FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

How a Growing Electorate Will Help Shape 2012 Outcomes 

Washington—As the fastest-growing segment of the electorate, Latino voters are a key constituency that both Democrats and Republicans will court heavily throughout the 2012 elections. To win the White House, it is estimated that a Republican candidate will need 40 percent of the Latino vote, while a Democrat will need to carry 60 percent. Growth among Hispanic populations nationally has not only increased their voting power in traditional Hispanic hubs such as California, Florida, and Texas, but has also strengthened their influence in states with burgeoning Latino populations such as North Carolina and Indiana.

How will the growth of the Latino voting bloc play out on Election Day? NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will answer that question and others next Tuesday when it hosts a panel discussion specifically designed for the media. Leading experts in civic engagement will address key factors that will affect where, why, and for whom Latinos will turn out to vote. Speakers will touch on important topics such as the geography of the Latino vote, party affiliation and loyalty, strategies for courting Latinos, and what polling tells us about America’s Latino voter.

This event will be held specifically for members of the media, and RSVPs are required. Contact Julian Teixeira, Communications Director, NCLR, via email at jteixeira@nclr.org or by calling (202) 776-1812.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:
- Clarissa Martínez De Castro, Director, Civic Engagement and Immigration, NCLR
- Dr. Matt Barreto, Principal, Latino Decisions
- Dr. Gary Segura, Principal, Latino Decisions

WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 
12:30–1:30 p.m. EST (lunch will be available at 12:15) 

WHERE: Raul Yzaguirre Building
1126 16th Street, NW, Sixth Floor 
Washington, D.C. 20036

(For those reporters outside of Washington, DC, teleconference capabilities will be available. RSVP to receive the dial-in information.)

TO RSVP: Contact Julian Teixeira via email at jteixeira@nclr.org or call (202) 776-1812.

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

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By Janis Bowdler, Director, Wealth-Building Policy Project

Over the past month, the Obama administration has achieved several Home for Good victories for homeowners and consumers. Among them was the bold move Obama made to appoint the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to defend consumers from abusive financial services and scams. NCLR commends the president for making this recess appointment particularly at a time when noxious politics fly in the face of strong policy. Obama also advanced provisions that will help unemployed homeowners remain in their homes for up to 12 months while they secure a new job; this is a vast improvement from previous three- and six-month time frames allotted. Finally, the administration announced the creation of a new working group that will investigate and take on offenders and abusers of the housing crisis.

Each of these incremental changes rebuilds a better financial future for those struggling to make ends meet; however, the president has been slow to offer a reform strategy for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While the administration made a significant move to break open the yet untouchable loans in Fannie and Freddie—they tripled incentives for granting homeowners principal reductions—there remains a fly in the ointment. The adoption of principal reductions for Fannie and Freddie lies in the hands of Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). DeMarco has refused to write down these mortgages. Since placed in his temporary FHFA position, he has become known for his narrow view of Fannie and Freddie’s role in aiding the recovery of our housing market. The added incentives remove one of the arguments he has made against principal reduction.

Principal writedowns have proven to be one of the most effective methods of helping underwater families hold onto their homes and preserve our neighborhoods. When compared with the holding costs and the loss of selling a home for pennies on the dollar at a sheriff sale, it is not difficult to see that principal reduction is a win for investors, neighborhoods, and families. The new incentives for principal reduction are not wholesale solutions; they are promising course corrections that can rebuild the housing market. If DeMarco does not seize this new opportunity to help families, the White House must relieve DeMarco of his position and permanently appoint a new director.

Photo of Edward DeMarco courtesy of FHFA. 

This was first posted to the Shelterforce blog, Rooflines

By Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR and Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

Today, the Obama Administration and a coalition of state Attorneys General (AG) announced that they arrived at a $25 billion agreement with mortgage servicers in response to the “robosigning” scandal that broke 18 months ago. When New York AG Eric Schneiderman, California AG Kamala Harris, and Nevada AG Catherine Masto signed onto the agreement for their hardest hit states, it was a clear indication that this is a strong settlement for our families. We at the National Urban League (NUL) and National Council of La Raza (NCLR) celebrate this significant move as one in a series of essential enforcement steps that will restore the public’s faith in our housing system. The closure of these proceedings is incredibly important to healing our families and neighborhoods.

The entire nation has felt the burden of the enduring foreclosure crisis. Black and Hispanic homeowners have been especially hard hit. One in four Black and Hispanic borrowers in the U.S. lost homes or are at serious risk of losing their homes, more than half the number of White borrowers. Asian, Black, and Hispanic families were 1.7, 3, and 2.2 (respectively) times as likely as White borrowers to receive subprime loans even after accounting for similar credit profiles. Through foreclosures, our families have battled substantial wealth loss, emotional distress, and an uncertain financial future.

The AG settlement will bring relief to our families, with approximately $17 billion dedicated to principal reductions. Writing down principal has proven to be a win for both borrower and lender alike, especially when compared with the costs of foreclosure, property maintenance, and a sheriff’s sale for pennies on the dollar. However, up until this point, servicers have not made it a priority. This settlement and a recent announcement to increase incentives for principal reductions should compel servicers to help families and clear the logjam on write-downs. We are also confident that rapid uptake of these new resources will soon generate the empirical information needed to convince naysayers that write-downs are vital to stabilizing the market.

