News Clips March 18, 2010

Pearce immigration bill shelved at last minute

Mesa Republican Sen. Russell Pearce and his efforts to toughen immigration enforcement took a beating in the Legislature on Wednesday.

A comprehensive immigration-reform bill that Pearce has been working on for years was expected by some to hit the governor’s desk today. Instead, it was pulled from the House Committee of the Whole agenda at the last minute on Wednesday at the request of some concerned Republicans.

Senate Bill 1070 already has been approved by the Senate. It would, among other things, require law enforcement to try to determine the immigration status of an individual whenever there is reasonable suspicion about that status, allow an illegal immigrant found in Arizona to be charged with trespassing and make it illegal to pick up or be picked up as a day laborer.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/03/18/20100318politics-sensors0318.html

Health bill picking up key votes

Reporting from Washington
President Obama and Democratic leaders gathered momentum for their sweeping healthcare overhaul Wednesday, picking up support from Democratic factions where defections were most feared: liberals, abortion opponents and backbenchers.

Working into the night to put the finishing touches on the legislation, Democratic leaders said they continued to expect the balloting to be a cliffhanger.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-healthcare18-2010mar18,0,7590833.story

Obama’s moral failure on immigration

I’m a community organizer. Last week, I did something I never thought would be possible. I met with the president of the United States in the West Wing of the White House.

President Barack Obama met for 75 minutes with 14 leaders from across the country to discuss immigration reform — and the destruction of some 1,100 immigrant families a day through deportations carried out by his administration.

The meeting was tense, blunt and passionate. And there was a racial irony to our discussion. Our labor, faith and immigrant rights leaders included seven Latinos, three Asians and four whites. We were meeting with our country’s first African-American president, the son of an immigrant father. His senior advisers at the meeting included three African-Americans (one the child of immigrants), a Latina, a Chinese-American woman and a white woman.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/ct-oped-0318-immigration-20100318,0,1740729.story

The Latino Completion Gap, Examined

March 18, 2010

With Latino Americans expected to make up more than 20 percent of the college-age population by 2020, most policy makers recognize that it will be nearly impossible to meet President Obama’s college completion goals without significant improvement in the graduation rates of Hispanic students, which have long lagged those of other racial and ethnic groups, as numerous studies have documented.

A new analysis digs more deeply into the data surrounding Latino graduation rates, and while it confirms the overall reality that Latino students trail their white peers at all types of institutions, no matter how selective, it also reveals wide variation in the relative success of institutions with similar student bodies. That matters, the authors say, because it shows that the educational practices of institutions matter.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/03/18/hispanic

Groups mobilize to pressure lawmakers to act on immigration reform

Plans include a march in Washington, a texting drive, ‘tacos for justice’ coupons and score cards for lawmakers’ votes on immigration issues. ‘The time for promises is over,’ an organizer says.
Frustrated at the White House and Congress, immigrant advocates are rolling out a series of pressure tactics to push forward legalization for illegal immigrants and other reforms.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to march Sunday in Washington, D.C., urging officials to act on legislative reforms or face the consequences — including a possible Latino voter backlash in November.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-latino18-2010mar18,0,203431.story

Putting feet down at key D.C. march

The last hope for immigration reform.

That’s what Sunday’s March for America in Washington will be: a last-ditch massive effort to push hard for the President and Congress to abandon their reluctance and do their duty.

“The march can show Washington how much support there is for reform around the country,” said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens), who will be one of the speakers. “And this can make a great difference.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2010/03/18/2010-03-18_putting_feet_down_at_key_dc_march.html#ixzz0iX20Y3Ne

Courting Hispanics

Resurgent Republic has a new poll suggesting Republicans court Hispanic voters on core Republican messages of the economy and national security, and showing that many Hispanics back GOP views on issues like the handling of terrorists.

The observation that Hispanics are, on issues, more conservative than they vote isn’t a novel one, though it’s often made on social issues. But Republicans are still trying to repair their party’s dramatic collapse between George W. Bush’s intense courtship of Hispanic voters and the collapse of immigration legislation in 2006, which left their brand deeply tarnished.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/Courting_Hispanics.html

Hispanic Media’s Social Revolution

Q&A With Telemundo EVP of Digital Media and Emerging Business Peter Blacker
By Laura Martinez — Multichannel News, 3/17/2010 2:29:38 PM
Peter Blacker, executive vice president of digital media and emerging businesses at Telemundo, has a message for his advertisers: the Spanish-language network — and sister cable net Mun2 — is their chance to finally leverage the power of social media and join the throngs of Hispanics who are active on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms. As Blacker and other top executives at the NBC-owned network geared up for this year’s client-development meetings, the social media enthusiast gave Hispanic TV Update contributor Laura Martinez a sneak preview of how his network plans to get to the forefront of the “digital water cooler.”

http://www.multichannel.com/article/450393-Hispanic_Media_s_Social_Revolution.php

News Clips March 12, 2010

Stakes Getting Higher for Obama, Latino Voters, and Immigration

Maybe there’s a game on. The President had three meetings on immigration reform at the White House today.  He is increasingly under pressure to act on promises he made as a candidate to enact immigration reform in his first year in office and, now in his second year, the patience of pro-reform advocates – and Latino and immigrant voters – is wearing thin.
The power of the Latino vote is a big reason the Democrats won the White House and control of both houses of Congress in 2008.  If the Democrats fail to address the immigration issue – an issue to which Latino voters are particularly sensitive and which helped drive their increased turnout in 2008 – the Democrats face even longer odds with voters in 2010.

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2010/03/12/stakes-getting-higher-for-obama-latino-voters-and-immigration/

Gut Check Time for GOP on Immigration

There is a quiet battle underway within the Republican Party that may soon break out into the open – and it will heavily impact whether the GOP can continue as a national political party in the decades ahead.

