The Latino Journal

Over 2 million Hispanic households going hungry

2009-11-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

New Report: More Than 2 Million Hispanic Households With Children Face Hunger
2.3 million Hispanic Households with children are food insecure
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 5

CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (USDA) reported yesterday that almost one in four children living in the United States are food insecure. According to the 2009 report on Household Food Insecurity in the United States, there is a striking disparity in the prevalence of food insecurity among Hispanic children. More than two million Hispanic households with children were food insecure at least some time during the year, an increase of 37 percent over 2007, compared with non-Hispanic whites' households with children. The study also revealed that 177,000 non-white Hispanic households with children - an almost 50 percent increase over 2007 -- experienced very low food security, meaning that the food intake of one or more of the household children was reduced and their eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money. This marks the largest increase in food insecurity rates among non-white Hispanic households with children since the USDA has been collecting data. Very low food insecurity for non-Hispanic whites rose 35 percent during the same period.

"Importantly, these numbers reflect the state of the nation one year ago, in 2008. Since then, the economy has significantly weakened, and there are likely many more children of varying ethnicity struggling with hunger than this report states," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization. "It is an outrage that one in four children in this nation lives on the brink of hunger and doesn't have access to adequate amounts of nutritious food."

The new data reinforces recent findings from a research study conducted by Feeding America reflecting a dramatic increase in requests for emergency food assistance from food banks across the country. Conducted in September, the Feeding America study shows that more than half of its network food banks reported seeing more children as clients.

"This study reinforces the fact that there are likely millions of Hispanic families in need of food assistance who are not turning to our system for help. We believe this is due to a lack of awareness of emergency feeding programs and perhaps the stigma associated with asking for help," said Escarra. "We will continue to reach out to Hispanic communities to ensure families in need know they can turn to us in times of crisis.

"Feeding America's 200 food banks continue to work on the front lines feeding more than 25 million people each year, through our country's food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency feeding centers - more than 63,000 agencies in total," continued Escarra. "These establishments, many of which are grass root and faith based centers operated solely by volunteers, serve as an oasis for the more than 4 million people who seek relief weekly to help feed themselves and their families. Emergency food assistance is a critical link in the nation's response chain to help people through times of crisis."

Escarra observes, "Our network food banks are calling us every day, telling us that demand for emergency food is higher than it has ever been in our history. Feeding America will continue to work closely with our partners at USDA to ensure that the public and charitable sectors are keeping pace - as best we can - with the dramatically increasing needs for food assistance."

About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. Feeding America is based in Chicago. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Feedingamerica.

Latino students protest vandalism, harassment

2009-11-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Protesters voice anger at intolerance
Associated Press, November 20, 2009

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Dozens of protesters, including students and faculty at the University of Northern Iowa, gathered to protest a recent string of vandalism and harassment on campus.

Organizers passed out signs Thursday as protesters stood in silence on the outer ring of UNI's Maucker Union fountain to voice their opposition to intolerance. "Basta ya" -- Spanish for "enough already" -- was one phrase on signs.

Protesters expressed concern about the most attention-getting incident, the spray-painting on Nov. 8 of a swastika on a bench outside the university's Dancer Hall.

Hispanic literature student Carmen Castillo says Hispanic students have been targeted by harassment in recent weeks. She says the protest was designed to show that those being harassed will not be silent.

UNI president Benjamin Allen says the event was an opportunity to peacefully show their dedication and commitment to diversity."

Hispanics blame Rahm for immigration ban

2009-11-23T17:09:00.000-08:00

Hispanics blame Rahm for immigrant ban
By JONATHAN ALLEN | Politico.com, 11/19/09

Hispanic lawmakers say an old adversary, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, has his fingerprints all over a push to prohibit illegal immigrants from buying health insurance plans in a new market for people who don’t get insurance through their employers.

“A forensic study would show it all leads back to Rahm Emanuel and the White House,” said Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who worked with Emanuel when the president’s top aide was in the House.

“This analysis is inaccurate,” said a White House aide who had been shown the comments made by Hispanic lawmakers.

The health care bill passed by the House earlier this month would prevent illegal immigrants from getting subsidies to buy insurance, but they would be permitted to buy plans from the exchange with their own money. The Senate bill would cut off that option.

Whether or not the CHC members are pointing their frustration in the right direction, the perception that Emanuel is pushing policies that they see as harmful to their communities for the political advantage of the president or moderate Democrats in Congress could cause the White House problems with the CHC in future negotiations.

Members of the CHC trace what they say is a harder White House line on immigrants to the night of South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst during President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress in September.

“There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants,” Obama said. “This, too, is false — the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.”

That prompted Wilson’s now-famous interjection. CHC members say that’s when the White House toughened its stance against illegal immigrants having any access to the system.

“They made it up at the White House,” Gutierrez said.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) had hoped to get the House, White House and Senate on the same page on the issue before the House moved forward with its legislation, to spare moderate House Democrats from having to vote on two versions of the provision. At the time, House leaders were debating whether to include a provision like the Senate’s in the House bill to help moderates avoid a tough vote on it or to side with Hispanic members by keeping the looser restriction. Van Hollen met with the CHC before the House vote — to clarify his position — and encouraged members to see if they could get the White House to agree to back their position.

CHC Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez of New York and California Democratic Reps. Xavier Becerra and Lucille Roybal-Allard were rebuffed when they met with Obama at the White House, according to Velazquez. Emanuel was not present.

But Hispanic lawmakers say there is little doubt in their mind where the president’s increasingly tough stance on undocumented workers and their families originates.

“He still thinks immigration will defeat Democrats,” said a CHC member who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Emanuel has long had a strained relationship with the CHC because, as chairman of the House Democrats’ political committee and later of their caucus, he sided with vulnerable Democrats who voted for Republican measures cracking down on immigrants — some of which were seen by Hispanic members as driven by bigotry.

He also came under fire from House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) on Thursday for an approach to the health care bill that Conyers said amounts to “give us anything, and we will declare victory.”

Gutierrez said CHC opposition to the approach favored by the Senate and the president is “even deeper-rooted and deeper-cemented” than it was on the night the House passed its bill.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday she will “stand by” the provision in the House bill during House-Senate negotiations. Van Hollen has also expressed his support for the House version to the White House.

Democratic leaders were surprised that Republican House members did not offer a procedural motion to amend the House bill with language similar to the Senate’s. Several lawmakers and aides familiar with vote counts say such a motion would most likely have been adopted by the House and put the final passage of the bill in jeopardy.

Members of the CHC continue to hint that they may vote against a final health care bill if the Senate’s provision comes back to them in a health care bill.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we do,” said Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas).

Gonzalez said he didn’t know whether Emanuel is involved, but he said the policy is misdirected because it would result in taxpayers funding more expensive emergency health care for illegal immigrants who are unable to purchase health insurance.

“The only reason you ever pursue bad policy is when you think there’s some sort of political advantage,” Gonzalez said.

Latino population pressure likely to impact GOP politics

2009-11-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

Report: Latino population pressure likely to impact GOP politics
By Katie Redding, Colorado Independent, 11/19/09

A report released this month by America’s Voice, an immigration reform advocacy group, argues that swiftly growing Latino constituent populations across the country may soon pressure Republicans to drop inflammatory anti-immigration rhetoric.

The report predicts which states will gain seats as a result of the 2010 Census due mostly to the tremendous growth of their Latino populations: Texas (+4), Arizona (+2), Florida (+1), Georgia (+1), Nevada (+1), Oregon (+1), South Carolina (+1), and Utah (+1). (Those tallies assume that a proposed Census boycott by Latinos doesn’t take place.)