We are encouraged by the AG settlement and plan to do everything we can to ensure that affected families have access to these new resources. Finding homeowners is no small endeavor, especially finding those who have slipped through the cracks. Outreach will be an enormous undertaking in its own right and NUL and NCLR hope to deploy their housing programs to seek out eligible clients. Despite the challenges, we believe this AG settlement will set families up for success and will bring true accountability and systemic improvement to our housing market.  

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

Washington, D.C.—In a major victory for struggling homeowners who fell victim to predatory lending and wrongful foreclosures, today the Obama administration and a coalition of state Attorneys General announced a $25 billion settlement with five of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers—Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Ally Financial—providing much-needed aid to distressed homeowners.

“NCLR (National Council of La Raza) worked tirelessly alongside advocates, housing counselors, and champions within the administration and the Attorney General coalition to reach a strong settlement, which provides critical relief to families who have fallen through the cracks,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “The Attorneys General and the administration deserve a great deal of credit not only for giving immediate help to struggling homeowners but for also securing changes to the mortgage servicing system which will prevent these kinds of problems in the future.”

“The foreclosure crisis has had a devastating effect on Latino homeowners, many of whom have lost two-thirds of their wealth and now owe more than their homes are worth,” said Murguía. “This settlement will not repair all of the damage done to Latino homeowners, but it is a first installment of the relief that hardworking families desperately need and a critical step forward in stabilizing the housing market.”

The settlement will allot approximately $17 billion for principal reductions, refinances, and other forms of relief. This deal, coupled with an earlier announcement of major incentives for servicers to prioritize principal reductions, may help break the logjam on write-downs.

An additional $5 billion will be allocated to states to provide housing counseling and legal aid free of charge for families facing foreclosure and for victims of fraud. Congress zeroed out funding for housing counseling in 2011 and subsequently reinstated only about $45 million for the programs in 2012. Yet housing counseling is among the most successful and in-demand foreclosure prevention programs to date. The deal will also require the servicers to alter their servicing practices so that foreclosure prevention is a priority.

“We’re incredibly pleased that this deal thoughtfully invests funds into housing counseling and legal aid—two proven foreclosure prevention approaches that aid the most vulnerable. Borrowers who receive assistance from qualified organizations stand a better chance of receiving a sustainable mortgage modification and keeping their homes,” noted Murguía.

While this settlement does not remove all foreclosure challenges, it is a large piece of the puzzle that will hopefully lead toward broad reform and increased accountability in the mortgage servicing industry.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Schoolchildren surround Senator Max Baucus (D–MT), a member of the bipartisan conference committee charged with extending the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance, to urge him to defend the Child Tax Credit in the negotiations. For additional pictures, please click here.

Washington—On Thursday, February 9, children from CASA de Maryland, the Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School, and Mary’s Center traveled to Capitol Hill to visit a number of senators who will decide the fate of the Child Tax Credit. In order to pay for an extension of the payroll tax cut, Congress is currently debating eliminating access to the Child Tax Credit for taxpayers who use Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), the overwhelming majority of whom are Latino. The children delivered to committee members a number of drawings illustrating what this money means for their families.

“The typical family who would be affected by this cut earns only $21,000 a year and would see their taxes go up by 8 percent, resulting in a loss of $1,800 in take-home pay,” said Leticia Miranda, Senior Policy Advisor of the Economic and Employment Policy Project at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “This is money that parents need to keep food on the table and electricity and water running.”

NCLR worked with the First Focus Campaign for Children to coordinate yesterday’s event, during which the children visited the offices of senators currently debating the tax plan.

“Any restriction to the Child Tax Credit would hurt kids and threaten to drive up child poverty,” said Wendy Cervantes, Vice President of Immigration and Child Rights at the First Focus Campaign for Children. “Our children are counting on our nation’s leaders to make decisions on their behalf, and eliminating access to this important credit for any child is simply bad policy. We urge Congress to listen to the voices of children and make the right choice.”

For more information on the Child Tax Credit, please review the NCLR fact sheet.

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

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By Janis Bowdler, Director, Wealth-Building Policy Project, NCLR

Nearly a year and a half after news broke of widespread wrongful foreclosures at the hands of the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers, the federal government, and a coalition of state attorneys general (AG) have reached a solution that will deliver $25 billion in aid.

This is a landmark victory for struggling homeowners who have been waiting desperately for justice, accountability, and meaningful relief. While there is much to celebrate about the settlement, one of the most important parts is that reducing principal loan balances and other compensation will be mandatory. This is the vital ingredient that has been missing from so many other federal programs.

