FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       Contact:
July 31, 2012                                                              Kathy Mimberg
                                                                                   (202) 776-1714
                                                                                   kmimberg@nclr.org

Washington, D.C.—The Best Buy Children’s Foundation and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) announced the recipients of the sixth NCLR–Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program. Four graduating Hispanic high school seniors will receive a total of $25,000 in scholarships to attend the colleges of their choice. The scholarship recipients are from Alabama, Colorado, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

The winners were selected based on their written responses to the question: “In the ‘Digital Age,’ how are you an advocate for the Latino community? How have you used new media or mobile platforms to advance advocacy and civic engagement efforts in your community?” Applicants were asked to answer the question and describe their history of service to the community, level of academic achievement, proven utilization of new media in social advocacy campaigns, and demonstrated financial need.

“At Best Buy, we focus on empowering teens. We partner with nonprofit organizations that support teens by giving access to opportunities through technology,” said Susan Bass Roberts, Director of Community Relations at Best Buy. "The Best Buy Children’s Foundation is proud to partner with NCLR and the Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program to provide these students with the opportunity to excel in school, engage in their communities, and develop leadership skills which will result in a better future."

The 2012 recipients of the NCLR–Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship are:

•    Kennia Coronado, Racine, Wis. ($15,000)
•    Beatriz Felix, Russellville, Ala. ($5,000)
•    Bianca Maldonado-Ramirez, Beaverton, Ore. ($2,500)
•    Dalia Quezada, Denver, Colo. ($2,500)

“NCLR congratulates these exemplary students and is pleased to join the Best Buy Children’s Foundation in presenting them with scholarships to further their education. Earning a college degree is the best path to a bright future, and we are working hard at NCLR to make the college dream a reality for more young Latinos,” said Delia Pompa, NCLR Senior Vice President.

The NCLR Líderes Initiative spearheads the NCLR–Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program, which is designed to increase the educational attainment of Latino youth by providing scholarships to graduating high school students who have been accepted into postsecondary education institutions for the 2012–2013 academic year. Líderes is a national youth leadership program that equips and empowers Latino youth throughout the country to become agents of positive social change across all sectors of society. For more information on Líderes, please visit http://lideres.nclr.org/ or follow the program on Facebook and Twitter.

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 DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto:
Camila Gallardo, NCLR
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259 o (305) 573-7329

Mientras se aproxima la primaria de agosto, un foro comunitario recalca la facilidad e importancia del voto

MIAMI—Con la aproximación de la primaria de la Florida programada para el 14 de agosto y a pocos meses antes de la elección general de noviembre, el NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza por sus siglas en inglés), el ACLU, Progress Florida, South Florida Jobs with Justice, Catalyst Miami, Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), y otras organizaciones hermanas patrocinarán un foro público para subrayar cambios importantes que impactarán como los floridanos votan este año. En el 2011, la legislatura estatal aprobó una ley electoral comprensiva que redujo el periodo de votación temprana y cambios al proceso que permite los votantes registrar un cambio de dirección.

Participantes tendrán una oportunidad de interactuar con ejemplos de las maquinas de votación y aprenderán sobre la facilidad de votar-por-correo. Además de proveer información sobre las pólizas y procedimientos que gobiernan el voto, los presentadores ofrecerán ideas sobre como los votantes pueden involucrarse en temas de importancia al nivel local, estatal, y nacional, y promover la participación cvica en sus comunidades. Los presentadores subrayarán como los participantes pueden ampliar su conocimiento de los temas importantes y variados de relevancia para estas próximas elecciones y también la importancia de salir a votar.

AVISO A LA PRENSA

QUÉ:
Foro publicó sobre los cambios en leyes de votación y la importancia del voto

QUIÉN:
Moderadora:
Lida Rodriguez-Taseff, Abogada, Co-Fundadora, South Florida Jobs with Justice

Presentadores:
Representante del Miami-Dade Department of Elections (TBA)
Nikki Fisher, Field Coordinator, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Natalie Carlier, South Florida Regional Coordinator, NCLR

CUÁNDO:
Miércoles, 1 de agosto, 2012
6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

DÓNDE:
West Kendall Regional Library
10201 Hammocks Boulevard, #159
Miami, FL 33196

Para reservar asiento para este evento o para obtener más información, llame a: Camila Gallardo, Senior Communications Manager, NCLR at (305) 573-7329 o (305) 215-4259.

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

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Earlier today, NCLR President and CEO, Janet Murguia, participated in talks on economic prosperity, hosted by the Economic Policy Institute. The talk was held in conjunction with the release of a new report, "Prosperity Economics: Building an Economy for All." The report, co-authored by Yale Professor Jacob S. Hacker and Nate Lowenthall, provides a comprehensive blueprint to grow the nation's economy in a way that works for all Americans.

