Friday, June 1, 2012

Latina labor leader recognized for her contributions to America

Dolores Huerta was recently recognized by President Barack Obama when he presented her with the Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to a civilian for their contributions to American society.  The Public Broadcast System interviewed this great leader before she received the Medal.  Here is that interview:



Tuesday, May 29, 2012

From one Latina to another, Solis comments on Huerta's Medal

Statement by Secretary Solis on Dolores Huerta receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON D.C.  -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the selection of Dolores Huerta for the Presidential Medal of Freedom: 

"As a young girl growing up in La Puente, Calif., I was mesmerized by images of Dolores Huerta. I remember seeing in the newspaper the iconic photo of her holding up the HUELGA sign and seeing her on television, standing behind Robert F. Kennedy just seconds before he was assassinated. 

"I thought she was beautiful, with a mane of raven-colored hair, eyes that danced, and a soft, sweet voice that carried an extraordinary message whenever she spoke to crowds. But for me, her true beauty came from the inside. She lived an authentic life, in service to others. Her passion was and is justice. She has for more than half a century dedicated her life to helping the men and women who harvest America's fields. She has advocated for non-violent protest and has taught people that they have both the personal power and the responsibility to work together to improve their lives. Back then, I never dreamed that I would ever meet her, let alone have the honor of calling her my friend.

"I don't know if Dolores inspired me to become a public servant, but I do know that she inspired -- and insisted -- that I become the best public servant I could be. We got to know each other in the early 1990s, when I was in the California State Legislature. Wherever there was injustice . . . Dolores was there. I remember one of our first meetings as if it were yesterday: I was serving in the State Senate and working with a group of female farmworkers who were organizing a union. There were reports of violence during the campaign, and Dolores came to my office in Sacramento to see me. 

"She showed me a video of a man brutally throwing an entire crate of strawberries on the head of a woman working in the fields. When the video concluded, she looked up at me and simply said, 'We need to do something. Let's get to work.' And we did, crafting legislation and collaborating closely with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board in California. Our efforts made a difference. 

"Dolores was no stranger to acts of violence or threats of intimidation against her. At the age of 58, she was beaten and nearly killed by a San Francisco police officer during a non-violent and lawful protest. She suffered broken bones but never a broken spirit. 

"Today, President Obama will honor her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for a lifetime dedicated to workers' rights and social justice. She joins the ranks of other luminaries throughout history, including Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa, who have received this much-deserved honor. 

"At 82 years young, Dolores still continues to empower people through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which organizes low-income immigrant communities in the Central San Joaquin Valley for better access to education, health care, fair lending and a cleaner environment. Her passion for justice has expanded to include women's equality, reproductive rights and LGBT issues. Her dancing eyes and sweet voice continue to inspire people across the country and around the world, just like they did for a young girl from La Puente who grew up to be the first Latina in a president's Cabinet. Today, she is my mentor, adviser and wonderful friend. And she is still beautiful." 


SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor

Monday, March 26, 2012

Latina Congresswoman could face callenge in reelection

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez Could Be Challenged By Puerto Rican

The New York Puerto Rican congresswoman defends her performance


by José A. Delgado | jdelgado@elnuevodia.com, El Nuevo Día (March 25, 2012)

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who is Puerto Rican, could face the challenge of a New York City Councilman of Puerto Rican origin, en route to the Democratic primary next June 26.

Councilman Eric Martin Dilan, whose father, Martin Malave Dilan, was born in Puerto Rico and is a New York State Senator, has announced his intention to challenge Velázquez for the federal seat she occupies in the lower house of the US Congress, which was redistricted after the 2010 Census.

Two other lesser-known candidates intend to run for the position.

Being a predominantly Democratic district, with a strong boricua and Dominican base, the winner of the primary would be virtually assured election to the United States House of Representatives in the November general election.

Velazquez's district - which has included areas of Brooklyn, Queens and a portion of lower Manhattan - was added an area with a high Jewish population, where the Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair and an ally of Dilan, Vito Lopez, is very strong politically, political commentator Angelo Falcón told El Nuevo Dia today.

Although Dilan has the support of the Democratic machine of Brooklyn, Velazquez has two decades in office and is long-established, said Falcón, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP), with offices in New York.

About 43% of the population of the Velazquez' district is Hispanic.

"As I move around the district and I ask people what has been her greatest achievement, people do not have an answer," Dilan said, according to the local cable TV news station "New York 1."

Velazquez, however, defends her performance and welcomed the possible challenge.

"I'm very proud of my record. It is his prerogative, but it will be an interesting experience for Dilan, "said Velazquez, who was the first and, so far, only Puerto Rican woman in Congress.

She was also the first Hispanic woman to chair a committee of the House of Representatives. She is currently the ranking minority party member on the Small Business Committee, which she headed from 2007 to 2010.