The report points out that many of these states, ironically, are red ones:

The states likely to gain political power following the 2010 Census are currently largely Republican-dominated at both the Congressional and state levels, and in many cases will owe this expanded power to Latinos who moved to their states over the last several years. Ironically, many members of the delegations who will benefit from the increase in Latino population have embraced policies that are hostile to Latinos and immigrants. It will be interesting to see how the 2010 Census impacts politicians’ attitudes toward immigrants and Latinos who helped them expand their power in Congress.

But what percentage of those Latino populations represents legal citizens eligible to vote? Well, the report points out that Latino voter registration and turnout also grew tremendously between 2000 and 2008—54 percent and 64 percent, respectively. And as that voter base grows, politicians may find themselves in a different electoral climate:

As this demographic continues to grow, politicians who ignore or demonize the Latino population in their states will find the road to re-election much more difficult.

"Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, has promised to introduce comprehensive immigration reform shortly.

Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, has promised to introduce comprehensive immigration reform shortly.

In Colorado, where the percentage of Hispanic voters went from 8 percent in 2004 to 13 percent in 2008, Latinos in favor of comprehensive immigration reform are already organizing to demand that politicians pay attention to the issue.

Just last night, for example, Coloradans held parties in 22 houses across the state to listen to Congressman Luis Gutierrez, D-Illinois, Congressman Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona and Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, D-New York speak about the comprehensive immigration reform legislation Gutierrez expects to introduce shortly.

Texas education a slap at growing Hispanic population

2009-11-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

Lawmaker tells Texas' State Board of Education that Hispanics are lacking in textbooks
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News, November 19, 2009

AUSTIN – Hispanics are getting the shaft in proposed history and social studies standards for Texas public schools, Hispanic legislative leaders complained Wednesday to the State Board of Education.

Rep. Norma Chavez, representing the House and Senate Hispanic caucuses, told board members that proposed standards for U.S. history, government and other social studies courses are a slap at the state's growing Hispanic population.

"It is as though Hispanics don't exist in many of these standards," Chavez, an El Paso Democrat, told the panel, noting that only 16 of 162 historical figures that must be covered in social studies are Hispanic.

"Mexican-Americans did not just all of a sudden pop up at the border," she said. "This document does a very poor job reflecting the contributions of Hispanics to our state and the nation."

Republican board members questioned whether Hispanic lawmakers were seeking a quota for the key historical figures to be covered in textbooks and classroom instruction.

"You seem to be saying that because 40 percent of our population is Hispanic, then 40 percent of all of the historical characters need to be Hispanic," said board member Pat Hardy, R-Weatherford. "You are asking to include different people just because they are Latino."

Chavez insisted that that was not the legislators' intention.

"What we are saying is that you are not looking at the entire history of this state and accurately reflecting what should be included," she said.

She noted that Moses is a required figure in the American government standards – because of the influence of Mosaic law – but not a single Hispanic is among the individuals required to be studied in government classes.

"We're in the 21st century, and we're writing textbooks like it's the '50s," Chavez said, asking for a meeting between board members and Hispanic lawmakers before the board takes its first vote on the social studies standards in January.

Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio and chairwoman of the Senate Hispanic Caucus, sent a statement to the board echoing the concerns of the state's 44 Hispanic House members.

"At a time when the majority of Texas first-graders are Hispanic, I strongly urge the State Board of Education to ensure that our history books reflect the diversity of our classrooms," she wrote.

Chavez added that some board members were using the curriculum "as a platform for their political agendas."

The social studies requirements will remain in place for the next decade, dictating what is taught in government, history and other social studies classes in all elementary and secondary schools.

The standards also will be used to write textbooks and develop state tests for students.

Nearly two dozen people signed up for the public hearing on the standards Wednesday, including representatives for several conservative groups who voiced concern about what they said was an effort by the writing teams for the standards to be politically correct.

"Liberal activists who seek to replace history with political correctness should not succeed in Texas," said Kelly Shackelford of the Free Market Foundation. "Texas is a common-sense, conservative state. Replacing true history with politically correct quotas is wrong."

Report: Immigration enforcement only policies don't work

2009-11-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

The Secure Communities Program
Is It Living Up To Its Name?
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 5

Washington D.C. - As the Department of Homeland Security marks the one-year anniversary of its Secure Communities Program - the latest partnership between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local jails to identify and deport "criminal aliens"- the Immigration Policy Center is releasing a Special Report, The Secure Communities Program: Unanswered Questions and Continuing Concerns. The report asks key questions, raises serious concerns about the program, and provides recommendations for its improvement.

The Secure Communities program - currently active in Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia - seeks to remove dangerous criminals from the U.S. However, early evidence from Secure Communities, and experience with other ICE programs, suggests that there is reason to be concerned about whether Secure Communities is meeting that goal, and what impact the program has on local communities. There are questions concerning who is being targeted by the program and how ICE defines and prioritizes criminal immigrants. There are additional concerns regarding the role of local law-enforcement officers, and the potential for racial profiling and pretextual arrests. Finally, the new report raises questions about the management, data collection, and evaluation of the program.

The questions and concerns around Secure Communities provide yet more evidence that enforcement-only policies do not work, and that we need a comprehensive solution to our immigration problems. Attempts to enforce our way out of this problem alone have failed. In a well-functioning legal immigration system, our federal and local law-enforcement agencies could focus their scarce resources on dangerous criminals - immigrant and citizen alike - rather than chasing millions of unauthorized workers who pose no public safety threat.

To read the report in its entirety see: www.immcouncil.org “The Secure Communities Program: Unanswered Questions and Continuing Concerns (IPC Special Report, November 23, 2009)”

Latinos, others organize for immigration reform

2009-11-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

More Than 60,000 Americans in 45 States Organize for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 5

Washington, DC – Last week, more than 60,000 activists, families, friends, and neighbors gathered for a nationwide tele-town hall event that created even greater momentum for comprehensive immigration reform legislation in 2010. The national teleconference was put together by an enormous coalition of faith, law enforcement, labor, civil rights, and immigrant advocacy groups working together to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year. The breadth and size of the coalition was reflected in the massive numbers of people who joined the call. The Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign organized 1,009 house parties in 45 states and Puerto Rico. More than 60,000 called in, joined house parties, or listened to live radio broadcasts.

Two weeks ago, anti-immigrant “tea party” activists held rallies to protest the mere presence of immigrants in the United States. However, their numbers paled in comparison to those who assembled tonight. NumbersUSA, a vehemently anti-immigrant organization, hailed a meager 50 events in only 26 states that they acknowledged were “not drawing huge crowds.” In contrast, 400 activists showed up to a single pro-reform house party in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The teleconference, hosted by the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign and featuring Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Congressman Raul Grijalva, and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez comes just days after White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano indicated the White House is ready to push for comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. Tonight in schools, churches, and community centers all over the country Americans are organizing to push Congress to solve this problem once and for all.

Congressman Gutierrez outlined a progressive vision for immigration reform and told participants to continue organizing to hold their elected leaders accountable. “We need everyone on this call to take action with your churches, your families and your organizations so that we can deliver a strong message to President Obama and Congress that, hey, it has been a year…We want you to keep your promise to our families. We’ll be watching on the State of the Union to make sure you keep your promise,” said Gutierrez.