Murguia delivered the following remarks at today's event:

Thank you, Larry, for hosting this important discussion. Congratulations to Professor Hacker and to Nate at Yale for the publication of this visionary document. NCLR is proud to join the AFL-CIO, the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, and the Center for Community Change for this pivotal conversation about real policy solutions for workers, families, and our economy.

It is critical that Latinos are at the table when we are talking about big ideas for the future of our economy. Latinos have a proud place in the American story—yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The American economy simply won’t work without Latinos. Today there are 22 million Latinos in our labor force; by 2050, one in three American workers will be Latino.

Like all Americans, Latino voters today say that the economy and jobs is their top concern. And it’s no surprise. Latinos have been among the hardest-hit by unemployment and the housing market crash. And instead of a plan to fix the crisis, the message to struggling families is one of austerity. “Our country can’t afford the changes we need.

Parents with dreams for their children, and workers who want to contribute their time and talents should not have to wait for attention. A strong democracy—one pillar of this vision for shared prosperity—makes it possible for all Americans to effect the changes they want to see today.

But there are real threats to that democracy in our country today. An anti-Latino environment that has brought pain and suffering in our community. There are those who would want to make it more difficult for individuals to exercise the most basic way to participate in our democracy: voting.

We stand with our brothers and sisters in the African American community, to ensure everyone’s rights are respected, on the street and in the voting booth. Every politician must know that beating up on our communities has consequences. Working together we will ensure that the American Dream is alive for everyone and the voices that seek to divide our nation are finally put in check.

That is why our conversation today is so important—democracy is about moving forward together to ensure our contributions are not only stronger but respected. Our vote matters. But elections are a means to an end, not the end itself. We cannot wait for politicians to give us the respect we deserve. We have to command it.

We saw democracy in action just a few weeks ago when California governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill to put an end to the unfair ‘dual track’ process that traps homeowners while they are seeking a loan modification. This victory is proof of what can be achieved when leaders from local communities, the nonprofit sector, and the public sector, advocates, come together to work toward common-sense goals. When democracy works, solutions to our greatest challenges are possible to achieve.

NCLR looks forward to working with our partners here today and across the country to strengthen our democracy and to work toward shared prosperity.

Thank you.

Read the full report here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, D.C.—Earlier today, Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Edward DeMarco announced that he will not allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to use targeted principal reductions in their loan modification programs for borrowers at risk of foreclosure. NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is deeply disappointed in this decision and firmly stands with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as he asks the FHFA to reconsider the use of principal reduction, which has clear benefits for struggling homeowners, the housing market, and taxpayers.

“Principal reduction is proven to be one of the most effective methods of helping underwater families keep their homes,” said Janis Bowdler, Director of the Wealth Building Policy Project at NCLR. “It is astonishing to think that DeMarco would continue to reject an evidence-based method for avoiding foreclosures, especially when their own analysis points to the very clear benefits that principal reduction could have for our housing market. With millions of people on the brink of losing their most important asset, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be making use of available tools to reduce losses for families, neighborhoods, and investors—targeted principal reductions can achieve this goal.”

In fact, as Sec. Geithner pointed out today in a letter to the acting director, the FHFA’s analysis of principal reduction shows that allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to participate in their principal reduction program would potentially help up to half a million homeowners, save Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac up to $3.6 billion, and save taxpayers a net $1 billion.

“Thankfully, Sec. Geithner has stepped in to champion principal reduction, showing homeowners that they do have allies in Washington who are willing to take the necessary steps to navigate this country out of the housing crisis,” added Bowdler. “Last year we delivered 10,000 postcards from concerned individuals asking for this kind of leadership from the Treasury. We applaud Sec. Geithner for his commitment to assuring that the housing market recovers and that struggling families across this country can keep their homes.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contacts:
Maggie Kao, Sierra Club, 202-675-2384
Julian Teixeira, NCLR, 202-776-1812
Javier Sierra, Sierra Club, 703-927-4750

Washington, D.C. – The Sierra Club and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) announced a new national survey today, finding that nearly 90 percent of Latino voters favor clean energy over fossil fuels. The national poll surveyed 1,131 Latino registered voters across the country on a number of public health, environmental and energy issues, and found overwhelming support for clean energy innovation, protecting public lands and parks and cleaning up toxic pollution.

“The Sierra Club is encouraged and energized to hear that Latino voters not only see the importance of environmental and public health protections, but that they are also willing to take action to help build a healthier economy, nation and future with clean energy,” said Javier Sierra, Sierra Club Bilingual Media Strategist. “It’s time for our nation’s leaders to catch up and usher in a clean energy economy that provides good jobs and healthy families.”

