Latino Activist... Born an ORIGINAL, Refuse to die a Copy!

2009-11-08T13:04:00.000-05:00

Rihanna & Chris Brown Incident: My Perspective:

***I preface this piece with the statement that I in no shape or form condone a man putting his hands on a woman.***

**I also plainly concede that there will be women that will be upset with my perspective on the topic.**

I support Rihanna and Chris Brown equally in their musical careers.

The incident that occurred Feb 8th between these two young, talented, superstar musicians was horrifying.

Violence is never acceptable in a relationship from either side.

I waited to speak on this issue until I saw both the MTV Chris Brown interview and 20/20’s Rihanna interview tonight.

I still find is very difficult to believe that this physical abuse began as a result of a text message from one of Chris Brown’s ex-girlfriends.

Rihanna claims that a verbal argument escalated into this physical altercation as a result of the text message and lie that she caught Chris in.

I feel that there is more missing from this story.

What motive and purpose would Chris have to flip out in such an angry and hostile way based on an argument?

Some of Chris’s fans have opined that Rihanna must have provoked Chris by first hitting him.

Rihanna stated in her interview that if she did start the incident by hitting him first, that that is not an excuse for him putting his hands on her.

Food for Thought:
1. Why is it OK for a woman to hit a man and not vice versa?
2. If we can give rapists, murders, and criminals 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances, why can we afford that same accord to Chris Brown who made a one time terrible mistake?
3. Chris Brown is not Ike Turner (who constantly beat his significant other) so why can’t he try to move past a dark instance in his life to maintain his career and livelihood when he is trying to better himself?

The plain truth is that both Chris Brown and Rihanna have personal experience with seeing their fathers physically abuse their mothers and this is where we must focus attention and seek to create change. Domestic violence is a cyclical problem and we must educate ourselves and change ourselves for the better!

For more information visit http://www.loveisrespect.org

Sincerely,
David Ruiz

2009-07-10T15:30:00.001-04:00

My RESPONSE to Off the Wall: Race and Michael Jackson

http://www.billoreilly.com/newslettercolumn;jsessionid=1F6A5524FA72396C62B4212307DC61B0?pid=26847

First of all, I have heard TV pundits espouse the general theme that Mr. O’Reilly discusses. I would like to say that the late Michael Jackson was MORE than an entertainer. He was indeed a pioneer for African Americans in the entertainment industry in many aspects and an extremely charitable celebrity. He supported, donated to, and raised awareness about many issues from poverty to HIV/AIDS. He was a humanitarian in every sense of the word. So, he was more than an entertainer! Through his many deep feeling songs he did teach us how to love (ex. Black or White, Heal the World, How Much More Can I Give, Man in the Mirror, We Are the World, etc.)

Mr. O’Reilly points to a poll that shows that Blacks “are far more interested in the Jackson story than white Americans.” Mr. Jackson was a world-renowned entertainer/celebrity/icon. You simply need to take one look at his supporters and fans that span every continent, race, religion, color, etc. Of course the Jackson family story is unique to African Americans after all they are Black.

Surely, we can claim Mr. Jackson is a black icon regardless of some characteristics of his personal life. No famous individual/person in American history we have elevated to historical significance is without controversy in their personal life but we overlook that to admire their worldly contributions. In short, the men and women we place on a historical pedestal are often wrought with some sort of personal controversy but we as flawed people overlook that to focus on the positive.

As far as an example of “minority group sticking together”, it is understandable to gravitate toward that based on the historical repression of a group. Sometimes beating on one individual can feel like a group attack.

I don’t believe that media is deifying MJ. I watch both CNN and FOX News and from all the coverage I have seen they equally discuss his contributions to society and his personal failings. I do however argue that we should focus on his success and contributions at least until the man has been buried. After that, we can go back to debating his personal choices, lifestyle, controversies, etc. I do not believe that the media is labeling Jackson as a hero. That should be left up to individuals to decide for themselves.

While there are aspects of Jackson’s personal life and decision such as letting little children sleep in his bed/plastic surgery that we don’t agree with, that in no way should undermine his rightful place in history as a musical, entertainment and humanitarian icon.

Let me Address Rep. King’s comments: Michael Jackson was ACQUITTED (FOUND NOT GUILT) of child molestation charges! The constitution says INNOCENT until PROVEN GUILT in a court of law!

Let me address Speaker Pelosi’s comments on not honoring Jackson with a resolution: The hell (You know I want to use a different word!) with Pelosi. Debating someone’s personal failings by no means should negate Congress from RECOGNIZING this American’s contributions.

I close with "Do you remember the time, when you looked at the man in the mirror, questioned whether he was black or white, thought he was so dangerous, a smooth criminal, and finally decided he rocked your world. Catch a thriller because his memory will never beat it."

REST IN PEACE MJ!!!

~David J. Ruiz

2008-11-11T05:34:00.000-05:00

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

David is THANKING all the Men & Women of the United States Armed Forces... Your sacrifice, service, and leadership makes America what it is! HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!

2008-10-28T01:54:00.000-04:00

Support Me in the March for Babies or Join the Team as a Walker

The March of Dimes has changed the name of its biggest event to March for Babies. It's a great change because it makes it very clear exactly who we are walking for -- all babies. It’s very exciting to be a part of the “first” March for Babies!

Although the name of this signature event changed, the mission did not. The March of Dimes champions the needs of moms and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will support lifesaving research, services, education and advocacy that help babies get a healthy start.

Our team has joined thousands of compassionate teams across the country that support March for Babies. Won’t you please help us in this worthy cause? Join us in the walk that helps all moms and babies.

The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

I was born premature on April 12, 1982 and this walk and organization are very dear to me. Please support my walk, my team, and the mission of saving babies by donating financially. You can donate the amount you wish. Remember, any little bit helps ($5, $10, $15, $20, etc.)

http://www.marchforbabies.org/davidruiz

To join my team and walk with me click on my Team’s link below. Under Here’s How You Can Help Section, click “Join This Team”

http://www.marchforbabies.org/530625

Walk Information:
Team: Big Babies
Walksite: UF Campus, 2014 Turlington Hall, Gainesville
Date: 11/16/2008
Time: 2:00 PM, registration 1:00PM

2008-10-01T01:35:00.001-04:00

Support Me - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk

The nationwide walk is to raise awareness and funds to cure leukemia, lymphoma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The event serves to bring hope to thousands of patients battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost. The Society funds lifesaving cancer research that has contributed to major advances in the treatment of blood cancers and many other types of cancer treatments.

This year I'm participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancer. I have been walking in Light The Night for several years (4) because it is one of my top community service priorities. Help me make my 5th Annual participation/walk a SUCCESS!!!

I will be walking again on October 16, 2008 in Gainesville at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

"Life isn't just about what you can have; it's about what you have to give." ~Oprah

Please make a donation to support my Light The Night Walk and help save lives. You can make a secure online contribution from my Personal Donation Page by clicking on the link below. Any little bit helps ($20, $15, $10, $5).

My personal page at http://www.active.com/donate/ltnJackso/2369_djr2008

Thank you for supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

3 P's: Passion, Preparation, & Perseverance! ~David

Have A Nice Day,
David

2008-09-24T23:37:00.000-04:00

It's a Tough Job But Someone Has To Do It... Speaking/Standing Up!

Dear Dr. Hernandez,
It was brought to my attention by our President Luis Nobriga that he will be the Party President for the Gator Party in the upcoming Fall Student Government elections in October.

I expressed to him that I do not agree with his decision to accept and embark in that capacity because he is the elected leader of the Hispanic Student Association. I feel that it is a conflict of interest for him to be the representative of the largest minority student group on campus while simultaneously serving as the head of a political organization vying for election.

If not for the mere implication that HSA could be perceived as a politically partisan organization, Luis should not undertake this role because HSA has maintained its “code of neutrality” in past elections.

The main role of the HSA president is to represent the needs and issues of the Hispanic-Latino population on campus and in the community. At the same time, he/she must lead an organization in service toward those constituents. Fall is the same period that includes the programming of Hispanic Heritage Month. From past experience, we can see that a president who is not fully engaged in oversight of HHM and HSA objectives can cause great injury to our purpose and operations.

HSA must also take into account the possible unintended consequences of such an action of having a seating president become an executive party member of a political party. HSA could be adversely affected by the results of the election if they are not the results that were expected, etc.

Simply put, HSA’s mission and purpose is too grand to be subjected to potential political consequence. I would like to know if Luis spoke with you prior to his decision and what your feelings were. If he didn’t come to you before he decided to step into this responsibility, will you be meeting with him and what will be your advice on this topic.

I disagree wholeheartedly with Luis’s acceptance of this position and hope that HSA will remain undeterred from its longstanding tradition of non-partisanship.

Sincerely,
David J. Ruiz

29 August 2008
2:36:08 AM

2008-04-01T01:34:00.000-04:00

Rest In Peace Selena (April 16, 1971 - March 31, 1995)

A Fan Singing her music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeeHvk3aooQ

http://www.selena.org/
http://www.comolaflor.org/
http://www.selenaforever.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/selenamexicolaweb/
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=Selena

David is saying Rest In Peace Selena (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995).

David is listening to Selena music for the week in reflection of her talent, success, and charity!

Biography:

Selena Quintanilla, born in Lake Jackson Texas on April 16, 1971. Her name was a coincidence, and suitable for her. They picked the name from a patient form the same hospital at the same time they were going to have their baby. They had picked a name already for a boy which was MarcAnthony, but when they knew that they were blessed with a girl, they use the name the woman had picked for their baby which turned out to be a boy. Selena. The name alone characterizes her vibrance, her talent, and charisma.

Her father, Abraham participated in a group called "Los Dinos" in his bachelor years. They would go to different gigs, hoping to get accepted to play and be liked. It was a struggle at those times, something that probably remains vividly in Abraham’s memory. He had a great passion for music and the environment in which it settled in, but then he settled down with a loving wife and three loving children. Even with his family, he took time aside at home to play small tunes that he used to play at his gigs. It was until one day Selena displayed her undiscovered talent, her voice. Abraham was so impressed of her adaptive and matured voice that he wanted to start a band. Selena Y Los Dinos.

After their practices he saw that they were really talented. As opposed to his other job, Abraham started a Mexican Restaurant in which Selena y los Dinos would play their music. When the oil industry went bust they had to shut down their restaurant, "Papa Gayos". They were then on the road and performing in gigs were methods of putting food on the table. All of those gigs paid off in the long run.

In 1989, she was one of the last acts in a festival rodeo and Jose Behar, president of EMI Latin, was there at the right place at the right time, soon he signed up Selena with a contract hoping to make Selena into a singing sensation like Gloria Estefan and Mariah Carey. In 1989 her self- titled debut album was released in the summer. It was not until "Ven Conmigo" in 1990 which catapulted Selena into a success but a wider audience. After ": Ven Conmigo" more records became produced and her music was reaching across the Southwest region of the U.S. In 1993 she won a Grammy® for "Selena Live". Her later album in 1994, "Amor Prohibido" had also reached the charts and went double platinum which was also nominated for a Grammy in "Fotos y Recuerdos". Music was not the only hobby Selena wanted to do. Since she was small, she always wanted to design clothes. With the dream coming true with Selena Etc. Inc., Selena again achieved success. She had everything she could want, a guaranteed career, a loving husband, Chris Perez, her contract with SBK records and her fashion business, but soon that all will come to an end.

It was a person that Selena trusted as her confidant, Yolanda Saldivar. She was the President of her fan club which handled all of Selena’s business transactions and her boutique. Yolanda seemed to care so much for Selena and Selena’s business that she worked long hours with Selena in the boutique. Yolanda considered herself important because she was included with her business and her family.

One day Abraham was investigating some records from the boutique and discovered that Yolanda was embezzling money from the business. Some of Selena’s contacts suspected something going on with Yolanda, but when they confronted with Selena, she would not believed that Yolanda would be a person like that until the proof was discovered. It took her dad to make Selena realize that Yolanda was not the person everyone though she was.

On March 30, 1995, Selena and Chris Perez went to a Days Inn Motel in which Yolanda was staying to get missing records for the business. They went there, got what they needed and left. While Chris and Selena were in the car, they noticed that still some of the records were missing. Selena called Yolanda back and explained that there were still missing records for the business. Since it was late Chris and Selena decided to leave it for the next day.

On March 31, 1995 Selena woke up early in the morning to get the other part of the records from Yolanda. She knew she had a rehearsal for the English album, so she went to the Days Inn motel and then decided to head for the studio afterwards.

In the room 158 of the motel, Selena and Yolanda were obviously arguing about the subject matter. While they were arguing, Selena got shot by a Yolanda Saldivar. Trying to escape was Selena where she later collapsed at the Lobby of the Days Inn Motel. Doctors tried to save her but a major artery was punctured by the bullet which prevented her from recovering. On March 31, 1995 later in the afternoon Selena was pronounced dead from loss of blood.

Her music still lives in the heart of millions throughout the day. Her legacy is never forgotten. That is why Selena is still so popular even today and years to come. We are very thankful that we are able to experience such a great talent that touches us all in special ways. Her English album went at No.1 on Billboards the first week and displays her versatile voice and what could have been. All we have is her memory and music to live by for years to come. She would want to be remembered not as an idol, but a good example and role model.

Source: http://www.comolaflor.org/

2008-03-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

David appears in the March 29 Gainesville Sun Newspaper

David says checkout his guest column today Sat, March 29 in the Gainesville Sun Newspaper as he discusses the important topic of immigration. Have A Nice Day!
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20080329/OPINION03/803290302/-1/opinion

2008-03-27T05:25:00.002-04:00

YOU DECIDE - VOTE NOW FOR NATIONAL LATINO AIDS AWARENESS DAY 2008 THEME:

*NLAAD is observed every year on October 15*

The polls are now opened. Make sure to cast your vote TODAY and encourage others to vote as well. Visit http://www.nlaad.org/ to vote.

Here are the options:

AIDS Stops here. Only you can prevent it. Get tested for HIV.
Detengamos al SIDA. Solo tú puedes prevenirlo. Hazte la prueba del VIH.

Positive minds save lives. Get tested for HIV.
Mentes positivas salvan vidas. Hazte la prueba del VIH.

For a future without AIDS; take the HIV test.
Por un futuro sin SIDA; hazte la prueba del VIH.

Yes, we can protect ourselves. Get tested for HIV.
¡Si podemos! ¡Protejámonos! Hagámonos la prueba del VIH.

Reach out and take action. Take the HIV test.
Toma acción en tu comunidad. Hazte la prueba del VIH.

Visit http://www.nlaad.org to vote. Scroll to the middle of the page and right underneath the poster in the center of the page, you will have a section titled: FROM THE PLANNING TEAM. You will be able to vote here.

- DEADLINE: Monday, March 31st at 5 PM Eastern
- Vote only once - IP addresses will be tracked
- Encourage your community, colleagues, partners, friends, etc., to vote
- To vote visit the NLAAD website: http://www.nlaad.org

If you have any questions contact Liliana Rañón: lranon@latinoaids.org or (212) 675-3288 x315
------------------------------

TU DECIDES ? ¡VOTA AHORA! Vota ahora para National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) 2008 Teme

Ya puedes votar. Vota ahora y anima a tus amigos, familares, colegas, colaboradores, comadres, etc., que también voten. Visita http://www.nlaad.org/ para votar.

Estas son las opciones para el tema:

Detengamos al SIDA. Solo tú puedes prevenirlo. Hazte la prueba del VIH.
AIDS Stops here. Only you can prevent it. Get tested for HIV.

Mentes positivas salvan vidas. Hazte la prueba del VIH.
Positive minds save lives. Get tested for HIV.

Por un futuro sin SIDA; hazte la prueba del VIH.
For a future without AIDS; take the HIV test.

¡Si podemos! ¡Protejámonos! Hagámonos la prueba del VIH.
Yes, we can protect ourselves. Get tested for HIV.

Toma acción en tu comunidad. Hazte la prueba del VIH.
Reach out and take action. Take the HIV test.

Para votar visita la pagina http://www.nlaad.org. Busca la sección que dice DEL EQUIPO PLANEADOR en la mitad de la página principal abajo del poster. Aquí puedes votar.

