts
Several Latino groups at the University of Iowa are working to create a supportive environment for their peers. Olga Rua, 28, in charge of the Latino Graduate Student Association, said more Chicanos, or children born in the United States to Latino immigrants, are coming to the UI.
"The atmosphere is very good for Latinos now," said Rua, who is originally from Columbia.
But it may be a while before politicians get the ball rolling on Latino rights. There's simply no political will on behalf of legislators in Iowa or nationally, Villareal said. And the public's biases prevent much discussion on the subject in political settings or otherwise.
Villareal said that presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain understand that the system needs to be fixed, but feelings of distrust make it difficult for honest discussion to take place.
Education top issue among Latino students
La Casa discussion stresses Latino vote
Jessica Hullinger | IDS | 9/24/2008
Fifteen percent of Americans are Hispanic, but on average they only account for less than 10 percent of all votes cast in elections.
“Don’t just sit on it, guys,” said Carlos Jara of Sigma Lambda Beta. “You really have to think about it. We’re the future. Go out there and vote.”
Jara was one of many students and members of Bloomington’s Latino community who on Tuesday attended “Latino’s Vote,” an event at La Casa that sought to address issues facing Hispanic voters in this year’s election.
The event, sponsored by Delta Alpha Rho, featured a description of key issues, such as the economy, the energy crisis and health care, and how each candidate plans to approach them.
Matt Van Hoose, interim associate director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, gave a presentation on Republican presidential nominee John McCain, highlighting McCain’s plan to lower tax rates for corporations and balance the federal budget by 2013, among other things.
Van Hoose challenged voters to look at and consider the differences between each candidate’s platform.
“We should read these platforms critically,” he said. “As voters, we have to ask ourselves what will happen when that candidate actually does get elected.”
A presentation was also given on Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, highlighting, among other things, his plans to increase eligibility for health care and decrease greenhouse gas emissions through cap-and-trade programs.
One issue raised, though not discussed at length, was immigration. Students seemed more concerned with issues of education.
Freshman Tari Morales said she is highly supportive of the proposed DREAM Act, which would allow high school students who are long-term illegal immigrants and want to either go to college or serve in the armed forces the opportunity to gain legal status.
“We should be thinking about the education of the youth,” Morales said.
Vanessa Valentin, a junior, agreed.
“Immigration is a big topic,” Valentin said. “But when I look at people’s platforms I always look at what they’re doing for education.”
The event offered attendees a chance to register to vote if they hadn’t already, and Metalnat Hayes, 22, took advantage.
“I’d been procrastinating,” Hayes said. “I took advantage of the situation, and I registered, so now I’m good to go.”
Jessica Hullinger | IDS | 9/24/2008
Fifteen percent of Americans are Hispanic, but on average they only account for less than 10 percent of all votes cast in elections.
“Don’t just sit on it, guys,” said Carlos Jara of Sigma Lambda Beta. “You really have to think about it. We’re the future. Go out there and vote.”
Jara was one of many students and members of Bloomington’s Latino community who on Tuesday attended “Latino’s Vote,” an event at La Casa that sought to address issues facing Hispanic voters in this year’s election.
The event, sponsored by Delta Alpha Rho, featured a description of key issues, such as the economy, the energy crisis and health care, and how each candidate plans to approach them.
Matt Van Hoose, interim associate director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, gave a presentation on Republican presidential nominee John McCain, highlighting McCain’s plan to lower tax rates for corporations and balance the federal budget by 2013, among other things.
Van Hoose challenged voters to look at and consider the differences between each candidate’s platform.
“We should read these platforms critically,” he said. “As voters, we have to ask ourselves what will happen when that candidate actually does get elected.”
A presentation was also given on Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, highlighting, among other things, his plans to increase eligibility for health care and decrease greenhouse gas emissions through cap-and-trade programs.
One issue raised, though not discussed at length, was immigration. Students seemed more concerned with issues of education.
Freshman Tari Morales said she is highly supportive of the proposed DREAM Act, which would allow high school students who are long-term illegal immigrants and want to either go to college or serve in the armed forces the opportunity to gain legal status.
“We should be thinking about the education of the youth,” Morales said.
Vanessa Valentin, a junior, agreed.
“Immigration is a big topic,” Valentin said. “But when I look at people’s platforms I always look at what they’re doing for education.”
The event offered attendees a chance to register to vote if they hadn’t already, and Metalnat Hayes, 22, took advantage.
“I’d been procrastinating,” Hayes said. “I took advantage of the situation, and I registered, so now I’m good to go.”
Mexican American Historical Society t honor first Latino councilman
Riverside's first Latino councilman to be honored
By DOUG HABERMAN, The Press-Enterprise September 23, 2008
RIVERSIDE - A group of friends and admirers will be joining Riverside's first Latino councilman, John "Johnny" Sotelo, on Oct. 11 to watch a video in which he recounts stories from his life.
The Riverside County Mexican American Historical Society is sponsoring the invitation-only gathering.
The Sotelo video was made Saturday and will be edited for showing, said Linda Salinas-Thompson, chairwoman of the event.
Story continues below
John "Johnny" Sotelo
Sotelo, 83, was on the City Council from 1963 to 1973.
He served in a U.S. Navy submarine squadron in the Pacific in World War II. Upon his return, he owned Victoria Auto Towing and became active with the Riverside Junior Chamber of Commerce.
He lobbied for a City Council elected by wards, believing it would boost the chances for minority candidates. Voters approved council wards in 1961. In 1963, a multiracial coalition helped elect Sotelo to the council.
While he was in office, the city built 17 units of affordable housing in the Eastside neighborhood with a federal grant, along with Bordwell Park, the Stratton Community Center, Villegas Park and the 14th Street underpass.
Phyllis Salinas, Sotelo's daughter, said he is looking forward to the Oct. 11 event.
Salinas-Thompson, no relation to Phyllis Salinas, said she grew up in the Eastside neighborhood and recalled seeing Sotelo's name in the newspaper as a councilman.
"I remember it had a lot of pull on me," she said, because so few Latinos were in the newspaper at the time, particularly as elected leaders.
It's fitting for the historical society to recognize Sotelo in its first major event, Salinas-Thompson said.
By DOUG HABERMAN, The Press-Enterprise September 23, 2008
RIVERSIDE - A group of friends and admirers will be joining Riverside's first Latino councilman, John "Johnny" Sotelo, on Oct. 11 to watch a video in which he recounts stories from his life.
The Riverside County Mexican American Historical Society is sponsoring the invitation-only gathering.
The Sotelo video was made Saturday and will be edited for showing, said Linda Salinas-Thompson, chairwoman of the event.
Story continues below
John "Johnny" Sotelo
Sotelo, 83, was on the City Council from 1963 to 1973.
He served in a U.S. Navy submarine squadron in the Pacific in World War II. Upon his return, he owned Victoria Auto Towing and became active with the Riverside Junior Chamber of Commerce.
He lobbied for a City Council elected by wards, believing it would boost the chances for minority candidates. Voters approved council wards in 1961. In 1963, a multiracial coalition helped elect Sotelo to the council.
While he was in office, the city built 17 units of affordable housing in the Eastside neighborhood with a federal grant, along with Bordwell Park, the Stratton Community Center, Villegas Park and the 14th Street underpass.
Phyllis Salinas, Sotelo's daughter, said he is looking forward to the Oct. 11 event.
Salinas-Thompson, no relation to Phyllis Salinas, said she grew up in the Eastside neighborhood and recalled seeing Sotelo's name in the newspaper as a councilman.
"I remember it had a lot of pull on me," she said, because so few Latinos were in the newspaper at the time, particularly as elected leaders.
It's fitting for the historical society to recognize Sotelo in its first major event, Salinas-Thompson said.
Groups in Hudson Valley challenged to help rapidly growing Hispanic population
Latino Forum Empowers Residents
Hudson Valley Press
New Windsor - Approximately fifty organizations attended Monday’s Hudson Valley Latino Forum, organized by Gateway to Entrepreneurial Tomorrow (GET), to discuss how to better serve the Latino population of the Hudson Valley.
They gathered to form a network to organize and work together. In attendance were agencies ranging from Latinos Unidos of the Hudson Valley to the Internal Revenue Service. Each group has been challenged with helping a rapidly growing population. Among the concerns discussed was communication and how to get the word out about the services available to the community.
Prior to breaking for lunch, the 90 forum participants had identified several goals to complete before the next forum: Publish a brochure, detailing what each agency does; Create a media list to assist with getting news out to the public; Create an e-mail contact list of agencies; Attend local chambers of commerce functions and inform members about the Latino forum and its goals.
Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who delivered the keynote speech at the conference, acknowledged Latinos for adding to the rich cultural fabric of the Hudson Valley. Hinchey said, "The Latino community is as dynamic as it is diverse." Latinos have come to the Hudson Valley like other groups in search of a better quality of life. That includes employment, economic opportunity, affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and quality education.
He stressed that more attention and more resources should be dedicated to help serve the Latino population. "[For Latinos] there are some specific challenges that require our attention," Hinchey said. He spoke of increasing funding for ESL (English as a Second Language) for children and adults. Hinchey thought it imperative that vital services, such as health care and information, can be accessed by those with limited English proficiency.
Hinchey also touched upon protecting the rights of both documented and undocumented workers from people that might try to take advantage of them.
"Today is just the opening of the door. What comes after is up to each of you," Gateway President Enrique Lunski said to the forum attendees. Gateway plans to hold its second forum in April 2009 at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Hudson Valley Press
New Windsor - Approximately fifty organizations attended Monday’s Hudson Valley Latino Forum, organized by Gateway to Entrepreneurial Tomorrow (GET), to discuss how to better serve the Latino population of the Hudson Valley.
They gathered to form a network to organize and work together. In attendance were agencies ranging from Latinos Unidos of the Hudson Valley to the Internal Revenue Service. Each group has been challenged with helping a rapidly growing population. Among the concerns discussed was communication and how to get the word out about the services available to the community.
Prior to breaking for lunch, the 90 forum participants had identified several goals to complete before the next forum: Publish a brochure, detailing what each agency does; Create a media list to assist with getting news out to the public; Create an e-mail contact list of agencies; Attend local chambers of commerce functions and inform members about the Latino forum and its goals.
Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who delivered the keynote speech at the conference, acknowledged Latinos for adding to the rich cultural fabric of the Hudson Valley. Hinchey said, "The Latino community is as dynamic as it is diverse." Latinos have come to the Hudson Valley like other groups in search of a better quality of life. That includes employment, economic opportunity, affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and quality education.
He stressed that more attention and more resources should be dedicated to help serve the Latino population. "[For Latinos] there are some specific challenges that require our attention," Hinchey said. He spoke of increasing funding for ESL (English as a Second Language) for children and adults. Hinchey thought it imperative that vital services, such as health care and information, can be accessed by those with limited English proficiency.
Hinchey also touched upon protecting the rights of both documented and undocumented workers from people that might try to take advantage of them.
"Today is just the opening of the door. What comes after is up to each of you," Gateway President Enrique Lunski said to the forum attendees. Gateway plans to hold its second forum in April 2009 at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Virginia Governor speaks to Latino group
Governor Kaine Addresses Latino Community Members at JTCC
By Nick DeRatto Sep 24, 2008
Making his second visit there in just under a month, Governor Tim Kaine once again visited John Tyler Community College’s Chester campus. This time, he made his appearance as a guest speaker for the Governor’s Latino Summit, presented by the Virginia Latino Advisory Board.
“We are always happy to have a visit from the governor and he has an affinity for, and connects well with the Latino community,” says Dr. Marshall Smith, President of John Tyler Community College. “This is his second time here in recent months, so he knows the way to our Chester campus very well. He was very successful in addressing the concerns of those at the Summit.”
Speaking to approximately 200 attendees, Kaine discussed some of the important issues affecting the Latino community, including state services and resources available to service providers in the Latino community. He also thanked Latino small business owners for their role in improving the state economy.
“Chesterfield County has a large Latino community. You can see signs of Latinos everywhere and Latino-owned businesses are doing quite well,” says Kaine. “Recovery from the economic crisis is not expected until 2009, but Latinos know how to deal with challenges.”
In addition to the remarks delivered by Kaine, the Latino Summit offered plenty of other benefits for the Latino community. With over 300 people showing up throughout the day, the all-day Summit featured a number of workshops, including how to optimize education for Latinos, ways to eliminate barriers in accessing healthcare, how to achieve economic prosperity, and how to promote public safety.
The first Latino Summit in the state was held six years ago. Former governor Mark Warner created the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission in 2003, which was made into the Virginia Latino Advisory Board in 2005.
nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421
By Nick DeRatto Sep 24, 2008
Making his second visit there in just under a month, Governor Tim Kaine once again visited John Tyler Community College’s Chester campus. This time, he made his appearance as a guest speaker for the Governor’s Latino Summit, presented by the Virginia Latino Advisory Board.
“We are always happy to have a visit from the governor and he has an affinity for, and connects well with the Latino community,” says Dr. Marshall Smith, President of John Tyler Community College. “This is his second time here in recent months, so he knows the way to our Chester campus very well. He was very successful in addressing the concerns of those at the Summit.”
Speaking to approximately 200 attendees, Kaine discussed some of the important issues affecting the Latino community, including state services and resources available to service providers in the Latino community. He also thanked Latino small business owners for their role in improving the state economy.
“Chesterfield County has a large Latino community. You can see signs of Latinos everywhere and Latino-owned businesses are doing quite well,” says Kaine. “Recovery from the economic crisis is not expected until 2009, but Latinos know how to deal with challenges.”
In addition to the remarks delivered by Kaine, the Latino Summit offered plenty of other benefits for the Latino community. With over 300 people showing up throughout the day, the all-day Summit featured a number of workshops, including how to optimize education for Latinos, ways to eliminate barriers in accessing healthcare, how to achieve economic prosperity, and how to promote public safety.
The first Latino Summit in the state was held six years ago. Former governor Mark Warner created the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission in 2003, which was made into the Virginia Latino Advisory Board in 2005.
nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421
Austin Latinos want more appointments and city contracts
Latino leaders to talk with council about Ott
By Sarah Coppola | Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Members of the Hispanic group Unidos plan to meet with Austin City Council members in the next few weeks to express their concerns about City Manager Marc Ott.
The group shares the concerns of 10 Latino political and business leaders who met with Ott last month, Unidos founding member Rita Gonzales-Garza said. Unidos wants Ott to hire more Latinos for executive-level city jobs, and improve upon hiring minority firms for city contracts, she said.
Unidos is an umbrella group for several organizations, including chapters of NOW and LULAC and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The 10 Hispanic leaders who met with Ott last month, who included former Austin mayor Gus Garcia and former state senator Gonzalo Barrientos, have said Ott was defensive and combative. Ott hasn’t commented on the specifics of that meeting, but has said he values Austin’s diversity and wants to work with everyone to make this the best city in the nation.
Unidos had planned to meet with council members today at 2 p.m., until someone inadvertently sent out an e-mail alerting the media to the meeting. The meeting has been cancelled and Unidos will set up meetings with individual council members, Gonzales-Garza said.
She said the group also wants to talk with council members about ways to open up a dialogue and improve its relationship with Ott. It has not yet met with Ott but plans to at some point, she said.
By Sarah Coppola | Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Members of the Hispanic group Unidos plan to meet with Austin City Council members in the next few weeks to express their concerns about City Manager Marc Ott.
The group shares the concerns of 10 Latino political and business leaders who met with Ott last month, Unidos founding member Rita Gonzales-Garza said. Unidos wants Ott to hire more Latinos for executive-level city jobs, and improve upon hiring minority firms for city contracts, she said.
Unidos is an umbrella group for several organizations, including chapters of NOW and LULAC and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The 10 Hispanic leaders who met with Ott last month, who included former Austin mayor Gus Garcia and former state senator Gonzalo Barrientos, have said Ott was defensive and combative. Ott hasn’t commented on the specifics of that meeting, but has said he values Austin’s diversity and wants to work with everyone to make this the best city in the nation.
Unidos had planned to meet with council members today at 2 p.m., until someone inadvertently sent out an e-mail alerting the media to the meeting. The meeting has been cancelled and Unidos will set up meetings with individual council members, Gonzales-Garza said.
She said the group also wants to talk with council members about ways to open up a dialogue and improve its relationship with Ott. It has not yet met with Ott but plans to at some point, she said.
Hispanic voters divided in small town Arizona
Hispanic communities tilt toward Obama as they look beyond immigration
Dante Chinni, 09.24.2008
El Mirage, Ariz. – With the presidential election only six weeks away, this community, which is divided into Latino and Anglo neighborhoods, looks to be split on their choices overall. That may be a troubling sign for Sen. John McCain.
The issue of illegal immigration is a key focus in communities with large Hispanic populations like El Mirage (a community type we call “Immigration Nation”). It’s on a lot of minds here – especially when it comes to things like the border fence and raids on companies – but it does not appear to be driving a lot of votes.
“The two [candidates] are really pretty much the same on immigration,” says Rachel Gomez, an owner of the Rio Mirage restaurants in the area. “And who knows what they’ll do when they get in, anyway.”
One might think that would open the door for Senator McCain to reach into places like El Mirage, which historically have voted for Democratic candidates. After all, El Mirage is in McCain’s home state of Arizona. But the GOP in general is still not trusted by many Latino voters following the immigration battles of 2006.
On top of that, Hispanic and Latino voters, like the electorate in general, may simply be looking for a different direction for the country.
Ms. Gomez, who voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004, says she is probably going to vote for Senator Obama in 2008. “The Republicans have had the Oval Office for eight years,” Gomez says. “They’ve had their chance.”
A deciding factor that pushed her away from McCain, she says, was his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. “She has five children, and some small children. She could not function as a president,” Gomez says.
But El Mirage is not likely to wind up voting for Obama overall, says Robert Robles, a former mayor of the city. “I know the people who live in ‘old town’ are going to go for Obama, but I think the new people who have moved here in the last few years are going to vote for McCain,” he says.
The differences between “old” and “new” El Mirage are twofold: The old city tends to be less wealthy and heavily Hispanic; the new city, wealthier and Anglo. Also, more people live in the “new city.”
Another big factor is affecting El Mirage, however. All the growth the city has seen in recent years means the community is now taking big hits in the housing crunch.
In August, more than 11,000 homes in Maricopa County, the home of El Mirage, were in some state of foreclosure, according to RealtyTrac, a website that tracks foreclosure. That’s one out of every 134 homes.
McCain will almost certainly win his home state of Arizona. But the hard economic times in places like El Mirage, coupled with the large Hispanic vote, may mean he wins the state by a smaller margin than Mr. Bush did in 2004, which was 55 to 44 percent.
Polls, however, show Obama with a big lead among Hispanic voters. So in a larger sense, America’s “Immigration Nation” communities could end up playing a large role for the Illinois senator in swing states like Colorado and New Mexico.
Dante Chinni, 09.24.2008
El Mirage, Ariz. – With the presidential election only six weeks away, this community, which is divided into Latino and Anglo neighborhoods, looks to be split on their choices overall. That may be a troubling sign for Sen. John McCain.
The issue of illegal immigration is a key focus in communities with large Hispanic populations like El Mirage (a community type we call “Immigration Nation”). It’s on a lot of minds here – especially when it comes to things like the border fence and raids on companies – but it does not appear to be driving a lot of votes.
“The two [candidates] are really pretty much the same on immigration,” says Rachel Gomez, an owner of the Rio Mirage restaurants in the area. “And who knows what they’ll do when they get in, anyway.”
One might think that would open the door for Senator McCain to reach into places like El Mirage, which historically have voted for Democratic candidates. After all, El Mirage is in McCain’s home state of Arizona. But the GOP in general is still not trusted by many Latino voters following the immigration battles of 2006.
On top of that, Hispanic and Latino voters, like the electorate in general, may simply be looking for a different direction for the country.
Ms. Gomez, who voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004, says she is probably going to vote for Senator Obama in 2008. “The Republicans have had the Oval Office for eight years,” Gomez says. “They’ve had their chance.”
A deciding factor that pushed her away from McCain, she says, was his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. “She has five children, and some small children. She could not function as a president,” Gomez says.
But El Mirage is not likely to wind up voting for Obama overall, says Robert Robles, a former mayor of the city. “I know the people who live in ‘old town’ are going to go for Obama, but I think the new people who have moved here in the last few years are going to vote for McCain,” he says.
The differences between “old” and “new” El Mirage are twofold: The old city tends to be less wealthy and heavily Hispanic; the new city, wealthier and Anglo. Also, more people live in the “new city.”
Another big factor is affecting El Mirage, however. All the growth the city has seen in recent years means the community is now taking big hits in the housing crunch.
In August, more than 11,000 homes in Maricopa County, the home of El Mirage, were in some state of foreclosure, according to RealtyTrac, a website that tracks foreclosure. That’s one out of every 134 homes.
McCain will almost certainly win his home state of Arizona. But the hard economic times in places like El Mirage, coupled with the large Hispanic vote, may mean he wins the state by a smaller margin than Mr. Bush did in 2004, which was 55 to 44 percent.
Polls, however, show Obama with a big lead among Hispanic voters. So in a larger sense, America’s “Immigration Nation” communities could end up playing a large role for the Illinois senator in swing states like Colorado and New Mexico.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
National Society of Hispanic Professionals to host job fairs
Dallas Hosts Diversity Job Fair for Hispanic and Bilingual Professionals
Press Release
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – September 23, 2008 -- The National Society for Hispanic Professionals (www.NSHP.org), in conjunction with diversity job board www.LatPro.com, will be returning to Dallas, TX with its diversity job fair series for multicultural jobseekers. Professional candidates with language and multicultural skills and companies seeking diverse employees will connect at NSHP’s diversity hiring event being held at the Dallas Convention Center on Thursday October 23, 2008 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
With more than 43 percent of Dallas’s residents identifying themselves as Hispanic or Latino (source: 2006 U.S. Census Bureau), Dallas is a prime location for the recruitment of diverse professionals, particularly those with Spanish-language abilities. More and more businesses are focused on recruiting bilingual employees to take advantage of global market opportunities, and also to serve the U.S. market, which is becoming increasingly infused with Spanish language and culture. The NSHP job fair makes it easy for these companies to screen hundreds of bilingual and multicultural professional candidates in an efficient recruiting format.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Dallas after the success of our last career event in 2007. We expect to have more than 40 companies and hundreds of jobseekers at the Dallas job fair,” said Ricardo Villalba, Events Manager for NSHP. “The decision to come back to Dallas was an easy one based on the enormous positive response we received last year. Employers and jobseekers alike were impressed with the opportunities provided through the event.”
Jobseekers attending the 2008 Dallas Diversity Career Fair will have the opportunity to network with fellow Hispanic professionals and local chapters of Latino organizations, in addition to meeting representatives from prestigious employers including Aramark, AT&T, Prudential, Aflac, and Pfizer.
Admission is free for all job seekers. Professional dress required.
For more details, exhibitor and sponsorship information:
Internet: www.nshp.org
Phone: (954) 727-3863
E-mail: jobfairs@nshp.org
Press Release
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – September 23, 2008 -- The National Society for Hispanic Professionals (www.NSHP.org), in conjunction with diversity job board www.LatPro.com, will be returning to Dallas, TX with its diversity job fair series for multicultural jobseekers. Professional candidates with language and multicultural skills and companies seeking diverse employees will connect at NSHP’s diversity hiring event being held at the Dallas Convention Center on Thursday October 23, 2008 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
With more than 43 percent of Dallas’s residents identifying themselves as Hispanic or Latino (source: 2006 U.S. Census Bureau), Dallas is a prime location for the recruitment of diverse professionals, particularly those with Spanish-language abilities. More and more businesses are focused on recruiting bilingual employees to take advantage of global market opportunities, and also to serve the U.S. market, which is becoming increasingly infused with Spanish language and culture. The NSHP job fair makes it easy for these companies to screen hundreds of bilingual and multicultural professional candidates in an efficient recruiting format.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Dallas after the success of our last career event in 2007. We expect to have more than 40 companies and hundreds of jobseekers at the Dallas job fair,” said Ricardo Villalba, Events Manager for NSHP. “The decision to come back to Dallas was an easy one based on the enormous positive response we received last year. Employers and jobseekers alike were impressed with the opportunities provided through the event.”
Jobseekers attending the 2008 Dallas Diversity Career Fair will have the opportunity to network with fellow Hispanic professionals and local chapters of Latino organizations, in addition to meeting representatives from prestigious employers including Aramark, AT&T, Prudential, Aflac, and Pfizer.
Admission is free for all job seekers. Professional dress required.
For more details, exhibitor and sponsorship information:
Internet: www.nshp.org
Phone: (954) 727-3863
E-mail: jobfairs@nshp.org
What is targeted to Hispanics, reacheas non-Hispanics as well
A Consumer Insight Is an Insight, Whether It's Hispanic or Not
Trying to Get Over the 'What's Hispanic About That?' Syndrome
by Catarino 'Cat' Lopez 09.23.08
When reading The Big Tent, I like to browse through the blogs and see how many comments each receives. The more comments the better. That usually means a blogger has hit a nerve. Judging from fellow Big Tent Blogger Tommy Thompson's 30 comments on a past post, I'd say he's pissed a few people off. Not a bad thing in my opinion. If a blog entry doesn't elicit a response then it hasn't done its job.
In response to Felipe Korzenny's comment, I agree that the conversation needs to move to a higher level in regards to insights. The days of relying on soccer balls and la familia should already be behind us. But until we get past the "What's Hispanic About That?" syndrome, they'll always be around. Let me explain.
In the early days of Hispanic marketing, it was easy enough to throw in a soccer ball or a family situation and create relevance. As the market grew, these devices became cliché, forcing Latino agencies to dig deeper to connect with consumers at a higher level.
As we continue to mine these insights, we find ourselves in uncharted waters. The insights we unearth today often tend to be universal human truths. That is, while they are relevant to Hispanics, non-Hispanics respond to them as well. While it would be great to have insights that are uniquely Hispanic, they are getting harder and harder to find. After all, people are people, Hispanic or not.
Does that mean we should discount an insight if it is not uniquely Hispanic? I don't think so. As Mr. Korzenny said, "An insight to be an insight must be a realization about something deep in the consumer's mind OR in his/her culture that will help connect with him/her at a deeper level." The key word being "or." According to his definition, an insight does not have to be uniquely Hispanic. It can be "something deep in the consumer's mind." And guess what, that "something" could also simultaneously be deep in a non-Hispanic consumers mind. And that's OK. It does not have to be unique to Hispanics. And that is the battle we must wage, not against soccer balls and la familia.
Twenty years ago this would have been impossible. Today, not so much. Latinos are already the largest minority in the U.S., and a quick glance at U.S. birthrates shows that it's just a matter of time before we become the majority. Furthermore, brands like Pampers have declared the U.S. Latina their target consumer! Should we mine unique Hispanic insights and alienate the rest of the market in cases like Pampers. Of course not. That would be a waste of money. It's also a waste of money to walk away from an insight that resides "deep in a consumers mind" just because it does not simultaneously reside strictly within "his/her culture." We must make our clients understand that a good insight is a good insight whether it's "a realization deep in the consumers mind OR in his/her culture." It does not have to be both! And until we convince them of this realty, we will have to default to "a superficial common place" like soccer balls and la familia.
Trying to Get Over the 'What's Hispanic About That?' Syndrome
by Catarino 'Cat' Lopez 09.23.08
When reading The Big Tent, I like to browse through the blogs and see how many comments each receives. The more comments the better. That usually means a blogger has hit a nerve. Judging from fellow Big Tent Blogger Tommy Thompson's 30 comments on a past post, I'd say he's pissed a few people off. Not a bad thing in my opinion. If a blog entry doesn't elicit a response then it hasn't done its job.
In response to Felipe Korzenny's comment, I agree that the conversation needs to move to a higher level in regards to insights. The days of relying on soccer balls and la familia should already be behind us. But until we get past the "What's Hispanic About That?" syndrome, they'll always be around. Let me explain.
In the early days of Hispanic marketing, it was easy enough to throw in a soccer ball or a family situation and create relevance. As the market grew, these devices became cliché, forcing Latino agencies to dig deeper to connect with consumers at a higher level.
As we continue to mine these insights, we find ourselves in uncharted waters. The insights we unearth today often tend to be universal human truths. That is, while they are relevant to Hispanics, non-Hispanics respond to them as well. While it would be great to have insights that are uniquely Hispanic, they are getting harder and harder to find. After all, people are people, Hispanic or not.
Does that mean we should discount an insight if it is not uniquely Hispanic? I don't think so. As Mr. Korzenny said, "An insight to be an insight must be a realization about something deep in the consumer's mind OR in his/her culture that will help connect with him/her at a deeper level." The key word being "or." According to his definition, an insight does not have to be uniquely Hispanic. It can be "something deep in the consumer's mind." And guess what, that "something" could also simultaneously be deep in a non-Hispanic consumers mind. And that's OK. It does not have to be unique to Hispanics. And that is the battle we must wage, not against soccer balls and la familia.
Twenty years ago this would have been impossible. Today, not so much. Latinos are already the largest minority in the U.S., and a quick glance at U.S. birthrates shows that it's just a matter of time before we become the majority. Furthermore, brands like Pampers have declared the U.S. Latina their target consumer! Should we mine unique Hispanic insights and alienate the rest of the market in cases like Pampers. Of course not. That would be a waste of money. It's also a waste of money to walk away from an insight that resides "deep in a consumers mind" just because it does not simultaneously reside strictly within "his/her culture." We must make our clients understand that a good insight is a good insight whether it's "a realization deep in the consumers mind OR in his/her culture." It does not have to be both! And until we convince them of this realty, we will have to default to "a superficial common place" like soccer balls and la familia.
Hispanic media experts shares views on Presidential candidate's ads
The struggle to court Hispanic voters
By Diego Vasquez, Sep 23, 2008
The latest polls show Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama running virtually neck-and-neck among the general population with just over a month to go until the Nov. 4 presidential election. Thus once again, Hispanic voters are expected to play a crucial role in deciding the presidency. Many have said that President George Bush would not have won the presidency in 2000 had it not been for the support of Hispanic voters, whom he courted aggressively as the former governor of a border state, Texas. McCain and Obama have also been targeting Hispanics, with the latter spending a reported $20 million nationwide on Hispanic media. Still, while both candidates are making an effort to reach out to these minority voters, whether their efforts will bear fruit is up for some debate. Hector Orci, CEO of La Agencia de Orci, talks to Media Life about the presidential candidates’ media plans, why they’re not as effective as they could be, and how they could improve.
How important is a good media plan for McCain and Obama to connect with Hispanics?