“In 2006 we marched, in 2008 we voted, and in 2009 and 2010 we’re getting organized.” said Congressman Grijalva.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez said that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and its allies were committed to making immigration reform happen. “The CHC and its allies are working to ensure that comprehensive immigration reform finally become a reality. We have a President who, I think, understands that. We have Democratic majorities in the Congress, and we have a few Republicans who want to work with us to get this done,” said Velazquez

The demonstration of organizational might shows that Americans from every part of the country are committed to achieving immigration reform and ready to get to work.

Audio is available on the Campaign website: http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/

Latino appointee confirmed

2009-11-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

Senate Confirm Valenzuela - Finally!
USHLI.org

After an inexplicable and inexcusable delay, the U.S. Senate last week finally confirmed Dr. Arturo Valenzuela to be Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. In making the announcement, the State Department said "He is a specialist on the origins and consolidation of democracy, the institutional dimensions of democratic governance, Latin American politics, and U.S.-Latin American relations."

During the Clinton administration, Dr. Valenzuela served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council and as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, where his primary responsibility was United States foreign policy towards Mexico.

He holds a Doctorate and a Master's degree in Political Science from Columbia University, and a B.A. summa cum laude in Political Science and Religion from Drew University.

Nebraska Hispanic group seeks new leader

2009-11-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

Neb. Hispanic group to begin search for new leader
Associated Press - November 22, 2009

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Mexican-American Commission is in need of a new leader after its longtime director retired, its interim director resigned and as the state agency approaches what's shaping up to be a busy 2010.

Longtime director Cecilia Huerta resigned in June. Now, Angel Freytez, who began filling in as acting director in May 2008 while Huerta was on medical leave, resigned this week.

The turnover comes less than two months from the legislative session and as activity tied to the 2010 census is under way. All this as the agency continues to evolve to meet the needs of the state's growing Hispanic population.

Commission chairwoman Yolanda Nuncio says the agency will lean on its board of commissioners in the interim.

For more information about the Nebraska Mexican-American Commission: http://www.mex-amer.state.ne.us/

Hispanic students win legal status

2009-11-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

Undocumented students mobilize to win legal status
Miami Herald

WASHINGTON -- Immigration, an issue placed on the congressional backburner by attempts to revamp the nation's health care system, is percolating again as Republican lawmakers are pushing a measure that would require U.S. Census forms to include a question about the citizenship status of respondents.

An amendment by Sens. David Vitter, R-La, and Bob Bennett, R-Utah, to freeze Census Bureau funds if it doesn't add the citizenship question to more than 425 million forms before the once-a-decade count begins in April has divided Latino groups, as well as some opponents of comprehensive immigration legislation.

Vitter calls his amendment, which he hopes to attach to a Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill, necessary to try to exclude illegal immigrants from the census count so their numbers won't impact on congressional apportionment or legislative redistricting, which is based on population.

With only her face and neck poking above the dais, a 13-year-old girl Wednesday talked about how the deportation of her bread-winning father to Guatemala tore asunder her family.

“I know our lives wouldn't have been like this had our dad not been deported,'' said Ashley Guerra, of Sweetwater, citing the loss of her parents' home. “They deported him because he didn't have his papers, but I don't think that's a good reason.''

Ashley's first-hand testimony about the effects of immigration policy on her family was delivered Wednesday at Miami-Dade County Hall as local leaders and immigrant advocates gathered to study a proposal that aims to articulate a single county position on federal immigration reform.

Is The Miami Herald guilt-ridden with white man's burden, soft on crime or just muddle headed? These are among the questions raised by some readers about what they see as The Herald's squeamishness in writing about, well, that's the issue. Are they illegal aliens? Undocumented workers? Or as some say in South Texas, just plain wetbacks.

The choice is critical. In the escalating battle over immigration, all sides agree on at least this: words are power. The labels that stick become the prism through which the nation views the issue. This helps determine which side wins. So it is no mistake that a bill offering a path to citizenship for thousands of illegal-immigrant students is titled the "Dream Act" by pro-immigrant forces. Who would deny hopes and the American Dream to youths?

The opponents know verbal tricks of their own. They have managed to turn "amnesty" into a dirty word, given the failure to halt illegal immigration after the last two amnesties. "Illegal alien shamnesty, " says conservative columnist

How can even the most hardened editor not go warm and fuzzy over the Gomez brothers?

The two boys were detained to be deported to their native Colombia when student friends intervened to save them, launching an online campaign, raising money and going to Congress. They won the family's release, at least for the moment. The Gomez boys, 18 and 19, were popular students, and the younger Juan was a star. He had near-perfect grades and has just entered the honor's program at Miami Dade College.

The GOP tries mending fences with Latinos

2009-11-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

Republican Party courting Latinos
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 4

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The Republican Party has to repair fences with Latino voters in America after losing their support in the 2008 presidential election, party officials say.

Much of the Latino vote was driven toward the Democratic party by conservative Republican calls for border fence proposals and cutting healthcare options for illegal immigrants, ABC News reported Saturday.

Conservative attempts to exploit fears of illegal immigration also eroded Latino support for the GOP, Nevada Republican national committeeman Robert List said.

"I think the party needs to rethink their approach to illegal immigration," he said. "However many illegal immigrations there are is almost irrelevant -- they're here."

List said the Republicans have to consider demographic shifts in his state and in the border states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, which have traditionally elected GOP candidates: "They need to recognize that Latinos are going to be majorities in some cases."

Nevada's Latinos are being given close attention by both parties after the 2008 results. The Republicans have chosen Brian Sandoval, 46, as their front-runner for governor in an effort to attract the young Latino vote, ABC News said.

"I firmly believe that the Latino community has deep commitment to family values and are natural constituents of the GOP," List said. "We need to reclaim that voting bloc. I think we can re energize that effort among Latinos."

Oregon Latinos seek power in numbers

2009-11-11T18:07:00.000-08:00

Oregon Latinos seek power in numbers
By Gosia Wozniacka, The Oregonian, November 05, 2009

Like California 30 years ago, Oregon's growing Latino population is reaching a tipping point: A critical mass of Latino professionals is starting to organize and influence state and local politics.

Inspired by telltale demographics and political under-representation, Latino leaders throughout the state have formed a group to plan a summit and develop a legislative platform relevant to Latinos.

The initiative -- dubbed Latino Agenda for Action -- unites statewide community organizations and leaders to build recognition, set priorities and eventually start a research institute or similar entity to inform the public and legislators about the state's largest ethnic group.

"The demographics are clear. Latinos are part of the fabric of this community, and they're here to stay," said Consuelo Saragoza, senior adviser of public health for Multnomah County and a convener of the group. "But there seemed to be a void. A lot of people felt that we needed a statewide voice."

Latinos made up 11 percent of Oregon's population in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than half are U.S. citizens, and many families have lived in the state for several generations. Their numbers have increased most dramatically over the past three decades and keep growing, mostly because of high fertility rates, data show.

Yet only one Oregon state legislator, Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, is Latino.

Latino issues are still "off the radar in many places," said Daniel HoSang, a political science professor at the University of Oregon. Latinos need dedicated groups to champion their causes, he said, "to make sure the issues don't get lost in the shuffle," as in the case of immigration reform taking a back seat to health care reform.

"This community hasn't been a part of Oregon's consciousness," HoSang said. "It may not have to do with hostility or a political position, it's just new water."

Latino Agenda for Action, a nonpartisan effort, is out to change that. Latinos have high buying power and own businesses, Saragoza said. But they also suffer from elevated rates of teen pregnancy, high numbers of student dropouts, and limited access to health care, among others.

Latino diversity

Pockets of individuals and groups already advocate for Latinos, but tend to be small and disconnected from one another, she said. There is no larger recognizable entity that encompasses all Oregon Latinos, or that reflects their diversity. Latinos are not just Mexicans -- they also hail from Puerto Rico and countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador.

"It's important to signal to the state, to elected officials and government agencies that Latino leadership is coalescing to respond to issues and to make ourselves visible," said Andrea Cano, one of Latino Agenda's facilitators.

The response from Latino leaders has been extraordinary, Cano said, with groups from every region calling to join. Agenda organizers brought them together for a second "salon" in October. Supported by the Oregon Consensus Program at Portland State University, several committees are planning various aspects of the summit, to be held next fall.

The group is continuing to identify participants in key regions, with the hope of putting together a database of Latino leaders and organizations. Organizers are also partnering with existing groups, such as the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

What makes Latino Agenda for Action different, they say, is that it's a grass-roots approach driven by the community. Its aim is to represent and benefit rural and urban Latinos, newcomers and native-born, and to cut across generational and cultural differences, Cano said. It will include Latino artists, indigenous communities, youth and university students, as well as non-Latino allies.

The statewide summit will be a forum to gather existing research and expertise, identify priorities for the community, and develop public policy and legislation benefiting Latinos.

Research hub envisioned

A future public policy institute or research group, to be based at a local university, would be the authority on Latino issues in the state, said Carlos Crespo, professor and director of the School of Community Health at Portland State University.

"We want to be able to provide a neutral, secure place where people with different points of view can share ideas based on what the data says, and not on philosophical or political points of view," Crespo said.

Having a central place for data and policy provides continuity, which is badly missing in Oregon's debate, he said. A research institute could also help build leadership among Latinos, especially among young people.

The lag between Latino population growth and representation is partly due to Oregon Latinos' disproportionate youth population, said HoSang, the political science professor. One in every six students in Oregon schools is Latino. As they come of age, they will help shape the state's political scene, HoSang said.

Crespo and Saragoza hope the summit will set the stage and help "identify the Latino community as viable," Saragoza said.

"It's sad that such a large group is invisible, and that's why we need action and policy to solve our problems," Crespo said. "We Latinos are here, and we want the same thing everybody wants. We want Oregon to be a better place."

Hispanic families could benefit from the Military Families Act

2009-11-11T18:05:00.000-08:00

AILA WELCOMES SEN. MENENDEZ (D-NJ) INTRODUCTION OF THE MILITARY FAMILIES ACT
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 4

WASHINGTON, DC – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed the introduction yesterday by U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) of S.2757 The Military Families Act. The Military Families bill would grant lawful permanent residence status to immediate family members of active immigrant members of the military and veterans even when the sponsoring solider has lost his or her life in service.

"This bill will help hundreds of military families whose immigration status has been in limbo and who have been facing untold heartache and lengthy separations as they seek to be reunited,” said LTC Margaret Stock, a member of AILA. “In a time of war, it is fitting that Congress acts to ease the stress on military families. These families are key to our military members' morale and effectiveness on the battlefield and military members' recovery when they return home from the battlefield."

Under the Military Families Act (S. 2757), the Department of Homeland Security would have the authority to adjust the status of an individual to that of lawful permanent resident if the individual is a parent, spouse, child, son or daughter of an Armed Forces member who is serving or has served honorably in an active-duty status in the military, air or naval forces of the United States or the immediate relative of an Armed Forces member who died as a result of injury or disease incurred because of his or her service. The bill would also assist the sons and daughters of Filipino World War II veterans who bravely served our country and whose immigration status has been long deferred due to numerical limitations on immigrant visas.

"The Military Families Act will help ensure that families of those that have served our country with pride and valor don’t face unfair and unexpected deportation and are able to remain in this land they call home by including a path towards U.S. citizenship,” said Bernard Wolsdorf, President of AILA. “The bill is appropriate as our nation celebrates Veterans Day, and more and more immigrants continue to serve in our military – risking their lives for our country. It will protect family members and allow our nation to show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice to our country.

Ugly racial litmus tests

2009-10-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Ugly racial litmus tests
By Ruben Navarrette

Are we post-racial yet? Not so much.

Recently, there have been some ugly racial skirmishes. And we're not talking about the hate crimes, ethnic harassment and racial discrimination that get so much publicity. Sometimes, the harshest attacks are intraracial. They occur within the family. More....

Latino students targeted by Georgia colleges

2009-10-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Georgia colleges recruit growing population of Latino students
By Laura Diamond, AJC

If Georgia’s public colleges are to succeed -- and the state’s economy is to flourish -- during the next couple of decades, recruiters must learn how to convince a growing group of students, and their families, that higher education is a good deal.

Already they are trying out new tactics to recruit Latino students, a group that will soon make up nearly one in four of Georgia’s college-age residents. Sheer numbers make this an increasingly desirable demographic for colleges and for the state’s economic well-being.

But reaching these students can be daunting. Recruiters and students face several obstacles financial and cultural, including language barriers, teens’ desires to support their families, a lack of knowledge about college and concerns over how to pay for it — especially if they are undocumented.

That means recruiters have to do more than just hang up posters in high school guidance offices. Instead, having learned the crucial role family plays, they go where students and their relatives are — churches, festivals, sporting events and other community gatherings.

Last month, Georgia Perimeter College recruiter Eric Cuevas waited until people walked up to his booth at Fiesta Georgia, one of the state’s largest Latino festivals. Then he approached them, talked about the two-year college and put fliers in their hands.

“If you want to get the students, you have to win over the ‘abuelas,’” Cuevas said, highlighting the Spanish word for grandmothers. “Part of recruiting these students is reassuring the mom, grandmother, uncle and everyone in the student’s life that college is the right next step.”

Enrollments will depend on how well they recruit these students, many of whom will be the first in their families to attend college, experts said. Dozens of recruiters are expected at the National Hispanic College Fair taking place Wednesday at Meadowcreek High in Norcross.

Beyond college enrollment, leaders say the students' success is crucial for Georgia's economic standing.

"We are talking about our future students, but we're also talking about Georgia's future workforce," said Lisa Rossbacher, president of Southern Polytechnic State University. "It is critical to everyone that these students receive a college education. We've all had to look at how to recruit and support these students and that conversation must include the whole family."

Rossbacher chaired a task force in the late 1990s looking at how the University System of Georgia should address the growing population. In 1994, Latinos made up 1.6 percent of the enrollment at the state's public colleges and universities. Last year, Latinos made up 3.5 percent -- or 9,874 students out of the state's total enrollment of 282,978.

But in just 15 years, nearly one in four college-age students in the U.S. will be Latino, a national statistic that mirrors what is happening even more quickly in Georgia. Latinos comprised 4 percent of the state’s high school graduates in 2005, but they are projected to be 24 percent by 2022.

In response to the changing demographics, colleges hired bilingual recruiters and printed admissions and financial aid brochures in Spanish. Southern Polytechnic, Georgia State University and others set up mentoring and scholarship programs for Latino students. Georgia State, the University of Georgia and others hold special recruiting programs tailored for Latino students and their families.

Yet challenges remain. While 89 percent of Latinos questioned say college is important, only 48 percent plan to get a degree, according to a national survey released this month by the Pew Hispanic Center.

“I see so many students who are torn over whether they should go to college,” said Kim Stewart, a graduation coach at North Gwinnett High in Suwanee. “Whether it is a real need or a perception, so many feel obligated to support their families financially. And then we have some parents who didn’t get an advanced education here or in their home countries and don’t understand the need for college.”

About 75 percent of Latino students who cut their education short do so because of family obligations, according to the Pew survey.

Mauricio Chavez, a sophomore at Newton High School, filled out a postcard at last month's Fiesta Georgia to get more information about Georgia Perimeter. He completed the form in English, speaking to relatives in Spanish.

“Of course I want to go to college, but I need to take care of my family, too,” he said.

Margarita Munoz, director of GSU’s Office of Latino Student Services and Outreach, said many students lack motivation and knowledge about college. To help, her office started a program that pairs college students with high school students to help teens understand that going to college is possible, she said.

Colleges often rely on current students in other ways to help with recruiting.

"I was just like them," said Justin Fraley, 19, a student at Georgia Perimeter. "A lot of them look up to the people they see on their street. If they don’t have a doctor or lawyer or someone with a college degree on their street, how do they know they can do it?"

Fraley tells high school students about the Hispanic Connection club, which serves as a support network for Latino students and allows members to organize culture events for the entire college.

Cuevas, the Georgia Perimeter recruiter, takes care to assure families of the support in place for their children. At Fiesta Georgia he spoke with a mother and grandmother confused about the college letters their boy, a high school senior, received. None were written in Spanish.

The conversation followed a pattern that Cuevas said is typical for Latinos. While other families frequently ask about admission requirements first, he said many Latinos first ask about cost and whether the campus is safe. Then they ask if there are people who speak Spanish and who will help their child if they struggle. Only after those concerns are appeased do they ask about admission, he said.

Cuevas said many Latino families are reluctant to take on debt to pay for college. He explained spending money on college now will help students earn higher salaries later.

Undocumented students have more financial obstacles. They can attend a public college but they must pay out-of-state tuition, even if they graduated from a Georgia high school. Out-of-state tuition can be triple what state residents pay.

While the state doesn't track how many undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition, it's clear their higher costs make college much less affordable. These students are not eligible for the state's academic HOPE scholarship and their immigration status means they cannot apply for government grants or low-cost loans.

Some scholarships are available and there are foundations that award scholarships without requiring proof of citizenship. Even so, the majority of Latinos in college enroll part-time and work at the same time, according to Excelencia in Education, a national nonprofit that works to improve Latino success in college.

For his part, Georgia Perimeter's Cuevas tells parents their children will work hard and see benefits later in life. Families make him promise to protect their children, he said.

"I've had parents call me if their child gets a parking ticket," Cuevas said. "I basically hold students' and their families' hands from the first time I meet them in high school until they show up in college."

Police Chiefs call for immigration reform

2009-10-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

Police Leaders from Across the Country Call For Immigration Reform
The Latino Journal E-News Weekly, Vol. 2, Issue 3

Washington, DC – Leading police executives from states as diverse as California, Iowa and Texas joined a growing chorus of law enforcement officials calling for comprehensive immigration reform. The law enforcement leaders, who discussed the issue during a telephonic press conference, described how the broken immigration system damages public trust and harms public safety. They stressed the importance of getting input from state and local law enforcement as Congress prepares to take up immigration reform in early 2010.

The speakers called for reform legislation that would strengthen border security, restore the rule of law, and legalize undocumented workers in order to build relationships of trust between all residents and the police and enhance public safety.

One of the participants in the press call, Chief of Police Rick Braziel of Sacramento, CA, stated, “Our city is one of the most diverse and integrated cities in America. We celebrate our cultural heritage and differences and strive to be inclusive. We can’t afford to have a group of residents be afraid of reporting crime because they believe we may report them for deportation. To allow that fear to exist in the minds of victims or witnesses endangers them and the rest of the community and lets criminals off the hook. Without comprehensive immigration reform, we place our communities and our nation at risk. It is time for Congress to take action on immigration reform to increase public safety and encourage full civic participation from all members of our community.”

“We can’t have an officer on every corner so that we may feel safe, but we can expect every citizen to be our eyes and ears. When members of the community are afraid of the police, it is counterproductive to our mission of public safety and national security. Not calling the police because of a fear of deportation allows further victimization and harms public safety. Washington needs to address our failed immigration policies and needs to enact a comprehensive immigration reform immediately,” added Arturo Venegas, the retired Chief of Police from Sacramento and now the Project Director of the Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative (LEEI).

Sheriff Bill McCarthy of Polk County, Iowa said, “In my county we have immigrants working hard and contributing to the economy. They are part of the fabric of our communities. As we’ve seen following the government’s raid in Postville, the lack of comprehensive immigration reform is hurting local economies, breaking up families, and compromising community trust. We need to be sure that every person living here knows that they can talk to the police and report crimes. Law enforcement needs to stay focused on its mission of preventing and investigating crimes, not checking immigration status. Comprehensive immigration reform is overdue and needed from a law enforcement perspective.”

Deputy Chief Kim Lemaux of Arlington, Texas spoke about her police department’s participation in a year-long study conducted by the Police Foundation. “Here in Arlington, we came to the conclusion that the issue of immigration needs to remain the responsibility of federal law enforcement agencies. Local police agencies are already tasked with enforcing state, local and traffic laws and we need all of our resources directed at those responsibilities.” The Police Foundation’s study culminated in a report, released in April, which highlighted the fact that civil immigration enforcement diverts local police departments from core priorities and harms their ability to work with members of the immigrant community to identify and solve crimes. Deputy Chief Lemaux added, “The Arlington Police Department operates under a community-policing strategy, working to keep all of our residents vested in the safety of their community. If a group of residents fear the police, then they will not turn to officers for help, making them more viable victims. It is imperative that we are able to reach residents in every community in order for local law enforcement to focus on its core mission, fighting crime. As Congress considers the future of immigration and possible reform in the upcoming session, it is important that the needs and abilities of local law enforcement be a part of the discussion.”

NY Senator gets Latino support on immigration

2009-10-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Rep. Crowley and Members of Congress to President: We Need Immigration Reform Now
The Latino Journal E-News Weekly, Vol. 2, Issue 3

Washington, DC – Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) stressed the urgency for action on a comprehensive solution to our dysfunctional immigration system during a telephonic briefing with New York and national immigrant advocates. Rep. Crowley recently led 111 Democrats from the House of Representatives in sending a letter to President Obama to express their support and willingness to work with the President to make comprehensive immigration reform a legislative reality. The call was organized by the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan pro-immigrant advocacy organization in Washington.

"We need to maintain the momentum for comprehensive immigration reform, and I'm glad that we have advocates for reform who are willing to fight for what is best for our nation," said Rep. Joe Crowley, U.S. Representative for New York's 7th District. "Through our letter, 110 of my fellow colleagues and I sent a clear message to President Obama: we need his leadership to move immigration reform forward and we stand ready to support comprehensive reform that balances our nation's security needs with a realistic and humane solution for the estimated 12 million undocumented people already living in the United States. A lot of good work is being done in Congress now, and I am looking forward to working with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Make the Road New York, and the New York Immigration Coalition, as well as advocates from across the nation, to keep the issue at the center of our work in Congress. This is a moral imperative - the time is now."

"Every day that passes without immigration reform is one more day in which our friends, neighbors, and loved ones have to live in deep worry and fear. Our community members are paying the price for our collective failure to fix this dysfunctional immigration system," said Javier Valdes, Deputy Director of Make the Road New York, an immigrant-based group with over 7,000 members in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. "But we won't stop until we achieve real reform, and we applaud Representative Crowley for his vital effort to mobilize his House colleagues in support of immigration reform for all the decent, hardworking immigrant communities throughout our nation."