- FECHA LÍMITE: Lunes, 31 de marzo a las 5 PM Tiempo Este
- Vota solamente una vez - guardaremos la información de cada voto
- Anima que participe tu comunidad, tus colegas, compañeros, amigos, comadres
- Para votar visita la página de NLAAD: http://www.nlaad.org

Si tienes preguntas comunícate con Liliana Rañón lranon@latinoaids.org o (212) 675-3288 x315

Sincerely,
David
2008 Planning Committee Member

2007-10-12T18:46:00.000-04:00

2007 National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

Open Letter to the Community: 2007 National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

In July 2004, the State of Florida’s Health Department formed the State of Florida Latino Leaders Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS. This body is organized under Florida’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this advisory committee is to bring the voices of Latino leaders together in an advisory role to discuss and address issues facing HIV prevention and care services in Florida’s Hispanic-Latino communities. The committee is composed of Hispanic-Latinos from across the state and includes representation from persons living with HIV or AIDS, community-based organizations (CBOs), treatment providers, community advocates, and the Department of Health. The committee participates in several conference calls and face-to-face consultations with the state. Members meet with statewide planning bodies to share issues and recommendations that are being addressed for inclusion in statewide comprehensive prevention and patient care plans.

The Florida Department of Health estimates that 88,000-102,000 Floridians are living with HIV infection from which approximately 1 in 176 is Hispanic compared to 1 in 346 being white. From the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the minority community has been affected by the virus. For far too long the issue of HIV/AIDS has been an unacceptable public topic in the Hispanic community. I believe it is appropriate for Latinos to openly address the barriers to prevention which include: late diagnosis of HIV or AIDS, incarceration, drug use via injection, risky sexual behaviors, HIV/AIDS conspiracy theories, stigma, denial, discrimination, homophobia, apathy, etc.

We must educate local, state, and federal partners, community leaders, businesses, media and legislators on HIV/AIDS issues impacting Florida’s Hispanic-Latino community. The Bureau of HIV/AIDS credited the advisory committee for designating a Statewide Latino AIDS Coordinator to help reduce HIV/AIDS among Hispanic-Latinos. The position is located at the Miami-Dade County Health Department and reports to the Statewide Minority AIDS Coordinator located in Tallahassee. Another major success is that testing among Hispanic males increased by 57.5% between 2000 and 2004, and testing among females increased by 97.3%. Lastly, the state has put several of our recommendations into action which resulted in policy and procedural changes in the Bureau of HIV/AIDS.

Above all, we must develop good relationships and healthy discussions on safe sex. HIV/AIDS is an issue that is not exclusive to any one community of people. It must be the goal of every one of us to understand the disease that is HIV/AIDS. In order to end the epidemic, we must develop a social consciousness with which we can eradicate AIDS.

In the final analysis, it is up to each of us to take a stand and work in a concerted effort to bring HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention to the forefront. If one person is infected and affected with HIV/AIDS then we are all infected and affected. This year marks 26 years of the AIDS epidemic which has reached pandemic proportions. National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) is Monday, October 15, 2007. The Alachua County Health Department will sponsor Free STD, Hepatitis and Rapid HIV Testing on the 15th from 5:30pm until 8pm. Rapid Testing takes 20 minutes to administer and involves an Orasure swab. Results for Rapid Testing take 20 minutes. For more information contact Teresa Parker, Regional Minority AIDS Coordinator at (352) 334-7900 x3335. I strongly encourage all to get educated, get tested, and get involved! For more information on NLAAD visit http://nlaad.org/.

Until the End of HIV/AIDS,
David J. Ruiz
Member, Florida Latino Leaders Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS (July 2004-June 2007)

2007-09-13T00:13:00.000-04:00

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

In 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim a week in September as National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15-Oct.15). During this month, America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 is chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Hispanic-Latinos are now the largest racial minority in the U.S. We represent 14 percent of the nation’s total population (41.3 million) according to The U.S. Census Bureau data of Sept. 2005. The data also projects that the Hispanic population as of July 1, 2050 will be 102.6 million. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 24 percent of the nation’s total population on that date. Thus, it is only fitting that we showcase our contributions, service, and culture to others.

The Hispanic Student Association at the University of Florida is proud to host the largest student-run Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) celebration in the country on our college campus. Hispanic Heritage Month is an incredible festival of Hispanic-Latino culture celebrated nationwide between September 15 and October 15.

During the month, Hispanic-Latino student organizations provide the University and Gainesville community with cultural, educational, and social programming. HHM is an enriching, month long display of activities, programs and events geared at showcasing the diversity and activism of the Hispanic-Latino student community. The purpose is to learn about and share the many cultures that make up the Hispanic-Latino community while building bridges inside and outside of the community. There are more Hispanic-Latino based student groups at UF than at any other college in the nation. As a former Programming Director for the month, I believe our success can be attributed to our collaborative effort with non-Hispanic student organizations, the Gainesville community and University Departments.

The month consists of seven main events including an Opening Ceremony, Talent Show, Soccer Tournament, Comedy Show, Pageant Show, Play Performance, and a Closing Ceremony. Every year, we bring some of the biggest names in Latin music for our annual concert. In the past, HHM has brought Oro Solido, Aventura, Eddie Santiago, Yerba Buena, Sonora Carruseles, etc. This year, the concert will feature Umoja Orchestra (a UF student based band), Los Primeros, Puerto Rican Power and Fulanito. This year’s theme for the month is “Stemming From A Seasoned Soul”.

The Chamber of Hispanic Affairs also hosts the biggest Latino event in Gainesville. The 6th annual Downtown Latino Festival is the community event to recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month. The event features music, performances, food, and information booths. It will take place September 22, 2007 from 1pm to 6pm at the Downtown Plaza.

All programs and events are FREE and open to the public. I invite all to come out and celebrate with the students of the University of Florida and the Gainesville community as we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Remember, “Nothing Could be Greater than Being a Latin Gator.”

For more information, visit http://www.hhmuf.com/ and http://www.downtownlatino.org/

Regards,
David Joseph Ruiz

2007-06-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

Immigration Legislation/News Update...

Mexicans Fear Immigration Plan Moving Through Congress
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273718,00.html

Missouri Lawmakers OKS English As Official Language of Government
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273813,00.html

President Bush Participates in Roundtable on Employment Eligibility Verification System
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070516-1.html

Immigration backers beat key challenges
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070524/ap_on_go_co/congress_immigration

View C-Span’s section on immigration. Includes newspaper articles, legislation, news videos, related links, etc. Of special interest: Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (Draft - For Discussion Purposes Only) http://www.c-span.org/special/immigration.asp

How Would Your Presidential Candidate Vote on Immigration
http://diversityinc.com/public/1909.cfm

Bush Defends Immigration Reform
http://www.matt.org/editorial/view.jsp?id=356

Hold the Emotions: A Rational Approach to Immigration
http://www.matt.org/espanol/editorial/355_hold_the_emotions_a_rational_approach_to_immigration.htmlImmigration

Reform Debate Begins in the Senate
http://www.matt.org/espanol/editorial/350_immigration_reform_debate_begins_in_the_senate.htmlImmigration

Bill Suffers a Big Setback
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070608/D8PKCEOO0.html

National Latino Groups Call Bill 'Immigrant Apartheid'
http://diversityinc.com/public/2016.cfm

In some US cities, a revived push to let immigrants vote
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0618/p03s03-ussc.html

Senate immigration bill clears hurdle by handful of votes
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/26/immigration.congress.ap/index.html

Was the KKK Behind Ugly Anti-Immigrant Rally in L.A. Neighborhood
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/2023.cfm

NCLR News Release
May 22, 2007

NCLR APPLAUDS SENATE ON MOVING IMMIGRATION REFORM FORWARD AND WILL ENGAGE IN DEBATE ON IMPROVING SENATE BILL
Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., applauded the vote by the U.S. Senate to move the immigration debate forward. NCLR has urged the Senate to pass the strongest bill possible so that the process can proceed to its next step in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"The bipartisan group of senators who brought an agreement forward should be commended for getting the process started," said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "This bill contains many promising provisions that are vital to the Latino community and to the nation. While we also have a number of serious concerns about the specifics of the bill, we believe we can address them as the bill moves through the legislative process."

Murguía highlighted the bill's path to citizenship for the 12 million undocumented workers currently living and working in the U.S. as a major accomplishment that must be preserved and strengthened as the legislation moves through the U.S. Congress.
"This bill represents our best chance to achieve immigration reform that addresses the undocumented population," Murguía said. She also highlighted the "DREAM Act," which benefits immigrant students, and the "AgJOBS" bill, which benefits farmworkers, as the major positive features of the immigration bill.

"Our community has also made it clear that we intend to address critical concerns in this legislation such as providing a path to citizenship for temporary workers and preserving the reunification of families as the cornerstone of our immigration laws," Murguía continued. "Now that this agreement has left the back room and is subject to the legislative process, we believe we will have opportunities to improve it in both the Senate and the House."

Murguía concluded by urging Congress to move expeditiously on immigration reform legislation. "The country is hungry for a policy that will work; Congress must turn this momentum into action and pass the best possible immigration reform."
###
All Content © 2007 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

Cloture Motion; Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act
The weeklong debate over this comprehensive immigration reform bill ended with a failed cloture motion to end debate and proceed to a final vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pulled the bill from the floor following the vote. The Senate twice earlier rejected motions to end debate by votes of 61-34 (Roll Call 204) and 63-33 (Roll Call 203). Republican opponents objected to not being permitted to bring the amendments of their choosing to the floor. The bill was negotiated between the White House and a small group of senators and would have created a path to citizenship for illegal aliens in exchange for increased border enforcement. Supporters from both parties say they will keep working on the bill.
http://www3.capwiz.com/mygov/issues/votes/?votenum=206&chamber=S&congress=1101

BREAKING NEWS: Senate Revives Immigration Bill
By a slim margin, the Senate voted Tuesday to resuscitate a long-stalled immigration-reform bill that would grant a path to citizenship for the 12-million-plus undocumented immigrants already in the United States. Proponents of the bill needed 60 signatures to clear procedural hurdles. They got 64 (to opponents' 35 votes), which is 15 votes more than they received for a similar measure in early June. President Bush is confident the bill, which still must overcome another 60-minimum vote as early as Thursday, will pass by the end of the week. Others are less optimistic. What will happen next?

Breaking News: Immigration Bill Suffers Defeat
The immigration-reform bill suffered a deadening blow today as the Senate voted against advancing the controversial "grand bargain." The Senate came up 14 votes short of 60, the number which would have led to the end of the debate and the beginning of serious moves to pass the bill. This is not unexpected, however, since its opponents hailed from both sides of the political aisle and included most of the major Latino groups. Supporters and opponents of the controversial legislation said that it probably won't be resurrected until after the 2008 elections. How long will the debate continue?

Senate drives stake through immigration
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070628/ap_on_go_co/congress_immigration

Senate immigration bill suffers crushing defeat
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/28/immigration.congress/index.html

NCLR News Release
June 28, 2007

TODAY'S VOTE A SETBACK, NOT THE END, FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., expressed deep disappointment with today's vote to end Senate consideration of comprehensive immigration reform.

"Today's action is a victory for the status quo, and no one should be happy about that. But the Senate vote is a setback, not the death knell, for comprehensive immigration reform. We are not giving up on getting a real, effective, and fair solution to the immigration issue," stated Janet MurguÃa, NCLR President and CEO.

"Despite today's vote, the country still needs leadership on this issue. There is bipartisan immigration reform legislation awaiting action in the U.S. House of Representatives, and supporters of comprehensive immigration reform will be looking to the House to take action as soon as possible," continued MurguÃa.

"Finally, we believe that whatever political gain people think may come out of this vote will be short-lived, especially in light of the growing and increasingly energized Latino electorate. In the long run, legislators should and will be held accountable for not moving a solution forward," concluded MurguÃa.
###
All Content © 2007 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

2007-06-18T23:27:00.000-04:00

Support Me for the Light The Night Walk

Hello,
The Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's nationwide walk to raise awareness and funds to cure leukemia, lymphoma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. I'm participating in the walk in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancer.

This year I'm participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. I have been walking in Light The Night for several years because it is one of my top community service priorities. I am always excited about bringing awareness and service to the Walk. I will be walking again in October 2007 in Gainesville. Please make a donation to support my Light The Night Walk and help save lives. Thank you for supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

"Life isn't just about what you can have; it's about what you have to give." ~Oprah

You can make a secure online contribution from my Personal Donation Page by clicking on the link below. Any little bit helps ($20, $15, $10, $5). Thank you!

My personal page at www.active.com/donate/ltnJackso/2218_pkdevil2002

Feel free to visit my team’s page, The Incredibles at http://teams.lightthenight.org/TheIncredibles

**** The team's page does not accept donations but lists each team member's site for donors to select and make donations. ****

3 P's: Passion, Preparation, & Perseverance! ~David

Have A Nice Day,
David

2007-05-18T19:19:00.000-04:00

Hello,

President Bush and the Senate Leaders have come to a compromise on Immigration Reform and I have provided a number of sources below for your pleasure. Hopefully, the President will be signing meaningful, comprehensive reform into law soon.

The Senate votes on the proposed compromise next week. Have A Nice Day!

If you are on Facebook.com, make sure you check out the "Gators Who Support Immigrants" Group created by me. You will find many many articles, etc regarding immigration issues.

Regards,
David

Immigration breakthrough could pave way for citizenship
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/17/senate.immigration/index.html

Senators, White House Reach Agreement on Immigration
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273192,00.html

Bush Hails Deal on Immigration Reform
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070517/D8P6ACKG0.html

BREAKING NEWS! Senate, White House Agree on Immigration Reform
http://diversityinc.com/public/1889.cfm

Proposal Seeks to Legalize Immigrant Farm Workers
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273392,00.html

Illegal Immigrants Arrange for Child Care If Parents Get Detained in Raids
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273016,00.html

Immigrant supporters skeptical of plan, concede it provides hope
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/05/18/m17a_IMMIG_REAX_0518.html

Grower's housing for migrant workers illegal, judge rules
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/05/18/m1a_AGMART_0518.html

Immigration Marchers Return to LA Park
http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/APA/705171185

Also among the marchers was actor Martin Sheen, who said he was supporting immigrant rights because his parents came to the United States as immigrants from Spain and Ireland. "Today I march under my real name, which is Ramon Estevez," Sheen said.

Illegal immigrants question Senate deal
http://www.bradenton.com/439/story/51283.html

Ending three months of closed-door deliberations, Senate negotiators...
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/110735.html

FEATURE: Track your Senators' and Representative's votes by e-mail
(by subscribing to this FREE service) (You will be emailed when Congress has votes along with how your elected official voted)
http://capwiz.com/votenote/vn/

2007-04-04T00:33:00.000-04:00

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) 2007 THEME

-DEADLINE: Friday, April 13, 2007 – 5 pm Eastern Time
-Only vote ONCE – IP address will be tracked
-Encourage your partners to vote
-To vote click on the link: www.latinoaids.org/nlaad or visit www.nlaad.org

If you have any questions or concerns contact Liliana Rañón: lranon@latinoaids.org or (212)675-3288 x315
-----------------------------------------------
VOTA POR TU FAVORITO LEMA PARA National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) 2007

-FECHA LIMITE: Viernes, 12 de abril, 2007 – 5 pm Tiempo Este
-Vota solamente una vez - guardaremos la información de cada voto
-Anima a otras organizaciones a votar
-Para votar visita este link: http://www.latinoaids.org/nlaad o visita www.nlaad.org

Favor de contactar a Liliana Rañón si tiene preguntas: lranon@latinoaids.org o al (212)675-3288 x315

Regards,
David

2007-03-29T01:44:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. Pew Hispanic Center Advisory
2. NCLR News Release: DREAM ACT
3. Serving Those Who Serve (Troop Support Group)
4. Who Mentored You Website
5. Mexican-American Students and Barriers to College
6. Operation Troop Appreciation (Troop Support Group)
7. Senator Martinez reintroduced a bill to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, D.C.
8. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Predator Website
9. Keep A Child Alive (For Univ. of Florida students)
10. Recurso (Univ. of Florida student organization)
11. Goodwill Job Junction
12. Operation Gratitude (Troop Support Group)
13. Project SHARE
14. Florida Volunteer Foundation
15. Gov Crist Announces Florida Disaster Recovery Fund
16. Pew Hispanic Research Center Advisory
17. How to donate or recycle your old electronics
18. Youth Venture
19. NCLR News Release: Teen Pregnancy
20. NCLR News Release: STRIVE ACT
21. Young Entrepreneurs

Pew Hispanic Center Advisory
The Pew Hispanic Center today released a factsheet that examines recent trends in the employment of Latino workers in the U.S. labor market and focuses specifically on the construction industry.

