FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact:
May 16, 2013                                                            Julian Teixeira
                                                                                 (202) 776-1812
                                                                                  jtexeira@nclr.org

“Hispanic Business” magazine recognizes 12 NCLR Affiliates among top 25 nonprofits in 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) praised “Hispanic Business” magazine’s recognition of the stellar work conducted by Latino nonprofits in its annual listing of the top 25 Hispanic nonprofit organizations.  Twelve of those groups on the list are community organizations that belong to NCLR’s Affiliate Network. 

“We are thrilled to see ‘Hispanic Business’ showcase nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to helping communities thrive through innovative programs and services.  As trusted and valued community partners, their work is vital to our society and economy, helping to provide a bright future for our communities and Latino families,” said Sonia Pérez, NCLR Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives.  “We congratulate the top 25 nonprofits that have been recognized and are especially proud of the 12 organizations that are valued partners of NCLR as we work together to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.”

The magazine does an annual review of organizations’ expenditures and revenues in ranking the top Hispanic nonprofits.  Each organization submitted information about their missions and services to provide an overview of the top charitable organizations serving the growing U.S. Latino population.

At the top of the list is AltaMed Health Services Corporation, which has provided comprehensive health care services in East Los Angeles since 1969, now serving clients throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.  The other NCLR Affiliates on the top 25 nonprofits list—in the order in which they appear—are Acacia Network in Bronx, N.Y.; Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz.; Southwest Key Programs, Inc. in Austin, Texas; La Clínica de la Raza, Inc. in Oakland, Calif.; San Ysidro Health Center in San Ysidro, Calif.; Mexican American Opportunity Foundation in Montebello, Calif.; Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Inc. in Philadelphia, Pa.; The Unity Council in Oakland, Calif.; United Community Center in Milwaukiee, Wisc.; HELP–New Mexico, Inc. in Albuquerque, N.M. and Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C.

Services provided by these organizations include health care, neighborhood development, education and job training, elder and child care, youth services, counseling, recreational cultural programs and more.  The NCLR Affiliate Network includes nearly 300 community-based organizations that provide direct services to millions of Hispanic Americans each year.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

 ###
 

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
 

March, followed by press conference to call on GOP to drop filibuster threat

Washington D.C.—On May 15, 2013, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), CASA de Maryland, and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will hold a march and press conference in support of confirming Thomas Perez as U.S. Secretary of Labor and calling on senators to cease their unwarranted attacks and filibuster threats against Mr. Perez.    

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is scheduled to vote on Mr. Perez’s nomination on Thursday, May 16, three weeks later than initially planned due to delays prompted by Republican senators.

Grassroots supporters of Tom Perez will join Latino leaders outside the St. Regis Hotel and march together to the headquarters of NCLR.
 
What:
March and rally for the confirmation of Thomas Perez as Secretary of Labor
 
When:
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
March starts at 2:00 p.m. ET with press conference to follow at 2:15 p.m. ET
 
Where:
March starts at 16th Street between I and K Streets, NW, Washington, DC
Press conference at NCLR Headquarters, 1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC
 
Who:
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Gustavo Torres, Executive Director, CASA de Maryland
Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
Arturo Rodriguez, United Farm Workers

 
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

Established in 1991, The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole.  NHLA's "Confirm Tom" campaign is part of the coalition's Latino Appointments Program that is dedicated to identifying and supporting Latino candidates pursuing political and career positions in the federal government. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

###
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
NCLR | Julian Teixeira | jteixeira@nclr.org | (202) 776-1812 |
CASA de Maryland | Kimberley Propeack| kpropeack@casamd.org | (301) 379-7461  |
 NHLA | Melody Gonzales | melody@nationalhispanicleadership.org | (202) 508-6917 |


 

AVISO A LA PRENSA
PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA
  
Conferencia de prensa sigue marcha que insta al partido Republicano desistir su esfuerzo para impedir la confirmación de Perez

Washington D.C.—El 15 de mayo, 2013, el National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), CASA de Maryland, y el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés), patrocinarán una marcha y conferencia de prensa en apoyo a la confirmación de Thomas Perez como Secretario del Trabajo.  En tales eventos les exigirán a los senadores que paren sus ataques injustificados en contra del Sr. Perez.    

El Comité de la Salud, Educación, Trabajo y Pensiones del Senado votará sobre la nominación del Sr. Perez este jueves, 16 de mayo, tres semanas después de la fecha inicial como resultado de varios plazos por parte de senadores Republicanos. 

Individuos de la comunidad que apoyan Tom Perez se unirán a líderes latinos enfrente del Hotel St. Regis y juntos marcharán a la sede de NCLR. 
 
Qué:
Marcha en apoyo a la confirmación de Thomas Perez como Secretario del Trabajo
 
Cuándo:
Miércoles, 15 de mayo, 2013
Marcha comienza a las 2:00 p.m. ET y la conferencia de prensa comenzará a las 2:15 p.m. ET
 
Dónde:
La marcha comienza en la 16 Calle entre las calles I and K, NW, Washington, DC
Conferencia de Prensa en la sede del NCLR, 1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC
 
Quién:
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Gustavo Torres, Executive Director, CASA de Maryland
Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
Arturo Rodriguez, United Farm Workers

El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) –la organización nacional Latina más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos– trabaja para mejorar las oportunidades de los estadounidenses hispanos. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

Established in 1991, The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole.  NHLA's "Confirm Tom" campaign is part of the coalition's Latino Appointments Program that is dedicated to identifying and supporting Latino candidates pursuing political and career positions in the federal government. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

 ###
 

PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN, COMUNÍQUESE CON:
NCLR | Julian Teixeira | jteixeira@nclr.org | (202) 776-1812 |
CASA de Maryland | Kimberley Propeack| kpropeack@casamd.org | (301) 379-7461  |
 NHLA | Melody Gonzales | melody@nationalhispanicleadership.org | (202) 508-6917 |








 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its markup of the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” (S.744), a welcome sign that immigration reform is moving forward and will hopefully bring relief to America’s 11 million undocumented aspiring citizens. Today’s markup will offer up a number of amendments that will potentially improve or impair the immigration bill. Immigration reform is a chief concern among Latino families in this country who will be vastly affected by a number of issues being considered in this legislation. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will closely follow the amendment process in several areas that will determine whether legislation lives up to its name by maximizing the economic opportunity that reform brings while modernizing our nation’s immigration policy. 

Yesterday, NCLR sent a letter to Senate committee members highlighting important areas in the bill that can be improved upon in this process as well as voicing concern over potential pitfalls that would hinder reform.

“The ultimate goal of immigration reform is to preserve and restore the rule of law,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “To do that, we must create a fair and affordable legalization process that encourages as many eligible undocumented families as possible to come out of the shadows and begin applying for citizenship. Amendments that deter eligible applicants from coming forward or delay implementation jeopardize our success in achieving the overall objective of this legislation.”

“In order to preserve the rule of law, this bill must also modernize our legal immigration system,” Murguía added. “Improving the accuracy of the employment verification system and ensuring that all workers can exercise their labor and employment rights will be crucial elements in this bill. We also strongly back measures that maintain family unity as a cornerstone of our immigration system and that provide much needed funding to integration efforts for newcomers to this country. Finally, we welcome amendments that preempt states’ efforts to create their own immigration laws, which have resulted in racial profiling bills such as Arizona’s SB 1070 and Alabama’s HB 56.”

“The Latino community is immensely invested in seeing immigration reform passed this year,” concluded Murguía. “Reaching the markup process is another important milestone, and we strongly encourage Congress to build upon this momentum and continue pushing forward with this process. At the same time, we must make sure that any amendments added to this bill work towards our goal of preserving and restoring the rule of law, so that we can see effective legislation passed in 2013.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

### 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   Contact:
May 2, 2013                                                                             Camila Gallardo, NCLR
                                                                                                  (305) 215-4259
                                                                                                  Damien Filer, 50+1
                                                                                                  (850) 212-1858


MIAMI, Fla.—Today, May 2, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), ROC-Miami (Restaurant Opportunities Center), Organize Now and SF Jobs with Justice will host a telephonic press briefing to discuss Florida state legislative efforts to take away local control and undercut workers’ rights.  Florida is the latest in a string of states, including Michigan, Mississippi and Wisconsin, to introduce legislation which preempts local efforts to ensure that workers are entitled to earned sick time and a living wage.  Last week, the Florida Senate approved a measure that would strip local control from communities that have or wish to enact worker benefits, including earned sick time.  The Florida House of Representatives passed an earlier, even more egregious bill that would also ban local governments from passing living wage ordinances; it has since been amended.

Miami-Dade County was the first county in Florida to enact a living wage ordinance in 1999.  After a hard-fought battle, Orange County voters are set to weigh in on an earned sick time ordinance on the August 2014 ballot, if the state measure does not render it moot. 

Research has shown that earned sick time policies contribute to higher productivity and lower employee turnover.  A study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute regarding the effects of a San Francisco earned sick time measure contradicted naysayers who claimed that the law would hurt business.  In fact, since the law took effect in 2007, employment has grown more than twice as fast as in neighboring counties that lack an earned sick time policy. 

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:       Telephonic briefing:  “The Latest on Earned Sick Time for Florida Workers”

WHO:    Moderator:  Stephanie Porta, Director, Organize Now

               Speakers: 
               •    Erica Summers, Worker, who worked while sick with typhoid and will share her personal story
               •    Natacha Seijas, Former County Commissioner, Miami-Dade County, and champion of the Miami-Dade Living Wage, Domestic Violence and Wage Theft Ordinances
               •    Natalie Carlier, Regional Coordinator, Florida, NCLR
               •    Other speakers TBA

WHEN:     Thursday, May 2, 2013
                  1:30–2:30 p.m. EDT   

WHERE:     Participant:  (866) 952-1907
                   Conference ID:  FLORIDA
                   Program Title:  Importance of Paid Sick Leave for Florida Workers

To RSVP for this event or get more information, call Camila Gallardo at (305) 215-4259 or email cgallardo@nclr.org.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 
 

“We commend President Obama for this strong choice for Director of the FHFA,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Throughout his distinguished tenure in Congress, Rep. Watt has established himself as a strong advocate for vulnerable consumers and families experiencing needless foreclosures. This is a critical position that will help chart the course of the nation’s housing market at a time when credit is tight and foreclosures persist, especially for Latino families. We urge Congress to swiftly confirm Rep. Watt, who has the experience and acumen to help accelerate the housing recovery.”

###

NBC Latino - Senate and House immigration reform plans: Who goes first?
For immigration reform advocates, it's countdown time. As the clock ticks, there are some key questions. Will an immigration bill be introduced next week? Are both the Senate and House on track to introduce legislation at least in the next few weeks? And does it matter who is first? Read more here…

McClatchy - In shift on immigration, GOP takes cues from California
As Republican leaders nationwide rethink their positions on immigration to bring Latino voters into the party, they might look to California, where years of hard-line immigration rhetoric put the GOP on the losing side of the state's fastest-growing group of voters. Read more here…

ABC News - 4 Arguments Against a Long Wait for Citizenship
So far, three separate immigration reform bills being drafted in Washington feature a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. And the path in each is a long one. Read more here…

McClatchy - Senators apply brakes to fast-moving immigration talks
The bipartisan group of senators who last week proclaimed the imminent release of the most sweeping immigration overhaul in decades may have hit some political snags. Senators and aides have backed off the confident pronouncements that the bill would be introduced this week. Read more here…

ABC News - An ICE Home Raid Explainer
Home raids are a powerful tactic used by federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration law, where agents round up individuals with deportation orders and find additional undocumented immigrants who may otherwise fit the agency's criteria for deportation. Read more here…

Contra Coast Times - California lawmakers to consider legislation to curb payday lending
California has long permitted payday lending and its triple-digit interest rates -- which many states consider predatory. But the Legislature this week will consider a bill to rein in payday loans, which critics say suck the financially vulnerable into a downward spiral of crushing debt. Read more here…

McClatchy - Immigration overhaul has 'something for everybody to hate'
The introduction of the most far-reaching immigration overhaul in decades marks only the first chapter in a long battle that will test emotions and political wits. Supporters of a comprehensive overhaul on each side of the immigration debate have spent the past several months pressing a small bipartisan group senators to introduce legislation, but those same activists now must wrestle with the reality of what they must relinquish to accomplish their ultimate goals _ whether those are a path to citizenship, securing the border or improving a political party's future electoral prospects. Read more here…

AP - Criticism of the immigration bill from left to right
To some conservatives, it's amnesty. To some immigration advocates, it's unnecessarily punitive. The Senate's new bipartisan immigration bill drew criticism from the right and from the left Tuesday – convincing members of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that wrote it that they're on the right track. Read more here…

Voxxi - Immigration reform receives wide support
The immigration reform legislation that was put together by the so-called “Gang of Eight” is receiving wide support after new details of the bill were released Tuesday and the bill was introduced very early on Wednesday. Read more here…

AP - Immigration measure unveiled by senators
Four Democratic and four Republican senators formally unveiled a sweeping immigration bill Thursday at a news conference attended by traditional opponents from big business and labor, conservative groups and liberal ones. The lawmakers argued that this time, thanks to that broad-based support, immigration overhaul legislation can succeed in Congress. Read more here…

Voxxi - President Obama's cabinet inaction frustrates hispanic leadership
With the exception of first-term holdover Attorney General Eric Holder, African-Americans and
Mexican-Americans have been zeroed out of Obama's second-term Cabinet. While the nation's first black president has yet to announce his last two picks— for the departments of Transportation and Commerce — to complete the 16-member body, key black and brown leaders have informed Hispanic Link News Service that he has ignored repeated requests to address the slight. Read more here…

Cronkite News Service - Immigration-reform bill criticized for going too far – or not going far enough
The man behind Arizona's SB 1070 immigration crackdown law told a Senate committee Monday that border-security provisions in the comprehensive immigration reform bill filed last week are “not serious.” Read more here…

ABC News - Sequester Cuts Impact Housing Assistance for Most Vulnerable
Housing agencies charged with helping the country's most vulnerable people find places to live are facing budget cuts due to sequestration. The automatic budget cuts are set to reduce federal housing assistance by more than $2 billion this year alone, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Read more here…

Vida en el Valle - Latinos gather at Capitol for advocacy
Jenny Gutiérrez vaguely remembers the country where she was born. She arrived in the United States at the age of four and grew up calling it home. Her family -- which includes five brothers and sisters -- jumped from job to job to make ends meet and put food on the table. Read more here…

Tennessean - Perez will keep up good work in Cabinet
Last week, one Latino braced himself for a battle in Congress that has nothing to do with immigration reform. The confirmation hearings began April 18 for Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, who has been nominated by President Obama to join his Cabinet as secretary of labor. Read more here…

Associated Press - Including gay partners in immigration bill holds political risk
Frustrated at being left out of an immigration overhaul, gay rights groups are pushing to adjust a bipartisan Senate bill to include gay couples. But Democrats are treading carefully, wary of adding another divisive issue that could lose Republican support and jeopardize the entire bill. Read more here…

The Hill - Regulators propose guidelines for short-term loans
Financial regulators want to place limits on banks' short-term lending schemes that some worry can take advantage of borrowers. On Thursday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued proposed guidance on deposit advance loans, which are considered similar to payday loans. Read more here…

Florida Times Union - Democrats also took a role in Florida redistricting battle
Though Democrats supported a 2010 initiative to take politics out of the process of redrawing Florida’s political lines, emails show some of the party’s biggest political players were involved in drawing maps. The conversations included whether or not they needed to continue to draw the controversial seat represented by Jacksonville Democrat Corrine Brown in compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Read more here…

Huffington Post - How Undocumented Immigrants Need To Prepare In Case Immigration Reform Passes
It's not clear whether Congress will approve recently introduced immigration reform legislation, but undocumented immigrants who could qualify for the bill are already being advised to start preparing in case it is approved. Read more here…

Fox News Latino - Supreme Court Rejects Alabama Immigration Case
U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday decided not to revive parts of Alabama's strict anti-illegal immigration law. The law, described as the strictest state-level measure on immigration, makes it a crime to harbor or transport undocumented immigrants, among other things. Read more here…

USA Today - Tech companies driving the lobbying on immigration
Seven technology companies and a software association – all with interests in shaping the immigration debate now underway in Congress -- each spent more than $1 million on their federal lobbying efforts during the first three months of this year, new reports shows. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Obama administration announces simpler health insurance application form
Today the Obama administration announced it had streamlined and shortened the forms needed to apply for insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Read more here…

The Hill - Consumer watchdog backs off money transfer rule
The federal government's consumer finance watchdog is relaxing a rule on international money transfers that was seen to be overly restrictive. On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a change to its regulation of the tens of billions of dollars that Americans send abroad each year. Read more here…

New America Media - Will Aspiring U.S. Citizens Be Caught in Healthcare Limbo?
Teresa Ramirez learned to live with the pain of ovarian cysts after she was diagnosed a year ago. As an undocumented immigrant, she doesn't qualify for Medicaid, which would cover an operation, and she can't afford private insurance. Read more here…

Salon - Evangelicals take leap of faith into immigration debate
As Congress prepares to debate an overhaul of a dysfunctional immigration system, pro-reform Democrats may have new allies in Christian Evangelicals. A coalition of Evangelical leaders has begun a political push for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, making a name for conservative Christians outside of the issues of marriage equality and abortion. Read more here…

Politic365 - Latino Advocacy Organizations Applaud Introduction of Immigration Reform Bill
After the unveiling of the much anticipated Senate gang of eight immigration bill, Latino issue organizations praised the introduction of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 on Wednesday. Janet Murguia of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Margaret Moran of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) both expressed that the legislation was not perfect but that it was an important first step. Read more here…

Texas Insider - Healthcare Law's Insurance Tax Could Cost States $15 Billion
Supporters and opponents of the Obamacare Health Law have begun lobbying Congress to scale back a tax in the President's program which could end up costing participating states billions of dollars. Read more here…

Voxxi - The potential behind Latino consumers and Hispanic organizations
In a not so distant past, corporate sponsorship and Latino advocacy groups were like oil and water. It wasn't until the mid 1980′s when companies realized the potential behind Mexican and Latino consumers. Read more here…
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Camila Gallardo
(305) 215-4259
cgallardo@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to block Alabama from enforcing a state law that would have allowed the arrest of individuals who transported undocumented immigrants within the state. In an 8-1 vote, the Supreme Court allowed the ruling made last year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta to stand. The lower court’s decision, in part, was based on the acknowledgement that immigration is the responsibility of the federal government and not the states. Today’s decision will impact similar measures adopted in states such as Utah, Georgia and South Carolina. 

“This ruling today is yet another important victory for comprehensive immigration reform,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “The Justices have rightly ruled that immigration policy must be set by the federal government. It is time to turn our energy toward Congress, to create the space for a comprehensive package, since only then can we hope to fix our broken immigration system and create a body of laws that are just and beneficial to all Americans.”

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to begin markup of the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (S. 744) in May. There have been several extensive hearings on immigration, which have provided space for deliberation. Murguía has testified in two of those hearings.

“Real immigration reform is in the best interest of the nation, socially and economically. Creating a vehicle for hardworking families to earn their legalization and citizenship must be a centerpiece of our discussion on immigration because it is essential to restoring the rule of law. Study after study has shown that their full integration would be an economic benefit to the country,” concluded Murguía.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###  

“The majority of Americans across this country understand that fixing our current immigration system is vital to the health of this nation and that we cannot allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers once again,” said Murguía. “The bill introduced last week establishes a solid foundation for a modernized and effective immigration system that protects families and workers and provides a roadmap to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans. Congress must put aside their partisan differences and capitalize on the fantastic work led by their colleagues to deliver a solution that serves our nation’s best interests.”

To read Janet Murguía’s full testimony, please visit www.nclr.org/immigration.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Contact:
April 19, 2013                                                                      Julian Teixeira
                                                                                             (202) 776-1812
                                                                                             jteixeira@nclr.org                                                                                 



WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Monday, April 22, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), will testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on comprehensive immigration reform legislation.  NCLR recently praised legislation introduced by the bipartisan Gang of Eight that would overhaul the nation’s immigration system.  This is the second time in recent months that Murguía has testified before Congress on this critical issue.
 
MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:          Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing, “Hearing on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation”

WHO:           Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR, and additional witnesses

WHEN:          Monday, April 22, 2013
                      10:00 a.m.

WHERE:        Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216
                      Constitution Avenue and Second Street, NE
                      Washington, D.C. 20002                   

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is holding a confirmation hearing for Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice Thomas Perez, President Obama’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Labor. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) affirms its full and unwavering support of Perez, who, if confirmed, will be the only Latino in the president’s second-term cabinet.

“Throughout his career, Mr. Perez has shown a willingness to put aside partisan differences to make government run smoothly and effectively, operating first and foremost on behalf of the people he represents,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Mr. Perez, who has extensive experience building consensus and bridging differences between groups, such as business and labor. His legal background in civil rights issues, specifically workers' rights, makes him uniquely qualified for this position and his appointment would add much needed diversity to President Obama’s cabinet.”

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  Contact:
April 17, 2013                                                                                         Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                                                               (202) 776-1566
                                                                                                               jrendeiro@nclr.org
 

NCLR pledges to see real reform completed in 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauded both the critically important breakthrough in the push for immigration reform and the members of the bipartisan group of senators known as the “Gang of Eight”—Michael Bennet (D–Colo.), Richard Durbin (D–Ill.), Jeff Flake (R–Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.), John McCain (R–Ariz.), Robert Menendez (D–N.J.), Marco Rubio (R–Fla.), and Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.)—who together introduced legislation today to overhaul the nation’s immigration system.

“This distinguished group of senators has shown extraordinary perseverance, thoughtfulness and courage in their months-long effort to bring about a solution to a national concern too long neglected.  Their unity and ability to work together to find common ground in the face of an increasingly polarized political atmosphere should be a model for addressing our country’s challenges,” stated Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.

“This legislation, while not perfect, is a monumental step forward in ensuring that this nation has a fair, humane and effective 21st-century immigration policy that serves our nation’s best interests and works for all Americans, including families, workers and businesses.  It is especially important that this legislation includes a real roadmap for undocumented immigrants to earn legal status and eventual citizenship, one that is true to our nation’s history, our laws and our values,” continued Murguía.

“We urge policymakers to follow the example of these senators and work as quickly as possible to pass a bill.  We would note that immigration is a galvanizing issue for the nation’s Hispanics, whose vote last November generated a game-changing moment for this debate, giving us an opportunity to arrive at a solution.  Our community is engaged and watching this debate closely.  As the legislation progresses, we will work to ensure that legalization is real, enforcement is accountable and families and workers are protected.  We have cleared a substantial hurdle today, but we cannot rest until we see legislation signed into law,” concluded Murguía.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             Contact:
April 16, 2013                                                                                    Julian Teixeira
                                                                                                         (202) 776-1812
                                                                                                         jteixeira@nclr.org

 
LATINO LEADERS RALLY AT CAPITOL TO URGE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE TO BACK FEDERAL IMMIGRATION REFORM

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—Earlier today, more than 300 advocates and local leaders from throughout California, representing NCLR’s (National Council of La Raza) regional network of 60 Latino-serving nonprofit organizations, rallied at the State Capitol to urge members of the California State Legislature to pass Assembly Joint Resolution 3 (AJR 3).  This measure details a set of principles for repairing the nation’s broken immigration system and urges Congress and the president to use these principles as a guide as they work toward comprehensive immigration reform.

“Momentum for immigration reform is growing and the introduction of a bill is imminent,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.  “It’s incredibly important that we have broad bipartisan support from across the nation to show that legislation must be passed and signed in 2013, the year for immigration reform.  By passing Assembly Joint Resolution 3, the California State Legislature is sending a message that they are keyed into the complexities of this issue and want to support a federal solution that will have a tremendous impact on California’s Latino and immigrant communities.”

Murguía was joined at the rally by top California officials, including Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D–CA 30), author of AJR 3.

Following the rally, participants conducted more than 100 legislative visits to encourage state lawmakers to not only support this measure but also back additional legislation that would:

•    Implement various provisions of the Affordable Care Act and address eligibility requirements
•    Spur job creation and boost California’s business competitiveness
•    Continue to build affordable homes for all Californians
•    Remove the question regarding an individual’s criminal history from state, city and county job applications while still allowing for a background check later in the hiring process

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact:   
April 11, 2013                                                             Camila Gallardo
                                                                                  (305) 573-7329 (office)
                                                                                  (305) 215-4259 (cell)
                                                                                  cgallardo@nclr.org

NCLR, NAACP and Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corporation urge legislators to put homeowners first and pass HB 13-1249

DENVER, COLO.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the NAACP and Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corporation, along with other community and civil rights activists, held a press conference at the State Capitol in Denver to press for approval of a measure to help struggling homeowners.  HB 13-1249, the “Colorado Housing Stabilization and Mortgage Accountability Act,” would require banks to determine whether homeowners qualify for loan modifications prior to starting foreclosure proceedings.  New provisions would also provide homeowners with the ability to challenge financial institutions to prove debt owed. 

"Many Latino and Black families in Colorado have been devastated by the housing crisis, and many were disproportionately targeted by predatory lenders.  While the housing market is undergoing a slow recovery, a significant number of Latino and Black families still struggle to make mortgage payments and have met resistance when trying to modify their loans or even obtain temporary relief from foreclosures.  HB 13-1249 is an important step in the right direction and will put in place critical safeguards that will help keep people in their homes.” said Jesus Altamirano, Regional Field Coordinator, Colorado, NCLR.

While foreclosure rates have declined in Colorado, many families still struggle to find solutions that allow them to stay in their homes. 

“While we are encouraged that foreclosures have stemmed off pretty significantly in the past year or so, we want to ensure that homeowners’ rights are being protected and that we are moving toward a place where predatory lending is a thing of the past.  Roughly half of the families we’ve helped maneuver through the loan modification process have been successful in modifying their loans; we’d like to see that number rise,” said Maria Melgoza, Homeownership Counselor, Del Norte. 

Predatory lending played a key role in the housing meltdown.  The proposal before the state legislature would add another layer of protection for consumers. 

"Because Colorado has some of the most lax foreclosure laws in the country, financial institutions have been able to act like vultures picking clean the bones of homeowners caught in the sub-prime mortgage scheme.  House Bill 13-1249 will go a long way toward helping to protect the homeowners who have not yet succumbed to this scheme.  The NAACP applauds the Colorado Legislature for taking up this important legislation, which will help to stabilize Colorado's housing market and the lives of so many Black and Latino families," said James Johnson, State Conference Political Action Director, NAACP. 

For further information or questions, or to schedule an interview, contact Camila Gallardo, Associate Director, Communications, NCLR, at cgallardo@nclr.org or (305) 215-4259.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###


 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                            Contact:
April 11, 2013                                                                                                                  Julian Teixeira
                                                                                                                                      (202) 776-1812
                                                                                                                                      jteixeira@nclr.org

LATINO LEADERS RALLY IN SACRAMENTO TO URGE STATE LEGISLATURE TO BACK MEASURE SUPPORTING IMMIGRATION REFORM
NCLR California Latino Advocacy Day will bring together over 300 Latino leaders

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—More than 300 advocates from throughout the state, representing NCLR’s (National Council of La Raza) regional network of 60 Latino-serving nonprofit organizations, will convene in front of the California State Capitol on Tuesday, April 16, for a press conference and rally to urge members of the California State Legislature to pass Assembly Joint Resolution 3 (AJR 3). This measure enumerates a number of principles for repairing the nation’s broken immigration system and urges Congress and the president to take a comprehensive and workable approach to improving the nation's immigration system.

Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR, will be joined by top California officials, including Assemblyman Luis Alejo, author of AJR 3, who will add their voices to the chorus of advocates who are pushing for the imminent introduction of an immigration reform bill in Congress. Following the rally, participants will conduct more than 100 legislative visits to encourage state legislators not only to support this measure, but also to back additional legislation, which would:

     • Implement various provisions of the Affordable Care Act and address eligibility requirements
     • Spur job creation and boost California’s business competitiveness
     • Continue to build affordable homes for all Californians
     • Remove the question regarding an individual’s criminal history from state, city and county job applications while still allowing for a background check later in the hiring process

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:              Press conference and rally to support measure backing federal immigration reform

WHO:                   - Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR
                            - Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas)
                            - Jose Rodriguez, NCLR Affiliate Council Representative and President of El Concilio/Council for the Spanish Speaking (Stockton, Calif.)
                            - Carol Ornelas, NCLR Affiliate Council Representative and CEO of Visionary Home Builders (Stockton, Calif.)
                            - Hundreds of California Latino advocates

WHEN:              Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 10:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

WHERE:            California State Capitol
                          East Lawn, Section 27 (near the corner of L and 12th Streets)
                         Sacramento, CA 95814

Great photo opportunity!

