Thursday, October 22, 2009

Blogging in two languages: Bilingual student from Texas becomes ACT’s second Hispanic student blogger

Blogging in two languages: Bilingual student from Texas becomes ACT’s second Hispanic student blogger
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 2, Issue 2

Lisa Marie Cantú, a senior at La Joya High School in La Joya, Texas, has always wanted to be a writer and journalist. She will have an opportunity to do just that as ACT’s first bilingual student blogger.

But Lisa is not new to writing. Her dossier includes three first-place awards, three third-place awards and two fourth-place awards for journalism/editorial/headline writing at the Congressional Youth Leadership Council state conference in 2008. She was also Jimmy Carter High School’s 2007-2008 yearbook editor.

The 17-year-old reads, writes and speaks Spanish as fluently as she does English and says she’s been in love with writing from a young age.

“Ever since I was in elementary school, paper and pencils have been my escape from everyday life,” said Lisa. And she has adults to back her up. “My fifth-grade teachers questioned me when I returned from recess with a pen and paper in my hand. My answer was simple - I love it.”

Lisa is a prolific teen who aims high. She is a member of the junior Jewelettes, La Joya High School’s cheerleading team, she plays softball and is also a budding actress. Even with such a swamped schedule, Lisa is following a distinguished achievement academic plan and takes several advanced courses.

“I do not let the pressures of my teen years control or limit me to less than my own expectations. I have nothing but hope for myself.”

Lisa will share with ACT readers the way she handles such pressures as well as her plans for the future. Meet Lisa and read what she has to say about getting ready for college – in either Spanish or English – at www.actstudent.org/blog.

Sobre ACT
ACT es una organización independiente, sin fines de lucro que proporciona más de cien soluciones de evaluación, investigación, información, y administración de programas en las áreas de educación y desarrollo de la fuerza laboral. Cada año, ACT sirve a millones de personas de las escuelas preparatorias, universidades o colegios de la comunidad, asociaciones profesionales, empresas y agencias del gobierno, tanto en el ámbito nacional como en el internacional. Ahora que celebra su 50 º aniversario, ACT ofrece una amplia variedad de soluciones que comparten un propósito orientador: ayudar a las personas a lograr el éxito en la educación y en el área de trabajo. Si desea más información acerca de ACT, visite www.act.org.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Texas Gov. appoints first Hispanic femail to state Supreme Court

- Texas Gov. appoints first Hispanic femail to state Supreme Court
The Texas Insider

Gov. Rick Perry today appointed Appellate Justice Eva M. Guzman of Cypress as the first Hispanic female to serve on the Supreme Court of Texas for a term to expire at the next general election. Guzman was recently recognized by the Hispanic National Bar Association as Latina Judge of the Year and as 2009 Judge of the Year by the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas Foundation. “Justice Guzman is known throughout legal circles as a strict constructionist with an unmatched work ethic, and has demonstrated a proven record of sound jurisprudence,” Gov. Perry said. “I am proud to appoint this principled, conservative judge as the first Hispanic woman on the Supreme Court of Texas.”

Latina recognized with the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award

- Latina recognized with the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol 2, Issue 1

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), U.S. Department of Commerce, proudly announces the winner of the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award for Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week 2009. The recipient, Theresa Alvillar-Speake, was honored at the Annual Awards Gala held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award recognizes individuals who are willing to take risks to achieve change and who have demonstrated exceptional leadership by significantly enhancing the development of diversity in the domestic and worldwide economies.

Theresea Alvillar-Speake has been involved in the area of small and minority business development since the late 1970s. She began her career at the Fresno, California region in 1972 as the Administrative Assistant at the National Economic Development Association (NEDA), a national non-profit organization responsible for promoting minority business development, and worked her way up the career ladder to Marketing Analyst and Director. In addition to starting her own non-profit organization, NEDA San Joaquin, Ms. Alvillar-Speake has received awards from numerous civic and professional organizations throughout her career.

Ms. Alvillar-Speake showed innovation by establishing the NEDA pilot “Minority Plan Room” which provides minority contractors with procurement opportunities and mechanisms to effectively identify projects, develop proposals and submit bids. She promoted diversity by opening doors for women, people of color, veterans, and small and minority businesses.

Ms. Alvillar-Speake is very involved in the community and MBDA. She also serves on more than 10 community organizations and groups.

Ms. Alvillar-Speake was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in August of 2001. As the first Hispanic ever to head the office, she provided guidance and direction to the Secretary of Energy on the impact of energy policies, procedures and programs on minorities, minority institutions and minority businesses. During her tenure the department increased awards to minority firms to $1.4 billion in FY 2008. She received several awards for her leadership while at DOE.

Ms. Alvillar-Speake also served as the Associate Director for Program Development at MBDA and instituted policies and procedures designed to increase outreach to the minority business community.

U.S. Department of Commerce, serves minority entrepreneurs across America who are building and growing enterprises. MBDA helps minority-owned firms be better equipped to create jobs, impact local economies and competing successfully in domestic and global marketplaces. With a nationwide network of more than 40 business centers and strategic partners, MBDA assists minority entrepreneurs and business owners with consulting services, contract and financing opportunities, bonding and certification services, building business-to-business alliances and executive training.

"Solo Para Mujeres" exposes for Latina breast cancer Awareness

- "Solo Para Mujeres" exposes for Latina breast cancer Awareness
CMN Events

CMN, Viva Entertainment and Planet MAC announced that the highly popular male review show “Solo Para Mujeres” (“For Women Only”) will stop at Chicago’s Rosemont Theatre as part of the Mexican theatrical production’s 2009 U.S. Tour on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 p.m. CST.

For the very first time in entertainment history, U.S. Hispanic women will be the focus of a tour. Planet MAC approached the “Solo Para Mujeres” (SPM) group, which largely targets women, to step up and help change women's lives. Along with the American Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF), the organizations are reaching out to help protect Hispanic women from becoming part of the growing number of victims of undetected breast cancer. Current statistics show that Hispanic women are less likely to get breast cancer, but more likely to die of it due to lack of detection and intervention. Every 13 minutes, a woman dies of breast cancer in the United States. Alarming numbers show that the leading cause of cancer deaths in Hispanic women ages 18 - 40 is due to breast cancer.

The ABCF is one of the few foundations whose funds go directly to the patients and to detection and prevention programs. ABCF provides free mammogram vouchers and financial assistance to those uninsured or under insured.

Tickets for the show, priced at $95, $85, $65, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges, are now on sale and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Rosemont Theatre Box Office, located at 5400 N. River Road in Rosemont, IL. For more information, please call 312-492-6424.

“Solo Para Mujeres” is currently touring the U.S. with performances scheduled in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas, San Jose and Denver. SPM is a show crafted for a female audience and performed in a classy cabaret theater presentation that includes 10 themed costume changes. Choreographed by the industries most respected producers, SPM has kept audiences thrilled for more than a decade!
SPM's entourage has many current soap opera and television stars that include the show’s producer, Sergio Mayer, as well as Alexis Ayala, Latin Lover, Juan Carlos Franzoni, Arturo Vasquez, Chao, Felipe Sanchez, Marco Corleone, Miguel Angel Montfort, Pepe Gamez, Ulises de la Torre, Perro Aguayo Jr., Ferdinando Valencia, Tony Vela, Jorge Boyli and Clever.