Hispanic workers landed two out of every three new construction jobs in 2006, according to the analysis. They benefited from strong employment growth in the industry even as the housing market endured a year-long slump. Indeed, the construction industry continues to be a key source of jobs for Hispanics and especially for those who are foreign born and recently arrived.

Hispanic employment increased by almost 1 million from 2005 to 2006. Even though Latinos account for only 13.6% of total employment, they accounted for 36.7% of the increase in employment. The comparatively high share of employment reflects demographic changes in the U.S. About 40% of the total increase in the working-age population (16 and older) in 2006 was Hispanic and of these three-fourths are foreign born Latino workers.

Foreign-born Latinos who arrived since 2000 were responsible for about 24% of the total increase in employment in the U.S. labor market last year. Estimates by the Pew Hispanic Center, suggest that in recent years about two-thirds of the increase in the employment of recently-arrived Hispanic workers has been due to unauthorized migration.
The estimates in the fact sheet are derived from data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. Most of the data is from the Current Population Survey, a monthly Census Bureau survey of approximately 60,000 households. Monthly data are combined to create larger sample sizes and to conduct the analysis on either an annual or quarterly basis. The analysis is for 2004-2006.

The fact sheet, titled Construction Jobs Expand for Latinos Despite Slump in Housing Market, can be obtained on the Center's website.

The Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization, is a project of the Pew Research Center and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts .

NCLR News Release
NCLR URGES CONGRESS TO APPROVE THE "DREAM ACT" AND OPEN THE DOOR TO COLLEGE FOR THOUSANDS OF AMERICA'S STUDENTS

March 6, 2007, Washington, DC –- The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., joined the United We DREAM Coalition in urging Congress to approve the Senate's "DREAM Act" which was introduced today by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) joining the House companion bill, the "American Dream Act," introduced last week by Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (D-FL). This bipartisan legislation will allow immigrant students who were raised in the U.S. and graduate from U.S. high schools to go to college and start on the path to citizenship.

"Since the 'DREAM Act' was first introduced in 2001, more than 390,000 of our nation's best and brightest students have graduated from high school with no prospect of going to college. We cannot continue to waste this talent. Now is the time for Congress to pass the 'DREAM Act' and put the tremendous potential that these students have to work for our communities and our country," said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

Every year, American high schools grant diplomas to 65,000 young people whose parents brought them to the U.S. as babies or toddlers. While these students have the academic credentials to pursue a higher education, their immigration status bars them from opportunities that make a college education affordable - in-state tuition rates, loans and grants, most private scholarships, and the ability to work legally to earn their way through college. The "DREAM Act" and the "American Dream Act" will significantly increase access to college for young people who otherwise would not be able to seek higher education.

"These students are American in every way except one. They simply lack the opportunity that many Americans have - the chance to become educated and get ahead in life. The 'DREAM Act' will allow these young people to become the productive, taxpaying citizens this country needs," said Murguía.

The United We DREAM Coalition is a broad alliance of national and local organizations throughout the U.S. which includes civil rights, education, immigrant rights, and faith-based groups. For more information on NCLR or the United We DREAM Coalition, please contact Melissa Lazarín at (202) 785-1670 or mlazarin@nclr.org.
###
All Content © 2007 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

Serving Those Who Serve

Developed to meet the needs of injured troops and assist injured veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The ASY homefront organization provides free home modifications and repairs to help ease the transition for service members back into their home. Serving Those who Serve focuses on remodeling and renovating homes to help make them safer, more comfortable and to easier to maneuver in independently. The program’s service is provided to veterans who suffer from one or any combination of four injuries including loss of sight, hearing loss, mobility impairments and traumatic brain injury. Serving Those Who Serve is a program of Rebuilding Together, the nation’s largest volunteer home rehabilitation organization. Countrywide Financial Corporation, Serving Those Who Serve’s founding sponsor, recently contributed $1.2 million in grants to the program to help finance home modifications for veterans nationwide. Most recently, Serving Those Who Serve has just begun work on the home of Christopher Edwards and his family in San Antonio, Texas. Edwards suffered third degree burns over 79 percent of his body in early 2005 when a 500-pound bomb exploded beneath his vehicle in Iraq. To learn more, visit http://www.servingthosewhoserve.org/.

Who Mentored You?

Many of us can attribute our personal growth and varying successes to other individuals who helped us along the way. These individuals come from a variety of different backgrounds—some are teachers, parents, coaches, college advisors, and even celebrities—but they all have one thing in common: they know how to build meaningful relationships. http://richardharrisonbaileytheagency.cmail1.com/.aspx/l/145880/88219571/www.whomentoredyou.org is a website dedicated to the art of mentoring. The Center for Health Communication, housed in the Harvard School of Public Health, maintains the site hoping to promote mentoring and to recruit mentors for at–risk students. The site features some wonderful resources; a book and movie list about mentoring, a list of "famous" mentor pairs, and ideas on fun ways to thank your mentor – including submitting a tribute directly to their website, which is posted for others to read.We hope you find this resource useful and inspiring as you continue to make a difference in the lives of others.

Mexican-American High-School Students Perceive Many More Barriers to College Than Do Their White Peers
By LAUREN SMITH

While Mexican-American high-school students and their white peers desire equally to go to college, the former see many more obstacles in their path, according to a new study by researchers in Oregon that looked at "perceived barriers" to higher education.
The study focused on perceptions rather than actual hurdles. "Perceived barriers determine the likelihood someone will carry out their goals," said Ellen Hawley McWhirter, who is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Oregon's College of Education and one of the study's four authors.

The study's findings are described in an article, "Perceived Barriers and Postsecondary Plans in Mexican-American and White Adolescents," in this month's issue of the Journal of Career Assessment. The study focused on 28 potential barriers, both internal and external, and surveyed 140 Mexican-American and 296 white students at high schools in the Midwest and Southwest.

Over all, Mexican-American students anticipated encountering more barriers associated with ability, preparation, motivation, support, and separation from their families, friends, and teachers than did their white counterparts, and expected those barriers to be more difficult to overcome.

The study's most surprising finding, Ms. McWhirter said in an interview on Monday, was that sex was not generally a predictor of whether students would perceive pregnancy and gender discrimination as barriers. But girls, both Mexican-American and white, perceived financial issues as a barrier to higher education more often than boys did.

Among other results, the researchers found no correlation between the educational level of parents and students' perception of barriers. While the children of parents with higher educational levels were more likely to plan to attend four-year colleges, they did not anticipate fewer hurdles than did the children of less-educated parents.

The study cites figures from the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the U.S. Department of Education, that show Latinos far behind whites and African Americans in their rates of degree completion. Latinos also have higher high-school dropout rates and lower high-school completion rates, compared with white and African-American students, according to federal data.

"These Mexican-American kids aren't doing something wrong," Ms. McWhirter said of the relatively low degree-completion rates. "The crux of the findings are that we as a society have to work to dismantle these barriers, and school systems have to work harder to, so that the wisdom and the value of Mexican-American families can be maximized for the benefit of their kids."

Ms. McWhirter's co-authors on the study were Danielle M. Torres, an assistant professor of school counseling at Lewis and Clark College , and Susana O. Salgado and Marina Valdez, both doctoral students in counseling psychology at the University of Oregon.

For a copy of the report go to http://www.uoregon.edu/newsstory.php?a=2.08.07-Aspirations-McWhirter.html

Operation Troop Appreciation

Began as one woman’s mission to provide Under Armour ® t-shirts to 38 members of a local Pennsylvania National Guard platoon. Spurred on by the positive response from the troops who received her gift and those who helped her, founder Kristen Holloway quickly turned her project into a permanent organization, and on July 1, 2004, Operation Troop Appreciation was born. Since then, the America Supports You homefront organization has provided thousands of troops with personal “wish-list” items to help ease the hardships of deployment. Operation Troop Appreciation specializes in sending large boxes full of requested items to deployed battalions, which are then distributed among the members. Each of the group’s packages also includes letters to each service member in the unit thanking them for their service and sacrifice. A committee of volunteer pen-pals continues this correspondence with any troop that chooses to respond. To learn more, visit http://www.operationtroopappreciation.com/.

Senator Martinez reintroduced a bill to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino in Washington DC.

http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.View&ContentRecord_id=4569&Region_id=0&Issue_id=0&CFID=41359829&CFTOKEN=40060293
MARTINEZ: NATIONAL AMERICAN LATINO MUSEUM STUDY ADVANCES
February 6, 2007 - Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today reintroduced a bill to study the potential creation of a National Museum of American Latino Heritage in Washington, DC. Cosponsoring the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of the National Museum of the American Latino Act of 2007 with Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), Martinez calls the measure a step toward showcasing the historical achievements of American Latinos in a national museum.

“The Nation’s capital has always been a place where we honor the diversity and achievements of America. American Latino history is part of the heritage of America that’s not often well known,” said Martinez. “Whether it’s the Hispanic settlements in America’s Southwest or those at St. Augustine in Florida – there’s very little known about Latino American history and such a museum will help showcase the fabric of our Nation.”

“I believe we must celebrate the diversity of our Nation and Latinos have been a significant part of American history. They have contributed to the arts, business, and served in our Nation's military with distinction,” said Senator Salazar. “This bill would take the first step in commemorating the rich contributions of the Latino community to American life. The end result will be a more enhanced experience for the 20 million visitors that come to our Nation’s capital to learn the full history of America.”

Under the legislation, the commission will consist of 23 members; chosen by the President and leaders of the House and Senate. Members of this commission must have a demonstrated commitment to Hispanic American life, art, history, politics, economics and culture.

Senators Martinez and Salazar introduced the measure last year; a companion bill passed the House of Representatives by voice vote earlier today.
###

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Predator Website
Check the website for sexual predators living in your neighborhood.
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

Keep A Child Alive

There will be a Keep A Child Alive Chapter (student organization) at the University of Florida. If you want more information about the program, visit http://www.keepachildalive.org/. You can also contact Jennifer if you want to help in the student organization at pink26@ufl.edu.

Recurso
Recurso is a non-profit student organization at the University of Florida made up of a diverse group of students that strive to raise awareness and aid for issues such as global development, healthcare, and poverty alleviation in developing countries in Latin America and Africa. As a result of heightened awareness and successful service projects locally and abroad, they hope that the lives of children in these regions suffering from cancer, AIDS, and/or malnutrition will be enhanced. Through these events they hope to educate the community about international poverty issues, the value of community service, and the importance of being a universal citizen. FMI visit http://grove.ufl.edu/~recurso

Need A Job?
Goodwill Job Junction offers current job leads, internet access for job search, employability skills training, help with resume preparation, one-on-one career consultations, phone/fax/copy center, ‘Hello’ Line- participants without telephones may receive calls from perspective employers, earn high school diploma through on-line coursework provided free by Goodwill, access via distance-learning to soft skills and skills training. NO FEE FOR SERVICES. Contact information: 3520 SW 34th Street Gainesville, FL. 32608 (352) 335-1311 (P). For other areas through Florida, contact Gainesville office.

*Personal Note: This program alone is an excellent reason to support Goodwill and shop there*

Operation Gratitude
Operation Gratitude seeks to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of requested items or funds for shipping expenses, OPERATION GRATITUDE provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. military in an active, hands-on manner.

OPERATION GRATITUDE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all-volunteer corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of all packages occurs at the Operation Gratitude Headquarters in California. http://www.opgratitude.com/

Project SHARE
Through voluntary donations from citizens, Project SHARE provides assistance to those who may have difficulty paying their utility bills because of financial hardship. Donations are tax deductible and cover utility-related costs such as lighting, heating, cooling and water. If you would like to make a one-time donation, please call Customer Service at (352) 334-3434. Last year, over $7,000 was distributed directly to those in need thanks to public donations and community partners: The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and Gainesville Community Ministries.

If you are someone you know might qualify for Project SHARE assistance, please call the Salvation Army at (352) 376-1743, Catholic Charities at (352) 372-0294 or Gainesville Community Ministries at (352) 372-8162 for application information. Preference for Project SHARE assistance is given to applicants 60 years of age or older or those who are disabled to the extent that they are not economically self-sufficient.

Florida Volunteer Foundation
http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/

Join the email mailing list by emailing Fonda.Anderson@vfffund.org. In the subject line include “Join the VFF email list”.

Gov. Crist Announces Florida Disaster Recovery Fund

~ Fund expanded to aid tornado victims: Donate by calling 1-800-825-3786 ~

LADY LAKE – Governor Charlie Crist today expanded the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund, formerly known as the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, to assist in the long-term needs of Floridians impacted by the deadly tornadoes that struck Central Florida on February 2, 2007. Governor Crist also announced the appointment of Pastor Ken Scrubbs of Leesburg to serve on the fund’s Advisory Council.

“Regardless of whether tragedy strikes in the form a hurricane, tornado or other disaster, it is crucial for neighbors to help neighbors,” said Governor Crist. “Just as they have in the past, Floridians will help those in need.” The Florida Disaster Recovery Fund was originally founded in 2004 to provide assistance to hurricane victims for losses not covered by immediate recovery groups, insurance or government funding. The fund, managed by the Volunteer Florida Foundation, works with non-profit organizations in affected communities. Extending this fund to include tornado victims will help survivors in Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties by providing individual assistance through long-term recovery organizations.

“Local decision-making keeps recovery moving,” said Pastor Scrubbs. “Donors have a cost-effective way to help neighbors, non-profits and faith-based groups not eligible for other funding.” All donations to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund are tax-deductible (Florida charitable registration #8536). Donations can be made securely online by visiting http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/ or by calling 1-800-825-3786. Checks are also accepted and can be made payable to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund and mailed to Volunteer Florida Foundation, 401 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.

Since August 2004, the fund has received more than $23 million in private donations. These donations have aided more than 300 non-profit organizations. Over 1.1 million volunteer hours have been donated and over 12,000 homes have been rebuilt.

“This fund allows each Floridian the opportunity to help rebuild lives and communities after disaster strikes,” said former U.S. Senator Connie Mack, chairman of the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund’s Advisory Council. “Governor Crist’s announcement today expands the use of this important resource to other disasters that can be equally devastating to our state.”

Governor Crist also announced the following pledges to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund to help survivors of the tornadoes on February 2, 2007: AT&T, $50,000 Progress Energy Florida, $50,000 BP Foundation, $25,000 Bank of America, $10,000 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, $10,000 Darden Restaurants, $10,000 The Home Depot, $10,000“Thanks to the generosity of these companies, the people of Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties will be better able to begin putting their lives back together,” said Governor Crist. “Donations to this fund will now help tornado survivors just as they have helped hundreds across our state recover from hurricane devastation.”

Pastor Ken Scrubbs currently works as an outreach pastor of the First Baptist Church in Leesburg, Florida. He works with numerous youth-centered ministries, including a juvenile prison ministry, the Lake County school system’s campus ministry and mentoring children of incarcerated parents. Pastor Scrubbs graduated from Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana.

Florida Disaster Recovery Fund
http://www.flahurricanefund.org/

Pew Hispanic Research Center Advisory
Washington, DC – Latinos comprise 14% of the U.S. adult population and about half of this growing group (56%) goes online. By comparison, 71% of non-Hispanic whites and 60% of non-Hispanic blacks use the internet. Several socio-economic characteristics that are often intertwined, such as low levels of education and limited English ability, largely explain the gap in internet use between Hispanics and non-Hispanics.

These are some of the key findings in a new report issued today by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet Project titled "Latinos Online":
•78% of Latinos who are English-dominant and 76% of bilingual Latinos use the internet, compared with 32% of Spanish-dominant Hispanic adults.
•76% of U.S.-born Latinos go online, compared with 43% of those born outside the U.S. Some of this is related to language, but analysis shows that being born outside of the 50 states is an independent factor that is associated with a decreased likelihood of going online.
•89% of Latinos who have a college degree, 70% of Latinos who completed high school, and 31% of Latinos who did not complete high school go online.
•Mexicans are the largest national origin group in the U.S. Latino population and are among the least likely groups to go online: 52% of Latinos of Mexican descent uses the internet. Even when age, income, language, generation, or nativity is held constant, being Mexican is associated with a decreased likelihood of going online.

The report, written by Susannah Fox and Gretchen Livingston, is based on telephone surveys of 6,016 Latino adults, aged 18 and older, conducted in Spanish and English from June 2006 to October, 2006.

"For many people living in the U.S., the internet is the go-to source for information and for staying in touch with friends and family," said Fox, an associate director at the Pew Internet Project "but we find that significant portions of the population are cut off from online resources. Only about one-third of Hispanics who have not completed high school and one-third of Latinos who do not speak and read English go online."