There is widespread agreement that resuscitating the housing market is critical to our broader economic recovery. It is also essential for the micro-economies of individual households and Latino households in particular. Latino families have lost two-thirds of their wealth in the Great Recession, the vast majority of which is due to foreclosure and declining home values. The states where many of our families are concentrated have been among the hardest hit: Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Most homeowners facing foreclosure find themselves there through no fault of their own. With unemployment among Latinos in the double digits for three years, it is no wonder that home loss has hit the community hard. Adding to the challenge of making a mortgage payment with less income is the fact that many of the loans sold to Latino homeowners were overpriced and unnecessarily risky. In its recent case against Countrywide, the Department of Justice uncovered a practice of steering—pushing creditworthy families into subprime loans to turn a higher profit.

With such extensive damage, many are wondering what kind of dent $25 billion can make. While it is not going to fix everything, the settlement is just what we need to jumpstart housing and household recovery. Here are five reasons this settlement is pivotal for Latino families:

• Principal reduction is at the heart of the deal. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a servicer refuse to reduce principal for a homeowner willing to make payments and eager to save their home, only to turn around and sell it for pennies on the dollar at a sheriff’s sale. When compared with this kind of loss, plus the costs of maintaining a property and the impact of abandoned properties on neighborhood home values, writing down principal is a fiscally responsible strategy for investors and homeowners alike. Thanks to the settlement, this solution will become more widely available. Just as important, data from these modifications could become the catalyst we need to bring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on board. Other financial relief will also be available in the form of compensation, new opportunities to refinance, and forbearance.
• Servicers must put in place new, fairer practices. Going forward, the five servicers involved in the settlement must put in place commonsense practices to avoid the kind of wrongful foreclosures that characterized the robo-signing scandal. They must make foreclosure a last resort and refrain from foreclosing on a family while the mortgage is pending approval for a modification. Hopefully these standards are only the precursor to national standards—a job for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—so we can ensure all servicers are following the rules.
• States will invest in housing counseling and legal aid. To the surprise of many, Congress eliminated $88 million dollars in 2011 for housing counseling, which has been proven to be one of the most effective foreclosure prevention programs available. While they restored half the funds for 2012, the amount pales in comparison to the need. In fact, smart policymakers should be thinking about how to incorporate housing counselors in the home-buying process. Families that get objective advice before they buy are also more likely to avoid industry traps.
• Civil rights, homeowners’ rights, and other legal rights have been preserved. The negotiators smartly preserved the ability of homeowners to bring their own claims against their servicer if fraud is uncovered. They also reserved the right to pursue additional federal origination and securitization claims. This means more enforcement and accountability to come.
• The settlement is mandatory and includes a timeline. The deal negotiators have appointed a Monitor—Joe Smith, North Carolina’s banking commissioner and a respected foreclosure-prevention expert—to ensure that the servicers are complying with the terms of the settlement. The Monitor has the power to impose penalties for noncompliance and must keep the public up-to-date on the deal’s progress. The deal includes enticements to get relief out to families within 12 months and penalties if it takes longer than three years.

For many Latinos, this settlement has come not a moment too soon. However, this should only be the beginning for the administration and the AG powerhouses that have stood up for the rights of homeowners, such as California AG Kamala Harris, Nevada AG Catherine Cortez Masto, New York AG Eric Schneiderman, and Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley.

For instance, the Department of Justice–Countrywide settlement is evidence of civil rights abuses that we know were not limited to Countrywide. And, Fannie and Freddie–overseer Ed DeMarco continues to refuse families access to home-saving solutions.

Our work is not done, but the news is a victory worth celebrating.

This was first published on the Univision News tumblr blog.

By Catherine Singley, Senior Policy Analyst, Economic and Employment Policy Project, NCLR

As if we hadn’t seen enough from our “kick them when they’re down” Congress, Republicans in the House of Representatives are poised to rub salt in the wounds of millions of Americans by derailing access to jobs and opportunity.

This week, the House of Representatives is seriously debating a comprehensive surface transportation bill, the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act” (H.R. 7). H.R. 7 cuts off all dedicated funding for public transportation, abandons a proven job creator by choking off access to jobs for low-income communities, and eliminates resources for safe streets. The most transit-dependent communities—people of color, low-income Americans, and people with disabilities—will be disproportionately harmed by the legislation. Twenty-five percent of low-income Latinos, in addition to 33% of low-income Blacks and 12% of low-income Whites, do not have access to an automobile and must navigate the public transit system to reach workplaces and essential services, such as health care. However, with the changes to the mass transit funding proposed by H.R. 7, cash-strapped transit providers would be further crippled, thereby creating enormous hardship for riders by increasing fares and cutting services.

The proposed legislation also cuts the small amount of dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs that make our streets safer. Certainly, safe streets are essential for all communities, yet people of color, children, and people with disabilities make up a disproportional amount of pedestrian fatalities due to unsafe road conditions. Minority and low-income children are more likely than their affluent or White peers to walk or bike to school, but H.R. 7 eliminates funding for the Safe Routes to Schools program. How are children supposed to learn if they can’t even get to the schoolhouse in one piece?