"Latino and immigrant voters made their voices loud and clear during the last election: they are demanding just and humane immigration reform for their communities. These voters are growing impatient; they have high expectations for change. Delaying reforms will only harm more families and hurt us as a nation. We're proud that Congressional leaders from New York are playing pivotal roles in moving immigration reform forward, and we join them in calling for strong and decisive action from President Obama and the House and Senate leadership," said Ms. Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, an advocacy group representing nearly 200 organizations in New York State.

"The demand for reform is growing and the political muscle behind it is getting stronger", said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. "Across the country, communities are energized and increasingly engaged in immigration reform advocacy efforts. Diverse constituencies including labor, business, faith and civil rights and immigrant rights groups understand the fierce urgency of revamping our immigration system so it restores the rule of law, upholds our nation's values, treats immigrants with dignity, and responds to our nation's economic and labor needs."

A copy of the letter, including endorsing Members of Congress is available at tinyurl.com/CIR-letter-to-POTUS.

Hispanic like Regalado in Miami mayoral race

2009-10-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Poll: Regalado leads Miami race
BY JUAN CARLOS CHAVEZ, El Nuevo Herald

Just days before the Miami mayoral election, a Florida International University poll gives Tomás Regalado a commanding lead but also finds a huge segment of potential voters undecided.

The poll found that 40 of respondents favored Regalado, with 18 percent supporting his opponent, Joe Sanchez. The remaining 42 percent of voters were undecided.

“It's encouraging,'' Regalado said.

Darío Moreno, director of FIU's Metropolitan Center, which conducted the telephone survey this past week, sampling 405 likely voters, said non-Hispanics are, for the moment, far less engaged in the race than Hispanics.

Indeed, the percentage of undecideds among white non-Hispanics was 50 percent -- and 67 percent among blacks.

The analysis found that Regalado enjoyed equal support -- 52 percent -- among Cuban American voters and Hispanics who are not Cuban.

Regalado, 62, is the longest-serving commissioner in the City of Miami and is known for his decades of work on Spanish-language radio and television in Spanish.

“The fundamental issues we have carried in my campaign and in recent years, such as the concern about the waste of government funds, has given me credibility in all the communities,'' Regalado said.

Sanchez, a former policeman who serves on the commission with Regalado, said the poll is far from the last word and that his political campaign will surprise many at the polls.

“The only number that counts is November 3rd's,'' said Sanchez, 44. “That's the survey we are waiting for.''

Moreno said Hispanics may be more engaged because both candidates have invested more time and money campaigning in Spanish and in the Hispanic community.

“[Otherwise] we would not see these numbers,'' said Moreno.

Alejandro, Barrerra, a community activist and an expert on local politics, called it a “very traditional, Miami-style'' campaign.

Sanchez denied focusing his efforts on any particular group of voters.

“We have a campaign that is representing an entire city,'' he said. “That's what will give us the victory.''

Regalado, too, emphasized that he has devoted time to every neighborhood and said he has a more prominent presence in the African-American community than does Sanchez.

The poll found that Regalado base of support tended to be older voters while Sanchez was favored a bit more by those 44 and under.

Despite the significant margin among voters with a preference, political analyst Fabio predicted a close race in the end because Regalado does not have more than 50 percent.

He added: “The key in the coming days is to not make mistakes and stand by their proposals.''

Special on Latinos stokes debate over Dobbs

2009-10-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

CNN Special on Latinos Stokes Debate Over Dobbs
Robert Caplin for The New York Times
By BRIAN STELTER, NY Times, October 23, 2009

Instead of being simply a draw for Hispanic viewers, CNN’s four-hour documentary, “Latino in America,” turned into a political rallying cry for activist groups who are calling on the cable news channel to fire Lou Dobbs, a veteran anchor with well-known views on immigration.

An array of minorities held small protests in New York and other cities on Wednesday, the first night of CNN’s presentation. They are trying to highlight what they say are years of lies about immigration by Mr. Dobbs, who anchors the 7 p.m. hour on CNN.

CNN, a unit of Time Warner, has not commented on the protests or covered them on its news programs. One of the activists featured in the documentary said she tried to raise what she called Mr. Dobbs’s “hatred” on one of the channel’s news programs Wednesday, but her remarks were cut from the interview.

The anti-Dobbs campaign has, however, drawn considerable attention in the Spanish-language press; the Thursday front page of the New York newspaper El Diario featured a red slash mark through Mr. Dobbs’s face and the word “hipocresia,” Spanish for “hypocrisy,” atop the illustration.

The hypocrisy, critics say, lies in CNN’s decision to woo Hispanic viewers with a prime-time documentary while still giving Mr. Dobbs a nightly forum. Roberto Lovato, a founding member of Presente.org, a Latino advocacy group, said in a statement, “We won’t allow the network to court us as viewers while, at the same time, they allow Dobbs to spread lies and misinformation about us each night.”

Separately, Mr. Dobbs is also the target of a “Drop Dobbs” campaign by the progressive groups NDN, Media Matters for America, and others. That effort started after Mr. Dobbs repeatedly raised questions about President Obama’s birth certificate.

There is no indication that the campaigns are affecting CNN’s revenue, but they are highlighting Mr. Dobbs’s status as an outlier at the channel, which has sought to position itself as a middle ground of sorts in the fractious cable news arena. Mr. Dobbs is known to be exploring an exit from CNN, and he is viewed as a potential hire for the Fox Business Network, an upstart channel owned by the News Corporation.

The Latino campaign’s Web site, BastaDobbs.com, features a video compilation of past comments by the CNN anchor, including his claim in October 2006 that “about a third of the prison population in this country is estimated to be illegal aliens.” He was apparently referring to federal prisoners, and he later acknowledged the claim was made multiple times in error.

As the timing of the prison comment indicates, there is nothing new about Mr. Dobbs’s controversial stance toward immigration, and CNN executives have argued that his hourlong evening program hews more closely to a newscast.

Privately, when some executives are asked about the Dobbs complaints, they sometimes cite the production of “Latino in America,” with the implication being that the channel presents many points of view. The documentary, which drew an average of about 900,000 viewers on Wednesday and Thursday, follows two editions of “Black in America.” It presented Hispanic activists with a new rallying point this fall.

Isabel Garcia, a civil rights lawyer who was featured in “Latino in America” and organized an anti-Dobbs protest in Tucson on Wednesday, said that CNN edited her comments about the anchor out of an interview.

She had expected a 15-minute conversation about immigration opposite Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., and a staunch supporter in immigration enforcement, on the prime-time program “Anderson Cooper 360.” During the taped interview Wednesday, she said she made several unprompted comments about Mr. Dobbs.

She said she called Mr. Arpaio and Mr. Dobbs “the two most dangerous men to our communities,” and said that “because of them, our communities are being terrorized in a real way.” She also asserted that CNN was “promoting lies and hate about our community” by broadcasting Mr. Dobbs’s program. The comments were not included when the interview was shown Wednesday night.

“They heavily deleted what I did get to say,” she said.

CNN said the segment in question was tied to “Latino in America.”

“As with all pre-taped interviews, they are edited for time and relevance to the topic of discussion,” a spokeswoman said. “The debate between Isabel Garcia and Joe Arpaio was no exception.”

Illinois Gov appoints Hispanics

2009-10-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Governor Quinn Makes Appointments To Latino Family Commission
Three Community Advocates Appointed as Key Advisors
PRESS RELEASE

CHICAGO – October 25, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn today made three appointments, including chairperson, to the Latino Family Commission. The Commission will advise the Governor and the Illinois General Assembly on issues and opportunities for Latino families.

“These three dedicated community leaders bring professionalism and integrity to this commission that is vital to ensuring the voice of the Latino community is heard in Illinois,” Governor Quinn said.

The Commission, which was established in 2007 but has never met, will also work directly with State agencies to improve and expand existing policies, services, programs and opportunities for Latino families.

The newly appointed members are:

Maria Esther Lopez – Lopez, of Cook County, is the Director of Institutional Advancement for El Valor, which supports urban families to achieve excellence and participate fully in community life. Lopez is a member of the Chicago Latino Network and Latinos in Development. She has presented in forums including the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships. Lopez holds a bachelors degree from DePaul University and is in the process of completing an Executive MBA at National-Louis University.

Henry H. Martinez, Chair – Martinez, of Cook County, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Mexican Community Committee, which aims to reduce crime and gang activity in the South-East Community of Chicago. He is also the Founder and Director of Latino Resource Institute of Illinois. He currently serves as Senior Supervisor at The Chicago Area Project, which addresses juvenile delinquency in some of the poorest communities of the city.

Marisol Morales – Morales, of Cook County, is the Associate Director of DePaul University’s Steans Center and a workshop facilitator with L.J. Frame, LLC. A licensed teacher who spent three years in the classroom, Morales developed high school curricula that met state standards in Puerto Rican History, Puerto Rican Literature and Latin American Studies. Morales has a Bachelors Degree in Latin American Studies and a Masters Degree in International Public Service Management from DePaul University. She also holds certificates from Harvard University and Loyola University.

For more information on Illinois Boards and Commissions, please visit Appointments.Illinois.gov.

Virginia Hispanics courted for vote

2009-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Deeds seeks to shore up Hispanic vote
By: David Sherfinski, Washington Examiner, October 25, 2009

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds sought to rally Latina voters on Saturday as his campaign gears up for the final sprint to the Nov. 3 election.

Deeds' campaign organized a handful of events across the state billed as opportunities for Latinas to rally support for the Democratic candidate. Anne Holton, First Lady of Virginia, was among the volunteers cheering on campaign workers at Caribbean Breeze restaurant in Arlington Saturday morning.

The differences between Deeds and his opponent, Republican Bob McDonnell, "could not be more stark," Holton told a group of supporters in Arlington.

"There's nothing [done] about this election yet," she said. "Work, work, work - 10 days!"

The Hispanic population is one of the fastest-growing groups in the Commonwealth, and President Obama won nearly two-thirds of the state's Hispanic vote in the 2008 presidential election, according to exit polls. Deeds recently picked up the endorsement of the Washington Hispanic, the biggest Hispanic newspaper serving D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

One issue on which Deeds and his opponent, Republican Bob McDonnell, differ is immigration - a hot topic for Latino voters. McDonnell told Examiner editors and reporters last month that he would support expanding a federal immigration enforcement program currently used by Prince William and Loudoun counties statewide.

The program, known as 287(g), deputizes local law enforcement officials to enforce certain federal immigration laws.

Deeds spokesman Jared Leopold said Deeds would oppose a statewide program that would force local governments to pay for what he said was a federal responsibility.

Deeds himself was scheduled to spend Saturday with Va. Senator Mark Warner at campaign stops in Lynchburg, Roanoke, Radford and Blacksburg. The state senator is also set for a make-or-break Tuesday appearance with President Obama at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

dsherfinski@washingtonexaminer.com

School program expands to Latino boys

2009-10-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

VISTA: Local schools expand program for Latino boys
Encuentros lessons now at five campuses
By STACY BRANDT, NC Times, October 23, 2009

In a push to encourage more Latino boys to stay in school and move on to college, school officials in Vista have expanded a motivational after-school program this year.

The Encuentros program was designed by a local nonprofit group to help Latino boys better define who they are, what they want out of life and how they can get it.

"I think we're just planting the seed for success," said David Prieto, who teaches the Encuentros class at Rancho Minerva Middle School. "We're here to build leaders."

This year, four of Vista Unified School District's six middle schools are offering the Encuentros classes this year, up from only two last year: Rancho Minerva, Washington Middle School, Madison Middle School and Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts.

Rancho Buena Vista High School also has an after-school club that focuses on a similar curriculum. Officials with the district and nonprofit Encuentros group had hoped to start for-credit classes at the district's two main high schools two years ago, but are still waiting to make sure the class will qualify for college transfer credit. They say they expect to start those classes next fall.

The classes and clubs discuss Latino culture, relationship building, career preparation and role models. They are intended for Latino boys, but are open to anybody.

It's important for the students to see themselves in school textbooks, and Latino boys often don't, said Joaquin Aganza, a psychologist at Rancho Minerva.

"This is really the missing piece that we need to engage Latino males," he said. "It tells them, 'School likes you, and it's OK for you to like school.'"

The classes aim to inspire the students with an array of successful Latino guest speakers.

Latino boys have the highest dropout rate of any ethnic groups, with a countywide dropout rate of roughly 50 percent, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, an independent group that focuses on research about the nation's Latinos.

Students who drop out in high school often begin to fall behind in middle school or earlier, which is why it's important to address underlying issues as early as possible, said Matt Doyle, director of curriculum and instruction for Vista Unified.

"We're doing it proactively," he said. "We're not trying to correct something after the fact."

Last year's pilot program at two middle schools included students who were struggling academically or were having behavior problems. Those students showed dramatic improvement in their grades, attendance and discipline issues, Doyle said.

The class that was offered before school at Rancho Minerva last year was so popular that a second one had to be opened after school.

Martin Caudillo, a seventh-grader at the school started attending the class last year with his cousin. He said the lessons have inspired him to bring up his grades and stay out of trouble.

"I want to be someone in life," he said. "I'm going to get there by studying and not giving up."

Eventually, he said he hopes to attend Harvard Law School and become a lawyer.

Principal Steve Riehle credits the class as one of several opportunities at the school that helped boost test scores this year and encourage students to think more about college.

"Encuentros is huge for our kids, to let them know that 'You can go to college,'" he said.

Call staff writer Stacy Brandt at 760-901-4009.

Immigration query would diminish Hispanic, state's clout

2009-10-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

New census query on immigration status would diminish state’s clout
By Timothy Pratt, Las Vegas Sun, Oct. 23, 2009

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, tacked an amendment onto an appropriations bill this month that, if passed, would greatly affect Nevada because of its relatively large Hispanic population.

The amendment would add an 11th question to next spring’s census, a question about “citizenship and immigration status.”

The two senators are trying to ensure that people who aren’t citizens are excluded from figures used for allocating congressional seats, a process that occurs every 10 years, after the census.

Nevada’s growth over the past decade would almost certainly result in the state’s gaining at least one representative in Congress. That growth includes 230,000 illegal immigrants, giving the state the 13th-largest such population in the nation, according to a 2008 Pew Hispanic Center estimate.

Two of the most visible opponents of the amendment are Southern Nevadans in and out of Congress — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Andres Ramirez, senior vice president of NDN, a Washington, D.C., think tank and advocacy group.

Reid tried to use a parliamentary procedure Oct. 13 to prevent the Senate from voting on the measure, but fell short on support.

Rebecca Fisher, spokeswoman for Republican Sen. John Ensign, said the senator has no position on the amendment.

Reid’s spokesman, Jon Summers, said the amendment is “a partisan tactic designed to delay the passage of an important bill.”

Vitter countered on a conservative radio talk show that Reid “wants illegals counted in the census, wants illegals (counted) in the reapportionment of the House,” according to the The Hill, a Beltway publication.