My business is connecting with Hispanic consumers and telling them to do things they might not otherwise do, and a good media plan is essential. The candidates are products and brands just like any other product or brand, and an appropriate media plan is necessary to connect with any segment.
The one who uses media better will get a very good result. Historically, candidates in the past have had horrible media plans where Hispanics are concerned.
Which are the most effective media platforms to utilize with this audience?
Latinos are like everyone else, particularly the voting-age Latinos. Which means they/we have access to media platforms just like everyone else.
As a percentage they’re online more than Anglos are. They’re heavy users of media. They use TV, radio, read a lot of print and use the internet a lot.
The most effective platform is a combination of platforms, in my opinion, including TV, radio and lots of online. Those are the three basics, and there are more, but that’s where they have to do a good job.
How would you say they have done so far?
I think they’ve done very badly.
Their Spanish radio and TV stuff--I don’t want to be terribly critical--is almost a waste of time and money in terms of convincing voters that one of these candidates should get their vote.
They’re doing it in a way that makes it seem they’re very remote from the Hispanic voter. They seem as though they don’t know who their customer is.
The internet platform is where they’ve done the most because it’s cheap and easy, but they’ve done it in very weak places. It's weak and wrong in some cases. They’re spending some effort, but I don’t think they’re getting the bang for their buck.
What types of messages most resonate with this audience?
Messages that are authentic, that can be trusted, and are from someone who knows and respects me. When you hear stuff from these people, it seems they don’t know me and therefore they can’t give respect.
What have both campaigns done in terms of Hispanic media outreach so far?
It’s been deficient, in my opinion. And I don’t have any evidence to suggest that either campaign will get any smarter between now and November.
They might spend more money but I don’t expect to see much stronger outreach in media, and I also unfortunately don’t expect them to do any better in the message content.
They’re not telling their story effectively.
What are some examples of past media campaigns that connected effectively with Hispanics?
Interestingly, a past media campaign that I can tell you about is the Bush 2000 campaign. I think the then-governor did a terrific job in the selection of his Spanish communications team, and they did an excellent job for him and generated votes.
One thing he did differently is he hired one of the most respected advertising guys in the country. He’s one of the pioneers and pillars of our community and he generated a much higher level of voting for Bush among Latinos.
The other campaigns haven’t reached out to other professional Hispanic advertising and marketing people. I get the sense that their Hispanic stuff is being done by amateurs.
If I had one piece of advice it would be to use professionals. And I’m not pitching anyone, by the way.
Has either candidate thus far had a more effective Hispanic media strategy?
I would think that the Obama campaign has done a better job. First of all, I think they’ve been more flexible and their presence is larger. I also believe that Mr. Obama has done a nice job of surrounding himself with young, vibrant Hispanic voters, and that imagery does very, very well.
What he’s also done well is taken a positive point of view, and Latinos in advertising don’t like one brand to criticize the other.
They want to know what your brand has to offer, they resent the negative advertising. It’s a big turnoff and it makes a big impact in the voting.
Diego Vasquez is a staff writer for Media Life.
By Diego Vasquez, Sep 23, 2008
The latest polls show Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama running virtually neck-and-neck among the general population with just over a month to go until the Nov. 4 presidential election. Thus once again, Hispanic voters are expected to play a crucial role in deciding the presidency. Many have said that President George Bush would not have won the presidency in 2000 had it not been for the support of Hispanic voters, whom he courted aggressively as the former governor of a border state, Texas. McCain and Obama have also been targeting Hispanics, with the latter spending a reported $20 million nationwide on Hispanic media. Still, while both candidates are making an effort to reach out to these minority voters, whether their efforts will bear fruit is up for some debate. Hector Orci, CEO of La Agencia de Orci, talks to Media Life about the presidential candidates’ media plans, why they’re not as effective as they could be, and how they could improve.
How important is a good media plan for McCain and Obama to connect with Hispanics?
My business is connecting with Hispanic consumers and telling them to do things they might not otherwise do, and a good media plan is essential. The candidates are products and brands just like any other product or brand, and an appropriate media plan is necessary to connect with any segment.
The one who uses media better will get a very good result. Historically, candidates in the past have had horrible media plans where Hispanics are concerned.
Which are the most effective media platforms to utilize with this audience?
Latinos are like everyone else, particularly the voting-age Latinos. Which means they/we have access to media platforms just like everyone else.
As a percentage they’re online more than Anglos are. They’re heavy users of media. They use TV, radio, read a lot of print and use the internet a lot.
The most effective platform is a combination of platforms, in my opinion, including TV, radio and lots of online. Those are the three basics, and there are more, but that’s where they have to do a good job.
How would you say they have done so far?
I think they’ve done very badly.
Their Spanish radio and TV stuff--I don’t want to be terribly critical--is almost a waste of time and money in terms of convincing voters that one of these candidates should get their vote.
They’re doing it in a way that makes it seem they’re very remote from the Hispanic voter. They seem as though they don’t know who their customer is.
The internet platform is where they’ve done the most because it’s cheap and easy, but they’ve done it in very weak places. It's weak and wrong in some cases. They’re spending some effort, but I don’t think they’re getting the bang for their buck.
What types of messages most resonate with this audience?
Messages that are authentic, that can be trusted, and are from someone who knows and respects me. When you hear stuff from these people, it seems they don’t know me and therefore they can’t give respect.
What have both campaigns done in terms of Hispanic media outreach so far?
It’s been deficient, in my opinion. And I don’t have any evidence to suggest that either campaign will get any smarter between now and November.
They might spend more money but I don’t expect to see much stronger outreach in media, and I also unfortunately don’t expect them to do any better in the message content.
They’re not telling their story effectively.
What are some examples of past media campaigns that connected effectively with Hispanics?
Interestingly, a past media campaign that I can tell you about is the Bush 2000 campaign. I think the then-governor did a terrific job in the selection of his Spanish communications team, and they did an excellent job for him and generated votes.
One thing he did differently is he hired one of the most respected advertising guys in the country. He’s one of the pioneers and pillars of our community and he generated a much higher level of voting for Bush among Latinos.
The other campaigns haven’t reached out to other professional Hispanic advertising and marketing people. I get the sense that their Hispanic stuff is being done by amateurs.
If I had one piece of advice it would be to use professionals. And I’m not pitching anyone, by the way.
Has either candidate thus far had a more effective Hispanic media strategy?
I would think that the Obama campaign has done a better job. First of all, I think they’ve been more flexible and their presence is larger. I also believe that Mr. Obama has done a nice job of surrounding himself with young, vibrant Hispanic voters, and that imagery does very, very well.
What he’s also done well is taken a positive point of view, and Latinos in advertising don’t like one brand to criticize the other.
They want to know what your brand has to offer, they resent the negative advertising. It’s a big turnoff and it makes a big impact in the voting.
Diego Vasquez is a staff writer for Media Life.
Hispanics part of angst over the economy
Obama's rise spotlights gains in race relations
By Susan Page and William Risser, USA TODAY
Americans across racial and ethnic lines say Barack Obama's groundbreaking candidacy has both spotlighted the state of race relations in the United States and changed it.
A nationwide survey exploring the complicated crosscurrents of race and politics — co-sponsored by USA TODAY, ABC News and Columbia University — finds that the first nomination of an African American for president by a major party has prompted a surge in national pride and political engagement among blacks.
It also shows a clear consensus among whites, blacks and Hispanics about the top priorities for the next president, especially when it comes to the economy.
Fredrick Harris, director of the Center on African-American Politics and Society at Columbia, says the poll results may signal "the passing of a generation" as many blacks move toward "race-neutral" solutions to economic and other challenges.
He notes that African Americans split evenly when asked whether they saw themselves as blacks first or Americans first. "That's quite new for a group that's been marginalized in society and considered second-class citizens for much of its history," he says.
But the survey also makes clear that blacks and whites see the presidential campaign through different prisms.
Seven in 10 blacks expect Obama to win in November. Among the 13% who predict Republican John McCain will prevail, racism is the reason most often cited. The 50% of whites who expect McCain to win are most likely to cite the candidates' levels of experience as the reason. Only 5% of whites who say McCain will win call racism the key factor.
"Especially with the economy the way that it is, the fact that we're in two wars — I don't necessarily think that people will choose somebody who really doesn't have all that much experience," says Andrew Dufkin, 22, a student and painter from Coxsackie, N.Y., who is white. He was among those called in the survey.
However, Lee Rutledge, 65, a freelance writer from Riverside, Calif., who is black, says that racism "is always kind of lurking in the background," although the "Whites Only" signs he saw when stationed by the Army in Georgia in 1964 are a thing of the past.
Beyond politics, blacks and Hispanics are much more likely than whites to see racism as a persistent problem in their communities and to report it as part of their own lives. Six of 10 blacks and 4 of 10 Hispanics say they personally have experienced discrimination often or occasionally, compared with 14% of whites.
Blacks also are much more likely than whites to report serious problems in their neighborhoods with crime, poor schools and a lack of jobs. They put a higher priority on addressing poverty, inequalities in the criminal justice system and reparations for slavery than whites do.
Hispanics rank immigration as a more critical issue than non-Hispanics do.
Even so, the current angst over the economy bridges racial and ethnic divides. Blacks, whites and Hispanics agree that the economy and jobs should head the new president's agenda in January. The other concerns near the top of everyone's list: terrorism, health care and education.
By overwhelming margins, all three groups agree that the country is on the wrong track. One-third or a bit more of whites, blacks and Hispanics say they feel financially insecure.
"We are all searching for the same thing: a better life for ourselves and a better life for our children," says Debbie Seymore, 49, a Hispanic woman from Boca Raton, Fla., who works for a communications company. "I've been working for this company for 27 years now, and every day I wonder, 'Am I going to get laid off?' "
The economy and health care "matter to everybody," says Diana Butler, 56, a school bus attendant from Washington, D.C., who is black, "because everybody is in the same boat."
The 'black experience'
The telephone survey of 1,032 blacks, 543 non-Hispanic whites and 315 Hispanics, who can be of any race, was taken Sept. 11-14, just before last week's Wall Street maelstrom broke into public view. To encourage candid responses to sometimes sensitive questions, three-fourths of the respondents were surveyed by poll takers of their own race. Interviews with Latinos were conducted in English and Spanish.
The racial divide is sharp in the presidential election. Among registered voters:
• Blacks support Obama by 92%-4%.
• Hispanics support Obama by 57%-33%.
• Whites support McCain by 56%-36%.
That partisan divide isn't unusual; African Americans make up the Democrats' most loyal voter group. Four years ago, Democrat John Kerry received 88% of the black vote, according to surveys of voters as they left polling places. Republican George W. Bush received 58% of the white vote.
What's different this time is the high level of engagement by African Americans, which could signal an increase in turnout on Election Day. Blacks are following the presidential contest more closely than whites this year. They are 50% more likely to say they've contributed to a campaign and twice as likely to say they've worked for a candidate.
North Carolina, Alabama and other states also report a jump in voter registration by blacks.
That's true even though Obama usually hasn't chosen to emphasize his race, focusing instead on winning over white voters critical in the Democratic primaries earlier this year and in the general election Nov. 4. At the Democratic convention in Denver last month, the landmark nature of his candidacy was rarely mentioned from the podium.
Some older civil rights leaders, including Jesse Jackson, have complained that Obama has done too little to address issues of particular concern to blacks and that his remarks on the need for more personal responsibility by black fathers and others were an effort to curry white support.
Those complaints have gained little traction, the survey finds. Seven of 10 African Americans say Obama has been addressing issues of special concern to blacks. (Just one-third of whites say that.) By 4-1, blacks say Obama's calls for personal responsibility were made more to appeal to blacks than to whites.
Of those African Americans who say there is a distinctive "black experience" in America, nine of 10 say Obama is in touch with that experience.
Obama's nomination "shows the country is changing for the better a little bit as far as racism is concerned," says Paul Rhodes, 51, a Detroit resident who is black and was surveyed.
"I do think it is a big breakthrough," says Kelly Benchoff, 33, a stay-at-home mom from Tucson who is white. "It's also a great breakthrough that Sarah Palin is on the Republican ticket as well. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, black or white, or whatever race you are — it's the ideas you have for the country and who supports you on them."
'Black, white, purple, green'
Some of those surveyed say news reporters and commentators are making too big a deal of Obama's race.
"It doesn't matter if you're black, white, purple, green — just as long as you do the right thing when you get into office," says Natanya Hopkins, 31. A student from Columbus, Ga., who is black, she supports Obama.
"I think Obama was the right person at the time," says Brian Douglas, 31, an engineer from Jericho, Vt., who is white and supports McCain. "He was the best candidate that the Democrats had at the time, regardless of race."
Among whites, only 10% say they're concerned that Obama's election would give blacks too much influence over government policies, the same number who worry that blacks would have too little influence if that happens.
On the other hand, an AP-Yahoo News poll on racial attitudes released Saturday concluded that one-third of white Democrats and independents attributed negative characteristics such as laziness or violence to blacks, creating a serious electoral hurdle for Obama. The online survey used a technique called "affect misattribution," which involves showing a series of faces of people of different races quickly on a screen before displaying a neutral image to assess.
In the USA TODAY poll, whites by 56%-29% say that a "lack of initiative" is a bigger factor than racism in the difficulties blacks face. "You have a lot of people who want something for nothing," says Tom McKenna, 61, a retiree from Aurora, Ind., who is white.
Blacks by 44%-37% also chose a lack of initiative as the more significant factor.
Across racial lines, those surveyed see Obama's candidacy as a force for change:
• An overwhelming 79% of blacks, 71% of whites and 68% of Hispanics say his nomination represents not only an individual achievement but also progress for blacks in America generally.
• By wide margins, all three groups predict his candidacy will change the way black people think about themselves. Nearly all of those say the change will be for the better.
• A 51% majority of blacks say Obama's nomination makes them prouder to be an American; 47% say it doesn't affect their feelings about the country. In comparison, 36% of whites say his nomination makes them prouder; 61% say it doesn't affect their sense of pride.
Rhodes is particularly proud that Obama won the nomination in large part because of support in primaries and caucuses from white voters. "He won in some white states like Utah and Idaho, and you can't get much whiter than that," he says.
"It wouldn't be a good thing only for African-American people to see that if you work hard you can follow your dream and things can happen," says Dominique Flournoy, 22, a black customer-service representative from Phoenix. "Those who are just becoming Americans can see that you don't have to be a certain color to achieve certain goals in life."
A matter of race and income
Flournoy doesn't expect the nation's racial problems to vanish if Obama is elected.
"Just because we may have the first African-American president, it doesn't mean that all African Americans will be living better," she says. "We still as a group of people would have to work extra hard and work just as hard as the next person to succeed."
Racial divides persist on some issues. Among blacks, 76% support affirmative action programs based on race; 61% of whites oppose them. Still, solid majorities of blacks, whites and Hispanics support such programs for hiring, promotions and college admissions if they are based on income instead of race.
Some aspects of racial identity that fueled the civil rights movement in the 1960s seem to have eased. In the survey, most blacks and whites say blacks should "work within the system" rather than protest to get ahead. By nearly 3-1, blacks say they should concentrate on building economic power rather than gaining political power.
Blacks, whites and Hispanics say by wide margins that they have more in common with those in their economic and social class than with those of their race.
And the goal of racial equality?
Most Americans say equality for blacks has been achieved already or will be achieved in the foreseeable future, although the 75% of whites who take that view outnumber the 52% of blacks who hold it. Less optimistic: 20% of whites, 25% of Hispanics and 44% of blacks who say racial equality won't be achieved "in my lifetime" or beyond.
William Cook, 42, of Bonham, Texas, a counselor now working on a master's degree, is among the optimists. Obama's candidacy "speaks volumes for the progress that we've made as a nation," says Cook, who is black.
"Have they achieved full equality? Probably not, but I think they certainly will relatively soon," says Dufkin, who is white. "It's definitely a work in progress."
By Susan Page and William Risser, USA TODAY
Americans across racial and ethnic lines say Barack Obama's groundbreaking candidacy has both spotlighted the state of race relations in the United States and changed it.
A nationwide survey exploring the complicated crosscurrents of race and politics — co-sponsored by USA TODAY, ABC News and Columbia University — finds that the first nomination of an African American for president by a major party has prompted a surge in national pride and political engagement among blacks.
It also shows a clear consensus among whites, blacks and Hispanics about the top priorities for the next president, especially when it comes to the economy.
Fredrick Harris, director of the Center on African-American Politics and Society at Columbia, says the poll results may signal "the passing of a generation" as many blacks move toward "race-neutral" solutions to economic and other challenges.
He notes that African Americans split evenly when asked whether they saw themselves as blacks first or Americans first. "That's quite new for a group that's been marginalized in society and considered second-class citizens for much of its history," he says.
But the survey also makes clear that blacks and whites see the presidential campaign through different prisms.
Seven in 10 blacks expect Obama to win in November. Among the 13% who predict Republican John McCain will prevail, racism is the reason most often cited. The 50% of whites who expect McCain to win are most likely to cite the candidates' levels of experience as the reason. Only 5% of whites who say McCain will win call racism the key factor.
"Especially with the economy the way that it is, the fact that we're in two wars — I don't necessarily think that people will choose somebody who really doesn't have all that much experience," says Andrew Dufkin, 22, a student and painter from Coxsackie, N.Y., who is white. He was among those called in the survey.
However, Lee Rutledge, 65, a freelance writer from Riverside, Calif., who is black, says that racism "is always kind of lurking in the background," although the "Whites Only" signs he saw when stationed by the Army in Georgia in 1964 are a thing of the past.
Beyond politics, blacks and Hispanics are much more likely than whites to see racism as a persistent problem in their communities and to report it as part of their own lives. Six of 10 blacks and 4 of 10 Hispanics say they personally have experienced discrimination often or occasionally, compared with 14% of whites.
Blacks also are much more likely than whites to report serious problems in their neighborhoods with crime, poor schools and a lack of jobs. They put a higher priority on addressing poverty, inequalities in the criminal justice system and reparations for slavery than whites do.
Hispanics rank immigration as a more critical issue than non-Hispanics do.
Even so, the current angst over the economy bridges racial and ethnic divides. Blacks, whites and Hispanics agree that the economy and jobs should head the new president's agenda in January. The other concerns near the top of everyone's list: terrorism, health care and education.
By overwhelming margins, all three groups agree that the country is on the wrong track. One-third or a bit more of whites, blacks and Hispanics say they feel financially insecure.
"We are all searching for the same thing: a better life for ourselves and a better life for our children," says Debbie Seymore, 49, a Hispanic woman from Boca Raton, Fla., who works for a communications company. "I've been working for this company for 27 years now, and every day I wonder, 'Am I going to get laid off?' "
The economy and health care "matter to everybody," says Diana Butler, 56, a school bus attendant from Washington, D.C., who is black, "because everybody is in the same boat."
The 'black experience'
The telephone survey of 1,032 blacks, 543 non-Hispanic whites and 315 Hispanics, who can be of any race, was taken Sept. 11-14, just before last week's Wall Street maelstrom broke into public view. To encourage candid responses to sometimes sensitive questions, three-fourths of the respondents were surveyed by poll takers of their own race. Interviews with Latinos were conducted in English and Spanish.
The racial divide is sharp in the presidential election. Among registered voters:
• Blacks support Obama by 92%-4%.
• Hispanics support Obama by 57%-33%.
• Whites support McCain by 56%-36%.
That partisan divide isn't unusual; African Americans make up the Democrats' most loyal voter group. Four years ago, Democrat John Kerry received 88% of the black vote, according to surveys of voters as they left polling places. Republican George W. Bush received 58% of the white vote.
What's different this time is the high level of engagement by African Americans, which could signal an increase in turnout on Election Day. Blacks are following the presidential contest more closely than whites this year. They are 50% more likely to say they've contributed to a campaign and twice as likely to say they've worked for a candidate.
North Carolina, Alabama and other states also report a jump in voter registration by blacks.
That's true even though Obama usually hasn't chosen to emphasize his race, focusing instead on winning over white voters critical in the Democratic primaries earlier this year and in the general election Nov. 4. At the Democratic convention in Denver last month, the landmark nature of his candidacy was rarely mentioned from the podium.
Some older civil rights leaders, including Jesse Jackson, have complained that Obama has done too little to address issues of particular concern to blacks and that his remarks on the need for more personal responsibility by black fathers and others were an effort to curry white support.
Those complaints have gained little traction, the survey finds. Seven of 10 African Americans say Obama has been addressing issues of special concern to blacks. (Just one-third of whites say that.) By 4-1, blacks say Obama's calls for personal responsibility were made more to appeal to blacks than to whites.
Of those African Americans who say there is a distinctive "black experience" in America, nine of 10 say Obama is in touch with that experience.
Obama's nomination "shows the country is changing for the better a little bit as far as racism is concerned," says Paul Rhodes, 51, a Detroit resident who is black and was surveyed.
"I do think it is a big breakthrough," says Kelly Benchoff, 33, a stay-at-home mom from Tucson who is white. "It's also a great breakthrough that Sarah Palin is on the Republican ticket as well. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, black or white, or whatever race you are — it's the ideas you have for the country and who supports you on them."
'Black, white, purple, green'
Some of those surveyed say news reporters and commentators are making too big a deal of Obama's race.
"It doesn't matter if you're black, white, purple, green — just as long as you do the right thing when you get into office," says Natanya Hopkins, 31. A student from Columbus, Ga., who is black, she supports Obama.
"I think Obama was the right person at the time," says Brian Douglas, 31, an engineer from Jericho, Vt., who is white and supports McCain. "He was the best candidate that the Democrats had at the time, regardless of race."
Among whites, only 10% say they're concerned that Obama's election would give blacks too much influence over government policies, the same number who worry that blacks would have too little influence if that happens.
On the other hand, an AP-Yahoo News poll on racial attitudes released Saturday concluded that one-third of white Democrats and independents attributed negative characteristics such as laziness or violence to blacks, creating a serious electoral hurdle for Obama. The online survey used a technique called "affect misattribution," which involves showing a series of faces of people of different races quickly on a screen before displaying a neutral image to assess.
In the USA TODAY poll, whites by 56%-29% say that a "lack of initiative" is a bigger factor than racism in the difficulties blacks face. "You have a lot of people who want something for nothing," says Tom McKenna, 61, a retiree from Aurora, Ind., who is white.
Blacks by 44%-37% also chose a lack of initiative as the more significant factor.
Across racial lines, those surveyed see Obama's candidacy as a force for change:
• An overwhelming 79% of blacks, 71% of whites and 68% of Hispanics say his nomination represents not only an individual achievement but also progress for blacks in America generally.
• By wide margins, all three groups predict his candidacy will change the way black people think about themselves. Nearly all of those say the change will be for the better.
• A 51% majority of blacks say Obama's nomination makes them prouder to be an American; 47% say it doesn't affect their feelings about the country. In comparison, 36% of whites say his nomination makes them prouder; 61% say it doesn't affect their sense of pride.
Rhodes is particularly proud that Obama won the nomination in large part because of support in primaries and caucuses from white voters. "He won in some white states like Utah and Idaho, and you can't get much whiter than that," he says.
"It wouldn't be a good thing only for African-American people to see that if you work hard you can follow your dream and things can happen," says Dominique Flournoy, 22, a black customer-service representative from Phoenix. "Those who are just becoming Americans can see that you don't have to be a certain color to achieve certain goals in life."
A matter of race and income
Flournoy doesn't expect the nation's racial problems to vanish if Obama is elected.
"Just because we may have the first African-American president, it doesn't mean that all African Americans will be living better," she says. "We still as a group of people would have to work extra hard and work just as hard as the next person to succeed."
Racial divides persist on some issues. Among blacks, 76% support affirmative action programs based on race; 61% of whites oppose them. Still, solid majorities of blacks, whites and Hispanics support such programs for hiring, promotions and college admissions if they are based on income instead of race.
Some aspects of racial identity that fueled the civil rights movement in the 1960s seem to have eased. In the survey, most blacks and whites say blacks should "work within the system" rather than protest to get ahead. By nearly 3-1, blacks say they should concentrate on building economic power rather than gaining political power.
Blacks, whites and Hispanics say by wide margins that they have more in common with those in their economic and social class than with those of their race.
And the goal of racial equality?
Most Americans say equality for blacks has been achieved already or will be achieved in the foreseeable future, although the 75% of whites who take that view outnumber the 52% of blacks who hold it. Less optimistic: 20% of whites, 25% of Hispanics and 44% of blacks who say racial equality won't be achieved "in my lifetime" or beyond.
William Cook, 42, of Bonham, Texas, a counselor now working on a master's degree, is among the optimists. Obama's candidacy "speaks volumes for the progress that we've made as a nation," says Cook, who is black.
"Have they achieved full equality? Probably not, but I think they certainly will relatively soon," says Dufkin, who is white. "It's definitely a work in progress."
California's Central Valley touts huge Hispanic population increase
Hispanics make up two-thirds of SJ Valley children
The Associated Press, 09/23/2008
FRESNO, Calif.—Figures newly released by the U.S. Census Bureau show that nearly two-thirds of all children living in the San Joaquin Valley are Hispanic.
The figures show that Hispanics make up 48 percent of Fresno County's overall population and 60 percent of children younger than age 10.
While immigration accounts for some of the gain, those who study the Valley's changing demographics say that Hispanic women are having children at a rate one-third higher than non-Hispanic white women.
According to the newly released data, 31 percent of Fresno County residents and 25 percent of San Joaquin County residents speak Spanish at home. Nationally nearly 20 percent of U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home.
The Associated Press, 09/23/2008
FRESNO, Calif.—Figures newly released by the U.S. Census Bureau show that nearly two-thirds of all children living in the San Joaquin Valley are Hispanic.
The figures show that Hispanics make up 48 percent of Fresno County's overall population and 60 percent of children younger than age 10.
While immigration accounts for some of the gain, those who study the Valley's changing demographics say that Hispanic women are having children at a rate one-third higher than non-Hispanic white women.
According to the newly released data, 31 percent of Fresno County residents and 25 percent of San Joaquin County residents speak Spanish at home. Nationally nearly 20 percent of U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home.
10th Annual Latino conference in Iowa
Latino conference at Grand View in October
Desmoines Register, September 23, 2008
The 10th annual "Strengthening and Valuing Latino/a Communities in Iowa" conference will be Oct. 10-11 at Grand View College. The conference is coordinated by a statewide volunteer planning committee and the University of Iowa School of Social Work.
The conference theme is "Nuestro Tapiz de Colores: Weaving the Threads of Our Past, Present and Future." It will include four major events:
- Latino Youth Leadership Summit for junior and senior high school youths
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- Pre-conference Professional Development Training Institute primarily geared to the strengthening of professionals in education, social services, community development and advocacy
- Opening reception for an Iowa Latina Art Exhibit, "Mujeres de armas llevar: Women Raising Arms," at the Grand View College Art Gallery.
- The main conference, which features workshops and keynote speakers, and attracts people from across the state. The keynote speakers will be Laura I. Rendon, professor and chairwoman of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University's College of Human Sciences, and Francisco Guajardo, executive director of the Llano Grande Center, a nonprofit organization in south Texas that works to revitalize community through youths by creating access to higher education, engaging students in community change initiatives, and developing leadership that respects local history and culture.
The conference theme will be woven throughout the two days with sessions that focus on the history of Latinos in Iowa, community and family impact of immigration raids, cultural competence, civic engagement, public health issues, education, Latino business and more.
Since its inception, arts and culture have been a significant component of the Latino conference. This year artists will join the conference from California, Texas, Minnesota and Iowa.
For more information or to register, call (319) 335-1273 or e-mail latino-conference@uiowa.edu. To register or to sponsor the conference, go to www.iowalatinoconference .org.
Desmoines Register, September 23, 2008
The 10th annual "Strengthening and Valuing Latino/a Communities in Iowa" conference will be Oct. 10-11 at Grand View College. The conference is coordinated by a statewide volunteer planning committee and the University of Iowa School of Social Work.
The conference theme is "Nuestro Tapiz de Colores: Weaving the Threads of Our Past, Present and Future." It will include four major events:
- Latino Youth Leadership Summit for junior and senior high school youths
Advertisement
- Pre-conference Professional Development Training Institute primarily geared to the strengthening of professionals in education, social services, community development and advocacy
- Opening reception for an Iowa Latina Art Exhibit, "Mujeres de armas llevar: Women Raising Arms," at the Grand View College Art Gallery.
- The main conference, which features workshops and keynote speakers, and attracts people from across the state. The keynote speakers will be Laura I. Rendon, professor and chairwoman of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University's College of Human Sciences, and Francisco Guajardo, executive director of the Llano Grande Center, a nonprofit organization in south Texas that works to revitalize community through youths by creating access to higher education, engaging students in community change initiatives, and developing leadership that respects local history and culture.
The conference theme will be woven throughout the two days with sessions that focus on the history of Latinos in Iowa, community and family impact of immigration raids, cultural competence, civic engagement, public health issues, education, Latino business and more.
Since its inception, arts and culture have been a significant component of the Latino conference. This year artists will join the conference from California, Texas, Minnesota and Iowa.
For more information or to register, call (319) 335-1273 or e-mail latino-conference@uiowa.edu. To register or to sponsor the conference, go to www.iowalatinoconference .org.
Schools recognized for Latino student achievements
Sallie Mae Sponsorship Highlights Programs Accelerating Latino Student Success
Press Release
HOUSTON - (Business Wire) Three programs at institutions of higher education— in California, Arizona, and Texas—have been selected as “Examples of Excelencia” (examples of excellence) in a national initiative to identify and honor programs and departments boosting Latino college enrollment, performance and graduation.
The winning programs will be announced tonight in Houston by Excelencia in Education, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that administers the initiative and works to accelerate higher educational success for Latino students. Sallie Mae is a signature sponsor of this year’s Examples of Excelencia program.
The 2008 Examples of Excelencia are:
* The Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz.;
* The Bachelor of Architecture Program at Woodbury University in Burbank, Calif.; and
* The Intellectual Entrepreneurship Pre-Graduate School Internship Program in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas.
“These programs are true examples of excellence and will provide a model for others to follow,” said Sarita Brown, president and founder of Excelencia in Education. “They equip students with the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly demanding workplace and offer institutions and policymakers powerful ideas and strategies to tap this generation of Latino college-going students.”
Hispanic Americans are still less likely to attend college than their white or black counterparts. U.S. Department of Education statistics show that Hispanics are one-third as likely as whites and about half as likely as blacks to earn a bachelor’s degree.