“The findings from this survey amplify what NCLR has been hearing at the community level from Latinos throughout the country: quality jobs, quality air and water, and quality of life are goals that can and should be achieved simultaneously,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation at NCLR. “And working with the Sierra Club and other partners we look forward to putting these priorities into action in order to not only achieve employment opportunities for Latinos in the clean jobs sector, but to also create a healthier environment for all Americans.”

The results of the 2012 Latinos and the Environment survey show that Latino voters across the country strongly support clean energy, are very concerned about the public health effects of fossil fuel production and use, believe that global climate change is happening, and want to protect the nation’s public lands.

Some key findings:

• Pollution of our air and water resources is still the top environmental concern for Latino voters nationwide, with 61% saying it is among the top two environmental issues for them and their families. Since 2008, concern about air and water pollution and toxic waste sites has grown by 10 percentage points.
• The Latino population clearly favors clean energy over dirty fossil fuels, and 83% agree that “coal plants and oil refineries are a thing of the past. We need to look toward the future and use more energy from clean sources.”
• Nearly 9-in-10 (87%) Latino voters, with all wages and benefits equal, would prefer to work in the clean energy industry rather than at a fossil fuel company or oil refinery.
• Of those polled, 86% prefer that the government invest in clean, renewable energy like solar and wind, while just 11% of Latinos prefer investments in fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.
• More than three-fourths (77%) of Latino voters believe that global climate change is already happening, while another 15% say it will happen in the future. By comparison, about half (52%) of all Americans say that the effects of global warming have already begun, according to a Gallup poll conducted in March.
• More than 9-in-10 (92%) Latino voters agree that they “have a moral responsibility to take care of God’s creations on this earth - the wilderness and forests, the oceans, lakes and rivers.”
• More than 9-in-10 Latino voters (94%) say outdoor activities such as fishing, picnics, camping, and visiting national parks and monuments are important to them and their families. Nearly 7-in-10 (69%) Latino voters say they would support the president designating more public land as national monuments.
• More than 7-in-10 (72%) Latino voters agree that “environmental regulations protect our health and our families by lowering toxic levels of mercury, arsenic, carbon dioxide and other life-threatening pollution in our air and water.”
• An overwhelming majority (94%) of Latino voters believe that they and their families can help curb toxic air and water pollution by conserving energy.

The 2012 Latinos and the Environment poll was conducted by Myers Research and Strategic Services and focus group data was provided by Project New America. To read the executive summary or find the full poll results, visit www.sierraclub.org/ecocentro/survey.

###

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.

Sierra Club is the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club and its 1.4 million members and supporters work to fulfill the organization’s mission of enjoying, exploring and protecting the planet.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Camila Gallardo, NCLR
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259 or (305) 573-7329

Town hall meeting highlights new voting rules; underscores need for increased civic engagement

MIAMI—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Progress Florida, South Florida Jobs with Justice, Catalyst Miami, Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), and other local partner groups held a public town hall meeting to provide potential voters with important information related to recent changes in voting procedures. Participants heard from the Miami-Dade County Elections Department about the voting process and were given an opportunity to try a sample touch screen voting machine.

In addition, representatives from the ACLU and NCLR spoke about the importance of voting and increasing civic involvement.

“There are so many issues at stake in this election—education, continued economic recovery, health care, immigration—that particularly affect Hispanics across the country. The state of Florida is certainly no exception; in fact, we’ve got some of the nation’s highest unemployment and foreclosures rates,” said Natalie Carlier, NCLR Regional Coordinator for South Florida.

“If our community doesn’t get to know more about these issues and potential solutions, or turn out to vote in November, we are giving away our ability to impact future policies at every level—from local, to state, to national,” continued Carlier.

While recent changes to the state’s electoral laws have shortened early voting periods and placed extra requirements on potential voters, speakers at the forum urged those gathered to take advantage of voting early.

“We want the community to take advantage of voting early or voting-by-mail as much as possible. It’s easy to have something come up at the last minute on Election Day, so we want folks to have a plan and schedule it like anything else important in their daily routines,” concluded Carlier.

NCLR is currently engaged in a national effort to register Hispanics across the country through its Mobilize to Vote campaign (M2V). Mobilize to Vote has full-time operations running in Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Nevada and soon will expand to other states, including California, North Carolina, and Texas, working in partnership with NCLR’s Affiliate Network. In addition, a web portal will allow Latinos nationwide to register to vote online.

This week, NCLR and partner organization Cuentame released a 2 minute video clip which details how to register and vote in the State of Florida. Watch it below:

For more information regarding NCLR’s voter registration and voter education efforts, please contact Camila Gallardo, NCLR Senior Communications Manager, at (305) 573-7329 or cgallardo@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.