For further information or questions, or to schedule an interview, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, NCLR, at jteixeira@nclr.org.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

### 

“NCLR is seriously concerned that the administration’s budget is too skewed toward cuts instead of bringing in new revenue to reinvest in job creation efforts,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at NCLR. “While the president’s plan reflects a wiser approach to deficit reduction than the sequester or the House-passed budget proposal, it raises only $600 billion in revenue in exchange for $1.2 trillion in troubling cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other programs, continuing down a path of severe austerity instead of investment. Latinos, whose unemployment rate continues to hover around 9%, are looking for a budget that grows the economy and creates jobs.”

That said, the president’s plan has several strong elements that Congress should take up. NCLR commends the president’s commitment to expanding preschool access to all four-year-olds whose families earn wages below 200 percent of the poverty line. Expanded preschool would greatly benefit America’s Latino youth, who represent nearly one in four children. In addition, NCLR applauds the president for making permanent the expansions to refundable tax credits, which are critical to the economic security of low-income working families.

“Congress would do well to start with the Senate-passed budget and include some of the very best ideas in the president's proposal, including broader access to early childhood education and the expanded Child Tax Credit, laudable examples of how the federal budget can make important down payments on our future prosperity,” Rodriguez added.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     Contact:   
April 10, 2013                                                            Camila Gallardo
                                                                                   (305) 573-7329
                                                                                   (305) 215-4259 cell
                                                                                   cgallardo@nclr.org


DENVER, COLO.—On Thursday, April 11, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the NAACP, Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corporation and community leaders will join together at the State Capitol at 2:30 p.m. CT for a press conference to call on the Colorado State legislature to pass HB13-1249, the “Colorado Housing Stabilization and Mortgage Accountability Act.”

The bill would require banks to first make a determination on whether homeowners qualify for loan modifications before beginning foreclosure proceedings.  In addition, new provisions under the proposed law would hold attorneys accountable when attesting to an entity’s legal right to foreclose on a home.  The proposal would also provide homeowners with the ability to challenge a lender or loan servicer in court to prove that a debt is in fact owed. 

Latino and Black families have been disproportionately affected by predatory lending practices and the foreclosure crisis.  Between 2007 and 2010, Latinos lost 43.5 percent of their assets and Blacks lost 27.1 percent of their assets, while Whites lost just 6.7 percent.  HB13-1249 is a critical piece of legislation that would significantly curtail many of the fraudulent practices that led to the housing meltdown and put in place protections for families struggling to stay in their homes. 

The press conference is scheduled to take place as the House Committee on Business, Labor, Economic and Workforce Development begins discussing the impact of the proposed law. 

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:       Press conference in support of the “Colorado Housing Stabilization and Mortgage Accountability Act”

WHO:        Jesus Altamirano, Regional Coordinator, NCLR
                 Juan Carlos Vasquez, Homeownership Counselor, Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corporation
                  James Johnson, State Conference Political Action Director, NAACP Denver Branch

WHEN:     Thursday, April 11, 2013, 2:30 p.m. CT

WHERE:    West side of the State Capitol
 
For further information or questions, or to schedule an interview, contact Camila Gallardo, Associate Director, Communications, at cgallardo@nclr.org or (305) 573-7329.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###


 

“This change represents an important recognition of the value that housing counseling has as one of the most productive foreclosure prevention methods we have at our disposal,” said Lot Diaz, Vice President of Housing and Community Development at NCLR. “The NCLR Homeownership Network (NHN) and hundreds of other local housing counseling organizations throughout the country have a proven track record of helping struggling homeowners, especially those who have limited English proficiency (LEP), navigate the complicated mortgage modification process. Putting more money into home-loss prevention strategies such as housing counseling will go a long way toward ultimately keeping families in their homes.”

In partnership with the National Foreclosure Mitigation Program (NFMC), HAMP funds will now allow housing counseling agencies to assist homeowners by completing and submitting application documents to their mortgage companies free of charge. It will also support the agencies’ outreach efforts, especially to underserved and LEP communities. NHN, which is composed of 51 community-based organizations throughout the country, offers culturally competent housing counseling services to Latino families, working closely with borrowers through the entire foreclosure process. In addition, the administration announced the creation of a new Office of Housing Counseling, which signals a commitment to ensuring access to high-quality counseling services for all American families.

“If potential homeowners seek sound advice from trusted community sources before buying their first home, there’s very little chance that they are going to make mistakes that lead them down the path of foreclosure,” added Diaz. “We need to ensure that our housing counseling agencies have the resources to assist homeowners at every step of the process, whether they are trying to buy or save their home. We applaud the administration for moving in the right direction, and we hope that they continue taking steps to improve HAMP and ensure that struggling homeowners can stay in their homes.”

###

NBC Latino - Rubio, Cruz pledge to oppose, filibuster gun control legislation
Republican Senators Ted Cruzand Marco Rubio are threatening to use the practice of filibustering – talking for hours on the Senate floor so that a bill either gets delayed or never gets a chance to be voted on – to state their opposition to bringing a gun control legislation bill to a vote. Read more here…

McClatchy - After outcry, Rep. Don Young apologizes for using ethnic slur
National leaders of both major political parties condemned Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young on Friday for calling Latino farmworkers "wetbacks," a slur that comes at a time when the Republican Party is desperately courting Latino voters. Read more here…

AP - Alaska lawmaker apologizes for ethnic slur
Rep. Don Young, the gruff Republican veteran who represents the entire state of Alaska, apologized Friday for referring to Hispanic migrant workers as "wetbacks" in a radio interview. "I apologize for the insensitive term I used during an interview in Ketchikan, Alaska," Young said in a statement after lawmakers from both political parties called on him to apologize. Read more here…

Washington Times - Immigration agreement ‘very close' in Congress; guest workers still a hurdle
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned Wednesday against rushing an immigration bill through the Senate. He said Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, is outlining a timetable for the legislation that's too rapid. Read more here…

NBC Latino - As Supreme Court hears arguments, Latinos increasingly in favor of gay marriage
When it comes to gay marriage and Latino public opinion, the last few years have seen dramatic changes, according to Ingrid Duran. She and her partner, Catherine Pino, are one of the nation's most visible – and powerful – gay Latina couples. Read more here…

Roll Call - Immigration Vote Splits Gang of 8
The Senate’s bipartisan immigration working group split along party lines during a contentious budget vote to prevent illegal immigrants who receive legal status from receiving federal health benefits. The Senate early Saturday morning defeated the amendment to the budget resolution which would have put the Senate on record as opposing access to health care under Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act for undocumented immigrants who get a green card. Read more here…

Roll Call - Budget Votes Expected to Highlight Immigration Debate
Advocates of an immigration overhaul warned both parties Friday that votes during the budget vote-a-rama in favor of what they consider to be anti-immigration amendments will be remembered come Election Day. Read more here…

Voxxi - Latino leaders are cautiously optimistic about RNC autopsy report
Latino leaders say they are cautiously optimistic about the Republican National Committee's (RNC) recently announced plan, dubbed by some as the RNC autopsy report, to address the image problem the GOP has among many Latinos. Read more here…

ABC/Univision - More Latinos Likely To Vote Republican If Immigration Reform Passes
What role the Republican Party plays in comprehensive immigration reform will have an important impact on whether or not Latinos, a key political demographic, will consider voting Republican in the future,a new poll finds. A recent poll by Latino Decisions, a firm that conducts research on Latino political opinions, reported that 32 percent of Latinos would be more likely to consider voting Republican in the future if comprehensive immigration reform passed. Read more here…

San Antonio Express-News - GOP report urges more inclusion, citizenship path
As part of a sweeping effort to breathe new life into the GOP, the Republican National Committee urged party members Monday to embrace immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship. Reacting to an unflinching post-mortem of the Republicans' weakness in the 2012 election, GOP Chairman Reince Priebus announced a $10 million outreach to minority voters and plans to attract more women, gays and lesbians to the party. Read more here…

Huffington Post - Ed DeMarco's Actions 'Inexplicable,' Says Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has run out of patience with the nation's top housing official. On Monday, after more than a year spent arguing that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should permit mortgage principal balance reductions in some instances, Coakley joined with other influential state attorneys general, including New York's Eric Schneiderman, in a letter calling for the ouster of Federal Housing Finance Agency acting director Ed DeMarco. Read more here…

ABC/Univision - Immigration, Voting Rights Record Could Stall Obama Labor Nominee
President Barack Obama on Monday officially nominated Justice Department official Thomas Perez to his become secretary of labor, but several Republican lawmakers indicated Perez could face stiff resistance in confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill. Read more here…

USA Today - Obama to tap Perez to head Labor Department Obama to tap Perez to head Labor Department
President Obama will name the Justice Department's top civil rights enforcer Thomas Perez to be his next Labor secretary, according to a White House official. Obama will make the formal announcement on Monday, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been officially made. Read more here…

AP - Hispanic group to return national convention to KC
A national Hispanic civil rights group that pulled an earlier event out of Kansas City to protest the appointment of a member of an anti-immigrant group to a local board announced Thursday that it picked the city for its 2015 convention. The National Council of La Raza said its president and CEO, Janet Murguía, and Mayor Sly James will attend a formal announcement Monday at the Kansas City Convention Center. Read more here…

Christian Post - Hispanic Community Conflicted Over Gay Rights in Immigration Reform
Prominent Hispanic organizations such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) are backing provisions for gay couples in immigration reform talks – but Hispanic evangelicals want to keep immigration reform and gay rights as separate issues. Read more here…

Kansas City Star - La Raza to hold annual conference, family expo in Kansas City in 2015
Kansas City will be host to the 2015 annual conference of the National Council of La Raza and the National Latino Family Expo. This will be the first time the conference will be held in Kansas City. An estimated 5,000 registrants are expected to attend workshops, town halls and hear nationally recognized speakers. About 10,000 visitors are expected at the family expo. Read more here…

Gannett - Legal U.S. immigrants often wait years for their family to join them
The U.S. visa system forces legal immigrants to remain separated from their spouses and children for years, and Congress must address their plight as it moves toward comprehensive immigration reform, experts told a key House panel Thursday. Read more here…

Bay State Banner - Businessweek cover blames minorities for housing bubble
Bloomberg Businessweek magazine released its latest issue recently to much-deserved uproar and outrage. On its cover, the magazine featured Jim Crow-esque caricatures that portrayed people of color as money-hungry and implicitly suggested that they will cause a future housing bubble. Unfortunately, this offensive image is only the second worst thing about this cover. Read more here…

McClatchy - North Carolina students visit Congress to push for immigration overhaul
For high school senior Eddie Villanueva, walking the halls of Congress got easier this year. “This year I don't have any butterflies,” said Villanueva, an 18-year-old from Vance High School in northern Charlotte, N.C. “Years ago I'd be nervous, but not today. Today, I'm ready to go to war.” Read more here…

New York Times - 3 Fund-Raisers Show Latinos' Rising Clout
On a wall in his sun-drenched, art-filled Tudor home, Henry R. Muñoz III displays a memento of his childhood: a framed protest sign proclaiming, "Texas needs $1.25 an hour minimum wage.” He carried it when he was 6 years old while riding a burro during a farm workers' march alongside his father, a labor organizer, and the Mexican-American activist Cesar Chavez. Read more here…

ABC/Univision - Latino Group NCLR Wants 8-12 Year Citizenship Path
Dozens of Latino community leaders gathered in the Capitol on Thursday, united in support for immigration reform that includes a direct pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The organizer of the event was the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), one of the most prominent civil rights organizations in the country and a longtime player in the politics of immigration. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Community leaders gather in DC on immigration reform advocacy
In the past couple of days, a group of people have been gathering in Washington to discuss immigration reform – but they are not House or Senate members. “I'm here with seven undocumented students,” says Mauricio Calvo, director of Latino Memphis, an advocacy and social services agency in Memphis, Tennessee. “All they are asking for is a chance to go to college, and one of them wants to join the military,” he says. Read more here…

Press Enterprise - Latinos view immigration as top issue, blame Republicans
Only four months ago, Latino voters rated the economy as the top issue they want President Obama and Congress to address. But a new survey by the polling firm Latino Decisions finds that immigration has surged to the top of Latino voters' concerns. Read more here…

Politico - Jeb Bush immigration comments spark uproar
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's changing immigration stances over the past two days sparked an outpouring of opposition on Tuesday, with liberal groups decrying the suggestion of of anything less than a pathway to full citizenship. Read more here…

National Journal - Jeb Bush's Poorly Timed Flip-Flop on Immigration
“The governor's goal is to create a path to bring individuals out of the shadows,” Emhof said in a written statement. “I would point out that current law requires legal residency to be achieved before citizenship. I would also point out not everyone who is undocumented wants to become a citizen.” Read more here…

Washington Post - Obama's second-term Cabinet to play bigger policy role
President Obama, facing a limited window of time to enact an ambitious second-term agenda, is rounding out his Cabinet with relative outsiders and empowering them with more policymaking responsibility than secretaries had during his first term. Read more here…

The Hill - Two women receive Cabinet nominations
President Obama on Monday nominated two women to his second-term Cabinet, appointments that could quell criticism about a lack of diversity in the top positions of his administration. Obama announced Sylvia Mathews Burwell as his pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Read more here…

Washington Post - Obama Cabinet picks add diversity, but still frustrate White House allies
For an administration under fire for lacking gender and ethnic diversity in its top posts, the nominations President Obama unveiled Monday have quieted some amount of the criticism — but not much. Obama's choice of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to head the Office of Management and Budget and Gina McCarthy to direct the Environmental Protection Agency adds two women to the Cabinet, in addition to Interior Secretary nominee Sally Jewell. Read more here…

ABC News - What Will Sequestration Actually Do?
Sequester is a popular - or not so popular, really - word in Washington, D.C. right now. But what is it, and why does it matter? Sequestration is a big word for a series of automatic federal budget cuts that were agreed upon by Congress and the White House way back during the 2011 debt limit debate. Read more here…

AP - Nevada's Hispanics come of age politically
More than 125 years ago, after the 1874 elections, Pablo Laveaga became the first Hispanic ever elected to the Nevada Legislature, representing Humboldt County. The next Hispanic legislator in Nevada came 70 years later. The third was not elected until another 38 years had passed. Read more here…

Washington Post - Many immigrants in the U.S. stop midway along the path of citizenship
For 13 years, Rafael Cohen, an immigrant from Mexico, was eligible to become a citizen of the United States. But something held him back. “I guess I felt I was maintaining more of a connection to my Mexican citizenship by remaining a green card holder than actually becoming a citizen,” said Cohen, 36, a musician who moved to the District when he was 9 and became a permanent resident in 1994. Read more here…

ABC News - Significant Gap Remains in Access to the Internet for Poorer Students
Digital technology has become a critical component of the education of middle- and high-school students. They use internet databases to conduct research, read textbooks on iPads and use smartphone apps to learn math skills. Read more here…

Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Texas poised to go backward on education standards
Why is the Texas House determined to weaken high school graduation requirements? The Foundation Diploma, created by HB5 to let students select one of four paths to graduation, only weakens graduation requirements, no longer making students take Algebra II or advanced science courses. It would erase the progress we have made in Texas closing the gaps between student groups. Read more here…

NBC Latino - California org. focused on curbing population growth under scrutiny for anti-immigrant Stance
The nonprofit Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) is under scrutiny for comments made by a member of the organization who said the DREAM Act is dangerous because children of “illegal aliens” may be communists or drug smugglers and because of ads against proposed parts of immigration reform like legalization or a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, a dicey area to wade into for a nonprofit. Read more here…

Hotel Chatter - Hyatt Boycott Continues Over Alleged Maid Mistreatment
Hyatt got a pat on the back and an extra scoop of ice cream in November when it was named the top place to work for LGBT equality, but now the hotel chain is back in the doghouse and bearing the brunt of a boycott that, according to a release put out by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), has cost Hyatt more than $27 million in business. Read more here…

Hispanic Business - Hispanic Voters Stand Ready to Reward, Punish: Poll
With the realistic possibility of Congress adopting comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents, interest in the issue among Latino voters has spiked -- and they stand ready to reward elected officials who take the lead and punish those who erect roadblocks. Read more here…

TPM - Poll: Latinos Want A Path To Citizenship, Are Following Debate Closely
If Jeb Bush is going to run in 2016 as the party's savior with Latino voters, his latest immigration proposal could be a problem. According to the latest survey by polling firm Latino Decisions, Hispanic voters are heavily invested in a path to citizenship and more focused than ever to immigration reform. Read more here…

CampusProgress.org - Majority of Latinos Support Climate Change Legislation
The notion that Latinos are the nation's most avid greens contradicts the general stereotype of white environmentalists who drive a Prius, but from record-setting storms such as Hurricane Sandy to severe droughts and devastating wildfires on the west coast, it's not just white people who are taking notice of the impacts caused by accelerating climate change. Read more here…
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Lyda Vanegas
Director Adv. and Communications  
Mary’s Center 
(202) 420-7051
lvanegas@maryscenter.org

Amy Bruno
Communications Associate
Mary's Center
(202) 420-7049
 abruno@maryscenter.org

Julian Teixeira
Director of Communications
NCLR
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

Group joins growing list of supporters urging Hyatt to improve working conditions for housekeeping staff

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In response to work concerns at Hyatt Hotels, Mary’s Center pledged to not hold its 25th Anniversary Gala at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Washington, DC. Mary’s Center was scheduled to hold its signature fundraising event at the Grand Hyatt on October 18, 2013. The event will now take place at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotel on the same date.

Mary’s Center determined that it would be a direct conflict to hold its most high-profile fundraising event at a company under boycott. This is especially problematic given that the Gala’s primary purpose is to raise funds to provide health care services to a patient population that overlaps significantly with the worker population at Hyatt hotels.

Mary’s Center also noted the negative financial impact that would result if its primary fundraiser took place at a company under boycott. Many of its invitees and sponsors have already indicated that they will not give funds or participate in an event that takes place at a company under boycott. In addition, there remains a possibility that labor action could take place at the venue during the event, such as the actions taken by workers during the 2013 presidential inauguration in Washington, DC. That weekend, Hyatt workers and their supporters distributed over ten thousand flyers in front of several Hyatt hotels in the District of Columbia that, like the Grand Hyatt, do not have a contract with workers. The fliers informed people about the boycott and encouraged them to honor it. Were a similar labor action to occur during a Mary’s Center fundraiser, many of its guests might refuse to enter the hotel, with disastrous financial results for the organization’s bottom line.

“Mary’s Center serves many of the ‘invisible’ workers who keep the business of the District and our nation running smoothly, especially workers in the hospitality industry,” said Dr. Julie Martínez Ortega, Chair of the Mary’s Center Board of Directors and a dental patient of the Center. “By moving the gala, Mary’s Center sends a clear message that we care for workers when they are ill and will also support them when they are securing safe working conditions for themselves and their family. We look forward to patronizing Hyatt once it has worked out the dispute with its employees.”

“We salute Mary’s Center for taking a stand on this important human rights issue affecting the Latino community,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “This strong statement by Mary’s Center, a leading Hispanic-serving nonprofit organization and an NCLR Affiliate, should make Hyatt reconsider its refusal to cease its pattern of abuse and instead take this opportunity to become an industry leader by respecting workers’ health and safety.”

Over 5,000 individuals and organizations, including NCLR, the NFL Players Association, the National Organization of Women (NOW), Feminist Majority, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Netroots Nation, Interfaith Worker Justice, and the Funders for LGBTQ Issues have joined the boycott.

For more information regarding the boycott, visit www.HyattHurts.org. For information on NCLR’s position, visit http://tinyurl.com/c78mcsu. For media inquiries, please contact Lyda Vanegas, Director of Advocacy and Communications, Mary’s Center, at lvanegas@maryscenter.org or (202) 420-7051.

###

MARY’S CENTER— founded in 1988, is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary care, family literacy and social services to individuals whose needs too often go unmet by the public and private healthcare systems. The Center offers high-quality, professional care in a safe and trusting environment to residents from the entire DC metropolitan region, including individuals from over 110 countries. With over 400 employees, Mary’s Center projects to serve over 70,000 individuals in 2013. The organization has received numerous recognitions and awards, including most recently the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal Award to its Founder and President, Maria Gomez. For more information, please visit www.maryscenter.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.    

Ayer, el Presidente firmó una resolución aprobada por el Congreso que haría el ‘sequester’—los recortes automáticos que tomaron efecto el 1 de marzo—el presupuesto de facto para el Año Fiscal 2013. El Congreso se fue de receso la semana pasada después de no haber llegado a un acuerdo sobre el presupuesto federal de ambas cámaras—el Senado y el Congreso. Mientras que nos alegramos que el gobierno pudiera evitar un cierre, el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés) está profundamente preocupado con las severas consecuencias para los latinos que puedan llegar como resultado de posponer una solución verdadera.

“El hecho que el congreso se fue de Washington sin llegar a un acuerdo sobre el presupuesto federal manda un mensaje muy claro de que ellos aceptan al ‘sequester’ como hecho aunque sea irresponsable y tenga nefastas consecuencias,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidenta y CEO del NCLR. “Los latinos y otras comunidades vulnerables no deben ser forzados a vivir sin los programas vitales a cual ellos se apoyan para su salud y educación simplemente porque los políticos no quisieron trabajar juntos.”

“El Presidente Obama y el Congreso deben poner a un lado el partidismo y reemplazar el sequester con un presupuesto equitativo que crezca a la economía, invierte en el futuro y protege a las poblaciones vulnerables,” añadió Murguía. “Las familias Latinas han pagada su parte justa a la reducción del déficit—es tiempo ya que el Presidente y el Congreso traigan soluciones responsables que ponen como prioridad la salud y el bienestar de nuestras comunidades y nuestra economía.”

###

“Congress leaving town without agreeing to the federal budget sends a clear message that they are accepting the sequester as reality, regardless of how irresponsible and dangerous it is,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Latinos and other vulnerable communities shouldn’t be forced to live without vital programs that they rely on for health and education because lawmakers chose to dig their heels in instead of working together.”

“President Obama and Congress must put partisanship aside and replace the sequester with a fair and equitable budget that grows the economy, invests in the future and protects vulnerable people,” added Murguía. “Latino families have paid their fair share of deficit reduction—it’s time for the president and Congress to deliver responsible solutions that prioritize the health and well-being of our communities and our economy.”

###
 

MORE THAN 100 WATCHDOG GROUPS DEMAND FULL FAIR-LENDING COMPLIANCE AND DISCLOSURE IN NATIONAL MORTGAGE SETTLEMENT

On Wednesday, March 27th, a coalition made up of 109 civic groups sent a letter to Mortgage Settlement Monitor Joe Smith and the Executive Monitoring Committee highlighting concerns with the slow pace of change on the ground for hardest-hit communities and the need for greater oversight.

Homeowners and advocates around the nation have grown frustrated by the banks’ failure to disclose information about consumer relief under the National Mortgage Settlement as communities continue to see persistent servicing violations and struggle to get affordable mortgage modifications with principal reduction.

Advocates pointed out that communities of color and low-income communities, who are among the hardest hit by the fraudulent practices of Wall Street banks, have been slow to receive relief.

“Latinos throughout the nation were disproportionately affected by the mortgage crisis,” says Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza. “We in the civil rights community hoped that the National Mortgage Settlement might give our families relief from unnecessary foreclosure with the promise of principal reduction. However, a year since the agreement was made, we hear from our housing counselors that our families—those who were hit hardest by the crisis—have seen little to no relief. Without race, ethnic, and geographic data, it is impossible to tell whether banks have met their full obligations under the settlement. The Executive Monitoring Committee and Monitor Joe Smith must make this information available to the public so we can be confident the settlement is working for families who need it most.”

“The cycle of discriminatory lending must be broken,” said Mark Ladov, counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The national mortgage settlement was set up to help prevent foreclosures and end mortgage servicing abuse. The monitor must act now to make sure banks comply with the terms of the settlement agreement and live up to their side of the bargain. We need full transparency and accountability to ensure all borrowers, including communities of color, are receiving the help they need to stay in their homes.”

“Communities of color were disproportionately targeted by abusive lenders, and they have been disproportionately hurt by the foreclosure crisis. We need both vigorous enforcement of servicing standards for all homeowners, and the data to make sure that communities of color are not also being disproportionately denied fair relief,” said Lisa Donner, Executive Director of Americans for Financial Reform.

“The national mortgage settlement is supposed to bring relief to homeowners who were hardest hit by Wall Street’s malfeasance,” said Brian Kettenring of the Campaign for a Fair Settlement. “Unfortunately, the reports to date fail to provide any insight into whether the settlement is benefitting communities of color. Every week we see fresh evidence that the banks and servicers can’t be taken at their word: We need data and hard evidence that they’re doing what they’re required to do.”

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                Contact:
March 26, 2013                                                                                Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                                                        (202) 776-1566
                                                                                                        jrendeiro@nclr.org
 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments on two cases involving marriage equality for same-sex couples; the cases examine the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8.  NCLR (National Council of La Raza) hopes that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of fairness and recognize that equal protection in marriage is not a privilege but a fundamental right that should no longer be withheld from millions of LGBT Americans who love and are committed to their partners.

“When one group is denied the dignity and the right to marry, it diminishes us all,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.  “We stand with our LGBT brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, and sons and daughters, many of whom are Latino, and call upon the Supreme Court to make the right choice and extend the freedom to marry to the LGBT community.”

Last year, NCLR become one of the first national Latino organizations to endorse marriage equality, with the unanimous backing of the NCLR Board of Directors.  Numerous studies, including a study released last year by NCLR, show that, like the majority of Americans, more than one-half of Hispanics support marriage equality.

The Supreme Court decision is particularly important for Latinos in immigrant families because many same-sex binational couples are prohibited from petitioning for a foreign-born partner to receive permanent residence and citizenship.  Many spouses have had no choice but to return to their country of origin, often separating not only from their partner, but also from their children.  In fact, in nearly one-half of the binational LGBT couples facing separation, one of the partners is Hispanic.

“There is no community that values family more than the Latino community,” Murguía added.  “Our policies should not separate families due to their immigration status, sexual orientation or anything else.  To us, familia es familia (family is family), whether it’s headed by a mom and a dad, two dads, or two moms.  We should do everything in our power to protect families and keep them together.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                                                  Contacto:
26 de marzo, 2013                                                                          Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                                                         (202) 776-1566
                                                                                                          jrendeiro@nclr.org
 
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Hoy, la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos comenzará a escuchar los argumentos sobre dos casos de igualdad matrimonial para parejas del mismo sexo, examinando la constitucionalidad del Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) y la Proposición 8 de California.  El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés), espera que la Corte Suprema falle a favor de la justicia y reconozca que la igualdad matrimonial no es un privilegio sino un derecho fundamental que no debe ser negado a los millones de americanos LGBT.

“Cuando un grupo es negado la dignidad y derecho fundamental de casarse, nos disminuye a todos,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidenta y Gerente General del NCLR.  “ Estamos aquí presentes con nuestros hermanos, hermanas, madres y padres, hijos e hijas LGBT, muchos de ellos Latinos, para instar a la Corte Suprema a que haga lo correcto y extiendan el derecho al matrimonio a las parejas del mismo sexo,” dijo Murguía.

El año pasado, el NCLR fue una de las primeras organizaciones nacionales latinas que apoyó la igualdad matrimonial, con el apoyo unánime de la junta directiva del NCLR.  Numerosos estudios, incluyendo un estudio publicado el año pasado por NCLR demostró que, como la mayoría de los americanos, los Latinos apoyan la igualdad matrimonial. 

La decisión de la Corte Suprema tiene importancia particular para los latinos en familias inmigrantes porque muchas de las parejas que vienen de distintos países son impedidos aplicar para un cambio de estatus a residencia permanente o ciudadanía para su pareja.  Muchas parejas no tienen otro recurso que regresar a su país de origen, separándolos no solo de su pareja pero en algunos instantes, de sus propios hijos.  De hecho, casi mitad de las parejas LGBT de distintos orígenes que se enfrentan a la separación familiar son hispanos.

“No hay comunidad que le ponga más valor a la familia que la comunidad latina,” añadió Murguia.  “Nuestra política de debe separa a la familia basado en su estatus migratorio, su orientación sexual, o por cualquier otro motivo.  Para nosotros, familia es familia si es encabezada por dos papás o dos mamás, debemos hacer todo lo posible para proteger a las familias y mantenerlas juntas,” concluyó Murguía.

