FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Jessica Mayorga
(202) 776-1768
(202) 549-4896
jmayorga@nclr.org

Notable figures from the business, entertainment, and government sectors to participate in the country’s largest annual gathering of Latino leaders and advocates, including
Vice President Joe Biden, Sec. Shaun Donovan, Attorney General Eric Holder, Suze Orman, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Richard Trumka

Tweet this story: Get ready! #Latino leaders prepare to light up #LasVegas during @NCLR Conference! [www.nclr.org/events] #NCLR12 #LeadtheWay

Las Vegas—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) today released highlights of its upcoming 2012 Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo®, the country’s premier annual gatherings for Latinos, held for the first time in Las Vegas, Nevada and scheduled to run from Saturday, July 7 through Tuesday, July 10 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center.

NCLR’s Annual Conference and Expo have consistently been the mecca for some of the most powerful, prominent, and influential voices in—and working with—the Latino community, including community leaders, activists, volunteers, elected and appointed officials, and members of the corporate, philanthropic, and academic communities. Attendees will have the opportunity to brush up on current issues in education, health, workforce development, youth leadership, nonprofit management, and other topics that impact not only Latinos, but all American communities. Most notably, with this year’s theme of “Lead the Way,” attendees will see firsthand how the nation’s growing Latino population is shaping America’s political future.

“Choosing Nevada as the home for this year’s Annual Conference is a natural fit. This swing state’s growing Latino population and electorate is poised to play a critical role in the 2012 November elections,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía. “This is a tremendous opportunity for Latinos from across the country to come together and learn about current and newly emerging issues that our community faces at the local, state, and national levels.”

The 2012 NCLR Annual Conference, title sponsored by Walmart, promises to be one of NCLR’s largest conferences to date, featuring more than 50 workshops, four town halls, five key general sessions including the Latinas Brunch and the NCLR Awards Gala, and multiple networking opportunities. This year’s event includes a list of impressive speakers and participants, including a keynote address by Vice President of the United States Joe Biden, a host of national and local elected officials, financial expert Suze Orman, media mogul Nely Galán, actor Tony Plana, actor Wilson Cruz, actress Gina Rodriguez, author Sandra Cisneros, and many others.

In addition, the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference brings some of the best entertainment talent in the Latino community to Las Vegas, such as the Sunday night concert featuring Intocable and Prince Royce and the Monday night concert brought to you by Walmart featuring Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, A.B. Quintanilla III, and a special performance by one of the world’s top mariachi performers to be announced later this week.

NATIONAL LATINO FAMILY EXPO®

Running July 7–9, the National Latino Family Expo®, title sponsored by UPS, is a free family fair open to the public taking place at the Mandalay Bay South Convention Center. It is one of the largest events in the country focused on resources and activities for the Latino family, with nearly 200 exhibitors showcasing their products and services. From live entertainment and giveaways to free health screenings and informative demonstrations, everyone will discover something new in a fun and exciting environment that the entire family will enjoy.

“We encourage families of southern Nevada and throughout the region to take part in this three-day Expo full of free services, entertainment, and critical information,” said Ron Estrada, NCLR Vice President. “Understanding that too many members of our community are uninsured or underinsured, we can’t stress enough how much families can benefit from coming to the Expo for free vision, cholesterol, blood pressure, and HIV screenings.”

The National Latino Family Expo® provides something for everyone, from free exercise classes and children’s activities to demonstrations of new products and technology, plus exciting activities, games, prizes, and more. Well-known figures in sports and entertainment will sign autographs for fans, costumed characters such as Dora the Explorer will entertain kids, and all members of the family can learn something new through healthy cooking demonstrations.

A new Conference and Expo tool featured this year is the NCLR Mobile App, which gives users access to exclusive content, promotions, and prizes throughout the Conference. This free App can be downloaded from any smartphone marketplace and also includes navigation tools to help users guide their way through Conference and Expo.

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 us on Facebook and Twitter.

###  

By Jennifer Ng’andu, Deputy Director, Health Policy Project, NCLR

I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t have any idea what America’s highest court will decide on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). What I do know is that whatever the decision turns out to be, the impact on Latinos will be big. Good or bad—that now depends on the Justices. What I know is that after the decision, there’s no turning back. We must find a way forward.

Today, 16 million American Hispanics are uninsured which means that one in three Americans who don’t have coverage are Latino. Millions more are underinsured and have difficulty gaining access to the health care they need. On average, Latinos spend more out-of-pocket than other groups trying to get health care. Latinos are also more likely to take money out of savings to seek services. Combined with lower incomes, this means that Latino families are especially burdened to balance the need for health care with other basic necessities.

Unfortunately, the struggle for far too little health care at far too high a price for far too long is now a common American experience. When you think about it, everybody gets sick and millions of Americans have to make choices about how to get by. The choice when you don’t have health insurance (or coverage that’s good enough) often leads you to avoid or skip critical health services altogether. These choices result in more sickness, higher costs, and put you at risk for poor health over the long-term. Indeed, Families USA released a recent report that demonstrates that in 2010, 2,175 Americans per month died prematurely because they were uninsured.

That dynamic began to change with the passage of the health care law. Although a chunk of the slated reforms don’t take full effect until 2014, immediate improvements to health care are already well underway. As a result, three million young adults have already gained coverage that otherwise they wouldn’t have—making a major dent for the age group with the highest levels of uninsurance. This includes 750,000 young Latinos under age 26 who have gained new coverage over the past two years. Now insurance companies must ensure that they spend 80% of your insurance dollar on actual health care. If not, they must pay you back. And, in 2012, Americans are getting rebates to the tune of $1.1 billion dollars. There are also new measures designed to protect you if your family falls ill, putting a ban on any caps on your insurance over the life of your plan and making it illegal to deny children an insurance plan if they have a preexisting condition. This is all after two years of work. We’ll be even better off when all the provisions are in place in 2014.