The conflict is over how the Party will position itself with respect to the question of immigration reform – and just as importantly – the fastest-growing demographic group in country: Hispanic Americans.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/gut-check-time-for-gop-on_b_496341.html

Lindsey Graham: Immigration reform in peril

A pair of White House meetings Thursday designed to chart a path forward for immigration reform instead spotlighted the daunting obstacles ahead — and showed why many Capitol Hill insiders believe it’s quite unlikely an immigration bill will happen this year.

After meeting with President Barack Obama, the leading Republican backing a comprehensive approach warned that a Democratic health care push could scuttle any chance of action on immigration in this Congress.

“I expressed, in no uncertain terms, my belief that immigration reform could come to a halt for the year if health care reconciliation goes forward,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement issued just after he and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) met with Obama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34299.html

Senators give Obama a bipartisan plan on immigration

Reporting from Washington – A pair of influential senators presented President Obama with a three-page blueprint for a bipartisan agreement to overhaul the nation’s immigration system, but the proposal’s viability is threatened by politics surrounding the healthcare debate.

Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), in a 45-minute meeting Thursday in the Oval Office, also asked for Obama’s help in rounding up enough Republican votes to pass an immigration bill this year.

Although details of their blueprint were not released, Graham said the elements included tougher border security, a program to admit temporary immigrant workers and a biometric Social Security card that would prevent people here illegally from getting jobs.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-immigration12-2010mar12,0,5784564.story

Why the 2010 Census will target Valley Hispanics

PHOENIX, AZ — A Census public service announcement will be out in a couple of days calling on the Hispanic community to come forward and be counted.

The PSA emphasizes the importance of participating in the 2010 Census which will in turn bring money into the community for transit, infrastructure and political representation.

http://www.abc15.com/content/financialsurvival/azstories/story/Why-the-2010-Census-will-target-Valley-Hispanics/eJBWMQ9p60yyRyzbKS0xMA.cspx

Census workers aiming to coax undocumented immigrants out of shadows

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —  Sure, he has seen the ads on television and heard the public service announcements on Spanish radio, but Alejandro Martinez said he had no intention of filling out the U.S. Census questionnaire.

“It’s not worth the effort; it doesn’t really relate to the immigrant community,” said Martinez, of Port Richmond, in Spanish, as he stood yesterday with other day laborers on the service road, at the Forest Avenue exit off the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway. “I’m not scared. I just don’t see the importance.”

But when a friend of his, Juan Perez, explained he would respond when the letter arrives in the mail in the next week or two because doing so could bring more funds to their neighborhood — it prompted Martinez to warm to the idea, musing: “Maybe, if it comes right to my house, I’ll fill it out. Why not?”

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/census_workers_aiming_to_coax.html

Rights Groups to ICE: Stop Raids for Census

OAKLAND, Calif. – Immigrant rights advocates have sent a letter to President Barack Obama and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano asking them to immediately suspend all immigration enforcement activities through the end of the year in order to decrease fear within immigrant communities and encourage their participation in the 2010 Census.

Questionnaires for the 2010 Census are due to arrive in the mailbox of every U.S. household between now and April 1.

“We are genuinely concerned that the climate of fear will seriously impact the census form return rate of immigrant households — and if people do not return the form, they will be reluctant to open the door to a follow-up visit from a census worker,” said Catherine Tactaquin, director of National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR). “We really need the leadership of the administration right now to make a difference in the success of the census among our diverse immigrant populations.”

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=5b7a2f63b847f0ce9b9a6505a810604e

Health Reform Myths

Health reform is back from the dead. Many Democrats have realized that their electoral prospects will be better if they can point to a real accomplishment. Polling on reform — which was never as negative as portrayed — shows signs of improving. And I’ve been really impressed by the passion and energy of this guy Barack Obama. Where was he last year?

But reform still has to run a gantlet of misinformation and outright lies. So let me address three big myths about the proposed reform, myths that are believed by many people who consider themselves well-informed, but who have actually fallen for deceptive spin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/opinion/12krugman.html?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman

News Clips March 10, 2009

For Latino Community, Health Reform Can’t Wait

Following President Obama’s call on Congress to pass health insurance reform, Governor Kaine outlines importance of reform for the Latino community, asking Hispanics to take part in the final march to health reform

WASHINGTON, March 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Following President Obama’s call on Congress last week to act now to pass health insurance reform, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued this Spanish-language video calling on Latinos to take part in the final push for health reform – reform that would benefit the Latino community.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/for-latino-community-health-reform-cant-wait-87163722.html

The Nation: The Democrat’s Immigration Priority

The great thing about racists is they’ll always take the bait. You won’t get far into an immigration-reform debate, for instance, before the GOP’s more zealous legislators start doing things like criminalizing priests and calling Miami a “third world country.” Which is why Democrats ought to be more eager to spend 2010 debating immigration.

Back in summer 2009, that looked like the plan. President Obama made a big show of brainstorming reforms, by holding a White House summit and meeting with legislators in both parties. New York Sen. Charles Schumer teamed up with South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham to work on a bipartisan bill and immigration seemed destined to get space at the top of the 2010 agenda.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124519474

Latino voters can’t wait till mañana

Barack Obama won Latino support by promising to reform immigration laws – but so far, he has failed to deliver

mmigration reform advocates have been abuzz with the news that President Obama is to meet with Republican senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic senator Charles Schumer at the White House later this week. But insiders say the closed door meeting, which the president requested, is largely for show. Officially, Graham and Schumer say they need two more GOP co-sponsors for their bill, which includes a sweeping legalisation programme for undocumented immigrants, and stepped up border and workplace enforcement. But with mid-term elections just eight months away, and the campaign season likely to start in early May, there’s not much time left to make legislative headway.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/mar/09/latino-vote-obama-immigration

NY Group Tells U.S. Afro-Latinos to ‘Check Both!’ in 2010 Census

In an effort to achieve an accurate count of Afro-Latinos in the United States Census, the nonprofit afrolatin@ forum has produced a series of public service announcements that call on Latinos of African descent to identify as both Hispanic and Black on the 2010 form.

