Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Latina hangs tough in Governor's race

Dark Horse with a Shovel
By Ruben Navarrette, www.rubennavarrette.com, February 24, 2010

SAN DIEGO -- If you think a little thing like entertaining the preposterous theory that the U.S. government toppled the Twin Towers would end someone's candidacy for governor, then you don't know Texas politics.

I know a little. I spent five years working for The Dallas Morning News and had the chance to interview Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison numerous times. They are the front-runners in this year's Republican gubernatorial primary, scheduled for March 2. More.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Latina businesswoman honored by Farmers Insurance

Latina businesswoman honored by Farmers Insurance
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 3, Issue 4

Luisa Acosta-Franco, Vice President of Multicultural Marketing for Farmers Insurance extended their “Extraordinary Entrepreneur” award to Griselda Barajas of “Griselda’s Catering” at an evening reception co-hosted by Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (H.O.P.E.), the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the California Latino Legislative Caucus held at Sacramento’s historic “Grand Ballroom.”

Griselda launched her first business venture a restaurant in downtown Sacramento called the “Tex-Mex Restaurant.” It quickly became the place for political, business, and international leaders to meet for lunch. Seeing an opportunity to provide catering services for the many political and social events planned in the Sacramento region, Griselda launched “Griselda’s Catering.” Her ambitions extended into California’s state capitol building when she landed the food vending contracts for the main dining hall and the 6th floor snack bar. Today she is owner and CEO of Griselda’s Ventures Inc., a multi-vending service company that includes providing food service for private airlines. As the former Chair of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Griselda was recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit and for continuing to be a strong advocate for small business owners and minorities in the community.

HOPE is the premier Latina leadership, advocacy and education organization in California. They are dedicated to the continuous development of Latinas leaders statewide through its different programs and conferences.

As the leading insurer of automobiles in California, Farmers utilizes a statewide network of exclusive agents who are small business owners themselves. Farmers is committed to seeking out and providing small business ownership opportunities to talented individuals and offers extensive training and incentive programs to aid in their agents' success.

Latina reaches new heights with play

Award winning Latina exposes the complexities of life, relationships
The Latino Journal E-News, Vol. 3, Issue 4

When a couple marries the least thing either suspects is a dark hidden secret, that if found out could lead to the failure of their marriage. Such is the case in a new play called “Don’t Call Me Baby” opening March 5, 2010, at CASA 0101 located in the Boyle Heights district of Los Angeles, California, where the husband finds out his wife is a former prostitute. Typically, such a story is told from the husband’s or the wife’s point of view, creating a biased perspective. But, in the case of “Don’t Call Me Baby” it was written from a third person and qualified counselor, Dr. Anna Nogales.

A well-known and respected Latina originally from Argentina, Dr. Nogales has tackled complex marital and relationship issues with a full understanding of how Latino culture intervenes in these delicate matters. Since opening her private practice in 1982 in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, she has dedicated herself to ensuring the mental health and success of women, Latinos, and anyone else who struggles with cultural and personal issues, victimization, and inequality.

“A lot of people don’t open up because they feel they need to protect themselves,” Dr. Nogales told the Latino Journal in an interview last year. “They create an emotional distance that may take their whole life to undo.”

Such is the situation in her play “Don’t Call Me Baby.” It is a story about a couple that seeks counseling after the husband finds out his wife used to be a prostitute. As the story unfolds, we find that the true victim has been the wife.

In addition to the play, Dr. Nogales has written several books, including her most recent “PARENTS WHO CHEAT: How Children and Adults Are Affected When Their Parents Are Unfaithful” (released by HCI: Health Communications Inc. - June 2009).

“The book is a positive one because it talks about forgiveness,” says Dr. Nogales. “But, we have to be truthful that forgiveness is not such a simple thing, it may be a life-long process.”

Don’t Call Me Baby! is directed by Emmanuel Deleage and produced by Josefina Lopez and Lorena Alvarado.