###

Florida is one of a number of states that have implemented some major changes to its voting laws. The changes have an especially big impact on Latinos, Black, young voters, as well as women. Supporters of the changes—which are nothing more than thinly veiled voter suppression laws—dictate how groups register to vote, who is eligible, and when folks can vote.

We don’t agree with these changes, and we’re working hard to reverse them. Until then, however, all Floridians need to understand what is necessary to register to vote for the upcoming general election. We teamed up with our friends at Cuéntame to help you understand those changes and to arm you with what you need to know.

Also, be sure to register to vote here.

Now that you've seen the video, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE away! 

Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner took a bold step toward guarding families’ homes from unnecessary foreclosure. He wrote an open letter in defense of principal reductions—a vital option which reduces the original amount of a home loan for struggling homeowners. Last summer, partners of the Home for Good campaign called on Secretary Geithner to make lasting improvements to the mortgage market. More than 10,000 concerned individuals sent postcards, and during a four-day call-to-action, nearly 400 people called the Treasury to urge a simple message: stop needless foreclosures; support affordable rental housing; and revive a sustainable path to homeownership. With his open letter, Secretary Geithner made a strong move in the right direction.

In an environment where the blame game is often the operative strategy for elected officials and housing stakeholders, there appears to be little that economists, advocates, big banks, and investors agree on. However, principal reduction is a solution that has cut across ideology and is considered by many to be a win-win solution. At minimum, it is an evidence-based tool for reducing foreclosures that continues to be underused, even while so many other approaches come up short. Smart servicers and lenders are on board. They use a calculation known as Net Present Value (NPV) to compare the costs associated with foreclosure to the costs of reducing principal. As analysis released by the Treasury Department shows, there is a targeted group of loans on which investors can save money in the long run by cutting a troubled homeowner’s mortgage balance to a manageable level.

Unfortunately, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Acting Director Ed DeMarco has time and again stood in the way of implementing principal reductions as a solution. DeMarco is in charge of regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, where most of the nation’s home loans are held—and until he concedes, many families will continue to fall into needless foreclosure. In his open letter, Geithner points out that a recent study by DeMarco’s own agency shows that principal reduction decreases the chances of redefault and actually saves money, rather than increasing risk and cost, as DeMarco claims. Making the situation all the more frustrating, we—the taxpayers—are the investors in the case of loans serviced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. DeMarco does us all a disservice by rejecting a key tool that could reduce foreclosures while also saving money for taxpayers.

Geithner’s public statement in support of principal reduction is cause for celebration, but DeMarco has further entrenched himself as the major obstacle to taking principal reduction to scale. The enduring housing crisis requires bold steps and true solutions. We cannot afford to be impeded by purely ideological differences—five years of that experiment have cost millions of families their homes and neighborhoods. Principal reduction is a proven and refreshing strategy for repairing the system, and DeMarco must no longer stand in the way.

Ready to see real solutions to our nation’s housing woes? Join the Home for Good campaign and tell the presidential candidates that you want their commitment to housing opportunities!

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

Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner took a bold step toward guarding families’ homes from unnecessary foreclosure. He wrote an open letter in defense of principal reductions—a vital option which reduces the original amount of a home loan for struggling homeowners. Last summer, partners of the Home for Good campaign called on Secretary Geithner to make lasting improvements to the mortgage market. More than 10,000 concerned individuals sent postcards, and during a four-day call-to-action, nearly 400 people called the Treasury to urge a simple message: stop needless foreclosures; support affordable rental housing; and revive a sustainable path to homeownership. With his open letter, Secretary Geithner made a strong move in the right direction.

In an environment where the blame game is often the operative strategy for elected officials and housing stakeholders, there appears to be little that economists, advocates, big banks, and investors agree on. However, principal reduction is a solution that has cut across ideology and is considered by many to be a win-win solution. At minimum, it is an evidence-based tool for reducing foreclosures that continues to be underused, even while so many other approaches come up short. Smart servicers and lenders are on board. They use a calculation known as Net Present Value (NPV) to compare the costs associated with foreclosure to the costs of reducing principal. As analysis released by the Treasury Department shows, there is a targeted group of loans on which investors can save money in the long run by cutting a troubled homeowner’s mortgage balance to a manageable level.

Unfortunately, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Acting Director Ed DeMarco has time and again stood in the way of implementing principal reductions as a solution. DeMarco is in charge of regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, where most of the nation’s home loans are held—and until he concedes, many families will continue to fall into needless foreclosure. In his open letter, Geithner points out that a recent study by DeMarco’s own agency shows that principal reduction decreases the chances of redefault and actually saves money, rather than increasing risk and cost, as DeMarco claims. Making the situation all the more frustrating, we—the taxpayers—are the investors in the case of loans serviced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. DeMarco does us all a disservice by rejecting a key tool that could reduce foreclosures while also saving money for taxpayers.