"The balance among Latinos could swing within a few generations," said Livingston, a research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center. "The sons and daughters of immigrants are flocking online – eight out of ten second-generation Latinos have access to the internet."

Some Latinos who do not use the internet are connecting to the communications revolution in a different way – via cell phone. Fully 59% of Latino adults have a cell phone and 49% of Latino cell phone users send and receive text messages on their phone. Looking at the numbers in a different way, 56% of Latino adults go online, 18% of Latino adults have a cell phone but do not go online, and 26% of Latino adults have neither a cell phone nor an internet connection.

About the projects: The Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet & American Life Project are non-profit initiatives of the Pew Research Center and are funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Hispanic Center's mission is to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the entire nation. The Pew Internet Project examines the social impact of the internet.

Projects of the Pew Research Center do not advocate for or take positions on policy issues.

Where you can donate or recycle your old electronics (U.S. EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/basic.htm#reuse

Ten tips for donating a computer
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/hardware/page5496.cfm

Youth Venture
Youth Venture helps young people (ages 12-20) anywhere in the U.S. to start new community-serving ventures that are likely to last. Youth Venture provides a process (and guidance) for developing business plans for such ventures, seed money funding of up to $1,000 for start-up expenses, advice to help overcome implementation obstacles, connections with other venture teams and like-minded youth, and exposure to opportunities for publicity, training, grants, and scholarships.

We will be awarding seed grants of up to $1000 to launch roughly 50 Tu Voz My Venture teams throughout the nation. Moreover, of the 50 teams that are launched, five will be selected to each receive a $5,000 scholarship (to be shared evenly among team members). The deadline for eligibility to win the scholarship is June 29, 2007.
For more information, visit http://www.youthventure.org/.

Marco A. Davis
Director of Fellowship and Mid-Atlantic Region
Youth Venture
1700 North Moore Street Suite 2000
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone 703-527-4126 ext. 326
Fax 703-527-8383
mdavis@youthventure.org
http://www.youthventure.org/

NCLR News Release
NCLR JOINS WITH REP. HILDA SOLIS AND NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY TO LAUNCH NEW LATINO INITIATIVE

Washington, DC - The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., will partner with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on a new education and outreach initiative aimed at Latino teens and young adults. The launch of the new initiative was announced today at a news conference on Capitol Hill featuring Representative Hilda Solis (D-CA).

"Nearly half of Latinas become pregnant before age 20. High teen pregnancy rates are robbing our young women of too many opportunities - the opportunity to go to college, the opportunity to start a rewarding career, and the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of a better future," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

"Unplanned and unprotected sex also poses serious health risks for Latinas. That's why we welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with Representative Solis and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on this issue," continued Murguía.
"The National Campaign has been a key leader in the successful effort to reduce overall teen pregnancy rates in our country. The new Latino initiative will build on this track record of success and zero in on the specific themes, messages, and approaches we need to reach Hispanic young people, especially those overlooked by traditional mainstream efforts," Murguía said.

"We commend Representative Solis for her passion and leadership on this issue. I can think of no better champion than Hilda Solis to spearhead our efforts on Capitol Hill," noted Murguía.

"The National Campaign has involved Hispanic community-based organizations and substantive experts at every phase, and on every level, of this campaign. They're going about this exactly the right way, which gives me great confidence that we can successfully reverse the teen pregnancy crisis in our community," concluded Murguía.
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All Content © 2007 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

NCLR News Release
NCLR WELCOMES INTRODUCTION OF STRIVE ACT
Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today applauded Representatives Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) for taking a bold step forward and introducing the bipartisan "Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007" (STRIVE Act). The bill was introduced today at a news conference on Capitol Hill.

"This is an important step forward on the road to comprehensive immigration reform," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "The time is now for Congress to act, and we are heartened by the number of legislators on both sides of the aisle deeply committed to producing a realistic solution to our immigration problems."

The "STRIVE Act" includes key elements necessary to fix the broken immigration system: a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, a new worker visa program so that future immigrants can arrive legally, a reduction in family immigration backlogs which allows American families to unite in a reasonable time period, and smart enforcement mechanisms to ensure that the new system remains viable.

"Enforcement-only tactics such as anti-immigrant local ordinances and worksite raids have done nothing to curb undocumented immigration, but they have hurt local economies and caused suffering for American families," continued Murguía. "Only a comprehensive approach like the 'STRIVE Act' provides the right framework for a truly workable and effective solution."
"We know this is not a perfect bill and that the devil is in the details, but NCLR and its coalition partners will work hard to ensure that any bill that becomes law is workable, fully protects all workers, and guarantees the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans," noted Murguía.
"All in all, we believe that the introduction of the 'STRIVE Act' marks the beginning of a process which will result in signed legislation this year. This bill can result in good public policy for all Americans who are hungry for a real solution to a system in crisis," concluded Murguía.
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All Content © 2007 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

Young Entrepreneurs
Do you have younger brothers and sisters in high school? Tell them about this program! The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) and Center for Precollegiate Education and Training (CPET) are coordinating an Entrepreneurship and Leadership summer program at UF for outstanding high school students. The basic highlights of the program include: -allowing students to take 6 dual enrollment credits (GEB4930 - Exploring Entrepreneurship, SYG2010 - Social Problems)-application of entrepreneurial skills through 75 hours of communityservice (fulfilling the Bright Future's requirement) -on-campus living experience -speaker series and mentor program. You can find out more about the program at http://www.changetheworlduf.org/youngentrepreneurs/. For more information contact Vanessa Frisby at vanessalf@dso.ufl.edu.

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2007-01-19T22:15:00.000-05:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. New Opportunities, Events, Other (from NCLR Newsletter)
2. NCLR News Release
3. NCLR News Release
4. NCLR News Release
5. NCLR News Release
6. NCLR News Release
7. Articles
8. Institute for Responsible Citizenship Summer Internships
9. The PEN Writers’ Fund
10. NAMES Project Foundation/AIDS Memorial Quilt
11. Tips for creating a concise resume (Monster.com)
12. Fastweb’s free scholarship search

1. New Opportunities

Volunteer at 2007 NCLR Captial Awards Gala
http://www.nclr.org/section/events/capital_awards/volunteer

The Captial One Youth Service Fund Grants (projects in metro DC area)
Deadline: Jan 26, 2007
http://lideres.nclr.org/opportunities/detail/2709.html

2007 Annual LatCrit Student Scholar Program
Deadline: Jan 26, 2007
http://lideres.nclr.org/opportunities/detail/2646.html

Upcoming Events

National Conference on Civic Engagement (NCCE)
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2738.html

Oklahoma City University’s Latino Youth Leadership Conference
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2663.html

2007 NCLR Lideres Summit
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/l_deres_summit_/
http://www.nclr.org/section/events/conference/

Other

NCLR’s new social network

We're excited to invite you to join NCLR's new social network on Change.org!

Change.org is a new community platform that creates a web of social networks for over 1 million nonprofit organizations and their supporters. NCLR has been invited to be a part of Change.org's exclusive release and we want you to be the first to join and help build our community before the site is available to the wider public.

Change.org enables you to:
Connect - connect to people who care about the same issues and see others in your social network who support NCLR.
Share - post and discuss news stories and ideas related to NCLR and share videos, photos, and personal stories.
Take Action - magnify NCLR's impact by organizing volunteer events, rallies, and meet-ups or by joining social fundraising communities.

Click here to join NCLR's community. We look forward to seeing you on the site!
To learn more about Change.org, click here.

NCLR National Advocacy Day
March 7-8, 2007
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/2007_advocacy_day/

2. NCLR News Release

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY LEGISLATION

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of legislation to reduce college loan interest rates, the "College Student Relief Act of 2007."

"Poll after poll shows that Latinos value education, but the price of attending our nation's postsecondary institutions is among several obstacles Hispanic children face in achieving their dream of attending college and fully contributing to society," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "Reducing student loan interest rates is an important first step in opening the doors to higher education for millions of Latinos."

Latinos compose 18% of the total college-age population. However, they constitute a small proportion of undergraduate students in U.S. postsecondary institutions; only 10.4% of all 2002 undergraduate students were Hispanic. For many low-income Latino students, the most significant barrier to attending college is cost.

"We hope that H.R. 5 is the first step toward increasing college access for Latinos and other low-income communities," continued Murguía. "Renewing the Higher Education Act, passage of the "American Dream Act," and increased funding for Hispanic-serving education programs would ensure that more Latino students are in a position to take advantage of the reduction in student loan rates contained in H.R. 5."
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3. NCLR News Release

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF MINIMUM WAGE LEGISLATION; CALLS FOR MORE INVESTMENTS IN HISPANIC WORKERS

Washington, DC - The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of legislation to increase the federal minimum wage, the "Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007."

"Hispanics are among the hardest-working Americans. Unfortunately, Hispanic workers are three times as likely as their White counterparts to be working full-time yet still living in poverty," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "A minimum wage increase to $7.25 an hour would improve the economic conditions of more than 1.3 million Latino workers and give them a better chance to provide for their families."

Today there are nearly 21 million Latinos in the workforce. In addition, Hispanics maintain the highest labor force participation rate among their peers, with nearly seven in ten employable Latinos in the labor force. However, many Latino workers are unable to climb the economic ladder because of their low skill and education levels.

"Increasing the minimum wage is a good first step," continued Murguía. "But we must invest more in workers, including the nation's Latino workforce. Congress has the opportunity do so by renewing the Workforce Investment Act."

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is the federal law providing funding for enhancing the skills of the American labor force. NCLR supports WIA proposals that increase access to job training services, focus on improving English literacy and skills of limited-English-proficient adults, and support the work of community-based organizations.

"Now is the time to make smart investments in the nation's workforce," concluded Murguía. "We are certain that investing in Latino workers will pay enormous dividends for the nation's economy as a whole."
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4. NCLR News Release

NCLR WELCOMES REINTRODUCTION OF "AGJOBS" LEGISLATION AND URGES SWIFT PASSAGE

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., praised the reintroduction today of the "Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act" ("AgJOBS") by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Larry Craig (R-ID), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Mel Martinez (R-FL) and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Chris Cannon (R-UT).

"NCLR's ability to advance the status of farmworkers is at the heart of what we do. For many years farmworker advocates and growers were at an impasse, each arguing for policies to benefit their side of the debate. We congratulate the sponsors of 'AgJOBS' who had the courage to move beyond the stalemate and advance legislation that can benefit everyone," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

"AgJOBS" enjoys broad bipartisan support in both Houses, and it passed the Senate last May as part of a comprehensive immigration reform bill. "AgJOBS" would give many agricultural workers in this country who lack authorized immigration status the chance to become legal immigrants, ensuring a stable labor supply for agricultural employers.

"NCLR firmly believes that this is the year that 'AgJOBS' will become law, benefiting thousands of farmworkers," continued Murguía. "The 2006 elections demonstrated that Latinos are mobilized and focused on fair immigration policies, and will hold their representatives accountable for their actions."
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5. NCLR News Release

HISPANIC ACHIEVEMENT LAGGING BEHIND IN U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

On NCLB Anniversary, NCLR Issues Report and New Information Resource on Latino Students

Washington, DC - Marking the fifth anniversary of passage of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. - today released a statistical brief that portrays the U.S. educational system as an obstacle course from preschool through college for the growing population of Latino students. Hispanic Education in the United States identifies the key barriers facing Hispanic students, who continue to have the lowest levels of educational achievement of any ethnic group. The report notes, for example, that less than half of Hispanic males complete high school.

"The No Child Left Behind Act offers great promise for ensuring the success of all students, and there has been progress. But until Hispanic students have greater access to strong educational programs and equal access to resources, we will likely continue to see such disheartening data about Latino students," said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

In addition to the release of the statistical brief, NCLR also launched a new webpage today which serves as a comprehensive information resource on NCLB and Latinos. The webpage - www.nclr.org/nclb - contains links to publications, data sources, analyses, partner organizations, and other resources. In particular, it provides an important source of information on English language learner (ELL) students in the U.S. public school system.

Report highlights include:
Latinos are a significant proportion of the United States student population. Latino students enrolled in prekindergarten through 12th grade in U.S. public schools and institutions of higher education represented 17% of total student enrollment in 2005.

The number of ELL students enrolled in U.S. schools has increased substantially in the past decade. This student population increased by 56% between the 1994-1995 and 2004-2005 school years. Nearly 80% of ELL students are Hispanic native Spanish-speakers.
Hispanics are significantly less likely to complete high school than their White peers. In particular, only 43% of Black and 48% of Hispanic male students graduate from high school compared to 71% of White males. Further, foreign-born Hispanics account for more than 25% of all students who drop out of school in the U.S.

Schools serving Hispanic and other minority students offer fewer rigorous academic courses. According to a study by Achieve, Inc., 74% of minority girls want to enroll in advanced courses, but only 45% of their schools offer these courses. Similarly, although two-thirds of minority boys are interested in taking advanced mathematics courses, fewer than half attend schools that offer these courses.

Hispanics age 25 and older are less likely than Blacks and Whites to receive a bachelor's degree. In 2005, just 12% of Hispanics age 25 years and older had received a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to nearly 18% of Blacks and more than 30% of comparable Whites.
"The barriers that keep young Latinos from succeeding in school today diminish everyone's hopes for a society that is educated, productive, and financially secure. No one wins when we neglect nearly 20% of our nation's students. As we mark the fifth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act and work on renewing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act this year, we urge Congress to fulfill the considerable promise of NCLB and help close the large gaps that remain in our children's education," concluded Murguía.

For more information or a copy of the NCLR report, Hispanic Education in the United States, please call Melissa Lazarín at (202) 785-1670 or visit http://www.nclr.org/.
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6. NCLR News Release

LATINO ORGANIZATIONS RESPOND TO GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER'S 2007 HEALTH CARE REFORM PLAN

SACRAMENTO – Four of California's leading Latino organizations, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC), Latino Issues Forum (LIF), Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), today called on Governor Schwarzenegger to ensure that the 2007 health care reform plan provides access to high-quality health care to all communities without placing an undue burden on working families.

In California, 20% of the overall population is uninsured, and the vast majority of the uninsured are working families. Despite their high participation rates in the state's workforce, Latinos still face tremendous obstacles in accessing affordable health insurance, including cost, language, and access to job-based coverage. Such barriers would require Latinos to forego basic necessities such as food and housing in order to pay for even the most basic health coverage.

As outlined by the Governor today, the plan places too much of the burden on individuals and families. Without a system that requires equal and shared responsibility from providers, businesses, health plans, and consumers, working families will be forced to carry the lion's share of costs.

The Governor's proposal is an important first step in providing the basic framework for building a comprehensive health care plan for the state of California. If that plan truly serves all communities and has a system of real cost-sharing, California can serve as an example to the nation of how a state can provide comprehensive, quality and affordable health care to all its residents.
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7. Articles

National Latino Organizations Express Concern About Recent Immigration Raids
http://lideres.nclr.org/articles/detail/2735.html

How Latinos Use College Web Sites
http://lideres.nclr.org/articles/detail/2698.html

8. Institute for Responsible Citizenship Summer Internships
Deadline: Feb 1, 2007
http://www.i4rc.org/

9. The PEN Writers’ Fund

An emergency fund for professional—published or produced—writers in acute, emergency financial crisis. Depending on the situation, the Fund gives grants of up to $2,000. The maximum amount is given only under especially dire circumstances and when monies are available. The PEN Fund for Writers and Editors with HIV/AIDS, administered under the PEN Writers’ Fund, gives grants of up to $2,000 to professional writers and editors who face serious financial difficulties because of HIV or AIDS-related illness. The Writers’ Fund does not exist for research purposes, to enable the completion of writing projects, or to fund publications or organizations. The Writers’ Fund is for writers whose primary professional occupation is writing. Self-published authors or those published by vanity presses are not eligible. Next deadline March 16, 2007. http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/251.

10. NAMES Project Foundation/AIDS Memorial Quilt
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/online/Aids/index.html

11. Tips for creating a concise resume (Monster.com)
http://resume.monster.com/articles/concise/?WT.mc_n=MNL000283

12. Fastweb’s free scholarship search
http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/register/start?ref=mon4fw-5f--

2006-12-20T16:55:00.000-05:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner...

1. Native American Non-profit Organization
2. NCLR News Release
3. Light to Unite Campaign
4. Summer Program Coordinator for LeaderShape
5. StoryCorps
6. Latin Laundry
7. Florida Families Encouraged to Share the Gift of Reading during the Holidays
8. Gov. Bush launches Fourth Annual “A Season of Reading” State Agency Holiday Book Drive
9. 2006 Florida Holiday Ornament and Governor’s Mansion 50th Anniversary Commerative Book Available
10. 7th Annual Celebration of Reading
11. Defenders of Freedom 2007 Calendars
12. Pew Hispanic Center Advisory on Latinos and the 2006 Mid-term Elections
13. Governor’s Volunteer Florida Foundation
14. Other Stuff: CDC Alerts and Notices in Spanish, etc.