In fact, Latinos have a lot more to gain with full implementation. Estimates by the Urban Institute peg Latinos as the population that will see the single biggest jump in coverage, with more than 6 million Hispanic Americans across the country gaining health insurance. This is the highest increase for any racial or ethnic community and one that is desperately needed, as Latinos as a group have largely been cut off from the regular routes to coverage. And full implementation of the law is important not just because it will give more people access to health insurance, it will also make the health care experience better for those who have insurance. It’s common sense. We all have something to gain when more Americans are able to participate more fully in health care.

There are two scenarios for Latinos with the health care decision. If the law is upheld, we will take a step forward. We will see a growing Latino population that is healthier and better able to help the nation thrive—contributing to healthier communities and a stronger economy—now and for generations to come. If the law is stuck down, we will likely see Latinos continue to constitute the largest number of uninsured Americans, often with devastating health consequences.

Looking beyond individual health and the economics of the law, will the Supreme Court’s decision reinforce America’s commitment to civil rights and equal opportunity for all? Or will it reinforce the role of health coverage as a divider between those who will prosper and those who will not?

Two years ago, we fought for and achieved a law that stood to make health care better for those who already had coverage and provide affordable insurance for the millions who did not. The naysayers have yet to produce a better solution—and, in large part, have either filled the airwaves with misinformation or have been completely silent on what to do to fix health care. What we must understand is that a reversal of ACA brings us back to that place where when people get sick (and that’s everybody), they must make choices that often compromise their personal well-being and the overall health of our system. My hope is that the Supreme Court recognizes that turning back is, in fact, a false choice, and one we cannot afford.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact:
June 27, 2012                                                            Camila Gallardo
                                                                                      (305) 215-4259
                                                                                      cgallardo@nclr.org
                                                                                      Kathy Mimberg
                                                                                      (202) 316-2612
                                                                                      kmimberg@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely issue its decision on whether to uphold or strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in whole or in part. Hanging in the balance are millions of Latinos who make up one of the most underinsured populations in the U.S. and are in great need of access to affordable health care. For insight on how the Supreme Court’s ACA decision will impact the nation’s largest minority community, the following NCLR (National Council of La Raza) health policy experts are available for press interviews:

• Jennifer Ng’andu, Deputy Director, Health Policy Project, oversees efforts to improve the health status and outcomes of Latinos through national policy change. Her work focuses on eliminating injustices in health care by increasing health coverage in the Latino community and improving access to quality care and services. In 2009, she worked on collective efforts to enact a major children’s health initiative, which resulted in more than 250,000 uninsured children receiving access to insurance and Congress restoring at least $1 billion of public health insurance to legal immigrant children and expectant mothers.

• Kara D. Ryan, Senior Research Analyst, Health Policy Project, helps tell the story of Latinos’ health and nutrition experiences in the U.S. Her areas of expertise include: access to health care for mixed-immigration-status families; Hispanics’ access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); health data on Latino and other medically underserved communities; and Latino child nutrition (including hunger and obesity). Kara frequently serves as an expert panelist in national venues and serves as the NCLR liaison for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Census Information Center program.

An infographic describing how the Supreme Court’s decision will impact Latinos is also available from NCLR. Please feel free to reproduce this graphic. Join NCLR and others for a live tweet chat tomorrow (Thursday, June 28) at 2:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. PDT on the Court’s health care decision. You can join the conversation using the hashtags #HCRDecision and #HealthJustice.

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.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Hon. Federico Peña Emphasizes Voting and Civic Participation in Remarks to Denver’s Hispanic Community

DENVER, Colo.—The Honorable Federico Peña joined NCLR (National Council of La Raza) today for a town hall meeting to engage the Denver Hispanic community in a dialogue about Colorado’s clean energy economy. As the first state to set a renewable portfolio standard, Colorado is actively reducing its use of limited energy sources such as coal and oil, while generating more power from renewable sources such as solar and wind. Participants in the town hall discussed how this shift is affecting the jobs, health, and economic security of Latino workers and families in Colorado.

“Today we heard directly from Latino voters that they care deeply about clean air, clean water, and good jobs in Colorado,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation at NCLR. “Still, there is much progress to be made to ensure that our community has a seat at the table to shape the future of energy policy at the state and national levels.”

The event took place at Mi Casa Resource Center, an NCLR Affiliate that has served the Denver Latino community for over 34 years.

In addition to Peña—the first Hispanic mayor of Denver and the U.S. Secretary of Energy and Secretary of Transportation under President Clinton—the town hall also included a presentation from Joy Hughes, founder of the Solar Gardens Institute. Solar gardens, or community-owned solar arrays, are one of several models to make renewable energy more accessible to individuals and low-income communities. Renewable energy currently represents 10 percent of Colorado’s electricity generation, with a 30 percent target for the year 2020 for investor-owned utility companies.

###
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA

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

Esta decisión establece las vías para el cuidado de la salud para millones de latinos

WASHINGTON—Hoy el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) elogió la decisión de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de los EE.UU. por defender la Ley del Cuidado de Salud Asequible (Affordable Care Act o ACA, por sus siglas en inglés) en una votación 5 a 4.

"La decisión de hoy es una victoria para aquellos que como nosotros creemos que el cuidado de la salud para todos es un derecho esencial y no un lujo", dijo Janet Murguía, presidenta de NCLR. "La legislación sobre la reforma de la ley de salud fue dar un importante paso hacia delante y estos desafíos hacia el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia fueron una desafortunada distracción, tanto por la distorsión del propósito de la ley y por haber diferido inhumanamente su implementación. La Corte Suprema de Justicia ha hablado. Es hora de seguir avanzando y hacer que esta ley en su totalidad se convierta en una realidad."

La decisión de la Corte confirmó la implementación de la parte fundamental de la ley, aunque limita el papel del gobierno federal en cuanto a la aprobación de los estados para la expansión de Medicaid de la ley de salud. La ley tendrá consecuencias dramáticas para los latinos y la capacidad que este sector de la población tenga significativo acceso al cuidado de la salud. Un mínimo de seis millones de latinos se convertirán en nuevos beneficiarios gracias a la expansión de la ley –el salto más grande para que los latinos alcancen los niveles de seguridad del cuidado de su salud en la historia estadounidense. El NCLR continuará trabajando para cerciorarse de que los beneficios de la ley se cumplan plenamente en la comunidad hispana.