A new study from Sallie Mae and Gallup shows that Hispanic college students and parents believe in the value of a higher education. For example, 86 percent of Hispanic students strongly believe that college is an investment in their future, and 54 percent of parents strongly agreed with the same statement. However, many Hispanic families are not adequately planning for college prior to the end of high school. More than two-thirds of Hispanic parents did not receive any financial aid while their child was in K-12 and more than half (56 percent) of the young adults who were not attending college indicated that they had not received any financial aid information in K-12, according to a report from the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute and The Sallie Mae Fund.
Examples of Excelencia is one part of the overall effort by Excelencia in Education and other groups to support and engage campus leaders and policymakers in accelerating higher educational success of the U.S. diverse Latino populations and thus grow this country’s human capital.
“These programs have worked diligently to create strategies to improve higher educational achievement for Latino students,” said Henry Cisneros, executive chairman of CityView and an Excelencia honorary board member. “It is particularly important to identify and expand such programs as the Latino proportion of the U.S. population grows. Today’s Latino college students will be America’s future workforce and leadership.”
At the associate level, the Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program (BNFP) at South Mountain Community College recognized the nationwide need for bilingual nurses and developed an innovative curriculum and system of support services to guide students through the nursing program with the ability to practice their profession in English and Spanish. BNFP uses a cohort model for its classes, closely monitors student progress, and coaches students in areas that need improvement. Latinos comprise 97 percent of the participating students and 90 percent of graduates work in hospitals whose patients are majority Latino.
At the baccalaureate level, Bachelor of Architecture Program at Woodbury University provides a global academic experience for its students, more than 40 percent of whom are Latino. By integrating international study programs in Europe, Asia and Latin America, one of the program’s main focuses is embracing the cultural and academic diversity of its students. First-year retention rates for Latinos in the program surpass the university average by almost 5 percent, and 90 percent of Latino students graduate within five years.
The Intellectual Entrepreneurship Pre-Graduate School Internship Program at The University of Texas at Austin offers undergraduate students a unique internship experience that encourages graduate study and career development that complement their personal passions and commitments to community. The program aims to increase diversity in graduate education by bringing underrepresented minorities and first-generation college students into the graduate school pipeline. Since 2003, the program has seen a dramatic increase in interns. Latino students make up the largest group of interns in the program, more than half of whom subsequently enroll in graduate school.
“Sallie Mae congratulates these outstanding institutions for their leadership in developing innovative programs that engage the talents of this country’s fastest-growing population group,” said Maria Frias, senior vice president of Sallie Mae’s south region. “Through sponsorship of this Excelencia in Education initiative and other programs, Sallie Mae is committed to ensuring Latino students can achieve their dreams of a higher education.”
Sallie Mae’s philanthropic arm, The Sallie Mae Fund, sponsors the “First in My Family Scholarship Program” in partnership with the Hispanic College Fund. Last school year, through scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000, the program helped more than 150 Hispanic-American students—the first in their families to attend college—continue their education.
This fall, Excelencia in Education will release the 2008 edition of What Works for Latino Students: Examples of Excelencia Compendium. The publication will describe in detail how the 2008 recognized programs achieve positive results and will suggest ways their strategies may be adapted for use in other communities. For more information, please visit, www.EdExcelencia.org.
SLM Corporation (NYSE:SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the nation’s leading provider of saving- and paying-for-college programs. The company manages nearly $172 billion in education loans and serves 10 million student and parent customers. Through its Upromise affiliates, the company also manages more than $19 billion in 529 college-savings plans, and is a major, private source of college funding contributions in America with 9 million members and $450 million in member rewards. Sallie Mae and its subsidiaries offer debt management services as well as business and technical products to a range of business clients, including higher education institutions, student loan guarantors and state and federal agencies. More information is available at www.salliemae.com. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
Excelencia in Education aims to accelerate higher education success for Latino students by providing data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latino students, and by promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement. A 501(c)(3) organization, Excelencia links policy, practice and research to inform and compel a growing network of results-oriented educators, community-based professionals and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce.
Sallie Mae
Patricia Nash Christel, +1-703-984-5382, patricia.christel@salliemae.com
Press Release
HOUSTON - (Business Wire) Three programs at institutions of higher education— in California, Arizona, and Texas—have been selected as “Examples of Excelencia” (examples of excellence) in a national initiative to identify and honor programs and departments boosting Latino college enrollment, performance and graduation.
The winning programs will be announced tonight in Houston by Excelencia in Education, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that administers the initiative and works to accelerate higher educational success for Latino students. Sallie Mae is a signature sponsor of this year’s Examples of Excelencia program.
The 2008 Examples of Excelencia are:
* The Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz.;
* The Bachelor of Architecture Program at Woodbury University in Burbank, Calif.; and
* The Intellectual Entrepreneurship Pre-Graduate School Internship Program in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas.
“These programs are true examples of excellence and will provide a model for others to follow,” said Sarita Brown, president and founder of Excelencia in Education. “They equip students with the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly demanding workplace and offer institutions and policymakers powerful ideas and strategies to tap this generation of Latino college-going students.”
Hispanic Americans are still less likely to attend college than their white or black counterparts. U.S. Department of Education statistics show that Hispanics are one-third as likely as whites and about half as likely as blacks to earn a bachelor’s degree.
A new study from Sallie Mae and Gallup shows that Hispanic college students and parents believe in the value of a higher education. For example, 86 percent of Hispanic students strongly believe that college is an investment in their future, and 54 percent of parents strongly agreed with the same statement. However, many Hispanic families are not adequately planning for college prior to the end of high school. More than two-thirds of Hispanic parents did not receive any financial aid while their child was in K-12 and more than half (56 percent) of the young adults who were not attending college indicated that they had not received any financial aid information in K-12, according to a report from the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute and The Sallie Mae Fund.
Examples of Excelencia is one part of the overall effort by Excelencia in Education and other groups to support and engage campus leaders and policymakers in accelerating higher educational success of the U.S. diverse Latino populations and thus grow this country’s human capital.
“These programs have worked diligently to create strategies to improve higher educational achievement for Latino students,” said Henry Cisneros, executive chairman of CityView and an Excelencia honorary board member. “It is particularly important to identify and expand such programs as the Latino proportion of the U.S. population grows. Today’s Latino college students will be America’s future workforce and leadership.”
At the associate level, the Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program (BNFP) at South Mountain Community College recognized the nationwide need for bilingual nurses and developed an innovative curriculum and system of support services to guide students through the nursing program with the ability to practice their profession in English and Spanish. BNFP uses a cohort model for its classes, closely monitors student progress, and coaches students in areas that need improvement. Latinos comprise 97 percent of the participating students and 90 percent of graduates work in hospitals whose patients are majority Latino.
At the baccalaureate level, Bachelor of Architecture Program at Woodbury University provides a global academic experience for its students, more than 40 percent of whom are Latino. By integrating international study programs in Europe, Asia and Latin America, one of the program’s main focuses is embracing the cultural and academic diversity of its students. First-year retention rates for Latinos in the program surpass the university average by almost 5 percent, and 90 percent of Latino students graduate within five years.
The Intellectual Entrepreneurship Pre-Graduate School Internship Program at The University of Texas at Austin offers undergraduate students a unique internship experience that encourages graduate study and career development that complement their personal passions and commitments to community. The program aims to increase diversity in graduate education by bringing underrepresented minorities and first-generation college students into the graduate school pipeline. Since 2003, the program has seen a dramatic increase in interns. Latino students make up the largest group of interns in the program, more than half of whom subsequently enroll in graduate school.
“Sallie Mae congratulates these outstanding institutions for their leadership in developing innovative programs that engage the talents of this country’s fastest-growing population group,” said Maria Frias, senior vice president of Sallie Mae’s south region. “Through sponsorship of this Excelencia in Education initiative and other programs, Sallie Mae is committed to ensuring Latino students can achieve their dreams of a higher education.”
Sallie Mae’s philanthropic arm, The Sallie Mae Fund, sponsors the “First in My Family Scholarship Program” in partnership with the Hispanic College Fund. Last school year, through scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000, the program helped more than 150 Hispanic-American students—the first in their families to attend college—continue their education.
This fall, Excelencia in Education will release the 2008 edition of What Works for Latino Students: Examples of Excelencia Compendium. The publication will describe in detail how the 2008 recognized programs achieve positive results and will suggest ways their strategies may be adapted for use in other communities. For more information, please visit, www.EdExcelencia.org.
SLM Corporation (NYSE:SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the nation’s leading provider of saving- and paying-for-college programs. The company manages nearly $172 billion in education loans and serves 10 million student and parent customers. Through its Upromise affiliates, the company also manages more than $19 billion in 529 college-savings plans, and is a major, private source of college funding contributions in America with 9 million members and $450 million in member rewards. Sallie Mae and its subsidiaries offer debt management services as well as business and technical products to a range of business clients, including higher education institutions, student loan guarantors and state and federal agencies. More information is available at www.salliemae.com. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
Excelencia in Education aims to accelerate higher education success for Latino students by providing data-driven analysis of the educational status of Latino students, and by promoting education policies and institutional practices that support their academic achievement. A 501(c)(3) organization, Excelencia links policy, practice and research to inform and compel a growing network of results-oriented educators, community-based professionals and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce.
Sallie Mae
Patricia Nash Christel, +1-703-984-5382, patricia.christel@salliemae.com
Latino vote could be te decisive impact on election
Latino vote emerges as swing vote in Colorado
By John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent
DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- After decades as a Democratic organizer and activist, Ramona Martinez is convinced the moment is finally at hand.
"The sleeping giant has finally woken up," says the longtime Colorado and national Democratic activist and former Denver city councilwoman. "They keep saying, 'It is the year of the Latinos.' Well, I think it is this time."
If so, the fastest-growing segment of the American population could have a decisive impact on a remarkably close presidential election, emerging as the potential swing vote in several critical electoral battlegrounds.
Colorado is just one example, and offers a fascinating "ground zero" glimpse in the battle for the Latino vote.
Twenty years ago, in the 1988 presidential elections, Hispanics accounted for 3.7 million votes. In 2004, it was more than twice that -- 7.5 million votes. And that number is certain to grow this cycle.
Here in Colorado, both parties believe the Latino percentage of the statewide vote will eclipse 10 percent for the first time. (It was 8 percent in 2004.)
Nationally, Barack Obama leads John McCain 65-30 percent among Latinos in the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp. polling, and Democrats believe if those numbers hold, then the Latino vote could prove pivotal here in Colorado, as well as in New Mexico, Nevada, Florida and perhaps even North Carolina, which ranks 11th nationally in its percentage of Latino residents. View the CNN electoral college map »
The Obama campaign is making an unprecedented outreach to register new voters in the Latino community, as well as to keep in touch with supporters through Election Day because Hispanic turnout has often been significantly less than the hopes of community organizers.
Martinez says the Obama effort here in Colorado is expanding as the election draws closer and polls show this state is a tossup.
"They just hired another 20 or 30 organizers to do voter registration in key areas," she said in an interview at her home. "They just had training. They are paying for the training of those organizers. They are hiring more organizers than I have seen in my lifetime in this state for the Latino vote."
New citizen Fernando Torres is among the many reasons for Democratic optimism. He will cast his first vote this year, and says Obama will get it because he believes he is more in touch with the struggles of working-class voters.
"The economy is very tough," said Torres, who runs a marble and granite company in Denver. "I don't make any money," he said of conditions at the moment, saying business has slowed to the point that he's just barely able to pay his bills.
Of McCain, Torres says: "I think he came from rich people."
Ana Calderon is an insurance saleswoman whose office window has a sign urging Latinos to register and vote. She is a registered Democrat who says she is most likely an Obama voter, but not 100 percent certain just yet.
"He is very smart, very intelligent, you know, raised by a single mom -- I am a single parent myself," Calderon said between fielding business calls -- some in English and some in Spanish. "But yet he is still very inexperienced. I think this is his first year in the Senate if I am not mistaken. And then there is McCain, who has been with the government for years, a veteran, a real smart man who would do a good job."
Walk into a McCain campaign office in Denver, and it is not unusual to hear Spanish-language conversations about "la presidencia."
The bulk of the Latino outreach on the Republican side, however, is to the south of Denver in more conservative Pueblo County, where the GOP effort has the assistance of a recent convert with a famous name in Colorado politics.
Working the phone bank in Pueblo is Silver Salazar, a Democratic precinct captain in the area for more than two decades and a former Hillary Clinton supporter who says he could not support Obama because he believes he is too liberal and too inexperienced.
"Sen. Obama is totally out of touch with the Hispanics," Salazar says. "On immigration reform, abortion, the war in Iraq. So that made my decision a lot easier ..."
But his decision to support McCain is a source of some family friction. He has two cousins in the Colorado congressional delegation -- Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar are both Democrats, and both big Obama supporters.
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Silver Salazar says it is a friendly competition, and predicts he will be on the winning side in Colorado despite the giant Obama banner hanging from the roof of Sen. Salazar's Pueblo office.
"We will have Thanksgiving dinner together next year -- maybe not this one," he said with a smile.
By John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent
DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- After decades as a Democratic organizer and activist, Ramona Martinez is convinced the moment is finally at hand.
"The sleeping giant has finally woken up," says the longtime Colorado and national Democratic activist and former Denver city councilwoman. "They keep saying, 'It is the year of the Latinos.' Well, I think it is this time."
If so, the fastest-growing segment of the American population could have a decisive impact on a remarkably close presidential election, emerging as the potential swing vote in several critical electoral battlegrounds.
Colorado is just one example, and offers a fascinating "ground zero" glimpse in the battle for the Latino vote.
Twenty years ago, in the 1988 presidential elections, Hispanics accounted for 3.7 million votes. In 2004, it was more than twice that -- 7.5 million votes. And that number is certain to grow this cycle.
Here in Colorado, both parties believe the Latino percentage of the statewide vote will eclipse 10 percent for the first time. (It was 8 percent in 2004.)
Nationally, Barack Obama leads John McCain 65-30 percent among Latinos in the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp. polling, and Democrats believe if those numbers hold, then the Latino vote could prove pivotal here in Colorado, as well as in New Mexico, Nevada, Florida and perhaps even North Carolina, which ranks 11th nationally in its percentage of Latino residents. View the CNN electoral college map »
The Obama campaign is making an unprecedented outreach to register new voters in the Latino community, as well as to keep in touch with supporters through Election Day because Hispanic turnout has often been significantly less than the hopes of community organizers.
Martinez says the Obama effort here in Colorado is expanding as the election draws closer and polls show this state is a tossup.
"They just hired another 20 or 30 organizers to do voter registration in key areas," she said in an interview at her home. "They just had training. They are paying for the training of those organizers. They are hiring more organizers than I have seen in my lifetime in this state for the Latino vote."
New citizen Fernando Torres is among the many reasons for Democratic optimism. He will cast his first vote this year, and says Obama will get it because he believes he is more in touch with the struggles of working-class voters.
"The economy is very tough," said Torres, who runs a marble and granite company in Denver. "I don't make any money," he said of conditions at the moment, saying business has slowed to the point that he's just barely able to pay his bills.
Of McCain, Torres says: "I think he came from rich people."
Ana Calderon is an insurance saleswoman whose office window has a sign urging Latinos to register and vote. She is a registered Democrat who says she is most likely an Obama voter, but not 100 percent certain just yet.
"He is very smart, very intelligent, you know, raised by a single mom -- I am a single parent myself," Calderon said between fielding business calls -- some in English and some in Spanish. "But yet he is still very inexperienced. I think this is his first year in the Senate if I am not mistaken. And then there is McCain, who has been with the government for years, a veteran, a real smart man who would do a good job."
Walk into a McCain campaign office in Denver, and it is not unusual to hear Spanish-language conversations about "la presidencia."
The bulk of the Latino outreach on the Republican side, however, is to the south of Denver in more conservative Pueblo County, where the GOP effort has the assistance of a recent convert with a famous name in Colorado politics.
Working the phone bank in Pueblo is Silver Salazar, a Democratic precinct captain in the area for more than two decades and a former Hillary Clinton supporter who says he could not support Obama because he believes he is too liberal and too inexperienced.
"Sen. Obama is totally out of touch with the Hispanics," Salazar says. "On immigration reform, abortion, the war in Iraq. So that made my decision a lot easier ..."
But his decision to support McCain is a source of some family friction. He has two cousins in the Colorado congressional delegation -- Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar are both Democrats, and both big Obama supporters.
advertisement
Silver Salazar says it is a friendly competition, and predicts he will be on the winning side in Colorado despite the giant Obama banner hanging from the roof of Sen. Salazar's Pueblo office.
"We will have Thanksgiving dinner together next year -- maybe not this one," he said with a smile.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
U.S. Hispanic Chamber expresses disappointment with Arizona ruling
USHCC Responds to Court Ruling on Candelaria Case (September 22)
Hispanic Chamber continues to oppose law targeting immigrants and employers.
Press Release
Washington, DC - The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) expressed disappointment today following the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision regarding the challenge to the Legal Arizona Workers Act which targets both immigrants and employers. The case which sparked the challenge, Arizona Contractors Association, Inc et al vs. Criss Candelaria, is more commonly known as the Candelaria Case.
The legal challenge to this Act came after Arizona passed the Legal Arizona Workers Act in 2007. The Act severely sanctions Arizona employers who knowingly or intentionally hire workers who are unauthorized to work under federal law. These sanctions range from suspension of an employer’s business license to revocation of that license, an effective “death penalty” for a business found in violation of the Act, and require several burdensome compliance actions. The Act also mandates that all Arizona employers enroll in and use the flawed pilot phase Federal E-Verify electronic employment verification system.
“Hispanic businesses and workers in Arizona are already being hurt by this misguided law,” said David C. Lizárraga, USHCC Chairman. “The Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling will force small businesses, chain stores, hospitals and utilities, among others to shut their doors if they don’t comply and use a flawed verification system. The USHCC continues to have significant reservations about the reliability and veracity of this system. Individuals with name mismatches, which could disproportionately impact Hispanics, will have to navigate a labyrinth of Kafkaesque bureaucracy to clear up their identities. Ultimately, businesses will begin looking for the state’s exit doors, and many are already doing so.”
The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling stated that once the law is enforced the parties can bring back their issues to the court. But this may be too late for many business owners in Arizona. While official mechanisms would be set up to allow for appeals of alleged violations, it would still create extra burdens of proof that could hinder the daily operations of many small businesses, chain businesses, and other operations such as electric companies and hospitals. The resources of businesses will be consumed by overly burdensome mandatory compliance requirements.
About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of more than 2.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate nearly $400 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Uruguay.
Hispanic Chamber continues to oppose law targeting immigrants and employers.
Press Release
Washington, DC - The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) expressed disappointment today following the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision regarding the challenge to the Legal Arizona Workers Act which targets both immigrants and employers. The case which sparked the challenge, Arizona Contractors Association, Inc et al vs. Criss Candelaria, is more commonly known as the Candelaria Case.
The legal challenge to this Act came after Arizona passed the Legal Arizona Workers Act in 2007. The Act severely sanctions Arizona employers who knowingly or intentionally hire workers who are unauthorized to work under federal law. These sanctions range from suspension of an employer’s business license to revocation of that license, an effective “death penalty” for a business found in violation of the Act, and require several burdensome compliance actions. The Act also mandates that all Arizona employers enroll in and use the flawed pilot phase Federal E-Verify electronic employment verification system.
“Hispanic businesses and workers in Arizona are already being hurt by this misguided law,” said David C. Lizárraga, USHCC Chairman. “The Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling will force small businesses, chain stores, hospitals and utilities, among others to shut their doors if they don’t comply and use a flawed verification system. The USHCC continues to have significant reservations about the reliability and veracity of this system. Individuals with name mismatches, which could disproportionately impact Hispanics, will have to navigate a labyrinth of Kafkaesque bureaucracy to clear up their identities. Ultimately, businesses will begin looking for the state’s exit doors, and many are already doing so.”
The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling stated that once the law is enforced the parties can bring back their issues to the court. But this may be too late for many business owners in Arizona. While official mechanisms would be set up to allow for appeals of alleged violations, it would still create extra burdens of proof that could hinder the daily operations of many small businesses, chain businesses, and other operations such as electric companies and hospitals. The resources of businesses will be consumed by overly burdensome mandatory compliance requirements.
About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of more than 2.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate nearly $400 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Uruguay.
Hispanics targets of unfair loan practices
Loan Originations to Hispanics, African-Americans Fall Sharply
WSJ.com
Amid falling home prices and tightened credit conditions, home lending activity fell more than 20% in 2007 compared with the prior year with African-Americans and Hispanics seeing the largest decline in loan originations, a new report shows.
Home loan applications and purchased loans had fallen by only 6% in 2006 from 2005. Meanwhile, the new data continues to raise concerns about whether minorities are the victims of unfair lending practices, said the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the interagency body responsible for collecting the loan data from banks.
“Differences in the incidence of higher-priced lending between racial and ethnic groups continued in 2007 as did differences in denial rates on loan applications,” the council said in a press release. “These differences continue to raise concerns about the terms, cost and availability of credit to minority applicants and borrowers, and lending practices in minority neighborhoods.”
Based on data from banks required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, or HMDA, the total number of reported loan applications fell by about 6 million while the number of reported loans fell 3.5 million — or 22% and 25% respectively from 2006. In contrast, the total number of reported applications and purchased loans fell 2.3 million or 6% in 2005.
“The HMDA data show a marked decline in lending from 2006 to 2007,” Federal Reserve staffers said Thursday in a summary of the 2007 loan activity data. Home purchase loans to Hispanic white and black borrowers fell 49% and 35%, respectively, while such loans to non-Hispanic white borrowers fell 22% over the same period, according to the Fed summary. The Fed staffers said that a portion of the decline in loan originations is the result of “a modest increase in denial rates.”
However, most of the reduction in loan volume last year seems to be driven by declines in the number of applications, the Fed analysis said. “It is difficult to draw conclusions from the HMDA data about changes in the fair lending environment from 2006 to 2007,” the Fed report said. It added that while the denial rate widened between non-Hispanic whites and minorities it may have been because of credit characteristics and not necessarily due to unfair treatment by lenders.
Meanwhile, the Fed staffers pointed out that differences between non-Hispanic whites and minorities in the incidence of higher-priced lending generally declined. “Given the substantial decrease in overall higher-priced lending, it is difficult to know if this narrowing of the differences in the incidence of higher-priced lending was due to any change in the relative treatment of minorities or to change in the credit profiles of marginal borrowers resulting from declines in applications and increased denial rates,” said the Fed article.
The 2007 report includes data from 8,610 financial institutions including almost 4,000 commercial banks and 1,752 mortgage companies.
Meanwhile, a top regulator recently said banks should provide even more lending information to government officials so they can better judge banks’ lending practices. In his New Orleans speech Wednesday, Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan said his office is launching a pilot program at some of the largest national banks to collect much more data from banks than what’s currently required under the Home Mortgage Disclsoure Act. –Maya Jackson Randall
WSJ.com
Amid falling home prices and tightened credit conditions, home lending activity fell more than 20% in 2007 compared with the prior year with African-Americans and Hispanics seeing the largest decline in loan originations, a new report shows.
Home loan applications and purchased loans had fallen by only 6% in 2006 from 2005. Meanwhile, the new data continues to raise concerns about whether minorities are the victims of unfair lending practices, said the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the interagency body responsible for collecting the loan data from banks.
“Differences in the incidence of higher-priced lending between racial and ethnic groups continued in 2007 as did differences in denial rates on loan applications,” the council said in a press release. “These differences continue to raise concerns about the terms, cost and availability of credit to minority applicants and borrowers, and lending practices in minority neighborhoods.”
Based on data from banks required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, or HMDA, the total number of reported loan applications fell by about 6 million while the number of reported loans fell 3.5 million — or 22% and 25% respectively from 2006. In contrast, the total number of reported applications and purchased loans fell 2.3 million or 6% in 2005.
“The HMDA data show a marked decline in lending from 2006 to 2007,” Federal Reserve staffers said Thursday in a summary of the 2007 loan activity data. Home purchase loans to Hispanic white and black borrowers fell 49% and 35%, respectively, while such loans to non-Hispanic white borrowers fell 22% over the same period, according to the Fed summary. The Fed staffers said that a portion of the decline in loan originations is the result of “a modest increase in denial rates.”
However, most of the reduction in loan volume last year seems to be driven by declines in the number of applications, the Fed analysis said. “It is difficult to draw conclusions from the HMDA data about changes in the fair lending environment from 2006 to 2007,” the Fed report said. It added that while the denial rate widened between non-Hispanic whites and minorities it may have been because of credit characteristics and not necessarily due to unfair treatment by lenders.
Meanwhile, the Fed staffers pointed out that differences between non-Hispanic whites and minorities in the incidence of higher-priced lending generally declined. “Given the substantial decrease in overall higher-priced lending, it is difficult to know if this narrowing of the differences in the incidence of higher-priced lending was due to any change in the relative treatment of minorities or to change in the credit profiles of marginal borrowers resulting from declines in applications and increased denial rates,” said the Fed article.
The 2007 report includes data from 8,610 financial institutions including almost 4,000 commercial banks and 1,752 mortgage companies.
Meanwhile, a top regulator recently said banks should provide even more lending information to government officials so they can better judge banks’ lending practices. In his New Orleans speech Wednesday, Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan said his office is launching a pilot program at some of the largest national banks to collect much more data from banks than what’s currently required under the Home Mortgage Disclsoure Act. –Maya Jackson Randall
Illegal Hispanic immigrants help rebuild Texas after hurricane
Legal and illegal, Latinos labor to rebuild Texas
By MONICA RHOR and PETER PRENGAMAN
PASADENA, Texas (AP) — All along the Texas coast, Latino immigrants are hauling away fallen trees, slashing through storm-tangled brush, patching punctured roofs.
On working-class corners, on ladders in front of Victorian houses, in the yards of ornate mansions, crews of men in dusty jeans, sturdy workboots and baseball caps are nearly as omnipresent in the post-Hurricane Ike landscape as blue tarps on rooftops.
These workers, who get picked up off the street by homeowners looking for quick, cheap labor, are helping to rebuild the devastated cities of southeast Texas.
Many of them are here illegally. Others are legal residents in need of income after their regular jobs were disrupted by the hurricane.
Ike brought a wide swath of destruction, and with it the prospect of more work, higher wages and a respite from the ever-present threat of deportation. In recent months, many day laborers say, jobs in the Houston area had started to dry up, and police and immigration officials had been cracking down.
"There's more work now," Teodoro Alvarado, 20, said Friday in Spanish as he stood on a corner in the gritty Houston suburb of Pasadena where day laborers regularly wait for work. "And I hope more work comes."
There's reason to believe it will: After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of Latino immigrants streamed to New Orleans for jobs in construction, carpentry and cleanup.
Since Ike struck Sept. 13, Gerardo Hernandez has been getting jobs lifting trees off driveways and houses, but he usually works as a roofer. A drive through the quaint bayside community of Kemah, where the hurricane lifted the roofs off dozens of boardwalk restaurants and private homes, made him confident there'd be need for his services.
"In the weeks that come, as people get insurance money, I think there will be more work," Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant who has been in this country four years, said in Spanish.
Along with the promise of fresh jobs, there are fears of abuse and exploitation of workers, and rumors that immigration officials will be poised at job sites to arrest the undocumented. After Katrina, many Latino workers in New Orleans reported cases of unsafe working conditions and employers who cheated them out of money earned.
"These people are going to be getting work, but they will also be the most exploited," said Annica Gorham, director of the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center, which helps day laborers who have been cheated of wages, injured on the job or working in unsafe conditions. "Day laborers are some of the most vulnerable workers here and across the county."
In Houston, as in dozens of other U.S. cities, several police departments in the area have started to turn over undocumented immigrants for deportation. There have also been highly publicized workplace raids by federal agents, including one in June where 160 workers at a cluttered rag factory were arrested.
But this city's immigrants, who help make up the country's second-largest population of day laborers after that of Los Angeles, also provide a ready-made work force for the massive cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
"There are plenty of people asking for help," said Marco Ramirez, 50, a contractor who normally has a five-man crew. Since Ike, Ramirez has had to hire extra workers and will likely need more. All, including Ramirez, are Latino immigrants.
"The immigrant people, the Latinos, are the ones who really do the job," said Ramirez, who spoke outside a sprawling home where his men were using chain saws and chains to cut through fallen trees and splintered branches. "We are going to put the city back together."
Even in Houston, a city long known as friendly toward undocumented immigrants, many people see the use of such workers as nothing more than a shortcut around the country's labor laws.
In the storm's aftermath, however, Mayor Bill White said homeowners need to find help where they can.
"I like to see people doing it, rather than letting debris pile up and people not getting roofs fixed," said White, who has a reputation for welcoming immigrants.
Early on most mornings last week, many of the more than two dozen spots in Houston where day laborers gather had been swept clean by contractors and homeowners looking for workers. Most are paid about $8 to $10 an hour to install wallboard, clear driveways and yards, or repair roofs. So far, workers said, wages had not increased much from pre-Ike rates.
At a Home Depot in southeast Houston, where as many as 100 day laborers gathered well before dawn Friday to wait for work, dozens of men from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador stood on the periphery of a parking lot.
Every few minutes, the drivers of cars, pickup trucks and SUVs would pull up and signal to the waiting men. It took mere seconds for the workers to converge on a vehicle, negotiate a price and jump inside.
The men left behind were both encouraged by the signs of burgeoning work and worried about the possibility of dishonest employers and immigration roundups.
"We're just looking for steady work to support our families," 45-year-old Antonio Velasquez, whose wife and nine children remain in El Salvador, said in Spanish.
When things are going well, Velasquez sends his family $500 a month. Lately, he barely has enough to cover his own expenses.
Velasquez protects himself from wage theft by only working for employers who pay at the end of the day.
"Un dia trabajado es un dia pagado," he said, quoting a refrain often used by day laborers: A day's pay for a day's work.
Stories of widespread employer abuse and wage theft following Katrina have left immigrants wary of accepting long-term jobs in other locations.
On Friday morning, the driver of a bus looking for a crew to work for a week in the Galveston area, saying the pay would come at week's end. He got few takers.
"They need us, but they also take advantage of us," said Alex Yovani, 26, a Honduran immigrant who also worked in Louisiana after Katrina. "Without us, how would they build Houston again? Without the work of our hands, there would be no way to move forward."
As Yovani spoke, homeowner Dale Emion eased his pickup close to the circle of men. It was immediately surrounded by over a dozen day laborers.
"I need two and will pay $7 an hour to clean up around my house," Emion said.
"You gonna give lunch?" asked one man in broken English.
Emion shook his head. No one got in the truck, but the men didn't walk away, either.
"OK. I'll pay $8," said Emion.
Two men got in the cab of the truck.
