We’re not looking for pity here in Texas, but we are waiting for Republican leaders to recognize that this is an economic crisis of our own making.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by the year 2014, 2 million jobs will be created in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

A bookstore would sure come in handy.

But despite the bragging of Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst that Texas is creating jobs, the reality is one out of three students are walking out of our high schools without a diploma.  Among Latinos, it’s one out of two.

But dropouts are just a symptom of a broken system — a system that has already failed our children before they’ve even entered the first grade.  Parenting Magazine, not your typical political reading I realize, recently spelled out the epidemic that is the early literacy crisis:

“While a child growing up in a middle class neighborhood will own an average of 13 books at any given time, low-income communities average about one book for every 300 children.”

By the way, not only do Hispanics now make up over 50% of public school students from kindergarten through second grade in Texas, but one out of every two Hispanic children lives in poverty.

So if the Republican leadership doesn’t want to listen to a lifelong labor organizer and the daughter of a cotton sharecropper, they should at least listen to their own advisors.  Steve Murdock, the former state demographer and Bush appointee, warned years ago that, “our fates are intertwined and related.  How well our non-Anglo citizens do in Texas is how well Texas will do.”  (Amen.) Murdock explains that because educational attainment is faltering, average wages in 2040 will be lower in constant dollars than wages in the year 2000.

For those who don’t know my story, I was forced to quit school in the ninth grade to help support my family in the cotton fields of West Texas.  It’s ugly work.  So when I got a chance to work as a bilingual secretary for the local labor union, I took it.  Twenty-eight years later, I was the first woman of color to serve as the Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO.  After a lifetime of working to lift wages up for working families, I’m not going to sit idly by as Republican neglect of education — from pre-K to college — drives wages down.

I realize Texans are known for their big talk.  But the outside world needs to know there is some truth to the Texas myth.  Because when you’re born in the Lone Star State, you just grow up believing the sky is the limit.  It’s true for this daughter of a cotton sharecropper.  And in today’s economy, it can still hold true for any Texas child with a book in their hand.

Linda Chavez-Thompson is the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor of Texas.  In a career devoted to fighting for better wages for working families, Chavez-Thompson served twelve years as Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, the first woman and the first person of color to serve in that position.   President Bill Clinton appointed Chavez-Thompson to serve on his Race Advisory Board, as well as on the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.  The daughter of a cotton sharecropper, Chavez-Thompson has devoted her campaign to increasing economic opportunities through education.  To find out more, or to support her campaign, visit www.electchavezthompson.com.

The lunch meeting came in advance of a much anticipated reunion on the same afternoon with Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who are seeking to forge a bill to tackle the country’s dysfunctional immigration system this year.  Later in the evening, Obama will have dinner with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to continue the conversation on issues that are imperative to the Latino community.

Asked about the chances of passing comprehensive immigration legislation in the near future, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said it all depends on the willingness of both parties to work together.  “The only way we get this through the White House and the House is with bipartisan support,” Gibbs said.

“But what’s been missing,” he said, “is a clear and public commitment from the president to use his political capital to advance reform this year as promised.”

In an inauspicious sign of partisan obstinacy to come, Congressman Steve King, Republican of Iowa, sent a message to the White House reminding the administration that conservatives will doggedly fight any bill that grants “amnesty”.

“Americans have rejected amnesty in 2006 and 2007,” King said,” and they will reject it again if the Obama Administration tries to force it upon them. It is wrong to reward immigration law breakers.”

According to La Opinión, last summer Schumer said general pillars of immigration reform would include: “control of operations at the border, one year after the legislation has been promulgated; implementation of an identity verification biometric system; registration of all undocumented individuals in order to initiate the legalization process, otherwise all undocumented individuals will have to leave the country; provide incentives for family reunification within the context of legal immigration; promote the development of foreign talent within the context of legal immigration and the creation of a system that regulates the flow of future immigrants in an efficient manner.”

Following Obama’s meeting on immigration he released the following statement: “Today I met with Senators Schumer and Graham and was pleased to learn of their progress in forging a proposal to fix our broken immigration system.  I look forward to reviewing their promising framework, and every American should applaud their efforts to reach across party lines and find commonsense answers to one of our most vexing problems.  I also heard from a diverse group of grassroots leaders from around the country about the growing coalition that is working to build momentum for this critical issue.  I am optimistic that their efforts will contribute to a favorable climate for moving forward.  I told both the Senators and the community leaders that my commitment to comprehensive immigration reform is unwavering, and that I will continue to be their partner in this important effort.”