"La reforma de la ley de salud que el presidente y el Congreso han puesto en marcha dos años atrás, ya está cambiando vidas", dijo Murguía. "Ahora que la ley ha sido confirmada millones de latinos ya no tendrán que preocuparse sobre cómo pagar por los servicios esenciales del cuidado de la salud para sus hijos-- nuestros futuros trabajadores, contribuyentes, y líderes de nuestra nación".

El NCLR trabajó con el Congreso y la administración de Obama en el desarrollo de la ACA y NCLR continuará trabajando para informar a la comunidad latina sobre los beneficios de la ley y cómo los hispanos pueden obtener su cobertura de salud.

"El NCLR siempre ha luchado por el derecho a la atención de salud asequible, y en 2010 conseguimos tener una ley que nos asegura mejor atención médica para aquellos que ya la tenían y provisto la cobertura de salud al alcance de más millones de personas", agregó Murguía. "El NCLR luchará para garantizar que estas reformas de la atención de salud se lleven a cabo para que millones de latinos tengan una mejor oportunidad no sólo para obtener cobertura de salud, sino también para asegurar un futuro más saludable."

En los próximos días, el NCLR llevará a cabo análisis y eventos durante los cuales se ofrecerán mayores detalles sobre el contenido de esta ley. Para tal objetivo, únase a NCLR y a otras organizaciones para llevar realizar mañana (viernes 29 de junio) a las 2:00 pm a Hora del Este/11:00 am Hora del Pacífico, a través de Tweet sobre el fallo de la Corte de la Suprema de Justicia para la reforma a la ley de salud. Usted puede ingresar a esta charla en Tweet utilizando el siguiente código: # HCRDecision and #HealthJustice.

Para mayor información sobre la reforma de de la ley de salud y enterarse sobre los beneficios de la ACA para la comunidad latina, visite:
http://www.nclr.org/index.php/issues_and_programs/health_and_nutrition/health_care_reform/. También NCLR pone a su disposición una infografía y puede reproducir la misma sin costo alguno.

El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) –la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos– trabaja para mejorar las oportunidades de los estadounidenses hispanos. Para mayor información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.
       

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

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

Decision provides pathways to health care for millions of Latinos

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) praised the U.S. Supreme Court decision today to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a 5 to 4 vote.

“Today’s decision is a victory for those of us who believe that health care for all is an essential right, not a luxury,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “The health care legislation was an important step forward and these court challenges were an unfortunate distraction that both distorted the purpose of the law and inhumanely slowed down its implementation. The Supreme Court has spoken. It is time to move forward and make the entire law a reality.”

The Court’s decision upheld implementation of the core of the law, though it limited the federal government’s role in states’ adoption of the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. The law will have dramatic implications for Latinos and their ability to gain meaningful access to health care. A minimum of six million Latinos will become newly insured under full expansion of the law—the single-biggest jump in health insurance levels for Latinos in American history. NCLR will continue working to ensure that the benefits of the law are fully realized within the Hispanic community.

“The health reform law that the president and Congress put in place two years ago is already changing lives,” said Murguía. “Now that the law has been upheld, millions more Latinos will no longer have to worry about how to pay for essential health care for their children—our nation’s future workers, taxpayers, and leaders.”

NCLR worked with Congress and the Obama administration on the development of the ACA, and NCLR will continue to work to inform the Latino community on the law’s benefits and how Hispanics can obtain health care coverage.

“NCLR has always fought for the right to affordable health care, and in 2010 we achieved a law that improved health care for those who already had it and provided affordable health coverage for millions more,” Murguía added. “NCLR will fight to ensure these health care reforms are carried out so that millions of Latinos have a better chance not only to obtain health coverage, but to ensure a healthier future.”

In the coming days, NCLR will produce analyses and events explaining the specifics of the laws. Join NCLR and others for a live tweet chat tomorrow (Friday, June 29) at 2:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. PDT on the Court’s health care decision. You can join the conversation using the hashtags #HCRDecision and #HealthJustice.

For more on health care reform and how the ACA benefits the Latino community, visit:
http://www.nclr.org/index.php/issues_and_programs/health_and_nutrition/health_care_reform/. An infographic from NCLR is also available and can be reproduced at no cost.

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.

### 

National Homeownership Month is rapidly coming to a close. This past month, NCLR and its partners have visited communities throughout the country, holding town halls to hear from and speak with those Americans who have felt the impact of our ongoing foreclosure crisis. Today, we are holding one of our Home for Good town halls in Ohio, a state which at times has had the third highest foreclosure rate in the United States.

This housing crisis exposed weaknesses in the housing system that have long affected low-income families and communities of color. It is estimated that 25% of Black and Hispanic borrowers in the U.S. lost homes or are at serious risk of losing their homes, compared to 12% of White borrowers. In our town hall tour, we have encountered many people who embody that statistic. They are struggling with a system that all too often is built to work against them. Through our Home for Good campaign, we aim to reduce that inequality and help keep more homeowners in their homes!

The posts featured in today's blog carnival celebrate National Homeownership Month and echo the main messages behind our Home for Good campaign: that we must 1) put an end to the needless foreclosures happening in some of the most vulnerable communities in the country and 2) remind our presidential candidates and other leaders to share with the nation their solutions.

If you would like your own post on the foreclosure crisis added, feel free to email David Castillo at dcastillo@nclr.org.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and enjoy these featured blog posts!

****

Loss of homes by Latino homeowners signals an erosion of equality in the nation, Marisa Treviño, Founder and Publisher, Latina Lista
LatinaLista — As June, otherwise known as National Homeownership Month, draws to an end so does the American Dream for many Americans, especially Latino and black home owners. RealtyTrac reports that banks took back 54,844 properties last month, up 7 percent from April. This is a discouraging sign in an economy where Latino homeowners have already lost 60 percent of their wealth since the onset of the housing collapse in 2008. Read more....