Beyond the severe harm that H.R. 7 would inflict on vulnerable communities, it also fails to maximize the job creation potential of the transportation sector itself. Transportation reauthorization could be the only significant action that Congress takes to create jobs before the general election, but H.R. 7 fails the jobs test big time. Never mind that investments in public transportation generate 31% more jobs than new construction of roads and bridges; for every $1 billion invested in public transit, more than 41,000 jobs are created. By opting out of dedicated funding for public transit, the drafters of H.R. 7 pass up the opportunity to put people back to work in one fell swoop.

In short, H.R. 7 cuts off vital access to work and survival in the communities hit hardest by the recession and fails to deliver on the job creation potential of transportation reauthorization. Contact your representative today and urge him or her to vote NO on H.R. 7! 

By Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Finance Protection Bureau

This entry was first posted to the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau blog.

Over my years of public service, I’ve met a lot of hard-working people who regularly send money transfers, or remittances, to family members and others abroad. Remittances from the U.S. to other parts of the world total in the tens of billions of dollars each year.

Remittance senders are a diverse group from every income bracket. We know that some remittance senders work in the lowest paying jobs for the longest hours. For them, every dollar counts; for their families abroad, every one of these dollars has even more significance. Remittance senders also include consumers paying bills abroad, and mothers and fathers sending funds to their children studying abroad or family members on travel.

Remittance senders have not always been able to get full information about their transactions, including how much money will be received on the other end. If an error was made, there was uncertainty for consumers about how the error would be resolved, if at all. There have been limited federal consumer protections for remittance senders.

With direction from Congress through the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB has now changed that. We have adopted new rules that will go into effect in February 2013. These rules will make the costs of remittances clear and hold remittance transfer providers and their agents accountable for errors.

Here’s how:

Better Disclosures: With this rule, remittance transfer providers must generally disclose the
exchange rate, any fees related to the remittance, the amount of money that will be delivered abroad, and the date the money will be available. Certain disclosures must be provided both before and after the consumer pays for a remittance transfer. Consumers will receive these disclosures in English and sometimes in other languages. We think the clarity that can come from these disclosures will inform consumer decisions and instill confidence.

Option to Cancel: Typically, consumers will have at least 30 minutes after payment to cancel a remittance. If they cancel within the 30 minute window, they will get their money back, whether they make a mistake, change their minds, or feel something isn’t right.

Correction of Errors: With this rule, money transfer providers will generally be held accountable for errors. If a remittance sender reports a problem with a transfer within 180 days, the provider must generally investigate and correct any errors. Companies that provide remittance transfers may also be responsible for mistakes made by their agents. We believe this will encourage remittance transfer providers to only use reliable agents and partners in the U.S. and abroad, weeding out the bad actors.

I am proud that the remittances rule is the first substantive rulemaking adopted on my watch as the CFPB’s Director. I also know where much of the credit is due: the efforts of consumers and their advocates, including the farmworker attorneys who doggedly advocated more than 15 years ago for basic consumer protections for their clients; and members of Congress who saw fit to include these protections in the Dodd-Frank Act. I am pleased with the part the CFPB has been able to play in bringing new protections to consumers who send money to family members, loved ones, and other recipients abroad.
 

Today, NCLR's Senior Vice President for Programs, Delia Pompa, testified on Capitol Hill at the Education and Workforce Committee’s hearing on the “Student Success Act” and the “Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act.”

Watch Pompa’s testimony below. For the full hearing, click here. The introduction to her written testimony as well as the section on the “Status of Public Education” can be found after the video; you can read the full text here.

Delia Pompa’s Testimony:

In my role as Senior Vice President, I oversee programs ranging from prekindergarten and early childhood education to early college high schools and charter schools. My work on public school reform has been shaped by more than 35 years of experience leading local, state, and federal agencies and national and international organizations. I began my career as a kindergarten teacher in San Antonio, and went on to serve as a district administrator in Houston and as Assistant Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. I was formerly the Director of Education, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, and Youth Development for the Children’s Defense Fund, and Director of the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education. In particular, I am focused on helping academic institutions understand and respond to the needs of underserved children and their teachers.

NCLR appreciates the Committee’s efforts to hold this hearing on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). While I am here as a representative of NCLR, I hope to present the views of a large network of civil rights and education reform organizations working on behalf of children. In my testimony today I will focus on provisions of the “Student Success Act” which address accountability, resource equity, and teacher quality.

Specifically, I will provide a brief description of the public school student population; background on the importance of ESEA to children of color, English language learners (ELLs), students with disabilities, and low-income children; discuss how the “Student Success Act” addresses the needs of these children; and provide a broad framework for moving forward with ESEA.

Status of Public Education

Today’s public school student population is diverse. In 2009, students of color represented
41.3% of all public school students (22.3% Hispanic, 15.3% Black, 3.7% Asian).

The share of Latino students in public school doubled between 1989 and 2009 from 11% to 22%. That year, in the 65 largest urban school districts, Latinos accounted for 37% of all students, the highest proportion among all groups. Taken together, students of color represent 80% of all students in the 65 largest urban school districts (37% Latino, 35% Black, 7% Asian, 1% American Indian/Alaskan Native).

However, students of color are attending suburban schools in growing numbers. Suburban schools have added 3.4 million students between 1993 and 2006, with nearly all of this increase due to an increase in the enrollment of children of color.