Emmanuel Deleage is a resident director at Casa 0101. He recently directed “8 Ways to Say I Love My Life and Mean It!” which won the 2009 Imagen Award for “Best Live Theatrical Production”. He is a former director and performer with the Los Angeles Poverty Department, a skid row based theater troupe.

CASA 0101 is dedicated to providing vital arts, cultural and educational programs to Boyle Heights, thereby nurturing the future storytellers of Los Angeles who will someday transform the world and is a 501 C 3 non-profit organization.

Don’t Call Me Baby! Show times are Friday’s & Saturday’s at 8 pm and Sunday’s at 7 pm in English and Sundays at 3 pm in Spanish.

Tickets are $15.00 General Admission,
$12.00 Students & Seniors and
$10 for Boyle Heights residents with ID.
Group rates 10+ $12 per person

For ticket reservations, please call 323-263-7684 or reserve online at www.Casa0101.org

CASA 0101 is located in Boyle Heights at 2009 E. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Latina writer fills needed role

Pulitzer-nominated Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, a woman for all seasons
By Al Carlos Hernandez, January 30, 2010

LOS ANGELES (Herald de Paris) – Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, with more than one million books currently in print. Time Magazine named Ms. Valdes-Rodriguez one of the twenty-five, “Most Influential Hispanics,” in the United States. Hispanic Business magazine has twice named Ms. Valdes-Rodriguez one of the nation’s top one hundred most powerful Hispanics. Latina Magazine named her, “Woman of the Year,” and Entertainment Weekly hailed Alisa as a, “Breakout Literary Star.” More.

Hispanic Women Bring Home the Bacon as Families Tighten Their Belts

Hispanic Women Bring Home the Bacon as Families Tighten Their Belts
Janet MurguĂ­a, Huffington Post, February 2, 2010

This week, Catherine Singley, our economic policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), joined Ana Roca Castro (Latinos in Social Media), Marisa Trevino (Latina Lista), and Veronica Arreola (Viva la Feminista!) for a radio interview on Latinos and the workforce titled "How Are Latino Families Changing as Latinas Bring Home the Bacon?" The panel covered issues ranging from unemployment to child care to family dynamics.

As the nation's largest and fastest-growing community, Latinos are an unshakeable voting bloc, a strong consumer group, and an indispensable workforce. Yet the heavy presence of Latinos in such vital industries as construction, service occupations, agriculture, and production has made them especially vulnerable to job loss during this recession. Federal economic recovery efforts based on the philosophy that "a rising tide lifts all boats" have still not reached some of the communities hit hardest by unemployment and foreclosure. As breadwinners and caretakers, many Hispanic women -- Latinas -- have been dealt a harsh blow by the bad economy.

America's Latina workforce is eight million strong and richly diverse, but the vast majority must face huge challenges in the labor market: low wages (a median of $501 per week, $50 less than black women and $150 less than white women) and severely limited access to employer-based benefits including health care, retirement plans, and paid leave.

What's more, the economic crisis is turning up the pressure on Latinas to build their entire families' economic security on this weak foundation. A new poll shows that 56% of working Latinas are responsible for more than half of their household's income. Even before the recession began, Census data showed that nearly one-quarter (24.1%) of Hispanic children relied on their mothers alone to sustain the family.

While it is yet to be seen how the changing gender composition of the workforce is playing out among Latino familias, one thing is certain: without a plan to create jobs immediately and tackle inequalities in the labor market, Hispanic families' inroads to the middle class will become more treacherous and Latinas will pay the price.

What can we do to stabilize families and neighborhoods and restart the economy? NCLR offers three ways to take action:

• Read NCLR's recommendations for job creation.
• Learn more about the challenges that Latino workers face and policies to level the playing field for all workers.
• Take action to tell your elected officials that any new jobs legislation must reach the hardest-hit communities.