Puerto Rico success in homeownership, foreclosure prevention programs, Rocío González, Voxxi.com 
In an economy where foreclosures are the item of the day and minorities are bearing the brunt of it, the need to adopt successful policies is critical to help both Latinos and African Americans who are about to lose their homes. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly known as HUD, is responsible for creating policies and programs to assist homeowners. However, HUD’s efforts have had difficulty taking off. Read more....
 

 Vacant properties in Latino communities: a discouraging irony, Julianna Gonzalez-Crussi, Policy Analyst & Housing Outreach Coordinator, Latino Policy Forum, Connector (A guest blog from the  Latino Policy Forum, hosted on the Metropolitan Planning Council's blog, Connector)
Take a walk down a block in any predominately-Latino neighborhood and you’ll be confronted with one the United States’ greatest present-day ironies: As one household is overcrowded, its space stretched to accommodate extended family or friends who have fallen on hard times, the home next door sits vacant, its windows covered with plywood and its yard untended. Read more....

Out of the Spotlight: Housing Struggles Faced by Minority Populations, Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity
Housing struggles in America often become pervasive problems in people’s lives, particularly in minority communities. Spotlight has covered these issues as well, most notably in last winter’s exclusive commentary series, “How Housing Matters to Families and Communities,” undertaken in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation. Read more....

 

 Homeowners Can't Afford Another Missed Opportunity, Janis Bowdler, NCLR, Huffington Post - Latino Voices
When the housing bubble burst more than four years ago, many banks and federal regulators argued that the impact would be limited and the damage contained to the subprime market.
Famous last words. Read more....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

 

NCLR, Latino Leaders Urge Latino Caucus Members to Support Foreclosures Bill

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—On Wednesday, California’s joint legislative conference committee passed the “California Foreclosure Reduction Act (AB 278 / SB 900),” one of the central elements of the “California Homeowner Bill of Rights,” setting the stage for an all-important floor vote on this crucial piece of legislation on Monday. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) urges the state legislature, especially the Latino Caucus, and the Governor to pass this bill and ensure that strong protections are in place so that California’s homeowners do not lose their homes to unfair banking practices.

The act specifically includes strong enforcement measures that will finally put an end to the unfair “dual track” process. Dual tracking is a common bank practice of moving a homeowner through both the foreclosure and loan modification processes at the same time, causing many borrowers to lose their homes even while they are still being considered for a loan modification.

“The housing crisis has decimated the wealth of California’s Latino community; in fact, Latinos have suffered almost half of all foreclosures in the state,” said Delia de la Vara, Vice President for the California Region, NCLR. “California’s legislature has to decide whether they are going to allow this crisis to continue wreaking havoc on the state’s economy, or whether they are going to put an end to this unfair banking practice and save hundreds of thousands of Californians from losing their homes.”

NCLR applauds the fantastic work that its California Affiliates and a number of allies—including California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Sen. Ron Calderon (D–Montebello), the Center for Responsible Lending, and the California Reinvestment Coalition—have done to secure the passage of this bill which will provide much-needed relief to thousands of homeowners in California, one of the hardest-hit states in the housing crisis.

“The measure provides historic protections for homeowners against some of the more heartless practices employed by lenders during the foreclosure crisis, like dual tracking,” said Calderon in a press statement. “Like no other foreclosure-prevention program before it, state or federal, the Homeowner Bill of Rights allows a borrower to sue for injunctive relief and damages if their lender has broken the law.”

###
 

President Obama and several organizations including NCLR fought hard for the implementation of health care reform. This ruling represents a remarkable victory for Latinos and for people who believe Americans have a right for health insurance. 

An Overview of the Healthcare Ruling from the Latino Perspective

President Obama and several organizations including NCLR fought hard for the implementation of health care reform. This ruling represents a remarkable victory for Latinos and for people who believe Americans have a right for health insurance. Here is how we celebrated..

Storified by NCLR · Fri, Jun 29 2012 15:00:07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

Contact:
Camila Gallardo
(305) 215-4259
cgallardo@nclr.org

Kathy Mimberg
(202) 316-2612
kmimberg@nclr.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely issue its decision on whether to uphold or strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in whole or in part. Hanging in the balance are millions of Latinos who make up one of the most underinsured populations in the U.S. and are in great need of access to affordable health care. For insight on how the Supreme Court’s ACA decision will impact the nation’s largest minority community, the following NCLR (National Council of La Raza) health policy experts are available for press interviews:

• Jennifer Ng’andu, Deputy Director, Health Policy Project, oversees efforts to improve the health status and outcomes of Latinos through national policy change. Her work focuses on eliminating injustices in health care by increasing health coverage in the Latino community and improving access to quality care and services. In 2009, she worked on collective efforts to enact a major children’s health initiative, which resulted in more than 250,000 uninsured children receiving access to insurance and Congress restoring at least $1 billion of public health insurance to legal immigrant children and expectant mothers.

• Kara D. Ryan, Senior Research Analyst, Health Policy Project, helps tell the story of Latinos’ health and nutrition experiences in the U.S. Her areas of expertise include: access to health care for mixed-immigration-status families; Hispanics’ access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); health data on Latino and other medically underserved communities; and Latino child nutrition (including hunger and obesity). Kara frequently serves as an expert panelist in national venues and serves as the NCLR liaison for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Census Information Center program.

An infographic describing how the Supreme Court’s decision will impact Latinos is also available from NCLR. Please feel free to reproduce this graphic. Join NCLR and others for a live tweet chat tomorrow (Thursday, June 28) at 2:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. PDT on the Court’s health care decision. You can join the conversation using the hashtags #HCRDecision and #HealthJustice.

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.