Native American Non-profit Organization

Conscious Alliance, a non-profit organization called which works with American Indian Communities to provide them with food, toys, and other gifts for the holiday season. For more information about the project visit www.consciousalliance.org and you will find how and what you can donate to these communities.

NCLR News Release

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA APPLAUDS NAMING OF CONGRESSMAN SILVESTRE REYES TO CHAIR HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today applauded House Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) decision to name Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

"We welcome this historic appointment. Congressman Reyes brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this position," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "The Intelligence Committee and the nation as whole will be well served by Congressman Reyes' leadership."

The announcement of Congressman Reyes' chairmanship follows that of Congresswoman Nydia Velásquez (D-NY) as Chair of the House Small Business Committee. In addition, the upcoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has appointed Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) to the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues of critical importance to Latinos, including health care, child care, Social Security, and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

"The appointment of these distinguished Hispanic leaders to key committees is an important step," concluded Murguía. "They have the expertise to develop policies which effectively address the needs of all Americans. Fortunately, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has a 'deep bench' of talented legislators, and we hope that Congresswoman Pelosi and Senator Reid continue to appoint Hispanic Caucus members to key committees and the highest level of leadership."

Light to Unite Campaign

Visit https://www.lighttounite.org/ and "light" the candle (by clicking on it), Britol-Myers Squibb will donate $1 to the HIV/AIDS foundation.

Summer Program Coordinator for LeaderShape

The Summer Program Coordinator serves as an important member of the LeaderShape staff for the national sessions of The LeaderShape Institute. He or she will carry out logistical and conference management tasks which are crucial to the success of the program. In collaboration with the Director of The LeaderShape Institute, the Summer Program Coordinator will work alongside the facilitators to help ensure a successful session, while staying one step ahead of the curriculum so that all of the details are organized at the beginning of each program piece.

The ideal candidate for this position will be a graduate student in Higher Education/Leadership Development or a related field. Dates for this position are June 11, 2007 through August 13, 2007 (approximately 9 weeks.) This position will require relocating to Champaign, Illinois during this time. A stipend and housing are provided and academic credit can be arranged with the graduate student’s host institution. Visit our web site to download the Summer Program Coordinator Position Announcement.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of introduction, resume, and the names and e-mail addresses of 2 references to: Kristen Young, Director, The LeaderShape Institute, 1802 Fox Drive, Suite D, Champaign, IL, 61820. Resumes will be accepted until January 8, 2007. Two candidates will be hired for the summer. Questions can be directed to Kristen via email at kristen@leadershape.org. More information at www.leadershape.org

StoryCorps

Personal stories and testimonials can impact the human heart and mind in a way that few other things can. StoryCorps (http://www.storycorps.net) is inspiring others to collect and record those personal accounts in an effort to pass on extraordinary stories from everyday people. StoryCorps offers a variety of methods to record personal stories, including finding a StoryBooth or using the Do-It-Yourself guide to make your recording at home. They even provide the option to have your story archived at the Library of Congress.

Latin Laundry
http://www.latinlaundry.com/

FLORIDA FAMILIES ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THE GIFT OF READING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Gov. Jeb Bush encourages Florida families to share the gift of reading during the holidays by visiting the 2006 Just Read, Families! for the Holidays reading list. Research shows that students who read while on vacation sustain progress made throughout the school year. Holiday and winter breaks are a great time for families to read together. By encouraging students to read, we bolster the opportunities for them to succeed in their education and throughout life. The Just Read, Families! for the Holidays reading list can be found at: www.justreadfamilies.org. The site features age-specific book suggestions.

GOVERNOR BUSH LAUNCHES FOURTH ANNUAL "A SEASON OF READING" STATE AGENCY HOLIDAY BOOK DRIVE

Gov. Jeb Bush launched the fourth annual "A Season of Reading" state agency book drive. A Season of Reading program collects and distributes new and gently used children's books to community programs, schools, family literacy programs and nonprofit agencies supporting children's reading activities. The deadline for book donations is January 19, 2007. Last year, the holiday book drive involved 11 state agencies donating more than 80,000 books to Florida students and families. This year Florida's state agencies will participate in the holiday book drive by hosting drop-offs at locations throughout the state. For more information about "A Season of Reading" program or to get involved with providing books to children in your communities, please visit www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org.

2006 FLORIDA HOLIDAY ORNAMENT AND GOVERNOR'S MANSION 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE BOOK AVAILABLE

The Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation is pleased to announce its annual holiday ornament, the fourth in a series. Coinciding with its 50th anniversary and inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the image of the Governor's Mansion is appropriately featured on this year's ornament. The Foundation is also proud to announce the publication of First Families in Residence: Life at the Florida Governor's Mansion, by distinguished architectural historian Ellen J. Uguccioni. The new commemorative book is a lively chronicle of both the residence and the lives of the families, including interviews with many governors, first ladies and family members, as well as outstanding new and archival photographs never before published. To view and order both the new 2006 ornament (as well as 2003, 2004, & 2005 ornaments) and the book, please visit: www.floridashistoryshop.com or call (850) 245-6396.

7th Annual Celebration of Reading

The 7th Annual Celebration of Reading is hosted by Governor Jeb Bush and features his parents, President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush, and celebrity authors Doro Bush Koch, bestselling author of My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush, and Haven Kimmel, bestselling author of A Girl Named Zippy, a Today Show Book Club selection. This special evening supports family literacy programs throughout Florida that have already touched the lives of more than 9,000 adults and children.

Join the Celebration and make a difference. Tickets are $250 each and include the Celebration Dinner. Sponsorships are available. Call (239) 277-6295 for reservations and information. Sign up now for the best Valentine’s event and dinner you’ve ever planned!
For more information regarding sponsorships and individual tickets please contact:

Ms. Tina McCain Matte
Coordinator, Celebration of Reading 2007
Gravina, Smith & Matte
1520 Royal Palm Square Blvd., Suite 160 Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Phone: (239) 277-6295
Fax: (239) 275-6501
TMatte@GravinaSmith.com

Defenders of Freedom 2007 Calendars

Our 2007 calendars have finally made it to the print shop. We had some delays due to our wounded troops getting pictures to us. This year our calendar is honoring three of our amputee troops, a fallen soldier, a collage page showing some of the troops we supported this year, showing some of the families that have been touched as well as some of our troops currently in Iraq right now. If you are interested in ordered a calendar you can do it online at www.defendersoffreedom.us. We will get them in the mail the day we receive them back from the printer.

Thank you for your past support of Defenders of Freedom. Together, we are making the difference in the lives of our troops. We continue to send requested items to our troops, which is maximizing the dollars entrusted to us. We are helping to keep the morale of our troops strong and they are very generous in letting us know. We receive thank you notes continually.

We helped to purchase a hand cycle for our amputee troops at Brooke Army Medical Center. Because of our generous support of our troops to our amputee troops, we were invited to join our amputees in a 150 mile bike ride. What a thrill to ride side by side with these fierce competitors. It was truly one of the most inspirational things I have ever done in my life.

Again, thank you for your past support. Please pass on the news that our 2007 calendars are available.

Donna Cranston, Founder

Pew Hispanic Center Advisory on Latinos and the 2006 Mid-term Elections

The Pew Hispanic Center today released a fact sheet entitled Latinos and the 2006 Mid-term Election that uses exit polls to compare the Latino vote in the 2006 election to elections in 2002 and 2004.

It also assesses the possible impact of the Latino vote in 2006 by looking at the Hispanic share of eligible voters in the most contested congressional races, the Latino vote in 30 House seats gained by Democrats and the outcome in districts with large shares of Hispanic voters.
http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=26

Governor’s Volunteer Florida Foundation
A nonprofit dedicated to community service and volunteerism. FMI visit http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/.

Other Stuff:
CDC Alerts and Notices in Spanish
http://www.cdc.gov/spanish

Think HIV
http://www.thinkhiv.org/dp/

NCLR Agenda Magazine
http://www.nclragenda.org/

USA Freedom Corps
http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/

2006-11-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner...

1. Drivers License Emergency Contact Submission
2. Gators Supporting Our Troops Veterans Day Care Packages Fundraiser
3. Pew Hispanic Release
4. White House Regional Conferences on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
5. Keep A Child Alive Organization
6. The Well-Project Launches Spanish-Speaking Website
7. Sing Out for AIDS
8. NCLR News Release
9. Pfizer Foundation Announces Funds for Prevention-Care- Treatment Linkages
10. United Negro College Fund grants for HBCU programs
11. Opportunities

Drivers License Emergency Contact Submission
You can now go online and enter two (2) emergency contacts on your Florida Drivers License (electronically) which can only be retrieved by a police officer. This came about as a result of one woman's teenage daughter being killed in a car accident and taking over 5 hours to locate the mother to inform her. This way, if you are in an accident, the police can run the drivers license and have the emergency info ASAP!!!

Emergency Contact Information:

This service will allow you to provide emergency contact information to law enforcement in the event of an emergency. This information may save crucial time if ever it becomes necessary to contact family members, or other loved ones. This service is only available to individuals holding a current Florida Driver License or Florida Identification Card.

Your personal information in Florida motor vehicle and driver records is blocked in accordance with the Driver Privacy Protection Act.

To submit your contact information, first provide your current Florida Driver License or ID card number and your date of birth.

Gators Supporting Our Troops Veterans Day Care Packages Fundraiser
The Gators Supporting Our Troops UF campus group will be sponsoring an event on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, 2006.From 7:30 to 9:30 the group (along with the local Military Family Support Group) will be hosting/serving at Applebee’s (NW 13th Street) to fundraise for care packages.

I know it's early on a Saturday, but it's not really a sacrifice compared to what our men and women in uniform do everyday. Just try to come out for breakfast during that block to show some support.For more information, contact Renee Williams at gatorsrw@ufl.edu.

Pew Hispanic Center
The Pew Hispanic Center today released Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade, a statistical portrait of the foreign-born population in the United States. The new feature is based on the Center's tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey public use microdata, which was released August 29, 2006. Fully implemented nationwide for the first time in 2005, the ACS became the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It provides statistical resources not previously available except with data from a decennial census.

Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade covers virtually the same data as the long form on the decennial census. The statistical portrait includes 32 tables on the social, economic and housing characteristics of the foreign-born population. It also includes estimates of the foreign-born population at mid-decade by state and region of birth.
Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade joins previously released Hispanics at Mid-Decade which focuses on the Latino population. Both are available on the Center's website at www.pewhispanic.org.

The center has also expanded Hispanics and the 2006 Election, a fact sheet that projected the number of Latinos eligible to vote in November based on registration rates from 2004. The fact sheet now has projections based on voter registration from the 2002 mid-term elections.

The Pew Hispanic Center is a non-partisan research organization supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts. It is also a project of the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan "fact tank" based in Washington D.C.

White House Regional Conferences on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
The next event in the series of White House Regional Conferences on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will be held next month in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
8:00am - 5:00pm

The Blake Hotel
555 South McDowell Street
Charlotte, NC 28204

On Thursday, November 16, 2006, the White House and the Departments of Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Health & Human Services, Housing & Urban Development, Education, and Homeland Security, the Agency for International Development, and the Small Business Administration will host a conference in Charlotte to help social service organizations learn more about President Bush's Faith-Based and
Community Initiative. These conferences are geared towards faith-based and community organizations that have no history of applying for government grants, as well as those that have applied but have not yet been successful.

The conference is part of a series of regional events that are being held around the country. The conferences provide participants with a general overview of the Faith-Based and Community Initiative, information about the government grants process and available funding opportunities, and an overview of the legal responsibilities that come with the receipt of Federal funds. The events also offer grant writing tutorials for select Federal grant programs.

Registration:

The conference is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visit http://www.dtiassociates.com/fbci/ to register online. We strongly
encourage you to register online. If you are unable to register online, print the registration form attached to this email. Complete the form and fax it to 703-299-4589. If you are not able to view this file, please call 202-456-6708 to have a form faxed to you.

Please register by Friday, November 10. If you must cancel your registration, please send an email to fbci@dtihq.com or a fax to the number listed above so we may accommodate as many people as possible.

For more information, please call 202-456-6708, send an email to fbci@dtihq.com or visit www.fbci.gov.

We hope that you will be able to join us in Charlotte.

Best regards.
Therese M. Lyons, Director
Erin White, Deputy Director
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture

*For more information on USDA's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives please visit: http://www.usda.gov/fbci/
*To join our mailing list, please sign up at: http://www.fbci.usda.gov/form/

Support ‘Keep A Child Alive’
This is an organization that I really love. I saw some information on it once and hunted them down. There are tons of AIDS organizations out there, but it is not so easy to find an organization that directly funds and delivers Anti-retroviral treatment. This organization does.You can choose to be a life donor ($30 a month) or a love donor (one time donation). If you can't do $30 a month, then try collecting cash from an organization you are in or where you work once a month. If not, just be a love donor or volunteer with them.They really make your donations count. http://www.keepachildalive.org/donate.php

The Well-Project Launches Spanish-Speaking Website
The Well Project, a source of medical information and support for women living with HIV, launched a Spanish-language version of its website this month. The site includes comprehensive information on all aspects of HIV/AIDS treatment, including detailed descriptions of antiretroviral medications and their side effects and resources for successfully managing HIV alongside parental and professional responsibilities. With an emphasis on blunt, easy-to-understand information, the site also offers profiles of women who directly confront the challenges of HIV infection and its persistent stigma.

Sing Out for AIDS
Tickets are $15.00 and can be found at the following locations…..

CHIQ Bar
4900 66th St N.
St Petersburg, FL 33709

All American Dyke
6842 Park Blvd.
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
M-F 11am-7pm
Sat & Sun 3pm-8pm

AIDS Partnership, Inc
Good Samaritan Church, Community Center
(Little white house behind Church)
6085 Park Blvd
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Mon-Thurs 10am-4pm
727-541-6638

Tickets are also available at Providence’s Shows as well as Melissa Crispo's Shows
Or online at www.mypalladium.org

PROMINENT LATINO ORGANIZATIONS TO MOBILIZE AND ASSIST LATINOS AT THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY
Washington, DC – The nation's leading Latino leadership organization, the NALEO Educational Fund (NALEO-EF), has joined with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., to help inform, engage, and mobilize Latino voters. This 2006 voter education and mobilization effort is an unprecedented partnership between the nation's premier Latino organizations, prominent community leaders, and Univision Communications, the country's largest Latino media company, to mobilize the Latino community for the midterm elections on November 7.

The effort's centerpiece is a toll-free hotline to assist Latino voters with the voting process. Lack of access to accurate and timely information is a key barrier to voter participation in the Latino community. To address that barrier, NCLR is partnering with NALEO-EF to staff a toll-free hotline 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota (1-888-839-8682) with call centers in Washington, DC and Los Angeles. From 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. (EST) on Election Day, more than 40 trained live bilingual operators will help voters locate polling places and ensure that their rights are protected. Since 2004, the NALEO-EF hotline has helped more than 15,000 Latino voters nationwide, providing information on registration, absentee voting, and general sample ballot questions.

On the ground, NALEO-EF will monitor polling places in established and emerging Latino communities such as Anaheim, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Santa Ana in California; Houston, Texas; and New York City. Nearly one hundred monitors will visit polling places throughout these communities to help ensure that polling places are accessible and that eligible voters are treated fairly. NCLR helped train local groups who will be monitoring polls in Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

About NALEO-EF's Voces del Pueblo Program
The NALEO Educational Fund's Voces del Pueblo voter engagement program seeks to engage, inform, and mobilize Latino voters in an effort to promote a culture of electoral participation among our communities. Since its inception, the program has reached more than one million young, newly registered, and infrequent Latino registered voters across the country. Since 2000, the program has established itself as a nationally recognized voter mobilization program. It has made significant contributions to the study and practice of increasing Latino political participation in the United States. Through field experiments in collaboration with the Yale University Civic Engagement Project and Ricardo Ramirez, Political Science Professor at the University of Southern California our efforts have been able to demonstrate that this important cross section of the Latino electorate can be mobilized and increase turnout on Election Day.