As the charts below show, student achievement, as measured by the National Assessment of
Educational Progress, has improved slowly over the past decade and a half. Hispanic, Black, and economically disadvantaged students have made steady progress, while ELLs and students with disabilities have lost ground after years of improvement. Gaps between these students and White students have not sufficiently closed.

    

  

Spending gaps between schools within districts may have impeded greater progress among children of color and those from low-income communities. For example, one study found that a school in New York City received about $2,000 less per student than another school in the same district serving fewer students who were from low-income families.

While there has been some progress in improving student achievement, it is clear that the children from low-income and minority backgrounds lag behind their peers. Addressing this challenge requires federal policy interventions grounded in the origins of ESEA.

By Julia Eisman, New Media Communications Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This was first posted to the HHS HealthCare Blog

Not all Americans have equal access to health care – or similar health care outcomes. Racial and ethnic minorities, and other underserved populations often have higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and reduced access to care. This is because many Latinos have less access to health insurance and half of Latinos don’t have a regular doctor. Because of this unequal access to health care, troubling health disparities have emerged.

But the good news is that the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, is the most powerful legislation in decades for reducing health disparities. A few ways the law will help reduce grave health disparities, is by: expanding preventive care like cancer screenings and immunizations at no additional costs, better coordinating care like home visits for expectant mothers, expanding diversity and cultural competency, ending insurance discrimination so people who have been sick can’t be excluded from coverage or charged higher premiums, and making care more available in underserved communities by investing in our primary care workforce and community health centers.

With this in mind, we want to talk to you about the law’s impact on the Latino community. On Tuesday, February 21st, at 3:00pm EST Mayra Alvarez, Director of Public Health Policy at HHS, will be available on Twitter at @HHSgov to answer questions about how the law helps the Latino community get a fair shot at better care and lower costs. We’ll also be teaming up with National Council of La Raza, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and Families USA. We will be accepting and responding to questions in English and Spanish, depending on what language the question is asked.

You might be wondering:

• How does the law protect me?
• Will the law save me money?
• What kids of preventive services does the law cover?
• What are the benefits that are available to me now, and what is coming in future years?

Please submit questions using the hashtag #LatinoHealth. Go to @HHSgov on Twitter to join.

For more information about the benefits of the new health care law, please visit www.healthcare.gov or our Spanish-language site, www.cuidadodesalud.gov
 

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

Washington, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) strongly applauds Congress for reaching a bipartisan agreement to extend the payroll tax cut for the rest of 2012, along with an extension of unemployment benefits, which together will stimulate job creation and help struggling families. And in a crucial victory for the Hispanic community, lawmakers agreed not to include a restriction to the Child Tax Credit that would have severely affected millions of hardworking, taxpaying Latino families and their children.

“Capitol Hill heard the message loud and clear that our community will not tolerate using Latino children as bargaining chips in this broader tax debate,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “We are encouraged to see both parties work together to pass a tax package that puts more money in the hand of workers and helps stimulate job growth, without including any harmful provisions.”

NCLR thanks Senator Harry Reid (D–Nev.), in particular, for his leadership and public statements in support of preserving the Child Tax Credit for millions of Latino children. We also appreciate that Republican leadership saw the benefit to coming to agreement with Democrats to end a stalemate and provide relief for families. Support from allies such as religious groups, children’s and immigrant advocates, labor organizations, the anti-poverty and civil rights communities, and Latino leaders and advocates from throughout the country was also important to achieving this victory.

“All Americans, especially Latinos, are concerned about the economy, which is our nation’s number one priority,” added Murguía. “This may be the only economic measure we are able to pass through Congress this year, which is why it’s so crucial that the deal is fair and balanced, helping both middle-class and low-wage workers alike. NCLR is heartened to know that millions of Latino families will directly benefit from this law.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Marco Garduno
(773) 383-2166
mgarduno@aliviomedicalcenter.org

Alivio Medical Center and NCLR will host leadership and education event for Chicago youth

CHICAGO—Alivio Medical Center and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will bring together more than 100 local youth on Saturday, February 25, for the convening of the “2012 Alivio Medical Center’s Leadership Youth Conference.” The program, which will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Arturo Velasquez Institute—the satellite campus of Richard J. Daley College, located at 2800 S. Western Avenue—will feature workshops on youth wellness, youth leadership, and education.

The keynote speaker will be Rudy Lozano Jr., a candidate for State Representative for the 21st District and a leader for immigrant youth and workers’ rights. All workshops will be conducted by the Alivio Medical Center Affiliate Youth Leadership Committee, which includes youth leaders from local high schools who were selected to be part of the Líderes Empowered grant program.

The Chicago Líderes Congreso is the final event of a series of youth conferences that were held throughout the country as part of NCLR’s youth leadership program, Líderes Empowered, which equips and inspires young Latinos to become leaders and youth advocates for positive change in their communities.

“It is very important that youth are provided opportunities to gain valuable information and grow their leadership qualities. We hope that through the Chicago Congreso, participating youth will learn the importance of becoming active members of their communities and agents of positive change,” said Marco Garduno, Alivio Medical Center youth programs coordinator.