###

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA

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

Esta decisión establece las vías para el cuidado de la salud para millones de latinos

WASHINGTON—Hoy el Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) elogió la decisión de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de los EE.UU. por defender la Ley del Cuidado de Salud Asequible (Affordable Care Act o ACA, por sus siglas en inglés) en una votación 5 a 4.

"La decisión de hoy es una victoria para aquellos que como nosotros creemos que el cuidado de la salud para todos es un derecho esencial y no un lujo", dijo Janet Murguía, presidenta de NCLR. "La legislación sobre la reforma de la ley de salud fue dar un importante paso hacia delante y estos desafíos hacia el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia fueron una desafortunada distracción, tanto por la distorsión del propósito de la ley y por haber diferido inhumanamente su implementación. La Corte Suprema de Justicia ha hablado. Es hora de seguir avanzando y hacer que esta ley en su totalidad se convierta en una realidad."

La decisión de la Corte confirmó la implementación de la parte fundamental de la ley, aunque limita el papel del gobierno federal en cuanto a la aprobación de los estados para la expansión de Medicaid de la ley de salud. La ley tendrá consecuencias dramáticas para los latinos y la capacidad que este sector de la población tenga significativo acceso al cuidado de la salud. Un mínimo de seis millones de latinos se convertirán en nuevos beneficiarios gracias a la expansión de la ley –el salto más grande para que los latinos alcancen los niveles de seguridad del cuidado de su salud en la historia estadounidense. El NCLR continuará trabajando para cerciorarse de que los beneficios de la ley se cumplan plenamente en la comunidad hispana.

"La reforma de la ley de salud que el presidente y el Congreso han puesto en marcha dos años atrás, ya está cambiando vidas", dijo Murguía. "Ahora que la ley ha sido confirmada millones de latinos ya no tendrán que preocuparse sobre cómo pagar por los servicios esenciales del cuidado de la salud para sus hijos-- nuestros futuros trabajadores, contribuyentes, y líderes de nuestra nación".

El NCLR trabajó con el Congreso y la administración de Obama en el desarrollo de la ACA y NCLR continuará trabajando para informar a la comunidad latina sobre los beneficios de la ley y cómo los hispanos pueden obtener su cobertura de salud.

"El NCLR siempre ha luchado por el derecho a la atención de salud asequible, y en 2010 conseguimos tener una ley que nos asegura mejor atención médica para aquellos que ya la tenían y provisto la cobertura de salud al alcance de más millones de personas", agregó Murguía. "El NCLR luchará para garantizar que estas reformas de la atención de salud se lleven a cabo para que millones de latinos tengan una mejor oportunidad no sólo para obtener cobertura de salud, sino también para asegurar un futuro más saludable."

En los próximos días, el NCLR llevará a cabo análisis y eventos durante los cuales se ofrecerán mayores detalles sobre el contenido de esta ley. Para tal objetivo, únase a NCLR y a otras organizaciones para llevar realizar mañana (viernes 29 de junio) a las 2:00 pm a Hora del Este/11:00 am Hora del Pacífico, a través de Tweet sobre el fallo de la Corte de la Suprema de Justicia para la reforma a la ley de salud. Usted puede ingresar a esta charla en Tweet utilizando el siguiente código: # HCRDecision and #HealthJustice.

Para mayor información sobre la reforma de de la ley de salud y enterarse sobre los beneficios de la ACA para la comunidad latina, visite:
http://www.nclr.org/index.php/issues_and_programs/health_and_nutrition/health_care_reform/. También NCLR pone a su disposición una infografía y puede reproducir la misma sin costo alguno.

El Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR, por sus siglas en inglés) –la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos– trabaja para mejorar las oportunidades de los estadounidenses hispanos. Para mayor información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.
       

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Earlier today, the California legislature passed the California Foreclosure Reduction Act (AB 278 / SB 900), which will finally put an end to the unfair “dual track” process that has caused many borrowers to lose their homes. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds the crucial work that its California Affiliates and a number of allies—including California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Sen. Ron Calderon (D–Montebello), East LA Community Corporation, TODEC Legal Center, Montebello Housing Development Corporation, Council for the Spanish Speaking in Stockton, Community HousingWorks of San Diego, and Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County—have done to secure the passage of this bill.

“Today, hundreds of thousands of California homeowners can take heart, knowing that the state legislature is doing its part to ensure that families are given a fair chance to avoid foreclosure,” said Delia de la Vara, NCLR’s Vice President for the California Region. “This is an especially important victory for the Latino community, who represent almost half of all foreclosures in California, even though they make up less than a quarter of California homeowners. NCLR strongly urges Gov. Jerry Brown to sign this legislation into law, putting an end to dual tracking once and for all.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Earlier today, the California legislature passed the California Foreclosure Reduction Act (AB 278 / SB 900), which will finally put an end to the unfair “dual track” process that has caused many borrowers to lose their homes. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds the crucial work that its California Affiliates and a number of allies—including California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Sen. Ron Calderon (D–Montebello), East LA Community Corporation, TODEC Legal Center, Montebello Housing Development Corporation, Council for the Spanish Speaking in Stockton, Community HousingWorks of San Diego, and Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County—have done to secure the passage of this bill.

“Today, hundreds of thousands of California homeowners can take heart, knowing that the state legislature is doing its part to ensure that families are given a fair chance to avoid foreclosure,” said Delia de la Vara, NCLR’s Vice President for the California Region. “This is an especially important victory for the Latino community, who represent almost half of all foreclosures in California, even though they make up less than a quarter of California homeowners. NCLR strongly urges Gov. Jerry Brown to sign this legislation into law, putting an end to dual tracking once and for all.”

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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
Conference Press Room
(702) 322-5587

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The 2012 election, anti-immigrant laws, foreclosure prevention, higher education, and health care reform are just some of the topics that will be discussed in the more than 50 workshops and speaking events during the 2012 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Annual Conference, set for July 7–10 in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center. The Conference will bring together experts, policymakers, and activists in these fields, as well as in community organizing, women’s issues, LGBT issues, worker safety and protection, legislative policy concerns, and other areas of priority for the Latino community. The workshops are all open to the public and are free of charge, while speaking events are reserved for registered attendees.