By proclaiming “Check Both!/¡Chequea las dos!” the bilingual spots highlight the importance for Latin@s of African descent to self-identify as such on the Census.

The count has far-reaching implications, determining how $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to local governments each year. Over 10 years, a community could lose a projected $1.2 million of federal funding for housing, health and education programs for every 100 persons that are not counted, according to the NAACP. Studies have established that despite a higher educational level, Black Latin@s are more likely to live below the poverty level than other Latin@s and have the highest unemployment rate.

The videos – “Yo Soy,” “Y tu abuela?” and “Afro-Latin@ facts” – depict the true range of diversity within the U.S. Latino community. And they are designed to appeal to an array of viewers who might think of themselves as Afro-Latin@s for different reasons. Some may choose to “Check Both” to honor their heritage. Others may “Check Both” because of how they look, or because of how others see them. Still others may want to identify with the culture they have grown up with.

To view the PSA’s, click here:

·       Yo Soy:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC95u513l0I

·       Y tu abuela:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2DPL9IFEcw

·       Afro-Latino Facts:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDWynucWGaM

http://www.reddingnewsreview.com/newspages/2010newspages/ny_group_tells_us_afro_10_1000020.htm

ID Card for Workers Is at Center of Immigration Plan

Lawmakers working to craft a new comprehensive immigration bill have settled on a way to prevent employers from hiring illegal immigrants: a national biometric identification card all American workers would eventually be required to obtain.

Under the potentially controversial plan still taking shape in the Senate, all legal U.S. workers, including citizens and immigrants, would be issued an ID card with embedded information, such as fingerprints, to tie the card to the worker.

The ID card plan is one of several steps advocates of an immigration overhaul are taking to address concerns that have defeated similar bills in the past.

The uphill effort to pass a bill is being led by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), who plan to meet with President Barack Obama as soon as this week to update him on their work. An administration official said the White House had no position on the biometric card.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703954904575110124037066854.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_PoliticsNCampaign_3

News Clips March 5, 2009

Obama risks alienating Latinos with lack of immigration reform

I have known Barack Obama since 1986, when we were both community organizers. I am still organizing on the streets of Chicago, and what I see in the Latino community makes me fear that the president is oblivious to the pain wrought by our broken immigration system. It could have a profound effect on the 2010 and 2012 elections.

It didn’t have to be this way. For a brief moment last year it appeared that Obama might realign the modern political map, cementing the Latino vote into the Democratic coalition by speaking plainly to the American people on the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030404037.html

Immigration Reform: Change Takes Courage and Faith

The window is closing on comprehensive immigration reform. At least that’s what the politicians in Washington are saying. They’re afraid of more demagoguery. They’re afraid of upcoming elections. They’re afraid of the politics of fear. But I am more and more troubled by how little they seem concerned about the worsening plight of many of America’s most vulnerable families — about how families are being broken up by the U.S. government, forcibly separating children from their parents. And for the media, immigration reform is just another looming political conflict to report, more of the gamesmanship of Washington to cover.

As always, the real stories of real people get lost in the win/lose politics of the nation’s capital. Yes, the nation is going through some tremendous challenges right now. And we all know that Congress is hesitant to tackle tough issues before mid-term elections. But while politicians can write off one more piece of legislation on a packed agenda, they won’t be able to write off, or ignore, a movement rooted in our faith communities. If our political leaders won’t make room for the “strangers” among us, we will — because Jesus commands us to do so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/immigration-reform-change_b_485889.html

Activists rally forces for immigration reform

Immigration reform advocates see time running out

Cynics might call it an exercise in futility, at least this year.

But count Michael Flores among the true believers: those convinced that with a lot of hard work, comprehensive immigration reform legislation could finally move forward in 2010, despite previous failures and the fact that Washington’s attention is focused squarely on other issues.

“This is the time,” said Flores, Southern Nevada director of Reform Immigration For America . “We’re organized and we’re not going to take no for an answer.”

http://www.lvrj.com/news/activists-rally-forces-for-immigration-reform-86527812.html

Immigration reform not one-sided
Irish Americans say debate over reform as important to them

Irish immigrants would like lawmakers and the public to know that the debate over immigration reform is not about one single group.

Speaking in Denver yesterday, Irish American Ciaran Staunton, president of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, said people often forget that of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in America, at least 50,000 of them are from Ireland.

The debate over comprehensive immigration reform is often centered around the Hispanic community Ń because of America’s close proximity to Mexico Ń but Staunton points out that for thousands of Irish people, the debate is just as important.

“The Irish community has as big an interest in immigration reform as any other community,” Staunton told the Denver Daily News before speaking at The Celtic Tavern in Denver. “There is no legal way for an Irish American in Denver to bring his cousin to America to work and to participate in the American dream.”

http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=7535

Latinos Support Drive to Rid Military of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

The Obama administration, with growing support from top military brass and members of Congress, including half of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is moving to repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law — a 1993 compromise by President Clinton that lifted the longstanding outright ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military.

Since 1994 there have been 13,500 discharges under that law.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have echoed the call to action by saying the military is ready for change.

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=ba56f82b08c86ebb4e048b8345cefab2

Latino comedy troupe out to bust stereotype

Macedonio Arteaga always knows how to tell if he’ll be disappointed in the way Latinos are represented in a TV show or movie.

He looks for the lowrider.