“Young people want to become more involved in their communities and can accomplish a great deal with their energy and enthusiasm. The workshops offered through the Líderes Congresos will help them gain skills to become advocates for their communities and advance their own academic and professional goals,” said Berenice Bonilla, NCLR Líderes Manager.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. at Arturo Velasquez Institute, and the conference will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All youth ages 14–25 are welcome to attend the event free of charge; breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact Marco Garduno at (773) 383-2166 or mgarduno@aliviomedicalcenter.org.

The Congreso is made possible through support from Sodexo and ConAgra Foods, Líderes programmatic partners.

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About Alivio Medical Center
Alivio Medical Center, primarily serving Pilsen, South Lawndale, and its new location in the town of Cicero, provides a multitude of medical and health care programs for uninsured, working-poor families and individuals who historically have no access to health care due to language and cultural barriers, intimidation by health care institutions, little awareness of available resources, and concern about immigration status. Consequently, health promotion, health education, and preventive health care are integral parts of Alivio’s comprehensive programs. To meet the special needs of the immigrant population, all of Alivio’s providers are bilingual and bicultural. All patients receive medical care regardless of their ability to pay.

About Líderes
NCLR’s Líderes Initiative is a national program created to increase opportunities for Latino youth to maximize their influence as leaders in the United States. Through a wide range of leadership development and civic engagement efforts, Líderes empowers, equips, and enables young Latinos to serve as agents of positive social change. The Congreso is made possible by support from Sodexo and ConAgra Foods, a Líderes Programmatic Partner. For more information about Líderes, visit http://lideres.nclr.org or email bbonilla@nclr.org.

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

By Victoria Carmona, Communications Department, NCLR

Chris Weitz, Oscar-nominated director of Twilight, partnered with the Center for American Progress (CAP) to challenge the widespread notion that residents of Alabama stand behind its harsh new anti-immigration law, HB 56. Is This Alabama? is a campaign featuring a series of four short films that show a diverse group of Alabamians talking about how the bill would negatively affect their communities. The stories are especially poignant in their depiction of how community members who remained silent became unwilling partners to conservative lawmakers in the passage of HB 56. Check out one of the films below.

The short films draw parallels between the era of racial discrimination against Blacks in the 1960s and similar attacks against racial and ethnic minorities in Alabama. However, instead of focusing solely on the perspective of Latinos—who are the primary targets of this law—the films also portray how these changes would affect low-income, religious, and political communities. For example, the Alabama law would open the door for the overexpansion of government into the private lives of constituents.

Is This Alabama? features Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas, and journalist Tom Baxter, author of the report Alabama’s Immigration Disaster: The Harshest Law in the Land Harms the State’s Economy and Society. Is This Alabama? is moving and heartwarming, while communicating the important messages of outreach and civil rights in America.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, D.C.—Twelve new Affiliate members have recently joined the NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Affiliate Network of grassroots organizations that work with the Latino community throughout the nation. These include Alliance for a Better Community in Los Angeles, Calif.; Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy in Ventura, Calif.; Centro LatinoAmericano in Eugene, Ore.; Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy & Research Organization in Denver, Colo.; GOAL Academy in Westminster, Colo.; KIPP San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas; Mission Economic Development Agency in San Francisco, Calif.; Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Inc. in Ontario, Calif.; Pine Manor Improvement Association Inc. in Fort Myers, Fla.; Poder Learning Center in Chicago, Ill.; The Accelerated School Community of Schools in Los Angeles, Calif.; and The Latino Housing Development Corporation in Buffalo, N.Y. With these new additions, NCLR now has 273 organizations across the United States that are Affiliate members.

“We are pleased to welcome these new members to the NCLR Affiliate Network,” said Sonia Pérez, NCLR Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives. “Community organizations are vital in helping Latino families find opportunities and improve their lives. We work closely with our partners at the local level and NCLR values greatly their contributions to our organization, their communities, and our nation.”

Information about the new NCLR Affiliate organizations can be found as follows:
• Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), Los Angeles, Calif. (www.afabc.org)
• Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Ventura, Calif. (www.coastalalliance.com)
• Centro LatinoAmericano, Eugene, Ore. (www.centrolatinoamericano.org)
• Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy & Research Organization, Denver, Colo. (www.cllaro.org)
• GOAL Academy, Westminster, Colo. (www.goalac.org)
• KIPP San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (www.kippsa.org)
• Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), San Francisco, Calif. (www.medasf.org)
• Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Inc., Ontario, Calif. (www.nphs.info)
• Pine Manor Improvement Association, Inc., Fort Myers, Fla. (www.pmiafl.org)
• Poder Learning Center, Chicago, Ill. (www.poderlc.org)
• The Accelerated School Community of Schools, Los Angeles, Calif. (www.accelerated.org)
• The Latino Housing Development Corporation, Buffalo, N.Y. (www.latinohousing.webs.com)

NCLR’s Affiliates include 273 community organizations that provide programs and services that reach millions of Hispanics throughout the nation. Their diverse services include charter schools, after-school programs, job readiness and training resources, English-language preparation courses, homeownership counseling services, health centers, and community activities centers.