Members of the press may register to attend the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference, free of charge, at www.nclr.org/pressregistration.

In addition to the workshops and special events listed below, the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference will offer sessions on community empowerment, technology, nonprofit management, financial security, leadership, fundraising, health care implementation, and much more. For a complete schedule of events and information on speakers, please visit www.nclr.org/conference.

Saturday, July 7

National Affiliate Luncheon
Lead the Way
12:30–2:30 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom
Featured Speakers:

• Hon. Eric Holder, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
• Hon. Shelley Berkley, U.S. Representative (D–Nev.)
• Gina Rodriguez, Actress, Filly Brown

Town Hall
From Vote to Voz: Harnessing the Power of the Latino Electorate
3:00–4:30 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom E
While the Latino community works to reduce registration and voting gaps, voter suppression measures and anti-Latino sentiment grow. With an election looming, panelists discuss how Latino voters can stand up for the community and build the power to achieve policy change.

Workshops
Legislative Update: Is Washington Delivering on Latino Priorities this Election Year?
9:00–10:30 a.m., Breakers I
At this session, NCLR’s team of public policy experts provides up-to-date information on legislative issues that will have a profound impact on Hispanic communities. Topics that will be discussed include immigration, health policy, economic and employment policy, and housing.

Sunday, July 8

Latinas Brunch
¡Salud, Riqueza y Felicidad!...And the Time to Enjoy Them
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom
Featured Speakers:

• Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO
• Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada Attorney General
• Nely Galán, Founder, The Adelante Movement
• Suze Orman, Financial Advisor, Author, and Television Personality

Town Hall
¡Salud! Eliminating Disparities That Block Good Health among Latinos
3:30–5:00 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom E
Hispanics living in the U.S. are heavily burdened by high incidence and mortality rates of preventable chronic and infectious diseases. Panel experts will discuss plans to meet the specific needs of the growing Latino community toward the elimination of health disparities.

Workshops
A Defining Moment: The Supreme Court’s Arizona Decision and Beyond
9:00–10:30 a.m., Surf AB
Leaders in the immigration policy field discuss what the Supreme Court’s decision on Arizona’s anti-immigrant law SB 1070 will mean for the Latino community and how the decision will affect states pursuing similar legislation. Featured speakers:

• Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center
• Todd Landfried, Executive Director, Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform
• Daniel R. Ortega, Immediate Past Chair, NCLR Board of Directors
• Clarissa Martinez-De-Castro, Director, Civic Engagement and Immigration, NCLR

Stop the Hate: Overcoming Modern-Day Bullying
9:00–10:30 a.m., Breakers J
Bullying is as prevalent as ever, perhaps even more so today when “anywhere” includes not only the playground, but also cyberspace. Discuss how to build a safe environment for all youth, whether they are straight, LGBT, or simply perceived to be LGBT.

Mis Derechos, Tus Derechos: Protecting the Civil Rights of the Latino Community
1:30–3:00 p.m., Surf C
Presented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. In this workshop, several federal agencies will team up to provide up-to-date information about programs and resources that can have a real impact in protecting your community’s rights.

The Right Side of History: LGBT Equality and the Hispanic Perspective
1:30–3:00 p.m., Breakers J
Looking at different cross-sections of the Hispanic population, panelists discuss new studies which show that the Latino community is in favor of legal equality for LGBT people and in favor of protections against all forms of discrimination.

Monday, July 9

Monday Luncheon
Featuring President’s Message
12:30–2:30 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom
Featured Speakers:

• Maria Elena Salinas, Co-Host, Noticiero Univision and Aquí y Ahora
•  Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation, NCLR
• Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO
• Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO

Town Hall
Don’t Quit the Dream: A Vision for Homeownership Beyond 2012
3:00–4:30 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom E
Today’s housing system still needs a lot of help getting on the right course. Many families of color have been steered toward toxic mortgages; others lost their jobs in the economic downturn resulting in droves of foreclosures. In the last three years alone, communities of color have lost almost half of their wealth. Panelists will discuss how all of these issues can be influenced by your vote in the upcoming elections. Featured Speakers:

• Maria Elena Salinas, Co-Host, Noticiero Univision and Aquí y Ahora
• Shaun Donovan, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Gerardo Ascencio, President, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals
• Maria Cabildo, President, East LA Community Corporation

Workshops
Cutting through the Red Tape: Getting Our Children the Health Care They Need
9:00–10:30 a.m., Breakers L
Latino and immigrant children are the most uninsured population in the nation, even though they are highly eligible for coverage. Panelists discuss new requirements for national children’s coverage that have given advocates the opportunity to eliminate the barriers that have kept children from getting insurance and needed care.

Occupy the Classroom: Moving Latino Education Reform Forward
9:00–10:30 a.m., Surf A
Panelists discuss why Hispanic educational achievement lags behind that of non-Hispanics, even though there are compelling examples of effective ways to improve education for these students.

Tuesday, July 10

Tuesday Luncheon
Noon–2:30 p.m., Mandalay Bay Ballroom
Featured Speakers:

• Hon. Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States of America
• Maria Celeste Arraras, Al Rojo Vivo, Telemundo
• Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO

Workshops
Making Home Affordable: Exploring Options to Avoid Foreclosure
9:00–10:30 a.m., Lagoon J
Learn how to educate struggling homeowners in your communities on where to find mortgage relief. A variety of programs exist to help families with mortgage modifications, refinancing, deferred payment, or transitioning out of their homes while avoiding foreclosure.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact:
July 4, 2012                                                                 Camila Gallardo, NCLR
                                                                                       (305) 573-7329
                                                                                       Marie Sebrechts, USCIS
                                                                                       (949) 500-1544
                                                                                       Heather Sanchez, Housing for Nevada
                                                                                       (702) 270-0300

NCLR joins USCIS to welcome new citizens into the American family

LAS VEGAS—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is proud to join U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a special naturalization ceremony celebrating 25 immigrants as they become citizens of the United States. Housing for Nevada, a Las Vegas nonprofit organization, will host the ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 6, at 285 East Springs Road.