Geithner’s public statement in support of principal reduction is cause for celebration, but DeMarco has further entrenched himself as the major obstacle to taking principal reduction to scale. The enduring housing crisis requires bold steps and true solutions. We cannot afford to be impeded by purely ideological differences—five years of that experiment have cost millions of families their homes and neighborhoods. Principal reduction is a proven and refreshing strategy for repairing the system, and DeMarco must no longer stand in the way.

Ready to see real solutions to our nation’s housing woes? Join the Home for Good campaign and tell the presidential candidates that you want their commitment to housing opportunities!

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

Like all Americans, Latino voters place jobs and the economy at the top of their list of concerns this year. The transportation sector alone directly employs more than one million Latinos. That’s why NCLR was pleased that Congress reauthorized comprehensive surface transportation policy on June 30, just hours before the current extension of transportation policy was set to expire. The legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21, was signed by President Obama on July 6 and will be active until September 2014.

While the effect of the reauthorization on the economy will be positive, it will likely be a bumpy road for the next two years. Here’s why.

NCLR identified four policy priorities for Latinos in transportation reauthorization:

• Improve job opportunities for Latinos in the transportation sector
• Ensure authentic community involvement in local transportation planning and decision-making
• Defend public transportation as a vital lifeline
• Promote safety for pedestrians and bikers

By these measures, the final legislation is bittersweet. While preserving some of the positives from the carefully-crafted Senate bill passed in bipartisan fashion in March, the law still contains “potholes” that could imperil Latinos and other communities of color.

First, the final bill includes funding for bike and pedestrian projects, but lawmakers left the decision about how to spend these funds up to the states. In other words, states and local areas could divert money from the construction of a desperately-needed pedestrian bridge to construct a new highway onramp.

A second NCLR priority, transportation enhancements, or Safe Routes to School, was cut completely in the compromise. This is disappointing, since we know that minority and low-income communities rely the most heavily on safe biking and walking routes, and account for the majority of pedestrian deaths.

Finally, NCLR is concerned that the new law could undermine public participation in the transportation planning process, which all too often excludes voices from the populations most directly affected by transportation decisions: minorities, low-income communities, and people with disabilities. Policymakers adjusted the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, to speed up some aspects of transportation planning, at the risk of bypassing vulnerable communities altogether. While not as extreme as some of the environmental “steamrolling” proposals that cropped up earlier in the debate, the language in the final bill sets a negative precedent for democratic participation in local decision-making.

Two years is welcome certainty for a sluggish economy but a blink of an eye for policymaking. NCLR is committed to monitoring implementation of transportation reauthorization and helping to pave the way for strong legislation in 2014.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Home for Good campaign convenes leading experts to discuss solutions

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Unfortunately for millions of Americans, including communities of color, working families, and seniors, the housing crisis continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. economy. To stave off unnecessary foreclosures that continue to plague many parts of the country, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), CAP (Center for American Progress), and more than 30 other partners of the Home for Good campaign have joined forces to identify and push for solutions.

After eight successful town halls and rallies in such cities as Las Vegas, Miami, Columbus, and Detroit, NCLR in partnership with CAP will bring together leading experts and housing officials for a roundtable in Washington, D.C. to discuss the problems in the housing market that have stymied neighborhood revitalization and led to millions of Americans losing their homes to foreclosure. Participants will assess important developments for homeowners over the past year, including the historic $25 billion multistate settlement between the Attorneys General and five of the largest loan servicers. Panel members will also comment on why presidential candidates have not laid out their housing solutions while on the campaign trail.

For more information and updates about the Home for Good campaign, please visit www.myhomeforgood.com.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:
Home for Good Roundtable

WHO:
Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice
Janet Murguía, President and CEO, National Council of La Raza
David Abromowitz, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Jim Carr, former Chief Business Officer, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
Terri Ludwig, President and CEO, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
David Stevens, President and CEO, Mortgage Bankers Association
Janneke Ratcliffe (Moderator), Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Associate Director, UNC Center for Community Capital

WHEN:
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Coffee will be served at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Map & Directions

RSVP to attend this event

For further information or questions, or to schedule an interview, contact Julian Teixeira, NCLR Director of Communications, at jteixeira@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.

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PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto:
Julián Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org   

La campaña Home for Good convoca a especialistas destacados para discutir posibles soluciones

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Desafortunadamente para millones de estadounidenses, incluyendo a las comunidades de color, las familias trabajadoras y las personas de mayor edad, la crisis de vivienda sigue causando estragos en la economía de EE.UU. Para evitar las ejecuciones hipotecarias innecesarias que continúan plagando muchas partes del país, el NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza), CAP (Centro para el Progreso Americano) y más de 30 socios de la campaña Home for Good han unido sus fuerzas para identificar e impulsar la búsqueda de soluciones.