La Opinión

USA Today

“Census projections suggest America may become a minority-majority country by the middle of the century. For America’s children, the future is now,” said Kenneth Johnson, a sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire who researched many of the racial trends in a paper being released Wednesday.

Demographers expect that this year the number of babies born to minorities will outnumber those born to whites.  Increased immigration, which has lead to a larger demographic of Hispanic women in their prime childbearing years, is a major contributing factor to this change in population.   Hispanic women tend to have higher fertility rates than their non-Hispanic counterparts.  Furthermore, white women are waiting longer before having children, a trend whose impact is not fully understood but which would suggest a reduction in births.

Minorities made up 48 percent of U.S. children born in 2008 according to the latest census estimates available, compared to 37 percent in 1990.

These numbers point to the growing divide in age and ethnicity in the United States, particularly in certain regions and likely will have a profound effect on policy debates including immigration reform, healthcare, education, and Social Security.

There are also implications for the 2010 census, which will begin next week.  The Census Bureau has been undertaking a campaign to encourage full participation, especially among minorities.  Public service announcements are being produced in both English and Spanish, and a special partnership with Nickelodeon will feature ads with Dora the Explorer, the  bi-lingual children’s cartoon who is seen helping “mommy fill out our census form.”

Census figures are used to distribute federal aid and redraw legislative boundaries with racial and ethnic balance, as required by federal law.

“The adults among themselves sometimes forget the census is about everyone, and kids should be counted,” said Census Bureau director Robert Groves. “If we fail to count a newborn that is born this month, that newborn misses all the benefits of the census for 10 years.”

While whites are expected to remain the majority in the U.S. until at least 2050, many indicators are pointing to the growth of minority populations.  Roughly 1 in 10 of the nation’s counties has a minority population in excess of 50 percent, but 1 in 4 has more minority children than white children.  Hispanic women have 3 children on average, while white women have approximately 2 children.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000010.html

Socioeconomic inequality is a key factor in understanding why minorities suffer from Alzheimer’s at such a high rate.  According to Angela Geiger, the chief strategy officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, minorities are at a disadvantage because of limited access to healthcare and early detection procedures, along with a greater susceptibility to conditions that are linked to Alzheimer’s like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Beatriz Terrazas, whose mother and mother-in-law both have Alzheimer’s, sees first hand the impact of economics on the disease and its victims.

Her white, well-educated mother-in-law has more financial resources and better insurance, says Terrazas.  She lives in a residential care facility.

In contrast, Terrazas’ 80-year-old mother, who has a sixth-grade education, relies on Medicaid and lives with her younger daughter in El Paso, Texas.  She goes to an adult day care and has a Medicaid-funded home companion or a relative help with her care. When there is no one to care for her, the elder Mrs. Terrazas follows her daughter to work.

Culture also appears to play a role in the way families of Alzheimer’s sufferers seek treatment for their loved ones.  According to Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, some families hail from cultures with such elevated respect for their elders that they refuse to acknowledge the compromised psychological condition of the afflicted relative.

Cultural mores about caring for the elderly can also create hardship for families who feel a filial obligation to care for the elderly at home, according to Gallagher-Thompson, who is also director of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center.

“There are very strong cultural taboos against nursing home placement or assisted living,” she said. “The idea is that the family is everything. You have to keep the person at home, no matter how hard it is to take care of them.”

Attending to a dependent elderly relative, whether because of financial or moral constraints, will inevitably cause difficulties for these families.  The Alzheimer’s Association’s report estimated that 11 million Americans provide 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care for loved ones. The increased stress and deferred productivity can take a harder toll on families who are already struggling financially.

Those who are compelled to place their elderly relatives in care facilities suffer emotionally as well.

“They feel, ‘I’m letting down my mother, father or both parents,’ ” said Betty Marquez, an owner of New Horizons Adult Day Care, an El Paso center for the elderly that has mainly Hispanic clients.” They’ve sacrificed so much, and they can’t give them the time of day since caring for Alzheimer’s, it’s 24-7. On top of that, they’re working, and it’s impossible.”

cnn.com

According to sources familiar with the meeting, the White House may push for a blueprint from Graham and Schumer that can later be amended as needed.

The bill would have certain basic tenets including a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal residents in the U.S.  This citizenship, however, would not be granted lightly; the bill would require undocumented immigrants to register as such and pay taxes and fees.  The bill would also include improvements to border security.

A White House spokesperson told reporters that the President’s commitment to immigration reform was “unwavering”.  To be sure, President Obama is under continued pressure to comply with a promise he made during the election to tackle the immigration issue during his first term.  With an immigration rally in Washington scheduled for March 21, the spotlight may shine stronger on a need for legislative action that the increasingly empowered Hispanic electorate considers imperative.

Republicans are loathe to lend their support to Democratic efforts after the Administration and Democrats in Congress have made it clear that they will pursue passage of the health care bill with or without Republican support.  Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said in an interview, “The things you hear from the administration won’t be well received.”

Democrats, on the other hand, are actively seeking the support of Republicans on the immigration issue, but such support has not been forthcoming.  ”We’re very hopeful we can get a bill done. We have all the pieces in place. We just need a second Republican,” Schumer said in a statement.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/04/nation/la-na-immigration5-2010mar05

After the election, Mr. Carrillo himself suggested that voters were probably driven to his opponent, David Porter, because of his Anglo surname.  These allegations would appear to hold water, given that not even political pundits had foreseen such a result in the elections, with Porter picking up 60 percent of the vote.

Bill White, the Democratic nominee for the upcoming gubernatorial election, commented on the issue.

“The Republicans will have a lot of explaining to do because the Republican candidates on their ticket, including the highest ranking Republican elected official, on the Railroad Commission, were defeated,” White said on Thursday. “Mr. Carrillo himself says his Hispanic last name was decisive against him in the Republican primary. If he is right about that, it is a sad day for Texas.”

Soon after the shocking result, Carrillo did in deed issue a statement addressing the nature of his defeat.

“Early polling showed that the typical GOP primary voter has very little info about the position of Railroad Commissioner, what we do, or who my opponent or I were,” Carrillo said. “Given the choice between ‘Porter’ and ‘Carrillo’ — unfortunately, the Hispanic-surname was a serious setback from which I could never recover although I did all in my power to overcome this built-in bias. I saw it last time (in the 2004 election), but was able to win because the ‘non-Carrillo’ vote was spread among three Anglo GOP primary opponents instead of just one.”

Carrillo was only one of several Hispanics to suffer surprising defeats in the Texas GOP primaries. Harris County Tax Assessor Leo Vasquez also lost to an Anglo. And, in South Texas, a young and highly-regarded former White House staffer, Daniel Garza, failed to make it to the runoff in the Congressional District 15 race.

In an article for the Texas Insider, political consultant Suzanne Bellsnyder said that Texas Republicans will be forced to confront the “elephant in the room”, referring to racial biases among conservative voters.

“Tuesday night’s defeat in the Republican Primary of Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo sent shockwaves throughout the state, and rightly so. How could a well-funded, conservative and proven incumbent go down so handily in defeat?” Bellsnyder asked.

The fact that even Republicans are alarmed by conservatives’ inability to welcome Hispanics into their ranks is indicative of the larger challenge that the GOP will face as it tries, somehow, to appeal to voters of color.

Cammissa’s documentary explores the immigration system through the eyes of young children who are on the dangerous journey of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by train to either work in the states or to be reunited with their parents. Some of these  children have not seen their parents in years. One young boy featured, who, has not seen his parents in three years just knows his mother lives in New York but has no phone number for her.

The director documented the stories of a number of unaccompanied child migrants on their journey. She met most of her subjects in immigrant detention centers, by the railroad tracks, and at other locations where migrants gathered. She would tell the children that they were filming a documentary and only spent time with children who were open to the idea of being filmed.

Cammissa said of her research on child migrations: “I read about the issue of child migrants which I had no idea about and the more I read it, the more I realized it could be an incredibly visual story, yet a very important one because it didn’t seem like most of the U.S. public is even aware of what’s going on.” Cammisa adds that the film  “also really served a social issue by making people aware of the travesties of what is going on down there and the struggles that migrants are facing so child migrants in particular”.

www.npr.org

www.mysanantonio.com

In the spirit of National Women’s History Month, Latinovations would like to acknowledge the great accomplishments of Latina women and thank Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez for her contribution to La Plaza

As the highest-ranking female member on the House Armed Services Committee, I have the opportunity to see first-hand the significant contributions of our women in uniform.  Women of all races and ages have served in every military conflict since the Revolutionary War, including our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  But despite their many accomplishments, female servicemembers are not always recognized for their role on the battlefield.  Nor do they always receive the tools they need to serve safely and effectively in combat.‪

I recently had the opportunity to lead an all-female Congressional Delegation to Afghanistan. The primary purpose of our trip was two-fold: to see how women in combat are adapting to their increasing role, and to view the situation in Afghanistan from a woman’s perspective. In addition to meeting with top military officials, including General McChrystal, my colleagues and I were able to visit with female servicemembers to learn about some the unique challenges still facing women in combat.

There are currently over 29,000 women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet they continue to encounter barriers not experienced by their male counterparts. Female servicemembers are less likely to be promoted to leadership positions, less likely to receive vital combat training (even though they de facto serve on the front lines), and less likely to have access to women doctors or female-oriented care. But one thing they are more likely to experience is sexual assault or abuse while serving in the Armed Forces.

Last year, the Department of Defense reported a 7.6% increase in the number of sexual assault cases involving military personnel. Part of this increase is accounted for by an increase in the number of victims willing to report their assaults and greater transparency in military reporting procedures. But the underlying issue of sexual assault continues to exist, and female servicemembers continue to be the majority of victims.

When I spoke to women, including Latinas, on the ground in Afghanistan, they said the military has taken significant steps to prevent and prosecute assaults. This is, of course, encouraging. But the reality is that women continue to serve in a military environment that is not always welcoming and is, at times, outright misogynistic. That’s why counselors and rape kits are now common in war zones, and why there is still only one female four-star general in the entire military.

One of my top priorities in Congress has been working with our military leaders to create an inclusive environment for all our women in uniform. In 2005, I successfully revised the Uniform Code of Military Justice to include a meaningful sexual assault statute that better protects victims and empowers prosecutors. And more recently, in the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, my HASC colleagues and I were able to include a provision to create a sexual assault database, which will document reported cases of assault across the services and encourage greater accountability in each military branch.

Moving forward, we have to continue to expand opportunities for female servicemembers of all races and combat discrimination in all its forms. Sexual abuse and other acts of misogyny violate the core principals of our Armed Forces. The challenges facing female servicemembers – obstacles to promotion, discrimination, and sexual assault – are challenges that affect the strength and integrity of our entire military.  Congress and our military leaders must work harder, together, to create a military environment that encourages and supports the women soldiers who serve this country.

Congresswoman Sanchez serves as Vice Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee and is the ranking female member on the House Armed Services Committee. She is a recognized leader on national security, intelligence, and counterterrorism issues and is committed to preparing our Armed Forces for a new generation of security challenges. Rep. Sanchez is also a member of the Blue Dog Democrats, the New Democratic Coalition, and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. In 2005, Congresswoman Sanchez was appointed by Speaker Pelosi to serve on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), a bicameral Congressional Committee that continually monitors matters relating to the U.S. economy, including unemployment and foreclosures

Since 1994 Democrats have been shut out of every statewide office but supporters believe Chavez-Thompson can overcome the Republican dominance of years past.

In a statement she said, “I’m humbled to have won the Democratic Primary without a runoff. On the other hand, our job is just beginning as we take our message to independent voters, frustrated voters, and working families.”

Chavez-Thompson had 53 percent of the vote in complete but unofficial results. Earle had 35 percent and Katz had 12 percent of the vote.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D9E79VLO0.html

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/6894407.html

“The treatment he needs has depleted all the funds his family can raise,” Olmos said in the announcement on his website. The family “did not want to ask for help, but we took it upon ourselves to get the word out to all the country and around the world, to make his final days as comfortable as possible — and maybe even give him a chance to beat the cancer that has afflicted him.”

Jaime Escalante was born in La Paz, Bolivia and immigrated to the United States with his parents in the early 1960s.  He later took a job as a teacher at Garfield High School, where his passionate resolve led him to transform the troubled school’s calculus program into a national model for excellence in public education.

In 1999, Escalante returned to his native Bolivia to teach math.  ”I wanted to do something for my country, like I did something in East L.A. for the barrio,” he told the Los Angeles Times in a 1999 interview.  He currently resides in his wife’s hometown of Cochabamba.

LA Times