Judge Lloyd George, U.S. District Court, will preside. Welcoming the candidates for citizenship will be Christine Johnston, President and CEO of Housing for Nevada; NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía; and Leander B. Holston, Field Director, USCIS Las Vegas Field Office. A reception with families and friends will follow the ceremony.

These Nevada residents, who come from 18 countries, will take the oath to become U.S. citizens. The immigrant population strengthens the vibrancy of this country as an economic power and icon of diversity, and naturalization is the critical last step that new Americans take in order to participate fully in our nation’s civic life.

This event is a prelude to the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo®, which will take place July 7–10 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center. Housing for Nevada, a member of the NCLR Affiliate Network, is dedicated to strengthening families, neighborhoods, and communities through quality housing.

Press may register to attend the NCLR Annual Conference free of charge at the NCLR press web page, and can follow Conference updates via Twitter using #NCLR12 and #LeadtheWay. For further information or to schedule an interview, please contact Camila Gallardo at (305) 573-7329 or cgallardo@nclr.org

For questions related to the naturalization ceremony and citizenship candidates, please contact Marie Sebrechts at (949) 500-1544 or marie.sebrechts@dhs.gov.

MEDIA ADVISORY:
GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

WHAT:           Naturalization ceremony for 25 Nevada residents from 18 countries of origin, a prelude to the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference held July 7–10 in Las Vegas

WHERE:        Housing for Nevada
                       285 E. Warm Springs Rd. #100
                       Las Vegas, NV 89119

WHEN:         Friday, July 6, 2:30 p.m. PDT

WHO:           Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
                      Leander B. Holston, Field Director, Las Vegas Field Office, USCIS
                     Christine A. Johnston, President and CEO, Housing for Nevada
                     Judge Lloyd George, U.S. District Court

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.

USCIS is responsible for immigration benefits. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

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NCLR is delighted to invite you to join this year’s grand Latino event: the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference and National Family Expo in Las Vegas, themed “Lead the Way.”

Whether you are a businessperson, professional, family member, advocate, or other person interested in improving the lives of Latinos in the U.S., the NCLR Conference will give you practical knowledge, expert insight, and cutting-edge tools to achieve this goal. Las Vegas, our host city this year, will provide the opportunity for attendees to profit from our Conference resources in a fun and relaxed atmosphere—right in an election battleground state with a large and influential Hispanic population.

Now the details:

When and Where?

Lasting four days, the Conference will take place on July 7–10, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

General Overview

The Conference will host over 50 workshops, four town halls, two featured sessions, two summits, and the 2012 National Latino Family Expo®. Click here for a list of upcoming live stream events that you can watch from home, including town halls and meal events!

Workshops

Conference workshops were designed to create an intimate setting for experts to discuss issues of importance to the Latino community and receive input and questions from attendees. This year, workshops will be presented by UPS, Prudential, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Central Intelligence Agency, and many others, along with NCLR staff from around the country. Workshop tracks include Community and Family Wealth-Building, Workforce Development, Education, The Latina Perspective, Community Empowerment, Policy, Affiliate/Nonprofit Management, Digital Business, and The LGBT Familia. A complete list of Conference workshops may be found here.

Featured Sessions

The Conference will also include two featured sessions that explore topics of current particular importance to Latinos in the U.S. This year’s sessions include: “A Defining Moment: The Supreme Court’s Arizona Decision and Beyond,” which explores the passage of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, SB 1070, in April 2010; and “The Adelante Movement (Move Forward!),” which explores a grassroots movement founded by Nely Galán that unites and empowers Latinas socially, economically, and politically in the U.S. To learn more about the featured sessions, check out our Conference Pocket Agenda.

Town Halls

Getting the Latino community acquainted with the political representatives in charge of creating and enacting policy is key to NCLR. In this spirit, Conference presents a series of town halls to inform and empower Latinos in areas of critical importance to Hispanic communities. The town halls being presented this year include: “We Have Seen the Future, and the Future Is Ours” (Líderes youth summit town hall), “From Vote to Voz: Harnessing the Power of the Latino Electorate” “¡Salud! Eliminating Disparities That Block Good Health among Latinos,” and “Don’t Quit the Dream: A Vision for Homeownership Beyond 2012.” For details on the town halls visit our site here.

Other Events

If you have attended an NCLR Conference before, you know there is always something going on. This year, special events being presented include the Health Summit immediately preceding Conference and the Líderes Summit—a four-day leadership summit for students.

The most popular events always include our evening concerts; some of the artists performing this year include Intocable, Prince Royce and A.B. Quintanilla with special appearances by Pepe Aguilar and Taboo from The Black Eyed Peas.

The National Latino Family Expo is free and open to the public (and great for families!) and will feature displays and entertainment from Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, Walgreens, Honey Nut Cheerios©, BMW, McDonalds USA, PepsiCo, among others, as well as appearances by telenovela star Juan Soler, renowned food and lifestyle expert Ingrid Hoffmann, actor and singer Pee Wee, and other stars.

Featured Speakers

In extending personal invitations to this year’s speakers, NCLR was aiming for valuable and inspirational talks. NCLR is incredibly pleased to be hosting such keynote speakers as the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the U.S. Attorney General, Hon. Eric Holder; motivational speaker Suze Orman, Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Shaun Donovan; and President and CEO of NCLR, Janet Murguía. Other featured speakers include Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto; Nely Galán, founder of The Adelante Movement; and actress Gina Rodriguez. This is only a snapshot of an impressive list of speakers who will address participants at the 2012 Annual Conference.