About NCLR's Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project (LEAP)
LEAP seeks to increase Latino and immigrant civic participation and political engagement by: (1) training a multistate network of community-based organizations (CBOs) to organize field campaigns and promote sustained civic education and participation; (2) testing and documenting campaign strategies to identify effective models that reduce participation barriers and increase interest in the process; (3) conducting research, policy analysis, and advocacy to promote policies, programs, and investments that support growth in immigrant and Latino civic participation; and (4) linking this emerging electorate with nonpartisan, issue-based advocacy campaigns promoting full integration of immigrants in mainstream society. LEAP seeks to produce measurable increases in Latino electoral participation and, over the long term, build local capacity to strengthen the nonpartisan foundation for participation and mobilization so that those increases are sustained. For more information, log on to www.naleo.org or www.nclr.org

Pfizer Foundation Announces Funds for Prevention-Care- Treatment Linkages
Building on the success of our Southern HIV/AIDS Prevention Initiative, Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Foundation are rolling out a three-year HIV/AIDS initiative to complement existing HIV prevention efforts and to address the need for the HIV/AIDS community to engage in holistic approaches linking prevention, care and treatment programs.

The initiative is targeting AIDS Service Organizations providing innovative, comprehensive HIV/AIDS services in communities in the US that are most affected by HIV/AIDS. It will support approximately 20 community-based organizations with grants up to $100,000 for three years for programs that include coordination across HIV/AIDS prevention and primary care and/or those that forge collaborative networks between community-based prevention providers and other prevention and care and treatment services. Funding will not support primary care (treatment) or medications, but will support access to care. The Pfizer Foundation will fund such programs in the following 10 states: New York, Florida, California, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina.

If you have organizations that you would like to send the RFP, please direct them to the following link on the Pfizer Inc Website: http://hivaidsphilanthropy.pfizer.com/.

United Negro College Fund grants for HBCU programs
The UNCF Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP), Division of Public & Community Health (DPCH) is pleased to announce the release of the RFP for the Campus Health Advocates Mobilizing Prevention Strategies (CHAMPS) Network Consortium funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

UNCFSP will work with and provide capacity building assistance to selected CHAMPS institutions to equip these HBCUs to effectively develop, implement and evaluate HIV/AIDS prevention activities. Throughout the grant period consortium members will focus on coalition building, social marketing, peer/prevention education, and policy development.

The deadline for receipt of proposals is November6, 2006. The RFP and Appendices have been provided electronically as attachments to this notification and will be made available at http://www.uncfsp.org. Go to Program Opportunities and then select Institutional Programs.
For further information contact Ulrica Andujar at ulrica.andujar@uncfsp.org.

Opportunities*

Youth Leaders for Literacy
Deadline Nov 24, 2006
http://lideres. nclr.org/ opportunities/ detail/2410. html

NetAid Global Action Awards
Deadline Nov 30, 2006
http://lideres. nclr.org/ opportunities/ detail/2231. html

*From NCLR Lideres Newsletter

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-10-16T00:29:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner...

1. Free Research Report on HIV/AIDS
2. Launch of Comprehensive Spanish-Language HIV/AIDS Website For Women
3. VotoLatino Public Service Announcements
4. NCLR Advisory
5. Track your Senator’s and Representative’s votes by email
6. House & Senate Bills
7. Operation: Get Tested Coming to Gainesville , Florida
8. Florida ’s Coordinated School Health Program
9. Grad Student Needs People to Take Survey
10. Global Horizon Project, Inc. (GHP) is proud to announce its 2007 Summer Sponsorship Award.
11. ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center Releases Fact Sheet - 200 Million to 300 Million: The Numbers behind Population Growth
12. ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center releases new report on education
13. ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center Releases Latinos and the 2006 Election fact sheet
14. Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and VotoLatino
15. FOCUS program
16. NHLA LAUNCHES "IT STARTS WITH YOU" CAMPAIGN

The Research Report Series on HIV/AIDS

I am contacting you on behalf of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, in the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA is the lead Federal agency for research on drug abuse and addiction and the many ways it affects health.

During the observance of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, The Research Report Series on HIV/AIDS may be of interest to you, your organization, and the communities you work with. This recently revised report, part of a series that aims to simplify the science of research findings, highlights study results including the linkages between drug use and HIV/AIDS. The Research Report on HIV/AIDS is available in both English and Spanish and is suitable for parents, teachers, counselors, school nurses, health professionals, and anyone who is interested in learning more about HIV/AIDS.

To obtain FREE copies of The Research Report on HIV/AIDS, please placeyour order online at
http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=17520

To obtain bulk quantities for any of NIDA's publications, please send an email to information@nida.nih.gov and provide us with the name of the publication, the quantity requested, your name, mailing address, and contact information. Sharing this message via newsletter or listserv with your colleagues and members affiliated with your organization is greatly appreciated!

Best, Kellyn Hickey
Health Communications Specialist
khickey@iqsolutions.com

IQ Solutions11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 901Rockville , MD 20852

New Spanish Language website for women

Launch of Comprehensive Spanish-Language HIV/AIDS Website For Women

The Well Project, a provider of information and support for women living with HIV, today announced the formal launch of a Spanish-language version of its website.
http://www.thewellproject/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=53936&nfid=al

VotoLatino Public Service Announcements
PSA's running on Mun2 TV Channel

Voting+Desire=POWER

http://www.holamun2.com/votolatino

NCLR Advisory

On Friday, September 29, the U.S. Senate passed the "Secure Fence Act of 2006.” This bill authorizes 700 miles of new border fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill was originally introduced in the House of Representatives as a piece of their enforcement-only approach. The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) believes that enforcement of current laws alone will not solve our immigration problems. First we must enact comprehensive reforms to create a well-functioning, enforceable system.

For years, President Bush has supported a comprehensive approach to immigration reform. Yet now he is considering signing an enforcement-only bill into law with no comprehensive immigration reform on the horizon.

Tell him:
* Thank you for supporting comprehensive immigration reform.
* Do not sign the "Secure Fence Act of 2006."
* This bill is not a solution to our immigration problems and symbolizes the enforcement-only approach of the House of Representatives.
* Continue to push Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform because immigration reform can only be effective if it is comprehensive.
* Comprehensive immigration reform includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, creates new legal channels for future immigrants, reduces family immigration backlogs, contains smart enforcement, and protects the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone.

Track your Senator’s and Representative’s votes by email
http://votenote.aol.com/
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/megavote/

Also check out Government Guide
http://www.governmentguide.com/main.adp

Also check out City Guide
http://cityguide.aol.com/

House & Senate Bills

Senate Roll Call No. 262109th Congress, 2nd Session

Secure Fence Act of 2006
Passed: 80-19

The Senate gave final approval to this bill that authorizes building 700 miles of double-layer fencing along the 2,000 mile U.S.-Mexico border. The border currently has about 75 miles of fencing. The funds for the fence would be provided in a separate spending bill. Supporters contend the additional fencing would allow border patrol agents to concentrate on apprehension of illegal immigrants rather than patrolling the whole length of the border. Opponents contend the bill is an election-year gimmick.
http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/issues/votes/?votenum=262&chamber=S&congress=1092
*

House Roll Call No. 468109th Congress, 2nd Session

Immigration law Enforcement Act of 2006
Passed: 277-140

This bill reaffirms the authority of state and local law enforcement agencies to voluntarily participate in the enforcement of immigration laws. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Attorney’s office to increase the number of attorneys dedicated to immigration offenses starting in 2008. Many local jurisdictions engage in a practice of "catch and release" due to various court rulings preventing them from turning over illegal aliens to federal authorities for deportation.
http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/issues/votes/?votenum=468&chamber=H&congress=1092
*

House Roll Call No. 469109th Congress, 2nd Session

Border Tunnel prevention Act of 2006
Passed: 422-0

This bill would make it a crime to construct an unauthorized tunnel across a U.S. international border. Violators could be sentenced to 20 years in prison under the bill. Also subject to criminal penalties would be the persons who finance the construction of a cross-border tunnel. The person’s assets could also be seized. Law enforcement personnel have discovered 38 such tunnels since September 11, 2001.
http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/issues/votes/?votenum=469&chamber=H&congress=1092
*

House Roll Call No. 465109th Congress, 2nd Session

Community Protection Act of 2006
Passed: 328-95

This bill would allow the Department of Homeland Security to indefinitely detain dangerous illegal aliens that cannot be deported. The detention period could be renewed in six month intervals. The bill would also immediately deport illegal aliens who are gang members.
http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/issues/votes/?votenum=465&chamber=H&congress=1092

*Source: AOL Government Guide

NOTE: The Senate and House are in recess until November 9, 2006 .

Operation: Get Tested

On November 2, 2006 , a group of courageous and diverse young individuals; ages 19-26, will visit Gainesville as they tour the United States in Operation: Get Tested http://www.whospositive.org/ogt_speakers.php. These speakers will share their individual life experience with HIV/AIDS to help other young adults better understand the potential consequence of their actions. Some were born with HIV or contracted it by means which were out of their control. The message of these youth will serve as an important example to help overcome the stigma of HIV and encourage messages of individual responsibility, healthy dialogue and the need for people to get tested.

Check it out!! http://www.whospositive.org/ogt_speakers.php

Are you an Individual or Organization which supports awareness efforts surrounding HIV/AIDS? Then consider sponsoring one of six HIV positive youth between the ages of 18 and 26 or a member of our five person staff as they travel across the United States with the nationwide testing and awareness initiative called Operation Get Tested.

Beginning on October 15 (National Latino HIV Awareness Day) and ending on December 1 (World AIDS Day) Six HIV positive youth will conquer stereotypes facing young adults infected by HIV/AIDS and will share their stories with high school and college students all across the United States. A team of twelve total will board a 45 foot twelve person sleeper tour bus to travel from NYC to Los Angeles, CA humanizing HIV through personal accounts of young adults living with HIV/AIDS. In conjunction with partners all over the United States, Operation Get Tested will provide opportunity for youth to be tested directly after our programming. It is our estimate that thousands of young adults will be mobilized to be tested.

This is your chance to participate and sponsor an individual on the tour. For a financial investment of $2,500.00 you can help directly pay for the individuals honorarium of $2,000 and help put $500 towards transportation cost; getting them to and from home. To show our appreciation and your dedication to this nationwide initiative we will provide your name or organizations logo and name on the bottom of the individual’s profile which will be distributed to members of the press and each visitor attending the programs.

Become part of a movement that will bring much needed attention to HIV/AIDS among youth where ½ of new infections occur.

For more information about Who’s Positive or Operation Get Tested, visit http://www.whospositive.org/ or call (814) 861-3345.

Also, Teresa Parker at the Alachua County Health Department is the local contact person for this event. If you would like more information or to help, contact her at (352) 334-7900 x3335

Florida’s Coordinated School Health Program

To learn more about Florida ’s Coordinated School Health Program. The website address is http://www.firn.edu/doe/besss/health/comphome.htm.

Grad Student Needs People to Take Survey

I am a graduate student at Virginia Tech and I need your help. As part of my research, I need to collect data from American and international students/individuals on their cultural behaviors. So far, I have a hard time getting responses from Hispanic population. If you could please forward this survey to your organization listserv I would really appreciate it. The survey is online and will only take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Here is the link to the survey: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1160024765076

Thank you very much for your help.

Global Horizon Project, Inc. (GHP) is proud to announce its 2007 Summer Sponsorship Award

Students of all backgrounds struggle with the challenges of finding an overseas summer internship. The unwelcome prospect of having to take an unpaid or underpaid position is a complicating factor. GHP's Sponsorship Award aims to free students from economic constraints that otherwise impede the pursuit of overseas internships that could contribute richly to students' pre-professional development and personal growth.

Our Sponsorship Award is an academic, need-based scholarship targeting undergraduate students of color. Take a look at our website (http://www.ghproject.org/) for detailed information about the 2007 Award.

ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center Releases Fact Sheet - 200 Million to 300 Million: The Numbers behind Population Growth

The Pew Hispanic Center (http://www.pewhispanic.org/) today released a fact sheet on the U.S. population as it reaches 300 million. The fact sheet presents an analysis, by race/ethnicity and nativity, of the 100 million people who were added to the population since 1966-67. In addition, the fact sheet breaks down the U.S. population, again by race/ethnicity and nativity, when it was 200 million and at the 300 million mark.

The fact sheet is entitled "From 200 Million to 300 Million: The Numbers behind Population Growth." It can be accessed on the Center's website at http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=25.

The Pew Hispanic Center , a nonpartisan research organization, is a project of the Pew Research Center and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center releases new report on education

The Pew Hispanic Center released today "The Changing Landscape of American Public Education: New Students, New Schools ." The report examines the intersection of two trends that have transformed the landscape of American public education in recent years: a rapid increase in enrollment and a surge in the opening of new schools.

The report describes the racial and ethnic components of enrollment growth at various levels of the K-12 system. It also examines the composition of enrollment in newly-opened schools and older schools still in operation as well as the impact of rapid growth in Hispanic enrollment. Detailed statistics at the state level are also provided. Copies of the report are available on the Center's website.

The Pew Hispanic Center , a nonpartisan research organization, is a project of the Pew Research Center and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

ADVISORY - Pew Hispanic Center Releases Latinos and the 2006 Election fact sheet

The Pew Hispanic Center released today a fact sheet on Latinos and the 2006 election. This fact sheet presents estimates for the number of Hispanics who will be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old and thus eligible to vote as of November 2006. Estimates are computed for the nation, by state and by congressional district. Also included are estimates of the number of eligible voters based on three scenarios that weigh changes in the population and potential levels of political participation.

The fact sheet is entitled Hispanics and the 2006 Election and can be accessed on the Center's website at http://www.pewhispanic.org/.

The Pew Hispanic Center , a nonpartisan research organization, is a project of the Pew Research Center and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and VotoLatino

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and VotoLatino are combining forces to put your Latino leadership to work through voter registration.

We are 46 million strong, yet we are lacking representation within our government. The community is ready to get mobilized and we are asking for you to give us that voice. Register to vote! http://www.govote.org/?t1=124

FOCUS program

The FOCUS program brings students to the campus during MLK weekend (at
Georgia Tech's expense) to let them get acquainted with the campus.

The goal of the program is to increase minority student awareness of the benefits and increased opportunities of a graduate degree, then recruit them to pursue a graduate degree at Georgia Tech. However, if students do not choose to enroll at Georgia Tech, the hope of FOCUS is that they will at least choose another graduate school. The program is open to all students who meet the academic criteria and will find the program beneficial.

There is no obligation on the student's part to apply to one of our Graduate programs. The URL describing the program more fully is below. http://www.focus.gatech.edu/

NHLA LAUNCHES "IT STARTS WITH YOU" CAMPAIGN

Washington, DC – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a nonpartisan coalition of major Hispanic national organizations and distinguished Hispanic leaders from throughout the nation [for a list of member organizations, go to http://www.bateylink.org/nhlaboard.htm], today launched "It Starts with You," a joint national, multimedia, and nonpartisan civic engagement and voter mobilization campaign urging Latinos to vote in the upcoming election in November.

"NHLA members have expressed growing concern over the politicization of the immigration issue and the demonization of Latinos in the 2006 campaign. We are saying '¡Ya Basta!' (enough already!) to elected officials who engage in this kind of bashing and will work to educate Latino voters about these issues," stated Ron Blackburn-Moreno, NHLA Chair.

"These national Latino organizations are uniting to send a clear message to our community: It starts with you; do your part and vote, for your family, your community, and your country. And if you are unable to vote, ask your friends and family who are eligible to vote to do their part. The members of NHLA will be working together from now until Election Day to get this message out throughout the country," stated Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Chair of the "It Starts with You" media campaign.

The campaign will feature radio and television Public Service Announcements (PSAs), op-eds, and a tool kit on NHLA members' websites to help encourage Latino voter participation and provide information to Latino voters about the issues in this election, with a special emphasis on engaging young Latino voters [see www.nclr.org/LEAP for an example]. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, an NHLA member, is also assisting Latino voters with information about the voting process and providing help through their toll-free, bilingual hotline, 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (Go Vote), to those who encounter problems while voting.

"This is not just about one issue or just one group of people. What is going on affects all of us. Latinos stepped up this spring in support of immigrants and comprehensive immigration reform. Now we need them to step up to the ballot box and make a difference this November," stated Manuel Mirabal, President of the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC), a member of NHLA. www.nclr.org/vote
All Content © 2006 NCLR. All Rights Reserved

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-10-02T03:48:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner...