"I just need them to clean up my house," Emion said. "Where else am I going to find workers?"
By MONICA RHOR and PETER PRENGAMAN
PASADENA, Texas (AP) — All along the Texas coast, Latino immigrants are hauling away fallen trees, slashing through storm-tangled brush, patching punctured roofs.
On working-class corners, on ladders in front of Victorian houses, in the yards of ornate mansions, crews of men in dusty jeans, sturdy workboots and baseball caps are nearly as omnipresent in the post-Hurricane Ike landscape as blue tarps on rooftops.
These workers, who get picked up off the street by homeowners looking for quick, cheap labor, are helping to rebuild the devastated cities of southeast Texas.
Many of them are here illegally. Others are legal residents in need of income after their regular jobs were disrupted by the hurricane.
Ike brought a wide swath of destruction, and with it the prospect of more work, higher wages and a respite from the ever-present threat of deportation. In recent months, many day laborers say, jobs in the Houston area had started to dry up, and police and immigration officials had been cracking down.
"There's more work now," Teodoro Alvarado, 20, said Friday in Spanish as he stood on a corner in the gritty Houston suburb of Pasadena where day laborers regularly wait for work. "And I hope more work comes."
There's reason to believe it will: After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of Latino immigrants streamed to New Orleans for jobs in construction, carpentry and cleanup.
Since Ike struck Sept. 13, Gerardo Hernandez has been getting jobs lifting trees off driveways and houses, but he usually works as a roofer. A drive through the quaint bayside community of Kemah, where the hurricane lifted the roofs off dozens of boardwalk restaurants and private homes, made him confident there'd be need for his services.
"In the weeks that come, as people get insurance money, I think there will be more work," Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant who has been in this country four years, said in Spanish.
Along with the promise of fresh jobs, there are fears of abuse and exploitation of workers, and rumors that immigration officials will be poised at job sites to arrest the undocumented. After Katrina, many Latino workers in New Orleans reported cases of unsafe working conditions and employers who cheated them out of money earned.
"These people are going to be getting work, but they will also be the most exploited," said Annica Gorham, director of the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center, which helps day laborers who have been cheated of wages, injured on the job or working in unsafe conditions. "Day laborers are some of the most vulnerable workers here and across the county."
In Houston, as in dozens of other U.S. cities, several police departments in the area have started to turn over undocumented immigrants for deportation. There have also been highly publicized workplace raids by federal agents, including one in June where 160 workers at a cluttered rag factory were arrested.
But this city's immigrants, who help make up the country's second-largest population of day laborers after that of Los Angeles, also provide a ready-made work force for the massive cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
"There are plenty of people asking for help," said Marco Ramirez, 50, a contractor who normally has a five-man crew. Since Ike, Ramirez has had to hire extra workers and will likely need more. All, including Ramirez, are Latino immigrants.
"The immigrant people, the Latinos, are the ones who really do the job," said Ramirez, who spoke outside a sprawling home where his men were using chain saws and chains to cut through fallen trees and splintered branches. "We are going to put the city back together."
Even in Houston, a city long known as friendly toward undocumented immigrants, many people see the use of such workers as nothing more than a shortcut around the country's labor laws.
In the storm's aftermath, however, Mayor Bill White said homeowners need to find help where they can.
"I like to see people doing it, rather than letting debris pile up and people not getting roofs fixed," said White, who has a reputation for welcoming immigrants.
Early on most mornings last week, many of the more than two dozen spots in Houston where day laborers gather had been swept clean by contractors and homeowners looking for workers. Most are paid about $8 to $10 an hour to install wallboard, clear driveways and yards, or repair roofs. So far, workers said, wages had not increased much from pre-Ike rates.
At a Home Depot in southeast Houston, where as many as 100 day laborers gathered well before dawn Friday to wait for work, dozens of men from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador stood on the periphery of a parking lot.
Every few minutes, the drivers of cars, pickup trucks and SUVs would pull up and signal to the waiting men. It took mere seconds for the workers to converge on a vehicle, negotiate a price and jump inside.
The men left behind were both encouraged by the signs of burgeoning work and worried about the possibility of dishonest employers and immigration roundups.
"We're just looking for steady work to support our families," 45-year-old Antonio Velasquez, whose wife and nine children remain in El Salvador, said in Spanish.
When things are going well, Velasquez sends his family $500 a month. Lately, he barely has enough to cover his own expenses.
Velasquez protects himself from wage theft by only working for employers who pay at the end of the day.
"Un dia trabajado es un dia pagado," he said, quoting a refrain often used by day laborers: A day's pay for a day's work.
Stories of widespread employer abuse and wage theft following Katrina have left immigrants wary of accepting long-term jobs in other locations.
On Friday morning, the driver of a bus looking for a crew to work for a week in the Galveston area, saying the pay would come at week's end. He got few takers.
"They need us, but they also take advantage of us," said Alex Yovani, 26, a Honduran immigrant who also worked in Louisiana after Katrina. "Without us, how would they build Houston again? Without the work of our hands, there would be no way to move forward."
As Yovani spoke, homeowner Dale Emion eased his pickup close to the circle of men. It was immediately surrounded by over a dozen day laborers.
"I need two and will pay $7 an hour to clean up around my house," Emion said.
"You gonna give lunch?" asked one man in broken English.
Emion shook his head. No one got in the truck, but the men didn't walk away, either.
"OK. I'll pay $8," said Emion.
Two men got in the cab of the truck.
"I just need them to clean up my house," Emion said. "Where else am I going to find workers?"
As Latino population grows, Whites not replacing themselves
Despite Adversity, Latino Population Continues to Rise
By Daryl C. Hannah, September 22, 2008
Which state has the largest Latino population? Which is witnessing the biggest influx of Latino immigrants? The answers to these questions could be the deciding factor in the presidential election come November.
"The Hispanic population is growing; whites and Asians are not replacing themselves," says Jane Dye, the U.S. Census Bureau demographer who wrote the latest study on birth rates.
According to the National Council of La Raza, Arizona, California, Colorado and Florida have the largest Latino populations. And while those state's numbers continue to swell, North Carolina is the state with the fastest Latino growth rate, growing an astounding 393 percent between 1990 and 2000.
So what's fueling such exponential growth? High birth rates and, of course, immigration.
Consider this: The average woman in the United States produces 1.9 children. Broken out by ethnicity, the numbers are 1.7 children for Asian Americans, 1.8 children for whites, 2.0 children for Blacks and 2.3 children for Latinos. American Indians were not included in the report. The fertility rates are sufficient, combined with immigration, to keep the U.S. population growing.
"It's the Hispanic population that is keeping us above water in terms of growth, in terms of births," said William Frey, a demographer for The Brookings Institution, a center-left policy-research organization in Washington, D.C., in an article in The Miami Herald.
Immigration, on the other hand, is less easily tracked. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that one of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, was Latino. In addition, the bureau also estimates that by 2050, 30 percent of the U.S. population will be Latino.
"A momentum is built into this as a result of past immigration," Jeffrey S. Passel, senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, told The New York Times. "In the 1970s, '80s and '90s, there were more Hispanic immigrants than births. This decade, there are more births than immigrants. Almost regardless of what you assume about future immigration, the country will be more Hispanic and Asian."
States are now cracking down hard on undocumented workers. During the past year alone, there have been high-profile raids in companies in Iowa and Mississippi, including a raid on a chicken factory in Iowa that netted 300 arrests of undocumented workers. And last month, police seized more than 600 undocumented workers in an immigration raid in Mississippi.
Meanwhile, the Arizona appeals court recently upheld a ruling that made it illegal for business owners to "knowingly" employ undocumented workers. Click here to find out what the immigration laws are in your state.
But the fate of immigration depends on who takes office in November. Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama have vastly differing views of on immigration.
While McCain supports tightening the borders and sending undocumented immigrants "to the back of the line" for citizenship, he steers clear of the issue during campaign rallies and press events. Obama supports tightening the borders and sending undocumented immigrants "to the back of the line" for citizenship and addresses immigration at campaign rallies and press events.
For more information on how both candidates stand on immigration and other key issues, check out the October issue of DiversityInc.
By Daryl C. Hannah, September 22, 2008
Which state has the largest Latino population? Which is witnessing the biggest influx of Latino immigrants? The answers to these questions could be the deciding factor in the presidential election come November.
"The Hispanic population is growing; whites and Asians are not replacing themselves," says Jane Dye, the U.S. Census Bureau demographer who wrote the latest study on birth rates.
According to the National Council of La Raza, Arizona, California, Colorado and Florida have the largest Latino populations. And while those state's numbers continue to swell, North Carolina is the state with the fastest Latino growth rate, growing an astounding 393 percent between 1990 and 2000.
So what's fueling such exponential growth? High birth rates and, of course, immigration.
Consider this: The average woman in the United States produces 1.9 children. Broken out by ethnicity, the numbers are 1.7 children for Asian Americans, 1.8 children for whites, 2.0 children for Blacks and 2.3 children for Latinos. American Indians were not included in the report. The fertility rates are sufficient, combined with immigration, to keep the U.S. population growing.
"It's the Hispanic population that is keeping us above water in terms of growth, in terms of births," said William Frey, a demographer for The Brookings Institution, a center-left policy-research organization in Washington, D.C., in an article in The Miami Herald.
Immigration, on the other hand, is less easily tracked. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that one of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, was Latino. In addition, the bureau also estimates that by 2050, 30 percent of the U.S. population will be Latino.
"A momentum is built into this as a result of past immigration," Jeffrey S. Passel, senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, told The New York Times. "In the 1970s, '80s and '90s, there were more Hispanic immigrants than births. This decade, there are more births than immigrants. Almost regardless of what you assume about future immigration, the country will be more Hispanic and Asian."
States are now cracking down hard on undocumented workers. During the past year alone, there have been high-profile raids in companies in Iowa and Mississippi, including a raid on a chicken factory in Iowa that netted 300 arrests of undocumented workers. And last month, police seized more than 600 undocumented workers in an immigration raid in Mississippi.
Meanwhile, the Arizona appeals court recently upheld a ruling that made it illegal for business owners to "knowingly" employ undocumented workers. Click here to find out what the immigration laws are in your state.
But the fate of immigration depends on who takes office in November. Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama have vastly differing views of on immigration.
While McCain supports tightening the borders and sending undocumented immigrants "to the back of the line" for citizenship, he steers clear of the issue during campaign rallies and press events. Obama supports tightening the borders and sending undocumented immigrants "to the back of the line" for citizenship and addresses immigration at campaign rallies and press events.
For more information on how both candidates stand on immigration and other key issues, check out the October issue of DiversityInc.
Poll in N.C. finds Latino illegla immigrants not wanted
Majority of N.C. wants oil drilling, poll finds
WRAL.com Sep. 22
Elon, N.C. — More than two-thirds of North Carolina residents favor drilling for oil off the state's coast, according to a poll released Monday.
Offshore drilling was among several issues addressed in the latest Elon University Poll. The poll surveyed 411 people statewide last week and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
The poll found that 68.8 percent support exploring and drilling for oil and natural gas and 78.6 percent said any fuel found in the effort should be reserved for U.S. consumption. More than half of those surveyed said that the companies doing the offshore drilling shouldn't own the rights to the oil.
In other issues, continuing economic instability has cast a pall over the outlook of North Carolinians. A third of respondents said they expected the national and state economies to improve next year, while 37.7 percent said they expected the national economic picture to get worse and 27 percent said the state economy would continue to decline, according to the poll.
Sixty-seven percent of those polled said they disapproved of President George W. Bush's handling of the economy.
Almost half of those polled said they would support a federally funded system for universal health care coverage, while 41.6 percent were opposed to such a plan. Forty-two percent of respondents said they thought a universal system would hurt them rather than help them, according to the poll.
Two-thirds of North Carolina residents are opposed to proposals to allow illegal Latino immigrants to remain in the U.S. even if they have jobs, according to the poll. More than 60 percent of respondents said illegal immigration is a very important issue, and 58.4 percent said Latino immigration has been bad for the U.S.
WRAL.com Sep. 22
Elon, N.C. — More than two-thirds of North Carolina residents favor drilling for oil off the state's coast, according to a poll released Monday.
Offshore drilling was among several issues addressed in the latest Elon University Poll. The poll surveyed 411 people statewide last week and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
The poll found that 68.8 percent support exploring and drilling for oil and natural gas and 78.6 percent said any fuel found in the effort should be reserved for U.S. consumption. More than half of those surveyed said that the companies doing the offshore drilling shouldn't own the rights to the oil.
In other issues, continuing economic instability has cast a pall over the outlook of North Carolinians. A third of respondents said they expected the national and state economies to improve next year, while 37.7 percent said they expected the national economic picture to get worse and 27 percent said the state economy would continue to decline, according to the poll.
Sixty-seven percent of those polled said they disapproved of President George W. Bush's handling of the economy.
Almost half of those polled said they would support a federally funded system for universal health care coverage, while 41.6 percent were opposed to such a plan. Forty-two percent of respondents said they thought a universal system would hurt them rather than help them, according to the poll.
Two-thirds of North Carolina residents are opposed to proposals to allow illegal Latino immigrants to remain in the U.S. even if they have jobs, according to the poll. More than 60 percent of respondents said illegal immigration is a very important issue, and 58.4 percent said Latino immigration has been bad for the U.S.
Latina conference planned for October in Arizona
23rd National Hispanic Women's Conference to Debut October 9 At the Phoenix Convention Center
Press Release
NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Phoenix, AZ, United States, 09/22/2008 - The Hispanic Women’s Corporation (HWC) is hosting the 23rd National Hispanic Women’s Conference and Expo on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 9-10, at the Phoenix Convention Center. “Latina Power: CALL TO ACTION” is this year’s conference theme.
The two-day conference is the largest gathering of Latinas in the country and will provide leadership and professional development to more than 2,500 participants while raising funds for college scholarships to benefit Latino students.
The conference kicks off Thursday, Oct. 9, with a Youth Leadership Institute targeting approximately 500 local-area school students. The Latina Power Expo will be open to the public both days – FREE of charge. Expect more than 150 exhibitors, including private, government, non-profit and health organizations. Various exhibitors will be accepting resumes and some will offer celebrity autograph sessions.
Attendees will also experience the Hispanic Women’s Corporation and Latino Future Magazine Charity Fashion Show and Reception presented by Macy’s and Saturn, a Division of General Motors, on Thursday, Oct. 9. Lingerie designer and Project Runway favorite, Ricky Lizalde, will be the Fashion Show’s special guest, courtesy of Saturn. In addition, the Fashion Show will showcase current styles and trends from national and international designers as seen in Macy’s stores nationwide.
The Scholarship Benefit Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10 will honor Rosa Rosales, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Mrs. Rosales has been an icon for the Hispanic community, dedicating much of her energy to promoting issues on education, civil rights, employment, housing, health, immigration and the rights for the elderly. 2008 Olympic Wrestling Gold Medal champion Henry Cejudo will make a special appearance at the luncheon to present the Latina Leadership award to his mother Nelly Rico, for overcoming obstacles faced as a single mother in her quest to raise seven children.
This year’s speakers and presenters include Maria Marin. She is an author, radio host, a national newspaper columnist and an international motivational speaker; Julie Stav, considered the financial expert for the more than 41 million Hispanics in the U.S., Kathy Cano-Murillo, known as Crafty Chica, is a nationally syndicated craft columnist and has become a leading force in America’s craft industry.
Also, CNN correspondent based in Los Angeles, Thelma Gutierrez, will join this year’s ensemble of special guests. Gutierrez has traveled to Kuwait and Mexico on assignment; and has reported on numerous issues including human trafficking, immigration and on the trials and tribulations facing those currently serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Key sponsors for the conference include:
Diamond Sponsors - Saturn a Division of General Motors, SRP, State Farm Insurance and Wells Fargo.
Platinum Sponsors - 12 News, azcentral.com, La Voz, The Arizona Republic, Latino Future Magazine and Prensa Hispana.
Gold Sponsors - APS, Ford Motor Company, Qwest Communications, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Silver Sponsors - Allstate Insurance, American Family Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Macy’s, Univision and Telefutura Arizona.
The Hispanic Women’s Corporation (hispanicwomen.org) was founded in 1981 and is a model organization, recognized as a 501 © (3) non-profit corporation known for being a proactive leader in the development of Hispanic women. HWC empowers women through its commitment to the culture by promoting higher education, community involvement, professional advancement and leadership development for the improvement of Latinas’ cultural quality of life.
For more information on the conference, to register or to purchase tickets to the fashion show, visit the website or call.
Press Release
NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Phoenix, AZ, United States, 09/22/2008 - The Hispanic Women’s Corporation (HWC) is hosting the 23rd National Hispanic Women’s Conference and Expo on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 9-10, at the Phoenix Convention Center. “Latina Power: CALL TO ACTION” is this year’s conference theme.
The two-day conference is the largest gathering of Latinas in the country and will provide leadership and professional development to more than 2,500 participants while raising funds for college scholarships to benefit Latino students.
The conference kicks off Thursday, Oct. 9, with a Youth Leadership Institute targeting approximately 500 local-area school students. The Latina Power Expo will be open to the public both days – FREE of charge. Expect more than 150 exhibitors, including private, government, non-profit and health organizations. Various exhibitors will be accepting resumes and some will offer celebrity autograph sessions.
Attendees will also experience the Hispanic Women’s Corporation and Latino Future Magazine Charity Fashion Show and Reception presented by Macy’s and Saturn, a Division of General Motors, on Thursday, Oct. 9. Lingerie designer and Project Runway favorite, Ricky Lizalde, will be the Fashion Show’s special guest, courtesy of Saturn. In addition, the Fashion Show will showcase current styles and trends from national and international designers as seen in Macy’s stores nationwide.
The Scholarship Benefit Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10 will honor Rosa Rosales, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Mrs. Rosales has been an icon for the Hispanic community, dedicating much of her energy to promoting issues on education, civil rights, employment, housing, health, immigration and the rights for the elderly. 2008 Olympic Wrestling Gold Medal champion Henry Cejudo will make a special appearance at the luncheon to present the Latina Leadership award to his mother Nelly Rico, for overcoming obstacles faced as a single mother in her quest to raise seven children.
This year’s speakers and presenters include Maria Marin. She is an author, radio host, a national newspaper columnist and an international motivational speaker; Julie Stav, considered the financial expert for the more than 41 million Hispanics in the U.S., Kathy Cano-Murillo, known as Crafty Chica, is a nationally syndicated craft columnist and has become a leading force in America’s craft industry.
Also, CNN correspondent based in Los Angeles, Thelma Gutierrez, will join this year’s ensemble of special guests. Gutierrez has traveled to Kuwait and Mexico on assignment; and has reported on numerous issues including human trafficking, immigration and on the trials and tribulations facing those currently serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Key sponsors for the conference include:
Diamond Sponsors - Saturn a Division of General Motors, SRP, State Farm Insurance and Wells Fargo.
Platinum Sponsors - 12 News, azcentral.com, La Voz, The Arizona Republic, Latino Future Magazine and Prensa Hispana.
Gold Sponsors - APS, Ford Motor Company, Qwest Communications, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Silver Sponsors - Allstate Insurance, American Family Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Macy’s, Univision and Telefutura Arizona.
The Hispanic Women’s Corporation (hispanicwomen.org) was founded in 1981 and is a model organization, recognized as a 501 © (3) non-profit corporation known for being a proactive leader in the development of Hispanic women. HWC empowers women through its commitment to the culture by promoting higher education, community involvement, professional advancement and leadership development for the improvement of Latinas’ cultural quality of life.
For more information on the conference, to register or to purchase tickets to the fashion show, visit the website or call.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Opinion: Political strategists haven't an idea of attracting Latino Voters
Things don't look good for Latino voters
Victor Landa - Victor Landa
How do you say, “Es la economía, estúpido”?
Sixteen years can turn a political catchphrase on its head. All it takes is a housing credit crisis run amok and a surprise vice-presidential pick.
But there's light in the middle of the tunnel. At mid-week, while the Fed, European and Asian national banks were pumping money to save markets, sales of the same frame of eyeglasses that Sarah Palin wears were considerably up. In 10 days, orders were two-thirds the annual average. Presidential politics operates in a strange glob of air.
The latest mortar fire in the presidential contest bubble came this past week from the Obama campaign. There's good news and bad news for the voters at large, there's triple mistakes for the democratic campaign machine, and there's bad news in general for the Latino voter.
Against my better judgment, we'll go first with the good news. Sarah Palin, at least for a day or so, was not the headline. The novelty of the first female Republican vice-presidential nominee is beginning to wear thin, and the hockey mom shtick is yesterday's news. The bad news is that the absence of Palin in the headlines does not mean that the campaigns have gotten any more bearable. Both camps continue to walk down the path of least relevance. And Obama was the latest to follow that road.
In a Spanish language television ad, the Obama side accused John McCain of being in lock-step with Rush Limbaugh on immigration. That's three times bad for the Democrats. They made the mistake of bringing Limbaugh into the mix, as if Limbaugh mattered. They erred in thinking that immigration is a front-burner issue for Latinos (the Spanish ad was obviously aimed at the Latino population), and they were wrong in thinking that Spanish television was far enough from the mainstream that the ad wouldn't be noticed by the country at large.
And finally, for the Latino voter, the ad is a sad reminder that national political strategists haven't the slightest idea about how to attract the Latino vote. It's also a reminder that the Latino voter is seen as unsophisticated, narrow minded, one-issue centered.
Outside the bubble, the news can't be ignored. The Department of Labor reported that 84,000 jobs were lost last month; unemployment rose to 6.1 percent. That's eight straight months of steady unemployment increases. For Latinos, the number is two points higher than the national average, and that's distressing for a population with a lower median income than the national average. Pile onto that the fact that, since 2000, households in general have seen a decrease of 0.6 percent in real median income, while Latino median income has fallen by 3.1 percent. La economía is a very palpable campaign issue.
The latest Pew Hispanic Center poll, which polled a little more than 2,000 Latino adults, found that 50 percent of those surveyed feel that the situation for Latinos is worse now than it was one year ago. And it's not just income and jobs that Latino folks are worried about. This is from the Pew statement regarding the study: “In the survey, nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status. Latinos say they are experiencing other difficulties because of their ethnicity. One-in-seven (15 percent) say that they have had trouble in the past year finding or keeping a job because they are Latino. One-in-ten (10 percent) report the same about finding or keeping housing.”
Yet the same Pew study found that 55 percent of registered Latino voters feel that Barack Obama is a better candidate for the Hispanic community. Eleven percent feel that John McCain is better. The rest see no difference between the two. Overall though, when asked whom they'd vote for in November, those surveyed favored Obama over McCain by 66 to 23 percent.
This can't be good for Latinos. If what they're getting from the Obama campaign is an ad referencing Limbaugh, what can they expect form an Obama White House? And if Republicans are in the Latino doghouse, how can they expect to make it to the White House?
To find the answers they need to be looking outside their bubbles.
vlanda@sbcglobal.net
Victor Landa - Victor Landa
How do you say, “Es la economía, estúpido”?
Sixteen years can turn a political catchphrase on its head. All it takes is a housing credit crisis run amok and a surprise vice-presidential pick.
But there's light in the middle of the tunnel. At mid-week, while the Fed, European and Asian national banks were pumping money to save markets, sales of the same frame of eyeglasses that Sarah Palin wears were considerably up. In 10 days, orders were two-thirds the annual average. Presidential politics operates in a strange glob of air.
The latest mortar fire in the presidential contest bubble came this past week from the Obama campaign. There's good news and bad news for the voters at large, there's triple mistakes for the democratic campaign machine, and there's bad news in general for the Latino voter.
Against my better judgment, we'll go first with the good news. Sarah Palin, at least for a day or so, was not the headline. The novelty of the first female Republican vice-presidential nominee is beginning to wear thin, and the hockey mom shtick is yesterday's news. The bad news is that the absence of Palin in the headlines does not mean that the campaigns have gotten any more bearable. Both camps continue to walk down the path of least relevance. And Obama was the latest to follow that road.
In a Spanish language television ad, the Obama side accused John McCain of being in lock-step with Rush Limbaugh on immigration. That's three times bad for the Democrats. They made the mistake of bringing Limbaugh into the mix, as if Limbaugh mattered. They erred in thinking that immigration is a front-burner issue for Latinos (the Spanish ad was obviously aimed at the Latino population), and they were wrong in thinking that Spanish television was far enough from the mainstream that the ad wouldn't be noticed by the country at large.
And finally, for the Latino voter, the ad is a sad reminder that national political strategists haven't the slightest idea about how to attract the Latino vote. It's also a reminder that the Latino voter is seen as unsophisticated, narrow minded, one-issue centered.
Outside the bubble, the news can't be ignored. The Department of Labor reported that 84,000 jobs were lost last month; unemployment rose to 6.1 percent. That's eight straight months of steady unemployment increases. For Latinos, the number is two points higher than the national average, and that's distressing for a population with a lower median income than the national average. Pile onto that the fact that, since 2000, households in general have seen a decrease of 0.6 percent in real median income, while Latino median income has fallen by 3.1 percent. La economía is a very palpable campaign issue.
The latest Pew Hispanic Center poll, which polled a little more than 2,000 Latino adults, found that 50 percent of those surveyed feel that the situation for Latinos is worse now than it was one year ago. And it's not just income and jobs that Latino folks are worried about. This is from the Pew statement regarding the study: “In the survey, nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status. Latinos say they are experiencing other difficulties because of their ethnicity. One-in-seven (15 percent) say that they have had trouble in the past year finding or keeping a job because they are Latino. One-in-ten (10 percent) report the same about finding or keeping housing.”
Yet the same Pew study found that 55 percent of registered Latino voters feel that Barack Obama is a better candidate for the Hispanic community. Eleven percent feel that John McCain is better. The rest see no difference between the two. Overall though, when asked whom they'd vote for in November, those surveyed favored Obama over McCain by 66 to 23 percent.
This can't be good for Latinos. If what they're getting from the Obama campaign is an ad referencing Limbaugh, what can they expect form an Obama White House? And if Republicans are in the Latino doghouse, how can they expect to make it to the White House?
To find the answers they need to be looking outside their bubbles.
vlanda@sbcglobal.net
Unity in Latino communities urged at Pennsylvania event
Latino Contributions to Pennsylvania, Nation Lauded at Evening Ceremony
Written by Editor, September 21, 2008
Pennsylvania celebrated the many contributions of Latinos this evening during a ceremony at the Capitol.
The State Official Hispanic Heritage Month event featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Juan Andrade Jr., president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute; a message from Alba Espinosa, a student at Penn State University; and a tribute to Sgt. Juan Chow-Kai, who has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Dr. Andrade is a Presidential Medal recipient and has earned five college degrees. As president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, he has helped to train more than 200,000 present and future leaders, registered more than 2 million voters, and has published hundreds of studies on Hispanic demographics.
"As we work to ensure equality, justice and prosperity for our Latino community, it is important to send a clear message about our collaborative efforts in strengthening and empowering through unity the Latino communities in Pennsylvania," said Norman Bristol Colon, executive director, Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. "This celebration acknowledges the vitality and accomplishments of the Latino community in Pennsylvania as an important element of the commonwealth and its future.
"With strategic alliances and initiatives, we will mold an agenda of progress in education, health, politics and the economy. When Latinos move closer to their American dream, we all move forward and closer to achieving a more perfect union."
The Hispanic Heritage Month Ceremony is hosted by the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs in conjunction with the Latino-Hispanic Professional Association of Central Pennsylvania, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania, and Estamos Unidos of Pennsylvania Inc.
CONTACT: Norman Bristol Colon, (717) 783-3877
Written by Editor, September 21, 2008
Pennsylvania celebrated the many contributions of Latinos this evening during a ceremony at the Capitol.
The State Official Hispanic Heritage Month event featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Juan Andrade Jr., president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute; a message from Alba Espinosa, a student at Penn State University; and a tribute to Sgt. Juan Chow-Kai, who has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Dr. Andrade is a Presidential Medal recipient and has earned five college degrees. As president of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, he has helped to train more than 200,000 present and future leaders, registered more than 2 million voters, and has published hundreds of studies on Hispanic demographics.
"As we work to ensure equality, justice and prosperity for our Latino community, it is important to send a clear message about our collaborative efforts in strengthening and empowering through unity the Latino communities in Pennsylvania," said Norman Bristol Colon, executive director, Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. "This celebration acknowledges the vitality and accomplishments of the Latino community in Pennsylvania as an important element of the commonwealth and its future.
"With strategic alliances and initiatives, we will mold an agenda of progress in education, health, politics and the economy. When Latinos move closer to their American dream, we all move forward and closer to achieving a more perfect union."
The Hispanic Heritage Month Ceremony is hosted by the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs in conjunction with the Latino-Hispanic Professional Association of Central Pennsylvania, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania, and Estamos Unidos of Pennsylvania Inc.
CONTACT: Norman Bristol Colon, (717) 783-3877
Hispanics meet to tackle important community issues
Community conversations: Local Hispanic leaders take on community crises
By David Plazas • Community conversation editor • September 21, 2008
When 60 local Hispanic leaders met for a Sept. 13 issues summit, they agreed that talk is cheap and they'd commit to tackling major problems afflicting the community.
Advertisement
They focused on education, health care, public safety and housing.
In Lee County, only 56 percent of Hispanics graduated with a public high school diploma, according to the Florida Department of Education.
A 2007 community visioning initiative led by Lee Memorial Health System found that only 50 percent of Hispanics have health insurance.
Law enforcement is seeking more Spanish-speaking officers to help solve crimes. Hispanics have been disproportionately affected by the subprime mortgage crisis - many of the surnames involving foreclosure filings are Hispanic.
Hispanics make up about 15 percent of Lee County's 600,000 residents - it mirrors the national percentage.
Both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are courting this key swing vote, which could affect the outcome of the election.
In addition, Hispanics are roughly a $1 trillion market and a core constituency of numerous businesses and enterprises.
The News-Press organized the event at Hodges University along with gacetatropical.com, the Interdenominational Association of Pastors and Ministers of Southwest Florida and Desde Adentro TV. It was inspired by a conversation with Rev. Israel Suarez, executive director of the Nations Association, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary.
At the summit experts presented summaries on the four areas mentioned above.
They were Lee County Sheriff's Lt. Robert Forrest, financial expert and Realtor Rocio Cuellar, Dr. Jorge Quinonez of the Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida and Carmen Rey-Gomez, new director of Hodges' Hispanic Institute. Lee County Judge Maria Gonzalez was the keynote speaker, and Suarez spoke about the need to exercise one's right to vote.
The participants, representing law, government, education, health care and business, brainstormed solutions.