Get Involved

As this event moves forward, we will be keeping you updated via Facebook and Twitter. And we want to hear from you! Use the #NCLR12 or #LeadtheWay hashtags to contribute your ideas, suggestions, or questions on Twitter, or comment and “Like” posts on our Facebook page. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Contact:
July 5, 2012                                                                            NCLR Conference Press Office:
                                                                                                  (702) 322-5587 (as of July 6)
                                                                                                  Camila Gallardo
                                                                                                  (305) 215-4259
                                                                                                  cgallardo@nclr.org

Dora the Explorer joins NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía for ribbon cutting Expo inauguration ceremony

LAS VEGAS—The National Latino Family Expo, one of the largest events in the country focused on resources and activities for the Latino family, is making its Las Vegas debut with more than 200 exhibitors from across the country and an array of free activities and entertainment for the family to enjoy. Dora the Explorer, one of the nation’s most beloved television characters, will welcome families from the Las Vegas metropolitan area on Saturday, July 7, to kick off the celebration. The National Latino Family Expo is held in conjunction with the 2012 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Annual Conference.

The Expo opens on Saturday, July 7 and runs through Monday, July 9 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer will help NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía cut the ribbon to open the National Latino Family Expo. The event is free of charge and open to the public, and attendees will have the chance to enjoy live music, dancing, cooking demonstrations, exercise classes, prizes, and free health screenings.

UPS is the Title Sponsor of this year’s National Latino Family Expo. Press may register to attend the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference, free of charge, at www.nclr.org/pressregistration.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:               Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO
                          Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer

WHAT:             Great visuals at Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the 2012 NCLR NationalLatino Family Expo: local celebrities, live music, dancing, games and prizes, health screenings, cooking demonstrations,    exercise classes, and more

WHEN:             Saturday, July 7, at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:           Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center
                          3950 Las Vegas Boulevard, South
                          Las Vegas, NV 89109

A GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY!

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 us on Facebook and Twitter.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact:
July 5, 2012                                                     Camila Gallardo
                                                                           (305) 573-7329
                                                                           cgallardo@nclr.org
                                                                           NCLR Press Office in Las Vegas (as of July 6)
                                                                           (702) 322-5587

LAS VEGAS—The foreclosure epidemic and tight credit continue to slow down our nation’s housing recovery. Many families of color have been steered toward toxic mortgages; others lost their jobs in the economic downturn resulting in unprecedented home loss. In the last three years alone, communities of color have lost almost than half of their wealth. But in the midst of these setbacks, borrowers have also won some crucial victories over the past year, including the recent Attorneys General settlement, the opening of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the appointment of Richard Cordray as Director of the CFPB.

Join NCLR (National Council of La Raza) on Monday, July 9, at the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference in Las Vegas for a town hall featuring high-profile housing panelists and officials, including Cordray, who will discuss how to better stabilize the market by making it more accessible, equitable, and sustainable.

To cover this event, press can register for the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference, free of charge, at the press registration website.

MEDIA ADVISORY
 

WHAT:           Town Hall: Don’t Quit the Dream: A Vision for Homeownership Beyond 2012

WHO:              Moderator
                         Maria Elena Salinas, Co-Host, Noticiero Univision and Aquí y Ahora

                         Featured Speakers
                         Shaun Donovan, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
                         Richard Cordray, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

                         Respondents
                         Gerardo Ascencio, President, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals
                         Maria Cabildo, President, East LA Community Corporation

WHEN:             Monday, July 9, 2012; 3:00–4:30 p.m.

WHERE:          Mandalay Bay Convention Center
                         Mandalay Bay Ballroom E
                         3950 Las Vegas Boulevard, South
                         Las Vegas, NV 89109

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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact:
July 5, 2012                                                     Camila Gallardo
                                                                           (305) 573-7329
                                                                           cgallardo@nclr.org
                                                                          NCLR Press Office in Las Vegas (as of July 6)
                                                                          (702) 322-5587

U.S. Ambassador Raul Yzaguirre, mun2’s Yarel Ramos, DREAM activist Astrid Silva, and youth leaders to participate in youth town hall event

LAS VEGAS—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will host hundreds of Latino youth leaders at the 2012 Líderes Summit as part of the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference held July 7–10 in Las Vegas. The Summit’s mission is to equip, empower, and enable young people to create positive change in their communities. The unique program of workshops, forums and discussions, cultural artistic presentations, and professional development sessions will challenge the youth to become solution-oriented thinkers and forward-thinking leaders.

The Summit runs July 6–9 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center. One of the central events of the Summit will focus on examining advocacy campaigns within the Latino community over the past 50 years.

The Honorable Raul Yzaguirre, U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, will deliver the key note address during the Lideres Town Hall. The Town Hall, titled “We Have Seen the Future, and the Future Is Ours,” will be live-streamed through the NCLR website (www.nclr.org). The Conference-wide forum will review the many creative ways through which Hispanic American youth are keeping alive the social justice legacy of activist Cesar Chavez. Panelists will share their views and thoughts on the role of new technology and social media in the evolution of modern social justice campaigns. The panel’s moderator, mun2 host of “Reventón con Yarel,” Yarel Ramos, will tweet and post on Facebook leading up to and during the event.

The NCLR Líderes Initiative is a national youth leadership program designed to increase opportunities for Latino youth to elevate their influence as leaders in the United States. To learn about other NCLR leadership and education opportunities for young people, please visit lideres.nclr.org.

To cover this event, press can register for the 2012 NCLR Annual Conference, free of charge, at the press registration website. Follow events on Twitter at #Lideres12 and #NCLR12.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:                  Líderes Town Hall—“We Have Seen the Future, and the Future Is Ours”

 
WHO:                    Yarel Ramos, Host of mun2’s “Reventón con Yarel”
                               Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation, NCLR
                               Astrid Silva, Founding member, DREAM Big Vegas; President, Clark County Young Democrats
                               Renata Soto, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Conexión Américas
                               Cindy Zavala, Co-Director of the Latino and American Student Organization at American University, 2012 NCLR Líderes Summit Staff, Miss Sister City 2008

WHEN:                 Saturday, July 7, 10:45 a.m.

WHERE:               Mandalay Bay Convention Center South
                              Room Palm H
                              3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
                               Las Vegas, NV 89119

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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