1. Latina Study
2. Latino Commission on AIDS
3. Lideres Happenings
4. HIV Prevention for Latinos: Challenges and Strategies
5. Flight 93 National Memorial
6. Sing Out For AIDS
7. Pew Hispanic Center Releases Latino Labor Report
8. Leadership Websites
9. Scholarship Links
10. Hispanic-Latino Issues Links

Latina Study

Looking to educate and empower yourself and your community? Want to share your experience? Please consider contributing to the upcoming: "Bi Latinas Speak Out!" The "BLSO Project" is an exploration (book and website under construction) about the cultural and sociopolitical identity of bisexual Latinas. Following are guidelines & details.

Essays must be submitted by October14, 2007 for consideration. There's much to be learned about bi women from this!

Guidelines: 4-5 pages long essay addressing your experience as a bisexual Latina in your own words, including your culture, self identity, role as a parent, as a partner, relationships, socioeconomic background, religion, language, citizenship, etc. 12 font, double spaced. Please contact me at rmoreira@njcu.edu if you have any questions regarding the submission of info, images, photography or any other file other than Microsoft Word with "BLSO Project" in the subject line.

Outcome: The essay should be a short entry addressing socio-political- financial- cultural- psychological- emotional issues of bisexual Latinas. What specific topic you would like to address and how you choose to express yourself is ultimately up to you as a contributor; the final version will not be published without your approval. Feel free to incorporate your poetry as well as nonfiction narrative/prose to the body of your essay.

Rationale: Despite significant advances in the study of sexual/gender identity over the past decades, a major gap in the existing literature continues to be the invisibility of bisexual experiences, particularly when it comes to voices of women of color. My own research focuses on social identity and perceptions of discrimination (bi/homophobia) , examining the relationship between sociopolitical identity (i.e., ethnic identity, sexual identity, feminist identity, class identity, and womanist identity) and such perceptions. The "Bi Latinas Speak Out!" Project aims to be more creative in nature; however, allowing for contributors to share whichever aspects of their identities they chose to further explore and expose.

Goals: The main goals of the "BLSO Project" are (1) to effectively increase our visibility, (2) to educate others about our lives and cultures, (3) to create a space in which we can share what is important to us today and what we are hoping for the future. If your work is selected you may be requested to participate in an anonymous survey addressing sociopolitical issues and bisexual women of color. All bisexual Latinas of different nationalities, cultures, and races are encouraged to participate. Contributors must be at least 18yrs old and self-identified as women. Please email me at rmoreira@njcu.edu with any questions or concerns. I look forward to hearing from you!

In SOULidarity,
Renata Moreira, MA
Graduate student at City University of New York Assistant Director at New Jersey City University
http://www.myspace.com/renatabrazil

NCLR New Release

NCLR SLAMS HOUSE LEADERSHIP'S "SON OF SENSENBRENNER" LEGISLATIVE STUNTS
Washington, DC – A series of legislative stunts by the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives this week, including passage of fence legislation, the "Voter ID Act," and most of last year's infamous Sensenbrenner immigration bill, brought resounding criticism from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.

"The U.S. House of Representatives had a chance to pass fair and effective comprehensive immigration reform last year. Instead, they went on an anti-immigrant road show this summer and are now spending the fall passing the widely reviled Sensenbrenner bill in bits and pieces. The House leadership may believe that the only losers in this are Latinos, but their ineffective, unworkable, and extravagantly expensive shenanigans will soon reveal that the real losers are the American people who are demanding actual solutions on this issue," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

"The House leadership not only is willing to spend billions of dollars on a fence that will do nothing and put the burden of immigrant enforcement on the backs of overworked, overwhelmed law enforcement personnel, but in the name of 'there is no such thing as too tough' on immigration they are willing to compromise democracy itself by making it harder for everyone to vote. Make no mistake - 125 million Americans voted in 2004, and every one of them will be affected by the Voter ID Act. All Americans depend on law enforcement to be able to do its job; that and the public's safety have been compromised by the House's actions this week," continued Murguía.

Murguía concluded, "The Latino community will recognize what this week's actions really mean - the return of the Sensenbrenner bill in a new but unimproved version. The Sensenbrenner bill drove millions to march in more than 100 cities earlier this year. The House leadership will have to reckon with the consequences of turning 43 million people into their 'piñata' for the 2006 election."

Latino Commission on AIDS

The Miss Universe Organization Partners with Latino Commission on AIDS,
Zuleyka Rivera named International Ambassador of Latino Commission on AIDS
Miami , FL-- (HISPANIC PR WIRE)-- September 21, 2006 --Today, Miss Universe(R) 2006 Zuleyka Rivera, was appointed the International Ambassador for the Latino Commission on AIDS. She will support local, regional, national and international initiatives in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, health education, capacity building and advocacy. Miss Universe will work to promote the efforts of the Commission’s HIV awareness campaign on October 15 – the fourth annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.

“When we selected HIV/AIDS Awareness as the official cause for Miss Universe nine years ago, the purpose was to truly make an impact every year with each titleholder,” said Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. “As the International Ambassador of the Latino Commission on AIDS, Zuleyka can help urge the Latino community to learn about prevention and help to remove the stigma that goes along with testing.”

The Latino Commission on AIDS notes that cultural taboos are just one of the principal barriers preventing Latinos from getting tested. Ms. Rivera will work to diminish that perception by publicly taking an HIV/AIDS test in Manhattan on October 15th, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. The public is encouraged to participate in HIV testing and education events across the nation (more info is available at http://www.nlaad.org/).

“The bold efforts taken by Miss Universe will call worldwide attention to the AIDS epidemic in Latino communities and encourage Latinos to get tested for HIV,” said Dennis deLeon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. “We anticipate that this alliance will help to influence Latino men and women everywhere to learn how to prevent HIV and to get tested on a regular basis”. The 18-year-old Miss Universe has continually expressed her passion for the fight against HIV/AIDS and has supported organizations that advocate education, research and legislation.“I want to encourage HIV/AIDS awareness and education for my peers, but more importantly, I want to be an example for everyone who is afraid of being tested,” said Ms. Rivera. “Together we can all work toward the mutual goal of protecting our loved ones and our communities.”

“We salute Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera for making HIV prevention the theme during her reign. We are pleased that she will be encouraging Latinos and all other communities to be tested for HIV infection on a regular basis,” said Alberto Santana, Statewide Latino AIDS Coordinator for the Florida Department of Health. “We at Union Positiva are all very proud and extremely excited to host this great step forward for HIV testing and awareness in Latino communities. We salute the Latino Commission on AIDS and Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera for this groundbreaking partnership,” said Union Positiva Executive Director Doralba Muñoz.

Rivera will also be an official spokesperson for the Commission’s annual gala, Cielo Latino. She will endorse a pendant by designers CarlosAlbert, the proceeds of which will raise funds for the Latino Commission on AIDS’s programmatic and educational initiatives in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Latino Commission on AIDS is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community. In response to the critical, unmet need for HIV prevention and care for Latinos in New York City , a coalition of Latino leaders founded the agency in 1990. The Commission realizes its mission by spearheading health advocacy for Latinos, promoting HIV education and prevention, developing model programs for high-risk communities, and by building capacity in community-based organizations. Through its extensive network of member organizations and community leaders, the Commission works to mobilize an effective Latino community response to the health crisis created by HIV/AIDS.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE(R), MISS USA(R) and MISS TEEN USA(R) competitions, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC partnership. Utilizing its global grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS Awareness and women's health and reproductive issues. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Latino Commission on AIDS, Global Health Council, Gods Love We Deliver and the United Nations Population Fund's Face-to-Face Campaign, Miss Universe is armed to impact women today.

New Opportunities

HACU-Laureate International Scholarship Program
Deadline October 15, 2006
http://lideres.nclr.org/opportunities/detail/1735.html

Upcoming Events

Chicago Lideres Congreso
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/congresos/chicago_lideres_congreso/

New York Minority Youth Environment Training Institute
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2470.html

The Campus Kitchen Project
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2413.html
http://www.campuskitchens.org/

Articles

Students Need Counseling for College
http://lideres.nclr.org/articles/detail/2460.html

Latinos Marketing to Latinos: Not As Easy As It Seems
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22181.cfm

NCLR and Students Deliver Postcards to Congress Asking for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
http://lideres.nclr.org/articles/detail/2424.html

Featured Group

Hispanic Student Association at the University of Georgia
http://lideres.nclr.org/groups/detail/1774.html

*Register your group on the Lideres website by going to http://lideres.nclr.org/register/.

Source: National Council of La Raza’s Lideres electronic newsletter

HIV Prevention for Latinos: Challenges and Strategies
http://aidsetc.org/ppt/p02-et/et-01-00/flca_latinos.ppt

Flight 93 National Memorial
http://www.honorflight93.org/site/pp.aspx?c=8dJCKQNuFoG&b=1555715

Sing Out For AIDS
World AIDS Day
Friday, December 1, 2006
The Palladium St. Petersburg , FL
Tickets only $15.00

Featuring BETTY! Most well known for controversial new theme song for Showtime's most popular show, The L Word. Also Including Performances by Craymo, Jeremy Gloff, Redboy, New Tribe, Melissa Crispo, Lorna Bracewell, Judy B Goode, Christian Andreason, Linda Nunez, Providence , and Redboy.

Come Join us for an evening of GREAT entertainment, and help us support a great cause… HIV/AIDS Prevention and awareness! Tickets are on sale now!!!!!

For more information contact April Wardlow at AIDS Partnership Inc, via phone (727) 541-6638.

Advisory

Pew Hispanic Center Releases Latino Labor Report, 2006
The Pew Hispanic Center today released its report on labor market trends for Latino workers in 2005-06. The analysis, based on regional data from the federal government, concludes that Hispanic workers made important gains. The report includes a section on the construction industry, a prime employer of Hispanic workers. The report is available at the Pew Hispanic Center 's website, www.pewhispanic.org.
The Pew Hispanic Center is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington , D.C. and funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
View the report

Tu Voz My Venture
http://www.youthventure.org/index.php?tg=articles&topics=388&amp;new=0&newc=0&PHPSESSID=3dc68c8dc8cbe55674ce29f8f398be15

Leadership Websites
http://www.leadershape.org/home.asp
http://lideres.nclr.org/
http://www.hispanicyouth.org/index.php
http://www.youthventure.org/index.php

Scholarships
http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/opportunity/scholarships/scholarships.asp
http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/
http://www.hsf.net/scholarships.php
http://www.aspira.org/Scholarships.htm

Get Involved websites
http://www.rickymartinfoundation.org/english/default.aspx
http://www.one.org/
http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/
http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

Hispanic-Latino Issues
http://www.nclr.org/
http://www.hispanicfederation.org/
http://pewhispanic.org/
http://www.chci.org/
http://hispaniconline.com/
http://www.hsf.net/

Great American Health Check
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/PED_13_Great_American_Health_Check.asp

Abolish the N Word
http://www.abolishthenword.com/homepage.htm

Rosa Parks
http://www.rosaparks.org/

Global Horizon Project, Inc
aims to help students secure the experiences necessary to mature their international interests and thereby establish and maintain an international orientation for their professional futures.
http://ghproject.org/home.htm

Gas Price Watch
http://www.gaspricewatch.com/new/

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-09-18T18:34:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. Third Annual Read Together, Florida Event Launched
2. Florida Middle School Students Attempt to Breal World Record
3. September proclaimed Florida Preparedness Month
4. Navajos March Against Discrimination, Violence
5. Challenges & Opportunities: Latino-Owned Businesses Swell in U.S.
6. Immigrant Businesses Transform Cities
7. The Graying of AIDS
8. Pew Hispanic Center Advisory
9. BET’s Rap It Up Campaign comes to Gainesville (Help Needed)

THIRD ANNUAL READ TOGETHER, FLORIDA EVENT LAUNCHED

On Thursday, Governor Bush launched Read Together, Florida, the annual one state-one book reading promotion initiative. This year's program features The Zero Game by Florida-based author Brad Meltzer. Floridians are encouraged to read the book during the month of October which will include community events at libraries, bookstores and Starbucks locations, an online crossword puzzle game, an essay contest for high school students and a grand prize drawing for a trip to Washington, DC, with the author. For information on Read Together, Florida, go to http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTEMPT TO BREAK WORLD RECORD

This week, Governor Bush reminded principals and teachers across Florida that there is still time to sign their schools and students up for Breaking a World Record: Reading Aloud! Overseen by the Just Read, Florida! office, the event will bring together more than 200,000 middle school students in Florida in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record(tm) for the "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations". As we quickly approach the event on September 28, 2006, Governor Bush is encouraged by the overwhelming number of students, principals, teachers and parents committed to making Florida the new Guinness World Record(tm) holder. To learn more about Breaking a World Record: Reading Aloud! visit http://www.justreadflorida.com/.

SEPTEMBER PROCLAIMED FLORIDA PREPAREDNESS MONTH

Governor Bush recently proclaimed September 2006 as "Florida Preparedness Month". During the month of September, events will be held across Florida to raise awareness on the importance of preparing for all hazards - from natural disasters to domestic security threats. Every Floridian should have a family disaster plan and disaster supply kit. Prepared residents enable government to focus on the needs of Florida's most vulnerable
populations. For more information on preparedness and how you can GET A PLAN! please visit: http://www.floridadisaster.org/.

If you would like to subscribe to the E-Newsletter please go to http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/subscribe.html.

Source: Office of the Governor of State of Florida

Articles

Navajos March Against Discrimination, Violence

Thousands of Native Americans walked to honor those who have been victims of violence and discrimination in towns that border the Navajo Nation.
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22136.cfm

Challenges & Opportunities: Latino-Owned Businesses Swell in U.S.

It is both a time of promise and conflict for Latino-owned businesses. The number of Latino-owned companies grew three times faster than the national average from 1997 to 2002. http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22165.cfm

Immigrant Businesses Transform Cities

Up and down a stretch of Harry Hines Boulevard, signs emblazoned with Korean characters advertise clothing, linens, gift items and much more.
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22164.cfm

The Graying of AIDS, Time Magazine photo essay. Feel free to click the link below to share in the experience. http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/graying_of_aids/

Pew Hispanic Center Advisory

The Pew Hispanic Center today posted a new resource on its website, A Statistical Portrait of Hispanics at Mid-Decade. The information is based on the Center's tabulations of the 2005 American Community Survey, which was fully implemented by the Census Bureau for the first time this year.

The 2005 ACS, released August 29, 2006 , has a sample of about 3 million addresses. Presented as a series of tables, the tabulations by the Pew Hispanic Center provide the most up-to-date statistical portrait of the Latino population in the United States . It can be accessed at the Center's website, http://pewhispanic.org/.

The Center also posted on its website a transcript of a conference--Rethinking Global Migration: New Realities, New Opportunities, New Challenges--that was held earlier this year at New York University . The conference, which brought together scholars of immigration for two roundtable discussions, was sponsored by the Center, Immigration Studies at New York University and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University .

The publication includes an introduction to the conference as well as edited transcripts of speeches by two policy makers: Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and the foreign minister of Mexico , Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista. A link to a video of the conference is also provided.

The Pew Hispanic Center , a nonpartisan research organization, is a project of the Pew Research Center and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

BET’s Rap It Up Campaign comes to Gainesville (Help Needed)

Hello to all,
As most of you know, I have been sending out emails getting everybody ready for the BET (Black Entertainment Television) event that will be coming to Gainesville . BET is promoting HIV/AIDS awareness throughout the Nation with the “Rap it Up” Campaign that targets young Black youth. Persons under the age of 25 are over ½ of new HIV infections and this event will bring HIV awareness at the level needed to reach young adults. I have confirmed with Vikki Johnson of BET to have the event in Gainesville on January 27th (Saturday) at the Martin Luther King Center located at 1028 NE 14th Street , Gainesville , Florida 32601 . The show will begin at 4pm and last until 6pm . We plan to invite over 400-500 young adults from the high school and middle school. This is only one of the multiple of events that will be planned in preparation for National Black HIV/AIDS awareness day on February 7th.

This is an open invitation for you to come to the first planning meeting in Gainesville on October 7th at 10am at the Alachua County Health Department located at 224 SE 24th Street , 32641. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. We have already reserved the Martin Luther King Jr. Building , thanks to Bonita Young of Three Rivers Legal Services for the down payment to hold the building for the event. We will be discussing the need to raise funds to feed the staff of BET, we will also need help with getting someone to either let us borrow a sound system with microphones or rent it to us for a nominal fee. We hope to be able to provide FREE pizza to the young adults that participate; we will need help with the printing of tickets that will be handed out. The event is FREE to the public but we need to tickets for crowd control. These are some of the details. Please be thinking about where you will be able to assist. We will need volunteers to help set up and cleanup between 6-7pm (after the show). If you need detailed information about the details of the presentation for promoting purposes, email Vikki Johnson at Vicki.johnson@bet.net

We have received confirmation from our local radio station 101.3 radio disc jockey, Gospel radio station DJ from Ocala, Jill Frustick, Health Dept Physicians assistant, and RMAC for the panel discussion concerning the impacts of HIV/AIDS among the youth.