Meanwhile, Ramirez held a news conference Tuesday of 10 national groups opposed to the amendment, including the Hispanic National Bar Association and the NAACP.

In an interview afterward, Ramirez said the Constitution and Supreme Court decisions make clear that congressional seats must be based on a state’s population. He noted that such a question could cause illegal immigrants and their family members to avoid participating in the census for fear that information about them would reach other government agencies.

The result would be an undercount, which not only affects future political representation, but federal funding for roads, schools and other public expenditures, not to mention private sector planning.

An undercount would affect Nevada in particular because a quarter of the state’s population is Hispanic, said David Byerman, Nevada’s chief representative for the Census Bureau. Nevada also has hundreds of thousands of people in so-called mixed-status families, meaning some of their relatives are in the country legally and others aren’t.

But Nevada and other states with large Hispanic populations may wind up not being hurt by the Vitter-Bennett amendment because “it’s too late to shift gears,” Byerman said.

Two congressionally mandated deadlines have come and gone — April 1, 2007, when the agency outlined what subjects the census would cover, and the same date a year later, when the agency released the survey’s 10 questions. “We met both deadlines,” Byerman said.

And the feds have printed 300 million forms. So printing new ones, not to mention reprogramming computers and retraining staff, would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, Byerman said.

Even if Congress wanted to spend additional money, the result would be “the failure of our operation,” he said. “We could not meet statutory deadlines.” One of those is Dec. 31, 2010, the date by which the agency has to submit data to the White House.

To achieve this, the agency needs to get its initial mailing out in late March, followed by a second mailing a month later and door-to-door visits starting May 1, lasting up to eight weeks.

Ramirez noted that census-takers in Nevada have another reason “to be ready to start on time” — higher-than-normal transiency rates as a result of tops-in-the-nation foreclosure rates.

Austin aims to improve Hispanic quality of life

2009-10-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Initiative aims to improve Hispanic quality of life
By Kelsey Wilkinson, Impact News, 23 October 2009

Nearly half a million Hispanics live in the greater Austin area, and with newly obtained information, city officials are trying to determine the best way to serve Austin’s largest minority group. Data collected for the Hispanic Quality of Life Initiative, established in May 2008 to identify areas of improvement for the Hispanic population, was released to the city council in late August. Recommendations in the report could lead to new partnerships between the city and outside organizations.

“We know that to be successful with the community, we have to partner with other groups whose primary mission is to address those other needs,” said Rudy Garza, Austin assistant city manager and one of the principal organizers of the initiative. “When we advertise the City of Austin, we promote it as a great city, which it is, but there is a big group that does not get to enjoy the same quality of life.”

The initiative was inspired by a 2005 city resolution that concentrated on improving the quality of life for African-Americans. City officials are still in the process of implementing the recommended changes identified through that initiative, but in spring 2008 they turned their efforts toward the Hispanic community as well.

Delivering the data

Nearly 1,800 people from Austin’s Hispanic population contributed to the study by completing an extensive survey and participating in community forums. The forums included topics covering health care, education, economic development/housing and cultural arts. Participants were also asked to prioritize the most pressing issues.

The city contracted consulting firm Adelante Solutions Inc. to collect and analyze data. Based on the forums, Adelante reported that 34 percent of Hispanics rated the overall quality of life in Austin good to very good, while 37 percent said it was adequate and 29 percent rated it poor to very poor.

Adelante, led by former Austin Chief of Staff Paul Saldaña, made recommendations to the council that ranged from minor, budget-friendly policy changes to greater ones, such as offering more services in Spanish and establishing new programs.

“Some of the recommendations are still general recommendations,” Saldaña said. “Not all of our recommendations have budget implications.”

Education

Arguably the biggest issue affecting the Hispanic population is education. The Texas Education Agency reports that only 68.5 percent of Austin ISD’s Hispanic students complete high school, compared with 87.8 percent of white students.

Paul Cruz, chief of school operations for Austin ISD, said he attributes dropping out to poor grades and a lack of investment in the school. He said the district works with the city to bring attention to the issue, but there is still progress to be made.

“The first thing, which we do work with the city on, is to make sure that people are aware of the high drop out rate,” Cruz said. “We know that the dropout rate has been at that level for a few years, and working together with the city, we can eliminate that.”

The city is currently involved in a program that offers students access to computers and the internet, but Garza said he believes the city should go further and make efforts to partner with AISD across several categories.

“What we do believe is that in Austin, we have a role as being a partner to help the school districts and help the kids,” Garza said. “There may be some opportunities for the city to help with tutoring programs. And knowing we are reaching a point where 40 percent of our community is Hispanic, and many come from a background where English is a second language, we need to have programs so people can communicate with educators.”

Education of the Hispanic community is crucial not only to the Hispanic population but to the city’s infrastructure as a whole.

“Latino communities are the spark plug of America’s economic engine,” Saldaña said., “but [Latinos] haven’t learned to link that with education and be self sustaining and just have more economic progress.”

Business

The area’s further economic success hinges on keeping the Hispanic population active in the city’s economic engine. Nationally, the purchasing power of Hispanic businesses totals nearly $9 billion every year.

Garza said he hopes to initiate programs focused on job training, which will also turn the engine. The city already works with organizations like the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, but members of that partnering organization are eager to see more city involvement.

“We are in partnership with the City of Austin Housing Authority, and they have been supportive from a visibility point of view,” GAHCC President Andy Martinez said about a Hispanic business incubator program that the chamber operates. “They haven’t invested into it financially. We want to get some investment from the city and hire more instructors because we have people on a waitlist right now. A lot of people think now is the time to start a business. Those are the kinds of things that I hope will come out of this initiative. Let’s not reinvent the wheel; let’s just work smarter.”

Cost to the city

City staff members are optimistic about the changes that will take place as a result of the initiative but said they did not set aside a predetermined budget to see the changes go into effect.

“It will be irresponsible for us to come up with a dollar value up front because then we’ve limited ourselves,” Garza said. “Much of the improvements we will be able to make will have no to very little dollars involved.”

The improvements that fall under the city’s umbrella may only involve reorganizing programs, altering the way Austin markets itself to the Hispanic community. Other costs may fall with the partnering organizations. But proponents of the initiative are preparing to respond to critics who believe a heavy focus on the Hispanic population is an inefficient use of taxpayer money during a recession.

“Hispanics will soon be the minority majority,” Saldaña said. “Because of the growing number of Hispanic businesses and because what affects the Hispanic community affects the overall quality of life, we need to make sure that kids are not dropping out of school. If Austin wants to remain competitive in business, then they need to focus on that. What affects the Hispanic community affects Austin. Hispanics are here, and they are not going away. We should have started doing this work a long time ago.”

Hispanic leader calls for senator's resignation

2009-10-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

NY Hispanic leader calls for senator's resignation
Associated Press - October 22, 2009

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A Hispanic assemblyman says Sen. Hiram Monserrate's assault conviction makes him unable to serve Latinos and he should resign.

Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat of Manhattan says Monserrate, a fellow Democrat from Queens, should step aside because he no longer can effectively serve his constituents.

The call comes hours after the Senate appointed a private attorney to lead a committee investigating possible sanctions against Monserrate following his misdemeanor conviction.

Daniel Alonso will, for free, help the nine senators examine evidence and the law to ensure proper procedures and a fair investigation. Any work by his associate, however, will cost the Senate up to $350 an hour.

Monserrate faces sentencing Dec. 4 for dragging his girlfriend through his building.