While immigration has dominated the news and discussions, it was absent from the summit because it is a problem in need of a federal solution.
The local solutions the leaders developed were threefold:
• Education is key, in terms of greater access to information and involvement by parents in their children's education.
• Creating a network that would allow community leaders to stay connected and informed.
• Staying focused and united on resolving these problems.
A project like this to explore local problems and find solutions is consistent with The News-Press' community conversation goals.
The News-Press is also a sponsor of the Lee County Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board's Sept. 30 banquet, which can be an opportunity for the entire community, not just Hispanics, to invest in a better Lee County.
This is a two-way street and we must insist upon all residents to integrate into society and join the growing ranks of doers.
By David Plazas • Community conversation editor • September 21, 2008
When 60 local Hispanic leaders met for a Sept. 13 issues summit, they agreed that talk is cheap and they'd commit to tackling major problems afflicting the community.
Advertisement
They focused on education, health care, public safety and housing.
In Lee County, only 56 percent of Hispanics graduated with a public high school diploma, according to the Florida Department of Education.
A 2007 community visioning initiative led by Lee Memorial Health System found that only 50 percent of Hispanics have health insurance.
Law enforcement is seeking more Spanish-speaking officers to help solve crimes. Hispanics have been disproportionately affected by the subprime mortgage crisis - many of the surnames involving foreclosure filings are Hispanic.
Hispanics make up about 15 percent of Lee County's 600,000 residents - it mirrors the national percentage.
Both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are courting this key swing vote, which could affect the outcome of the election.
In addition, Hispanics are roughly a $1 trillion market and a core constituency of numerous businesses and enterprises.
The News-Press organized the event at Hodges University along with gacetatropical.com, the Interdenominational Association of Pastors and Ministers of Southwest Florida and Desde Adentro TV. It was inspired by a conversation with Rev. Israel Suarez, executive director of the Nations Association, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary.
At the summit experts presented summaries on the four areas mentioned above.
They were Lee County Sheriff's Lt. Robert Forrest, financial expert and Realtor Rocio Cuellar, Dr. Jorge Quinonez of the Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida and Carmen Rey-Gomez, new director of Hodges' Hispanic Institute. Lee County Judge Maria Gonzalez was the keynote speaker, and Suarez spoke about the need to exercise one's right to vote.
The participants, representing law, government, education, health care and business, brainstormed solutions.
While immigration has dominated the news and discussions, it was absent from the summit because it is a problem in need of a federal solution.
The local solutions the leaders developed were threefold:
• Education is key, in terms of greater access to information and involvement by parents in their children's education.
• Creating a network that would allow community leaders to stay connected and informed.
• Staying focused and united on resolving these problems.
A project like this to explore local problems and find solutions is consistent with The News-Press' community conversation goals.
The News-Press is also a sponsor of the Lee County Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board's Sept. 30 banquet, which can be an opportunity for the entire community, not just Hispanics, to invest in a better Lee County.
This is a two-way street and we must insist upon all residents to integrate into society and join the growing ranks of doers.
Florida poll says Hispanics favor McCain not Obama
Hispanics favor McCain in Florida
By Luis F. Perez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel, September 21, 2008
Florida Hispanics are going against the national grain in the presidential race, two new surveys show.
A Sun Sentinel-Florida Times-Union poll found that 48 percent of likely Hispanic voters in Florida back Republican presidential candidate John McCain, compared with 41 percent who support Democratic candidate Barack Obama. Ten percent remain undecided.
In contrast, a Pew Hispanic Center poll released Thursday shows Hispanic registered voters across the country favor Obama over McCain, 66 percent to 23 percent. It found that half of all Latinos across the country think the situation has worsened for them over the past year. The reasons: a slumping economy and stepped-up immigration enforcement.
A third poll released Sept. 10 by NDN, a Democratic-leaning, Washington, D.C.-based think tank, found that from 74 percent to 86 percent of Hispanics in four swing states — New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Florida — said the immigration issue was an important factor in their voting decision. Immigration ranked as the eighth-most important issue for all Florida voters; the economy and jobs ranked number one, the newspaper poll shows.
Related links
*
Florida Presidential Poll: Florida's in play
Simon Rosenberg, NDN president and founder, said the tenor of the debate has warped from an anti-immigrant argument into an anti-Hispanic climate that Latinos are responding to — even those historically not immersed in the immigration issue, like Cubans and Puerto Ricans.
Diana Osorio of Hollywood, a native of Colombia who came here 12 years ago, said immigration reform drove about 90 percent of her decision to support Obama.
Zulyn Guerrero, 22 and a native of Venezuela, said she became a citizen three months ago, in part, to vote in this election. "I came here thinking things would be a lot better," Guerrero said. "It turns out thing are getting worse."
She plans to vote for Obama.
Luis Parra, the owner of the Tienda Vieja Colombian Restaurant and Bakery in Hollywood, said he's a Democrat, but supports McCain. For him, the issue of immigration reform comes second to economic concerns.
Luis F. Perez can be reached at lfperez@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4553.
By Luis F. Perez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel, September 21, 2008
Florida Hispanics are going against the national grain in the presidential race, two new surveys show.
A Sun Sentinel-Florida Times-Union poll found that 48 percent of likely Hispanic voters in Florida back Republican presidential candidate John McCain, compared with 41 percent who support Democratic candidate Barack Obama. Ten percent remain undecided.
In contrast, a Pew Hispanic Center poll released Thursday shows Hispanic registered voters across the country favor Obama over McCain, 66 percent to 23 percent. It found that half of all Latinos across the country think the situation has worsened for them over the past year. The reasons: a slumping economy and stepped-up immigration enforcement.
A third poll released Sept. 10 by NDN, a Democratic-leaning, Washington, D.C.-based think tank, found that from 74 percent to 86 percent of Hispanics in four swing states — New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Florida — said the immigration issue was an important factor in their voting decision. Immigration ranked as the eighth-most important issue for all Florida voters; the economy and jobs ranked number one, the newspaper poll shows.
Related links
*
Florida Presidential Poll: Florida's in play
Simon Rosenberg, NDN president and founder, said the tenor of the debate has warped from an anti-immigrant argument into an anti-Hispanic climate that Latinos are responding to — even those historically not immersed in the immigration issue, like Cubans and Puerto Ricans.
Diana Osorio of Hollywood, a native of Colombia who came here 12 years ago, said immigration reform drove about 90 percent of her decision to support Obama.
Zulyn Guerrero, 22 and a native of Venezuela, said she became a citizen three months ago, in part, to vote in this election. "I came here thinking things would be a lot better," Guerrero said. "It turns out thing are getting worse."
She plans to vote for Obama.
Luis Parra, the owner of the Tienda Vieja Colombian Restaurant and Bakery in Hollywood, said he's a Democrat, but supports McCain. For him, the issue of immigration reform comes second to economic concerns.
Luis F. Perez can be reached at lfperez@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4553.
Hispanic population growth will effect political clout
Vibrant Hispanic community sees political clout in future
By DEBORAH HIRSCH • Courier-Post Staff • September 21, 2008
CAMDEN — Shoppers greet each other in Spanish as they maneuver past colorful storefronts along Federal Street in East Camden.
One after another, they pass taco stands, Mexican restaurants, "pastelerias" or bakeries, and other businesses geared toward Hispanics. Salsa music blaring from a car cruising down the street adds to the cacophony.
Teresa Reyes remembers when she had only three Hispanic restaurants to choose from on Federal Street five years ago. The associate director of the Ramiro Center, a social justice program, also recalls how she was "one of the only Mexicans around" when she moved to Camden 20 years ago.
"It's a new community," Reyes said.
While Camden's population has declined over the past 40 years, the number of Hispanics has exploded -- especially Mexicans and Dominicans.
Nationwide, Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority, now accounting for 15 percent of the population.
In Camden, though, Hispanics made up more than 40 percent of the city's 73,123 residents in 2006, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. Local leaders say that percentage would be even larger if it were not so difficult to count the city's escalating population of undocumented workers.
Leaders will get a clearer picture of the community's makeup Tuesday, when the bureau is scheduled to release 2007 data.
The city's demographic shift is obvious in North and East Camden, where businesses post signs in Spanish to solicit customers and churches organize bilingual Masses honoring patron saints from Mexico and Puerto Rico.
It is not so obvious in city and government leadership. Hispanic community leaders say they aren't adequately represented in city government, school staff or elected officials.
"The potential here is for the Latino community to have a huge impact on the state," said Manny Delgado, director of the Cramer Hill Community Development Corporation. "People aren't galvanizing for whatever reason to do that."
That could change, community leaders said, if Hispanic residents learn to use their strength in numbers to improve their quality of life.
Population shift
The Census Bureau has data on Camden's Hispanic population dating back to 1970. By then, Puerto Ricans had already formed the base of the city's Hispanic community.
As part of a government program to aid the country's industry during World War II, Campbell Soup Co. secured a contract to hire 1,000 workers from Puerto Rico in the 1940s. Some stayed after the contract ended; others moved elsewhere in South Jersey or to Pennsylvania, said Rutgers-Camden history professor Howard Gillette.
By 1960, Gillette estimated that 6,000 Puerto Ricans were working in Camden. At that time, he said, manufacturing was at its peak and more than 125,000 people lived in the city.
As jobs began to disappear and race riots erupted in the early 1970s, white residents moved to the suburbs. Hispanics, taking advantage of the affordable housing, formed communities near churches in North and South Camden, Gillette said.
The population remained predominately Puerto Rican until the 1990s, when a wave of Dominicans moved in, Gillette said. The Mexican population began taking off in the past decade.
The majority of the recent Mexican immigrants have come from the state of Puebla, drawn by extended family or friends who first moved to Camden. Others came for the promise of jobs.
Angel Cordero, outreach coordinator for Excellent Education for Everyone, said illegal immigrants are also flocking to Camden because they've heard that city and government officials have bigger issues to worry about than their legal status.
"They feel like they have found a place where they are not persecuted," explained Zoraida Gonzalez Torres, a volunteer for Camden Churches Organized for People. "Camden allows them to grow. They can celebrate Cinco de Mayo. They can celebrate Independence Day in September. They have a big park in Cramer Hill to play soccer. They have been given a place."
Community Impact
Today, Cramer Hill and parts of North and East Camden have become established Hispanic communities, said Derek Ziegler, former director of CAMConnect, an independent local data and information group. Ziegler said neighborhoods such as Fairview, Central Waterfront, and Lanning Square are also seeing a rise in Hispanic population.
The growth is reflected in public school enrollment, where Hispanic youths made up 46 percent of Camden School District's student body in 2007-08. That's up about 8 percent in the past decade.
Migdalia Soto, director of bilingual education, estimated that more than half of the 1,250 students in her programs are Hispanic.
By DEBORAH HIRSCH • Courier-Post Staff • September 21, 2008
CAMDEN — Shoppers greet each other in Spanish as they maneuver past colorful storefronts along Federal Street in East Camden.
One after another, they pass taco stands, Mexican restaurants, "pastelerias" or bakeries, and other businesses geared toward Hispanics. Salsa music blaring from a car cruising down the street adds to the cacophony.
Teresa Reyes remembers when she had only three Hispanic restaurants to choose from on Federal Street five years ago. The associate director of the Ramiro Center, a social justice program, also recalls how she was "one of the only Mexicans around" when she moved to Camden 20 years ago.
"It's a new community," Reyes said.
While Camden's population has declined over the past 40 years, the number of Hispanics has exploded -- especially Mexicans and Dominicans.
Nationwide, Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority, now accounting for 15 percent of the population.
In Camden, though, Hispanics made up more than 40 percent of the city's 73,123 residents in 2006, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. Local leaders say that percentage would be even larger if it were not so difficult to count the city's escalating population of undocumented workers.
Leaders will get a clearer picture of the community's makeup Tuesday, when the bureau is scheduled to release 2007 data.
The city's demographic shift is obvious in North and East Camden, where businesses post signs in Spanish to solicit customers and churches organize bilingual Masses honoring patron saints from Mexico and Puerto Rico.
It is not so obvious in city and government leadership. Hispanic community leaders say they aren't adequately represented in city government, school staff or elected officials.
"The potential here is for the Latino community to have a huge impact on the state," said Manny Delgado, director of the Cramer Hill Community Development Corporation. "People aren't galvanizing for whatever reason to do that."
That could change, community leaders said, if Hispanic residents learn to use their strength in numbers to improve their quality of life.
Population shift
The Census Bureau has data on Camden's Hispanic population dating back to 1970. By then, Puerto Ricans had already formed the base of the city's Hispanic community.
As part of a government program to aid the country's industry during World War II, Campbell Soup Co. secured a contract to hire 1,000 workers from Puerto Rico in the 1940s. Some stayed after the contract ended; others moved elsewhere in South Jersey or to Pennsylvania, said Rutgers-Camden history professor Howard Gillette.
By 1960, Gillette estimated that 6,000 Puerto Ricans were working in Camden. At that time, he said, manufacturing was at its peak and more than 125,000 people lived in the city.
As jobs began to disappear and race riots erupted in the early 1970s, white residents moved to the suburbs. Hispanics, taking advantage of the affordable housing, formed communities near churches in North and South Camden, Gillette said.
The population remained predominately Puerto Rican until the 1990s, when a wave of Dominicans moved in, Gillette said. The Mexican population began taking off in the past decade.
The majority of the recent Mexican immigrants have come from the state of Puebla, drawn by extended family or friends who first moved to Camden. Others came for the promise of jobs.
Angel Cordero, outreach coordinator for Excellent Education for Everyone, said illegal immigrants are also flocking to Camden because they've heard that city and government officials have bigger issues to worry about than their legal status.
"They feel like they have found a place where they are not persecuted," explained Zoraida Gonzalez Torres, a volunteer for Camden Churches Organized for People. "Camden allows them to grow. They can celebrate Cinco de Mayo. They can celebrate Independence Day in September. They have a big park in Cramer Hill to play soccer. They have been given a place."
Community Impact
Today, Cramer Hill and parts of North and East Camden have become established Hispanic communities, said Derek Ziegler, former director of CAMConnect, an independent local data and information group. Ziegler said neighborhoods such as Fairview, Central Waterfront, and Lanning Square are also seeing a rise in Hispanic population.
The growth is reflected in public school enrollment, where Hispanic youths made up 46 percent of Camden School District's student body in 2007-08. That's up about 8 percent in the past decade.
Migdalia Soto, director of bilingual education, estimated that more than half of the 1,250 students in her programs are Hispanic.
Hispanic immigrants lured by farm work
Farm work brings many to county
By Lorie Love, Register Assistant Editor
A strong agricultural base attracts many Hispanic immigrants to work in and eventually settle in Madison County.
When many Hispanics first began immigrating to the area, it was to work on tobacco farms, said Rona Comley, advocate/recruiter for the Madison County Migrant Program, a federal program that offers assistance to migrant families.
“The tobacco season was long enough that it kept the family here and employed for a lengthy amount of time,” Comley said, adding that it could last from six to eight months.
Some of the workers would bring their families; others would come to work and send for their families once they were established.
Hispanic men typically would work on farms in southern states before working their way to Kentucky, she said.
In recent years, the number of tobacco farms has decreased because of the tobacco buyout. Now, there are fewer farmers raising tobacco, but most of those raise more crops than they did in the past, she said.
“That’s when a flux of several Hispanic men (age 15 and older) would come in, in groups, and start taking over, like contracting and doing a farmer’s tobacco work,” Comley said. “The men usually live, four, five or six of them together and get by on the very minimum and send their money home to their families.”
Although Kentucky is not a typical migratory state, Comley said the number of Hispanic immigrants locating in Madison County seems to be higher this year, compared with the past few years.
Added to that is the fact that at this time of the year, there usually are more migrant workers, she said.
In years past, there was no question about hiring immigrant workers to do farm work, Comley said. But recent pressure to control illegal immigration has caused some farmers to be more cautious, she said.
“Whether they ask or not, if a person tells you, ‘This is my Social Security number,’ then they go on their word,” Comley said. “I really can’t speak for the farmer, but I know that some probably do ask for it and some don’t. If they don’t have documentation, some may not hire. Others probably do hire. I think it just depends on their other labor and stuff they have. There may be farmers paying cash and not asking.”
Pay on American farms is a stark contrast to what is paid in Mexico, Comley said.
An average hourly rate of pay is about $6 an hour to work on tobacco farms, Comley said. She based that figure on discussions she has had with migrant workers she encounters in her program.
“I have checked around, and $5 would be probably the lowest pay per hour. Eight dollars for just regular labor would be on the high end,” she said. “Someone who has been with a farmer say, two to three years and knows how to run all the equipment, might get $10 an hour, but I think that would be stretching it.”
She said some pay might include housing, but most of the time it does not. In the past, many migrant workers would work off their rent, but it is a dying practice.
“A lot of them will live in town in apartments, a couple or three families together. There may be a trailer or such on the place, or a tented home,” she said.
A Hispanic family who recently moved to Madison County told Comley they spent the summer picking blueberries in Michigan. They were paid 35 cents per pound, which is about 200 or 300 blueberries, and worked about 10 hours a day, she said.
They came back to Madison County to work in tobacco.
In Mexico, a man or woman might have to work for a month to make the kind of pay they can make in one day on an American farm, Comley said.
“I know that if they work here three or five years and send the majority (of the money) home, I’ve had them tell me that in that three-to-five-year period, their families at home have been able to build a nice home to live in,” Comley said.
Despite some who say that undocumented workers take jobs from Americans, Comley said she does not think that is entirely true.
“The farmers would want whoever will come to work, whether it’s Hispanic or non-Hispanic. But it seems like, especially if a group of Hispanics come in and contract a job, it’s going to be more difficult to find a group of Americans to contract the job. They don’t contract together like the Hispanics do.”
By Lorie Love, Register Assistant Editor
A strong agricultural base attracts many Hispanic immigrants to work in and eventually settle in Madison County.
When many Hispanics first began immigrating to the area, it was to work on tobacco farms, said Rona Comley, advocate/recruiter for the Madison County Migrant Program, a federal program that offers assistance to migrant families.
“The tobacco season was long enough that it kept the family here and employed for a lengthy amount of time,” Comley said, adding that it could last from six to eight months.
Some of the workers would bring their families; others would come to work and send for their families once they were established.
Hispanic men typically would work on farms in southern states before working their way to Kentucky, she said.
In recent years, the number of tobacco farms has decreased because of the tobacco buyout. Now, there are fewer farmers raising tobacco, but most of those raise more crops than they did in the past, she said.
“That’s when a flux of several Hispanic men (age 15 and older) would come in, in groups, and start taking over, like contracting and doing a farmer’s tobacco work,” Comley said. “The men usually live, four, five or six of them together and get by on the very minimum and send their money home to their families.”
Although Kentucky is not a typical migratory state, Comley said the number of Hispanic immigrants locating in Madison County seems to be higher this year, compared with the past few years.
Added to that is the fact that at this time of the year, there usually are more migrant workers, she said.
In years past, there was no question about hiring immigrant workers to do farm work, Comley said. But recent pressure to control illegal immigration has caused some farmers to be more cautious, she said.
“Whether they ask or not, if a person tells you, ‘This is my Social Security number,’ then they go on their word,” Comley said. “I really can’t speak for the farmer, but I know that some probably do ask for it and some don’t. If they don’t have documentation, some may not hire. Others probably do hire. I think it just depends on their other labor and stuff they have. There may be farmers paying cash and not asking.”
Pay on American farms is a stark contrast to what is paid in Mexico, Comley said.
An average hourly rate of pay is about $6 an hour to work on tobacco farms, Comley said. She based that figure on discussions she has had with migrant workers she encounters in her program.
“I have checked around, and $5 would be probably the lowest pay per hour. Eight dollars for just regular labor would be on the high end,” she said. “Someone who has been with a farmer say, two to three years and knows how to run all the equipment, might get $10 an hour, but I think that would be stretching it.”
She said some pay might include housing, but most of the time it does not. In the past, many migrant workers would work off their rent, but it is a dying practice.
“A lot of them will live in town in apartments, a couple or three families together. There may be a trailer or such on the place, or a tented home,” she said.
A Hispanic family who recently moved to Madison County told Comley they spent the summer picking blueberries in Michigan. They were paid 35 cents per pound, which is about 200 or 300 blueberries, and worked about 10 hours a day, she said.
They came back to Madison County to work in tobacco.
In Mexico, a man or woman might have to work for a month to make the kind of pay they can make in one day on an American farm, Comley said.
“I know that if they work here three or five years and send the majority (of the money) home, I’ve had them tell me that in that three-to-five-year period, their families at home have been able to build a nice home to live in,” Comley said.
Despite some who say that undocumented workers take jobs from Americans, Comley said she does not think that is entirely true.
“The farmers would want whoever will come to work, whether it’s Hispanic or non-Hispanic. But it seems like, especially if a group of Hispanics come in and contract a job, it’s going to be more difficult to find a group of Americans to contract the job. They don’t contract together like the Hispanics do.”
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Are Hispanics next to notice the elephant in the room?
Survey Links Racial Views to Obama’s Polls Numbers
by FOXNews.com, September 20, 2008
The specter of a presidential election influenced by racial misgivings is prompting debate in the political arena, as analysts examine whether voter prejudices will diminish Barack Obama’s chances of becoming the first black president.
A new AP-Yahoo News poll suggests that racial attitudes could still threaten Obama, and he and his supporters have raised the issue on the campaign trail in recent weeks. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday suggested the race was so close because Obama is black.
“Have any of you noticed that Barack Obama is part African-American?” the Democratic supporter said. “That may be a factor. All the code language, all that doesn’t show up in the polls. And that may be a factor for some people.”
Though that argument is countered by Obama’s strong primary performance is mostly white states like Iowa, the AP-Yahoo News survey, conducted with Stanford University, found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks — many calling them “lazy,” “violent” or responsible for their own troubles.
Certainly, Republican John McCain has his own obstacles: He’s an ally of an unpopular president and would be the nation’s oldest first-term president. But Obama faces this: 40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward blacks, and that includes many Democrats and independents.
More than a third of all white Democrats and independents — voters Obama can’t win the White House without — agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, according to the survey, and they are significantly less likely to vote for Obama than those who don’t have such views.
Such numbers are a harsh dose of reality in a campaign for the history books. Obama, the first black candidate with a serious shot at the presidency, accepted the Democratic nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a seminal moment for a nation that enshrined slavery in its Constitution.
The issue of race bubbled up repeatedly during the Democratic primary. Bill Clinton at one point dismissed Obama’s South Carolina victory as akin to Jesse Jackson’s 20 years ago. Former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro suggested that Obama only got where he did because he’s black. On the flip side, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell candidly said some white voters simply would not vote for Obama.
But as the general election moved into full swing, the issue returned. Obama told donors in July that Republicans would try to make voters “afraid” of him, and mentioned his “funny name” and race as possible ammunition for his detractors.
Sebelius this week revived Democratic fears of a “Bradley effect,” a political phenomenon in which African-American candidates fare better in opinion polls than in actual elections. The effect is named for black Democrat Tom Bradley, who lost the California governor’s race in 1982 even though he was ahead in the polls.
Currently, most polls show Obama tied with John McCain. But if there is a Bradley effect, such polls could be masking a McCain lead.
Jacob Weisberg argued in a column in the Sept. 1 edition of Newsweek that Obama is suffering in the polls from racial biases.
“If it makes you feel better, you can rationalize Obama’s missing 10-point lead on the basis of Clintonite sulkiness, his slowness in responding to attacks or the concern that he may be too handsome, brilliant and cool to be elected. But let’s be honest: the reason Obama isn’t ahead right now is that he trails badly among one group, older white voters. He lags with them for a simple reason: the color of his skin,” he wrote.
There are several other reasons to which the tight race can be attributed. Voters still tend to trust McCain more on issues of foreign policy and national security. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate seems to have energized the conservative base and has the potential to attract moderate women voters. And despite Weisberg’s argument, polls show a chunk of Clinton supporters have trended away from their own party.
But pollsters in the latest survey set out to determine why Obama is locked in a close race with McCain even as the political landscape seems to favor Democrats. President Bush’s unpopularity, the Iraq war and a national sense of economic hard times cut against GOP candidates, as does that fact that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans.
The findings suggest that Obama’s problem is close to home — among his fellow Democrats, particularly non-Hispanic white voters. Just seven in 10 people who call themselves Democrats support Obama, compared to the 85 percent of self-identified Republicans who back McCain.
The survey also focused on the racial attitudes of independent voters because they are likely to decide the election.
Lots of Republicans harbor prejudices, too, but the survey found they weren’t voting against Obama because of his race. Most Republicans wouldn’t vote for any Democrat for president — white, black or brown.
Not all whites are prejudiced. Indeed, more whites say good things about blacks than say bad things, the poll shows. And many whites who see blacks in a negative light are still willing or even eager to vote for Obama.
On the other side of the racial question, the Illinois Democrat is drawing almost unanimous support from blacks, the poll shows, though that probably wouldn’t be enough to counter the negative effect of some whites’ views.
Race is not the biggest factor driving Democrats and independents away from Obama. Doubts about his competency loom even larger, the poll indicates. More than a quarter of all Democrats expressed doubt that Obama can bring about the change they want, and they are likely to vote against him because of that.
Three in 10 of those Democrats who don’t trust Obama’s change-making credentials say they plan to vote for McCain.
Still, the effects of whites’ racial views are apparent in the polling.
Statistical models derived from the poll suggest that Obama’s support would be as much as 6 percentage points higher if there were no white racial prejudice.
But in an election without precedent, it’s hard to know if such models take into account all the possible factors at play.
The AP-Yahoo poll used the unique methodology of Knowledge Networks, a Menlo Park, Calif., firm that interviews people online after randomly selecting and screening them over telephone. Numerous studies have shown that people are more likely to report embarrassing behavior and unpopular opinions when answering questions on a computer rather than talking to a stranger.
Other techniques used in the poll included recording people’s responses to black or white faces flashed on a computer screen, asking participants to rate how well certain adjectives apply to blacks, measuring whether people believe blacks’ troubles are their own fault, and simply asking people how much they like or dislike blacks.
Given a choice of several positive and negative adjectives that might describe blacks, 20 percent of all whites said the word “violent” strongly applied. Among other words, 22 percent agreed with “boastful,” 29 percent “complaining,” 13 percent “lazy” and 11 percent “irresponsible.” When asked about positive adjectives, whites were more likely to stay on the fence than give a strongly positive assessment.
Among white Democrats, one-third cited a negative adjective and, of those, 58 percent said they planned to back Obama.
The poll sought to measure latent prejudices among whites by asking about factors contributing to the state of black America. One finding: More than a quarter of white Democrats agree that “if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.”
Those who agreed with that statement were much less likely to back Obama than those who didn’t.
Among white independents, racial stereotyping is not uncommon. For example, while about 20 percent of independent voters called blacks “intelligent” or “smart,” more than one third latched on the adjective “complaining” and 24 percent said blacks were “violent.”
Nearly four in 10 white independents agreed that blacks would be better off if they “try harder.”
The survey broke ground by incorporating images of black and white faces to measure implicit racial attitudes, or prejudices that are so deeply rooted that people may not realize they have them. That test suggested the incidence of racial prejudice is even higher, with more than half of whites revealing more negative feelings toward blacks than whites.
Researchers used mathematical modeling to sort out the relative impact of a huge swath of variables that might have an impact on people’s votes — including race, ideology, party identification, the hunger for change and the sentiments of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s backers.
Just 59 percent of her white Democratic supporters said they wanted Obama to be president. Nearly 17 percent of Clinton’s white backers plan to vote for McCain.
Among white Democrats, Clinton supporters were nearly twice as likely as Obama backers to say at least one negative adjective described blacks well, a finding that suggests many of her supporters in the primaries — particularly whites with high school education or less — were motivated in part by racial attitudes.
The survey of 2,227 adults was conducted Aug. 27 to Sept. 5. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
FOX News’ Bill Sammon and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
by FOXNews.com, September 20, 2008
The specter of a presidential election influenced by racial misgivings is prompting debate in the political arena, as analysts examine whether voter prejudices will diminish Barack Obama’s chances of becoming the first black president.
A new AP-Yahoo News poll suggests that racial attitudes could still threaten Obama, and he and his supporters have raised the issue on the campaign trail in recent weeks. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday suggested the race was so close because Obama is black.
“Have any of you noticed that Barack Obama is part African-American?” the Democratic supporter said. “That may be a factor. All the code language, all that doesn’t show up in the polls. And that may be a factor for some people.”
Though that argument is countered by Obama’s strong primary performance is mostly white states like Iowa, the AP-Yahoo News survey, conducted with Stanford University, found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks — many calling them “lazy,” “violent” or responsible for their own troubles.
Certainly, Republican John McCain has his own obstacles: He’s an ally of an unpopular president and would be the nation’s oldest first-term president. But Obama faces this: 40 percent of all white Americans hold at least a partly negative view toward blacks, and that includes many Democrats and independents.
More than a third of all white Democrats and independents — voters Obama can’t win the White House without — agreed with at least one negative adjective about blacks, according to the survey, and they are significantly less likely to vote for Obama than those who don’t have such views.
Such numbers are a harsh dose of reality in a campaign for the history books. Obama, the first black candidate with a serious shot at the presidency, accepted the Democratic nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a seminal moment for a nation that enshrined slavery in its Constitution.
The issue of race bubbled up repeatedly during the Democratic primary. Bill Clinton at one point dismissed Obama’s South Carolina victory as akin to Jesse Jackson’s 20 years ago. Former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro suggested that Obama only got where he did because he’s black. On the flip side, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell candidly said some white voters simply would not vote for Obama.
But as the general election moved into full swing, the issue returned. Obama told donors in July that Republicans would try to make voters “afraid” of him, and mentioned his “funny name” and race as possible ammunition for his detractors.
Sebelius this week revived Democratic fears of a “Bradley effect,” a political phenomenon in which African-American candidates fare better in opinion polls than in actual elections. The effect is named for black Democrat Tom Bradley, who lost the California governor’s race in 1982 even though he was ahead in the polls.
Currently, most polls show Obama tied with John McCain. But if there is a Bradley effect, such polls could be masking a McCain lead.
Jacob Weisberg argued in a column in the Sept. 1 edition of Newsweek that Obama is suffering in the polls from racial biases.
“If it makes you feel better, you can rationalize Obama’s missing 10-point lead on the basis of Clintonite sulkiness, his slowness in responding to attacks or the concern that he may be too handsome, brilliant and cool to be elected. But let’s be honest: the reason Obama isn’t ahead right now is that he trails badly among one group, older white voters. He lags with them for a simple reason: the color of his skin,” he wrote.
There are several other reasons to which the tight race can be attributed. Voters still tend to trust McCain more on issues of foreign policy and national security. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate seems to have energized the conservative base and has the potential to attract moderate women voters. And despite Weisberg’s argument, polls show a chunk of Clinton supporters have trended away from their own party.
But pollsters in the latest survey set out to determine why Obama is locked in a close race with McCain even as the political landscape seems to favor Democrats. President Bush’s unpopularity, the Iraq war and a national sense of economic hard times cut against GOP candidates, as does that fact that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans.
The findings suggest that Obama’s problem is close to home — among his fellow Democrats, particularly non-Hispanic white voters. Just seven in 10 people who call themselves Democrats support Obama, compared to the 85 percent of self-identified Republicans who back McCain.
The survey also focused on the racial attitudes of independent voters because they are likely to decide the election.
Lots of Republicans harbor prejudices, too, but the survey found they weren’t voting against Obama because of his race. Most Republicans wouldn’t vote for any Democrat for president — white, black or brown.
Not all whites are prejudiced. Indeed, more whites say good things about blacks than say bad things, the poll shows. And many whites who see blacks in a negative light are still willing or even eager to vote for Obama.
On the other side of the racial question, the Illinois Democrat is drawing almost unanimous support from blacks, the poll shows, though that probably wouldn’t be enough to counter the negative effect of some whites’ views.
Race is not the biggest factor driving Democrats and independents away from Obama. Doubts about his competency loom even larger, the poll indicates. More than a quarter of all Democrats expressed doubt that Obama can bring about the change they want, and they are likely to vote against him because of that.
Three in 10 of those Democrats who don’t trust Obama’s change-making credentials say they plan to vote for McCain.
Still, the effects of whites’ racial views are apparent in the polling.
Statistical models derived from the poll suggest that Obama’s support would be as much as 6 percentage points higher if there were no white racial prejudice.
But in an election without precedent, it’s hard to know if such models take into account all the possible factors at play.
The AP-Yahoo poll used the unique methodology of Knowledge Networks, a Menlo Park, Calif., firm that interviews people online after randomly selecting and screening them over telephone. Numerous studies have shown that people are more likely to report embarrassing behavior and unpopular opinions when answering questions on a computer rather than talking to a stranger.
Other techniques used in the poll included recording people’s responses to black or white faces flashed on a computer screen, asking participants to rate how well certain adjectives apply to blacks, measuring whether people believe blacks’ troubles are their own fault, and simply asking people how much they like or dislike blacks.
Given a choice of several positive and negative adjectives that might describe blacks, 20 percent of all whites said the word “violent” strongly applied. Among other words, 22 percent agreed with “boastful,” 29 percent “complaining,” 13 percent “lazy” and 11 percent “irresponsible.” When asked about positive adjectives, whites were more likely to stay on the fence than give a strongly positive assessment.
Among white Democrats, one-third cited a negative adjective and, of those, 58 percent said they planned to back Obama.
The poll sought to measure latent prejudices among whites by asking about factors contributing to the state of black America. One finding: More than a quarter of white Democrats agree that “if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.”
Those who agreed with that statement were much less likely to back Obama than those who didn’t.
Among white independents, racial stereotyping is not uncommon. For example, while about 20 percent of independent voters called blacks “intelligent” or “smart,” more than one third latched on the adjective “complaining” and 24 percent said blacks were “violent.”
Nearly four in 10 white independents agreed that blacks would be better off if they “try harder.”
The survey broke ground by incorporating images of black and white faces to measure implicit racial attitudes, or prejudices that are so deeply rooted that people may not realize they have them. That test suggested the incidence of racial prejudice is even higher, with more than half of whites revealing more negative feelings toward blacks than whites.
Researchers used mathematical modeling to sort out the relative impact of a huge swath of variables that might have an impact on people’s votes — including race, ideology, party identification, the hunger for change and the sentiments of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s backers.
Just 59 percent of her white Democratic supporters said they wanted Obama to be president. Nearly 17 percent of Clinton’s white backers plan to vote for McCain.
Among white Democrats, Clinton supporters were nearly twice as likely as Obama backers to say at least one negative adjective described blacks well, a finding that suggests many of her supporters in the primaries — particularly whites with high school education or less — were motivated in part by racial attitudes.
The survey of 2,227 adults was conducted Aug. 27 to Sept. 5. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
FOX News’ Bill Sammon and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
National Utilities Diversity Council expands beyond the west
Arkansas, Michigan and North Carolina Commissioners Join NUDC Board of Directors
Press Release
Washington, DC (CapitalWire PR) September 19, 2008-- Co-Chairs Harold L. Williams [MD PSC Commissioner] and Michael R. Peevey [CA PUC Commission President] have announced the appointment of Colette D. Honorable [AR PSC Commissioner]; Orjiakor N. Isiogu [MI PSC Chairman]; Lorinzo L. Joyner [NC PUC Commissioner] and James Y. Kerr II also of North Carolina to the board of directors of the National Utilities Diversity Council.
Colette D. Honorable has served on the Arkansas Public Service Commission since October of 2007. Commissioner Honorable served as Interim Chairman of the Commission from January to August of this year. Prior to her appointment she served as Executive Director of the Arkansas Workforce Investment Board and Chief of Staff for the Arkansas Attorney General. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, she obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law.
Orjiakor N. Isiogu has served as on the Michigan Public Service Commission as Chairman since September of 2007. Prior to his appointment, he served as Director of the Telecommunications Division of the Michigan Public Service Commission. A native of Nigeria, he obtained a law degree from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan.
Lorinzo L. Joyner has served on the North Carolina Public Utility Commission since January of 2001. An attorney by training, Commissioner Joyner has also been a high school English teacher working in the public schools of Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina. A native of Wadesboro, North Carolina she obtained her J.D from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
James Kerr is a member of the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP and has served on the North Carolina Utilities Commission from July 2001 to August 2008. During his tenure on the NCUC, he served as President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners in 2007. Prior to his appointment to the NCUC, he worked for First Union Corporation [now Wachovia] in Charlotte and Atlanta. A native of Goldsboro, North Carolina, he graduated cum laude from Washington and Lee University.
All three sitting commissioners are active members of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
“The National Utilities Diversity Council is extremely proud to welcome these four leaders to our board. With their input and expertise, our goal of increasing diversity in the utility industry in procurement, employment, governance, customer service-language access and philanthropy will be enhanced. Each of these individuals brings unique attributes and focused vision. We are both honored and excited at the opportunity to collaborate together” said Commissioner Harold L. Williams, Co-Chair of the Board.
About NUDC: The National Utilities Diversity Council Inc. is a not for profit, 501-c-3 whose vision and mission are to be the leading resource promoting the utilization of diversity best practices in the utility industry and to foster collaboration among its key stakeholders to create value through thought leadership, research and metrics, education and outreach to actualize the competitive advantages of diversity (Key Stakeholders: utility industry, WMDBE, regulators, diversity advocates, community). For more information visit www.nudc.biz .
Thomas Oliver
202 744 9033
tom@nudc.biz
Press Release
Washington, DC (CapitalWire PR) September 19, 2008-- Co-Chairs Harold L. Williams [MD PSC Commissioner] and Michael R. Peevey [CA PUC Commission President] have announced the appointment of Colette D. Honorable [AR PSC Commissioner]; Orjiakor N. Isiogu [MI PSC Chairman]; Lorinzo L. Joyner [NC PUC Commissioner] and James Y. Kerr II also of North Carolina to the board of directors of the National Utilities Diversity Council.
Colette D. Honorable has served on the Arkansas Public Service Commission since October of 2007. Commissioner Honorable served as Interim Chairman of the Commission from January to August of this year. Prior to her appointment she served as Executive Director of the Arkansas Workforce Investment Board and Chief of Staff for the Arkansas Attorney General. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, she obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law.
Orjiakor N. Isiogu has served as on the Michigan Public Service Commission as Chairman since September of 2007. Prior to his appointment, he served as Director of the Telecommunications Division of the Michigan Public Service Commission. A native of Nigeria, he obtained a law degree from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan.
Lorinzo L. Joyner has served on the North Carolina Public Utility Commission since January of 2001. An attorney by training, Commissioner Joyner has also been a high school English teacher working in the public schools of Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina. A native of Wadesboro, North Carolina she obtained her J.D from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
James Kerr is a member of the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP and has served on the North Carolina Utilities Commission from July 2001 to August 2008. During his tenure on the NCUC, he served as President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners in 2007. Prior to his appointment to the NCUC, he worked for First Union Corporation [now Wachovia] in Charlotte and Atlanta. A native of Goldsboro, North Carolina, he graduated cum laude from Washington and Lee University.
All three sitting commissioners are active members of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
“The National Utilities Diversity Council is extremely proud to welcome these four leaders to our board. With their input and expertise, our goal of increasing diversity in the utility industry in procurement, employment, governance, customer service-language access and philanthropy will be enhanced. Each of these individuals brings unique attributes and focused vision. We are both honored and excited at the opportunity to collaborate together” said Commissioner Harold L. Williams, Co-Chair of the Board.
About NUDC: The National Utilities Diversity Council Inc. is a not for profit, 501-c-3 whose vision and mission are to be the leading resource promoting the utilization of diversity best practices in the utility industry and to foster collaboration among its key stakeholders to create value through thought leadership, research and metrics, education and outreach to actualize the competitive advantages of diversity (Key Stakeholders: utility industry, WMDBE, regulators, diversity advocates, community). For more information visit www.nudc.biz
Thomas Oliver
202 744 9033
tom@nudc.biz
NFL team to highlight Hispanic Heritage
Chargers celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
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San Diego Chargers, NFL, Sep 18, 2008
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Chargers are proud to host Hispanic Heritage Day at the Chargers-Jets game on Monday night at Qualcomm Stadium.
“We are fortunate to live in such a diverse community with many great traditions,” said Executive Vice President-COO Jim Steeg. “We’re proud to honor San Diego’s Hispanic community. This is our community and these are our fans,”
As part of the celebration, 2006 semi-finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Jessica Sanchez will perform the national anthem. During the coin toss, San Diego's first Hispanic Police Chief David Bejarano and current National City Police Chief Adolfo Gonzales will be honored.
Teams from OEFA (Student Organization of American Football) based in Baja California will hold a scrimmage during the pregame ceremony. The league is credited for “Fútbol Americano” becoming a Hispanic heritage for young players in Mexico.
The league, consisting of 10 teams which also compete against San Diego High school teams, will be represented by:
Federal Lázaro Cárdenas - Instituto Mexico de Baja California
Jaguares (Jaguars) vs. Aguilas (Eagles)
CETYS Tijuana - CETYS Mexicali
Borregos (Sheep) vs. Zorros (Fox)
Halftime festivities will feature performances by Mariachi Real de San Diego and traditional ballet folklórico dancers from Chula Vista.
Send to a friend Print Page Adjust font size small medium large
San Diego Chargers, NFL, Sep 18, 2008
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Chargers are proud to host Hispanic Heritage Day at the Chargers-Jets game on Monday night at Qualcomm Stadium.
“We are fortunate to live in such a diverse community with many great traditions,” said Executive Vice President-COO Jim Steeg. “We’re proud to honor San Diego’s Hispanic community. This is our community and these are our fans,”
As part of the celebration, 2006 semi-finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Jessica Sanchez will perform the national anthem. During the coin toss, San Diego's first Hispanic Police Chief David Bejarano and current National City Police Chief Adolfo Gonzales will be honored.
Teams from OEFA (Student Organization of American Football) based in Baja California will hold a scrimmage during the pregame ceremony. The league is credited for “Fútbol Americano” becoming a Hispanic heritage for young players in Mexico.
The league, consisting of 10 teams which also compete against San Diego High school teams, will be represented by:
Federal Lázaro Cárdenas - Instituto Mexico de Baja California
Jaguares (Jaguars) vs. Aguilas (Eagles)
CETYS Tijuana - CETYS Mexicali
Borregos (Sheep) vs. Zorros (Fox)
Halftime festivities will feature performances by Mariachi Real de San Diego and traditional ballet folklórico dancers from Chula Vista.
Trouble for Latino director of Latino/Puerto Rican Affairs Commission
Future of Latino leader in doubt
Associated Press, September 20, 2008
HARTFORD, Conn. - The job status of Connecticut's only director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission is in doubt.
The panel this week voted to fire Fernando Betancourt, who has held the position for the past 13 years. But he was still on the state payroll as of Friday, earning $131,338 a year to oversee the commission created by the General Assembly.
Betancourt told the Hartford Courant he had no comment and has hired attorneys.
The commission has given no reason for its action.
Lawmakers created it in 1995 to develop and recommend policy to the legislature and governor on advancing Connecticut's Latino community.
Some prominent Latinos say they're shocked by Betancourt's apparent firing.
Associated Press, September 20, 2008
HARTFORD, Conn. - The job status of Connecticut's only director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission is in doubt.
The panel this week voted to fire Fernando Betancourt, who has held the position for the past 13 years. But he was still on the state payroll as of Friday, earning $131,338 a year to oversee the commission created by the General Assembly.
Betancourt told the Hartford Courant he had no comment and has hired attorneys.
The commission has given no reason for its action.
Lawmakers created it in 1995 to develop and recommend policy to the legislature and governor on advancing Connecticut's Latino community.
Some prominent Latinos say they're shocked by Betancourt's apparent firing.
12th Annual L.A. Latino Film Festival
Stellar Evening With Award Ceremony and Special Screening at the 12th Annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Closing Night in Hollywood
Market Watch
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept 20, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The 12th Annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) came to a close last evening with an award ceremony celebrating filmmakers that have submitted their films from countries all over the world. Guests were also treated to an advanced feature film screening at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.
The red carpet studded event included appearances by Gustavo Santaolalla, Demian Bechir, Carina Ricco, Alexa Vega, Maya Zapata, Lupe Ontiveros and other invited celebrity guests. Awards were given in categories like Opera Prima, Features, Documentaries and Short Films along with the results of the anticipated Audience Award. The following includes a list of the winners for the 12th Annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival:
Shorts Category:
Shorts/ Winner
Winner: "A Day of Work"
Director: Roger Dassani
Country: USA
Shorts/Special Mention
Winner: "Catharsis"
Director: Daniel Chamorro
Country: Spain
Shorts/ Animation
Winner: "Sebastian Voodoo"
Director: Joaquin Baldwin
Country: USA
Documentary Category:
Documentaries/ Best Documentary
Winner: Promise of Music
Director: Enrique Sanchez Lansch
Country: Germany
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: Cafe de los Maestros
Director: Miguel Kohan
Country: Argentina
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: La Americana
Director: Nicholas Bruckman
Country: United States
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: 13 peoples, defending, water air and land
Director: Francesco Taboada Tabone
Country: Mexico
Opera Prima Category:
Opera Prima/ Winner
Winner: Desierto Sur
Director: Shawn Garry
Country: Chile
Opera Prima/ Special Mention
Winner: Cochochi
Director: Israel Carteras
Country: Mexico
Features Category:
Features/ Best Film (RITA AWARD)
Winner: Paraiso Travel
Director: Simon Brand
Country: Colombia
Features/ Best Screenplay
Winner: Casi Divas
Director: Issa Lopez
Country: Mexico
Features/ Best Director
Winner: Lucia Murat
Film: Mare, Nossa de Amor
Country: Brazil
Audience Award Category:
Documentary:
Winner: Fraude
Director: Luis Mendoki
Country: Mexico
Film:
Winner: Paraiso Travel
Director: Simon Brand
Country: Colombia
Following the award ceremony, select audience of filmmakers, celebrities and important decision makers of the industry were able to enjoy an advanced screening of "Nothing Like the Holidays" not due for release until November.
"We are please to continue showcasing the talented work of Latino filmmakers and their contributions to the world cinema," stated Marlene Dermer, co founder and executive director of the festival. "This night celebrates the films that have made this festival possible and we look forward to a successful festival next year."
The closing festivities successfully conclude the 12th year of LALIFF where more than 130+ films were showcased.
Market Watch
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Sept 20, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The 12th Annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) came to a close last evening with an award ceremony celebrating filmmakers that have submitted their films from countries all over the world. Guests were also treated to an advanced feature film screening at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.
The red carpet studded event included appearances by Gustavo Santaolalla, Demian Bechir, Carina Ricco, Alexa Vega, Maya Zapata, Lupe Ontiveros and other invited celebrity guests. Awards were given in categories like Opera Prima, Features, Documentaries and Short Films along with the results of the anticipated Audience Award. The following includes a list of the winners for the 12th Annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival:
Shorts Category:
Shorts/ Winner
Winner: "A Day of Work"
Director: Roger Dassani
Country: USA
Shorts/Special Mention
Winner: "Catharsis"
Director: Daniel Chamorro
Country: Spain
Shorts/ Animation
Winner: "Sebastian Voodoo"
Director: Joaquin Baldwin
Country: USA
Documentary Category:
Documentaries/ Best Documentary
Winner: Promise of Music
Director: Enrique Sanchez Lansch
Country: Germany
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: Cafe de los Maestros
Director: Miguel Kohan
Country: Argentina
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: La Americana
Director: Nicholas Bruckman
Country: United States
Documentaries/Special Mention
Winner: 13 peoples, defending, water air and land
Director: Francesco Taboada Tabone
Country: Mexico
Opera Prima Category:
Opera Prima/ Winner
Winner: Desierto Sur
Director: Shawn Garry
Country: Chile
Opera Prima/ Special Mention
Winner: Cochochi
Director: Israel Carteras
Country: Mexico
Features Category:
Features/ Best Film (RITA AWARD)
Winner: Paraiso Travel
Director: Simon Brand
Country: Colombia
Features/ Best Screenplay
Winner: Casi Divas
Director: Issa Lopez
Country: Mexico
Features/ Best Director
Winner: Lucia Murat
Film: Mare, Nossa de Amor
Country: Brazil
Audience Award Category:
Documentary:
Winner: Fraude
Director: Luis Mendoki
Country: Mexico
Film:
Winner: Paraiso Travel
Director: Simon Brand
Country: Colombia
Following the award ceremony, select audience of filmmakers, celebrities and important decision makers of the industry were able to enjoy an advanced screening of "Nothing Like the Holidays" not due for release until November.
"We are please to continue showcasing the talented work of Latino filmmakers and their contributions to the world cinema," stated Marlene Dermer, co founder and executive director of the festival. "This night celebrates the films that have made this festival possible and we look forward to a successful festival next year."
The closing festivities successfully conclude the 12th year of LALIFF where more than 130+ films were showcased.
Hispanics lured through anti-Chavez ads
McCain tries anti-Chavez ad to lure Hispanics
Stephen Dinan (Contact)
Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain released a commercial Friday linking Sen. Barack Obama to anti-American rants by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the hope that Hispanic voters' disdain for the divisive Latin American leader will pay off at the polls.
In the ad - replete with bleeps to cover up Mr. Chavez's repeated expletives in condemning Americans - the McCain campaign charges that Mr. Obama would meet unconditionally with Mr. Chavez and other anti-American foreign leaders. "Do you believe we should talk with Chavez?" the announcer asks.
The McCain campaign said Hispanic voters are particularly open to the message because many of them are immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking to escape the sort of political tactics Mr. Chavez employs.
"They come to American for freedom, and yet Senator Obama seems overly willing to deal with a tin-pot dictator," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said.
It marks the latest barb in a two-week exchange between Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama as the battle for Hispanic voters heats up. It follows particularly brutal ads in which each side has accused the other of walking away from an immigration accord.
Hispanic advocates and political operatives say Mr. McCain must win at least 40 percent of the Hispanic vote - the same share President Bush won in 2004 - to defeat Mr. Obama on Nov. 4.
For now, most polls show Mr. McCain falling short of that goal and also falling behind Mr. Bush's Hispanic voter performance in Florida and in the Southwest.
Seeking to press that advantage, Mr. Obama has vowed to team up with the Democratic National Committee for a $20 million campaign aimed at turning out Hispanic voters this year.
Federico de Jesus, an Obama campaign spokesman, called the new Chavez ad the "latest distortion" from Mr. McCain, and said it's actually President Bush's policy that has boosted the Venezuelan leader.
"We cannot afford more of the same economic policies that have driven us into a ditch, and we cannot afford more of the same foreign policy that has strengthened Chavez and set back U.S. leadership in Latin America while doing nothing to break our dependence on foreign oil," he said.
The McCain ad, which has both a Spanish and an English-subtitled version, will run in Florida - a state where Republicans say anti-Chavez sentiment runs high.
Mr. McCain has not missed opportunities to stoke the fire. Last week, when Venezuela expelled the U.S. ambassador, Mr. McCain used the occasion to slam Mr. Obama's opposition to off-shore drilling as leaving the U.S. dependent on Venezuelan oil, and said Mr. Obama's foreign policy was too cozy with Mr. Chavez.
"The United States, and our partners throughout Latin America, cannot afford Senator Obama's brand of unilateralism that rewards Hugo Chavez and his dangerous despotism," the Arizona senator said.
The link between Mr. Obama and Mr. Chavez stems from several appearances Mr. Obama made last year in which he said he would be willing to meet unconditionally with anti-American leaders, specifically including Mr. Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. Obama, though, has also had harsh words for Mr. Chavez, calling him a "demagogue," and his campaign stresses Mr. Obama only expressed a willingness, not a promise, to meet with him. Mr. Obama also says his approach would be similar to that of former presidents who met with leaders of communist nations during the Cold War.
For months, Republicans have said they see an opening by using Mr. Chavez. The strategy is based in part on the success Mexican President Felipe Calderon had in winning his country's 2006 election by demonizing Mr. Chavez.
Mr. Calderon, who had initially trailed in polls, began deploying ads tying his chief opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to Mr. Chavez, and analysts said the attacks flipped the polls around, giving Mr. Calderon a slim victory.
But Luis Fraga, a professor at the University of Washington and one of the principal investigators in the Latino National Survey, a compendium of data about Hispanic voters, said the Chavez attack ad won't have much effect here.
"Separate from immigration-related issues, there is no consistent evidence that issues in Latin America have a great impact on the political preferences of Latino voters in the United States," he said.
He said Hispanic voters in the 2006 study ranked issues facing the country about the same way as other voters did. But asked which issues were most important to Latino voters in particular, a plurality chose immigration.
The issue is so volatile it's been the subject of harsh ads in the Spanish-language market.
Despite Mr. McCain's clear leadership on, and Mr. Obama's support for, a bill legalizing illegal immigrants, each man has blasted the other for not doing enough.
Mr. McCain and the Republican National Committee have accused Mr. Obama of supporting amendments that scuttled the immigration agreement.
Mr. Obama replied with an ad linking Mr. McCain to talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh, who fought the senator's immigration proposal.
"They made us feel marginalized in a country we love so much," the ad says, pointing to "insults" it says were tossed at Hispanics.
Mr. McCain has said he now supports certifying the borders are secure before going ahead with another attempt at legalization. Mr. Obama says security and legalization must be part of the same package.
Mr. Obama has seen prominent Hispanic supporters of Mr. Obama's nomination rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, announce support for Mr. McCain. One of them, Luchy Secaira, a former superdelegate for Mrs. Clinton, said she doubts Mr. Obama's strength among Hispanic voters.
"I was on the ground, and I think all this support is just smoke and mirrors. I don't think he enjoys overwhelming support in the Hispanic community, as does John McCain," she told reporters in endorsing the Republican yesterday on a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign.
Stephen Dinan (Contact)
Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain released a commercial Friday linking Sen. Barack Obama to anti-American rants by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the hope that Hispanic voters' disdain for the divisive Latin American leader will pay off at the polls.
In the ad - replete with bleeps to cover up Mr. Chavez's repeated expletives in condemning Americans - the McCain campaign charges that Mr. Obama would meet unconditionally with Mr. Chavez and other anti-American foreign leaders. "Do you believe we should talk with Chavez?" the announcer asks.
The McCain campaign said Hispanic voters are particularly open to the message because many of them are immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking to escape the sort of political tactics Mr. Chavez employs.
"They come to American for freedom, and yet Senator Obama seems overly willing to deal with a tin-pot dictator," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said.
It marks the latest barb in a two-week exchange between Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama as the battle for Hispanic voters heats up. It follows particularly brutal ads in which each side has accused the other of walking away from an immigration accord.
Hispanic advocates and political operatives say Mr. McCain must win at least 40 percent of the Hispanic vote - the same share President Bush won in 2004 - to defeat Mr. Obama on Nov. 4.
For now, most polls show Mr. McCain falling short of that goal and also falling behind Mr. Bush's Hispanic voter performance in Florida and in the Southwest.
Seeking to press that advantage, Mr. Obama has vowed to team up with the Democratic National Committee for a $20 million campaign aimed at turning out Hispanic voters this year.
Federico de Jesus, an Obama campaign spokesman, called the new Chavez ad the "latest distortion" from Mr. McCain, and said it's actually President Bush's policy that has boosted the Venezuelan leader.
"We cannot afford more of the same economic policies that have driven us into a ditch, and we cannot afford more of the same foreign policy that has strengthened Chavez and set back U.S. leadership in Latin America while doing nothing to break our dependence on foreign oil," he said.
The McCain ad, which has both a Spanish and an English-subtitled version, will run in Florida - a state where Republicans say anti-Chavez sentiment runs high.
Mr. McCain has not missed opportunities to stoke the fire. Last week, when Venezuela expelled the U.S. ambassador, Mr. McCain used the occasion to slam Mr. Obama's opposition to off-shore drilling as leaving the U.S. dependent on Venezuelan oil, and said Mr. Obama's foreign policy was too cozy with Mr. Chavez.
"The United States, and our partners throughout Latin America, cannot afford Senator Obama's brand of unilateralism that rewards Hugo Chavez and his dangerous despotism," the Arizona senator said.
The link between Mr. Obama and Mr. Chavez stems from several appearances Mr. Obama made last year in which he said he would be willing to meet unconditionally with anti-American leaders, specifically including Mr. Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. Obama, though, has also had harsh words for Mr. Chavez, calling him a "demagogue," and his campaign stresses Mr. Obama only expressed a willingness, not a promise, to meet with him. Mr. Obama also says his approach would be similar to that of former presidents who met with leaders of communist nations during the Cold War.
For months, Republicans have said they see an opening by using Mr. Chavez. The strategy is based in part on the success Mexican President Felipe Calderon had in winning his country's 2006 election by demonizing Mr. Chavez.
Mr. Calderon, who had initially trailed in polls, began deploying ads tying his chief opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to Mr. Chavez, and analysts said the attacks flipped the polls around, giving Mr. Calderon a slim victory.
But Luis Fraga, a professor at the University of Washington and one of the principal investigators in the Latino National Survey, a compendium of data about Hispanic voters, said the Chavez attack ad won't have much effect here.
"Separate from immigration-related issues, there is no consistent evidence that issues in Latin America have a great impact on the political preferences of Latino voters in the United States," he said.
He said Hispanic voters in the 2006 study ranked issues facing the country about the same way as other voters did. But asked which issues were most important to Latino voters in particular, a plurality chose immigration.
The issue is so volatile it's been the subject of harsh ads in the Spanish-language market.
Despite Mr. McCain's clear leadership on, and Mr. Obama's support for, a bill legalizing illegal immigrants, each man has blasted the other for not doing enough.
Mr. McCain and the Republican National Committee have accused Mr. Obama of supporting amendments that scuttled the immigration agreement.
Mr. Obama replied with an ad linking Mr. McCain to talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh, who fought the senator's immigration proposal.
"They made us feel marginalized in a country we love so much," the ad says, pointing to "insults" it says were tossed at Hispanics.
Mr. McCain has said he now supports certifying the borders are secure before going ahead with another attempt at legalization. Mr. Obama says security and legalization must be part of the same package.
Mr. Obama has seen prominent Hispanic supporters of Mr. Obama's nomination rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, announce support for Mr. McCain. One of them, Luchy Secaira, a former superdelegate for Mrs. Clinton, said she doubts Mr. Obama's strength among Hispanic voters.
"I was on the ground, and I think all this support is just smoke and mirrors. I don't think he enjoys overwhelming support in the Hispanic community, as does John McCain," she told reporters in endorsing the Republican yesterday on a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Latina makes Texas history as first Secretary of State
New Texas official formally sworn in
Secretary of state appointee Andrade first Hispanic woman to hold that office
By LISA SANDBERG Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau, Sept. 18, 2008
AUSTIN — Esperanza "Hope" Andrade, a San Antonio native who was born into a family of cotton farmers and rose to become a successful businesswoman, was formally sworn in as Texas secretary of state Thursday, becoming the first Hispanic woman to fill the post.
In a speech delivered inside a packed Texas House chamber, Andrade said she was honored and humbled by her recent appointment as the state's 107th secretary of state.
She vowed to use her position to "protect the integrity of the election process" and to promote greater voter participation among Texans.
Andrade, who took office in July, also promised to maintain a business-friendly environment for entrepreneurs.
"They say America is another name for opportunity, but Texas is the land of unlimited opportunity," said Andrade, 58, in her acceptance speech before hundreds of friends, family, supporters and Gov. Rick Perry, who appointed her.
Andrade rose from humble beginnings to become a successful businesswoman. She cofounded a number of service-sector companies.
As secretary of state, Andrade will be the state's chief elections officer, a post that is sure to be in the limelight with a presidential election less than seven weeks away. Andrade also will serve as the governor's liaison on border and Mexico affairs and chief protocol officer for state and international matters.
She replaces Phil Wilson, who left the job to become senior vice president of public affairs for Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp.
Earlier this year, she served as interim Transportation Commission chairwoman after the death of the former chairman, Ric Williamson.
In remarks before Andrade was sworn in, Perry called his newest appointee "a great champion of San Antonio and a passionate advocate for all Texans."
Express-News staff writer Peggy Fikac contributed to this report.
lisa.sandberg@chron.com
Secretary of state appointee Andrade first Hispanic woman to hold that office
By LISA SANDBERG Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau, Sept. 18, 2008
AUSTIN — Esperanza "Hope" Andrade, a San Antonio native who was born into a family of cotton farmers and rose to become a successful businesswoman, was formally sworn in as Texas secretary of state Thursday, becoming the first Hispanic woman to fill the post.
In a speech delivered inside a packed Texas House chamber, Andrade said she was honored and humbled by her recent appointment as the state's 107th secretary of state.
She vowed to use her position to "protect the integrity of the election process" and to promote greater voter participation among Texans.
Andrade, who took office in July, also promised to maintain a business-friendly environment for entrepreneurs.