Chances are if the show has a lowrider, an expensive car beyond the reach of most everyone, including Latinos, then the show probably has a Latino character who is a gardener.

“It’s this horrible, horrible stereotype,” Arteaga said in a phone interview. “It’s really unbelievable if you really think about it.”

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100305/ENTERTAIN/100309848/1015&parentprofile=1015

Hispanic surname an election liability?

Victor Carrillo, chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, blames his loss to an unknown challenger in Tuesday’s GOP primary on voter bias against his last name. “Given the choice between ‘Porter’ and ‘Carrillo,’ unfortunately, the Hispanic surname was a serious setback from which I could never recover, although I did all in my power to overcome this built-in bias,” he says.

The victor, David Porter, says he worked hard for this victory and writes off Carrillo’s comments as “sour grapes.”

That was my initial reaction until I also looked at the extremely narrow victory in the Democratic primary of Hector Uribe in the Texas land commissioner’s race. Here was a guy who had strong backing from the Democratic Party. He had spent 12 years as a state senator and House member. He was well-versed in the workings of the Legislature. The most impressive experience the other Democratic candidate, Bill Burton, offered was a short tenure as a justice of the peace in Henderson County.

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/03/hispanic-surnam.html

News Clips March 3, 2010

New Latino Speaker could change things

California experiences a rare moment once in a while when it appears momentum will tilt toward the middle, pushing real and meaningful legislative efforts that put voters and constituency first. Then the bottom falls out and it’s right back to business as usual.

Such could be the case in the swearing in of Assemblyman John A. Perez as the 68th Speaker of the Assembly.

All eyes were on the first openly gay, Latino, Southern California Democrat, as he told the legislature, governor, other statewide elected officials and the many special invited guests about his vision as Assembly Speaker. It included: putting people back to work; creating a bi-partisan environment by appointing two Republicans to lead Assembly committees; fixing the economy; no more texting during floor votes; and, changing the constitutional budget requirement from two-thirds vote to a simple majority.

http://www.examiner.com/x-25133-Sacramento-Latino-Policy-Examiner~y2010m3d2-New-Latino-Speaker-could-change-things

The Latino Community Wants Accountability in 2010

The promise of change that energized voting and participation in 2008 is bringing hundreds of Latino community leaders to Washington today as NCLR launches new ads on immigration.

March 3, 2010  |

Today, nearly 350 Latino leaders from 30 states are gathering in Washington as part of the 2010 National Council of La Raza (NCLR) National Latino Advocacy Days. They will visit their congressional representatives to call for action on national priorities of critical importance to the Latino community. In addition to health care, at the top of that list are jobs and immigration reform, two issues that directly affect the stability of Latino communities and will undoubtedly influence turnout and enthusiasm in the 2010 elections.

http://www.alternet.org/news/145873/the_latino_community_wants_accountability_in_2010

National Campaign seeks to return attention in U.S. Congress back to Immigration Reform

Roughly 100,000 people are planned to rally in Washington, D.C. in March

By Ingrid Marie Rivera, La Prensa Correspondent

LORAIN: Latino and other leaders are uniting around the nation to turn the attention in U.S. Congress back to immigration reform after they say President Barack Obama has failed to address the issue in his first year in office as he had promised.

http://www.laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2010/030510/nat.htm

No chance of immigration reform this year

Every poll shows there are few things California’s burgeoning Latino community wants more from government this year than immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for persons now in this country illegally, also known as amnesty.

But despite happy talk from President Obama and some other leading Democrats, chances of this happening are very slim.

For Democrats who now possess large but shaky majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House are not nearly as united on this cause as they are on health care — and their brand of unity on that cause has produced nothing close to what Obama promised as a candidate in 2008. There is no publicly run health insurance option on the table. The proposed requirement that all citizens must have health insurance has all but disappeared, and more.

http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_14503034

Chavez-Thompson leads in Democratic race for lieutenant governor

AUSTIN ­ Former labor leader Linda Chavez-Thompson, buoyed by support from labor and Hispanic groups, was well ahead of her two opponents Tuesday in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

Chavez-Thompson of San Antonio was close to the 50 percent-plus-one-vote total she would need to avoid a runoff, but former Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle was still hopeful of a strong second place finish to force a runoff.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-ltgov_03tex.State.Edition1.46c456.html

AZ may criminalize presence of illegal immigrants

By JACQUES BILLEAUD (AP) – 16 hours ago

PHOENIX — Over the past several years, immigration hard-liners at the Arizona Legislature persuaded their colleagues to criminalize the presence of illegal border-crossers in the state and ban soft immigration policies in police agencies — only to be thwarted by vetoes from a Democratic governor.

This year, their prospects have improved. A proposal to draw local police deeper into the fight against illegal immigration has momentum, and even opponents expect the new Republican governor to sign off on the changes.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h6Q8DRNIKQOI8tJvm8V-EZ0Ak-OAD9E6NJ082

California’s GOP Divided on Immigration

The two Republicans facing off in California’s gubernatorial primary have begun to express distinct views on an issue that has long been used by GOP candidates to mobilize their base: illegal immigration.

Steve Poizner, the current state insurance commissioner, and Meg Whitman, businesswoman and former president of eBay, both multimillionaires from their success in the corporate world, will be competing for the Republican nomination.

That part of the contest will be resolved in the June primary. The gubernatorial election is in November.

Poizner, who is trailing in the polls after months of an intensive media campaign by Whitman, has been using the subject of the border and “illegals” in recent speeches to appeal to Republican activists across the state.

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=3e3f4cf7466906da6e930d76d8648a68

Schwarzenegger calls for immigration reform, but Feds ill equipped

Appearing on Fox News with Greta Van Susteren (Feb. 23), Governor Schwarzenegger briefly emphasized the need for immigration reform in light of California’s economic woes.  “We’ve got to go and make a decision so that people can come to this country legitimately, rather than having quotas there, because we need the farm workers,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “We need the construction workers. We need to have people do certain jobs that maybe that we cannot fill otherwise,” he said.

http://caivn.org/article/2010/03/02/schwarzenegger-calls-immigration-reform-feds-ill-equipped

News Clips March 2, 2010

Census question confuses

EL PASO – Many Hispanics do not know they are white. But, in the U.S. Census Bureau’s eyes, they probably are.

For people such as former baseball star Sammy Sosa, who is a black Dominican, it may be easy to fill out a 2010 Census form.

But Hispanics may be confused over the questions of race and ethnicity found in the form being mailed out this month.

“The race question is the question I get the most queries about,” U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said Monday in a national conference call. “This is a question that changes every decade.”

In question No. 8, the bureau asks if a person is of Hispanic origin. Then, in the following question, the person must mark his or her race.

The Census Bureau gives respondents many options, but classifies data into five races – white, black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native and other Pacific Islanders.

“This is one of the stickier issues,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund. “About half of Latinos who respond to the census consider being Latino their racial category.”

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_14495736

Research Reveals Hispanic-Americans Mark Education as a Top Priority in 2010

Many Hispanics believe they are less likely to achieve a college education due to a lack of funding

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., March 2 /PRNewswire/ — Due to the economic uncertainty many Hispanic-Americans are placing a new emphasis on what is important to them and their families. A new survey* by Sears Holdings finds that although a majority (84 percent) of Hispanic-Americans report that education will be a priority in 2010, most (92 percent) believe that there are barriers standing in the way of receiving an education beyond high school, with close to three-quarters (71 percent) citing lack of money to cover school expenses as the biggest roadblock.

Among those respondents who believe there are barriers in receiving a higher education, more than half (53 percent) attribute a lack of information about the opportunities and options available to get an education as an obstacle. Also weighing in as a hurdle for many Hispanic-Americans (60 percent) is the need to work and support the family right after high school.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/research-reveals-hispanic-americans-mark-education-as-a-top-priority-in-2010-85944862.html

Tea Party Holds Risks for GOP

American politics reached a milestone when Ronald Reagan, then the Republican presidential nominee, traveled to a convention of evangelical Christians in Dallas in August 1980 and said something mainstream politicians hadn’t been willing to say previously: “I want you to know I endorse you and what you are doing,” Mr. Reagan told the 15,000 or so conservative church leaders there assembled.

From that point on, the “religious right,” earlier seen by many as almost a fringe movement, became an important force within an ascendant Republican coalition.

Republicans today are trying something similar with the Tea Party movement. Yet even as Republicans relish this thought, it’s worth remembering that, just as their embrace of the religious right created occasional heartburn alongside electoral success, so too does their slow embrace of the Tea Party movement carry downside risks as well as upside potential.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703429304575095441763635842.html

Washington Hispanic website now offers Daily News & Multimedia Online

Washington DC, [CapitalWirePR]  –March 1, 2010— With a redesigned web site featuring sleek visuals, The Washington Hispanic today launched a fresh new look on line. The Capital’s largest Spanish language newspaper is now repositioning with a robust web presence to better serve its readers and the community at http://www.washingtonhispanic.com.

“The redesigned site has been in development for some time. Our community is seeking faster access and greater coverage to keep growing and prospering. Our readers want to stay informed. The Washington Hispanic intends to meet their news needs. Our news will now be even more timely and ever more relevant to our reader’s interests,“ said founder Johnny A. Yataco.

http://www.capitalwirepr.com/pr_description.php?id=c416fd81-b938-af87-bd2c-4b8c3d3d6195

The Dream that Keeps on Marching for America

The man handed us several crumpled $20 bills. “I would like to donate $200 to help a household worker or a day laborer go to Washington and speak for us,” he said, turning to walk away. He was referring to the rally planned for March 21 in Washington, DC, for the purpose of raising awareness about the need to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. We asked to get his name and nationality but he chose to remain anonymous: “Like many of us, without a name or country of origin, but ever present,” was his response.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jorgemario-cabrera/the-dream-that-keeps-on-m_b_476724.html

News Clips March 1, 2010

Take the power to draw new political districts away from the Florida Legislature

As two Floridians who have been working on both sides of the partisan aisle to improve Florida government, we are thrilled that voters will have the opportunity to vote this Nov. 2 on two constitutional amendments to stop what amounts to a legalized conflict of interest in our state. One newspaper called it “Florida’s dirty little secret.” It comes up every 10 years when legislators are charged with the awesome responsibility of redrawing their own district boundaries as well as those of the congressional districts….

…..It is not surprising that the two amendments have the support of groups like the League of Women Voters, the Florida League of Cities, Florida League of Mayors, Legislative Black Caucus, Florida NAACP, Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials and Democracia Ahora. Newspaper editorial boards across the state unanimously support these important changes. That is because, as this newspaper elegantly said, “The amendments make sense.”

Thousands of Floridians – Republicans, Democrats and independents – are working for passage of these “FairDistricts” Amendments 5 and 6.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-02-28/news/sfl-mezzpostredistricting22810_1_district-boundaries-amendments-parties

Pelosi Says She’ll Get Votes Needed for Health Bill

WASHINGTON — Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is confident she will be able to get the votes needed to pass sweeping health care legislation in the House, even if it threatens the political careers of some members of her party.

In an interview carried Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Ms. Pelosi said she was working on changes to a Senate-passed bill that would make it acceptable to the House.

Ms. Pelosi was asked what she would say to House Democrats who were “in real fear of losing their seats in November if they support you now.”

“Our members, every one of them, wants health care,” Ms. Pelosi said. “They know that this will take courage. It took courage to pass Social Security. It took courage to pass Medicare. And many of the same forces that were at work decades ago are at work again against this bill.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/us/politics/01talkshows.html

GOP governor’s campaign is more texting than talking

Rick Perry’s campaign has a radical approach that eschews traditional voter turnout efforts in favor of extensive use of social media networks to win Tuesday’s GOP primary.

Haven’t seen a Perry yard sign? There aren’t any, and Perry has no local office to house them. Dreading yet another phone call from a political candidate? Don’t worry; Perry has no phone banks. And you probably won’t see supporters with T-shirts knocking at the door.

But you may get a Facebook message from a friend in your social circle. You’re more likely to find Perry campaign appeals on Twitter, even craigslist, than to see his mug on a highway billboard.

Combine that with a broad and sometimes problematic program that pays supporters to sign up followers, and Perry’s campaign for re-election is bringing an entirely new approach – a largely untested one – to the ever-evolving area of getting out the vote.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/DN-localgotv_01tex.ART0.State.Edition2.4bb0c41.html

To be counted, here’s what counts with the 2010 census

Census Bureau hopes shorter form, which should take 10 minutes to complete, will increase response rate
The Census Bureau hopes the shorter form, which should take 10 minutes to complete, will increase the response rate of Americans. In 2000, 67 percent of Americans returned their census questionnaires by April 1. In Florida, the response rate was slightly lower — 63 percent. The Census Bureau contends that it saves $85 million in follow-up costs to non-responding households for every one percent increase in the response rates.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-census-2010-kickoff-20100301,0,2544346.story

Democrats try cozying up to Latino community

Workshops focus on getting Hispanics involved in campaigning

In an effort to court Latino voters, The Massachusetts Democratic Party held several Spanish-language workshops on Saturday for community leaders interested in becoming part of the electoral process.

The workshops are part of an outreach effort aimed at Latino communities throughout the state that were largely neglected by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s U.S. Senate campaign.

“We are saying, hey we know you’re here. You live in areas we represent and we want to give you the tools and skills to organize and become part of the process,” said Gloribell Mota, Education and Training Director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Held at the Waltham Westin Hotel, the workshops focused on grassroots organizing and campaign strategies.
Jorge Poueriet, a Dominican resident of Worchester and a participant in Saturday’s workshops, had never been involved in politics before.

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2010/03/01/00/1607-72/index.xml

Democratic primary will put to test power of Hispanic surnames

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Political prognosticators and demographers alike figure that Hispanics are the growth industry in Texas politics.

The rapidly expanding Hispanic population tends to vote for Democrats. And there’s also substantial evidence that Hispanics often vote for Hispanics.

Judith Zaffirini, the longtime Democratic state senator from Laredo, has said that if voters know something about the candidates, they vote based on qualifications and issues.

If they don’t, they often vote on ethnicity based on the candidates’ names.

In Tuesday’s Democratic primary, that idea will be put to the test in a few races — though there are other factors than surnames.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2010/feb/28/democratic-primary-will-put-to-test-power-of/

Protests, grand jury challenge Sheriff Joe Arpaio

PHOENIX — With a sheriff’s helicopter beating overhead, the man known as “Sheriff Joe” stood behind a line of officers as 10,000 people marched past — but this was not the usual show of affection and support for Joe Arpaio.

“Joe must go! Joe must go,” whole families chanted, as they rounded the corner in front of the county jail complex run by the five-term Maricopa County sheriff famed for his confrontational tactics, his harsh jail policies and a gift for publicity. The parade of mostly brown-skinned people wanted to show they hated his trademark immigration patrols.

For years, Arpaio has been the rare politician whose popularity remained rock solid no matter the criticism. He was the self-proclaimed “America’s toughest sheriff,” unbeatable at the polls.

Today, however, some indicators have changed for the 77-year-old lawman — and it’s not just the marching in the streets.

His soaring approval ratings dropped to 39 percent in one recent poll. Critics are emboldened by a federal grand jury that’s examining abuse-of-power allegations against him and a second federal investigation that he says focuses on his immigration enforcement.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hsUmDTKoXscEMSe9FGxF1sYbSGDQD9E4VGRG2

Pro-immigration forces gird for battle

WASHINGTON — A coalition of pro-immigration groups is preparing for a renewed congressional battle over reform legislation — and this time they have money to spend.

A reform bill was blocked in 2007 by Senate Republicans opposed to legalizing the status of the nation’s roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants. But those who want immigrants to be able to earn legal status or citizenship say they are better funded and more organized this time.

A reform bill has been filed in the House, and one is expected to be introduced in the Senate soon.

Deepak Bhargava with the Center for Community Change said conservative activists were able to use talk radio to “create a groundswell of anger and hate in the country that brought the bill down.”

“Our effort this time has been targeted to make sure that we out-match them at every level and in every facet of the game,” he said.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/85788702.html

News Clips Feb. 10, 2010

Hispanic Democratic group endorses Shami for governor

AUSTIN – A leading group of Hispanic Democrats endorsed businessman Farouk Shami for governor Tuesday, saying the Palestinian-American immigrant personifies the American dream.

“He is inclusive of all people from all walks of life and can identify with those of us who were not born in the United States,” said Dallas City Council member Steve Salazar, state chairman of the Mexican American Democrats.

Salazar said the group met with Shami on Saturday and particularly liked his stances on immigration and crime. The Houston hair products entrepreneur has criticized federal and state border security policies.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-shami_10tex.ART.State.Edition1.4bfa040.html

U.S. illegal immigrant population declines for second year

The number of illegal immigrants living in the United States fell by 1 million, or 8 percent, between 2007 and 2009, the U.S. government reported Tuesday.

The decline, to 10.8 million people in January 2009 from 11.8 million in 2007 and 11.6 million in 2008, coincides with the national economic downturn. It marked the first back-to-back drops in the number of illegal immigrants since the federal government allowed many to obtain legal status after a 1986 amnesty.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903702.html

New report says illegal immigration population plummeted last year

The number of illegal immigrants living in the United States dropped by 1 million people in two years, according to new estimates by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The government believes 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in 2007. If the official estimates are correct, not since 2005 has the population of illegal immigrants been as low as it was last year.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14370889?source=most_viewed&nclick_check=1

Census outreach to hard-to-count groups ratchets up

Koreans and Vietnamese descended upon Doraville for a chance Tuesday to land one of the coveted, $18.45-an-hour census-taking jobs.

An hour later, along Buford Highway, Hispanic leaders implored business owners to prod their customers into participating in the all-important census.

And downtown, in midafternoon, Mayor Kasim Reed endorsed a “census blitz” across Atlanta on April 10.

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/census-outreach-to-hard-295367.html?cxtype=rss_news_128746

PCC may face grant squeeze
Colleges serving Hispanics on rise

The competition soon will be tougher for federal funds to help Hispanic college students as more colleges are designated as serving Hispanics.

There are 265 colleges that have the federal designation of “Hispanic Serving Institution.” At least 25 percent of their students are Hispanic and the colleges are eligible for Title V federal grants to help improve academic outcomes for Hispanic and low-income students.

An additional 67 colleges are very close to receiving the designation – with 20 percent to 24 percent Hispanic enrollment, according to a new study by Excelencia in Education.

http://www.azstarnet.com/news/local/education/college/article_bd7eb9a4-016e-5bf4-b92e-a88670590cbc.html

All Eyes on Health Care Reform

With one in three U.S. Hispanics lacking health insurance, it’s little wonder recent nationwide surveys show that the Hispanic population considers healthcare reform to be the No. 1 issue of the day — surpassing even immigration reform and the economic downturn. Now, with a historic effort underway on Capitol Hill to merge two recently approved health bills — the House’s in November and the Senate in late December — the implications for Hispanics are monumental.

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2010/2/9/all_eyes_on_healthcare_reform.htm

Arpaio’s Immigration Numbers Questioned

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio takes credit for putting 37,000 illegal immigrants in jail but a closer look at the numbers reveals it’s not his deputies who are making most of the arrests.
Arpaio held a press conference on Monday afternoon to announce he is in the process of training his nearly 900 deputies to enforce federal and state immigration laws.

http://www.kpho.com/news/22505869/detail.html

Immigration crackdowns hurt kids—US study

WASHINGTON DC, United States—Immigration enforcement takes a heavy toll on children, according to a recent study by the Urban Institute.

The study, “Facing Our Future: Children in the Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement,” puts young people into the national immigration debate by assessing their experiences.

There are 5.5 million children with unauthorized parents in the United States and when it comes to immigration enforcement, “it is often the children who pay the price,” said Carola Suárez-Orozco, co-director of immigration studies at New York University.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100210-252385/Immigration-crackdowns-hurt-kidsUS-study

A new move against illegal immigrants

Bill would require Md. prisons to notify U.S. of an inmate’s status

Some Maryland lawmakers want to require the state prison system to notify federal authorities when an inmate may be in the country unlawfully – potentially resurrecting last year’s debate about how the state is responding to an influx of illegal immigrants.

The proposal, backed by a group of powerful Democratic senators that includes Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, came before a committee Tuesday. Sen. James E. DeGrange Sr. of Anne Arundel County said the measure could save the state millions by shifting incarceration costs away from the state by deporting more illegal immigrants.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.immigrants10feb10,0,255515.story

Students Walking to D.C. for Immigration Law Changes

Some South Florida students are walking for change in connection with the nation’s immigration laws.

Some South Florida students are walking for change in connection with the nation’s immigration laws.

Four students from Miami-Dade College are walking from Miami to Washington, D.C. stopping along the way to talk with community leaders they hope will bring reform to current immigration laws.

Earlier Tuesday, they met with an aid for Florida Governor Charlie Crist in Tallahassee and several other state legislators about their mission.

http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/83986137.html

News Clips Feb. 8, 2010

Climate could be right for GOP’s Sandoval to capture Hispanic vote

Republican Brian Sandoval could capture the attention of the Hispanic community, thanks in part to Democrats’ inability to hold that voting bloc on issues such as health care, but on immigration …

When Republican Party leaders engaged last summer in a vitriolic attack on then-Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, calling her a “racist” and a member of the “Latino KKK” and questioning her credentials despite her elite schooling, it seemed to be a final nail, driven home with gusto, into the coffin of GOP outreach to Hispanic voters.

It was a swift and dramatic alienation from the fastest growing bloc of voters in the entire electorate.

President George W. Bush won at least 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004 with the help of his conservative social policies, his support of immigration reform, and his abiding popularity in the heavily Hispanic Texas and his occasional use of the Spanish language.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/07/hispanic-voters-may-feel-alienated/

ACLU attorney debunks immigration ‘lies, myths and urban legends’

Misconceptions about immigration — both legal and illegal — continue to cause problems in a system that produces more questions than answers, according to attorney Philip Berns.

Berns spoke in the fourth-floor cafeteria of the Government Center on Sunday morning, and he tried to impress upon the 15 people gathered the “Catch-22” nature of immigration at the event, sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Fairfield County.

“We have to commit to learning immigration law,” Berns said. “The two most complex areas of U.S. law are tax law and immigration law. When someone makes a mistake in an immigration case, it can have lifelong effects. Being deported means exile to a country that’s changed since (those affected) were there.”

http://www.thehour.com/story/481871

Prospects for Immigration Reform Legislation

Given the jockeying that goes on to get mentioned in a State of the Union speech, it is not surprising that insiders pushing the immigration reform agenda celebrated success. Their issue made it into the speech, reaffirming that the president’s commitment remains alive and well.