"No matter who the challenger, she's a formidable incumbent, a reformer in her county," said Falcón, who noted that Velazquez has a clean record as a government official.

Another who could face a primary challenge is Congressman Charles Rangel, a Democrat from a district that includes parts of upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who is Dominican-born, has indicated that he is considering a challenge to the veteran Rangel, who has spent four decades in Congress and whose image has been affected after being censured by the full federal lower house, after it was determined that he incurred ethical violations.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Latina to challenge Eggman in 13th Assembly District


Paderes stakes claim to Assembly race

Xochitl Paderes.  Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
TRACY, CA -- Challenges are nothing new for Xochitl Paderes. The Tracy native had her first child at the age of 15, earned top-secret clearance while in the Marine Corps and has a job streamlining the state’s bureaucracy.

Now, she’s taking on Stockton Democrat Susan Eggman for a seat in the state Assembly.

Paderes declared earlier this year that she seeks to represent Tracy, Mountain House and the rest of the 13th Assembly District. And the Democrat who’s volunteered with the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, Tracy Interfaith Ministries and the Guadalupe Center in South Side Tracy says her roots are vital to giving the region the representation it deserves.

“(I hear) local leaders growing increasingly concerned about a growing distance between elected leaders and the Central Valley,” Paderes said, adding that while Stockton is the district’s largest city, it’s not the only one that matters.

“People need to know each issue that comes from the city (of Stockton) is just as important as those that come from others.”

The 36-year-old mother of three who calls Stockton home doesn’t have experience as an elected official. But Paderes says her experience with software and technology for the California Department of Fish and Game gives her insight into state government that few representatives have.

Paderes said that while many elected leaders have no idea about the state’s numerous commissions, boards and audit process, she has a firsthand look at the inefficiencies that can hold back government.

“(I have) a whole different level of experience … and perspective that a lot of people don’t have,” Paderes said.

Her work developing software to streamline the fiscal process for the fish and game department has its roots in her four years of active military service. At the Pentagon, she worked in communications and network engineering, including work on the World Wide Web when it was still in its infancy.

But, she said, her motivation for joining the military was her first child — and having someone tell her that she wouldn’t be able to cut it as a Marine.

“My decision to join the Marine Corps was because I wanted to be a responsible mother to my son,” she said, adding that her family was hugely supportive.

Now, the 36-year-old’s first child is 20 years old, and she is married and has two more children, ages 15 and 10.

And it’s her family, past and present, that have inspired her to serve, Paderes said, citing her World War II veteran grandfather’s remark that he was only fighting “to protect and serve.”

“My desire isn’t to be a politician,” Paderes said, “it’s to continue serving my community.”

Policy-wise, Paderes said she recognizes the importance of strong public schools, and that there need to be “strategic and achievable goals” with the state budget.

Though she supports a tax increase proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown, she called it a short-term fix to a wide-ranging problem, and suggested that raising taxes alone isn’t going to solve the problem.

“We’re putting duct tape on a bucket that’s filled with holes,” she said.

Paderes also rejects the idea of building a peripheral canal or tunnel to send water around, not through, the lower reaches of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, an estuary that provides water for part of San Joaquin County’s $1 billion-a-year agriculture industry.

As of last week, the California Secretary of State’s website, Paderes, had no campaign contributions to report as of the most recent filing deadline.

However, the candidate’s website claims endorsements from the Tracy Police Officers Association, California Nurses’ Association and California Professional Firefighters.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Latina Scout leader to be recognized by US Hispanic Chamber



Hispanic Business reports that The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce today announced it would honor Anna Maria Chávez with its 2012 Chairman's Award at an event titled "A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurship in America" during the Chamber's Legislative Summit gala. The Summit will take place in Washington, D.C., on March 21-23, 2012.
The annual gala honors and recognizes the affect that Hispanic businesswomen have in America.
The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Nina Vaca said: "The annual Chairman's Award is presented to an individual who stands out as a leading advocate of Hispanic entrepreneurship in America. Through her work with the Girl Scouts, the nation's largest organization for girls, Anna Maria Chávez is a true inspiration for young women in America and continues to help shape tomorrow's leaders through innovative and supportive programs."
Chávez said that she is "deeply honored to accept the The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's 2012 Chairman's Award."
"I am especially honored because entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills are essential components of the Girl Scout experience," she added. "The Girl Scout Cookie Program alone is the largest girl-led business in the country providing immeasurable benefits to girls and their communities. We reach girls from every sector of society and empower them to realize their full potential as leaders—as young women who have the courage and confidence to make our world a better place. I look forward to a future in which our young girls will be standing in my place for their remarkable and meaningful achievements."
The Girl Scout Cookie Program generates more than $750 million in sales. It aims to teach the Girl Scouts five essential business skills: goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. The Girl Scouts organization says that it has nearly 325,000 Hispanic Girl Scouts and adult volunteers, an increase of more than 50% in the past decade.