"They say America is another name for opportunity, but Texas is the land of unlimited opportunity," said Andrade, 58, in her acceptance speech before hundreds of friends, family, supporters and Gov. Rick Perry, who appointed her.
Andrade rose from humble beginnings to become a successful businesswoman. She cofounded a number of service-sector companies.
As secretary of state, Andrade will be the state's chief elections officer, a post that is sure to be in the limelight with a presidential election less than seven weeks away. Andrade also will serve as the governor's liaison on border and Mexico affairs and chief protocol officer for state and international matters.
She replaces Phil Wilson, who left the job to become senior vice president of public affairs for Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp.
Earlier this year, she served as interim Transportation Commission chairwoman after the death of the former chairman, Ric Williamson.
In remarks before Andrade was sworn in, Perry called his newest appointee "a great champion of San Antonio and a passionate advocate for all Texans."
Express-News staff writer Peggy Fikac contributed to this report.
lisa.sandberg@chron.com
Missleading ads targeted at getting Latino voters
Obama Attacks McCain in a Bid to Attract Hispanic Voters
By LARRY ROHTER, September 18, 2008
This Spanish-language television advertisement for Senator Barack Obama is intended for Latino voters in battleground and other states. Called “Two Faces,” it is 30 seconds long.
THE SCRIPT Mr. Obama speaks first, in accented Spanish, saying he approves the message. Then an indignant male voice says: “They want us to forget the insults we’ve had to endure. Intolerance. They’ve made us feel marginalized in this country that we love so much. John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One tells lies to get our votes. The other, even worse, follows the failed policies of George Bush, putting the interests of powerful groups ahead of working families. John McCain: more of the same Republican deceit.”
THE SCREEN After Mr. Obama’s introduction, the screen splits in two. At the top is a Hispanic mother and her young child; at the bottom is a picture of Rush Limbaugh and the phrase “stupid, unskilled Mexicans.” The image of a middle-aged Hispanic woman in front of a store follows, with another phrase attributed to Mr. Limbaugh: “Shut your mouth or get out!” At the first mention of “two faces,” the images of Mr. McCain and President Bush appear. A newspaper headline reads “they made immigration reform fail,” attributing the phrase to a McCain campaign advertisement. As an image of an oil rig on the left gives way to a gasoline pump and then the accusation of deceit, Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush are shown together again on the right.
ACCURACY This advertisement is misleading. Mr. McCain’s history on the immigration issue, though complicated, is misrepresented here, as is his relationship with the nativist wing of his party and Mr. Limbaugh. With Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Mr. McCain sponsored overhaul legislation in 2006. He later backed away from his own bill for reasons still being debated, and though he now says the borders must be secured first, he has not repudiated his support for the principle. (He has tried in his own advertisements to shift the blame for the bill’s failure to Mr. Obama.) On the campaign trail, Mr. McCain has also repeatedly praised the Hispanic contribution to American life. Not one of the anti-Hispanic slights in the advertisement came from Mr. McCain’s mouth. And while Mr. McCain has mentioned the failure of the effort to overhaul immigration in one of his own Spanish-language advertisements, he has not celebrated it.
SCORECARD A Spanish-language proverb says it best: “Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.” This is an exercise in guilt by association, meant to taint Mr. McCain with Latino voters. But in the Republican presidential debates, he took pains to separate himself from the anti-immigrant posture of candidates like Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, and Mr. Limbaugh has often attacked Mr. McCain. So while Mr. McCain may need to explain why the Republican platform does not reflect his views on immigration, little in his record justifies this attack, which strongly implies that he holds anti-Hispanic views. LARRY ROHTER
By LARRY ROHTER, September 18, 2008
This Spanish-language television advertisement for Senator Barack Obama is intended for Latino voters in battleground and other states. Called “Two Faces,” it is 30 seconds long.
THE SCRIPT Mr. Obama speaks first, in accented Spanish, saying he approves the message. Then an indignant male voice says: “They want us to forget the insults we’ve had to endure. Intolerance. They’ve made us feel marginalized in this country that we love so much. John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One tells lies to get our votes. The other, even worse, follows the failed policies of George Bush, putting the interests of powerful groups ahead of working families. John McCain: more of the same Republican deceit.”
THE SCREEN After Mr. Obama’s introduction, the screen splits in two. At the top is a Hispanic mother and her young child; at the bottom is a picture of Rush Limbaugh and the phrase “stupid, unskilled Mexicans.” The image of a middle-aged Hispanic woman in front of a store follows, with another phrase attributed to Mr. Limbaugh: “Shut your mouth or get out!” At the first mention of “two faces,” the images of Mr. McCain and President Bush appear. A newspaper headline reads “they made immigration reform fail,” attributing the phrase to a McCain campaign advertisement. As an image of an oil rig on the left gives way to a gasoline pump and then the accusation of deceit, Mr. McCain and Mr. Bush are shown together again on the right.
ACCURACY This advertisement is misleading. Mr. McCain’s history on the immigration issue, though complicated, is misrepresented here, as is his relationship with the nativist wing of his party and Mr. Limbaugh. With Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Mr. McCain sponsored overhaul legislation in 2006. He later backed away from his own bill for reasons still being debated, and though he now says the borders must be secured first, he has not repudiated his support for the principle. (He has tried in his own advertisements to shift the blame for the bill’s failure to Mr. Obama.) On the campaign trail, Mr. McCain has also repeatedly praised the Hispanic contribution to American life. Not one of the anti-Hispanic slights in the advertisement came from Mr. McCain’s mouth. And while Mr. McCain has mentioned the failure of the effort to overhaul immigration in one of his own Spanish-language advertisements, he has not celebrated it.
SCORECARD A Spanish-language proverb says it best: “Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.” This is an exercise in guilt by association, meant to taint Mr. McCain with Latino voters. But in the Republican presidential debates, he took pains to separate himself from the anti-immigrant posture of candidates like Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, and Mr. Limbaugh has often attacked Mr. McCain. So while Mr. McCain may need to explain why the Republican platform does not reflect his views on immigration, little in his record justifies this attack, which strongly implies that he holds anti-Hispanic views. LARRY ROHTER
Richardson key to getting Latino vote for Obama
Obama continues Hispanics push
by Scott Helman, Political Reporter September 18, 2008
ESPANOLA, N.M. -- Barack Obama intensified his push for Latino voters today with an outdoor rally in Espanola, a city in northern New Mexico that's 84 percent Hispanic.
He brought with him one of the country's chief Hispanic validators: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who greeted the crowd warmly in a mix of Spanish and English. In Spanish, he assured the crowd -- 9,500 people, says Obama's campaign -- that Obama believed in family and in religion.
Obama, delivering the latest in a series of speeches on the economy, sprinkled in references to specific concerns of Hispanic families, noting that they've been the target of predatory lenders and often don't have health insurance. And then he made a blunt pitch for their support.
"To The Hispanic community, I want you to start actually voting your numbers," he said. "Right here in New Mexico, you'll be the difference-maker. Don't stay home. Just remind yourself: Si se puede! Si se puede!"
Had he stuck to his prepared text, Obama would have said that in 2004, 40,000 registered Hispanic voters didn't vote, while John Kerry lost the state by less than 6,000 votes.
Obama also said today that he would meet tomorrow with his economic team to devise a plan, which he called a "Homeowner and Financial Support Act," to provide capital and liquidity to the financial system, and to help struggling families restructure their mortgages. It's unclear yet what exact form the plan will take. And he continued to mock John McCain for embracing economic populism and regulation after a career spent advocating a hands-off approach to corporate America.
"John McCain can't decide whether he's Barry Goldwater or Dennis Kucinich," Obama said. "You cannot just run away from your long-held views or your life-long record."
by Scott Helman, Political Reporter September 18, 2008
ESPANOLA, N.M. -- Barack Obama intensified his push for Latino voters today with an outdoor rally in Espanola, a city in northern New Mexico that's 84 percent Hispanic.
He brought with him one of the country's chief Hispanic validators: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who greeted the crowd warmly in a mix of Spanish and English. In Spanish, he assured the crowd -- 9,500 people, says Obama's campaign -- that Obama believed in family and in religion.
Obama, delivering the latest in a series of speeches on the economy, sprinkled in references to specific concerns of Hispanic families, noting that they've been the target of predatory lenders and often don't have health insurance. And then he made a blunt pitch for their support.
"To The Hispanic community, I want you to start actually voting your numbers," he said. "Right here in New Mexico, you'll be the difference-maker. Don't stay home. Just remind yourself: Si se puede! Si se puede!"
Had he stuck to his prepared text, Obama would have said that in 2004, 40,000 registered Hispanic voters didn't vote, while John Kerry lost the state by less than 6,000 votes.
Obama also said today that he would meet tomorrow with his economic team to devise a plan, which he called a "Homeowner and Financial Support Act," to provide capital and liquidity to the financial system, and to help struggling families restructure their mortgages. It's unclear yet what exact form the plan will take. And he continued to mock John McCain for embracing economic populism and regulation after a career spent advocating a hands-off approach to corporate America.
"John McCain can't decide whether he's Barry Goldwater or Dennis Kucinich," Obama said. "You cannot just run away from your long-held views or your life-long record."
Project to document 200 years of Latino journalism in U.S.
La Prensa
On the heels of the 200th anniversary of the first Spanish-language newspaper in the United States and the absence of any visual documentation on the history and evolution of the Latino press, “Voices for Justice: The Enduring Legacy of the Latino Press in the U.S.” is a dream come true for City College of San Francisco journalism instructor Juan Gonzales.
The dream, a multimedia project that will tell the story of the establishment, growth and current strength of the U.S. Latino press, is being spearheaded by San Francisco-based Acción Latina, a nonprofit organization that publishes El Tecolote, a bilingual, biweekly newspaper founded in San Francisco’s Mission District in 1970.
“This is a historic time for the Latino community as we remember the milestone feat of the Latino press,” said project coordinator Gonzales, who chairs the City College of San Francisco journalism department and who is founder/editor of El Tecolote. “This is a time to pay tribute to the countless number of publishing pioneers who provided a vigilant voice for our communities and who championed for their needs.”
The project includes a documentary film for possible airing on the Public Broadcasting System and for use in the classroom, a companion book with added details and stories, and an interactive website, Gonzales said.
Dr. Félix Gutiérrez, one of the project researchers, said the film itself would document stages in the development and growth of the Spanish-language press.
“The story begins in New Orleans with the founding of El Misisipi in 1808 that set the stage for thousands of publications, broadcast, and Internet news outlets currently serving Latinos,” Gutiérrez said.
Gutiérrez added that “Voices” will also trace the early exile press on the East Coast, the many newspapers established during the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, the youth publications of the 1930s and ’40s, the Puerto Rican and Chicano activist newspapers of the 1960s and ’70s, the emergence of major media corporations publishing Latino newspapers and magazines, and the growth of Latino broadcasting and online media used by Latinos into the 21st century.
“Throughout the last two centuries, Latino/Hispanic communities from coast to coast have supported newspapers ranging from eight-page weeklies printed in Spanish or bilingually to highly entrepreneurial large-city dailies published completely in Spanish,” said Nicolás Kanellos, project member and University of Houston professor and author of “Hispanic Periodicals in the United States (Arte Público Press, 2000).
“Most newspapers have protected the language, culture and rights of an ethnic minority within a larger culture that was in the best of times unconcerned with the Hispanic ethnic enclaves and in the worst of times openly hostile,” added Kanellos, who has gathered the largest collection of copies of Latino newspapers and magazines.
Acción Latina, according to Gonzales, is also orchestrating a yearlong national call to commemorate the bicentennial year of the Latino press in the United States.
“From coast to coast we will encourage cities to host events to help draw attention to this historic time.” he said. “It will also include securing a congressional proclamation, as well as city proclamations paying homage to the nation’s Latino press.”
In September, Gonzales plans a series of kickoff events including a news conference, symposium and reception in New Orleans, birthplace of El Misisipi.
To date, according to Eva Martinez, executive director of Acción Latina, the project has secured initial funding from the Ford Foundation to create a short pilot of the film by September.
It has received other resource support from the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication, the Department of Journalism at City College of San Francisco, the University of Houston Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage and Arte Público Press, the Freedom Forum Trustee Initiative, and La Raza Media Education Fund of the San Francisco Foundation.
“We welcome all the support we can get,” Martinez said. “We want to talk to folks who can help us in any way – getting stories written, leading us to funding sources, helping us to do research, directing us to pioneers and archival materials, and contributing money.”
For more information on the project and planned events, visit their web site at: http://www.eltecolote.org/voices/
On the heels of the 200th anniversary of the first Spanish-language newspaper in the United States and the absence of any visual documentation on the history and evolution of the Latino press, “Voices for Justice: The Enduring Legacy of the Latino Press in the U.S.” is a dream come true for City College of San Francisco journalism instructor Juan Gonzales.
The dream, a multimedia project that will tell the story of the establishment, growth and current strength of the U.S. Latino press, is being spearheaded by San Francisco-based Acción Latina, a nonprofit organization that publishes El Tecolote, a bilingual, biweekly newspaper founded in San Francisco’s Mission District in 1970.
“This is a historic time for the Latino community as we remember the milestone feat of the Latino press,” said project coordinator Gonzales, who chairs the City College of San Francisco journalism department and who is founder/editor of El Tecolote. “This is a time to pay tribute to the countless number of publishing pioneers who provided a vigilant voice for our communities and who championed for their needs.”
The project includes a documentary film for possible airing on the Public Broadcasting System and for use in the classroom, a companion book with added details and stories, and an interactive website, Gonzales said.
Dr. Félix Gutiérrez, one of the project researchers, said the film itself would document stages in the development and growth of the Spanish-language press.
“The story begins in New Orleans with the founding of El Misisipi in 1808 that set the stage for thousands of publications, broadcast, and Internet news outlets currently serving Latinos,” Gutiérrez said.
Gutiérrez added that “Voices” will also trace the early exile press on the East Coast, the many newspapers established during the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, the youth publications of the 1930s and ’40s, the Puerto Rican and Chicano activist newspapers of the 1960s and ’70s, the emergence of major media corporations publishing Latino newspapers and magazines, and the growth of Latino broadcasting and online media used by Latinos into the 21st century.
“Throughout the last two centuries, Latino/Hispanic communities from coast to coast have supported newspapers ranging from eight-page weeklies printed in Spanish or bilingually to highly entrepreneurial large-city dailies published completely in Spanish,” said Nicolás Kanellos, project member and University of Houston professor and author of “Hispanic Periodicals in the United States (Arte Público Press, 2000).
“Most newspapers have protected the language, culture and rights of an ethnic minority within a larger culture that was in the best of times unconcerned with the Hispanic ethnic enclaves and in the worst of times openly hostile,” added Kanellos, who has gathered the largest collection of copies of Latino newspapers and magazines.
Acción Latina, according to Gonzales, is also orchestrating a yearlong national call to commemorate the bicentennial year of the Latino press in the United States.
“From coast to coast we will encourage cities to host events to help draw attention to this historic time.” he said. “It will also include securing a congressional proclamation, as well as city proclamations paying homage to the nation’s Latino press.”
In September, Gonzales plans a series of kickoff events including a news conference, symposium and reception in New Orleans, birthplace of El Misisipi.
To date, according to Eva Martinez, executive director of Acción Latina, the project has secured initial funding from the Ford Foundation to create a short pilot of the film by September.
It has received other resource support from the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication, the Department of Journalism at City College of San Francisco, the University of Houston Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage and Arte Público Press, the Freedom Forum Trustee Initiative, and La Raza Media Education Fund of the San Francisco Foundation.
“We welcome all the support we can get,” Martinez said. “We want to talk to folks who can help us in any way – getting stories written, leading us to funding sources, helping us to do research, directing us to pioneers and archival materials, and contributing money.”
For more information on the project and planned events, visit their web site at: http://www.eltecolote.org/voices/
Media provides majority of medical information to Latinos
Where Are Latinos Getting Medical Info?
La Prensa
Want to know where Latinos are getting the majority of their medical information? According the Pew Hispanic Center, 83 percent of Latinos get their health information from some branch of the media, with television being the dominant source. And they’re not just listening—79 percent say they take that advice and act on it.
“What I personally found most interesting [in the Pew study] was the importance of the media in transporting health information to Latinos,” says Gretchen Livingston, senior researcher for the Pew Hispanic Center. “The proportion of Latinos who reported getting medical information from the media was actually higher than the proportion who stated that they got information from a medical professional, which is pretty compelling.”
Latinos are twice as likely as Blacks and three times as likely as whites to lack a regular healthcare provider, so they turn to social outlets to obtain information. In fact, more than 1 in 4 Latinos say they received no information regarding health or healthcare from doctors or healthcare professionals in the past year.
“Anything that the hairdresser or the bodega owner or the neighbor tells them … they will prefer to listen [to],” says Dr. Astrid T. Almodovar, assistant clinical professor of family medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). But, he warns, “the information is usually wrong; it’s usually extremely alarmist and usually goes to the determent of the outcome of the patient.”
Print and broadcast media, churches, community groups, family, friends and the Internet are all sources of health and medical information for many Latinos. And since Latinos are not one monolithic group, the different sub-groups rely on different types of media. U.S.-born Latinos and those who have higher levels of education are more likely to get information in English from sources such as television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. Latinos who have lower levels of education or who come from different countries rely heavily on Spanish-language media, including television and print media for information.
“The importance of television—especially for the less-educated—is very interesting,” says Livingston. “Although our results did not show evidence of people having trouble navigating the medical system, it is very interesting that the less-assimilated and the less-advantaged as far as education are especially likely to depend on the media.”
People with at least some college education are almost 33 percent more likely to have gotten a medical professional’s advice than people lacking a high-school diploma.
“Patients need to be educated,” says Almodovar. “That’s the biggest piece of the pie. Limited English proficiency is [also] a big factor in why patients don’t get the care necessary.”
But even if Latinos aren’t educated properly when it comes to healthcare, the issue is still very important when it pertains to Latino voters. Ninety percent of Latino registered voters say healthcare is an extremely important issue, according to a study on Latino Voter Attitudes conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
So which Latinos are getting proper medical care?
Latinas (77 percent) are more likely than men (66 percent) to report getting health information from doctors and the medical community in the past year. This could be attributed to the underlying machismo culture among Latinos, which still exists today and indicates that a man who goes to the doctor or is sick is weak. In 2003, the National Hispanic Medical Association called for a National Hispanic Health Policy that specifically addresses this cultural barrier, citing that machismo attitudes keep [Latino] men from going to the doctor.”
That cultural barrier could very well add up to long-term, untreated health conditions. The Pew Hispanic Center study found that when asked why Latinos lack a usual provider, 41 percent of respondents say the principal reason is that they are seldom sick. Yet diabetes still runs rampant in the U.S. Latino community, especially Type 2 diabetes.
“Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to use the insulin to metabolize or to use glucose for energy,” says Almodovar. “Especially among Latinos, we have to let the person with diabetes know that having a diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean a death sentence.”
So while Latinos may not feel sick as much as other groups, diabetes is a disease that is accompanied by a slew of other complications. In addition, according to the American Diabetes Association, millions of Americans are unaware that they even have diabetes. Latinos relying solely on the media for medical information may have a disease that can be deadly if it goes untreated.
“We must educate ourselves and educate our patients to understand that a diagnosis of diabetes is not the end of the world,” adds Almodovar. “On the contrary, it’s better to know it and treat it than to just neglect it.”
La Prensa
Want to know where Latinos are getting the majority of their medical information? According the Pew Hispanic Center, 83 percent of Latinos get their health information from some branch of the media, with television being the dominant source. And they’re not just listening—79 percent say they take that advice and act on it.
“What I personally found most interesting [in the Pew study] was the importance of the media in transporting health information to Latinos,” says Gretchen Livingston, senior researcher for the Pew Hispanic Center. “The proportion of Latinos who reported getting medical information from the media was actually higher than the proportion who stated that they got information from a medical professional, which is pretty compelling.”
Latinos are twice as likely as Blacks and three times as likely as whites to lack a regular healthcare provider, so they turn to social outlets to obtain information. In fact, more than 1 in 4 Latinos say they received no information regarding health or healthcare from doctors or healthcare professionals in the past year.
“Anything that the hairdresser or the bodega owner or the neighbor tells them … they will prefer to listen [to],” says Dr. Astrid T. Almodovar, assistant clinical professor of family medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). But, he warns, “the information is usually wrong; it’s usually extremely alarmist and usually goes to the determent of the outcome of the patient.”
Print and broadcast media, churches, community groups, family, friends and the Internet are all sources of health and medical information for many Latinos. And since Latinos are not one monolithic group, the different sub-groups rely on different types of media. U.S.-born Latinos and those who have higher levels of education are more likely to get information in English from sources such as television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. Latinos who have lower levels of education or who come from different countries rely heavily on Spanish-language media, including television and print media for information.
“The importance of television—especially for the less-educated—is very interesting,” says Livingston. “Although our results did not show evidence of people having trouble navigating the medical system, it is very interesting that the less-assimilated and the less-advantaged as far as education are especially likely to depend on the media.”
People with at least some college education are almost 33 percent more likely to have gotten a medical professional’s advice than people lacking a high-school diploma.
“Patients need to be educated,” says Almodovar. “That’s the biggest piece of the pie. Limited English proficiency is [also] a big factor in why patients don’t get the care necessary.”
But even if Latinos aren’t educated properly when it comes to healthcare, the issue is still very important when it pertains to Latino voters. Ninety percent of Latino registered voters say healthcare is an extremely important issue, according to a study on Latino Voter Attitudes conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
So which Latinos are getting proper medical care?
Latinas (77 percent) are more likely than men (66 percent) to report getting health information from doctors and the medical community in the past year. This could be attributed to the underlying machismo culture among Latinos, which still exists today and indicates that a man who goes to the doctor or is sick is weak. In 2003, the National Hispanic Medical Association called for a National Hispanic Health Policy that specifically addresses this cultural barrier, citing that machismo attitudes keep [Latino] men from going to the doctor.”
That cultural barrier could very well add up to long-term, untreated health conditions. The Pew Hispanic Center study found that when asked why Latinos lack a usual provider, 41 percent of respondents say the principal reason is that they are seldom sick. Yet diabetes still runs rampant in the U.S. Latino community, especially Type 2 diabetes.
“Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to use the insulin to metabolize or to use glucose for energy,” says Almodovar. “Especially among Latinos, we have to let the person with diabetes know that having a diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean a death sentence.”
So while Latinos may not feel sick as much as other groups, diabetes is a disease that is accompanied by a slew of other complications. In addition, according to the American Diabetes Association, millions of Americans are unaware that they even have diabetes. Latinos relying solely on the media for medical information may have a disease that can be deadly if it goes untreated.
“We must educate ourselves and educate our patients to understand that a diagnosis of diabetes is not the end of the world,” adds Almodovar. “On the contrary, it’s better to know it and treat it than to just neglect it.”
National Latino group tells candidates to stop immigration campaign rhetoric
The Latino Coalition Calls for Real Immigration Reform and Less Campaign Rhetoric
Market Watch
WASHINGTON, Sep 19, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Following presidential campaign sparring between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama on immigration reform, Chairman Hector V. Barreto of The Latino Coalition issued the following statement:
"The Latino Coalition applauds Senators John McCain and Barack Obama for talking about immigration reform. However, the fact is that Senator McCain has demonstrated real leadership in addressing this highly controversial issue.
"Senator McCain risked his political career to find a comprehensive solution to our nation's complex immigration problem. He has demonstrated a commitment to secure the border, create a guest worker program and to treat immigrants with respect and dignity.
"On the other hand, Senator Obama sided against bipartisan immigration reform legislation and instead with narrow, special interests intent on killing efforts to find real solutions.
"We hope that the next president and Congress will put away the rhetoric and act to fix our broken immigration system. Thanks to the efforts of Senator McCain, a foundation has been laid for meaningful reform. It is in the best interest of our nation, society and economy to complete the job."
About The Latino Coalition
The Latino Coalition (TLC) is a non-profit, nationwide organization based in Los Angeles, CA, with offices in Washington, DC and Mexico (Mexico City & Guadalajara). TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC's agenda is to develop and promotes policies that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic and social development of Hispanics. For more information, visit TLC's website at www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.
SOURCE: The Latino Coalition
Market Watch
WASHINGTON, Sep 19, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Following presidential campaign sparring between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama on immigration reform, Chairman Hector V. Barreto of The Latino Coalition issued the following statement:
"The Latino Coalition applauds Senators John McCain and Barack Obama for talking about immigration reform. However, the fact is that Senator McCain has demonstrated real leadership in addressing this highly controversial issue.
"Senator McCain risked his political career to find a comprehensive solution to our nation's complex immigration problem. He has demonstrated a commitment to secure the border, create a guest worker program and to treat immigrants with respect and dignity.
"On the other hand, Senator Obama sided against bipartisan immigration reform legislation and instead with narrow, special interests intent on killing efforts to find real solutions.
"We hope that the next president and Congress will put away the rhetoric and act to fix our broken immigration system. Thanks to the efforts of Senator McCain, a foundation has been laid for meaningful reform. It is in the best interest of our nation, society and economy to complete the job."
About The Latino Coalition
The Latino Coalition (TLC) is a non-profit, nationwide organization based in Los Angeles, CA, with offices in Washington, DC and Mexico (Mexico City & Guadalajara). TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC's agenda is to develop and promotes policies that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic and social development of Hispanics. For more information, visit TLC's website at www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.
SOURCE: The Latino Coalition
Latino influence now seen at Yankee Stadium
¡Delicioso! Latino cuisine shines at Yankee Stadium
By Will González, ESPNdeportes.com, September 19, 2008
NEW YORK -- The influence of Latinos in the United States has changed more than the baseball being played in the majors. It's changed the food being sold at major league stadiums, too.
This has been clearly evident during the final seasons at the House That Ruth Built, where fans can enjoy Latino cuisine at one of the concession stands nestled within Yankee Stadium.
For two years, the stand has offered delicacies such as empanadas (meat turnovers), yellow plantains, alcapurrias (deep-fried, meat-stuffed patties made of grated plantains), rice and beans, Caribbean chicken stew, grilled pork, Cuban-style sandwiches and other Latin-American fare.
Its popularity has grown so rapidly that plans for the new Yankee Stadium opening next year call for increasing to three the number of such concession areas.
Latin food giant Goya is behind the effort to spice up the fare at Yankee Stadium.
Goya is the biggest Hispanic food company in the U.S. The company, which employs over 3,000 people and sells over 1,500 different products, is based in Secaucus, N.J., a 45-minute drive from the Bronx.
Goya is one of the Yankees' sponsors. But the company was not content with simply buying advertising and placing promotional signs in the ballpark.
Empanadas, alcapurrias and more are available at Yankee Stadium this weekend, and they'll be offered in the new stadium next season, too.
"Selling food within Yankee Stadium will help us put our products in front of a new audience," said Rafael Toro, manager of public relations for Goya. "Eighty percent of the people who visit our stand are not Latinos. The food is a bridge to our culture and to our products for those fans."
To ensure that the Latin fare sold at the ballpark is authentic and tasty, Goya contracted a Bronx-based caterer to prepare the food and manage the venue.
They secured the services of Daniel Garcia, a 46-year-old entrepreneur who owns a catering and banquet business minutes from the Stadium.
For Garcia, being able to share his passion for his culture and its food with so many people is a dream come true.
"This is something big, not only for my company, but also for the community. We're serving Latin-American food in the home stadium of the most famous franchise in the world," said García.
The Bronx has always been a stronghold of New York's Latino community. It is the only borough in the Big Apple that boasts a majority of Hispanic inhabitants (51.3 percent), and it has the highest number of residents of Puerto Rican descent of any place on the U.S. mainland. More than 300,000 of the 1.3 million people in the Bronx are Boricuas (the indigenous name for descendants of the U.S. island-territory in the Caribbean).
The Latin food concession stand at Yankee Stadium -- which closes out its long Major League Baseball tenure after the Yankees' series with the Baltimore Orioles this weekend -- is named "Salsa on the Go."
"Salsa is music, salsa is dance and salsa is food," explained Garcia, a native of the Bronx whose parents migrated to New York City from Puerto Rico in the 1950s. "It also means spirit. The Latino spirit is what gives flavor to our music, our dances, and our foods."
In June of this year, The New York Times ranked Garcia's Cuban sandwich as the best food option for fans to enjoy at Yankee Stadium. That thumbs-up was featured in an article in which the newspaper described the best and worst food options at every major league stadium.
For Goya, the Yankee Stadium experiment has been so successful that they've opened another Latin food venue at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros. Moreover, the company has increased its sponsorship of Latino heritage nights at various stadiums. For example, on Sept. 12, Latino Family Night in Philadelphia, Goya sponsored the selling of Latino food during the Phillies game against the Brewers.
Preparing Latino food at baseball parks isn't simple. Goya's venues take into account the culinary differences among the various Latino ethnic groups in the cities where the ballparks are located.
"We sell the Cuban sandwich in Houston, but the stewed chicken is in a chipotle sauce [a sauce with small dried and smoked jalapeño peppers], and we sell black beans instead of the Caribbean red kidney beans," Toro explained.
Fans aren't the only ones who enjoy Latin food at Yankee Stadium. The players also partake, albeit in a more private setting.
"There's Latin food here sometimes," said Bobby Abreu, the Yankees right fielder from Venezuela. "They give us things that remind us of our home cooking. They give us a good variety of food here. Chinese food, Japanese food, American and Latin food; a bit of everything."
The food players eat is supplied to the clubhouses by various local restaurants. The multiculturalism of today's major league rosters calls for diversity in the daily menu.
The new Yankee Stadium, however, will make it easier for the clubhouse staff to satisfy the players' taste buds. The home clubhouse in the new ballpark will have a larger kitchen, and the visitors clubhouse will finally get a kitchen of its own.
"The visiting teams don't get as much variety in what they eat. Their clubhouse does not lend itself to that," said Jose Peña, one of the cooks in the Press Dining Room at Yankee Stadium.
Peña is Dominican, but he does not get to cook Latin food for the journalists who work at the Stadium.
"It's a fixed menu, mostly Italian food," explained Peña, who had considered retiring after this season but might return to work at the new stadium as a cook in one of the new clubhouses.
The rising number of Latinos in the U.S., in combination with changes in tastes in the American diet, should boost the popularity of Latin food in major league ballparks to new levels. In May, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that one of every four children in the country age five or less is of Hispanic descent.
It wasn't that long ago that hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack made room for Italian pizza and Tex-Mex nachos as steady menu items at every stadium in the game.
If what is happening in New York and Houston is an indication, other great food items are on their way to join them.
The future of Major League Baseball looks delicioso.