Outsiders, however, were disappointed and displeased because the call “to continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system” fell far short of the rallying cry they wanted to hear. The blogosphere kicked into high gear, mostly pronouncing immigration legislation dead for 2010.

That a single sentence at a precarious political moment could be seen so differently is a fitting metaphor for assessing the prospects for comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. This latest round has again delivered a glass-half-full, half-empty outlook.

On the half-full side, there is the new importance of bipartisanship as the platform for progress in the wake of the Republican Senate election victory in Massachusetts. Senators Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) continue work on a bill that they hope to introduce as a bipartisan measure for their colleagues to take up.

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=ae169357660bcd9b46d907e7c3f15030

Up for the count: Effort encourages Berks County Latinos to take part in census

Latinos in poor communities are among those who stand to benefit the most from the 2010 Census, and yet they are the group that is least likely to participate.

So local census volunteers and community activists are attempting to educate Latinos about the census, what it means to them and why they should participate.

The message, simply put, is that funding for social services and other government programs that benefit Latinos will be hurt if fewer Latinos are counted.

Many of those programs receive funding based on population.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=193949

Census chief works to calm deportation fears

Laredo, Texas (CNN) — The hardened dirt road turns off Highway 359 and runs under a simple iron archway. It’s an easily forgettable entryway into one of the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, the San Carlos “colonia” on the outskirts of this Texas border town.

When you cross, it’s like entering a different world.

Anabeli Rendon, a 14-year-old high school freshman, stands outside a dilipated orange cinder-block shed where she lived with her mother and young sister just a couple years ago. They had to run an extension cord from a nearby house to get electricity.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/02/census.poor.communities/?hpt=C2

Obama Plans Bipartisan Summit on Health Care

WASHINGTON — President Obama said Sunday that he would convene a half-day bipartisan health care session at the White House to be televised live this month, a high-profile gambit that will allow Americans to watch as Democrats and Republicans try to break their political impasse.
Mr. Obama made the announcement in an interview on CBS during the Super Bowl pre-game show, capitalizing on a vast television audience. He set out a plan that would put Republicans on the spot to offer their own ideas on health care and show whether both sides are willing to work together.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/us/politics/08webobama.html

President Obama Grilled on Superbowl Sunday

Obama Addresses Health Care, Economy and National Security in Wide-Ranging Interview
The Indianapolis Colts and New Orlean Saints weren’t the only ones under pressure on Superbowl Sunday.
President Obama, wearing a casual blue button-down shirt and tan khakis, was grilled in a live, pre-game interview by CBS’s Katie Couric on issues ranging from health care reform, national-deficit reduction, and national security.

The president defended his push for health care reform, saying health insurance premiums would “keep on beating down families, small businesses, large businesses — it’s going to be a huge drain on the economy. We’re going to have to do something about it. I think we can.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-discusses-health-care-economy-national-security/story?id=9773410

News Clips Feb 4, 2010

Hispanics urged to be counted in upcoming census

Complete count of population could bring Nevada extra government funding

Hispanic residents gathered Wednesday to learn about the 2010 Census and how minorities’ participation can help improve Southern Nevada communities.

The event in front of Cardenas Market, 4421 East Bonanza Road, was part of the 2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour, which is scheduled to make more than 800 stops nationwide.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/04/hispanics-urged-be-counted-upcoming-census/

Will Abel Maldonado Become GOP’s First Hispanic Lt. Governor in Calif?

California State Senator Abel Maldonado is hoping to become the state’s first Hispanic Republican lieutenant governor in modern times, but Democrats aren’t sure whether to approve his nomination.

The state Senate today began its confirmation hearing on the matter.

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/politics/2010/2/3/will_abel_maldonado_become_gops_first.htm

ICE agents conduct city-wide immigration bust

HOUSTON—Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials raided several Houston businesses Tuesday as part of a city-wide immigration bust.
Shortly after 9 a.m., ICE agents raided People’s Express in the 7200 block of Long Drive and took a number of people into custody.

http://www.khou.com/home/ICE-Agents-conduct-city-wide-immigration-bust-83355697.html

ICE and Big Business: Too Close for Comfort

Today, workers, along with immigrant and civil rights advocates, exposed evidence of a disturbing and dangerous attack on workers’ rights by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). Testimony in the case David et al. v. Signal et al. has revealed that high level executives of defense contractor Signal International worked closely with ICE and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to quash organizing efforts by courageous workers from India who were allegedly caught in a human trafficking ring.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marielena-hincapie/ice-and-big-business-too_b_448277.html

Immigration reform risky for Dems

Immigration reform may seem a distant priority for a ruling party that’s made the increasingly elusive goals of job creation and health care reform its primary focus in 2010.

Nevertheless, President Barack Obama and top congressional Democrats have signaled that, as Obama said in his State of the Union address, “fixing our broken immigration system” remains at the top of their legislative To Do list before the midterm elections.

But Democrats push immigration reform legislation, which would include amnesty for illegal residents, at their own peril. With employment persisting at 10 percent, addressing immigration risks reviving the grass-roots backlashes that have thus far defined the Obama presidency.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32472.html

Latino museum wins arts excellence award

Maruca Salazar won the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2005 for past work in the Chicano art movement.

But winning it this year for the Museo de las Americas signals the work that lies ahead for the institution she has led for less than a year.

“It was a very pleasant surprise and welcome surprise,” said Salazar, who was named executive director of Museo de las Americas last May. “It will allow us to have a better standing and to recognize so many volunteers and sponsors who donated and contributed so much to (keep) this institution vibrant and alive.”

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_14329511#ixzz0eZcpoGEw