El NCLR es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades.  Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org/ o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Tuesday, March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments concerning two cases involving the legal recognition of marriage equality. This is a landmark moment for many individuals, including Latinos, who have been closely following the debate over both California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). 

This past summer, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) officially stated its support for same-sex marriage and released a study showing that the majority of Latinos favor legal recognition for same-sex couples. Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR, will join civil rights leaders and LGBT advocates on the steps of the Supreme Court on Tuesday for the “United for Marriage” rally to once again call for marriage equality.

Murguía, along with a number of other NCLR spokespersons, will be available to answer questions about topics such as the overall support for marriage equality in the Latino community and the importance that this issue has in relation to the immigration debate. To coordinate an interview with a representative from NCLR, please contact Julian Teixeira at (202) 776-1812 or jteixeira@nclr.org.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR

WHAT: United for Marriage rally, oral arguments on marriage equality cases

WHEN: Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 8:30–11:00 a.m. Murguía will speak at 10:40 a.m.

WHERE: 
Supreme Court of the United States
One First Street, NE,
Washington, D.C. 20543

TO COVER: Please contact Julian Teixeira at (202) 776-1812 or jteixeira@nclr.org.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
                            

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—This week, both the Senate and House of Representatives are expected to vote on their respective budget proposals. Although both are likely to pass in their respective chambers, the bills’ significant and striking differences make it unlikely that Congress will agree to a final bill in the conference process. As a result, the continuing resolutions passed in each chamber will be conferenced and potentially result in the sequester becoming the de facto budget for Fiscal Year 2013. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) strongly urges Congress to replace the sequester before the Easter/Passover recess and end the arbitrary cuts that will gut funding for critical programs in healthcare, education, workforce training and housing.

“In the last election, Latino voters made it abundantly clear that they are primarily concerned with our economy and job creation and they expect Washington to invest in education and health programs that will ensure a promising future for our children,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Yet, months later, we are looking at a potential budget that does the exact opposite of what our community has advocated for.”

“The sequester must be replaced.” Murguía continued. “It does not generate revenue and will cost the country hundreds of thousands of jobs—employment that the Hispanic community desperately needs. Latino families have already paid into deficit reduction through cuts from the Budget Control Act of 2011 and should not have to once again shoulder a disproportionate amount of the deficit reduction burden due to cuts in critical programs that keep our community and children healthy. Congress must come to a consensus on a budget that grows the economy, invests in the future and protects vulnerable people—allowing the sequestration cuts to continue is not the answer.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###                                       

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

Testimony at Senate hearing focused on the contributions of immigrant women and families in creating strong communities

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Jennifer Ng'andu, Director, Health and Civil Rights Policy Project, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the hearing “How Comprehensive Immigration Reform Should Address the Needs of Women and Families”. Often missing from the public debate on immigration are the contributions that immigrant families make and their eagerness to take on shared responsibility.

During her testimony, Ng’andu urged members of the Committee to allow immigrant families, who pay their fair share of contributions, to participate in the systems that are fundamental to the infrastructure of American society. Their future health and well-being is important to sustaining the vibrancy of our country

“There are significant mischaracterizations of immigrants’ access to public benefits. Many Americans are largely unaware of the fact that undocumented immigrants are almost entirely banned from most major health insurance and public safety-net programs. Lack of access is often buffered by lower ages, strong presence in the work force and positive health behaviors, ensuring that immigrants use fewer public resources. Immigrants are not only less likely to use public benefits systems, but when they actually do receive access to a program, they tend to use a lower value of benefits, which makes them less expensive to provide for when they are enrolled in programs,” said Ng’andu.

Lower utilization has negative consequences and puts families at severe financial risk. Restrictions that keep immigrant families from accessing public services or purchasing insurance can be devastating when families fall on hard times. Therefore, it is common sense that immigrant families who are paying their fair share be eligible for systems that are integral to maintaining strong communities. “It comes down to a simple adage: penny-wise and pound-foolish. Giving immigrant women and families the tools for full integration now will pay off in their contributions later,” concluded Ng’andu.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###                                      

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

Washington, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) hails President Barack Obama’s announcement that he will be nominating current Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor. The announcement was made at a White House ceremony today. Perez will be the first Latino cabinet secretary in the President's second-term cabinet.

“Throughout Tom's remarkable career no one has been a stronger champion of working families, including the millions of Hispanic families he has directly helped through his work. We believe that his considerable talent, experience and expertise coupled with his commitment and compassion will make him an exceptional Labor Secretary,” stated Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.

“Thanks to his courageous leadership on issues ranging from education to voting rights to immigration, Tom is a hero to many in the Latino community, both in his native Maryland and across the country. We commend the president on this stellar choice. We support this nomination without reservation and urge the Senate to confirm him for this position as quickly as possible,” Murguía concluded.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                 Contact:
March 18, 2013                                                                                    Julian Teixeira
                                                                                                              (202) 776-1812
                                                                                                              jteixeira@nclr.org                                        


KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Earlier today, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), joined Mayor Sly James of Kansas City, Mo., and leaders of local NCLR Affiliates, to officially announce the selection of Kansas City as the site of the 2015 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo®.  The event will be held in Kansas City July 11-14, 2015.

“It’s exciting to bring the NCLR Annual Conference back to Kansas City, and it’s especially exciting to have the Conference in my hometown,” Murguía said.  “As many of you already know, the Kansas City–area Latino community has had a strong presence for more than a century, and the 2015 Annual Conference will not only highlight the area’s Hispanic community, but will reaffirm how our community has grown and continues to positively influence our country.  I want to thank Mayor James, the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association, our Affiliates and everyone who has made this possible.”  

“NCLR is a tremendous civil rights and advocacy organization that does great things across the country,” said Mayor Sly James.  “I’m thrilled to welcome the group back to Kansas City, Missouri and look forward to a long-standing relationship with NCLR leadership, Affiliates, and supporters.  The fact that NCLR is headed back to Kansas City shows that we are a diverse, inclusive community that values people of all backgrounds.”

The NCLR Annual Conference is the nation’s largest annual gathering of leaders, advocates, elected officials, business executives and change-makers whose work impacts the Latino community.  The National Latino Family Expo is one of the largest events in the country focused on resources and activities for the Latino family, averaging 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.  From live entertainment and giveaways to free health screenings, cooking and exercise demonstrations, all attendees will discover something new in a fun, exciting, family-friendly environment.

“There’s going to be something for everybody,” Murguía added.  “This is a national event with a local focus, so whether you’re visiting for the Conference or a local resident, you’ll be able to find something new and interesting to enjoy.”

This is NCLR’s second time hosting its Annual Conference in Kansas City, highlighting the city’s vibrant and growing Latino community.  The NCLR Annual Conference, a four-day experience featuring workshops, town halls and nationally recognized speakers, attracts nearly 5,000 registrants from throughout the nation.  Each year, the National Latino Family Expo, which is geared toward families, draws tens of thousands of individuals over its three days.

This July, the 2013 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo will take place in New Orleans, La., and the 2014 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo will unfold in Los Angeles, Calif.  For more information on either event, visit the NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo website.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

Washington, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is deeply concerned that the federal budget plan proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R–WI), The Path to Prosperity: A Responsible, Balanced Budget, would cause additional pain to Latino communities who have already been disproportionately harmed by recent cuts to programs that provide education, job training, health care and other basic needs. The Path to Prosperity: A Responsible, Balanced Budget provides over $4 trillion in additional tax cuts that mainly benefit the wealthiest Americans. 

“We need a budget plan that fosters economic opportunity, creates jobs and invests in our country’s future,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, NCLR. “While it is necessary to stabilize our budget, we must do so in a way that is balanced and that protects the most vulnerable working families.”

“The House budget plan is more about limiting the role of government than achieving any of these goals,” Rodriguez added. “Under the plan, the middle class and vulnerable working families would be asked to sacrifice more to fix our debt in exchange for nothing. Meanwhile, our nation’s wealthiest, who can afford to give more, are asked to contribute less. We can and should do better. The Senate budget (Foundation for Growth) proposal is a more balanced approach that better reflects the priorities of America’s Latino voters.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) announced today its support for Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, who is being considered by President Obama for Secretary of Labor, a vacancy left by former Secretary Hilda Solis. NCLR is encouraged by this potential appointment and urges the president to strongly consider Mr. Perez and other highly qualified Hispanics for cabinet positions. If nominated, Perez would be the only Latino in the president’s second-term cabinet and the first Dominican American ever to serve in a presidential cabinet. 

“Thomas Perez is an eminently qualified public servant who has the professional experience and compelling personal story to serve at the highest levels of the administration,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “Mr. Perez’s impeccable legal background in civil rights issues, particularly workers’ rights, as well as his decades of service as an elected and appointed official make him uniquely prepared to address the policy complexities and management responsibilities at the Department of Labor.”

Since his appointment in 2009, Perez has steered the Civil Rights Division to prioritize the full enforcement of critical civil rights statutes such as the National Voting Rights Act, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act—all programs that have aided the Latino community tremendously. He also helped build agreement among stakeholders to settle three of the largest lending cases in the Fair Housing Act’s history, securing more money for victims of discriminatory lending practices than had been secured by the federal government in the previous 23 years combined. During his tenure, the Civil Rights Division also championed the defense of military families and victims of hate crimes.

“We are pleased to see the president once again strongly considering the nomination of a Latino candidate for this crucial position in his administration. We fully believe that Mr. Perez has the outstanding leadership and acumen to serve as Secretary of Labor,” Murguía added. “We hope that President Obama will continue to add diversity to his cabinet and consider qualified Latinos for additional cabinet positions as well as other senior-level presidential appointments.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###            

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) was saddened to hear of the passing of Raymond Telles, an iconic figure in Hispanic politics who was the first Mexican American elected as mayor of a major U.S. city, El Paso, Texas. Telles passed away last Friday at the age of 97.

“Raymond Telles opened the door to the thousands of Hispanics who now serve as elected officials throughout the nation and at the highest levels of government. He was deeply involved in the Viva Kennedy movement, which marked the first time a national leader courted the Hispanic vote, and he lived to witness the Latino vote make the difference in the 2012 election. It is a great blessing that Telles was able to see the fruits of his groundbreaking work empower Latinos in this country,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

Telles’s record of accomplishment is remarkable. In addition to being El Paso’s first Hispanic mayor, he served as the U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and was appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by President Nixon. He also had a long career in the U.S. Army and Air Force and was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.

“The life and legacy of Raymond Telles is testament to the fact that all of us in the Hispanic community stand on the shoulders of giants. With utmost dignity, thoughtfulness and modesty, Telles contributed much to his community that should be acknowledged and honored. Our deepest condolences to his wonderful family, his many friends and colleagues and the people of his beloved city of El Paso,” concluded Murguía.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###        

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

Will urge Congress to ensure that immigration policies keep families together

This Thursday, March 14, 2013, Clarissa Martínez de Castro, Director of Immigration and Civic Engagement, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), will testify at the U.S. House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security for a hearing on “The Separation of Nuclear Families under U.S. Immigration Law.”

Our country has recognized that family unity must be a core principle of our immigration policy. Keeping families together is a fundamental value and interest, and we must maintain this historic commitment. However, our broken immigration system hurts families who are kept apart by extraordinarily long wait times for visas, are excluded from the system or are torn apart by current enforcement practices. At the hearing, Ms. Martinez will address NCLR’s serious concerns about family separation, and the effect that it has on many communities and on our economy.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:        House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security hearing titled "The Separation of Nuclear Families under U.S. Immigration Law."

WHO:         Clarissa Martínez de Castro, Director of Immigration and Civic Engagement, NCLR, and additional witnesses

WHEN:       Thursday, March 14, 2013
                    1:30 p.m. EDT

WHERE:    Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2237
                    Independence Avenue and South Capitol Street
                    Washington, DC 20003

Ms. Martínez de Castro will be available for interviews following the hearing. To schedule an interview opportunity, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, NCLR, at jteixeira@nclr.org or (202) 776-1812.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) today expressed deep appreciation for Verizon’s endorsement of comprehensive immigration reform legislation earlier this week. In a letter addressed to Senator Charles Schumer and other members of the Senate’s “gang of eight,” Lowell McAdam, Verizon Chairman and CEO, noted both the importance of immigrants in helping to reignite America’s economic growth and our historic roots as a nation of immigrants and what that has meant for our country.

“We salute Lowell McAdam and the entire Verizon family for such a strong show of support on the issue of immigration reform. Verizon’s statement is yet another indication that this issue goes far beyond one group of people or one community. A broken immigration system affects all of us, and an effective, comprehensive and sensible solution will likewise help all of us,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía.

“Verizon has been a long-time partner of NCLR’s and we have had many thoughtful conversations on this and other issues of concern for the Hispanic community. Given that Verizon is an industry leader on so many issues, it is our hope that they can once again serve as a model to other companies when it comes to making the push for immigration reform,” Murguía concluded.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                Contact:
March 7, 2013                                       Julian Teixeira
                                                               jteixeira@nclr.org
                                                              (202) 776-1812

NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía and Latino activists urge Congress to move comprehensive immigration reform forward

Washington, D.C.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) President and CEO Janet Murguía was joined by hundreds of community leaders and activists representing 31 states, including Texas, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee and North Carolina, at an early afternoon press conference where they called for purposeful action on immigration reform.
 
“The conversations have begun and we know that proposals will soon be introduced, but today we are here asking members of the House and Senate to work together on a real solution and not let politics get in the way of delivering the reform our broken immigration system needs.  The longer we wait, the longer we subject families to painful separations and the longer we deny hardworking, talented people from fully integrating and contributing to our economy,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía.

The press conference served as the culminating event in a series of events and actions organized by NCLR this week.  On Tuesday, March 5, NCLR hosted its 26th annual Capital Awards where honorees included New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, United We Dream and Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas.  On Wednesday, March 6, NCLR held a full day of training and workshops during its annual National Latino Advocacy Days event, and today, following the press conference, hundreds of Latino leaders are scheduled to meet with their members of Congress to urge them to support a comprehensive solution that includes a roadmap to citizenship. 

“We need to find a way to address the situation of those who are already here in a fair and effective way.  It is unacceptable that we create an entire underclass of workers in our nation, and that’s why a pathway to citizenship must be a part of the solution.  Immigration reform makes sense for the economy, it makes sense for our families, and it makes sense for our future competitiveness,” concluded Murguía.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 

 
PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA:                       Contacto:    
7 de marzo, 2013                                               Julián Teixeira                            
                                                                             jteixeira@nclr.org
                                                                            (202) 776-1812   

Presidenta y Gerente General del NCLR y líderes hispanos instan al congreso que aprueben una ley de reforma migratoria comprensiva

Washington, D.C.—Hoy, NCLR (Congreso Nacional de La Raza por sus siglas en inglés) y cientos de lÍderes comunitarios y activistas representando a más de 31 estados incluyendo a Texas, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee, y North Carolina, sostuvieron una conferencia de prensa donde instaron al congreso a tomar acción significativa en el tema de la reforma migratoria.

“Las conversaciones ya han comenzado y sabemos que pronto se presentarán propuestas de ley, pero hoy queremos decirles a los miembros de la cámara y el senado que trabajen juntos para una verdadera solución y que no permitan que la política obstaculice la reforma que nuestro sistema de inmigración tanto necesita.  Mientras más esperamos, más estamos condenando a familias a separaciones dolorosas, y negándole a las personas trabajadoras y talentosas la oportunidad de integrarse y contribuir a nuestra economía,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidenta y Gerente General del NCLR. 

La conferencia de prensa sirvió como punto de culminación en una serie de eventos y acciones organizados por el NCLR esta semana.  El martes, la organización patrocinó los Premios Capital donde se reconoció al Alcalde Michael Bloomberg, Fiscal General de California Kamala Harris, United We Dream y el periodista y ganador del premio Pulitzer—Jose Antonio Vargas.  El miércoles, NCLR patrocinó un día completo de entrenamiento y talleres durante el evento anual Advocacy Days y hoy, jueves, después de una conferencia de prensa sostendrán reuniones con  los miembros del congreso y el senado para instar al congreso a que apruebe una solución que incluya  un camino a la ciudadanía. 

“Necesitamos enfrentarnos al caso de aquellas personas que ya están aquí en una forma justa y efectiva.  Es inaceptable crear una clase aparte de trabajadores en nuestra nación y por eso un camino hacia la ciudadanía tiene que ser parte de la solución.  La reforma migratoria beneficiará a la economía, a nuestras familias, y a la futura competitividad,” concluyo Murguía.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades.  Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org/ o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

Latino community leaders will join NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía at news conference

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) President and CEO Janet Murguía will be joined by Representative Luis Gutierrez (D–IL) at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol calling for action on immigration reform. The conference is part of the 2013 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days, which will bring together hundreds of Hispanic leaders from 31 states, including Texas, Florida and Idaho, to urge lawmakers to pass immigration legislation that includes a roadmap to citizenship for millions of aspiring, hardworking and talented Americans. Latino leaders who have been involved in civic engagement efforts and are advocating for immigration reform will be in attendance.

NCLR’s annual Advocacy Days brings together hundreds of leaders from Hispanic nonprofit and civic organizations throughout the United States. Many of these advocates are members of NCLR’s Affiliate Network, a group of community-based organizations partnering with NCLR to improve opportunities for the Latino community.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Esther Reyes, Executive Director, Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition
Mauricio Calvo, Executive Director, Latino Memphis

WHAT: Immigration reform news conference

WHEN:
Thursday, March 7, 2013
1:00–2:00 p.m. EST

WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2456
Independence Avenue and South Capitol Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20003

NOTE: A terrific photo opportunity!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: To cover this event, RSVP to Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, NCLR, at jteixeira@nclr.org.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Due to the failure of policymakers to reach an agreement on how to avoid the sequester, automatic budget cuts will start today, gutting critical programs for Latinos in areas such as education, housing, health care and job training. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is outraged that these arbitrary and harmful cuts will be allowed to go into effect, at the risk of the nation’s economic security as well as the health and safety of children and vulnerable communities.

“Hardworking families have already paid their fair share of deficit reduction. It is unconscionable to once again ask them to disproportionately shoulder the weight of more spending cuts by defunding vital programs such as foreclosure prevention and mental health assistance, which they need to get by,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “There is no reason that 70,000 kids should get kicked out of Head Start preschools or 600,000 poor pregnant women and their babies should have to go without nutrition assistance. We are shooting ourselves in the foot every day that we allow these cuts to continue.”

In addition to Head Start and nutrition assistance, some of the other critical programs scheduled to be cut by 5.1% include job training, rental assistance, child care and education support for low-income public school children.

“Massive spending cuts will do nothing but slow down our still-too-fragile economy and bring job creation to a screeching halt,” said Murguía. “The Congressional Budget Office has already put out estimates that these cuts are going to cost us 750,000 jobs this year. If policymakers are concerned about our economy and future prosperity, they should be investing in quality education, health care and job training, not cutting off access to these programs.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Jose Antonio Vargas and United We Dream to be recognized at 2013 NCLR Capital Awards

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Nationally renowned leaders including Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, journalist and founder of Define American Jose Antonio Vargas and United We Dream will be honored on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 as NCLR (National Council of La Raza) hosts its twenty-sixth annual NCLR Capital Awards gala. The NCLR Capital Awards is a yearly bipartisan tribute to leaders who have demonstrated an on-going commitment to promoting understanding of the Hispanic community and supporting public policies that have a positive impact on Latinos.

This year, more than 750 notable figures including government officials, business leaders and community activists will be in attendance as NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía presents the awards to the 2013 recipients.

The only award ceremony of its kind, the Capital Awards acknowledges outstanding politicians and change-makers from both sides of the aisle who have made an indelible impact on improving opportunities for the Latino community.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:   
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Kamala Harris, California Attorney General
Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City (video message)
Journalist and founder of Define American Jose Antonio Vargas
United We Dream
Jim Avila, Senior News Correspondent, ABC News

WHAT: 2013 NCLR Capital Awards Gala

WHEN: Tuesday, March 5, 2013, 6:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

WHERE:
National Building Museum
401 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

NOTE: A terrific photo opportunity!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: To cover, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, at jteixeira@nclr.org or visit www.nclr.org/capawards.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###    

AP - Immigration reform supporters have concerns about bipartisan plan
The reaction to a bipartisan immigration reform plan being outlined today is generally favorable -- from Latino advocacy groups, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and organized labor. But some are also sounding a note of caution. Read more here…

USA Today - Immigration bill needs ' urgency '
Backers of President Obama's immigration plan said Tuesday they need Congress to move quickly so as not to lose political momentum gained during last year's election. "We feel very strongly there is a sense of urgency," said Janet Murguia, president and CEO of NCLR. Murguia and leaders of other labor and civil rights organizations met with Obama to discuss the status of an immigration overhaul that has become one of the president's top legislative priorities. Read more here…

McClatchy - House Republicans hold hearing on immigration, warn of past mistakes
Republicans in the House of Representatives kicked off their first hearing on immigration Tuesday with a stated goal of harmonizing the principles of humanity and the rule of the law. Members of the House Judiciary Committee met after a wave of comprehensive immigration proposals from President Barack Obama and a bipartisan group of senators calling for a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants now residing in the United States. Read more here…

CNN - Unions could be key to immigration reform
It should come as no surprise that prominent union leaders are among the first group President Barack Obama courts as he seeks support for overhauling immigration policy. It was organized labor that helped ensure defeat of a bipartisan effort to reform the nation's immigration laws five years ago. At that time, the AFL-CIO and other prominent union groups came out against the initiative, fearing a proposal for a temporary guest worker program for seasonal workers would weaken union membership and bargaining clout. Read more here…

Washington Post - Partisan cracks appear early in House immigration debate
Congress' formal legislative debate on immigration opened Tuesday with a hearing in the House, where partisan cracks on the difficult issue emerged almost immediately. Democrats on the panel focused on the need for a comprehensive overhaul that would expand legal avenues for immigration, improve enforcement of new laws and a path to eventual citizenship for the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Read more here…

Reuters - House Republicans try to chip away at immigration reform
The first major immigration reform effort since 1986 came under attack on Tuesday from congressional Republicans who cast doubt on a proposal backed by President Barack Obama to give 11 million illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens. Read more here…

Houston Chronicle - Advocates urge action on school finance, GOP leaders inclined to wait
School districts, teacher groups and advocates for Latino interests are pressing the Legislature to start work on a public education funding fix, though GOP leaders are idling before they hear from the Texas Supreme Court. That could take a year or two, depending on the route Attorney General Greg Abbott takes in appealing state District Judge John Dietz's decision Monday that the school funding system is unconstitutional and would require billions of dollars and a tax increase to fix. Read more here…

AP - Strange bedfellows: Business, labor on immigration
Unlikely allies, business and labor leaders joined in support of the White House's immigration overhaul efforts Tuesday while also launching high-stakes negotiations to overcome an issue that has split them before — creating a guest-worker program to ensure future immigrants come to the U.S. legally. Read more here…

ABC/Univision - Guess Who Made the NRA 'Anti-Gun' List?
The National Rifle Association released a list of nearly 500 "anti-gun" organizations and people, and it points a finger at a number of prominent Latinos. Benjamin Bratt, Gloria Estefan, Andy Garcia, John Leguizamo, Martin Sheen and Geraldo Rivera are all on the list. Interestingly, while last names were given for five of the Latinos, Rivera was simply listed as "Geraldo –TV personality." Read more here…

Fox News Latino - Green Energy Gives Growing Opportunities to Latinos, Report Says
Latinos are contributing to the country's rapidly growing “green” economies, according to a report from NCLR. These green economies, according to the United Nations Environment Program, are driven by growth in income and employment “by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency.” Read more here…

ABC Univision - How Latinos Might Help Boost a Green Economy
Near-double digit unemployment among Latinos persists more than four years after the U.S. economic collapse, but a new report suggests that so-called "green jobs" could help reduce joblessness. According to a report from NCLR, the nation's largest Latino-advocacy organization, Hispanic workers stand to benefit significantly from the growing clean-energy sector. Read more here…

Washington Post - Immigration advocates push Republicans to support path to citizenship
Immigration advocates, backed by the White House, have begun a nationwide lobbying campaign, including rallies in more than a dozen cities and a planned demonstration on the Mall. The loosely coordinated effort is aimed in part at influencing an ongoing debate in the Republican Party over whether to provide a path to citizenship for more than 11 million illegal immigrants, organizers said. Read more here…

McClatchy - State of the Union could be 'call to action' on jobs, energy and immigration
A confident President Barack Obama is expected Tuesday to unveil an aggressive agenda in the first State of the Union address of his second term, calling for a rewrite of the nation’s outdated immigration laws, steps to prevent gun violence and ways to bolster a still fragile economy Obama starts his second term with job approval ratings among the highest since he took office. But he faces a not-yet-recovered economy, a mounting deficit, an often hostile Congress and a nation increasingly distrustful that polarized, partisan Washington can get anything done. Read more here…

ABC Univision - A Higher Minimum Wage Does Not Equate to a Living Wage
A full-time worker who earns a minimum wage today makes about $14,500 a year. That may be enough for a single person to live on in some parts of the country, but in others it doesn't come close. Areas with high Hispanic populations, such as Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago, have higher than average costs of living, and many families struggle to make ends meet even when they earn a minimum wage. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Senate hearing on immigration reform touches on human cost of the debate
Growing immigration reform noise took another step towards bipartisan harmony on Monday as the Senate judiciary committee followed President Obama's State of the Union call for legislation and Senator Marco Rubio's GOP response, which echoed the need for comprehensive reform. Read more here…

McClatchy - Republicans raise fears about border security in Senate immigration hearing
Senate Republican leaders on Wednesday demonstrated the fissures that continue to linger over proposals to overhaul the nation's immigration laws. The Senate is largely seen as the chamber that will have to lead efforts to pass any form of legislative change. But the upper chamber's first hearing on comprehensive immigration reform revealed some Republicans' strong fears that border security will be left by the wayside in any agreement. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Legislator: Immigration reform to clear House this summer
A member of Congress close to negotiations in the House is confident a bipartisan immigration reform bill will pass this summer. “It will include a pathway to citizenship, and this will occur because the bill will include strong enforcement and security measures,” the legislator said to NBC Latino. Read more here…

CNN - New coalition aims to keep immigration front and center
As the debate over immigration reform continues to heat up, a new grassroots effort is underway in which two dozen immigration and progressive groups are working to make sure the issue stays on Washington's radar. Their message? Pass a bill–and soon. Read more here…

Roll Call - Immigration Advocates Target Senate's 'Gang of Eight'
Labor unions, Latino organizations and human rights groups are launching a nationwide grass-roots lobbying campaign to urge Congress — particularly members of the Senate’s immigration working group — to include a path to citizenship for undocumented workers in any immigration rewrite. Read more here…

Huffington Post - Citizenship Campaign Launches To Push For Swift Immigration Reform
A coalition of human rights groups and labor organizations will band together to push for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, starting this week with events in eight states and continuing with a bus tour to 80 cities and a march on Washington, D.C. Read more here…

Las Vegas Sun - Nevada's Hispanics come of age politically
More than 125 years ago, after the 1874 elections, Pablo Laveaga became the first Hispanic ever elected to the Nevada Legislature, representing Humboldt County. The next Hispanic legislator in Nevada came 70 years later. The third was not elected until another 38 years had passed. Recently, however, thanks to changes in the state's demographics and opportunities that have come from tweaks in the state electoral system, Hispanics have been getting elected at a much faster pace. Read more here…

Fox News Latino - Sequestration's Impact on Latino Education, Health & Jobs
Among the sweeping number of budget cuts that are planned to go into effect on March 1 are many that will directly impact the lives of Latinos in the United States, including cuts to the Department of Homeland Security and the education and health care budgets. Ahead of the Friday deadline, DHS released Tuesday a number of undocumented immigrants held in detention centers around the country to save money, a controversial move that has been dominating headlines. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Heated debate on the Voting Rights Act inside and outside the Supreme Court
Before arguments even began inside the Supreme Court today, a group of Latino legislators and civil rights advocates held a rally where they forcefully argued for the need to preserve the Voting Rights Act. “We are witnessing unprecedented attacks on the right to vote and now more than ever, we must also fight to maintain its legacy and integrity,” said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair and Texas Democratic Congressman Rubén Hinojosa. Read more here…

National Journal - How the Sequester Will Affect Communities of Color
The budget cuts known as "the sequester" will hit communities of color particularly hard when they take effect Friday, according to a panel discussion Thursday at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington. The sequester, as the cuts are known inside the Beltway, "hampers federal efforts to protect health, prevent disease and disability, and promote opportunity for communities already burdened by risks for poor health," said Brian D. Smedley of the JCPES. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Bloomberg Businessweek cover blasted as offensive for depictions of Hispanics, blacks
Bloomberg Businessweek has sparked a torrent of criticism after its cover depicted exaggerated cartoon versions of Latinos and blacks greedily grabbing for money for a story about a housing rebound across the country. “Oh wow, oh wow, that is very offensive,” said Aracely Panemeno, the director of Latino affairs for the Center for Responsible Lending, as she first opened up a photo of the cover on her computer. Read more here…

Latino Perspectives - Latinos and the job market
Most economists characterized the December jobs report as a positive sign for the country’s rebounding economy. About 155,000 jobs were added in the final month of 2012, as the national unemployment rate held steady at 7.8 percent. But, beyond that positive headline, some troubling signs still exist. Read more here…

Cronkite News – Few Arizonans applying for deferred deportation program
Only 14,069 of the estimated 80,000 Arizonans eligible for deferred deportation had applied for the federal program through its first six months, a rate much lower than the nation as a whole. U.S. Customs and Immigration Services reported that 407,899 people had applied for the program nationally from Aug. 15 to Jan. 17, about 43 percent of the 950,000 who the Pew Hispanic Center estimated were eligible when the program began. Read more here…

UPI - Obama meetings focus on immigration reform
U.S. President Obama's meetings with two groups Tuesday were to focus on getting a bipartisan immigration reform bill passed this year, the White House said. Obama was to meet with 16 progressive and labor leaders in a West Wing meeting room at 11 a.m. and with 12 business leaders in the same Roosevelt Room, near the Oval Office, at 3:20 p.m., the White House said. Read more here…
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

Groups join growing list of supporters urging Hyatt to improve substandard working conditions for housekeeping staff

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) joined a global boycott of Hyatt hotels in response to widespread evidence of harmful working conditions for hotel housekeepers, who are predominantly women of color, including Latinas. The groups pledged to not hold any conventions, conferences, special events or major meetings at Hyatt hotels covered by the boycott. 

UNITE HERE announced the boycott on July 23, 2012. Since then, the effort to push for the improvement of working conditions and ensure the right of workers to organize has received increasing support from more than 5,000 individuals and organizations, including the AFL-CIO, the NFL Players Association, the National Organization of Women (NOW), Feminist Majority, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Netroots Nation and Interfaith Worker Justice. To date, the boycott has cost the company more than $27 million in business.

“The pattern of exploitation of housekeepers in Hyatt hotels is not only at odds with Hyatt’s commitment to hospitality but also inexcusable. For years, Latina housekeepers and their supporters have asked for the most basic and humane changes in the workplace to help reduce injuries and physical strain. We are joining these courageous workers in calling on Hyatt to stop this pattern of abuse and become an industry leader in respecting workers’ health and safety,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía.

In a study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine examining a total of 50 hotel properties from five different hotel companies, Hyatt housekeepers had the highest injury rate of all housekeepers studied when compared by hotel company.

“The too-often unseen and ignored workers who ensure a comfortable stay at hotels like Hyatt deserve respect and scrupulous adherence to their rights under law,” stated Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of MALDEF. “The global boycott of Hyatt sends a clear statement that consumers expect hotel operators to operate consistently with well-established principles of decency and fairness.”

“We will not stand by and allow anyone to continue to profit on the injured backs of our trabajadoras (women workers). In our research for our Trabajadoras report, data showed that hotel workers are more likely to report injuries on the job if they know they have the right to do so and are associated with organizations that will back them if they are subjected to employer retaliation. We proudly join the thousands of individuals and organizations in supporting the Hyatt trabajadoras through this global Hyatt boycott,” said Hector E. Sanchez, Executive Director for the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

NCLR, MALDEF and LCLAA are calling on Hyatt to:

• Improve working conditions and reduce physical strain for housekeepers by complying with the recommendations outlined in a letter sent to Hyatt by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on April 25, 2012.
• Agree to the workers’ request to remain neutral when nonunion workers try to organize.
• Settle expired collective bargaining agreements with worker representatives on terms comparable to other major hotel chains, such as Marriott, Blackstone/Hilton and Starwood.

###

MALDEF—Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the “law firm of the Latino community,” MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: www.maldef.org.

For media inquiries, please contact Laura Rodriguez, Principal, MALDEF at lrodriguez@rabengroup.com or (310) 956-2425.

The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) is a national Latino organization representing the interests of over 2 million Latino(a) trade unionists throughout the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since its inception in 1973, LCLAA has organized and advocated for the rights of workers seeking justice in the workplace and in their communities. LCLAA is a constituency group representing Latino activists and union members belonging to the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Federation. Visit us at www.lclaa.org.

For media inquiries, please contact Diana Villa, Communications Manager, LCLAA at dvilla@lclaa.org or (202) 508-6989.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information regarding the boycott, visit www.hyatthurts.org. For media inquiries, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, NCLR, at jteixeira@nclr.org or (202) 776-1812.        

Unemployment rates are expected to show essentially no improvement for White, Latino and African American workers through 2013, a new Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report finds. In “Unemployment rates are projected to remain high for whites, Latinos, and African Americans throughout 2013,” Algernon Austin, Director of the Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy program at EPI, reviews unemployment rates by state and race. Austin finds that the African American unemployment rate will continue to exceed the overall rate in each state with sufficient sample sizes for reliable statistics, and the Latino unemployment rate will continue to exceed the overall rate in 13 out of 23 states with sample sizes large enough for estimates. The White unemployment rate is also projected to remain unchanged throughout 2013 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

At the end of 2012, the African American unemployment rate significantly exceeded the overall state rate in all states analyzed, and this is projected to remain the case through 2013. Five states had Black unemployment rates over 17 percent—Michigan (18.7 percent), New Jersey (17.8 percent), Illinois (17.6 percent), North Carolina (17.3 percent) and California (17.2 percent). In states in which the African American unemployment rate was low compared to other states, the rates were still high compared to the White unemployment rate. For example, at 9.5 percent, Louisiana had the lowest Black unemployment rate, yet this was roughly the same as the highest White rate of 9.3 percent in Nevada.

Northeastern states—Rhode Island (18.2 percent), Connecticut (16.1 percent) and Pennsylvania (13.3 percent)—had the highest Latino unemployment rates among the states with sufficient sample sizes for reliable statistics. By contrast, Virginia (3.8 percent), Maryland (5.2 percent) and Nebraska (6.7 percent) had the lowest Latino unemployment rates.

“That unemployment will remain elevated for communities of color this year is no accident,” said Catherine Singley, Senior Policy Analyst at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “It is the result of lawmakers’ pursuit of reckless program cuts, as they rush to trim the federal budget deficit while paying no attention to a proactive jobs agenda. Latino workers and families have already paid their fair share. More cuts will further curtail hiring and leave unemployed workers and their families with fewer services, such as job training and nutrition assistance, in their time of greatest need.”

Finally, White unemployment rates remained either essentially equal to overall state rates or significantly lower in all states, with relatively little change projected through 2013. Nevada (9.3 percent), Rhode Island (9.0 percent) and New Jersey (8.6 percent) had the highest White unemployment rates. The lowest White unemployment rates were in North Dakota (2.1 percent), Nebraska (2.9 percent) and the District of Columbia (2.9 percent). The biggest differences between the White unemployment rate and the overall rate were in the District of Columbia and Mississippi. In the District of Columbia, the White rate was 5.5 percentage points lower than the overall rate. In Mississippi, the gap was 3.3 percentage points.

“America needs infrastructure investments to address the immediate jobs crisis and to ensure long-term economic growth,” states Austin. “It is one of the most effective policies we have to strengthen a weak economy.”

###

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Bipartisan group of housing experts proposes national guidelines for housing reform

Hoping to set a new direction for federal housing policy, a bipartisan group of leading housing experts and policymakers today released a new report, Housing America’s Future: New Directions for National Policy, which details a set of principles and guidelines for creating a more resilient housing system. Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), was among the commissioners on the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Housing Commission who came together to discuss strategies and solutions for tackling some of the nation’s largest housing challenges. NCLR applauds the Housing Commission, under the leadership of former Sens. George Mitchell, Mel Martinez and Christopher Bond and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, for continuing to push for solutions to this neglected but incredibly important issue.

“We’re thankful that the BPC gave us a seat at the table, because as bad as the housing crisis has been for most Americans, it’s been especially hard on Latinos families, who are struggling to stay above water,” said Murguía. “If we’re serious about stabilizing our housing market and getting our economy back on track, we must make sure that our housing policy works for Latinos, who will make up half of all homebuyers by 2020.”

The report focuses on a wide variety of issues that are both ailing and changing the overall housing market, including the housing finance system, mortgage affordability, rental assistance, changing demographics and tax incentives and credits for homeowners. NCLR specifically lent its expertise by helping to develop a set of principles that will ensure an accessible and affordable housing market for all families, including Latinos.

“Right now there are far too many Latinos who should be able to afford a home and access mortgage loans but can’t,” added Murguía. “We want to make sure that government guarantees to back mortgages are available to everyone who qualifies. Everybody deserves access to a good loan regardless of where they live or what language they speak.”

The report was developed after a thorough 16-month process that included roundtable discussions, regional housing forums, expert research and an overall broad engagement strategy with local housing providers and practitioners. To learn more about the Housing Commission, please visit http://bipartisanpolicy.org/projects/housing.

###
 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Andrew Sousa
(202) 735-0501

Civil rights and community-based housing organizations call for increased principal reduction, more transparency in various foreclosure settlements

WASHINGTON—Calling for principal reduction and more transparency in implementation of the National Mortgage Settlement, the nation’s leading civil rights groups will host a summit with the settlement Monitor and community-based housing advocates on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The summit will examine how communities of color are benefitting from loan modifications, principal reduction and other measures designed to help borrowers keep their homes.

The National Mortgage Settlement, an agreement between 49 state Attorneys General, was designed to provide up to $25 billion in relief to eligible borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure. Joseph A. Smith, the Monitor overseeing the agreement, will discuss the recent release of the third Monitor’s report, which outlines the current status of the settlement and the type of relief that borrowers are receiving from the five servicers that were part of the settlement. A panel of representatives from community-based housing counseling organizations will discuss the impact of the National Mortgage Settlement in their communities, which have been hardest hit by deceptive mortgage lending practices, and the challenges they face in getting relief to underwater homeowners.

The Attorneys General Settlement and Communities of Color: Exploring the Challenge and Promise of Principal Reduction
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
9:30 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. EST

Constance Milstein and Family Global Academic Center
1307 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers and Interview Opportunities:
Joseph A. Smith, Jr., Monitor, Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, National Council of La Raza
Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
Cy Richardson, Vice President of Housing and Community Development, National Urban League
Drew Astolfi, State Director, Faith Action for Community Equity, Honolulu, Hawaii
Aracely Panameño, Director of Latino Affairs, Center for Responsible Lending, Washington, DC
Mark Seifert, Executive Director, Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People, Cleveland, Ohio

The event is hosted by the Alliance for Stabilizing Our Communities (ASOC), a collaborative of the National Urban League, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, and the National Council of La Raza. ASOC is a multicultural coalition focused on foreclosure mitigation efforts, homebuyer counseling, and public education for low- and moderate-income individuals and communities of color. The partnership draws its strength from the 95 housing counseling organizations that are part of the NCLR, NUL, and National CAPACD affiliate networks, collectively serving nearly 115,000 families each year. 

###

The National Urban League (http://www.nul.org/www.nul.org) is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of direct service programs; and through the public policy research and advocacy activities of the National Urban League Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Today, there are nearly 100 local Urban League affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide.
 

The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) was founded in 1999 with the mission to be a powerful voice for the unique community development needs of AAPI communities and to strengthen the capacity of community‐based organizations to create neighborhoods of hope and opportunity. For more information, visit our website here and follow us on Twitter: @CAPACD.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

Commission Co-chairs Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and Former Senators Mel Martinez and Kit Bond to Speak and Take Questions

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Housing Commission will release Housing America’s Future: New Directions for National Policy, a report that contains a series of ground-breaking recommendations to help set a new direction for federal housing policy. Subjects covered in the report include a new system for housing finance, affordable rental housing, rural housing, and the key demographic changes that will present unique challenges and opportunities for our nation’s housing system. The report will be released on Monday, February 25, 2013 at 11:00AM at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The Commission’s co-chairs - former Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell; former Senator and HUD Secretary Mel Martinez; former HUD Secretary and Mayor of San Antonio Henry G. Cisneros; and former Senator and Governor of Missouri Christopher S. “Kit” Bond - will unveil the report’s recommendations and take questions.

The report is the culmination of a 16-month process that engaged the broad spectrum of America’s housing community. The Commission held numerous roundtable discussions, convened several regional housing forums, commissioned expert research, and hosted a blog that engaged the views of housing providers and practitioners from across the country. To learn more about BPC’s Housing Commission, click here.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:           Release of Housing America’s Future: New Directions for National Policy

WHO:            BPC Housing Commission Co-Chairs:
                       Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell
                       Senator and Secretary Mel Martinez
                       Secretary Henry G. Cisneros
                       Senator Christopher S. "Kit" Bond

WHEN:          Monday, February 25, 2013
                       Press conference begins at 11:00AM

WHERE:       The Newseum Knight Conference Center
                       555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 7th Floor (Use the 6th Street NW entrance)
                       Washington, D.C. 20001

TO COVER: Members of the press wishing to attend, please RSVP to press@bipartisanpolicy.org. Registration is required and press set up begins at 10:30AM on February 25th.

If you are interested in scheduling interviews with any of the Commissioners, please contact Ashley Berrang at (202) 637-1456 or aberrang@bipartisanpolicy.org.

###
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                  Contacto:
22 de febrero, 2013                                        Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                        jrendeiro@nclr.org
                                                                        (202) 776-1566

Co-Directores de la Comisión el antiguo Líder de la Mayoría del Senado George Mitchell, antiguo Secretario de Vivienda Henry Cisneros y antiguo Senador Mel Martinez y Kitt Bond tomarán preguntas

WASHINGTON, D.C.—La Comisión de Vivienda del Centro de Política Bipartidista (BPC) dará a luz un reporte, Housing America’s Future: New Directions for National Policy, que contiene una serie de recomendaciones nuevas para ayudar a marcar una nueva vía para la política de la vivienda.  Los temas cubiertos en el reporte incluyen un sistema de financiamiento de vivienda, vivienda de alquiler asequible, vivienda rural, y cambios demográficos claves que presentarán retos y oportunidades nuevas para el sistema de vivienda de nuestra nación.  El reporte será publicado el lunes, 25 de febrero, 2013 a las 11:00 a.m. en el Newseum de Washington, D.C.

Co-Directores de la Comisión el antiguo Líder de la Mayoría del Senado George Mitchell, antiguo Secretario de Vivienda Henry Cisneros y antiguo Senador Mel Martinez y Kitt Bond  revelarán las recomendaciones y tomarán preguntas. 

El reporte es la culminación de un proceso de 16 meses que  incorporó a un espectro diverso de la comunidad de vivienda en el país.  La Comisión patrocinó numerosas discusiones, foros públicos, comisionó a investigaciones expertas, y publicó un blog donde los puntos de vistas de los proveedores de viviendas y las organizaciones de vivienda a través del país fueron intercambiadas.  Para aprender más sobre la Comisión de Vivienda de la BPC, por favor oprime aquí.

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUÉ:              Publicación de Housing America’s Future: New Directions for National Policy

QUIÉN:          BPC Housing Commission Co-Directores:
                     Antiguo Líder de la Mayoría del Senado George Mitchell
                     Antiguo Senador y Secretario Mel Martinez                                                                  
                     Antiguo Secretario Henry G. Cisneros
                     Antiguo Senador Christopher S. "Kit" Bond

CUÁNDO:     Lunes, 25 de febrero, 2013
                    Conferencia de prensa comienza a las 11:00 a.m.

DÓNDE:        The Newseum Knight Conference Center
                      555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 7mo piso (use la entrada de la calle 6 NW)
                      Washington, D.C. 20001       

Para Cubrir: Miembros de la prensa quienes desean participar, por favor envíen su confirmación al: press@bipartisanpolicy.org. Se requiere la registración y la prensa podrá situarse a las 10:30 a.m. el 25 de febrero. 

Si desea entrevistar algún Comisionado, por favor póngase en contacto con Ashley Berrang al (202) 637-1456 o aberrang@bipartisanpolicy.org.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###


 

NBC Latino - Census might make "Hispanic" a race
America might be a "melting pot," but identification - as an individual and as a group - matters, according to political scientist Angelo Falcon. He is urging Latino civil rights groups, academics, and Hispanics to weigh in on whether the Census changes the way Latinos identify themselves in the 2020 Census. "We're still debating what it means to be Latino - we're all over the place as a community, and people have many different positions on this stuff," says Falcon. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Latino unemployment lowest in 4 years
The Department of Labor released employment statistics today. Latino unemployment is at 9.6 percent, the lowest number since December 2008, according to Adriana Kugler, Chief Economist for the Department of Labor. Latino unemployment is still higher than overall U.S. unemployment, which is now at 7.8 percent. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said today that overall, the nation's lower unemployment numbers are a good sign. Read more here…

Voxxi - Hispanic unemployment rate signals jobs for 2013 are still slim
The Hispanic unemployment rate last month saw a relative decrease as it stands at 9.6 percent, but analysts say it doesn’t foreshadow a drastic increase in job opportunities for 2013. Officials at the Department of Labor, including Secretary Hilda Solis, indicated compared to last year it does signal a positive growth. Read more here…

McClatchy – New poultry rule could harm workers, advocates say
Workplace safety experts say a USDA proposal to increase line speeds at poultry plants could endanger the low-wage workers who are tasked with sorting and trimming inedible carcasses, a job that used to belong to federal inspectors. Line workers work elbow to elbow in many cases and struggle to keep up with current line speeds, said Catherine Singley, a senior policy analyst for NCLR, a civil rights and advocacy organization based in Washington. The USDA’s proposal would allow plants to increase line speeds to 175 birds per minute. Read more here…

Washington Post - New committee will review Kennedy Center Honors selection process
The Kennedy Center has formed a committee of artists and community leaders to review the heretofore opaque process by which winners of the annual Kennedy Center Honors are selected. “While the center has a strong track record of diversity throughout its other performance, education and arts education programs, it is important to undertake this review process to ensure the Honors reflect the diversity of those who have contributed to American culture,” Michael M. Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center, said in a statement released Monday. Read more here…

AP – Longoria to host Latino inaugural salute to Obama
Following an election when Latinos showed their growing political influence, a coalition of groups is coordinating a gathering of top Latino entertainers at the Kennedy Center in a series of events ahead of President Barack Obama's inauguration. Eva Longoria, George Lopez, Mario Lopez, Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno are among a group of prominent performers who will gather Sunday, Jan. 20 for "Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center." Details of the tribute performance were announced Tuesday. Read more here…

Voxxi – Kennedy Center Honors: A first step for Latino inclusion
The Kennedy Center agreed to review the Honors selection process to reflect its acknowledgement of diversity, while it was a welcome move, Latino artistic members including Felix Sanchez believe this is the first of many steps. Sanchez, who is the president of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, was one of the prime leaders concerned with the lack of inclusion of the honors show that was celebrated annually for 35 years in Washington, DC. Filmmaker George Stevens Jr. has produced the show since its creation. Read more here…

Las Vegas Sun - Immigration’s new rival on the political agenda: gun control
President Barack Obama promised immigration reform leaders that their cause would top his second-term agenda, making January their month. But immigration advocates are beginning to worry that their fight could slip behind a cause that wasn’t even an issue during the election: gun control. The White House was supposed to begin its push in earnest this month for immigration reform. Read more here…

Fox News Latino - New Mortgage Rules Could Help Latinos, CFPB Says
With the country still reeling from the aftermath of the housing crisis and the economy in a slow recovery, the federal government’s consumer watchdog group introduced a new set of rules Thursday in an attempt to rebuild a shaky housing market and to protect homeowners from defaulting on loans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new rules could help Latinos homeowners who have been some of those hardest hit by the housing crisis of the past few years and the goal of the Bureau's new rule is to protect consumers from risky practices that helped cause the crisis., said Moira Vahey, a spokesperson for the CFPB. Read more here…

McClatchy - Immigration activists launch effort on legislation
Promising a massive pro-immigration effort unlike any ever seen, a coalition of national Latino civil rights and labor organizations unveiled a national campaign Wednesday to push President Barack Obama and Congress to pass immigration legislation next year. Latinos helped deliver Obama’s re-election with near-historic turnout at the polls. Janet Murguia, the president of NCLR, said Latinos had demonstrated their political power and now expected lawmakers to address the community’s issues. Read more here…

New York Times - Obama team crafting overhaul of immigration system
President Obama plans to push Congress to move quickly in the coming months on an ambitious overhaul of the immigration system that would include a path to citizenship for most of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, senior administration officials and lawmakers said last week. Obama and Senate Democrats will propose the changes in one comprehensive bill, the officials said, resisting efforts by some Republicans to break the overhaul into smaller pieces - separately addressing young illegal immigrants, migrant farmworkers, or highly skilled foreigners - that might be easier for reluctant members of their party to accept. Read more here…

NBC Latino – Dems and Reps inching toward immigration reform
Right after the November elections, legislators and observers from both sides of the political aisle acknowledged the record Latino vote for President Obama was a strong mandate for immigration reform. The big question in the last few months has been whether it really will be different this time and whether we will see some bipartisan legislation before the summer. The Obama administration and those close to it say immigration reform is a top priority - and they are pushing for sooner rather than later. Read more here…

McClatchy – LA Mayor Villaraigosa pushes immigration changes
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, fresh off an aggressive effort to get President Barack Obama re-elected, strode into Washington this week to champion an immigration overhaul. The issue is vitally important to California, with the nation’s largest number of illegal immigrants and whose agriculture industry relies heavily on the state’s immigrant population. Read more here…

Voxxi - It would be ‘unacceptable’ to have Obama cabinet without Latinos
President Barack Obama speaks during his final news conference of his first term in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Hispanic leaders contend that because Latino voters played a key role in President Barack Obama’s re-elected victory, Latinos deserve to have more political power within the Obama administration and be appointed to the Obama cabinet. More than 70 percent of the Latino vote went to Obama last November, and Latinos made up a record 10 percent of the electorate, according to national exit polls. Read more here…

New York Times - Medicaid Expansion Is Delicate Maneuver for Arizona's Republican Governor
Gov. Jan Brewer called it "one of the most difficult decisions" of her 30 years in public service. If she chose to expand Medicaid, the federal and state program that provides health care to poor and disabled people, she risked antagonizing her conservative base, steadfast opponents of President Obama's health care law. If she did not, she risked missing a solid chance of shifting the way she is viewed by a Latino population of increasing political influence, beyond her stern positions on immigration. Read more here…

NBC Latino - In forceful speech, Obama invokes immigration amidst strong Latino presence
It was an Inaugural ceremony that markedly showed the growing Latino presence in American cultural and political life. The nation's first Puerto Rican Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor swore in Vice President Joe Biden. Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco wrote and delivered an Inaugural Poem whose graceful words spoke of his immigrant parents' hard work to give him a better life. Read more here…

Voxxi - Latinos recommended for the Obama cabinet
As President Barack Obama seeks to fill the seats of his second-term cabinet, Latino leaders are providing the president with a list of Latinos they recommend for the Obama cabinet. A coalition of 30 Latino groups recently joined under the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) to send Obama a letter, calling on the president to appoint three Latinos to his cabinet. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Recent shootings prompt Latinos to act on gun control
A fifteen-year-old New Mexico Latino teen who later told police he had homicidal and suicidal thoughts grabbed his parents' assault rifle from their closet and killed his mother, a brother and two sisters under the age of 9, before waiting several hours and then killing his father. Like in the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting, the New Mexico teen, Nehemiah Griego, had no history of violence. And like Newtown, Connecticut school shooter Adam Lanza, Nehemiah Griego simply took his parents' AR-15 assault rifle to kill his own family members. Read more here…

AP - Immigration fallout from saying no to 'Obamacare'
Governors who reject health insurance for the poor under the federal health care overhaul could wind up in a politically awkward position on immigration: A quirk in the law means some U.S. citizens would be forced to go without coverage, while legal immigrants residing in the same state could still get it. Read more here…

Huffington Post – College Dropout Crisis Revealed In 'American Dream 2.0' Report
An influential group of college presidents, civil rights leaders and advocates sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is highlighting what it calls a growing higher education dropout crisis and seeks to fix it in part by linking financial aid with successful graduation. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Rubio to co-sponsor a high-skilled workers immigration bill
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio is co-sponsoring the first bipartisan immigration-related bill of this legislative term. According to The Hill, which obtained a draft of the bill, the Immigration Innovation Act would raise the number of visas for high-skilled immigrants such as engineers. It would also propose an "escalator" to allow visa numbers to adjust based on labor market needs. Read more here…

ABC News - More Latinos Are Graduating - Here's Why
The number of Hispanic students graduating from high school is rapidly rising. More than 70 percent of Latino students graduated on time during the 2009-2010 school year, according to data released this week by the Education Department. That's a jump of 10 points in just five years. "[It's] promising that high school graduation rates are up for all ethnic groups in 2010 -- especially for Hispanics, whose graduation rate has jumped almost 10 points since 2006," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement. Read more here…

AP – Senators reach agreement on immigration reform
A bipartisan group of leading senators has reached agreement on the principles for a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, including a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. The deal, to be announced at a news conference Monday, also covers border security, non-citizen or "guest" workers and employer verification of immigration status. Read more here…

NBC Latino - Senators: Immigration reform to come by summer
A major breakthrough - that's how a bipartisan group of Senators called their immigration reform proposal, a plan which could lead the way to legislation by the summer. "I am the most optimistic I've been in quite some time - I recognize there are difficult challenges, but the spirit and commitment is far beyond what I've seen in a long time - and the American people support this," said Democratic New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, one of the proposal's architects. Read more here…

McClatchy - Senators outline paths for illegals
A bipartisan group of eight prominent senators on Monday laid out an ambitious overhaul of the nation's patchwork immigration system that would balance tougher border enforcement with establishing a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and new opportunities for seasonal farm workers to gain legal status. Read more here…

Huffington Post - Immigration Reform For Mixed-Status Families Is Political And Deeply Personal
For some couples, the morning kiss goodbye is an act as routine and emotionally involved as pulling on a winter coat or downing a cup of coffee. But when Alysa Medina says goodbye to her husband there is always something extra, often unspoken there. Read more here…

Washington Post – How immigration reform failed, over and over
In judging whether immigration reform will succeed, it’s helpful to know why so many past attempts by Congress and the White House to change the system have failed. Here’s a timeline of the major attempts to deal with illegal immigration and why they didn’t make the cut. Read more here…

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                                         PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN:
14 de febrero, 2013                                                                Julián Teixeira
                                                                                              (202) 776-1812
                                                                                               jteixeira@nclr.org


WASHINGTON, D.C.—Cinco nuevos miembros se han unido a la Red de Afiliados del NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) de organizaciones locales que trabajan con la comunidad latina en todo el país: Acacia Network in Bronx, N.Y..; Chavez/Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy in Pueblo, Colo.; Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County (CCCSOC) in Santa Ana, Calif.; Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) in Chicago, Ill.; and Vera Court Neighborhood Center (VCNC) in Madison, Wis. Ahora, el NCLR cuenta con 271 organizaciones como miembros afiliados en todo el pais.

“Los grupos pertenecientes a la Red de Organizaciones Afiliadas del NCLR proveen servicios vitales a las familias Latinas en toda  la nación.  Su gran compromiso con la comunidad ha ayudado enormemente a crear oportunidades para los latinos en los Estados Unidos.  Le damos la bienvenida a estas nuevas organizaciones Afiliadas y estamos entusiasmados de trabajar con ellas para expandir  los caminos al éxito para futuras generaciones,” dijo Sonia Pérez, vicepresidenta de iniciativas estratégicas del NCLR.