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

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UPDATE:  THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. WE WILL ANNOUNCE A RESCHEDULE DATE AS SOON AS ONE BECOMES AVAILABLE. IN THE MEANTIIME VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT

By Susannah Senerchia, Assistant Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR

Natural or man-made disasters can strike at any time, and being able to reach people with planning and response information and services can be critical to the safety and well-being of everybody.

In the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires, NCLR observed systemic problems in the emergency preparedness and relief systems which resulted in many Latinos not knowing how to respond or how to evacuate. Latinos, who were disproportionately affected by the impact of the disasters, were often deterred from or even denied relief services that they were entitled to. These types of situations not only risk the lives and health of those Latinos and immigrants affected, but also create an undue burden on emergency management teams who face greater challenges assisting communities that are less prepared to respond. In the event of a pandemic or biological or chemical incident, the consequences of not knowing how to react could be even more critical.

Recently, NCLR assembled a group of experts in emergency preparedness and response and guided them through the development of a tool kit for emergency managers designed to help them better connect with and serve Latino communities before, during, and after disasters. The tool kit, which includes a text and CD-ROM with additional background and audio/visual materials, can be accessed for free here.

NCLR and FEMA will also host a webinar, Meeting the Needs of Latino Communities in Emergency Management, for emergency management offices and first responders at all levels, voluntary organizations active in disasters, faith-based and community organizations, and private relief agencies. Join us on February 28 at 2 p.m. to discuss practical strategies and best practices from the tool kit with other emergency preparedness stakeholders.

NOTE: Before participating in the webinar, you must register for the event. If you have previously registered, you can use your current login information to access the webinar. If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact marcus.coleman@dhs.gov.
 

UPDATE:  THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. WE WILL ANNOUNCE A RESCHEDULE DATE AS SOON AS ONE BECOMES AVAILABLE. IN THE MEANTIIME VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT

By Susannah Senerchia, Assistant Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR

Natural or man-made disasters can strike at any time, and being able to reach people with planning and response information and services can be critical to the safety and well-being of everybody.

In the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires, NCLR observed systemic problems in the emergency preparedness and relief systems which resulted in many Latinos not knowing how to respond or how to evacuate. Latinos, who were disproportionately affected by the impact of the disasters, were often deterred from or even denied relief services that they were entitled to. These types of situations not only risk the lives and health of those Latinos and immigrants affected, but also create an undue burden on emergency management teams who face greater challenges assisting communities that are less prepared to respond. In the event of a pandemic or biological or chemical incident, the consequences of not knowing how to react could be even more critical.

Recently, NCLR assembled a group of experts in emergency preparedness and response and guided them through the development of a tool kit for emergency managers designed to help them better connect with and serve Latino communities before, during, and after disasters. The tool kit, which includes a text and CD-ROM with additional background and audio/visual materials, can be accessed for free here.

NCLR and FEMA will also host a webinar, Meeting the Needs of Latino Communities in Emergency Management, for emergency management offices and first responders at all levels, voluntary organizations active in disasters, faith-based and community organizations, and private relief agencies. Join us on March 27 at 2 p.m. to discuss practical strategies and best practices from the tool kit with other emergency preparedness stakeholders.

NOTE: Before participating in the webinar, you must register for the event. If you have previously registered, you can use your current login information to access the webinar. If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact marcus.coleman@dhs.gov.
 

By Susannah Senerchia, Assistant Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR

Natural or man-made disasters can strike at any time, and being able to reach people with planning and response information and services can be critical to the safety and well-being of everybody.

In the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires, NCLR observed systemic problems in the emergency preparedness and relief systems which resulted in many Latinos not knowing how to respond or how to evacuate. Latinos, who were disproportionately affected by the impact of the disasters, were often deterred from or even denied relief services that they were entitled to. These types of situations not only risk the lives and health of those Latinos and immigrants affected, but also create an undue burden on emergency management teams who face greater challenges assisting communities that are less prepared to respond. In the event of a pandemic or biological or chemical incident, the consequences of not knowing how to react could be even more critical.

Recently, NCLR assembled a group of experts in emergency preparedness and response and guided them through the development of a tool kit for emergency managers designed to help them better connect with and serve Latino communities before, during, and after disasters. The tool kit, which includes a text and CD-ROM with additional background and audio/visual materials, can be accessed for free here.

NCLR and FEMA will also host a webinar, Meeting the Needs of Latino Communities in Emergency Management, for emergency management offices and first responders at all levels, voluntary organizations active in disasters, faith-based and community organizations, and private relief agencies. Join us on February 28 at 2 p.m. to discuss practical strategies and best practices from the tool kit with other emergency preparedness stakeholders.

NOTE: Before participating in the webinar, you must register for the event. If you have previously registered, you can use your current login information to access the webinar. If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact marcus.coleman@dhs.gov.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

MEDIA ADVISORY

NCLR’s Capital Awards Celebrates Silver Anniversary

Washington—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is hosting its twenty-fifth annual Capital Awards gala recognizing Democratic and Republican elected officials who have shown a consistent commitment to promoting legislation and public policies that benefit Hispanic Americans in their districts and throughout the country.