Después de ocho exitosas reuniones comunitarias y foros en ciudades como Las Vegas, Miami, Columbus, y Detroit, el NCLR en colaboración con CAP reunirá, en una mesa redonda en Washington, D.C., a especialistas destacados y funcionarios de vivienda para discutir los problemas del mercado de vivienda que han obstaculizado la revitalización de los barrios y llevado a millones de estadounidenses a perder sus casas por una ejecución hipotecaria. Los participantes evaluarán los sucesos importantes para los propietarios de vivienda del último año, incluyendo el convenio histórico de múltiples estados de $25 mil millones de dólares entre el procurador general y cinco de los principales prestamistas. Los panelistas también comentarán sobre por qué los candidatos presidenciales no han planteado sus soluciones a la crisis de la vivienda durante su campaña electoral.

Para mayor información y actualizaciones sobre la campaña Home for Good, por favor visite www.myhomeforgood.com.

AVISO DE PRENSA

QUÉ:
Mesa redonda de Home for Good

QUIÉNES:
Tom Pérez, asistente de la División de Derechos Civiles de la Oficina del Procurador General de Justicia de EE.UU.
Janet Murguía, presidenta y directora general del Consejo Nacional de La Raza
David Abromowitz, colaborador principal de Center for American Progress
Jim Carr, ex director de negocio de la Coalición Nacional de Reinversión Comunitaria
Terri Ludwig, presidenta y directora general de Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
David Stevens, presidente y director general de la Asociación de Banqueros Hipotecarios
Janneke Ratcliffe (moderadora), colaboradora principal de Center for American Progress; directora asociada de UNC Center for Community Capital

CUÁNDO:
Miércoles 15 de agosto de 2012
De 10:00 AM a 12:00 PM
El café se servirá a las 9:30 AM

DÓNDE:
Center for American Progress
1333 H Street NW, piso 10.
Washington, DC 20005
Mapa e indicaciones para llegar

Haga su reservación si desea asistir a este evento

Para mayor información o si tiene preguntas, o si desea hacer una cita para una entrevista, póngase en contacto con Julián Teixeira, director de comunicaciones del NCLR, en jteixeira@nclr.org.

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

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(This was first posted to the ALMA Awards 411 Blog.)

This was a tough bit of news for us to take in: the passing of Lupe Ontiveros, an award-winning actress with more than 150 films and TV shows to her credit and a longtime community activist. On July 26, Lupe passed away at the age of 69 after a brief battle with liver cancer.

Lupe worked tirelessly in film and television, paving the way for many Latinas to carve out their own path in Hollywood. One of our favorite memories of Lupe was her winning the “Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series” ALMA Award in 1998 for her work in the show “Veronica’s Closet.” You can see her below with the award.

Lupe Ontiveros at the 1998 ALMA Awards

As fans, friends, and family members continue to mourn the loss of such a dynamic role model, actress, and icon, NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía had the following words to offer on the news of Lupe’s passing:

“The Latino community has lost one of its most talented members and one of its fiercest champions. Lupe was one of the most recognized Latinas in film and television, with an acclaimed career spanning nearly 40 years. From sitcoms to TV dramas, Oscar-winning movies to independent film, from the Broadway stage to Latino theater, Lupe did it all and made her mark on every production she was in.

“If there was a call for a Latina ‘mamá’ or ‘abuela,’ you could bet that Lupe would be playing the part. But she was also a ‘mamá’ to hundreds of Latino and Latina actors whom she mentored and helped shepherd through the complicated maze of the film and television industry. We are especially proud and grateful that she was a strong supporter of the NCLR ALMA Awards® from the very beginning. Her blessing helped make the show the place to be for Latino talent in Hollywood.

“She was a tireless advocate for the Latino community, whether it was improving the image of Latinos in the media or helping those suffering from HIV/AIDS. We will miss her dearly, and our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, colleagues, and fans,” concluded Murguía.

If you’d like to share your own reflections, please feel free to do so. Our thoughts continue to be with Lupe’s family and friends as they cope with this untimely loss.

It's been a while since we posted our top social media posts of the week, so here you are! Our favorite posts, videos, pictures and updates from the past week.

The Week in Social Media

It's been a while since we posted our top social media posts of the week, so here you are!

Storified by NCLR · Fri, Aug 10 2012 14:20:33

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, D.C. —Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) commended AT&T for its leadership on a critical issue that acutely affects the Latino community: texting and driving. Through a monetary pledge to the “It Can Wait Campaign,” and the announcement of their “No text on Board - Pledge Day,” AT&T will help draw awareness to texting and driving, particularly with regard to teen drivers. 

“With over 100,000 crashes caused by texting each year, this issue has reached alarming proportions in our country and in our community,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía. “Hispanic teens are far more likely to text while driving, and we hope that AT&T’s renewed focus on the issue will help save lives.”

According to a recent study undertaken by AT&T on texting behavior among teen drivers, 54% of Hispanic teens admitted to texting while driving, compared to 41% of Whites and 42% of Black teenagers. Seventy percent of Hispanic teens admitted to texting while stopped at a light, compared to 58% of Whites and 61% of Black teenagers. Eighty-five percent of Hispanic teens reported that their parents text “all the time.” In addition, only 70% of Hispanic teens say they have a rule in their house against texting while driving, compared to 82% of Whites and 73% of Blacks.

NCLR calls on the Latino community to sign the pledge and join the movement at www.itcanwait.com.

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

(This was first posted to the Direct Care Alliance Blog.)

On June 25, the highest court in the land made a monumental statement about the United States’ broken immigration system: only the federal government, not individual states, has the power to fix it. The Court’s ruling is good news, but it is also a call to action, especially for immigrant workers. Nearly a quarter of all U.S. direct care workers—about 23 percent—are immigrants and about 15 percent are Latino, making this an important issue for direct care workers and those who rely on them.

In a 5-3 decision, the Court struck down most of the provisions of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, SB 1070, which has wreaked havoc in Arizona since it was passed in 2010. After the passage of SB 1070, 72% of Latinos believed that police would be inclined to stop and question someone just because he or she is Latino. In addition to creating a culture of fear, the law resulted in a net financial loss for Arizona, costing the state $434 million and 8,472 jobs due to cancelled conferences, $265.5 million in lost earnings, and $28.8 million in lost taxes.

By declaring that Arizona’s law reached beyond the state’s constitutional authority, the Supreme Court ruling throws a wet blanket on other state and local efforts to regulate immigration. Already, however, the momentum to enact “copycat” legislation modeled after SB 1070 had been slowing down, as states witnessed the harm that these laws imposed on businesses, families, and local economies in Arizona, Alabama, and Georgia.

But the Court’s decision leaves some business unfinished. The Justices left open the interpretation of the “papers please” racial profiling provision of the law, which allows local police and law enforcement officials to stop and detain people who they suspect to be undocumented. It is now up to lower courts to decide whether to uphold that provision, and until that question is settled the fight will continue, in local and state legislatures, in the courts, and in the voting booth. Voters can weigh in on this important debate by evaluating whether a candidate embraces or rejects Arizona’s approach of legalizing discrimination and voting accordingly. And aspiring U.S. citizens can tell their stories—at community meetings, in the media, and in the halls of Congress—to help make a compelling case for comprehensive immigration reform at the national level.

In the absence of the large-scale solutions, we need to repair our broken immigration system. The Obama administration has taken some steps to offer relief for individuals and families living in limbo due to the problems with current policy. The administration has said it will use its legitimate authority to focus its immigration enforcement resources on its priorities, and will not pursue the removal of individuals who do not fit into those priorities. This policy is called prosecutorial discretion. A bilingual publication from my organization, the National Council of La Raza, outlines what this means for immigrant workers and their families.

The Supreme Court’s decision on SB 1070 gives us a strong leg to stand on in the ongoing fight to establish an immigration system that lives up to our American values. It is an inspiring call to action that we cannot ignore.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting requests for deferred action from undocumented youth who meet certain criteria such as:

• Having arrived in the U.S. under the age of 16
• Having been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012
• Living in the U.S. since June 15, 2007 and having been present on June 15, 2012
• Being in school or having obtained a diploma or a GED
• Not having been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and not otherwise posing a threat to national security or public safety

NCLR (National Council of La Raza) applauds USCIS for getting this program up and running as quickly as it did and pledges to work to ensure that eligible candidates receive accurate information so that they can apply for this critically needed relief.

“August 15 is a momentous day for hundreds of thousands of undocumented youth who know no other home but the U.S., and for all the people who worked so hard to give these deserving young people the chance to contribute to this great country without living in constant fear of deportation,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “Our job now is to work with USCIS to make sure that these students have the information and support they need to get this relief. We are proud that so many of our Affiliates will be on the front lines to make this happen.”

Many NCLR Affiliates throughout the country will be working to provide information and assistance to DREAMers who request deferred action today and in the months ahead. Resources will be posted on the NCLR website and the Own the DREAM campaign website to ensure that Affiliates have accurate information to relay to the public about eligibility criteria and the application process, to prevent people’s falling prey to scams and notario fraud.

“We want to encourage all those who are eligible to come forward and request this vitally important relief. We also look forward to continuing to work with USCIS and our partners to ensure that our community has reliable information and can turn to trusted organizations to get answers to their questions,” said Murguía.

For updates and information about the deferred action program, please visit www.nclr.org/relief (English) or www.nclr.org/alivio (Spanish) and www.weownthedream.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the nation’s children head back to school and as we edge closer to the 2012 November elections, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will host a timely telephonic briefing for media to discuss new research that highlights the impact of high-quality early learning for Latino children and what elected officials can do to help improve students’ chances for future success. In the past 20 years, the Latino under-18 population has more than doubled, and by 2035, one in every three children in the U.S. will be Latino—a major portion of tomorrow’s workforce that the nation cannot afford to leave behind. 

The quality of the early learning experience has been proven to help narrow the school readiness gap and affords children lasting educational benefits. Moreover, research by Nobel Prize– winning University of Chicago Economics Professor James Heckman has shown that investing in early learning has a return of up to 10 percent. Experts will discuss findings from Professor Heckman’s work and will also discuss how effective family engagement, assessment, instruction, and professional development strategies can help deliver the high-quality early learning experience that will keep America competitive in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

As we approach the political conventions and presidential debate season, education will surely be a focal point for both parties. Speakers at the briefing will also touch on important policy changes that would help to significantly advance access to and quality of early learning for Latino children across the U.S.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:
Telephonic briefing on Smart Investments: Early Learning for Latino Children

WHO:
Moderator:
--Liany Elba Arroyo, Associate Director, Education and Children’s Policy Project, NCLR 

Speakers:
--Rich Neimand, President/Creative Director, Neimand Collaborative
--Erika Beltrán, Senior Policy Analyst, Education and Children’s Policy Project, NCLR

WHEN:
Thursday, August 23, 2012
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Participant Dial-In: (800) 895-0231
*Conference ID: EDUCATION
Program Title: Early Learning

To RSVP for this event or to get more information, please send an email to jteixeira@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.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Law will disproportionately affect eligible Hispanic and other minority voters in the state

Washington, D.C.—In response to yesterday’s ruling, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) denounced the decision by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson to allow Pennsylvania’s controversial voter ID law to take effect despite growing concerns that the law will unfairly disenfranchise minority voters. Opponents of this legislation were seeking a preliminary injunction to block the law from taking effect before Election Day.

Those in favor of the bill claim that the purpose of the legislation is to protect against voter ID fraud. Yet, earlier this month, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania conceded that there were no known cases of in-person voter ID fraud in the state’s history.

“We really need to question the purpose of this law when those responsible for helping place it on the books already admitted that voter ID fraud in Pennsylvania is nonexistent,” said Clarissa Martínez-de-Castro, Director of Civic Engagement at NCLR. “Their arguments for the necessity of these laws are at best disingenuous, and at worst, an underhanded attempt to deny thousands of Pennsylvanians their right to vote.”

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania estimates that more than 750,000 eligible voters lack the forms of identification required by the new bill. Minority voters, including Latinos, as well as the elderly and the state’s college-aged youth, will be most affected by the new changes because they are less likely to have state-issued photo identification.

And Puerto Ricans living in Pennsylvania, who make up half of the state’s Latino population, may face an additional hardship—in 2010, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico invalidated all of its birth certificates and required the issuance of new forms. This process has been cumbersome and lengthy for some; many are still waiting for their applications to be renewed, which means that those without a photo ID may not be in possession of the new document in time to vote in the upcoming election.

“We are disappointed by today’s decision and fully stand behind efforts to appeal this ruling,” said Rafael Collazo, Director of Political Campaigns for NCLR. “Voting is a right of every eligible citizen; Pennsylvania should focus on ways to increase the participation of all of its citizens in the electoral process rather than seek ways to block our most basic constitutional right.”

NCLR is taking a lead role to counter this attack on Hispanic and minority civil rights. NCLR’s local Mobilize to Vote (M2V) campaign, working closely with Pennsylvania Affiliates such as the Association of Puerto Ricans on the March, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, and The Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, Inc., will register and educate Pennsylvania Latino voters on the new voter ID requirements. The local campaign expects to register and mobilize over 10,000 new Hispanic voters for the upcoming elections. NCLR is also a lead organization in the Pennsylvania Voter ID Coalition, which is coordinating statewide advocacy efforts to defend the voting rights of all citizens.

Additionally, NCLR is currently involved in litigation in Florida and Nevada against similar attempts at minority voter suppression.

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Yesterday, NCLR joined the Center for American Progress, The Opportunity Agenda, and the Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, to host an important talk about the home foreclosure crisis.

In the midst of a presidential election years, the subject of housing has been maddeningly absent from the debate between the two men vying for the presidency. NCLR’s Home for Good campaign is working to change that by bringing the ongoing crisis affecting millions of Americans to the forefront.

Check out video full of the full event below. And, join our effort to stop unnecessary foreclosures, protect affordable housing, and keep homeownership within reach.