Para mas información sobre las organizaciones afiliadas del NCLR:
•    Acacia Network, Inc., Bronx, N.Y. (www.acacianetwork.org)
•    Chavez/Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy, Pueblo, Colo. (www.chpa-k12.org)
•    Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County (CCCSOC), Santa Ana, Calif. (www.cccsoc.org)
•    Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), Chicago, Ill. (www.haceonline.org)
•    Vera Court Neighborhood Center (VCNC), Madison, Wis. (www.veracourt.org)

Los afiliados del NCLR incluyen a 271 organizaciones comunitarias que proveen programas y servicios a millones de hispanos estadounidenses. A través de su trabajo, educan niños y adultos, ayudan a los trabajadores a prepararse para el empleo, enseñan inglés a los inmigrantes, inscriben a nuevos votantes, ayudan a las familias a comprar y conservar sus casas, y proporcionan servicios de salud. También contribuyen a la economía de sus ciudades y estados al proveer considerable apoyo a sus comunidades y empleando a más de 24,000 personas.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           Contact:
February 14, 2013                                                          Julian Teixeira
                                                                                     (202) 776-1812
                                                                                      jteixeira@nclr.org


WASHINGTON, D.C.—Five new Affiliate members have recently joined the NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Affiliate Network of local organizations that work with the Latino community throughout the nation:  Acacia Network in Bronx, N.Y..; Chavez/Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy in Pueblo, Colo.; Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County (CCCSOC) in Santa Ana, Calif.; Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) in Chicago, Ill.; and Vera Court Neighborhood Center (VCNC) in Madison, Wis.  With these additions, NCLR now counts 271 organizations across the United States as Affiliate members.

“The organizations in NCLR’s Affiliate Network provide vital services to Latino families across the nation.  Their unwavering commitment to our community has helped provide tremendous opportunities for Latinos in the U.S.  We welcome these new Affiliates to the NCLR Affiliate Network and are excited about working with them to continue broadening these pathways to success for future generations,” said Sonia Pérez, NCLR Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives.

For more information about NCLR’s new Affiliate organizations:
•    Acacia Network, Inc., Bronx, N.Y. (www.acacianetwork.org)
•    Chavez/Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy, Pueblo, Colo. (www.chpa-k12.org)
•    Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Orange County (CCCSOC), Santa Ana, Calif. (www.cccsoc.org)
•    Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), Chicago, Ill. (www.haceonline.org)
•    Vera Court Neighborhood Center (VCNC), Madison, Wis. (www.veracourt.org)

NCLR’s Affiliates include 271 community organizations that provide programs and services to millions of Hispanic Americans.  Through their work, they educate children and adults, help workers prepare for jobs, teach immigrants English, register people to vote, help families buy and keep their homes and provide health services. 

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

At a hearing on immigration reform today on Capitol Hill, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighting the need to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans as its centerpiece.

“Today’s Senate hearing marks an important milestone for our community and for our country, unequivocally sending the message that immigration reform is on track to pass before the end of 2013,” said Murguía. “It is crucial that we not only capitalize on this momentum, but also underscore the critical point that both legalization and a roadmap to citizenship must be at the core of immigration reform, as it is in the Senate’s and the president’s proposals. Anything short of citizenship that creates second-class citizens is unacceptable and directly flies in the face of American values. We hope that lawmakers on Capitol Hill swiftly begin crafting legislation that carefully considers my testimony today, so we can pass immigration reform before the end of the year.”

Read Janet Murguía’s full testimony here.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Emphasizing the ongoing unemployment crisis and dwindling resources for vital programs that serve Latino children and families, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), commended President Obama’s call in last night’s State of the Union address to stop the automatic budget cuts that are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2013. Preventing more cuts to job training, child care and education is critical, Murguía said, and cannot be done in a way that puts the middle class even further out of reach for Latino families.

“We agree with President Obama that Congress should halt this reckless approach to deficit reduction,” said Murguía. “Latinos understand that cutting federal programs that invest in children and working families will only lead to further job losses and undermine the future prosperity of our economy and our country.

“Hardworking Latinos already face a number of barriers to climbing the ladder to basic economic security, which is why lawmakers must push to strengthen and expand the middle class. We can do that by investing in our economy and creating a strong, vibrant and healthy Latino workforce. Improving access to affordable health care and housing, investing in job training and making sure our communities are safe are just some of the important steps that will improve life for Hispanics in this country. And we are particularly pleased with the president’s bold commitment to guarantee that every child in this country is afforded the opportunity to receive a quality education starting in preschool, which is perhaps one of the most critical investments with the potential to advance our children and our community.”

Murguía also noted the importance that passing immigration reform will play in getting the U.S. economy back on track: “Now is the time to pass comprehensive reform that provides a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans, creates a fair and equitable immigration system, protects the needs of workers and respects the dignity of all families. Immigration reform is unquestionably a boon to our economy that would remove uncertainty from the lives of so many families, who would finally be able to earn higher wages and pursue the American Dream.

“This is a new dawn for President Obama and Congress. It’s time for politics to take a backseat, and for the health of the economy and the American people to be front and center.”

###
 

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a final rule exercising the department’s authority to enforce the Fair Housing Act and create a national standard to clearly delineate discriminatory housing practices. As arbiters of this rule, HUD is responsible for identifying and eliminating housing practices that have intended or unintended discriminatory effects and create segregated housing patterns based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.

“NCLR commends HUD for the release of such a critical rule. This is a profound step forward in the fight against discrimination. Over the past four years, Latinos have experienced great hardship in the housing market, with disproportionately high rates of foreclosure and unnecessary barriers to purchasing and keeping their homes,” said Janis Bowdler, Director of Economic Policy at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “Latinos are projected to account for nearly 50% of first-time homebuyers by 2020. HUD’s new rule will help ensure that policies for these future homeowners are fair and that quality, affordable housing is accessible for all.”

###

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

New research from NCLR (National Council of La Raza) offers a glimpse into the future of the U.S. economy by taking a closer look at the Hispanic workforce in communities with rapidly growing green economies. NCLR’s report, Bright Green: Five Metropolitan Areas Where the Latino Workforce and the Clean Economy Overlap, compares the education and occupation profiles of Latinos and green jobs in five “bright green” locales:

• Knoxville, Tennessee
• McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
• Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, California

“The growth of the Latino workforce and the push toward environmental sustainability will define the future of the American economy,” said Catherine Singley, Senior Policy Analyst for the Economic and Employment Policy Project at NCLR. “The challenge is how to align the fastest-growing segment of the labor force with the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. Investing in education and training for Latino workers should be part of any strategy to advance the green economy.”

According to NCLR’s report, the benefits of emerging green industries extend beyond a healthier environment. In general, green jobs pay higher wages than many traditional Hispanic occupations and are more accessible to workers without a four-year college degree. NCLR’s analysis relies on Census figures and the Clean Economy Database developed by the Brookings Institution.

"Making the job creation potential of the burgeoning clean energy economy a reality for Latino workers requires calling on our cities and states to use green and clean technologies in pending infrastructure projects," said Shamar Bibbins, Senior Political Associate at Green For All. "It is equally important to ensure that opportunities are given to Latinos in upcoming projects."

Susannah Sutherland, Director of the Office of Sustainability for the City of Knoxville, Tenn., joined Singley and Bibbins on a press call to discuss the findings in the report.

"Knoxville is excited by the potential outlined in this research,” said Sutherland. “Much of our grant funding provided education for entering and excelling in the workforce—in fields such as solar installation and energy-efficient construction—and we intend to use the recommendations in this report to increase the outreach and scope of these efforts."

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          Contact:
February 5, 2013                                                           Julian Teixeira
                                                                                      (202) 776-1812
                                                                                       jteixeira@nclr.org

NCLR Texas Latino Advocacy Day participants meet with legislators to urge increased state education funding and bipartisan effort for national comprehensive immigration reform

AUSTIN—More than 200 advocates from throughout Texas, representing NCLR’s (National Council of La Raza) regional network of 25 Latino-serving organizations, converged on the state capitol today to urge state and federal legislators to take immediate action on immigration and education reform.  The groups collectively serve over 900,000 people in San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Midland, Lubbock, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. 

Texas Latinos number over 9.5 million, and the population is growing rapidly.  Since 2000, the Hispanic child population in Texas has grown by more than 41 percent—meaning that Latino children now compose nearly half of all the children in the state, and more than half of all children under the age of five. 

“Clearly Texas’s future prosperity relies heavily on ensuring that our Latino youth are receiving a quality education and that they and their families have opportunities for upward mobility,” said Sonia Troche, Texas Regional Director, NCLR. “In the coming weeks, the state and federal leadership in Texas will make critical decisions on immigration reform and school funding that will impact Hispanic youth and families, as well as the state as a whole, for years to come.  Our purpose today is to ensure that the priorities of the Latino community are not lost in these discussions.”

The state’s Latinos have been severely impacted by education cuts and a lack of progress on such touchstone issues as immigration.  In 2011, the state legislature cut over $5.4 billion in funding from Texas schools that resulted in mass teacher layoffs, increased class sizes and drastic cuts to bilingual education and parental involvement programs.  While low-income Latino youth disproportionately suffer the consequences of such a drastic slash in funding, the state sits on an $8.8 billion surplus. 

“The state’s lawmakers need to realize that Latinos will soon make up half of the state’s population.  If this future labor force is not equipped with the proper education, skills and training, it will severely harm the state’s economic future—and that’s not in anyone’s interest,” continued Troche.

A growing Hispanic electorate, fueled by an average of 890,000 Latino citizens turning 18 each year, has become increasingly engaged and vocal about the need for reform in these two critical areas—immigration and education.  In economic and political terms, movement on both issues seems vital for anyone vying to represent the community at the local, state or federal levels. 

“Given recent momentum to push for immigration reform, Texas congressional representatives have an opportunity to join bipartisan efforts to advance comprehensive, commonsense immigration reform that strengthens Latino and immigrant families who contribute to the local, state and national economies.  The time for immigration reform is now—we want the Texas delegation to get behind a national reform package and give their best efforts to ensure that we fix our broken immigration system.  It is critical for our community that any reform package features a pathway to citizenship which fully integrates our Latino youth and hardworking families into the American fabric, so they too can fully participate and contribute to the success of this great nation,” concluded Troche.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                              Contacto:
5 de febrero, 2013                                                       Julian Teixeira
                                                                                     (202) 776-1812
                                                                                      jteixeira@nclr.org

Participantes del NCLR Texas Latino Advocacy Day instan a legisladores a incrementar presupuesto de la educación y unirse al esfuerzo para la reforma migratoria nacional

AUSTIN—Más de 200 activistas del estado Tejano, representantes de la red regional del NCLR de más de 25 organizaciones latinas, se reunieron en el capitolio estatal hoy día para pedirles a los representantes estatales y legisladores federales que tomen acción inmediata en el tema de inmigración y la educación.  Los grupos proveen servicios a más de 900,000 personas en San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Midland, Lubbock, Laredo y el Rio Grande Valley. 

En Texas, hay más de 9.5 millones de  latinos, y ese número sigue rápidamente creciendo.  Desde el año 2000, la población joven en Texas a crecido más de 41 por ciento—esto significa que hoy los niños latinos constituyen casi la mitad de los niños en el estado, y más de la mitad de los niños menores de cinco años. 

“Claramente, la prosperidad de Texas depende mucho de que nuestros jóvenes latinos reciban una educación de buena calidad y que ellos y sus familiares tengan la oportunidad de obtener movilidad asciéndete,” dijo Sonia Troche, Directora Regional de Texas, NCLR.  “En las próximas semanas, el liderazgo federal y estatal de Texas tomarán decisiones críticas sobre la reforma migratoria que impactarán por muchos años a las familias y los jóvenes hispanos, al igual que el estado,.  Nuestro propósito hoy es asegurar que las prioridades de la comunidad latina sean incluídas en estas discusiones,” dijo Troche. 

Los latinos en el estado han sido seriamente impactados por los recortes a la educación y la falta de adelanto en temas tan importantes como el de la inmigración.  En el 2011, la legislatura estatal cortó más de $5.4 billones en fondos para la educación que resultó en recortes masivos de maestros, un incremento en el tamaño de las clases y recortes drásticos a la educación bilingüe y los programas de participación de los padres.  Los jóvenes de bajo ingresos han sido desproporcionadamente impactados por tan drástico recortes mientras que el estado disfruta de un excedente.   

“Los líderes estatales tienen que entender que un día muy cercano, los latinos constituirán mitad de la población de Texas.  Si este sector laboral futuro no está equipado con la educación, herramientas, y capacitación necesaria, dañará severamente el futuro económico del estado—y eso no está en el interés de nadie,” continuo Troche. 
El electorado hispano creciente, alimentado por un promedio de 890,000 jóvenes que cumplen 18 años cada año, ha incrementado su voz y activismo sobre estos dos temas de importancia—la educación y la inmigración.  En términos económicos y políticos, movimiento en estas dos áreas es crítico para cualquiera que piense postularse para un cargo político al nivel local, estatal, o federal. 

“Dado al impulso detrás de la reforma migratoria, los representantes congresionales tienen una oportunidad para unirse a los esfuerzos bipartidistas para avanzar una reforma migratoria comprensiva y de sentido común que ayude a fortalecer a las familias Latinas e inmigrantes quienes contribuyen a las economías locales, estatales, y nacionales.  Ya es tiempo para la reforma migratoria—queremos que la delegación de Texas apoye una propuesta nacional y que se esfuercen para arreglar este sistema en quiebra.  Es crítico para nuestra comunidad que cualquier propuesta de ley incluya un camino a la ciudadanía para que nuestros jóvenes latinos y familias trabajadoras puedan integrarse a esta nación y contribuir a sus triunfos,” concluyó Troche. 

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite http://www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###


 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA:                 Para más información:
31 enero, 2013                                                Julián Teixeira
                                                                          (202) 776-1812
                                                                          jteixeira@nclr.org

           
El grupo NCLR Texas Latino Advocacy Day reúne a la comunidad hispana para presionar a los representantes estatales y diputados del estado de Texas para que aprueben un plan que apoye una reforma migratoria completa y que restauren fondos para la educación

AUSTIN— Más de 150 defensores de los derechos civiles de todo el estado de Texas, representando la red regional del Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés) compuesta por 25 organizaciones que sirven a la comunidad latina del estado, se reunirán en el Capitolio el martes, 5 de febrero, para llevar a cabo una conferencia de prensa. Este grupo de líderes tiene como objetivo presionar, tanto a los miembros de la legislatura estatal como a los representantes al congreso por el estado de Texas, que promuevan y apoyan  una reforma migratoria completa este año.

Justo después de la conferencia de prensa, participantes en el NCLR Texas Latino Advocacy Day llevarán a cabo reuniones individuales con sus representantes para recalcar la necesidad urgente de una reforma migratoria, y para destacar los temas y problemas que son críticos para los latinos que residen en este estado. Uno de los temas más importantes a discutirse será la necesidad de un aumento en los fondos destinados para la educación.

Estos líderes latinos de Texas concentrarán sus esfuerzos en lograr el objetivo que apoya la NCLR de lograr una reforma migratoria humana y sólida que cumpla las siguientes metas:
•    Restaurar una orden de derecho que cree un proceso claro hacia la legalización y la ciudadanía de los inmigrantes;
•    Establecer métodos de cumplimiento que mejoren la seguridad, que apoyen los canales legales establecidos y que prevengan la discriminación;
•    Crear canales legales factibles que promuevan la unidad familiar, que protejan los derechos de los trabajadores y que respondan a las necesidades de nuestra economía;
•    Fortalecer la fibra de los Estados Unidos de América mediante la adopción de medidas efectivas que aseguren la integración completa de los nuevos inmigrantes en nuestra sociedad.

La comunidad latina del estado de Texas representa un porcentaje significativo de la población total del estado y estos números aumentan cada día. De hecho, el número de menores de edad en Texas aumentó en más de un 41 por ciento en esta última década, lo que significó que los niños latinos sean casi la mitad (48.9 %) de todos los niños del estado de Texas. 

Las conversaciones que se llevarán a cabo con los legisladores acerca de la política de educación estarán enfocadas en la necesidad de desarrollar una estrategia que tenga en consideración la importancia de preparar a los niños latinos del estado de Texas para el futuro. En la última sesión legislativa, se redujeron más de $5.4 billones en el sistema de educación deTexas. Esta reducción significó un golpe duro para las escuelas del estado que se encuentran poco preparadas y con escasos recursos para suplir las necesidades de una población estudiantil en crecimiento.

Justo después de la conferencia de prensa y de las visitas a los legisladores, los participantes de esta actividad se reunirán para decidir y redactar un plan de acción inmediato. 

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUÉ:           Conferencia de prensa y llamado a acción urgente para promover reforma migratoria 

QUIÉN:       Janet Murguía, Presidente y CEO de NCLR
                    State Senator Carlos I. Uresti (D–10), Chair, Hispanic Senate Caucus
                    State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer (D–116), Chair, Mexican American Legislative Caucus

CUÁNDO:   Martes, 5 de febrero de 2013
                    De 10:00 a.m. a 10:30 a.m. 

DÓNDE:      Radisson Hotel and Suites Austin Downtown
                    Travis Ballroom, 2nd Floor 
                    111 East Cesar Chavez Street
                    Austin, TX 78701

¡ Excelente oportunidad para obtener buenas fotografías !

Para más información, preguntas o para coordinar una entrevista, favor de comunicarse con Julián Teixeira a su dirección electrónica: jteixeira@nclr.org.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###

 

Después del anuncio por parte de un grupo de senadores de una propuesta bipartidista para la reforma migratoria, el Presidente Obama detalló hoy una lista de iniciativas para modificar el sistema migratorio nacional. El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza por sus siglas en inglés) le da la bienvenida al esfuerzo proactivo por parte del Presidente sobre este importante tema, dejando claro, con acciones como esta, que el 2013 es el año de la reforma migratoria.

“El anuncio del Presidente es una clara indicación de que él intenta encabezar esta causa, y ciertamente nos alienta el saber que está actuando para cumplir con la promesa que le hizo a la comunidad hispana durante su campaña,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidente y Gerente General del NCLR. “Su anuncio, en conjunto con la propuesta del Senado, nos indica que hemos llegado a un momento trascendental para este tema y que está creciendo el impulso para una solución comprensiva que deje de lado diferencias políticas y se enfoque en la consecución de este proyecto. Ambos partidos están de acuerdo en que la reforma no es solamente necesaria, sino que se trata de algo justo y correcto que debe ser realizado.”

“Entre los acontecimientos más favorables es que existe un consenso de que la ciudadanía debe ser la base y el eje de cualquier iniciativa legislativa que sea propuesta. Es aún más alentador que el plan del Presidente contenga una vía más directa a la ciudadanía que la propuesta del Senado. También estamos contentos de que los principios detallados por el Congressional Hispanic Caucus fueron incorporados en esas incitativas y nos agrada saber que el plan del Presidente promueve un sistema que respeta a todas la familias americanas, incluyendo a las de nuestras hermanas y hermanos de la comunidad LGBT.”

“Al mismo tiempo, queremos asegurarnos que se tomen en cuenta las necesidades concernientes al cuidado de la salud de los trabajadores, niños y familias que se beneficiarían de la reforma migratoria e intentamos trabajar con todos los involucrados en este tema para asegurar que sus intereses estén representados. Una solución para modernizar nuestro sistema de inmigración y hacerlo más justo y equitativo está a nuestro alcance. Instamos a Washington a que continúe trabajando en conjunto para hacer de estos cambios tan necesarios una realidad.”

###
 

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          Contact:
January 30, 2013                                                           Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                                     (202) 776-1566
                                                                                     jrendeiro@nclr.org

 
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Heading into his second term, President Obama has nominated Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).  NCLR (National Council of La Raza) fully backs Cordray for this position, as he has proven to be a strong ally for Latino homeowners since the CFPB opened its doors, fighting to end unfair banking practices and improve accountability among financial institutions.

“Over the past year, Richard Cordray has built up a strong track record as a champion for consumers and homeowners alike,” said Janis Bowdler, Director of Economic Policy at NCLR.  “Under his direction, the CFPB has defended consumers, advanced new protections and disclosures for remittances and issued new mortgage rules that will keep homeownership opportunities open to Hispanic families.”

“There is no question that Cordray should continue in his current position and that Congress should swiftly confirm this crucial appointment,” Bowdler continued.  “Homeowners and consumers across the country need an advocate who is willing to stand up against banks and other financial institutions that aim to take advantage of their clients.  Cordray has proven time and again that he stands for commonsense standards of accountability and fairness and is willing to push back against those who try to mislead and defraud consumers.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On the heels of yesterday’s unveiling of a bipartisan Senate blueprint for immigration reform, President Obama today laid out his administration’s plan for overhauling the nation’s immigration system. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) welcomes the president’s aggressive push for action on this issue, which adds further evidence that 2013 is the year for immigration reform.

“The president’s announcement today is a clear indication that he intends to champion this cause, and it is certainly heartening to see him act firmly to fulfill the promise he made to the Hispanic community during his campaign,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “His announcement today, coupled with yesterday’s Senate proposal, has turned the corner on this issue, building momentum and motivating lawmakers to put politics aside and get this important work done. Both parties now agree that reform is the necessary thing to do—and the right thing to do.

“Among the most encouraging developments is that there is now consensus that a roadmap to citizenship must be the centerpiece of any viable piece of legislation put forward. Even more heartening is that the president’s plan contains a straighter path to citizenship for new Americans than yesterday’s Senate proposal. We are also very glad to see that his plan embraces the recommendations outlined by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose principles should be a guiding light in the debate. Specifically, we are pleased to see that the president’s platform promotes a system that respects all American families, including our LGBT brothers and sisters.

“Additionally, we want to ensure that we keep in mind the health needs of workers, children and families who stand to benefit from immigration reform, and we intend to work closely with all parties to achieve that goal. A rational solution to modernizing our immigration system and making it fair and equitable is on the horizon. We urge Washington to continue working together to make those critical changes a reality.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
   

Watch Bipartisan Blueprint for Immigration Reform Faces Hurdles on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Señalando que el 2013 es el año para la reforma migratoria, un grupo bipartidista de senadores publicaron una lista de principios para reformar el sistema migratorio del país que contienen un camino hacia la ciudadanía para millones de americanos aspirantes. El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés) aplaude el esfuerzo de los Senadores Bennet (D–CO), Durbin (D–IL), Flake (R–AZ), Graham (R–SC), McCain (R–AZ), Menendez (D–NJ), Rubio (R–FL), y Schumer (D–NY) por iniciar el proceso y instar a sus colegas en el Congreso que se unan a esta solución de sentido común. 

“Es un nuevo día para la inmigración. Es una señal muy positiva de que los políticos han cambiado la página y están listos para trabajar juntos para reformar nuestro sistema de inmigración que tanto lo necesita y que tanto el pueblo americano ha reclamado,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidenta y Gerente General del NCLR. “Estos principios confirman que el camino a la ciudadanía está al centro de cualquier solución. Necesitamos unirnos para tomar ventaja de este momento de bipartidismo constructivo para hacerle un llamado a los miembros del Congreso para que actúen inmediatamente para modernizar nuestro sistema de inmigración y asegurar que los inmigrantes estén completamente integrados a nuestra sociedad.”

“NCLR aplaude este comienzo fuerte y serio, comenzado por este grupo bipartidista de senadores y también queremos reconocer el trabajo de nuestros campeones en el tema, el Congressional Hispanic Caucus. NCLR trabajará de acerca con ellos para asegurar que tenemos el sistema migratorio que nuestro pueblo merece—uno que respeta a todas las familias americanas,” añadió Murguía.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Signaling that 2013 is the year for immigration reform, a bipartisan group of senators released a set or principles for overhauling the nation’s immigration system that includes a pathway to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds Senators Bennet (D–Colo.), Durbin (D–Ill.), Flake (R–Ariz.), Graham (R–S.C.), McCain (R–Ariz.), Menendez (D–N.J.), Rubio (R–Fla.), and Schumer (D–N.Y.) for initiating this process and urges their colleagues in Congress to join them in delivering a commonsense solution to this issue. 

“It is a new day for immigration. This is an incredibly promising sign that policymakers have turned a corner on immigration and are ready to work together on the reform our nation needs and the American people want,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “The senators’ blueprint also confirms unequivocally that a roadmap to citizenship must be part of resolving this issue. We must build on this pivotal moment of constructive bipartisanship and call on other members of Congress to swiftly act to modernize our immigration system and ensure immigrants are fully integrated into our society.”

“NCLR applauds this strong and serious start by the bipartisan group of senators and also the laudable work of our champions on the Hill, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. NCLR will be working closely with them to ensure that we have the immigration system America deserves—one that respects all American families,” Murguía added.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

Key internal promotions announced

NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is pleased to announce that Albert Steven Jacquez has joined the organization as its new Director of Legislative, Congressional and Political Affairs. In addition, Janis Bowdler has been promoted to Director of Economic Policy, and Jennifer Ng’andu will now serve as the organization’s Director of the Health and Civil Rights Policy Projects. The recent hire and promotions within NCLR’s Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation will help elevate NCLR’s work in these strategic areas.

“NCLR has a long tradition of policy accomplishments on social and economic issues that matter to the Latino community, as well as a reputation for strong leadership and deep expertise in policy issues. These staffing enhancements continue our noteworthy legacy in this area of work,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation.

As the new Director of Legislative, Congressional and Political Affairs, Mr. Jacquez will be responsible for building and nurturing relationships with congressional offices and the Executive branch, advancing public policy issues that are important to the nation’s Hispanic community. Prior to joining NCLR, Jacquez was a principal at Strategic Solutions Washington, where he served as senior advisor and federal policy representative for the William C. Velazquez Institute. He also held the position of administrator for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and was the chief of staff for Congressman Esteban E. Torres. He holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas and a bachelor of arts degree from Whittier College.

“Mr. Jacquez’s experience and leadership come at a crucial juncture when leaders in government are looking for ideas and solutions to address the nation’s most pressing social and civil rights issues affecting Latinos,” Rodriguez said. “He will be a key voice for our community and institution as we strive to pass immigration reform, settle on our nation’s fiscal priorities and work to protect the rights of Latino workers.”
Janis Bowdler previously served as the Director of the Wealth-Building Policy Project. In her new role, Ms. Bowdler will continue to lead NCLR’s housing and wealth-building issue areas, as well as integrate NCLR’s work in economic development and retirement issues into one cohesive strategy. She holds a master’s degree in urban policy from Cleveland State University and is a graduate of Malone College, where she received her bachelor’s degree in political science and history. 

Jennifer Ng’andu, formerly Deputy Director of the Health Policy Project, will continue to lead NCLR’s health policy work, and in her new position she will be in charge of the organization’s civil rights project, a portfolio with traditional antidiscrimination and equal opportunity issues that also addresses critical policies in juvenile justice, telecommunications and LGBT rights. As a graduate of Duke University, she holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology. 

“Ms. Bowdler and Ms. Ng’andu bring their leaderships skills and talent to crucial areas of our work,” Rodriguez stated. “Ms. Bowdler will lead NCLR efforts on key economic issues as we steer our way out of the Great Recession while Ms. Ng’andu will help lead in an era when the civil rights agenda is evolving.”

 ###

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                       PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN:
January 25, 2013                                                  Kathy Mimberg, NCLR
                                                                                 (202) 776-1714; kmimberg@nclr.org
                                                                                 Debra Hernandez, Mexican American Unity Council
                                                                                 (210) 978-0510; dhernandez@mauc.org.


CDC reporta que más de un cuarto de los niños negros e hispanos en el Condado de Bexar son obesos

SAN ANTONIO—Con unas tasas de obesidad desproporcionadamente altas entre los jóvenes minoritarios en San Antonio, el Mexican American Unity Council, Inc. (MAUC) y el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR) por sus siglas en inglés) están instando a la comunidad a que examinen las barreras que existen para los jóvenes latinos a vivir una vida más sana.  De acuerdo con Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), el 27 por ciento de los niños negros e hispanos en Bexar County, donde está localizado la ciudad de San Antonio, son obesos, y esa tasa sigue creciendo.  Como parte de un esfuerzo estratégico para involucrar a los jóvenes en buscar soluciones para este tema tan crítico, el MAUC y el NCLR patrocinarán una exhibición fotográfica en las oficinas del MAUC en San Antonio, el jueves, 31 de enero.   

La exhibición, “Reflejos de Mi Comunidad,” demostrará las opiniones y reflexiones de jóvenes latinos del área local sobre los estilos de vida y hábitos de comer no saludables.   El público está invitado a MAUC para disfrutar de los proyectos de los estudiantes quienes son entre las edades de 12 a 18 años y contribuyeron sus perspectivas e ideas sobre la nutrición y un estilo de vida activa; respondieron a un concurso de ensayos fotográficos donde tuvieron que examinar sus propios hábitos de comer y estilo de vida.  Información sobre la exhibición está disponible a través de Twitter en #Reflejos. 

La exhibición le sigue a la publicación de un reciente proyecto donde se analizó las barreras que previenen a los jóvenes latinos de bajos ingreso, localizados en los centros urbanos, a que vivan una vida activa y de un comer saludable.  Algunas barreras que fueron identificadas incluyen comidas escolares no saludables y una falta de infraestructura que promueva el caminar y el ciclismo.  También existen las barreras a la participación en deportes dadas al costo, falta de transportación, o retos asociados con padres que no hablan inglés.

El proyecto y la exhibición son patrocinados por Sodexo y el ConAgra Foods Foundation.  Una exhibición similar fue realizada recientemente en Chicago. 

“La buena salud está basada en la nutrición y la actividad física.  Aproximadamente un cuarto de los estudiantes de la secundaria en el Condado Bexar son considerados obesos. A través de esta exhibición, esperamos tener un intercambio proactivo entre los jóvenes de San Antonio, sus padres, los educadores, y los líderes comunitarios para unirnos en el objetivo de ayudar a nuestros jóvenes latinos disfrutar una vida larga y sana,” dijo Fernando S. Godinez, MAUC Presidente y Gerente General. 

Si desea asistir al evento, por favor póngase en contacto con Debra Hernandez al (210) 978-0510 o dhernandez@mauc.org.

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUÉ:         “Reflejos de Mi Comunidad,” una exhibición fotográfica

QUIÉN:     MAUC y NCLR

CUÁNDO:     Jueves, 31 de enero, 2013
                       6:30 – 8:00 p.m.   

DÓNDE:    Mexican American Unity Council, Inc.
                  2300 W. Commerce, Suite 200
                  Community Room
                  San Antonio, TX 78207

PARA COBERTURA:  Por favor póngase en contacto con Kathy Mimberg at NCLR al correo electrónico: kmimberg@nclr.org o Debra Hernandez en el MAUC al dhernandez@mauc.org o 210-978-0510.  Información sobre la exhibición está disponible a través de Twitter en #Reflejos. 

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter. 

MAUC provee guía y asistencia en las áreas de educación, vivienda, desarrollo comunitario y económico.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Contact:
January 25, 2013                             Kathy Mimberg, NCLR
                                                            (202) 776-1714; kmimberg@nclr.org
                                                             Debra Hernandez, Mexican American Unity Council
                                                             (210) 978-0510; dhernandez@mauc.org.

CDC reports more than one-quarter of Black and Hispanic children in Bexar County are obese

SAN ANTONIO—With obesity rates among minority youth in San Antonio disproportionately high, the Mexican American Unity Council, Inc. (MAUC) and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) are engaging the community in examining the barriers to a healthy lifestyle for young Latinos.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 27 percent of Black and Hispanic children are obese in Bexar County, in which San Antonio is located, and the obesity rate continues to climb.  As part of a concerted effort to involve youth in addressing this critical issue, MAUC and NCLR will host a photo voice exhibit at MAUC offices in San Antonio on Thursday, January 31. 

The exhibit, “Reflejos de Mi Comunidad” (Reflections of My Community), will display the insight of local Latino youth as they reflect on unhealthy lifestyles and eating habits and how they may affect their generation’s future.  The public is invited to view the projects of local 12- to 18-year-old students who contributed their perspectives and ideas on nutrition and active living to a photo essay contest that asked them to portray their own eating and lifestyle habits.  Exhibit information is available via Twitter at #Reflejos.

The exhibit follows a recent project to assess the barriers that prevent low-income, inner-city Latino youth from eating healthily and living an active lifestyle.  Noted barriers include unhealthy school lunches and a lack of infrastructure that supports walking and biking.  There are also barriers to participation in extracurricular sports due to cost, lack of transportation and challenges faced by Spanish-speaking parents.  The project and exhibit are sponsored by Sodexo and the ConAgra Foods Foundation.  A similar exhibit was recently held in Chicago.

“Good health is built on a strong foundation of nutrition and physical activity.  Nearly one-quarter of high school students are considered obese in Bexar County.  With this exhibit, we hope to engage San Antonio teenagers, parents, educators and community leaders in a common mission to help young Latinos enjoy long and healthy lives,” said Fernando S. Godinez, MAUC President and CEO. 

If you plan on attending the event, RSVP to Debra Hernandez at (210) 978-0510 or dhernandez@mauc.org.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:     “Reflejos de Mi Comunidad,” a local youth photo exhibit

WHO:     MAUC and NCLR 

WHEN:     Thursday, January 31, 2013
                   6:30–8:00 p.m.   

WHERE:     Mexican American Unity Council, Inc.
                    2300 W. Commerce, Suite 200
                    Community Room
                    San Antonio, TX 78207

TO COVER:  Please contact Kathy Mimberg at NCLR at kmimberg@nclr.org or Debra Hernandez at the Mexican American Unity Council at dhernandez@mauc.org or (210) 978-0510. Exhibit information is available via Twitter at #Reflejos.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter. 

MAUC provides guidance and services in areas of education, housing, community and economic development.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         Contact:
January 18, 2013                                          Kathy Mimberg
                                                                    (202) 776-1714
                                                                    kmimberg@nclr.org


WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will honor the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, Jan. 21 by carrying out community service activities across the nation.  NCLR staff will join local nonprofit organizations that are members of the NCLR Affiliate Network in paying tribute to Dr. King through community service projects.  Members of the public are invited to participate in these service activities; a description of each project and contact information are listed below by state and community organization.

District of Columbia/Maryland

Maryland Multicultural Youth Center—Riverdale, Md.
Latin American Youth Center—District of Columbia
These AmeriCorps members will combine efforts and energy to present a cultural expression in gratitude and honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  There will be music, poetry, dance and reenactments of his famous speeches.  The location is Buck Lodge Middle School, 2611 Buck Lodge Road, Adelphi, Md.
Contact:  Luis Quinones, arturo@layc-dc.org

Illinois

Association House of Chicago—Chicago, Ill.
AmeriCorps members will paint a mural, construct benches and craft blankets and bird houses.  This beautification effort will take place at Lafayette Elementary school. 
Contact:  Jeannette Igwe, jigwe@associationhouse.org

Instituto del Progreso Latino—Chicago, Ill.
There will be a clothing drive in honor of Dr. King’s legacy.  Please bring families who may be in need of clothing to the event on Monday, Jan. 21 during regular business hours to receive complimentary shopping bags and clothes.  This event will be held in the community room on the second floor of 2520 S Western Avenue.
Contact:  Yvonne Nieves, y.nieves@idpl.org

Texas

Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe—El Paso, Texas
The AmeriCorps program will present an educational program to children about the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Child Crisis Center of El Paso, an emergency shelter for children who come from abusive households, have homeless parents or are experiencing dangerous living conditions.  AmeriCorps members will engage the children in activities and lessons that highlight the values of Dr. King and how they might apply to their lives.
Contact:  Rosa Silva, rsilva@lafeprep.org

California

The Unity Council—Oakland, Calif.
The Unity Council AmeriCorps members and the Park District will celebrate its Fourth Annual Day of Service that continues Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of improving lives, bridging social barriers and building community.  Volunteers will assist staff in restoration work and invasive plant removal in order to support and care for wildlife and their natural habitats.
Contact:  Laura Espinol, lespino@unitycouncil.org

Youth Policy Institute (YPI)—Los Angeles, Calif.
YPI AmeriCorps members will partner with the YPI AmeriCops VISTA program and Gratts Learning Academy for Young Scholars elementary school to host a national day of service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Members, students, parents and volunteers will paint the teacher’s lounge and complete a mural at the school in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Contact:  Alex Gil, agil@ypiusa.org

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###


 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Camila Gallardo
Main: (305) 573-7329
Cell: (305) 215-4259
cgallardo@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR praised President Obama’s announcement of a comprehensive proposal, including 23 executive measures, aimed at curbing gun violence in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. The President requested that Congress immediately advance a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines as well as establish universal background checks on gun buyers. He also addressed the broader issue of community violence by proposing at least $150 million for future school safety initiatives and announcing a partnership between the U.S Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education to address a wide spectrum of mental health issues related to gun violence.

“We praise the President’s swift, thoughtful action as well as his challenge to Congress to enact new measures and broaden this long-overdue national conversation,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “There are many promising first steps in his announcement, including measures aimed at getting guns out of the hands of the wrong individuals. In addition, we praise his approach that looks more broadly at how gun violence impacts communities of color, including the Latino community.”

Gun violence toward youth has reached an alarming rate. In the United States, a child or teen is killed by a firearm every three hours, and every 14 hours one of those youth is Latino. In states such as California, the majority of youth homicides involve the use of a handgun. NCLR Affiliates and other community-based organizations have long worked to prevent and reduce violence, yet the resources invested in these programs and policies that make an impact have not matched the need.

NCLR is a pleased with the administration’s responsiveness to the civil rights community’s concerns with proposals to place armed guards in schools. Children of color disproportionately attend punitive schools where overpolicing can lead to distrust of law enforcement. The new flexibility in the president’s proposal allows school districts to employ resources, including social and mental health services, to address the behavioral health of children and work with them to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline. According to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, from 2009 to 2012 states cut an estimated $4.35 billion in public mental health spending. Many insurance plans do not provide appropriate coverage for these services, and families of children with mental health issues often have no access to professional support.

“We are hopeful that local, state and federal lawmakers will work with the White House on policies that do not just address the accessibility of guns but also ensure that we are providing the kind of support, guidance, counseling and mental health services that can help children—especially youth routinely exposed to violence—learn to cope with issues without resorting to violence,” continued Murguía. “We look forward to working with the administration over the coming year to ensure that school and community safety measures are comprehensive and responsive to the needs of Latino youth and all of America’s children.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
             

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

NCLR applauds new servicing standards that will put an end to dual tracking

Borrowers at risk of losing their homes have been granted much-needed relief thanks to new protections aimed at preventing unnecessary foreclosures. Earlier today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced new servicing standards that specifically address the problem of dual tracking—the process of pushing families through foreclosure while they are simultaneously being considered for mortgage loan modifications. At a hearing in Atlanta today, Lot Diaz, Vice President of Housing and Community Development at NCLR (National Council of La Raza), provided testimony that praised the CFPB for making meaningful improvements to the dual tracking rule, which will help stem foreclosures in Latino communities.

“There is no question that our community has been disproportionately affected by the foreclosure crisis and that dual tracking has played a significant role in so many Latinos unfairly losing their homes,” said Diaz. “Mortgage servicers have been starting the clock on foreclosures before families even have a chance to consider their options for saving their homes. The new regulations are a clear step in the right direction, and it’s time that servicers follow the rules.”

The most promising provision in the new regulations prohibits servicers from filing for foreclosure until a mortgage is delinquent for more than 120 days. This window of opportunity provides a healthy amount of time for struggling homeowners to adjust their loans without having to worry that their foreclosure is already being processed.

While NCLR is pleased that the CFPB has responded to many of our concerns about the dual tracking rule, they have not clarified how they intend to disseminate information about the rule to local communities. In addition, it is critical that racial and ethnic data are collected to ensure accountability and proper enforcement.

“We’ve already seen servicers ignore the calls to end dual tracking,” added Diaz. “We need to make sure this time that what is put on paper is put into practice. Strong enforcement is key.”

###

Enero es el “Mes de la Concientización del Cáncer Cervical”, y para todas las mujeres alrededor del país, esto debe de servir para recordar la necesidad de hacer una cita para un examen de Papanicolaou, dado a que el cáncer cervical es fácilmente prevenible con la ayuda de este estudio. Desafortunadamente, muchas latinas no toman el tiempo para realizarse esta simple prueba y están perdiendo la batalla en contra de esta enfermedad. Cada año, 10,000 mujeres son diagnosticadas con cáncer cervical y aproximadamente 3,700 mueren por la misma. Para las latinas, el pronóstico es desalentador. Las latinas tienen la tasa más alta de cáncer cervical y la segunda tasa más alta de mortalidad entre todos los grupos raciales y étnicos. La solución de este problema es la detección temprana. Las latinas simplemente no están haciéndose esta prueba regularmente.

“Lo que es aún más frustrante es que hayan tantas latinas muriendo de esta enfermedad sin necesidad,” dijo Manuela McDonough, Program Manager del Instituto para la Salud Hispana (IHH por sus siglas en inglés) del Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés). “Los médicos saben cómo detectar esta enfermedad y cómo tratarla pero no pueden hacer esto hasta que las mujeres se hagan las pruebas regularmente.”

A pesar de las altas tasas de mujeres con la enfermedad y las estadísticas de decesos producto de ésta, las latinas de 18 a 44 años de edad son menos propensas a hacerse pruebas para el cáncer cervical que mujeres no hispanas de la raza blanca. Sólo 73.6 por ciento de las mujeres hispanas se han hecho el examen del Papanicolaou en los últimos tres años.

Aquellas personas con el Virus del Papiloma Humano (HPV por sus siglas en inglés) o condiciones similares que debilitan el sistema inmunológico como el VIH, experimentan mayores factores de riesgo que aumentan la probabilidad de contraer cáncer cervical. Otros factores incluyen fumar, utilizar métodos anticonceptivos por más de cinco años y haber dado a luz a por lo menos tres hijos. Sin embargo, el cáncer cervical no siempre presenta síntomas, por ello es sumamente importante la visita al médico. El IHH recomienda que las mujeres deben comenzar ha realizarse exámenes de Papanicolaou de manera regular a partir de los 21 años.

“Uno de los obstáculos que enfrentamos es simplemente educar a nuestra comunidad sobre la enfermedad,” dijo Marcela Vargas, Project Coordinator del IHH. Vargas ayuda a coordinar el projecto Mujer Sana, Familia Fuerte, que utiliza el modelo promotores de salud para llegar a las latinas y educarlas sobre la prevención del cáncer cervical. “Somos afortunados en tener la oportunidad de entrenar a las personas que viven y trabajan en estas comunidades sobre la importancia de participar en exámenes preventivos del cáncer cervical y cómo pueden tener acceso al cuidado apropiado,” dijo Vargas. “Escucharlo de alguien que conoces o con quien trabajas, es la forma más efectiva para que sepan lo urgente de este mensaje.”

Vargas y McDonough patrocinarán un taller de promotores sobre el cáncer cervical en Chicago del 28 al 30 de enero. Para más información sobre el entrenamiento o para hablar con un coordinador de proyecto del NCLR sobre el cáncer cervical en la comunidad latina, por favor comuníquese con Kathy Mimberg a kmimberg@nclr.org.

Personas con bajos ingresos o aquellos sin seguro médico pueden ser elegibles para exámenes de Papanicolaou gratuitos o de bajo costo a través del National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. Para más información, llame al: 1-800-CDC-INFO o visite http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.

###

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and for women across the country that should serve as an all-too-important reminder to schedule a Pap test, since Cervical cancer is easily preventable. Unfortunately, many Latinas don’t take the time to schedule this simple test and are losing the battle against this disease. Every year, 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and approximately 3,700 die from the illness. For Latinas, the outlook of surviving this disease is bleak. Latinas have the highest rate of cervical cancer and the second-highest mortality rate among all racial and ethnic groups.

The root of the problem is early detection. Latinas are simply not getting Pap tests regularly.

“What’s most frustrating is that there are so many Latinas suffering and dying from this disease who simply don’t have to,” said Manuela McDonough, Program Manager for the Institute for Hispanic Health (IHH) at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “Doctors know how to find this disease and treat it, but they can’t do either of those things unless women get tested regularly.”

Despite high rates of disease and death, Latinas age 18 to 44 have lower screening rates for cervical cancer than non-Hispanic Whites. Overall, only 73.6 percent of Hispanic women have had a Pap test in the last three years.

Having Human Papillomavirus (HPV) or conditions that weaken the immune system such as HIV are risk factors that can increase the likelihood of cervical cancer. Other factors include smoking, using birth control pills for more than five years and having given birth to at least three children. However, cervical cancer does not always cause symptoms, thus underscoring the importance of visiting a physician. IHH recommends that women should begin getting regular Pap tests at the age 21.

“One of the biggest obstacles that we face is simply educating our community about the disease,” said Marcela Vargas, Project Coordinator for IHH. Vargas helps run the Mujer Sana, Familia Fuerte (Healthy Woman, Strong Family) project, which uses the promotores de salud (lay health workers) model to teach Latinas about cervical cancer prevention.

“We’re lucky to have an opportunity to train people who actually live and work in these communities about why it’s so important to get cervical cancer screenings and how to find appropriate care,” Vargas stated. “Hearing it from someone you know and work with is the most effective way to get across the seriousness of this issue.”

Vargas and McDonough plan to host a promotores training on cervical cancer in Chicago on January 28–30. For more information about the training or to speak with an NCLR project coordinator about cervical cancer in the Latina community, please contact Kathy Mimberg at kmimberg@nclr.org.

Lower-income individuals or those who do not have insurance may be eligible for free or low-cost Pap tests through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. For more information, call 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.

###
 

NCLR, General Mills y Walmart amplían el programa diseñado para enseñar a los latinos cómo ser consumidores más sanos

Las enfermedades crónicas relacionadas con la falta de actividad física y la mala alimentación están afectando desproporcionadamente a la población latina. El nivel socioeconómico bajo y el fácil acceso a los alimentos baratos y poco saludables son sólo algunos de los factores que contribuyen a que muchos latinos lleven un estilo de vida poco saludable. En un esfuerzo para abordar este problema, el Instituto para la Salud Hispana del NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza), en colaboración con General Mills y Walmart, está ampliando su programa de compra saludable, “Comprando Rico y Sano”, diseñado para concientizar a los latinos sobre la salud y enseñarles a elegir los alimentos adecuados para sus familias.

“Para contribuir verdaderamente a la salud de las familias latinas, hay que hacer más que tan sólo decirles que necesitan estar sanos, tenemos que mostrarles cómo comprar, aprovechando al máximo su dinero sin sacrificar los alimentos que son buenos para sus familias”, dijo Delia Pompa, vicepresidenta sénior de programas del NCLR. “Todos tenemos presupuestos apretados. Afortunadamente, este programa determina cómo hacer ajustes a la compra para que lleve a la mesa de su familia los alimentos más saludables y de mejor calidad sin irse a la quiebra”.

Hasta la fecha, el NCLR se ha asociado con 12 organizaciones comunitarias de su Red Nacional de Afiliados para desarrollar una conciencia sobre la compra de alimentos saludables a través de este programa. Usando el modelo de promotores de salud (lay health educators), el programa ha llegado exitosamente a más de 3,000 latinos mediante sesiones interactivas o charlas. La nueva asociación espera llegar a 6,000 hispanos más en todo el país.

“En General Mills estamos muy orgullosos de haber estado patrocinando al NCLR por más de 25 años, y el programa “Comprando Rico y Sano” es uno de los programas que más nos apasiona porque coincide perfectamente con la misión de la compañía de Nutrir Vidas”, dijo María Rodas, gerente de mercadotecnia multicultural de General Mills. “Creemos que este programa tiene mucho que ofrecer a la comunidad hispana porque les proporciona los recursos que les ayudarán a tomar decisiones inteligentes a la hora de comprar y comer para vivir mejor y estar más sanos. Estamos muy contentos de contar este año con Walmart como socio porque con nuestros esfuerzos conjuntos podremos hacer crecer esta iniciativa todavía más”.

El programa ampliado incluirá un currículo actualizado que abordará mejor la necesidad de los latinos de información sencilla y precisa sobre cómo comprar alimentos saludables, considerando los presupuestos limitados y los programas de nutrición suplementaria. En el nuevo material también se enfatizarán las estrategias que pueden ayudar a los consumidores a identificar fácilmente los alimentos saludables. Por ejemplo, se les enseñará a los compradores a buscar en los paquetes de los productos las palabras Whole Grains (Integral), el logo de Walmart de “Great for You”, la Palomita Blanca en los cereales de General Mills y las etiquetas de “bajo en sodio”.

“En Walmart creemos firmemente que ninguna familia latina debería tener que elegir entre los alimentos que puede pagar y los que son saludables para sus hijos”, dijo Mark Espinoza, director sénior de Walmart. “Para hacerlo más fácil, estamos apoyando los programas de educación nutricional, reduciendo la cantidad de sodio y azúcar de algunos alimentos, proporcionando precios bajos todos los días, abriendo tiendas en desiertos alimentarios y facilitando su elección por las opciones saludables al poner el icono de “Great for You” en nuestros paquetes. Trabajando juntos, podemos ayudar a las familias a vivir mejor”.

Walmart, General Mills y NCLR también ayudarán a desarrollar conciencia sobre este tema, organizando demostraciones de cocina, visitas a tiendas de comestibles y otros eventos comunitarios. Para obtener información actualizada sobre este programa, por favor póngase en contacto con Paul Aguilar en paguilar@nclr.org.

###

NCLR, General Mills and Walmart expand program designed to teach Latinos how to be healthier consumers

Latino populations are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases related to a lack of physical activity and poor diet. Lower socioeconomic status and ready access to cheap, unhealthy foods are just some of the contributing factors that have set far too many Latinos on the path to an unhealthy lifestyle. In an effort to address this issue, the NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Institute for Hispanic Health, in collaboration with General Mills and Walmart, is expanding its healthy shopping program, Comprando Rico y Sano, which is designed to teach Latinos how to be health-conscious consumers and make the correct food choices for their families.

“To truly contribute to the health of Latino families, we have to move beyond just telling people that they need to be healthier and actually show them how to shop, making the most of their money without sacrificing the foods that are good for their families,” said Delia Pompa, NCLR Senior Vice President of Programs. “We are all dealing with tightened budgets. Thankfully this program identifies how to make adjustments to your shopping so that you’re putting the healthiest and highest-quality products on the table without breaking the bank.”

To date, NCLR has partnered with 12 community-based organizations from its national Affiliate Network to increase awareness about health-conscious shopping and food choices through this program. Using a promotores de salud (lay health educators) model, the project has successfully reached over 3,000 Latino community members through interactive educational sessions, or charlas. The new partnership hopes to expand outreach to an additional 6,000 Hispanics across the country.

“We at General Mills are so proud to have been sponsoring NCLR for more than 25 years, and the Comprando Rico y Sano program is one that we are extremely passionate about since it aligns perfectly with our company’s mission of Nourishing Lives,” said Maria Rodas, Multicultural Marketing Manager at General Mills. “We believe that this program has a lot to offer to the Hispanic community, providing them resources to make smart decisions when shopping and eating in order to live better, healthier and richer lives. This year we are excited to have Walmart as a partner because with our joint efforts we will be able to grow this initiative even more.”

The expanded program will include an updated curriculum that more fully addresses Latinos’ need for simple, accurate information about healthy shopping, with special consideration for limited budgets and supplemental nutrition programs. The new materials will also include an emphasis on strategies that can help consumers easily identify healthy foods. For example, shoppers will be instructed to look for aids such as the Whole Grains stamp, the Walmart “Great for You” logo, the White Check on General Mills cereals, and low sodium labels.

“At Walmart we strongly believe that no Latino family should ever have to choose between food they can afford and food that is healthier for their children,” said Mark Espinoza, Senior Director at Walmart. “To make it easier for them, we are supporting nutrition education programs, reducing sodium and sugar from some foods, providing everyday low prices, bringing stores to food deserts and facilitating healthier choices with our Great for You icon. By working together, we can help families live better.”

Walmart, General Mills and NCLR will also help increase awareness about this issue by organizing cooking demonstrations, grocery store tours and other community events. For updated information about the program, please contact Paul Aguilar at paguilar@nclr.org.

###

Earlier today, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), joined Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles at the National Press Club, where the mayor stressed the urgent need for Congress and the White House to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.

“The time for half-measures and one-sided approaches is over,” said Villaraigosa. “The bottom line in this debate is full citizenship. There can be no second-class citizens in America. This doesn’t just make moral sense. It makes economic sense."

NCLR applauds Mayor Villaraigosa for his staunch support of this issue, as he echoes the chorus of civil rights, faith, labor, business and law enforcement leaders who are urging lawmakers to work together to fix our broken immigration system.

“Now is the time to get immigration reform passed,” said Murguía. “This election wrote the obituary for self-deportation proposals and the fantasy that we will hunt down 11 million people. The moral, economic and political imperatives are clearly aligned, providing unprecedented momentum for the White House and legislators to deliver the rational solutions that the American people want. This is not an issue of Democrats versus Republicans. This is about doing what is best for the American people and the American economy, and doing it swiftly.”

Murguía continued, “We join Mayor Villaraigosa in issuing an urgent call to action. And we stand ready to work with anyone who is serious about delivering reform that brings order to our immigration system, provides a path to legality and citizenship for the undocumented population, upholds the value of family and safeguards the needs of our economy and the American workforce.”

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Yesterday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued guidelines for their Qualified Mortgage (QM) regulation, which requires lenders to ensure that borrowers are able to repay loans. The QM regulation will help prevent lenders from issuing mortgages to consumers that they cannot afford—a key abuse that contributed to the collapse of the housing market. While the final rule does not reflect all of our recommendations, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is pleased that CFPB has crafted a broad and inclusive definition of a Qualified Mortgage, which will ensure that Hispanic homebuyers are better protected from predatory lenders. 

“Greater numbers of Latinos will become first-time homeowners in the years to come, helping both the economic mobility of their families and the prosperity of our nation as a whole,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “We commend CFPB for adopting a broad definition of a Qualified Mortgage, which will foster an inclusive housing market for Hispanic families just starting out. The rule will require lenders to be sure that borrowers can afford their loans, a commonsense protection that will benefit the entire market.”

According to the CFPB, any home loan purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as any mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will be considered a QM loan. In addition, all loans issued to borrowers whose debt-to-income ratio does not exceed 43 percent will also fall under QM parameters.

“The CFPB’s stance on the Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) demonstrates Director Richard Cordray’s commitment to equal access to homeownership for all qualified borrowers regardless of race, geography or economic strata. The Qualified Mortgage Rule is a critically important step in the broader movement toward rebuilding a housing finance system and promoting affordability and accessibility. In rejecting a restrictive QRM definition, the CFPB is sending a clear message that it seeks to foster a competitive marketplace with clear guidelines for industry underwriting and consumer readiness,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League.

“Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders lost 54 percent of their wealth between 2005 and 2009, largely as a result of the foreclosure crisis, and the homeownership rate of our communities remains significantly lower compared with the national average,” said Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development. “The CFPB’s announcement of a broad definition of Qualified Mortgage will ensure that more families can afford homeownership and will help communities and future generations rebuild their wealth.”

The National Urban League (www.nul.org) is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of direct service programs; and through the public policy research and advocacy activities of the National Urban League Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Today, there are nearly 100 local Urban League affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide.

The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) was founded in 1999 with the mission to be a powerful voice for the unique community development needs of AAPI communities and to strengthen the capacity of community‐based organizations to create neighborhoods of hope and opportunity. For more information, visit our website here and follow us on Twitter: @CAPACD.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###    

Last night, Congress approved a plan to extend tax relief for middle-and working-class families and avert the consequences of the fiscal cliff. While the deal includes some compromises and leaves sequestration to be dealt with in the next congressional session, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) supports the overall plan, which meets many of our stated principles for a fair and prosperous economy.

“We applaud the White House and Congress for working together to deliver a fair approach to reducing our deficit that doesn’t come at the expense of vulnerable, working and middle-class families,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “The overall tax plan passed today is a strong first step toward ensuring that the burden of deficit reduction is shared more fairly, without jeopardizing the health of our economy and the financial security of Latinos and other vulnerable communities."

###
 

The lack of fairness for married same-sex couples has undoubtedly disrupted the lives of LGBT Hispanics and even broken apart families. For example, same-sex binational couples are prohibited from petitioning for a foreign-born partner to receive permanent residence and citizenship. Because same-sex couples do not receive equal protection under federal law, many spouses have had no choice but to return to their country of origin, separating loved ones from each other. More than 1,000 other legal protections for married persons are denied to LGBT couples.

A recent study by Social Science Research Solutions, commissioned by NCLR (National Council of La Raza) and funded through the Arcus Foundation, found that Latinos acknowledged the discrimination LGBT Latinos face and resoundingly supported measures to stop it. Latinos polled in the study were overwhelmingly supportive of ending policies that discriminate against same-sex couples in the areas of employment and housing. Over six in 10 (62 percent) Hispanics support legislation that protects LGBT individuals from job discrimination. Latinos also stood out for supporting same-sex marriage more strongly than the nation on average, with nearly half in favor of it.

In line with Latinos’ evolving standpoints on LGBT issues, on June 9 the NCLR Board of Directors voted unanimously to support marriage equality and incorporate LGBT issues into the organization’s core work. As the Supreme Court considers these cases, NCLR is reaffirming its commitment to fairness for all Latino families and to uplift the voices of the couples and families who are affected by the Court’s decisions.

It was only a generation ago when the freedom to marry was denied to interracial couples. The Supreme Court understood then the deep injustices perpetrated against couples in committed, loving relationships. NCLR hopes that the Supreme Court will once again rule in favor of fairness and recognize that equal protection in marriage is not a privilege but a fundamental right that is withheld from millions of LGBT Americans.

###
 

Declaración de Llíderes Latinos Nacionales
12 de diciembre de 2012

Organizaciones latinas de derechos civiles, la comunidad y sindicales están aquí para anunciar nuestro apoyo incondicional para una reforma migratoria integral. Creemos que los votantes de la nación han enviado un mensaje claro a nuestros líderes electos que ellos esperan acción sobre los asuntos pendientes que enfrentan nuestro país, incluyendo una reforma migratoria. Es hora de arreglar un sistema quebrado de inmigración que no le sirve a nadie – ni a las empresas o a la economía, ni a los inmigrantes, ni a nuestras comunidades. Debemos aprovechar este momento para finalmente arreglar este problema que nos ha eludido durante una generación y que ha generado tanta división y angustia en nuestra nación. El momento de actuar es ahora.

Tenemos plena confianza que el Presidente Obama procederá agresivamente con una reforma el próximo año, y hacemos un llamado a los líderes del Congreso a que traten la reforma migratoria integral y tomen acción. El presidente y el Congreso están en un momento único de la historia que exige sus liderazgos para una reforma migratoria integral que concuerda con nuestros valores nacionales y con la voluntad de los electores.

Una reforma migratoria integral debe incluir una ruta clara hacia la ciudadanía para todos los inmigrantes trabajadores contribuyentes; un sistema que fortalece la fuerza y unidad de los trabajadores; mantiene familias unidas; garantiza los mismos derechos, obligaciones, justicia básica para todos los trabajadores, independientemente de su procedencia; y un régimen de vigilancia interna y de la frontera que se centre en prevenir la participación en actividades delictivas o el ingreso de criminales, cárteles de drogas y otros actores malos en nuestro país.

Somos conscientes de que un resultado legislativo y positivo depende de una ciudadanía participativa e informada. La comunidad latina y los inmigrantes necesitan acceso a información oportuna sobre la acción del congreso o la falta de acción; sobre programas de ciudadanía y registración del votante. Nuestras organizaciones continuarán a proporcionar está información y asistencia por medio de nuestros programas exitosos de participación cívica.

Nuestras campañas de educación al votante seguirán de cerca el desempeño del Congreso a medida que debate la reforma migratoria integral. Los miembros del Congreso serán calificados por el nivel de agresividad que toman para defender una reforma migratoria integral o si trataron de impedirla. Con estas calificaciones, los latinos podrán determinar quién merece sus apoyos en las elecciones del 2014.
Durante las ultimas elecciones, 12.5 millones de votantes latinos demostraron su compromiso al proceso electoral. La participación del votante latino permanece fuerte y soló continuará aumentando en o más allá de las tasas de participación del votante electoral de los últimos años. Nuestras organizaciones trabajarán para asegurar que el crecimiento del voto latino perdure y siga siendo una parte vital de nuestra democracia.

También estamos profundamente preocupados del debate actual sobre los impuestos y del presupuesto federal. Recuerde que la comunidad latina quiere asegurar que la economía funcione para todos, no solamente para los ricos. Es hora que el Congreso llegue a una solución justa que no perjudique la clase media, y así pueda manejar otros asuntos importantes como una reforma migratoria integral.

Los votantes han favorecido una reforma migratoria integral de sentido común que beneficia enormemente nuestra economía y mantiene las familias unidas. El Congreso tiene que aprobar un proyecto de ley que el presidente pueda firmar. Hagan lo que es correcto para nuestro país, para los trabajadores y para las familias.

###



 

Issuing the joint statement were Janet Murguia, National President and CEO of National Council of La Raza; Eliseo Medina, International Secretary-Treasurer of Service Employees International Union; Brent A. Wilkes, National Executive Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens; Ben Monterroso, National Executive Director of Mi Familia Vota; Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO/President of Voto Latino; Hector Sanchez, Executive Director, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; Chris Espinosa, National Director of Advocacy of Hispanic Federation; : Max Sevillia, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs of NALEO Educational Fund. The statement follows:

STATEMENT BY NATIONAL LATINO LEADERS
December 12, 2012

Latino civil rights, community and labor organizations are here to announce our unqualified support for comprehensive immigration reform. We believe our nation’s voters sent a clear message to our elected leaders that they expect action on the outstanding issues facing our country, including immigration reform. It is time to fix a broken immigration system that serves no one well -- not business or the economy, not immigrants and our communities. We must seize the moment to finally fix this problem that has eluded us for a generation and that has created so much division and heartache in our nation. The time to act is now.

We fully expect that President Obama will move aggressively on reform early next year, and we call on the House and Senate leadership to bring comprehensive immigration reform to their chambers for action. The president and Congress are at a unique moment in history that commands their leadership on comprehensive immigration reform that comports with our national values and with the will of the voters.

Comprehensive immigration reform must include a clear roadmap to citizenship for hard working, taxpaying immigrants; a system that builds the strength and unity of working people; keeps families together; guarantees the same rights, obligations, basic fairness for all workers, no matter where they come from; and internal and border law enforcement regimen that focuses on preventing criminals, drug cartels and other bad actors from entering the U.S. or engaging in criminal activities.

We are cognizant that a positive, legislative outcome depends on an engaged and informed citizenry. The Latino community and immigrants need access to timely information on congressional action or lack thereof; on citizenship programs and voter registration. Our organizations will continue providing that information and assistance through our successful civic engagement programs.

Our voter education campaigns will monitor the performance of Congress as it debates comprehensive immigration reform. Members of Congress will be rated on how aggressively they championed comprehensive immigration reform or whether they tried to block it. With these report cards, Latinos will be able to determine who deserves their support in the 2014 election cycle.

During the recent election, 12.5 million Latino voters demonstrated their commitment to the electoral process. The Latino voter engagement remains strong and will only continue to grow at or beyond the voter participation rates of recent years. Our organizations will work to ensure that the growth of the Latino vote endures and remains a vital part of our democracy.

We are also deeply concerned about the current debate about taxes and the federal budget. Remember that the Latino community wants to make sure that the economy works for everybody, not just the wealthy. It’s time for Congress to come to a fair solution that does not burden the middle class, so that it can deal with other important issues like immigration reform.

Voters have long favored a common sense comprehensive immigration reform that greatly benefits our economy and keeps families together. Congress must pass a bill that the president can sign. Do what’s right for our country, for workers and for families.

###
 

Central States SER-Jobs for Progress was founded in 1970 with the goal of expanding career opportunities for the Hispanic community in Chicago. Over the past decade the number of participants served has grown considerably, from 500 participants in 2002 to more than 10,000 in 2012. SER’s 115 full-time employees work with a wide range of participants, from former gang-affiliated youth to senior citizens, who are looking to reenter the workforce by gaining skills for careers in health care, transportation, manufacturing, and many other fields.

Along with Daley College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, Central States SER launched its CNA training program in 2007. The program was started with the aim of helping low-skilled, low-income adults gain access to training that leads to viable health care careers and helping local health care employers find quality staff.

Central States SER’s Healthcare Bridge Program is the cornerstone of its programmatic work in these communities and, in partnership with Daley College, the program has helped nearly 150 individuals successfully complete a contextualized literacy and numeracy program. Since 2007, these certifications opened the door for graduates to gain admission to a health care–focused occupational training program at one of the City Colleges of Chicago or Triton College and, ultimately, find employment at a health care facility.

While Central States SER and its partners were highly successful in training and graduating participants from the CNA program, they still had little success with job placement for some of their students. Despite professional development workshops that included job search techniques, résumé writing, mock interviewing, and providing targeted job leads, many graduates still were not being hired. This high number of unemployed graduates spurred Central States SER to gather labor market information, specifically from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, to check whether CNAs were still in demand. Yet according to the data, there will be a 20.95% increase in demand for nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants between 2008 and 2018. Central States SER and its partners were confounded as to why participants were not getting hired.

SER decided to perform an in-depth evaluation of their program to identify where they might have been falling short. A thorough review of case notes revealed that participants were not being proactive about their own job search: they skipped job club meetings, did not respond to job leads, and constantly missed job interviews and appointments with their job developers. Moreover, participants were actually scared of entering the job market. To combat this fear, one of SER’s job developers had an idea: not only did she take a few participants with her directly to potential employers, but she also arranged on-site interviews for each participant. A few days later, all but one were hired. Thus was born the concept of the “drive-by” at Central States SER.

Key to the drive-by strategy is the identification of employers that are hiring in communities near where participants live. Job developers then arrange for health care program participants to travel together to potential employers for interviews, which gives them the opportunity to collectively prepare, share interview techniques, and encourage each other before their arrival.

The strategy has proven itself as a best practice when dealing with the hard-to-place, the not-so-motivated, or just plain nervous participants who need a little encouragement, team support, or nudging along the way. The results speak for themselves: on average, two out of every three “road trippers” are hired during their first drive-by. Ultimately, what this experience taught Central State SER and its partners was that fully examining its challenges and engaging all staff will lead to innovative, successful solutions.

By Lorne C. Green, Manager of Healthcare Workforce Programs, Central States SER

7 de diciembre de 2012

*** AVISO A LOS MEDIOS ***

Organizaciones movilizarán a los electores para responsabilizar al Congreso de una reforma migratoria integral en el 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – Este próximo miércoles, 12 de diciembre, líderes prominentes de la comunidad latina se reunirán para emitir su llamado al Congreso a que apruebe una reforma migratoria integral y anunciar su colaboración en una campaña nacional amplia que calificará el Presidente Obama y al Congreso en el manejo de la cuestión. 

Después de que ayudaron a movilizar una cifra histórica de 12.5 millones de votantes latinos a las urnas este año, las organizaciones latinas, representando los derechos civiles, la comunidad y trabajadores, están haciendo un llamado al Presidente Obama y a los miembros del Congreso a que rindan una reforma migratoria de sentido común en el 2013, que concuerda con los valores nacionales y la voluntad de los electores. Las encuestas continúan a demostrar que la mayoría del electorado estadunidense favorece una reforma migratoria con una vía a la ciudadanía para los inmigrantes trabajadores quienes contribuyen a la sociedad.

Junto con la continuación de sus campañas principales de participación cívica, las organizaciones tendrán disponibles las calificaciones del Congreso para los votantes latinos antes de las elecciones del 2014. Las calificaciones reportarán el nivel de agresividad que tomó el Congreso para defender e impulsar una reforma migratoria integral.

QUIÉN:
Hispanic Federation:  Chris Espinosa, National Director of Advocacy
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:  Hector Sanchez, Executive Director
League of United Latin American Citizens:  Brent A. Wilkes, National Executive Director
Mi Familia Vota:  Ben Monterroso, National Executive Director
NALEO Educational Fund:  Max Sevillia, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs
National Council of La Raza:  Janet Murguia, President and CEO
Service Employees International Union:  Eliseo Medina, International Secretary-Treasurer
Voto Latino:  Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO/President

CUÁNDO:
miércoles – 12 de diciembre 2012 -- 10:30 a.m. EST

DÓNDE:
1126 16th St. NW
ABC Conference Room, Primer Piso
Washington, DC 20036

Para más información, contacte Gebe Martinez, 202-714-2136, gebe.martinez@seiu.org o Beatriz Lopez, 202-412-7396, beatriz.lopez@seiu.org.
    

***MEDIA ADVISORY***
Wednesday – Dec. 12 – 10:30 a.m. EST

Organizations to Mobilize Constituencies to Hold Congress Accountable for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – This coming Wednesday, December 12, prominent Latino advocacy leaders will come together to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2013 and to announce their collaboration on an expansive national campaign that will rate President Obama and Congress on their handling of the issue.

After helping to deliver a historic 12.5 million Latino voters to the polls this year, Latino organizations representing civil rights, community and labor are calling on President Obama and members of Congress to enact a common sense immigration reform in 2013 that comports with our national values and the will of the voters. Polls continue to show that the majority of the American electorate favors immigration reform with a road map to citizenship for hard-working immigrants who already contribute to American society.

Along with continuing their core civic engagement campaigns, organizations will make report cards available to Latino voters before the next congressional election in 2014. The report cards will rate Congress on how aggressively they championed comprehensive immigration reform.

WHO:
Hispanic Federation: Chris Espinosa, National Director of Advocacy
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement: Hector Sanchez, Executive Director
League of United Latin American Citizens: Brent A. Wilkes, National Executive Director
Mi Familia Vota: Ben Monterroso, National Executive Director
NALEO Educational Fund: Max Sevillia, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs
National Council of La Raza: Janet Murguia, President and CEO
Service Employees International Union: Eliseo Medina, International Secretary-Treasurer
Voto Latino: Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO/President

WHEN:
Wednesday -- Dec. 12, 2012 -- 10:30 a.m. EST

WHERE:
1126 16th St. NW
ABC Conference Room, First Floor
Washington, DC 20036

To RSVP and/or for more information, contact Gebe Martinez, 202-714-2136, gebe.martinez@seiu.org or Beatriz Lopez, 202-412-7396, beatriz.lopez@seiu.org.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    Contact:
December 5, 2012                                   Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                  jrendeiro@nclr.org
                                                                  (202) 776-1566                                       


WASHINGTON, D.C.—In its first major post-election showdown, Congress is back on Capitol Hill to debate how to balance the federal budget and avoid the looming fiscal cliff.  Today, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), was joined in a telephonic press briefing by Rep. Xavier Becerra, D–Calif., Jason Furman, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Principal Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, and Julie Rodriguez, Associate Director of Latino Affairs and Immigration for the White House Office of Public Engagement, for a discussion on how to address the country’s budget challenges with a balanced approach that protects vital programs for Latinos, which could be potentially gutted by automatic cuts.

“Jobs and the economy continue to be the top priority for the Hispanic community, which came out to vote in record numbers in November, and the potential consequences of the looming fiscal cliff are of great concern to Latinos,” Murguía said.  “In fact, an election eve poll by Latino Decisions/impreMedia showed that Latinos support a fair, balanced and shared approach to deficit reduction.  We need to protect the most vulnerable among us in this process.  This is also not the time to raise taxes on working and middle-class families.”

Failing to negotiate an agreement on deficit reduction will have dire consequences for all Americans, potentially derailing our fledgling economic recovery and suppressing job growth.  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculated that the “fiscal cliff”—the combination of tax increases and deep budget cuts that will automatically take place at the beginning of the New Year—would return the unemployment rate to more than 9 percent nationally.  Latinos face an unemployment rate of 10 percent and cannot afford reckless actions that threaten to drag our economy back into recession.

NCLR is also extremely concerned that a poorly crafted budget deal could gut the nonprofit infrastructure that serves and supports much of our community.  NCLR Affiliates provide fundamental services that educate, feed and treat our children, train our workers, open the doors to homeownership, stave off foreclosure and secure other human services.  We have witnessed the serious impact of past major budget cuts, such as during the Reagan administration and 1996’s welfare reform, on our Affiliates, and we fear that many may once again have to abruptly end programs or close their doors altogether.

“Balancing the budget on the backs of poor, working and middle-class families will only succeed in broadening the opportunity and achievement gaps that exist for many communities, including the Hispanic community, in this country,” Murguía added.  “Enacting severe austerity measures, especially while our fragile economy is still recovering, will erode economic mobility and keep our community from reaching its full potential.  We must work together to advance a fair economy where sacrifice is shared and prosperity is available to all.”

If you are interested in receiving a recording of today’s telephonic press conference, please email Joseph Rendeiro at jrendeiro@nclr.org.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                    Contacto:
5 de diciembre, 2012                                          Joseph Rendeiro
                                                                          jrendeiro@nclr.org
                                                                          (202) 776-1566

WASHINGTON, DC—En su primera confrontación después de las elecciones, el Congreso regresa al Capitolio a debatir como balancear el presupuesto federal y evitar el precipicio fiscal.  Hoy, Janet Murguía, Presidenta y Gerente General del Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR por sus siglas en inglés), se unió al Congresista Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Jason Furman, Asistente del Presidente para la Política Económica y Subdirector Principal del Consejo Nacional Económico, y Julie Rodriguez, Directora Asociada de Asuntos Hispanos y de Inmigración de la Casa Blanca, para discutir como mejor enfrentar los retos del presupuesto con un plan balanceado que proteja a los programas vitales para los Latinos, programas que serán impactados si los recortes automáticos se efectúan al comienzo del año. 

“Los trabajos y la economía siguen siendo los temas de más preocupación para nuestra comunidad, quienes salieron a votar en números impresionantes e históricos en noviembre, y las posibles consecuencias del precipicio fiscal también preocupa a Latinos enormemente.  De hecho, una encuesta actualizada en víspera de las elecciones por Latino Decisions/ImpreMedia, demostró que los Latinos apoyan una estrategia balanceada y justa para reducir el déficit.  Necesitamos proteger los más vulnerables entre nosotros en este proceso.  Este tampoco es el momento de subirle los impuestos a las familias trabajadoras y la clase media,” dijo Murguía.
 
El no llegar a un acuerdo tendría graves consecuencias para todo americano, con la posibilidad de descarrilar la recuperación económica y contraer el crecimiento de empleos.  La Oficina Presupuestaria del Congreso (Congressional Budget Office) calculó que el ‘precipicio fiscal’—la combinación de aumentos de impuestos y recortes dramáticos al presupuesto que tomarán efecto al comienzo del año nuevo—regresará la tasa de desempleo a un 9 por ciento al nivel nacional.  Los latinos tienen una tasa de desempleo de 10 por ciento en el momento, y no pueden aceptar acciones irresponsables que vuelvan a llevar a nuestra economía a una recesión. 

En NCLR estamos muy preocupados que un acuerdo presupuestario mal diseñado puede socavar la infraestructura de organizaciones sin fines de lucro que ayudan a servir y apoyar a muchos en nuestras comunidades.  Las organizaciones afiliadas del NCLR proveen servicios fundamentales que ayudan a educar y darle de comer a nuestros niños al igual que entrenar a nuestros trabajadores, abrirles las puertas a la posibilidad de ser dueño de vivienda, evitar la ejecución hipotecaria y otros servicios sociales y humanitarios.  Hemos sido testigo del devastador impacto de grandes reducciones al presupuesto como los que vimos bajo la administración del Presidente Reagan y la reforma del sistema de ayuda social (welfare), a nuestras organizaciones afiliadas y tememos que de nuevo estos programas vitales serán suspendidos o peor todavía, que muchas de estas organizaciones tendrán que cerrar sus puertas.

“Balanceando el presupuesto sobre las espaldas de los pobres, los trabajadores, y la clase media solo nos llevará a abrir aún más las desigualdades que ya existen para la comunidad hispana y otras comunidades minoritarias en este país,” añadió Murguía.  “Adoptando medidas austeras durante este tiempo de una recuperación frágil económica solo desgastará la movilidad económica y retrasará el progreso de nuestra comunidad.  Debemos trabajar juntos para avanzar una economía justa donde el sacrificio es compartido y la prosperidad está al alcance de todos.”

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
 

PARA DIVULGACION INMEDIATA                

Contacto:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566

Conferencia de prensa telefónica del NCLR examinara el impacto del debate presupuestario y las decisiones sobre los impuestos en las familias latinas del pais

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Con el indiscutible impacto de los latinos en las elecciones del 2012, toda atención ahora se gira hacia el capitolio donde el congreso esta al punto de decidir sobre un plan de acción para evitar el precipicio fiscal.  Participe con el NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza por sus siglas en ingles) y líderes del Congreso y la Casa Blanca para una discusión importante sobre el impacto de este debate del presupuesto y los impuestos en la comunidad latina. 

La reducción masiva al presupuesto previsto para el próximo año afectara programas vitales para los latinos en las aéreas de la educación, salud, vivienda, y entrenamiento laboral, resultando en un aumento de impuestos para familias trabajadoras—a no ser que el Congreso tome acción.  Los riesgos son altos para los latinos, y una estrategia equivocada puede causar daños de larga duración a la comunidad Hispana.  El Congreso debe asegurarse que el dos por ciento de la nación que representan los ingresos más altos en el pais, paguen su parte justa para que se pueda reducir el déficit nacional y a la vez evitar reducciones al presupuesto que socavaran la seguridad económica de los hogares latinos. 

Participantes discutirán estos efectos dañinos en las familias trabajadoras y otros individuos vulnerables y el impacto negativo que tendrán estos recortes a la recuperación económica de la economía estadounidense. 

Si desea participar en la llamada, por favor comuníquese con Joseph Rendeiro al jrendeiro@nclr.org o (202) 776-1566 para reservar su puesto. 

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUE:  “Presupuesto Fiscal: Altos Riesgos Para Los Latinos y El Futuro de los Estados Unidos,” una conferencia de prensa telefónica

QUIEN: 
Congresista Xavier Becerra (D–CA)
Janet Murguía, Presidenta y Gerente General, NCLR
Brian Deese, Sub Director, White House National Economic Council
Julie Rodriguez, Directora Asociada, Latino Affairs and Immigration, White House Office of Public Engagement

CUANDO:  miercoles, 5 de diciembre, 2012 a las 1 p.m. EST

COMO:  Llame al (866) 952-1906
Titulo de la Conferencia:  “What's at Stake for Latinos”
ID de la Conferencia::  BUDGET

PARA CUBRIR ESTE EVENTO:  Por favor comuníquese con Joseph Rendeiro al jrendeiro@nclr.org or (202) 776-1566.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para mayor información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566

NCLR telephonic press briefing examines impact of looming budget and tax decisions on Latino families

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With the indelible mark of Latinos on the 2012 election in the history books, all eyes now turn toward Capitol Hill, where Congress is set to decide on a plan of action to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”  Join NCLR (National Council of La Raza) and leaders from Congress and the White House on Wednesday, December 5, at 1 p.m. EST, for a critical discussion on how the tax and budget debate in Washington will affect Latinos.

The massive budget cuts scheduled to take place after the new year will target vital programs for Latinos in the areas of education, health, housing and job training, and result in a tax hike for working families—unless Congress takes action.  The stakes are high for Latinos, and the wrong fiscal approach will cause long-term damage to the Hispanic community.  Congress must ensure that the top two percent of earners in the U.S. pay their fair share in order to reduce the national deficit, while averting budget cuts that would decimate the economic security of Hispanic households.  Participants will discuss these harmful effects on working families and other vulnerable individuals, as well as the detrimental impact that these cuts would have on the recovery of the fragile U.S. economy.

If you plan on participating in the briefing, RSVP to Joseph Rendeiro at jrendeiro@nclr.org or (202) 776-1566.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: 
“Fiscal Cliff:  High Stakes for Latinos and America’s Future,” a telephonic press briefing

WHO: 
Congressman Xavier Becerra (D–CA)
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Brian Deese, Deputy Director, White House National Economic Council
Julie Rodriguez, Associate Director of Latino Affairs and Immigration, White House Office of Public Engagement

WHEN: 
Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 1 p.m. EST

HOW: 
Call: (866) 952-1906
Conference Title:  “What's at Stake for Latinos”
Conference ID:  BUDGET

TO COVER:  Please contact Joseph Rendeiro at jrendeiro@nclr.org or (202) 776-1566.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

Opponents of marriage equality push the idea that it’s acceptable to put the civil rights of other human beings up to a popular vote. And, up until Election Day, that strategy had worked in opponents’ favor. This time, however, Americans throughout the country said that enough is enough. They said that when you give us the choice, we are going to do what is right.

And Latinos stood beside the LGBT community this Election Day, rebutting common misconceptions about our attitudes toward LGBT rights and proving what NCLR already knows—Latinos stand for equality. Pride is a term that has become indelibly linked to the LGBT community. Appropriately, we at NCLR feel such tremendous pride to see so many Hispanic Americans voicing their support for marriage equality.

The fight for same-sex marriage is far from over. There are still many hearts and minds that need to be changed and plenty more legislative battles that have yet to be waged. Ultimately, we hope that other states build on this momentum and continue to recognize same-sex marriage and the profound effect it will have on strengthening families all across the U.S.. We will also closely watch our federal courts, which have historically ushered in some of the biggest social changes the country has ever seen.

The 2012 election is a new chapter for marriage equality. It’s time to see this story through to a happy ending.

By Ruben Gonzales, Deputy Vice President of Resource Development at NCLR
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA:                    Contacto: 
7 de noviembre, 2012                                         Julian Teixeira
                                                                            jteixeira@nclr.org 
                                                                            (202) 776-1812


WASHINGTON, DC—El pronóstico del NCLR y otros grupos hispanos que el voto latino sería clave en las elecciones del 2012 se hizo realidad anoche.  De acuerdo con un sondeo hecho en víspera de la elección por ImpreMedia/Latino Decisions, el nivel de apoyo para el Presidente Barack Obama entre los votantes latinos llego a niveles históricos.  Con la presencia significativa de latinos en estados como la Florida, Virginia, Colorado, y Nevada, entre otros, no hay duda que el voto hispano contribuyó extraordinariamente en una elección tan reñida.

“Estamos muy orgullosos de nuestra comunidad,” dijo Janet Murguía, Presidenta del NCLR.  “Los votantes latinos salieron a las urnas en números impresionantes—quizás representando el 10 por ciento del electorado por primera vez en la historia de acuerdo con las encuestas de CNN—y participaron a esos niveles precisamente porque les interesa mucho el futuro de este país.  Quieren ver expandir las oportunidades económicas y que el sueño Americano sigue siendo disponible a todos.  Claramente quieren ver el tema de inmigración resuelto.”
 
“En una de las contiendas mas reñidas en años recientes, la batalla por el voto latino no fue ninguna batalla.  No hay duda de los resultado de nuestra propia encuesta que las posiciones del presidente, en particular, su decisión este verano de implementar acción diferida para los estudiantes del DREAM Act, fue una de las razones claves por la cual nuestra comunidad lo apoyó en niveles históricos.”
 
“También es cierto que el partido republican falló en no competir por nuestro voto y pagaron un precio bastante caro.  Nuestra comunidad estaba claramente involucrada en esta elección—el NCLR sobrepaso su propia meta de inscribir a más de 95,000 nuevos votantes.  La comunidad también reconoció que no hubo estrategia republicana concentrada en los latinos y hasta mas dañino, estaban muy consientes de que Romney aceptaba a la ‘auto-deportación’ como una estrategia de inmigración, resaltó que Kris Kobach era su experto sobre el tema de inmigración, y en su momento, prometió vetar el DREAM Act.
 
“En el análisis pos-elección, el partido republicano tiene que hacer un cambio profundo en su relación con la comunidad latina.  NCLR cree que está en el mejor interés de la comunidad latina que ambos partidos se interesen en nosotros, que profundicen su interacción con nuestra comunidad para obtener nuestro voto.  Francamente, esto sería a beneficio del partido también.  Esta elección demostró que en el 2012, las comunidades de color, los jóvenes, y las mujeres no solo son grupos de interés sino que son una demográfica común de este nuevo electorado americano.  Y con casi un millón de latinos cumpliendo 18 años cada año por muchos años, el voto hispano es parte permanente de la política americana.
 
“Estamos muy optimista de que podemos unirnos y dirigirnos efectivamente a los retos del país, porque esta elección también reveló muchos puntos en común que tiene el electorado Americano.  La economía es el tema de más preocupación para casi todo votante, y la educación y el cuidado de salud se mantienen como temas de prioridad.  Y finalmente, estamos de acuerdo con las voces del partido republicano que dicen que la inmigración debe parar de ser tema divisivo para los candidatos y que en vez de ataques, los partidos deben de enfocarse en buscar una solución de sentido común para nuestro sistema de inmigración inoperable.  Los latinos están listos para trabajar con el congreso y la administración para dirigirnos a estos temas urgentes.”

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades. Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:     

Contact: 
Julian Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org 
(202) 776-1812

WASHINGTON, D.C.—For more than a year, NCLR and others have said that the Hispanic vote would be the one to watch in the 2012 election.  This was resoundingly confirmed by the results of last night’s election.  According to an election eve poll conducted by ImpreMedia/Latino Decisions, the level of support for President Barack Obama among Latino voters was at near-historic levels.  With significant Latino presence in states such as Florida, Virginia, Colorado, and Nevada, among others, there is no question that the Hispanic vote contributed mightily to the president’s razor-thin margin of victory in each of those states.