More than 750 Hispanic leaders, government officials, and community activists will be in attendance as NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía presents the awards to the 2012 recipients, Representative George Miller (D–CA) and Mayor Paul W. Bridge (R) of Uvalda, Georgia. Natalie Morales, news anchor for NBC’s TODAY, will serve as master of ceremonies.

NCLR will also present the 2012 Public Service Award to Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) for its efforts in helping children who have come to the United States without a parent or legal guardian and who are unable to find or afford an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.

The only Hispanic event that recognizes politicians from both sides of the aisle, the NCLR Capital Awards has previously paid tribute to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D–MA), Representative John Boehner (R–OH), and Representative Nancy Pelosi (D–CA).

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:

Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Representative George Miller (D–CA)
Mayor Paul W. Bridges (R)
Natalie Morales, News Anchor, NBC’s TODAY

WHAT: 2012 NCLR Capital Awards Gala

WHEN:  Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

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

NOTE: A terrific photo opportunity!

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

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

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Para más información:
Julián Teixeira
jteixeira@nclr.org
(202) 776-1812

NCLR Capital Awards Celebra Aniversario de Plata

Washington, D.C.—El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) patrocinará su vigésimo quinto gala anual Capital Awards donde reconocerá la labor de oficiales electos de ambos partidos políticos—Demócratas y Republicanos—que han demostrado su compromiso a promover leyes y políticas que benefician a los hispanoamericanos en sus distritos y a lo largo del país.

Más de 750 líderes hispanos, oficiales del gobierno, y activistas comunitarios estarán presentes en el evento donde la Presidenta de NCLR, Janet Murguía, presentará los premios a los elogiados del 2012, el Congresista George Miller (D-CA) y el Alcalde Paul W. Bridge (R) de Uvalda, Georgia. Natalie Morales, presentadora del programa TODAY en la cadena NBC, será anfitriona del evento.

NCLR también presentará el 2012 Public Service Award to Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) (Premio de Servicio Publico para Niños en Necesidad de ser Defendidos) por sus esfuerzos en ayudar a niños que han llegado al país sin un padre o guardián legal y quienes no han podido conseguir o pagar por un abogado que los represente en el proceso legal migratorio.

El único evento hispano que reconoce a partidarios de ambos partidos políticos, el NCLR Capital Awards ha rendido anteriores homenajes al antiguo Senador Edward M. Kennedy (D–MA), el Congresista John Boehner (R–OH), y la Congresista Nancy Pelosi (D–CA).

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUIÉN:

• Janet Murguía, Presidenta, NCLR
• Congresista George Miller (D–CA)
• Alcalde Paul W. Bridges (R)
• Natalie Morales, Presentadora, NBC’s TODAY

QUÉ:             2012 NCLR Capital Awards Gala

CUÁNDO:     Martes, 6 de marzo, 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

DONDÉ:        National Building Museum
                      401 F Street, N.W.
                      Washington, D.C. 20001

NOTA:          ¡Tremenda oportunidad fotográfica!

PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN:  Para cubrir, por favor llame a Julián Teixeira, Director de Comunicaciones al siguiente correo electrónico jteixeira@nclr.org o visite nuestra página Web: www.nclr.org/capawards.

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By Victoria Carmona, Communications Department, NCLR 

Even after implementation of NCLB-mandated programs, more than 1,000 schools in California continue to suffer from persistent student underachievement and low attendance. There is a combination of reasons for this, including policy failures at both the state and federal level. Frustrated parents, teachers, and students are now desperate for an effective alternative to federal restructuring and are organizing to create reliable, locally controlled improvement.

One of NCLR’s newest Affiliates is leading the way in this movement. Recently the U.S. Department of Education awarded a $500,000 planning grant to San Francisco’s Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA). The grant will fund a project to help minority and low-income students at low-performing schools. MEDA could receive as much as $24 million more from federal grants over the course of four years if this initiative is successful.

As MissionLocal.org reports:

If funded, MEDA’s “Cradle to Career” proposal would be implemented at Everett Middle School, O’Connell High School, Cesar Chavez Elementary School and Bryant Elementary School. All are considered underperforming schools and recently received a School Improvement Grant that averages $1.6 million a year for three years.

The cradle-to-career approach is MEDA’s idea to track students from kindergarten through college and assist them by integrating services from nonprofits, including those that offer health services, financial literacy education and English language learning.

“The planning money will help [MEDA] figure out the most effective way of tracking students to ensure they become successful,” said Luis Granados, MEDA Executive Director, about the expectations for the grant.

At a recent awards ceremony in which Granados received the KQED “Local Hero” Award, he said that his parents were the inspiration for the idea behind these projects. Both parents emphasized the importance of education. They emigrated from Mexico to the United States and successfully built a house within a year, committed to providing a stable life and better education for their children.

Check out Granados’s speech at the KQED awards ceremony in the video below: