LatinaLista.net -- When it comes to childhood obesity, Latino children, unfortunately, are winning this race.

Filed 8 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1)

LatinaLista.net

Among the nation's classical musical orchestras, blacks and Latinos only constitute 5% of the musicians. A man by the name of Aaron P. Dworkin vowed to change those dismal statistics.

With a vision to make classical music reflect the nation's cultural diversity and have it play a role in the everyday lives of young people, Dworkin founded, in 1996, the Sphinx Organization.

Its' mission is:

To increase the participation of Blacks & Latinos in music schools as professional musicians and as classical music audiences.   

To administer youth development initiatives in underserved communities through music education.

To promote the creation, performance, and preservation of works by Black & Latino composers.

Since Sphinx was founded, there has been a 50% increase in the number of black musicians in top‐tier American orchestras. Also, over the past 11 years, the Sphinx Organization has awarded more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships, not to mention, opened the doors for thousands of musical students of color, who otherwise would not have achieved their dreams, of belonging to a top-tier orchestra.

The Sphinx Organization sponsors a number of programs to help the budding classical musician. Programs range from music assistance and instrument funds to professional development programs that help the young artists prepare for a career in classical music to various in-school music programs and a recital series where semi-finalists of the Sphinx competition perform in Border bookstores around the country.

In fact, it's the Sphinx competition that is the heart and soul of this musical non-profit.

The Sphinx Competition is held every year in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan. The competition is open to all Junior High, High School, and College age Black and Latino string players residing in the U.S.    

The Sphinx Competition offers young Black and Latino classical string players a chance to compete under the guidance of an internationally renowned panel of judges and to perform with established professional musicians in a competition setting. Its primary goals are to encourage, develop and recognize classical music talent in the Black and Latino communities.

The Sphinx Organization also assembles one of the most unique symphonies in the country as well -- an all-Black and Latino orchestra comprised of top professionals from around the country.

The ensemble fills a multi-purpose role: its members serve as mentors to the young musicians both on stage and through providing master classes and lectures, and promote works by Black and Latino composers during the Sphinx Finals Concert.

While the Sphinx Organization is geared to older students, a companion website, Sphinx Kids!, was created to start teaching music history, orchestra placement and instrument appreciation to younger children.

The Sphinx Organization gets money from grants, foundations, the selling of CDs and DVDs of their musical competitions and music ensembles comprised of Sphinx "laureates" from the competitions.

Yet, the need to supply on a national scale the kind of training, mentoring and access to instruments and music that is necessary for these students to turn into world-class classical musicians is great. So, the Sphinx Organization created an online donor page where just even $5 can mean a lot.

(Editor's note: Today, Feb. 5, 2010, at noon EST, the Sphinx Organization holds its 12th annual competition. It will be streamed live from their homepage.)

Filed 5 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Know what a HSI is?

HSI is the acronym for those colleges and universities that are deemed Hispanic Serving Institutions. It means that 25% or more of their full-time undergraduate students are Latino.

The invention of Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) in the 1980s was grounded in the theory that institutions enrolling a large concentration of Latino students would adapt their institutional practices to serve these students better.

Specifically, critical mass theory suggests once a definable group reaches a certain size within an organization, group interactions transform the organization's culture.

In light of the growth of the Latino student population and the dismal rates of college completion, Excelencia in Education has released an analysis of where the next HSIs are expected to be, given that these institutions are fast approaching the 25% Latino student body rate.

According to the study,

In 2006-07, there were 176 Emerging HSIs--institutions with Hispanic undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment between 15 and 24 percent.   

Emerging HSIs were located in 20 states, with the highest concentrations in California (52) and Texas (42). There are also Emerging HSIs in states less recognized for their Latino population, such as Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Oregon, and Utah.

The majority of Emerging HSIs were community colleges (44 percent); private colleges and universities represented 36 percent and public colleges and universities represented 20 percent of Emerging HSIs.

Of the undergraduate FTE (full-time equivalent enrollment) students enrolled at Emerging HSIs, 19 percent were Hispanic.

It's interesting to note that while the majority of Latino students are found at the community college level, the next highest number are found at private colleges and universities rather than public.

The difference could be that private colleges are better at recruiting Latino students than public colleges but is it because they want Latino students to succeed or they want the money that comes with Latino enrollment?

The study further found that:

While over 50 percent of Emerging HSIs reported specific practices related to the recruitment of Latino students, just over one-third stated their institution had academic programs or support services specifically focused on Latino students.

Programs and support services make a big difference as to whether or not Latino students succeed in higher ed.

And if more succeed, the hope is that more will go.

Filed 4 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Filling out the U.S. Census is important. It's a message that the US Census Bureau has been trying to get across since the news that certain religious Latino leaders were preaching against filling out the US Census to mostly their undocumented parishioners.

At first, the reason given for the Census boycott was to use it as a way to force Washington to pass immigration reform.

Now, with healthcare not even passed yet, such a demand seems out-of-touch with what is happening in Congress. Not to mention, what the real impact is for states and local communities if the undocumented don't participate.

This year's 2010 census is of critical importance to all Americans because it allocates $400 billion in federal funds (for things like education, healthcare & transportation) and determines congressional representation.

It's just common sense to participate in the census and more and more Latinos and Latino organizations are taking up the cause to convince la raza to do it.

Today, Latina Lista partners with Voto Latino in a new campaign to get people to fill out the 2010 Census -- Be Counted.

Replicating their successful strategy during the 2008 presidential election, Voto Latino is offering free music tracks, via a partnership with iTunes, to everyone who goes to the Be Counted site and signs a pledge to participate in the Census.

Users who take the pledge to be counted will be given an online code redeemable for 25 free songs on iTunes by artists such as Pitbull, Aventura, Morrissey, Mos Def, Jaguares and Los Tigres del Norte.

"Music is a powerful medium to get people into action. The 25-song album represents the cultural diversity of Latinos in this country--a soundtrack that underscores the lives of young Latinos," says Voto Latino executive director Maria Teresa Kumar.

"To have the Grammy-winning Christian artist Paulina Aguirre featured side-by-side with iconic British alternative artist Morrissey and Latin hip-hop star Pitbull is truly amazing."

Filed 3 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Institute for Women's Policy Research released a report this week underscoring the inequality of the labor force when it comes to men and women. Aside from pay differences that still exist between the sexes, we now see that even the media tends to focus more on male job losses during this recession than what women are enduring as well.

Women and Men's Employment and Unemployment in the Great Recession reveals that women have lost jobs in such sectors as: retail, hospitality, and personal and business services. The loss of jobs in those sectors, along with others, have contributed to the fact that there are more than 2.8 million more women unemployed since the recession began.

The report reveals that there does seem to be equality when it comes to men and women being out of work for the same length of time -- about 29 weeks. Yet, fewer unemployed women collect unemployment insurance benefits compared with unemployed men.

Overall, women are faring better than men in this recession with more women being able to hold onto or find work. Yet, there is one group of women who are suffering the worst:

Women who maintain households without the support of a spouse have their highest unemployment rate, 13 percent, in more than 25 years in December 2009; more than 1.3 million women support their households on their own are looking for work.

The unemployment rate for this group may still be increasing.

The thrust of the report offers viable solutions to help single mothers and recession-hit low-income families weather this financial downturn and emerge better than before.

Some recommendation are:

Reauthorize TANF and require states to meet national eligibility standards again, and provide sufficient funding so that cash assistance to families, like Food Stamps, can be increased in times of national emergency.

An unforeseen consequence of the recession and pay discrepancy between the sexes in the labor force is that in those households where only the women are working, the families are having to survive on smaller paychecks.

If ever there was a time to re-evaluate the true worth of women's labor it is now.

Filed 2 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The latest breakout analysis of a Pew Research study shows there's hope, a lot of hope, for the future of this country. It doesn't rest with Baby Boomers but Millennials, those between the ages of 18-29.

It seems that a large majority of Millennials support interracial marriages within their own families and have less hangups about the idea than any other generation.

It shouldn't come as too big a surprise seeing that this generation, more than any other, was raised with diversity -- in their schools, on TV, the music industry and in government -- and were more likely than any other generation to have friends of different races.

Asked about particular groups to which they do not belong, Millennials are about equally accepting of marriage to someone in any of the groups tested: Roughly nine-in-ten say they would be fine with a family member's marriage to an African American (88%), a Hispanic American (91%), an Asian American (93%) or a white American (92%).

What's even cooler to know is that "This high level of acceptance among Millennials holds true across ethnic and racial groups; there is no significant difference between white, black and Hispanic Millennials in the degree of acceptance of interracial marriage."

That's significant because within interracial families, and I'm talking from personal experience, children are more tolerant of those different from them and learn to judge a person based on their actions and not the color of their skin.

Yet, it's one thing to say you are tolerant of someone in the family marrying someone of another race but nobody asked the question that is a better test of tolerance: Would you consider marrying someone other than your ethnic equal?

Filed 1 de Febrero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1)

One of the most urgent problems stalking Latino communities is teen pregnancies.

It's always been known that Latina teens contributed disproportionately to the number of teenage pregnancies but the latest study done by the Guttmacher Institute shows that after a decline in the 1990s, teen pregnancy rates increased three percent in 2006.

The study finds that the increase in teen pregnancies and abortions correlates with federal promotion of abstinence-only programs.

Healthy Futures, created in 2006, wants to change those disturbing odds for Texas teens.

Our mission is to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy among young adults in San Antonio and Texas.

We envision a community where (1) young people are empowered to make healthy, informed decisions about sex; (2) planned pregnancies are the social norm; (3) all parents are prepared for the challenge of parenthood; and (4) all children are wanted, cherished and cared for in a healthy environment.

Three ways Healthy Futures is succeeding in achieving its mission is through the formation of the Healthy Futures Alliance, a community coalition where people work together to empower teens, parents and young adults; through the promotion of abstinence-plus programs and partnering with other organizations to launch a new campaign called ME NOW...baby later.

Continue reading "Spotlight Non-profit: Delivering teens the message -- "ME NOW...baby later"" »

Filed 29 de Enero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Laredo, Texas is known for being on the frontlines of national security when it comes to border enforcement. The Border Patrol is ever vigilant about who and what gets across our shared border with Mexico.

Yet the, technically illegal, arrival of one south-of-the-border visitor has caused such a sensation that Laredo officials are finding themselves having to react with extra police patrols, press releases and city clean-up campaigns.

This visitor has no intention of taking jobs away from American workers or even living in the shadows of U.S. society, though she probably does prefer the shade. And even though she likes being left alone, because she is such a rare visitor to not just Laredo, but the entire United States, she won't be getting peace anytime soon.

Female Amazon Kingfisher

That's what she gets for being an Amazon Kingfisher. Sighted in Laredo, the bird is stirring such a frenzy and attracting bird watchers from "Canada, Montana, California, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Arizona,Colorado and throughout Texas including the Lower Rio Grande Valley area" that the city of Laredo is taking this arrival very seriously.

"The City of Laredo is mobilizing to make the birding experience in Laredo the best that it can be," Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas said."Some of our creek and river vega areas are littered and we are taking active, yet sensitive steps in cleaning up and making it presentable for all of our visitors, feathered or otherwise.

Additionally, we have increased police patrols to deter crime in this area and to make sure that our visitors feel safe and leave with a sense of security to return in the near future.

"I welcome the birders and anything that we can do to assist with information on where to stay and the good places to eat while in town, estamos aqui para servirles."

The bird, from the lowlands of the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina, was spotted near the Zacate Creek, an obvious choice since they like to nest along river banks by creating a horizontal tunnel where the female lays 3-4 white eggs.

The Laredo Convention and Visitor's Bureau has a handy fact sheet for bird watchers, and anyone else who wants to see this rare visitor. The bureau provides driving directions to the watch sites, the best places from which to see the bird, as well as, information on local restaurants and hotels.

The city is even providing complimentary bottled water and a "welcoming committee" to all the bird watchers who have heard of this rare sighting and the many more anticipated to make the trip just to see it.

Nobody knows why this little bird has flown so far away from her traditional nesting grounds but it's a safe bet that she wants a new life for her chicks.

Filed 28 de Enero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the mood to read a book authored by a Latina or Latino but just can't seem to find the right one...well -- There's an app for that!!

Grand Central Publishing (GCP), formerly Warner Books and a subdivision of the Hachette Book Group USA, created an iTunes app called the GCP Book Match featuring their line of Latino/a-authored books.

The free download starts out with a short quiz to see what kind of book the reader is looking for: Intrigue? Drama? After the quiz, the program matches the reader with the book that best fits their answers to the quiz.

But this app doesn't just give you the title or the ISBN# and sends you to your local bookstore or library to find it. After all, this is an iTunes app.

With the GCP Book Match app, readers are not only provided with an excerpt from the book, an image of the jacket cover and a bio of the author but "extra" touches like video trailers or behind-the-scenes interviews with the authors and links to the book and author's website, Twitter feed and Facebook page; a reading guide for the book, author interviews in Spanish and English and a link connecting to six outlets where the book can be bought online -- on the spot!

Valerie Russo, senior web publicist for Hachette Book Group, tells Latina Lista that while there are 14 books currently in the GCP Latino line offering a mix of fiction and non-fiction, there is the ability to add more books to the application and an update is planned for this summer.

The publishing group also has a Facebook page, GCP Latino, featuring their authors in video interviews, their event schedules, and of course, readers' comments on the Facebook Wall.

GCP Latino also makes one promise to all visitors and iTunes app users:

Filed 27 de Enero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Peace. It's more than a word. To some it's an elusive concept, but to others it's an achievable reality.

Peace doesn't just mean eradicating wars but eradicating violence, even at the most basic level -- in communities.

Some countries understand that to attain long-lasting peace in the 21st Century, resources must be dedicated to educating the public. For example, Costa Rica has established a Ministry for Justice and Peace.

Yet, for peace to become ingrained in lives, it's best to start teaching peace and peaceful practices to the children. For that reason, the Student Peace Alliance was formed in 2006.

The Student Peace Alliance is a national youth movement to mobilize the next generation to not only learn how to create peace but sustain it.

Working with Student Peace Alliance, youth throughout the country engage communities and policy makers in building sustainable peace. We take a two-pronged approach that utilizes both federally focused advocacy efforts and applied peacebuilding in local communities.

We advocate for evidence-based legislation and policy that will enhance our capacity to reduce violence and build sustainable peace both domestically and internationally. Our applied peacebuilding efforts engage youth in the day-to-day work of understanding and preventing violence in our homes, communities and institutions.

Next month, from February 26-28, the Student Peace Alliance will hold their second national conference; the theme of the conference is "Extreme Makeover Peace in the 21st Century".

Over 500 young people are expected to travel to Texas to attend the three-day conference where they will participate in training exercises, hear a wide variety of expert speakers talk about everything from peace initiatives abroad and domestically to justice issues in the United States, and even participate in some fun "activist songwriting."

The conference will also focus on promoting the Youth PROMISE Act and the need for a U.S. Department of Peace, which is proposed by HR 808.

So far, Ben & Jerry's has contributed a large amount of money to go towards scholarships for the conference that will help the students pay their for their transportation, food and hotels. Conference organizers are looking for more donations to help get more students to the conference.

With so many urban neighborhoods under siege by gang violence, this is a conference that more cities need to be aware of. It's easy to see that diminishing violence in today's society doesn't just ensure everyone's safety but creates stronger communities.

...peace is not a utopian ideal; it is an issue critical to our national and human security. Either we continue reactively addressing ever-increasing levels of violence and the consequent human and economic costs, or we take a fresh approach. This isn't about the politics of left or right; it is about what is practical and effective.

Filed 26 de Enero, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0)