“We are very proud of our community tonight,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.  “Latino voters came out in large numbers—perhaps surpassing 10 percent of the electorate for the first time in history according to CNN exit polls—because they care deeply about the future of this country.  They want to see our economy and opportunity expand, and the American Dream available for all.  And they clearly want to see the immigration issue resolved.”
“In one of the closest presidential elections in years, the battle for the Latino vote was no contest at all.  There is no doubt from our own poll results that the president’s positions on the issues, and in particular his landmark decision this summer to grant deferred action to DREAM Act students, more closely mirrored the Latino electorate and were among the key reasons for the president’s historic showing among our community.

“But it is also true that the Republican party and the Romney campaign failed to compete for our vote and they paid the price for it.  Our community was clearly engaged in this election—NCLR, a nonpartisan organization, surpassed our own goal and registered nearly 95,000 new voters.  The community also clearly recognized that there was no Latino-focused Republican strategy and even more damaging, they were fully aware that candidate Romney has embraced ‘self-deportation’ as an immigration strategy, touted Kris Kobach as his immigration guru, and at one point promised to veto the DREAM Act.

“In their post-mortem of the election, the Republican party needs to do some soul searching when it comes to the Latino community.  NCLR firmly believes it is in our community’s best interests to have both parties actively and vigorously campaigning for our vote.  And frankly, it is the party’s best interests as well.  As this election demonstrated, in 2012, communities of color, young people, and women are not merely interest groups, they’re the ‘new normal’ demographic of the American electorate.  And with nearly a million Latinos turning 18 every year for the foreseeable future, the Hispanic vote is now a fixture of American politics.

“We are optimistic that we can and must come together to address our country’s continuing challenges, because this election also revealed much common ground among American voters.  The economy is the overwhelming concern of nearly every voter, and education and health care remain high priorities.  And finally, we agree with the voices in the Republican party who are saying that immigration needs to stop being a negative wedge issue for candidates and that the party should focus instead on a common-sense solution to our broken immigration system.  Latinos are ready to step up and work with Congress and the administration as soon as they reconvene to address these urgent concerns.”

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###





 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812

“Pledge to Vote” sweepstakes winners have a chance to win tickets to THE X FACTOR finale!

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is pleased to announce a partnership with FOX Audience Strategy, which includes a joint promotion with the FOX broadcast musical talent show THE X FACTOR.  The “Your Vote Always Counts” sweepstakes is a partnership between NCLR and FOX Audience Strategy that will help leverage the show’s core voting element to galvanize the Hispanic community into pledging to vote in the upcoming presidential election.  Participants who pledge to vote in November can enter to win the “Your Vote Always Counts” grand prize package provided by FOX and THE X FACTOR.  The lucky winner will receive two tickets to finale of THE X FACTOR in Los Angeles, California in December 2012 along with airfare, hotel accommodations and a $250 gift card.

“The ‘Your Vote Always Counts’ sweepstakes is a highly creative and unique way to encourage us all to make a most important pledge—to vote on Election Day, November 6, when it really counts for our families, our community and our country,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía.  “We are deeply grateful that FOX Audience Strategy is partnering with us on this critically important effort to urge all Americans, including Latinos, to vote.  THE X FACTOR is one of the most exciting shows on television showcasing the limitless talent in America, many of whom are up-and-coming Latino stars.  THE X FACTOR has incredible reach and an audience of millions, and we are very excited to inform and educate this vast audience about the importance of voting this November.” 

Audiences can begin voting for their favorite contestants on THE X FACTOR beginning November 7.

“The sweepstakes is a fun way to highlight an important and critical issue and we are thrilled to partner with NCLR and the NCLR community to further awareness,” said Nicole A. Bernard, Senior Vice President, FOX Audience Strategy.  “We look forward to building a broader partnership with NCLR that will further a joint commitment to engage the Latino community by highlighting core community values through FOX programming and otherwise.” 

NCLR has sustained a multiplatform campaign to get Latinos to the polls this November.  In March NCLR launched its Mobilize to Vote (M2V) campaign, which supported full-time voter registration operations in Florida, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Colorado and partnered with NCLR Affiliates to register voters in California, North Carolina and Texas, among other states.  Those efforts, along with an online voter registration campaign, have yielded over 90,000 new Latino voters.  Just two weeks ago, NCLR launched its Get Out the Vote field campaign with canvassers knocking on the doors of potential voters, urging them to have a plan in place for Election Day.  

Using online and mobile platforms, NCLR plans to reach an additional 140,000 potential voters via email and text messages to help them find their polling locations, remind them to vote early where possible, and keep them informed of their rights on Election Day.  To participate, users can sign up by texting POWER to 62571.  The Latino vote is poised to play a pivotal role in election outcomes across the nation, and turnout is key to demonstrating just how much of an impact the Hispanic electorate will have.  NCLR’s aggressive campaign aims to increase electoral participation and encourage the long-term engagement of Latinos in the process. 

No purchase necessary to enter or win the THE X FACTOR® "Your Vote Always Counts" Sweepstakes.  Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. states & D.C., 18 and older.  Other restrictions apply.  Sweepstakes begins on 10/26/12 at 3pm ET and ends on 11/7/2012 at 12 p.m. ET.  Void in AK, HI & where prohibited.  Subject to Official Rules available at http://foxaudiencestrategy-txfsweeps.com/rules/rules.  Sponsor: Fox Broadcasting Company.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCLR created a program, titled “Mujer Sana, Familia Fuerte” (Strong woman, Strong Family), that is a culturally competent and linguistically appropriate education program for Latinas about the importance of engaging in early cancer screenings. With rates of cervical cancer affecting Latinas disproportionately high, we’ve seen an urgent need for culturally competent and linguistically appropriate health educational materials that address cervical cancer among Latinas in an innovative and creative way. The program provides promotores de salud (lay health educators) with training and a bilingual tool kit for educational sessions within Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago and Washington, D.C. At NCLR, we are doing all that we can to ensure that health materials are providing messages that are effective with the Latino community to make a long-term impact.

The award-winning program was selected from a competitive pool for demonstrating innovation in materials targeting a specific population. Focus groups helped determine the best approach and terminology for increasing knowledge and changing behavior related to cancer screening in a way that would resonate with Latinos. The bilingual tool kit—which includes a flip chart and handouts on local resources—is designed for promotores to use during one-hour charlas (health education sessions) in their communities.

NCLR is thrilled to have received this award from APHA. Given that the cervical cancer rates among Hispanics are nearly twice that of non-Hispanic Whites, this award highlights how important it is for public health programs to take cultural issues into consideration, work with community leaders, and use bilingual materials. We look forward continuing our efforts to address the health needs of our community.

Manuela McDonough, Program Manager for the Institute of Hispanic Health at NCLR

How do you convince somebody to fix a problem when they are seemingly blind to the overwhelming evidence that the problem even exists? Today, 11 million Americans owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth. Analysts predict that we will see an estimated two million foreclosure filings this year with millions more at risk of losing their homes. As a result, hundreds of thousands of senior citizens are losing their economic security, children and families are being uprooted, and neighborhoods are blighted with vacant properties.

The nation’s housing market is in a precarious position, and despite millions of homeowners across the nation bearing the brunt of the housing crisis, too few of the decision-makers on Capitol Hill are championing the necessary solutions to protect the American Dream of homeownership. And in the midst of a presidential election, the onus falls on the two candidates to carve out serious proposals to navigate homeowners out of this colossal mess. But when political strategy dictates that its best for both candidates to avoid the issue altogether, it becomes incredibly challenging to push for the type of national conversation we need.

Recently the Home for Good campaign—a collaboration of more than 70 civil rights, community, and public interest groups—reached out to homeowners across the country for help. In the end, nearly 40,000 people signed on to our call, asking the presidential candidates to offer real solutions to:

• Stop needless foreclosures
• Expand affordable rental housing
• Revive a sustainable path to homeownership

Along with signatures of tens of thousands of concerned voters and advocates, we have offered a blueprint for restoring home opportunity called the Compact for Home Opportunity. We have made it especially easy for them. The Presidential candidates have our signatures and a plan, now the ball is in their court.

It’s important for both candidates to remember that while they may choose to skirt the issue until Election Day, there will be no hiding from the housing crisis over the next four years. Housing has traditionally led previous recession rebounds, so it is no wonder that our economic recovery has dragged alongside a weak housing market. We must address the crushing mortgage debt overhang, keep families in their homes, and bring new homeowners into the market.

Important housing policy questions are looming. Will the candidates lean on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to stop dual tracking, a practice that moves families through foreclosure before they know if they could qualify for a loan modification? Will they give away resources for housing counseling and low-income renters in the pending “Grand Bargain?” It’s these kinds of details that have been completely absent from both candidates’ platforms.

The financial crisis has decimated neighborhoods, wiped out family wealth, and ruined financial futures, but it has not changed the central role the home plays in our lives. We continue to seek shelter with a few basic amenities—safe streets, good schools, and access to quality jobs. It is time that candidates speak frankly with voters and explain what they plan to do to ensure that families who dream of owning a home can make that dream a reality.
 

Yesterday, NCLR released the Latino Kids Data Explorer, a unique resource that combines information from several sources into one easy-to-use tool. Advocates, policymakers, and even parents can use this database to see how Latino and other children in their state are faring according to 27 different measures of well-being. The data make one thing clear: we have to pursue stronger policies that create opportunities for children and their families. While Latino children have made gains in several areas such as health insurance coverage and preschool attendance, the reality is that Latino children, as well as Black children, lag far behind their White counterparts in almost all measures of child well-being. This should be of great concern to us all given that Latino children, as one of the fastest-growing child populations in the country, will not only make up our future workforce but also pay the taxes that sustain our nation. If our political leaders shortchange this crucial population during the upcoming conversations on the national debt, they will end up pushing our children off a “fiscal cliff” from which they may never recover. 

Last year, policymakers in Washington agreed on a deal to extend tax cuts until December 31, 2012. They also scheduled massive budget cuts to take place concurrently. On January 1, 2013, Americans will be hit with cuts to vital programs in education, health, housing, and job training, as well as a tax hike, unless Congress takes action. This “fiscal cliff” would cause serious harm to families and could slow down or even reverse economic growth, potentially increasing unemployment while simultaneously gutting programs intended to help struggling families. Hispanics must pay close attention to how Congress addresses this issue because the wrong approach can cause long-term damage to our community.

Latino children, and all poor children, will face a double hit if Congress makes draconian cuts to the programs that so many of them depend on to survive. The first hit comes in the form of decreased access to our nation’s safety net and the education they need to become productive members of society. Our nation runs the risk of backtracking on the progress that Latinos have made over the last decade in graduating from high school, obtaining health insurance, and attending preschool. The number of Latino children living with mothers who have less than a high school education or live in poverty will likely rise.

The second hit—cuts to entitlements—will not affect the current generation, but it will have an unquestionably disproportionate effect on these same children down the road. Hispanic children will enter adulthood to find our safety net in tatters. Cuts to Social Security and Medicare will be acutely felt by a poorer and potentially less healthy generation.

As a Latina, voter, and mother, I ask myself how that is fair. How can our leaders pass the burden on to today’s children? Why would our nation’s leaders condemn young Latinos to a childhood of neglect and an adulthood of suffering? Why would they kill the American Dream for nearly one-quarter of our nation’s children? These are questions that all Latinos, and all Americans, must ask themselves. Then we must resolve to make a difference. Our community must inform itself and act to ensure that our nation’s leaders get the message: our community will not let them damn our children to a lifetime of poverty.

PARA DIFUSIÓN IMMEDIATA

Contacto:
Kathy Mimberg
(202) 776-1714
kmimberg@nclr.org

En el 2028, los niños hispanos representan casi 15,8 millones de nuevos posibles votantes que se añadirán al electorado de EE.UU. y además ellos serán una significativa parte de nuestra fuerza laboral

WASHINGTON, DC—Hoy el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) realizó una sesión informativa donde se señaló que las escasas ganancias de los niños hispanos –que representan casi uno de cada cuatro niños estadounidenses y que gran parte de ellos son los futuros trabajadores, contribuyentes y votantes en este país– se deteriorarían si no se hace una mayor inversión en esfuerzos y recursos para prepararlos para éxito en una economía global. Para apoyar esta afirmación, NCLR presentó su "Latino Kids Data Explorer", que proporciona a los políticos, defensores de los niños y otras partes interesadas acceso rápido a los datos generados por Population Reference Bureau y Child Trends sobre 27 factores referentes al bienestar infantil. Estos datos incluyen, a nivel estatal y nacional, medidas del nivel de educación y del estatus económico y de la salud de los niños, permitiendo a los usuarios del explorador a crear tablas y comparar datos entre los estados, grupos étnicos y raciales y períodos de tiempo. El recurso en línea, desarrollado con fondos de Birth to Five Policy Alliance, y la infografía que lo acompaña estarán disponibles gratis al public. 

"Una de las tendencias más alarmantes en los datos que revisamos revela el creciente número de niños hispanos que viven en la pobreza. Dado el impacto desproporcionado de la recesión económica que afecta a los trabajadores hispanos y el hecho de que la pobreza se transfiere entre generaciones, es cada día más importante ayudar a las familias hispanas de bajos ingresos y ofrecer a las generaciones futuras la oportunidad de tener una vida mejor. Es alentador ver que hoy hay un mayor número de niños hispanos asistiendo a la escuela preescolar y inscrito en programas de seguro de salud. Sin embargo, no estamos haciendo lo suficiente para mejorar este progreso", dijo Patricia Foxen, Directora Adjunta de Investigación del NCLR.

El "Latino Kids Data Explorer" provee información de cada estado sobre el estatus de los niños hispanos en términos de pobreza, embarazo de adolescentes, educación materna, acceso a seguros de salud, índices de graduación de la escuela secundaria y otros datos. Esa información permite a los usuarios del explorador a hacer tablas comparativas entre los estados y revelar la capacidad de estos niños para convertirse exitosamente en miembros productivos de la sociedad estadounidense que está influenciada por estos factores. Por ejemplo, en los EE.UU. un tercio de todos los niños hispanos viven en la pobreza, y esa cifra sigue aumentando. En el año 2010, los niños hispanos constituyeron el 35 por ciento de todos los niños que viven en la pobreza, en comparación con un 28,4 por ciento en 1999.

Estas estadísticas son alarmantes teniendo en cuenta que el número de hispanos menores de 18 años en los EE.UU. creció en un 40 por ciento entre 2000 y 2011, aumentando de 12,4 millones a 17,5 millones, con el 93 por ciento de esos niños ciudadanos estadounidenses. Por el contrario, la tasa de crecimiento de los niños blancos y negros durante ese mismo período disminuyó en un 11 por ciento y 4 por ciento, respectivamente.

Pero no todas las tendencias son negativas puesto que 370.000 niños hispanos más asistieron a la escuela preescolar en 2010 que en 2000, un fuerte indicador de exito académico en el futuro. El porcentaje de niños hispanos que no asistieron a la escuela preescolar bajo del 52 por ciento en 2000 al 46,6 por ciento en 2010. Sin embargo, según los expertos del NCLR, este aumento se ve amenazado por el nivel creciente de pobreza y el clima económico actual. La hoja informativa Building a Brighter Future: Latino Children-Ready to Learn and Lead? detalla los retos que enfrentan los niños latinos desde su nacimiento hasta los ocho años de edad y enfatiza la importancia de la educación preescolar.

"Todos los niños merecen tener una buena educación, cuidado de la salud de calidad, vecindarios seguros, familias que pueden proveer para su futuro y comunidades que los protejan. La educación preescolar figura en el primer lugar en la lista de los programas que pueden ayudar a los niños hispanos. Los estudios demuestran que los niños que asisten a la escuela preescolar donde se brinda enseñanza de alta calidad les va mejor en términos generales en la escuela, tienen más probabilidades de graduarse de la escuela secundaria, menos probabilidades de ser arrestados y ganan más durante su vida en comparación con niños que no tuvieron educación preescolar", dijo Liany Elba Arroyo, Directora Asociada del Proyecto de Educación y Políticas para la Infancia, a NCLR.

NCLR reveló en Latinos Turning 18 la importancia del enorme número de futuros posibles votantes que este grupo representa. Entre 740.000 y un millón de niños -- ciudadanos estadounidenses de origen hispano --cumplen anualmente 18 años entre 2010 y 2028. Este hecho agrega casi 15,8 millones de potenciales votantes al electorado de EE.UU. Clarissa Martínez De Castro, Directora de Participación Ciudadana e Inmigración de NCLR, señaló que cuando los votantes hispanos acudan a las urnas el 6 de noviembre querrán apoyar a los candidatos a posiciones de todos los niveles gubernamentales que favorezcan políticas que garanticen la salud, la seguridad y la educación de los niños y que, a la vez, estén dispuestos a contribuir a una economía fuerte.

"Para 2018, los hispanos constituirán el 18 por ciento de la fuerza laboral de nuestro país. Las contribuciones que los niños hispanos aporten a nuestra nación y a la economía durante su edad adulta, en gran medida, dependerá de las decisiones tomadas por los líderes de hoy en día. Todos queremos que el EE.UU. crezca y eso no va a suceder a menos que votemos por líderes que reconozcan que es hoy cuando se debe invertir en la próxima generación", dijo Martínez-De-Castro.

NCLR—la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos—trabaja para mejorar las oportunidades de los hispanoamericanos. Para obtener más información sobre el NCLR, visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Kathy Mimberg
(202) 776-1714
kmimberg@nclr.org

Hispanic children represent nearly 15.8 million potential new voters added to the U.S. electorate by 2028 and a significant portion of our future workforce

WASHINGTON, D.C.—According to a briefing held today by NCLR, the slight gains made over the last decade by Latino children—who represent nearly one in four U.S. children and a large portion of this country’s future workers, taxpayers and voters—will erode without a greater investment of effort and resources to prepare them to succeed in a global economy. To support this claim, NCLR unveiled its “Latino Kids Data Explorer,” which provides policymakers, child advocates and other stakeholders with quick access to data produced by the Population Reference Bureau and Child Trends on 27 factors of child well-being. These indicators include measurements of education, health and economic status at the national and state levels, allowing users to create tables and compare data between states, peer groups and time periods. The online resource, developed with funding from the Birth to Five Policy Alliance, and the accompanying infographic are available for free to the public.

“One of the most alarming trends in the data we reviewed is the growing number of Latino children living in poverty. Given the disproportionate impact of the recession on Latino workers and the fact that poverty can often carry over from one generation to another, it is increasingly important that we help low-income Latino families and give future generations the opportunity for a better life. It is encouraging to see that more Hispanic children attend preschool today and can be enrolled in health insurance programs, but we are not doing enough to improve on this progress,” said Patricia Foxen, Deputy Director of Research at NCLR.

The “Latino Kids Data Explorer” provides state-by-state information on how Latino children are faring in terms of poverty, teen pregnancy, maternal education, access to health insurance, high school graduation rates and more, allowing comparisons between states and revealing how these children’s ability to succeed as productive members of society is influenced by these factors. For example, one-third of all Latino children in the U.S. live in poverty, and that number is rising. In 2010, Latino children made up 35 percent of all children living in poverty, compared to 28.4 percent in 1999.

These are alarming statistics considering that the number of Latinos under age 18 in the U.S. grew by 40 percent from 2000 to 2011, increasing from 12.4 million to 17.5 million; 93 percent of them are U.S. citizens. By contrast, the growth rate for White and Black children during the same period decreased by 11 percent and 4 percent respectively.

Yet not all trends are negative; 370,000 more Latino children attended preschool in 2010 than in 2000, a strong predictor of future academic achievement, and the number of Hispanic children not attending preschool dropped from 52 percent in 2000 to 46.6 percent in 2010. However, according to NCLR experts, this gain is threatened by growing poverty and the current budget climate. A separate fact sheet, Building a Brighter Future: Latino Children—Ready to Learn and Lead?, outlines the challenges that Latino children face from birth to age eight and emphasizes the importance of early childhood education programs.

“All children deserve a good education, quality health care, safe neighborhoods, families that can provide for them and nurturing communities. Preschool is at the top of the list of programs that can help Latino children. Studies show that children who attend high-quality preschool do better in school overall, are more likely to graduate from high school, are less likely to be arrested and earn more income over their lifetime than their peers who do not attend preschool,” said Liany Elba Arroyo, Associate Director, Education and Children’s Policy Project, at NCLR.

NCLR highlighted in Latinos Turning 18 the enormous number of future potential voters that this group represents. Between 740,000 and one million Latino citizen children will turn 18 each year between 2010 and 2028, adding nearly 15.8 million potential voters to the American electorate. Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director of Civic Engagement and Immigration at NCLR, pointed out that when Latino voters go to the polls on November 6, they want to support candidates at all levels of government who advance policies that ensure children are healthy, safe, educated and prepared to contribute to a strong economy.

“By 2018, Hispanics will make up 18 percent of our country’s workforce. The contributions that Latino children will make to our nation and economy as adults largely depend on decisions made by today’s leaders. We all want America to thrive, and that is not going to happen unless we vote for leaders who recognize that we must invest in the next generation now,” said Martínez-De-Castro.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###                             

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new report released today by NCLR, “Now Hiring? Latinos and the Job Creation Policies in the South Atlantic,” analyzes how state policies aimed at creating jobs in Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have failed to produce significant employment gains for the region’s Hispanic workforce. Experts from the Migration Policy Institute, PolicyLink and the Hispanic Services Council of Tampa, Florida, joined NCLR on a telephonic press briefing to discuss policy solutions to maximize the potential of Latino workers and businesses.

“This research calls for significant policy adjustment at the state level to ensure that jobs in the fastest-growing industries are available to the fastest-growing segment of the South Atlantic workforce: Latinos,” said Alicia Criado, NCLR Policy Associate, Economic and Employment Policy Project, and author of the report. “Especially in this time of limited resources, policymakers must closely monitor the employment situation in their state and respond with customized solutions to meet the unique needs of the Latino workforce and business community.”

NCLR’s report found the following:

• Most Hispanic workers in the South Atlantic require additional education and skills training in order to meet the needs of employers.
• Significant public resources are spent on recruiting businesses to states that fail to invest adequately in adult education and job training programs.
• Hispanic-owned businesses lack the necessary technical support and training to ensure sustainability and expansion.
• The region’s wave of anti-immigrant legislation has hampered economic recovery.

NCLR’s research was based on an analysis of demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and interviews with 35 stakeholders, from government officials to service providers. NCLR also convened local leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in Orlando in September to discuss the implications of the research for the region.

“Latinos must have a seat at the table to inform the job creation agenda at the state level. The South Atlantic economy simply won’t work without Latinos,” concluded Criado.

Download the full report to learn more about the effect of job creation policies on Hispanic workers.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###                                        

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Contact:
October 22, 2012                            Kathy Mimberg
                                                           (202) 776-1714
                                                           kmimberg@nclr.org

New online resource provides state-by-state data on Latino child well-being, allowing voters and child advocates to better assess candidates’ policy priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will hold a telephonic press briefing on Thursday, October 25 to introduce a database that will help children’s advocates, policymakers, educators and reporters easily determine the well-being of Latino children at the national and state levels.  The “Latino Kids Data Explorer” provides data points for 28 factors, such as maternal education, preschool enrollment, teen pregnancy, high school graduation and health insurance rates, and allows users to analyze trends and prioritize areas for improvement.  NCLR developed the database with funding from the Birth to Five Policy Alliance using data produced by the Population Reference Bureau and Child Trends.  It will be available to the public at no cost.
   
Nearly 93 percent of Latino children in the U.S. are citizens.  One-third of them live in poverty and only 63 percent graduate from high school.  Given these statistics, the impact of the 2012 presidential candidates’ policies on the economy and education—the two top priorities of Latinos in this election cycle—will be acutely felt by these 17.5 million children who represent nearly one-quarter of all children in the U.S.  Having accurate information about the challenges Latino children face is essential to ensuring that they become strong, productive citizens who are prepared to succeed in a global economy.  NCLR’s “Latino Kids Data Explorer” offers users the mechanism to provide these facts to voters in an easily accessible format.  

Between 730,000 and one million Latino citizen children will turn 18 annually between 2010 and 2028, adding over 15.5 million potential voters to the American electorate.  Will they be ready to lead?  Join us for this telephonic briefing and learn more about the children who will shape America’s future. 

Child research and policy experts at this briefing will explain trends and main findings from the “Latino Kids Data Explorer” and connect these to NCLR’s policy recommendations.  To RSVP, please contact Kathy Mimberg at kmimberg@nclr.org or (202) 776-1714.


MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:    Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director, Civic Engagement and Immigration, NCLR
               Patricia Foxen, Deputy Director, Research, NCLR
               Liany Elba Arroyo, Associate Director, Education and Children’s Policy Project, NCLR
               Helene Stebbins, Senior Policy Director, Birth to Five Policy Alliance
       
WHAT:    Telephonic press briefing to introduce a new resource on Latino child well-being and address policy recommendations to improve their opportunities

WHEN:     Thursday, October 25, 2012
                  1 p.m. EDT

HOW:        Dial 1-866-952-7524
                  Conference ID:  CHILDREN

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###


 

PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA           Contacto:
22 de octubre de 2012                    Kathy Mimberg
                                                             (202) 776-1714
                                                             kmimberg@nclr.org

Nuevo recurso proporciona datos a nivel estatal sobre el bienestar de los niños hispanos, permitiendo que los votantes y los defensores de los niños evalúen mejor las prioridades de los candidatos presidenciales

WASHINGTON, DC – El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) llevará a cabo una conferencia de prensa telefónica el jueves 25 de octubre para presentar una base de datos que ayudará a que los defensores de los niños, los políticos, los educadores y los periodistas determinen con facilidad el bienestar de los niños hispanos a nivel nacional y estatal. El "Latino Kids Data Explorer" (Explorador de Datos sobre Niños Hispanos) proporciona valores numéricos sobre 28 factores, tales como educación materna, matrícula preescolar, embarazo de adolescentes, graduación de la escuela secundaria y tasas de seguros de salud y, a la vez, permite a que los usuarios analicen las tendencias y prioricen las áreas de mejora. NCLR ha desarrollado la base de datos con la financiación de Birth to Five Policy Alliance utilizando información generada por Population Reference Bureau y Child Trends. La base de datos estará disponible al público sin costo alguno.

Casi el 93 por ciento de los niños hispanos en los EE.UU. son ciudadanos. Un tercio de ellos vive en la pobreza y sólo el 63 por ciento se gradúan de la escuela secundaria. Teniendo en cuenta estas estadísticas, el impacto de las políticas de los candidatos presidenciales de 2012 sobre la economía y la educación  – las dos principales prioridades de los hispanos en este ciclo electoral – repercutirá drásticamente sobre estos 17,5 millones de niños, que representan casi una cuarta parte de todos los niños de EE.UU. Es fundamental tener información precisa acerca de los desafíos que enfrentan los niños hispanos para asegurar de que ellos en el futuro se conviertan en ciudadanos fuertes y productivos y que, además, estén preparados para tener éxito en una economía global. En un formato accesible, el “Latino Kids Data Explorer” de NCLR ofrece a los usuarios el mecanismo que pone en conocimiento de los votantes estos factores.

Entre 730.000 y un millón de niños estadounidenses de origen hispano cumplirán 18 años de edad cada año entre 2010 y 2028, añadiendo más de 15,5 millones de potenciales votantes al electorado estadounidense. ¿Estarán ellos listos para liderar? Únase a nosotros en esta sesión informativa telefónica e infórmese más acerca de los niños que le darán forma al futuro de los Estados Unidos de América.

Durante esta reunión, expertos en investigación y en políticas para la infancia explicarán las tendencias y las principales conclusiones del "Latino Kids Data Explorer” y las relacionarán con las recomendaciones de las políticas de NCLR. Para confirmar su asistencia, por favor póngase en contacto con Kathy Mimberg en kmimberg@nclr.org o al teléfono: (202)776-1714.

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUIÉNES:    Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Directora de Participación Ciudadana e Inmigración, NCLR
                      Patricia Foxen, Directora Adjunta de Investigación, NCLR
                      Liany Elba Arroyo, Directora Asociada del Proyecto de Educación y Políticas para la Infancia, NCLR
                      Helene Stebbins, Directora Principal de Políticas, Birth to Five Policy  Alliance
       
QUÉ:            Conferencia de prensa telefónica para presentar un nuevo recurso sobre el bienestar de los niños hispanos y tratar las recomendaciones sobre políticas que apuntan a mejorar sus oportunidades 

CUÁNDO:    Jueves, 25 de octubre de 2012
                      1 p.m. EDT

CÓMO:        Marque 1-866-952-7524
                     Conferencia ID: CHILDREN

NCLR—la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles  en los Estados Unidos—trabaja para mejorar las oportunidades de los hispanoamericanos. Para obtener más información sobre el NCLR, visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###