Will González has more than 15 years experience covering baseball and writes for Al Dia, a Spanish-language weekly in Philadelphia. He posts a weekly column for ESPNdeportes.com.
By Will González, ESPNdeportes.com, September 19, 2008
NEW YORK -- The influence of Latinos in the United States has changed more than the baseball being played in the majors. It's changed the food being sold at major league stadiums, too.
This has been clearly evident during the final seasons at the House That Ruth Built, where fans can enjoy Latino cuisine at one of the concession stands nestled within Yankee Stadium.
For two years, the stand has offered delicacies such as empanadas (meat turnovers), yellow plantains, alcapurrias (deep-fried, meat-stuffed patties made of grated plantains), rice and beans, Caribbean chicken stew, grilled pork, Cuban-style sandwiches and other Latin-American fare.
Its popularity has grown so rapidly that plans for the new Yankee Stadium opening next year call for increasing to three the number of such concession areas.
Latin food giant Goya is behind the effort to spice up the fare at Yankee Stadium.
Goya is the biggest Hispanic food company in the U.S. The company, which employs over 3,000 people and sells over 1,500 different products, is based in Secaucus, N.J., a 45-minute drive from the Bronx.
Goya is one of the Yankees' sponsors. But the company was not content with simply buying advertising and placing promotional signs in the ballpark.
Empanadas, alcapurrias and more are available at Yankee Stadium this weekend, and they'll be offered in the new stadium next season, too.
"Selling food within Yankee Stadium will help us put our products in front of a new audience," said Rafael Toro, manager of public relations for Goya. "Eighty percent of the people who visit our stand are not Latinos. The food is a bridge to our culture and to our products for those fans."
To ensure that the Latin fare sold at the ballpark is authentic and tasty, Goya contracted a Bronx-based caterer to prepare the food and manage the venue.
They secured the services of Daniel Garcia, a 46-year-old entrepreneur who owns a catering and banquet business minutes from the Stadium.
For Garcia, being able to share his passion for his culture and its food with so many people is a dream come true.
"This is something big, not only for my company, but also for the community. We're serving Latin-American food in the home stadium of the most famous franchise in the world," said García.
The Bronx has always been a stronghold of New York's Latino community. It is the only borough in the Big Apple that boasts a majority of Hispanic inhabitants (51.3 percent), and it has the highest number of residents of Puerto Rican descent of any place on the U.S. mainland. More than 300,000 of the 1.3 million people in the Bronx are Boricuas (the indigenous name for descendants of the U.S. island-territory in the Caribbean).
The Latin food concession stand at Yankee Stadium -- which closes out its long Major League Baseball tenure after the Yankees' series with the Baltimore Orioles this weekend -- is named "Salsa on the Go."
"Salsa is music, salsa is dance and salsa is food," explained Garcia, a native of the Bronx whose parents migrated to New York City from Puerto Rico in the 1950s. "It also means spirit. The Latino spirit is what gives flavor to our music, our dances, and our foods."
In June of this year, The New York Times ranked Garcia's Cuban sandwich as the best food option for fans to enjoy at Yankee Stadium. That thumbs-up was featured in an article in which the newspaper described the best and worst food options at every major league stadium.
For Goya, the Yankee Stadium experiment has been so successful that they've opened another Latin food venue at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros. Moreover, the company has increased its sponsorship of Latino heritage nights at various stadiums. For example, on Sept. 12, Latino Family Night in Philadelphia, Goya sponsored the selling of Latino food during the Phillies game against the Brewers.
Preparing Latino food at baseball parks isn't simple. Goya's venues take into account the culinary differences among the various Latino ethnic groups in the cities where the ballparks are located.
"We sell the Cuban sandwich in Houston, but the stewed chicken is in a chipotle sauce [a sauce with small dried and smoked jalapeño peppers], and we sell black beans instead of the Caribbean red kidney beans," Toro explained.
Fans aren't the only ones who enjoy Latin food at Yankee Stadium. The players also partake, albeit in a more private setting.
"There's Latin food here sometimes," said Bobby Abreu, the Yankees right fielder from Venezuela. "They give us things that remind us of our home cooking. They give us a good variety of food here. Chinese food, Japanese food, American and Latin food; a bit of everything."
The food players eat is supplied to the clubhouses by various local restaurants. The multiculturalism of today's major league rosters calls for diversity in the daily menu.
The new Yankee Stadium, however, will make it easier for the clubhouse staff to satisfy the players' taste buds. The home clubhouse in the new ballpark will have a larger kitchen, and the visitors clubhouse will finally get a kitchen of its own.
"The visiting teams don't get as much variety in what they eat. Their clubhouse does not lend itself to that," said Jose Peña, one of the cooks in the Press Dining Room at Yankee Stadium.
Peña is Dominican, but he does not get to cook Latin food for the journalists who work at the Stadium.
"It's a fixed menu, mostly Italian food," explained Peña, who had considered retiring after this season but might return to work at the new stadium as a cook in one of the new clubhouses.
The rising number of Latinos in the U.S., in combination with changes in tastes in the American diet, should boost the popularity of Latin food in major league ballparks to new levels. In May, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that one of every four children in the country age five or less is of Hispanic descent.
It wasn't that long ago that hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack made room for Italian pizza and Tex-Mex nachos as steady menu items at every stadium in the game.
If what is happening in New York and Houston is an indication, other great food items are on their way to join them.
The future of Major League Baseball looks delicioso.
Will González has more than 15 years experience covering baseball and writes for Al Dia, a Spanish-language weekly in Philadelphia. He posts a weekly column for ESPNdeportes.com.
Latinos recognized for exemplary community service
Latino Network celebrates heroes of Monterey County
400 attend award luncheon in Salinas
By SUNITA VIJAYAN • The Salinas Californian • September 19, 2008
Jesse Herrera's parents, migrant workers who followed the crops, instilled in him the notion that education was the key to a much better life.
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Today, the 64-year-old Monterey County health specialist uses both of his college degrees, one of them a master's in social work, to give back to the community.
Herrera was one of five people recognized Thursday by the countywide Latino Network for their exemplary community service.
"That was a surprise," he said, following the event. "Generally, we focus on people who are out in the community doing things that don't usually come to the attention of people ... because they just feel it."
Nearly 400 people ranging from civic volunteers
to local government officials attended the 19th Latino Network Luncheon held at the Salinas Community Center, 940 N. Main St.
Herrera, born in Chico, said he was familiar with Monterey County while growing up because he traveled with his family as they worked the row crops in the Salinas Valley.
"My parents felt that, education, if you got it, nobody could take it from you," he said.
"Their goal for me was to get a job inside, and not outside in the fields."
Not knowing what he wanted to do in life after graduating from high school, Herrera said it was a combination of support provided from the tiny community he grew up in, the teachers he met in junior college and graduate teachers and students at the University of Southern California who helped him find his purpose.
Through the American Red Cross, Herrera, who works for the Monterey County Behavioral Health Department, traveled to New York in 2001 following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. As a volunteer, he helped connect Spanish-speaking families with rescue and emergency services.
"Part of what I feel now is a responsibility for the community who provided me with the opportunity to be where I am and have what I have now," he said. "It was all because the community cares and nurtured me. Our culture helps us to be stronger."
The other four people recognized with awards were:
# Lucy Vazquez, for her work in assisting families struggling with domestic violence and child abuse.
# Isabel Valtierra, Maria Topete and Sylvia Rodriguez of Padres Compartiendo, founders of a support group for families with children with disabilities.
Cecilia Burciaga, an adjunct professor at San Jose State University, gave the keynote speech.
Burciaga, named one of the 100 most influential Latinas of the Century by Latina Magazine in 2000, said with the fiscal crisis plaguing the state and the lack of funding in elementary school, it was especially important for community members to advocate for change.
"(In California), we pay prison guards the highest salary than any other state," she said. "How can it be that half of all the children in Monterey County are born to mothers who do not have a high school degree? .... Keep being advocates and stop remaining silent .... This is not the time to be silent."
Contact Sunita Vijayan at svijayan@thecalifornian.com.
400 attend award luncheon in Salinas
By SUNITA VIJAYAN • The Salinas Californian • September 19, 2008
Jesse Herrera's parents, migrant workers who followed the crops, instilled in him the notion that education was the key to a much better life.
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Quantcast
Today, the 64-year-old Monterey County health specialist uses both of his college degrees, one of them a master's in social work, to give back to the community.
Herrera was one of five people recognized Thursday by the countywide Latino Network for their exemplary community service.
"That was a surprise," he said, following the event. "Generally, we focus on people who are out in the community doing things that don't usually come to the attention of people ... because they just feel it."
Nearly 400 people ranging from civic volunteers
to local government officials attended the 19th Latino Network Luncheon held at the Salinas Community Center, 940 N. Main St.
Herrera, born in Chico, said he was familiar with Monterey County while growing up because he traveled with his family as they worked the row crops in the Salinas Valley.
"My parents felt that, education, if you got it, nobody could take it from you," he said.
"Their goal for me was to get a job inside, and not outside in the fields."
Not knowing what he wanted to do in life after graduating from high school, Herrera said it was a combination of support provided from the tiny community he grew up in, the teachers he met in junior college and graduate teachers and students at the University of Southern California who helped him find his purpose.
Through the American Red Cross, Herrera, who works for the Monterey County Behavioral Health Department, traveled to New York in 2001 following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. As a volunteer, he helped connect Spanish-speaking families with rescue and emergency services.
"Part of what I feel now is a responsibility for the community who provided me with the opportunity to be where I am and have what I have now," he said. "It was all because the community cares and nurtured me. Our culture helps us to be stronger."
The other four people recognized with awards were:
# Lucy Vazquez, for her work in assisting families struggling with domestic violence and child abuse.
# Isabel Valtierra, Maria Topete and Sylvia Rodriguez of Padres Compartiendo, founders of a support group for families with children with disabilities.
Cecilia Burciaga, an adjunct professor at San Jose State University, gave the keynote speech.
Burciaga, named one of the 100 most influential Latinas of the Century by Latina Magazine in 2000, said with the fiscal crisis plaguing the state and the lack of funding in elementary school, it was especially important for community members to advocate for change.
"(In California), we pay prison guards the highest salary than any other state," she said. "How can it be that half of all the children in Monterey County are born to mothers who do not have a high school degree? .... Keep being advocates and stop remaining silent .... This is not the time to be silent."
Contact Sunita Vijayan at svijayan@thecalifornian.com.
Spanish TV benenfits from candidates targeting Hispanic voters
Mucho potential
By Jon Ralston / Staff Writer
If you wonder why John McCain made a large buy on Univision last week, and why Barack Obama wasted no time in responding to his opponent's attempt to own the immigration issue, it's all about business.
I didn't fully understand it until Chris Roman, general manager of the Spanish-language station, showed me some research that indicates just how important Hispanics could be - emphasis on "could be" - to this cycle's election outcomes, from president down to Assembly.
Roman, of course, is a businessman, so he would like advertisers, including political candidates, to recognize the power of his station. So be it. The data are, not withstanding Roman's sales pitch, compelling:
# Nevada is one of nine key states with significant Hispanic populations. Here, Latinos represent about a quarter of the citizenry, but only 11 percent are registered to vote. That number places Nevada in the lower third of those nine, but that's still a significant number.
# In 2004 there were 83,000 registered Hispanic voters in Nevada (using only Hispanic surnames, so that probably is underrepresented), which represents almost 9 percent of the electorate four years ago. George W. Bush won Nevada by just under 3 percentage points. In 2008 that number is expected to grow by almost 40 percent, with an estimated 115,750 registered Latino voters, or about 11 percent of the total 2008 electorate.
# Using data from a Bendixen and Associates canvass of Hispanic voters last year, Roman's presentation indicates that immigration is only the fifth most important issue to Latinos. Education, health care, the Iraq war and the economy finished ahead of immigration - and when the study was repeated this July, the economy is far and away the leader. In Nevada, of those without health coverage, 18 percent are Hispanic, according to data extracted from the census.
# The demographics of the Latino population here, according to that Bendixen study that was repeated in July, may surprise some people. Eighty percent reside in Clark County. Sixty-three percent are under 49. Seventy-three percent are Catholic. Sixty percent are registered Democratic, only 19 percent are Republican and 21 percent have no party affiliation or are registered with a third party.
Now we come to Roman's station and why McCain bought those ads and why Obama has to match what he is doing. The Bendixen folks found that nearly three-quarters of Clark County Hispanics watch Spanish-language television either every day (49 percent) or at least a few times a week (24 percent). That is staggering.
Another interesting factoid from this study, especially with the focus on Latinos in the Culinary Union, is that only a quarter of respondents identified themselves as belonging to a labor organization. (Half of those identified themselves as Culinary members.)
There is a lot more - Roman has extracted totals of registered voters with Hispanic surnames in each congressional and legislative district, which I bet campaign types are salivating to use. But the real question is: Besides being good for Roman's business, what do these numbers really mean?
It's pretty simple: Candidates who are willing to harness the potential of the Hispanic voter base, especially in Clark County, will be successful in a year when turnout should be higher than usual.
Roman wants people to know Univision is the first- or second-highest rated newscast in the young demographic and scores well with kind-of young folks up to 54. It's his business to know such things. And if candidates for president down to the Assembly are smart, they will make it their business, too.
By Jon Ralston / Staff Writer
If you wonder why John McCain made a large buy on Univision last week, and why Barack Obama wasted no time in responding to his opponent's attempt to own the immigration issue, it's all about business.
I didn't fully understand it until Chris Roman, general manager of the Spanish-language station, showed me some research that indicates just how important Hispanics could be - emphasis on "could be" - to this cycle's election outcomes, from president down to Assembly.
Roman, of course, is a businessman, so he would like advertisers, including political candidates, to recognize the power of his station. So be it. The data are, not withstanding Roman's sales pitch, compelling:
# Nevada is one of nine key states with significant Hispanic populations. Here, Latinos represent about a quarter of the citizenry, but only 11 percent are registered to vote. That number places Nevada in the lower third of those nine, but that's still a significant number.
# In 2004 there were 83,000 registered Hispanic voters in Nevada (using only Hispanic surnames, so that probably is underrepresented), which represents almost 9 percent of the electorate four years ago. George W. Bush won Nevada by just under 3 percentage points. In 2008 that number is expected to grow by almost 40 percent, with an estimated 115,750 registered Latino voters, or about 11 percent of the total 2008 electorate.
# Using data from a Bendixen and Associates canvass of Hispanic voters last year, Roman's presentation indicates that immigration is only the fifth most important issue to Latinos. Education, health care, the Iraq war and the economy finished ahead of immigration - and when the study was repeated this July, the economy is far and away the leader. In Nevada, of those without health coverage, 18 percent are Hispanic, according to data extracted from the census.
# The demographics of the Latino population here, according to that Bendixen study that was repeated in July, may surprise some people. Eighty percent reside in Clark County. Sixty-three percent are under 49. Seventy-three percent are Catholic. Sixty percent are registered Democratic, only 19 percent are Republican and 21 percent have no party affiliation or are registered with a third party.
Now we come to Roman's station and why McCain bought those ads and why Obama has to match what he is doing. The Bendixen folks found that nearly three-quarters of Clark County Hispanics watch Spanish-language television either every day (49 percent) or at least a few times a week (24 percent). That is staggering.
Another interesting factoid from this study, especially with the focus on Latinos in the Culinary Union, is that only a quarter of respondents identified themselves as belonging to a labor organization. (Half of those identified themselves as Culinary members.)
There is a lot more - Roman has extracted totals of registered voters with Hispanic surnames in each congressional and legislative district, which I bet campaign types are salivating to use. But the real question is: Besides being good for Roman's business, what do these numbers really mean?
It's pretty simple: Candidates who are willing to harness the potential of the Hispanic voter base, especially in Clark County, will be successful in a year when turnout should be higher than usual.
Roman wants people to know Univision is the first- or second-highest rated newscast in the young demographic and scores well with kind-of young folks up to 54. It's his business to know such things. And if candidates for president down to the Assembly are smart, they will make it their business, too.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Hispanic community leaders to be featured in Target ads
Target Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by Dreaming in Color
Inspirational Hispanic celebrities to be featured in broadcast ads and online
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Target celebrates Hispanic heritage this fall, and all year long, by encouraging everyone to dream in color, outside of the confines of black and white. Target is recognizing Hispanic innovators who inspire others to follow their dreams through video and educational content online at http://www.target.com/dreamincolor. The Dream in Color campaign includes music producer Emilio Estefan, designer Sami Hayek, actor Tony Plana and celebrity stylist Irma Martinez among others. Target selected these individuals because of their ability to inspire greatness in others by leading through example and proving that all things are possible if you just believe.
Target will celebrate the successes of these influential Hispanic community leaders through a series of broadcast ads and online video testimonials. The individuals highlighted in the Dream in Color campaign all share the ability to see beyond the here and now and envision a bigger and brighter tomorrow. Whether Emilio from Cuba, Sami from Mexico and Irma from Colombia, each have overcome obstacles in order to establish a new life in the United States and pursue their passions be it music, art, design or fashion.
Through Dream in Color, Target pays tribute to exceptional individuals who have worked hard and remained persistent on the road to accomplishing their dreams. These individuals have overcome numerous obstacles on the journey to success and their ability to look towards the future in the face of adversity is remarkable. It is because of this that Target celebrates their accomplishments in hopes that they will inspire others to greatness.
"Target believes that cultural differences are the essence of what makes each of us unique as individuals," said Greg Cunningham, group manager, marketing, Target. "Through Dream in Color, Target celebrates the rich history and heritage of the diverse communities that make up our world highlighting exceptional people, places and objects that teach us there are no limits to imagination."
In addition to celebrities and designers of Hispanic origin, earlier this year Target partnered with Debbie Allen, Kwaku Alston, Irene Hirano, Iman, John Legend, Holly Robinson Peete, Joy Gryson and Sylvia Woods to share their Dream in Color stories.
Inspirational Hispanic celebrities to be featured in broadcast ads and online
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Target celebrates Hispanic heritage this fall, and all year long, by encouraging everyone to dream in color, outside of the confines of black and white. Target is recognizing Hispanic innovators who inspire others to follow their dreams through video and educational content online at http://www.target.com/dreamincolor. The Dream in Color campaign includes music producer Emilio Estefan, designer Sami Hayek, actor Tony Plana and celebrity stylist Irma Martinez among others. Target selected these individuals because of their ability to inspire greatness in others by leading through example and proving that all things are possible if you just believe.
Target will celebrate the successes of these influential Hispanic community leaders through a series of broadcast ads and online video testimonials. The individuals highlighted in the Dream in Color campaign all share the ability to see beyond the here and now and envision a bigger and brighter tomorrow. Whether Emilio from Cuba, Sami from Mexico and Irma from Colombia, each have overcome obstacles in order to establish a new life in the United States and pursue their passions be it music, art, design or fashion.
Through Dream in Color, Target pays tribute to exceptional individuals who have worked hard and remained persistent on the road to accomplishing their dreams. These individuals have overcome numerous obstacles on the journey to success and their ability to look towards the future in the face of adversity is remarkable. It is because of this that Target celebrates their accomplishments in hopes that they will inspire others to greatness.
"Target believes that cultural differences are the essence of what makes each of us unique as individuals," said Greg Cunningham, group manager, marketing, Target. "Through Dream in Color, Target celebrates the rich history and heritage of the diverse communities that make up our world highlighting exceptional people, places and objects that teach us there are no limits to imagination."
In addition to celebrities and designers of Hispanic origin, earlier this year Target partnered with Debbie Allen, Kwaku Alston, Irene Hirano, Iman, John Legend, Holly Robinson Peete, Joy Gryson and Sylvia Woods to share their Dream in Color stories.
Wisconsin Hispanic owned business and non-profit team for scholarships
"Fiesta Mexicana" gives back to Hispanic students
Maria Avalos, 9/18/08
Fiesta Mexicana and the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation have been able to award more than $565,000 in academic scholarships and more than $250,000 to local and surrounding non-profit organizations over the years. These scholarships have allowed aspiring Hispanic students to live their dreams of furthering their education. This year five students from all MATC campuses received these scholarships. All winners are required to work 20 hours.
Paulina Martinez is one of the MATC students who has benefited from the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation. Majoring in graphic design, she volunteered at Fiesta Mexicana by designing the logo, brochure and all publicity ads for the festival. Paulina was so grateful that she decided to volunteer for the whole summer on a full-time basis. Her advice to those who quit school because they don't have money for tuition and books: "You don't need money, you just need to be a good student and to have the courage to do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams." She adds, "One way to accomplish this is by finding where to apply for scholarship money and be willing to volunteer. You get a lot of experience and have the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people."
Evelyn Delgado is another MATC student in the Administrative Assistant program who received the scholarship. She is very proud to wear her MATC T-shirt and talked about how she obtained her scholarship. She said she had to write two essays about how she sees her future and how she plans to help and give back to her community. Her plans are to find a job in the medical field and be able to help the needy.
Estela Vazquez, who is the Administrative Assistant for the foundation, says, "All you have to do is get your application in by February and complete and return it by the March 31st deadline." To be eligible you need to be a Wisconsin resident, at least 25% Hispanic, have been accepted to a college in Wisconsin and provide copies of your transcripts. There is no age limit and the better grades you have the better scholarship you can get.
Maria Avalos, 9/18/08
Fiesta Mexicana and the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation have been able to award more than $565,000 in academic scholarships and more than $250,000 to local and surrounding non-profit organizations over the years. These scholarships have allowed aspiring Hispanic students to live their dreams of furthering their education. This year five students from all MATC campuses received these scholarships. All winners are required to work 20 hours.
Paulina Martinez is one of the MATC students who has benefited from the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation. Majoring in graphic design, she volunteered at Fiesta Mexicana by designing the logo, brochure and all publicity ads for the festival. Paulina was so grateful that she decided to volunteer for the whole summer on a full-time basis. Her advice to those who quit school because they don't have money for tuition and books: "You don't need money, you just need to be a good student and to have the courage to do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams." She adds, "One way to accomplish this is by finding where to apply for scholarship money and be willing to volunteer. You get a lot of experience and have the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people."
Evelyn Delgado is another MATC student in the Administrative Assistant program who received the scholarship. She is very proud to wear her MATC T-shirt and talked about how she obtained her scholarship. She said she had to write two essays about how she sees her future and how she plans to help and give back to her community. Her plans are to find a job in the medical field and be able to help the needy.
Estela Vazquez, who is the Administrative Assistant for the foundation, says, "All you have to do is get your application in by February and complete and return it by the March 31st deadline." To be eligible you need to be a Wisconsin resident, at least 25% Hispanic, have been accepted to a college in Wisconsin and provide copies of your transcripts. There is no age limit and the better grades you have the better scholarship you can get.
Obama's ad misleads Latino voters about immigration
McCain hits Obama over immigration ad
Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor September 18, 2008
John McCain's campaign is going after Barack Obama for a Spanish-language TV ad that appears to misleadingly link McCain to comments made by conservative radio talk show icon Rush Limbaugh.
The spot highlights portions of two quotes from Limbaugh in which he says, "stupid and unskilled Mexicans," and "You shut your mouth or you get out!"
Independent fact-checks, however, say those quotations were taken out of context.
The announcer in the ad goes on to say, "John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote -- and another, even worse, that continues the policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families. John McCain, more of the same old Republican tricks."
During the Republican primaries McCain did pull back from his support for comprehensive immigration reform, saying that voters wouldn't support it until the borders were secured. He championed the bill, along with Bush, that would have provided a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, including many from Mexico. Limbaugh harshly criticized McCain for support the bill, which failed to get through Congress last year.
Today, the McCain camp issued a statement from US Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Republican from Florida, a key battleground state where the Latino vote is crucial.
"It is offensive and dishonest for Barack Obama to lie about John McCain's record on immigration and years of support for the Hispanic community, when it was Barack Obama himself who voted for 'poison pill' amendments that killed the effort at immigration reform," Diaz-Balart said. "Instead of making false ads with baseless attacks, Barack Obama should be apologizing to the Latino community."
Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor September 18, 2008
John McCain's campaign is going after Barack Obama for a Spanish-language TV ad that appears to misleadingly link McCain to comments made by conservative radio talk show icon Rush Limbaugh.
The spot highlights portions of two quotes from Limbaugh in which he says, "stupid and unskilled Mexicans," and "You shut your mouth or you get out!"
Independent fact-checks, however, say those quotations were taken out of context.
The announcer in the ad goes on to say, "John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One that says lies just to get our vote -- and another, even worse, that continues the policies of George Bush that put special interests ahead of working families. John McCain, more of the same old Republican tricks."
During the Republican primaries McCain did pull back from his support for comprehensive immigration reform, saying that voters wouldn't support it until the borders were secured. He championed the bill, along with Bush, that would have provided a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, including many from Mexico. Limbaugh harshly criticized McCain for support the bill, which failed to get through Congress last year.
Today, the McCain camp issued a statement from US Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Republican from Florida, a key battleground state where the Latino vote is crucial.
"It is offensive and dishonest for Barack Obama to lie about John McCain's record on immigration and years of support for the Hispanic community, when it was Barack Obama himself who voted for 'poison pill' amendments that killed the effort at immigration reform," Diaz-Balart said. "Instead of making false ads with baseless attacks, Barack Obama should be apologizing to the Latino community."
Hispanics support democratic party, Obama
Survey shows strong support for Obama, Democrats among Hispanics
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News, gjeffers@dallasnews.com, September 18, 2008
Democrats and Barack Obama enjoy increasingly strong support with Hispanic voters, according to a new survey released Thursday.
The study, released by the Pew Hispanic Center, shows 65 percent of Latino registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 26 percent identify with or lean toward the GOP.
The 39-point gap is the largest observed in the past decade, the survey says, and comes at a time when both candidates are working hard to woo Hispanic voters in the critical Southwest battleground states and Florida.
Democrats are leading in other areas as well.
The survey states that 55 percent of registered voters say the Democrats Party is more concerned about Hispanics, compared with 6 percent of Hispanic registered voters who say the GOP is more concerned about Hispanics.
Three in 10 Hispanic registered voters say immigration is an extremely important issue.
And 50 percent of Hispanic registered voters say Mr. Obama is the better candidate for immigrants, while 12 percent said John McCain was the best choice for immigrants. The rest, 38 percent, said there was no difference between the candidates.
With less than two months before the Nov. 4 election, both candidates have stepped up their outreach to Hispanic voters.
And while they rarely talk about immigration on the stump, their Spanish-language television ads tout their plans and their history with Hispanic voters.
Polls show Mr. Obama has enjoyed a comfortable lead over Mr. McCain for most of the general election among Hispanic voters, even though many Hispanic voters leaned heavily toward Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primary and were disappointed she wasn’t on the Democratic ticket.
What’s more, Mr. McCain hails from Arizona, a southwest state with a large Hispanic population, and had supported a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in a plan that didn’t make it through Congress.
Susan Minushkin, deputy director for the Pew Hispanic Center, said Hispanic votes are as critical as ever.
“They are more important this election than last election,” she said. “They will be more important in the next election than this election. Every day there are more Hispanics turning 18 than in any other group.”
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News, gjeffers@dallasnews.com, September 18, 2008
Democrats and Barack Obama enjoy increasingly strong support with Hispanic voters, according to a new survey released Thursday.
The study, released by the Pew Hispanic Center, shows 65 percent of Latino registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 26 percent identify with or lean toward the GOP.
The 39-point gap is the largest observed in the past decade, the survey says, and comes at a time when both candidates are working hard to woo Hispanic voters in the critical Southwest battleground states and Florida.
Democrats are leading in other areas as well.
The survey states that 55 percent of registered voters say the Democrats Party is more concerned about Hispanics, compared with 6 percent of Hispanic registered voters who say the GOP is more concerned about Hispanics.
Three in 10 Hispanic registered voters say immigration is an extremely important issue.
And 50 percent of Hispanic registered voters say Mr. Obama is the better candidate for immigrants, while 12 percent said John McCain was the best choice for immigrants. The rest, 38 percent, said there was no difference between the candidates.
With less than two months before the Nov. 4 election, both candidates have stepped up their outreach to Hispanic voters.
And while they rarely talk about immigration on the stump, their Spanish-language television ads tout their plans and their history with Hispanic voters.
Polls show Mr. Obama has enjoyed a comfortable lead over Mr. McCain for most of the general election among Hispanic voters, even though many Hispanic voters leaned heavily toward Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primary and were disappointed she wasn’t on the Democratic ticket.
What’s more, Mr. McCain hails from Arizona, a southwest state with a large Hispanic population, and had supported a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in a plan that didn’t make it through Congress.
Susan Minushkin, deputy director for the Pew Hispanic Center, said Hispanic votes are as critical as ever.
“They are more important this election than last election,” she said. “They will be more important in the next election than this election. Every day there are more Hispanics turning 18 than in any other group.”
Report finds Hispanics have downbeat assessment of U.S.
Hispanics See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures.
Press Release
WASHINGTON - Half (50%) of all Latinos say that the situation of Latinos in this country is worse now than it was a year ago, according to a new nationwide survey of 2,015 Hispanic adults conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
These increasingly downbeat assessments come at a time when the Hispanic community in this country has been hit hard by rising unemployment and stepped-up immigration enforcement.
In the survey, nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status. Latinos say they are experiencing other difficulties because of their ethnicity. One-in-seven (15%) say that they have had trouble in the past year finding or keeping a job because they are Latino. One-in-ten (10%) report the same about finding or keeping housing.
On the question of immigration enforcement, Latinos disapprove of five key enforcement measures asked about in this survey--and generally do so by lopsided margins.
The report also explores how Latinos rate the political parties and their presidential candidates on immigration and Hispanic concerns.
The report, 2008 National Survey of Latinos: Hispanics See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures, 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.
Press Release
WASHINGTON - Half (50%) of all Latinos say that the situation of Latinos in this country is worse now than it was a year ago, according to a new nationwide survey of 2,015 Hispanic adults conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
These increasingly downbeat assessments come at a time when the Hispanic community in this country has been hit hard by rising unemployment and stepped-up immigration enforcement.
In the survey, nearly one-in-ten Hispanic adults report that in the past year the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status. Latinos say they are experiencing other difficulties because of their ethnicity. One-in-seven (15%) say that they have had trouble in the past year finding or keeping a job because they are Latino. One-in-ten (10%) report the same about finding or keeping housing.
On the question of immigration enforcement, Latinos disapprove of five key enforcement measures asked about in this survey--and generally do so by lopsided margins.
The report also explores how Latinos rate the political parties and their presidential candidates on immigration and Hispanic concerns.
The report, 2008 National Survey of Latinos: Hispanics See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating; Oppose Key Immigration Enforcement Measures, 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.