Friday, December 9, 2011


Cosmopolitan Magazine Announces Strategy to Reach Hispanic Market
Includes Stand-Alone Edition to Launch May 2012






NEW YORK, NY, Dec 09, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Cosmopolitan, the best-selling young women's magazine in the U.S., announced today that the title is creating a strategy to help advertisers reach the growing Hispanic market.

"Today, Cosmo reaches nearly one in four Hispanic women in the U.S. over the age of 18 and is the number one monthly magazine in English that reaches Latinas," said Donna Kalajian Lagani, SVP, publishing director and chief revenue officer of Cosmopolitan. "Advertisers are focusing sharply on the Hispanic market, but the untold story is that the new generation of Latina is consuming her media in English, and is looking for content that is just for her. We feel that Cosmo is uniquely positioned to help advertisers reach this audience."

The magazine is creating a Cosmo-branded editorial package aimed at the English-speaking Hispanic audience that will include a twice-yearly stand-alone print and digital edition called Cosmopolitan Latina to launch in May 2012, as well as bonus content in targeted copies of the monthly edition of Cosmo.

Michelle Herrera Mulligan has been tapped as editor of the stand-alone edition. Most recently the managing editor of LasFabulosas.com, Herrera Mulligan is a journalist with 10 years of experience capturing the surging Latina voice in the U.S.

"I'm thrilled to be part of this project," said Herrera Mulligan. "By speaking our bicultural language, Cosmo shows that it's in touch with the exploding Latino demographic. And who better to celebrate the indomitable Latina spirit than the Fun, Fearless, Female?"

"Launching new businesses that address the ever-changing needs of consumers is something that we do especially well," said David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines. "Cosmopolitan is taking a smart step into the future by focusing on a growing segment of the population that is eager for media that speaks to them."

To kick off the initiative, Cosmopolitan is partnering with Aegis Media's Carat to share key findings from a groundbreaking new research study, CCS Latino, with the media community. "The research clearly shows that there is a sizable segment of the female Hispanic population that feels strongly about both their Latina and American sides," said Laura Hernandez, SVP, multicultural, Carat. "She is making strong, independent brand choices, and traditional Latino channels are not meeting her media needs. As we continue seeing the evolution to 'Total Market,' this is the kind of untapped opportunity for the media community that Cosmo is taking a pioneering role in."

The study includes insights into behavior, affinity and purchasing patterns, and will be unveiled at a breakfast at the Hearst Tower today.

About Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan ( www.cosmopolitan.com ) is the best-selling young women's magazine in the U.S., a bible for fun, fearless females that reaches more than 18 million readers a month. Cosmopolitan delivers the latest news on men and love, fashion and beauty, women's health and self-improvement, and entertainment. Readers can also interact with the brand on the digital front, with Cosmopolitan.com, reaching 4 million unique users a month. Cosmopolitan is also available on apps for the iPhone and iPad, and via Cosmo Radio, the only magazine-branded radio channel of its kind, available on Sirius XM Channel 109. In addition to the U.S. flagship, Cosmopolitan publishes 64 print magazine editions around the world. Cosmopolitan is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst Corporation ( www.hearst.com ), one of the nation's largest diversified communications companies. With its acquisition of Lagardere SCA's 100 titles in 14 countries outside of France, Hearst Magazines now publishes more than 300 editions around the world, including 20 U.S. titles. Hearst Magazines the largest publisher of monthly magazines in the U.S. (ABC 2011) and reaches 87 million adults (Spring 2011 MRI).

About Carat USA Carat USA, an Aegis Media Group company, is a global independent media communications network, with over 100 offices in over 80 countries. Carat provides a full range of services, including media and market research; communications planning; media planning and buying; multicultural communications; corporate trade; branded entertainment; direct and digital marketing; experiential and sponsorship services; and marketing analytics and consulting.

About the Study & Methodology The Carat Hispanic Consumer Connection Study, referred to as CCS Latino, is a proprietary study to measure Hispanic's lifestyles, attitudes, passions, media use including digital, social and mobile as well as overall advertising receptivity. It originated with a custom survey questionnaire administered to a total of 2,019 Hispanic adults ages 18 and older, with 1,519 administered online to a random set of respondents and 500 collected via a telephone re-contact methodology. The telephone re-contact sample was randomly selected among prior respondents to the Experian Simmons NCS/NHCS survey and included Spanish dominant Hispanics and English dominant/bilingual Hispanics. Responses were then modeled against Simmons NCS/NHCS survey of nearly 7,000 consumers.