I look forward to seeing you on the 7th of October at 10am ; I know it is on the day of the homecoming Game for UF, this is why I decided to meet in the morning. We need your help, so please plan to attend. Thanks so much.

Teresa Parker aka Condom Miranda
Regional Minority AIDS Coordinator, Area 3/13
Human Services Program Consultant I
Alachua County Health Department
224 SE 24th Street
Gainesville , Fl 32641
352-334-7900 ext. 3335 - office
352-334-8818 - Fax
352-316-4023 - Cell
HABLO ESPANOL

P.S. For more opportunities, scholarships, links, etc visit the community resource blog at http://djr2006.blogspot.com/. SPREAD the WORD!

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-09-15T20:43:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. New Opportunities
2. Upcoming Events
3. Featured Group
4. Articles
5. Other Links

New Opportunities

LatCom Inc. Event Planning & Marketing Internship
http://lideres.nclr.org/opportunities/detail/2383.html

State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant
http://lideres.nclr.org/opportunities/detail/2394.html

Upcoming Events

CHCI Public Policy Conference
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2377.html

Latino Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD)-A national day of campus action
http://lideres.nclr.org/events/detail/2302.html

Featured Group

Mujeres Latinas En Acción
http://lideres. nclr.org/ groups/detail/ 1253.html
http://www.mujereslatinasenaccion.org/

Articles

Who Is Wosrt for Diversity? The United States Senate
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/21699.cfm

Rallies for Immigrants in Several Cities
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22120.cfm

Other Links
http://www.DiversityInc.com/

Source: NCLR and DiversityInc

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-09-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. Internship Information Session with The Washington Center
2. NCLR Policy Issue: New Immigration Issue
3. Immigration Ads a Problem for Campaigns
4. Students Told to 'Catch an Illegal Immigrant' With a Gun
5. High-School Dropouts Face Steeper Costs in U.S.
6. After 38 Years, Racial Lawsuit Resolved
7. Schwarzenegger Apologizes Over 'Latino' Comments
8. U.S. Department of State: Apply for the 2007 Summer Student Internship Program
9. Public Service Awareness campaign, "AIDS STILL KILLS"
10. Senator Martinez featured in the Sun-Sentinel

Information session to learn about Internships in Washington, D.C.

Earn academic credit while you work in a professional environment. Roshni D. Lal of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars will present information about this unique opportunity.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006
12:50 pm and 3:00 pm (same information at each session)
Little Hall Room 119

*Scholarships and Financial Assistance Available*
For more information, contact http://www.twc.edu/

House of Representatives to Vote on More Enforcement Measures

Instead of working on an immigration compromise that a majority of Americans agree is a priority, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives held hearings all over the country this past summer. With "the facts gathered" during these field hearings, Congress has only managed to provide bills on border fencing and other enforcement measures. The first of these non-solutions will be introduced today, which is why we need you to act now!

The "Secure Fence Act" (H.R. 6061), which will be introduced in the House of Representatives today, would authorize more than 700 additional miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

We don’t need more fencing – we need a real solution. We need a bill that will legalize the undocumented people currently in the U.S., allow future workers to enter legally, reunite families, and provide worker protections.

We will be sending you additional information and action alerts over the next two weeks before Congress goes on recess. We urge you to send messages to your representative. We cannot allow Congress to continue to use election year delay tactics and not move toward real solutions. Take Action!

Contact your representatives NOW and urge them to vote "No" on H.R 6061. Tell them that instead of more enforcement you want to see real comprehensive immigration reform that:
1. Legalizes the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in this country
2. Reduces family immigration backlogs
3. Creates legal channels for needed workers in the future
4. Protects the rights of all workers

National Council of La Raza
1126 16th Street
NWWashington, DC 20036
202-785-1670 Phone
202-776-1792 Fax
http://www.nclr.org/

Articles

Immigration Ads a Problem for Campaigns
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22101.cfm

Students Told to 'Catch an Illegal Immigrant' With a Gun
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22150.cfm

High-School Dropouts Face Steeper Costs in U.S.
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22145.cfm

After 38 Years, Racial Lawsuit Resolved
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22140.cfm

Schwarzenegger Apologizes Over 'Latino' Comments
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22141.cfm

State Department 2007 Summer Student Internship Program

We are pleased to inform you that we are now accepting applications for the 2007 Summer Student Internship Program. Please click here http://careers.state.gov/student/programs/student_internships.html for more information, and to start the online application process. The deadline for submitting completed applications is November 1, 2006.

NOTE: All applications and faxes must be submitted before 11:59 pm EST on November 1, 2006. Applicants should complete and submit their application and necessary documents as early as possible, as the rush of last minute applicants will slow down the system. This delay may prevent users from successfully submitting their applications and documentation.

AIDS Public Service Awareness Campaign

A media focused public service awareness campaign, "AIDS STILL KILLS". For more information visit http://www.mountolivemodco.org/hiv/main.htm.

Senator Martinez featured in the Sun-Sentinel

In August, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel published a feature article on Senator Martinez. This article, written by William Gibson, described the Senator’s life in Cuba, finding his place in America, as well as his recent achievements in the United States Senate. http://martinez.senate.gov/

Regards,
David J. Ruiz

2006-09-01T12:22:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. Participate in Latino/a Research Study
2. NCLR News Release
3. Help Bring Campus Kitchens Project to UF
4. Sing Out for AIDS
5. Florida’s Hispanic Heritage Month Events & Fourth Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest
6. Articles on Hispanic-Latino Issues, HIV, etc
7. Links

Latino/a Research Study

Dear Student, We, Drs. Keisha Love and Kenneth Tyler, professors at the University of Kentucky, are writing to ask for your assistance with an important research study being conducted at your institution. We are conducting a study to examine factors that contribute to the psychological well-being and academic success of Latina/o students at institutions of higher education and could use your support.

The study consists of completing several online self-report questionnaires that should take roughly 20 minutes to complete. The University of Kentucky Institutional Research Board has approved this study. By participating you will be providing valuable information that can improve the success of Latina/o students.

To learn more about the study, or to participate, please click on the following link: http://intercom.virginia.edu/SurveySuite/Surveys/Attachment or cut and paste the link into your web browser. Should you have any additional questions regarding the study, please do not hesitate to contact the principal investigator, Dr. Keisha Love. We thank you for your time and your consideration. Warm Regards, Keisha Love, Ph.D. University of Kentucky Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology 241 Dickey Hall Lexington, KY 40506 859-257-8273 http://us.f503.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=Keisha.Love%40uky.edu Patton Oliver Garriott, M.S. Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology University of Kentucky mailto:patton.oliver@

NCLR News Release

Contact:
Diana Tejada(202) 785-1670
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug 28, 2006

NCLR TO BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES: DON'T DEMONIZE LATINOS AND IMMIGRANTS IN 2006 CAMPAIGN

Washington, DC – Citing a set of disturbing ads from both the Republican and Democratic parties in recent weeks,* Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., called on the leaders of both political parties to refrain from campaign tactics demonizing immigrants and Latinos.

"Campaign ads on immigration from both parties are crossing the line. The issue of what to do about immigration is fair game for this election, demonizing an entire community is not," stated Murguía.

"Poll after poll shows that the American people want action, not grandstanding, on immigration. And poll after poll also shows that Latinos view the scapegoating of immigrants as a personal attack. These ads are not only inflammatory, they are counterproductive," continued Murguía.

"While we appreciate that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) removed one ad** from its website, we are asking for strong leadership from both parties at the national level to stop these types of ads and to start work on passing long-overdue comprehensive immigration reform. To the Latino community, it is time to stand up and be counted. And there is no better place to be heard if you are concerned about these tactics than at the ballot box this November," concluded Murguía.

*To view National Republican Senatorial Committee ad, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE6De4VqFfg
**To view DSCC ad, go to www.factcheck.org/article417.html

Help Bring Campus Kitchens Project to UF

This is a hunger initiative. Take a look at the website, http://www.campuskitchens.org/. For more information, contact Kendra Levine at nkendral@ufl.edu.

Sing Out For AIDS

Featuring BETTY! Well known for the controversial new theme song for Showtime's most popular show, The L Word. Performances by; Craymo, Jeremy Gloff, Redboy, New Tribe, Double M Band, Melissa Crispo, Lorna Bracewell, Judy B Goode, Christian Andreason, Linda Nunez, Providence, and Redboy.

Sing Out for AIDS and the many smaller events presented by the AIDS Partnership, Inc are made possible only through the generous donations and underwriting of our individual and corporate sponsors. Sponsorship has ensured that 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales, as well as silent auction revenue, goes directly to our programs. Suggested levels of contributions of cash or in-kind donations tier from $500 through $2,500 for Sing Out for AIDS.

For more information contact April Wardlow at AIDS Partnership Inc, via phone (727) 541-6638 or email http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FL-CampaignToEndAIDS/AIDSPartnership@gmail.com or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FL-CampaignToEndAIDS/www.AIDSPartnershipinc.org

Florida students invited to participate in Fourth Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest

Gov. Bush invited Florida students in kindergarten through twelfth grades to participate in the fourth annual Florida Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest. The essay contest is the first in a month-long schedule of events planned to commemorate Florida's Hispanic heritage. The theme of the essay contest is, 'Why is learning about Florida's Diverse Hispanic Heritage and Culture Important?'

Florida’s First Family is proud of the Spanish and Latin-American influences that contribute to Florida's rich culture and history and play a dynamic role in shaping our history and future. Hispanic Heritage month gives us the opportunity to educate Florida's students on the tremendous contributions Hispanic individuals make to our state. We are asking students to pay special tribute to the Florida's diverse Hispanic population and their contributions to the state's culture, economy and education. The theme for Florida's 2006 Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration is 'La Florida: Honoring Our State's Spanish and Latin American Influences'. Those interested in participating in the essay contest or obtaining more information on additional Hispanic Heritage Month events should visit http://www.floridahispanicheritage.com/

Articles

Immigration Ads a Problem for Campaigns
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22101.cfm

Tough Talk on Immigration Worries Latinos in Ohio
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/21968.cfm?cat=email_NL&list=diversitynews_01august06

Study: Immigrants Not Hurting U.S. Jobs
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/22023.cfm?cat=email_NL&list=diversitynews_11august06

More Americans are living with HIV into middle age and beyond.
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/graying_of_aids/

Links

To see jobs targeted toward Hispanic-Latinos visit Hispanic Jobs. To see jobs or to apply, please go to http://www.hispanic-jobs.com/

Volunteer Link
http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do?nationalPortal=1

For those interested in possible internships
http://www.hnip.net/

For those interested in undergrduate research experience for graduate school
http://www.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/index.html

For those interested in pursuing a graduate degree
http://mati.eas.asu.edu:8421/p1000/

Have A Nice Day,
David J. Ruiz

2006-08-02T06:07:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

1. President signs Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act

2. Hispanic Trends 2006 Hispana Leadership Summit for Latinas
3. WIN a 2007 Honda for DONATING BLOOD!
4. Sing Out for AIDS benefit on Dec 1
5. Sixth Annual Southeast Regional Gay Men's Health Summit
6. National Youth HIV Screening & Awareness Campaign
7. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Youth Scholarships
8. Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship Program
9. Youth Elect
10. National Latino Conference Underscores High HIV/AIDS Rates Among Latinos
11. Volunteering Links
12. Other Links

NCLR APPLAUDS PRESIDENT BUSH FOR REAUTHORIZING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Jul 27, 2006

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today commended President Bush for signing the "Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Cesar E. Chavez Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006." This landmark legislation, which passed the U.S. House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support last week, reauthorizes three key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 scheduled to sunset in August 2007.
"This is a remarkable victory that preserves the gateway to political participation for all Americans," said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. "The President's action today ensures that voters, including Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, will not be deprived of their fundamental right to vote. We applaud President Bush for extending the 1965 Act for another twenty-five years."

HISPANIC Trends Magazine hosts 2006 Hispana Leadership Summit
is proud to invite Hispanic women entrepreneurs and professionals to participate in its 2006 Hispana Leadership Summit, which will be held August 18-20 at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort & Spa in New Mexico. The Hispana Leadership Summit is a weekend conference filled with inspirational speeches and compelling sessions driven by some of the industry’s most powerful speakers!

Hispana Leadership Summit attendants will experience inspiring keynotes, interactive seminars and peer-to-peer coaching sessions from some of the most powerful and recognized Hispanics in the country, such as Linda G. Alvarado, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alvarado Construction, INC; Marisa Rivera-Albert, President of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI); Maria Sastre, Vice President, International, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia, Sales & Marketing for Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises; Vilma Martinez, partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson and Founder of the Director’s Council; Nina Vaca, President, Pinnacle; Jackie Baca, President/CEO, Bueno Foods; Ana Baca, Hispanic Children’s Book Author; and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, author of “The Dirty Girls Social Club”, among others.

This year’s summit will focus on both personal and professional strategy seminars, designed to further enhance Hispanic women’s business tactics and enable them to reach new levels of success. Some of these dynamic workshops include:

Wealth-Building Strategies: Tips from our panel of experts on finance, banking, real estate, franchising and other topics of interest.
Destination Corporate America: Advice from the people who form boards and place people on them, including an insider’s view of the process and selection criteria.

Building a Leadership Culture: Practical coaching on building winning teams. From an entrepreneur to a corporate leader, this session will address the art of selecting the right people to lead, and designing a culture where they can thrive.
Total Wellness Strategies: Expert's tips of the total wellness strategies Hispanic women need in order to balance their work and personal life and feel good in body and mind.

Personal Branding: U Inc: Distinctive, measurable strategies to help women showcase their company and personal talents.
The Hispana Leadership Summit is sponsored by KFC, PEPSICO, HISPANIC Trends Magazine and Editorial Televisa. http://www.hispaniconline.com/hls/

Win a Car for Donating Blood
You can win a 2007 Honda Accord LX, courtesy of Wade Raulerson Honda, simply by donating blood with LifeSouth.

You will receive one chance to win for each blood donation between July 21, 2006 and December 31, 2006. The drawing will be held Sunday, February 18, 2007.

To be eligible to win, you must register in person, in Gainesville at either our 13th street or Newberry Road locations on the day of the drawing. For more information, or to make an appointment to donate, please call (352) 334-1000.

Our Civitan Region Donor Center is located at 1221 NW 13th Street in Gainesville, Florida, our Newberry Road Donor Center is located at 4039 Newberry Road in Gainesville, Florida and our Chiefland Donor Center is located at 120 East Rodgers Blvd. in Chiefland, Florida 32626.

Contest runs from July 21, through December 31, 2006. Winner must be 18 or older at the time of drawing. Winner is responsible for tax, tag and title fees.
---
Hello,

I have an opportunity for you to do something very special, as well as, help me in the process. For every person that I get to come in and donate blood for the first time, I receive $3. For every person that has previously donated blood with LifeSouth, I get $1.

I am ASKING all that can, to please stop by the center at 4039 Newberry Road and HELP me out by donating the gift of life (donating blood). You can also call to make an appointment at (352) 224-1600. The whole process should take about 45 minutes max.

Please let me know if you plan to stop by so I can log the donation and get credit.

Have A Nice Day,
David J. Ruiz

Sing Out for AIDS
Friday December 1st 2006
The Palladium, St Petersburg, FL
7:30pm
Tickets are only $15.00 per person
Performances by: Linda Nuñez, Mele, Craymo, Jeremy Gloff, Redboy, New Tribe, Double M Band, Providence, Melissa Crispo, Lorna Bracewell, Christian Andreason, and more to follow........

Sing Out for AIDS to be held on World AIDS Day is the annual fundraiser for AIDS Partnership Inc. Proceeds from this event will go to "Mission Against Transmission". This program is designed to change at risk behavior in youth and older adults as well as including "Prevention for Positives".

World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about raising awareness, education and fighting prejudice. World AIDS Day is also important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and there are many things still to be done.For information about ticket sales, or sponsoring this event please contact April Wardlow, (727) 541-6638, (727) 433-3867 http://us.f503.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=AIDSPartnership@gmail.com
http://www.aidspartnershipinc.org/

Sixth Annual Southeast Regional Gay Men's Health Summit
The Summit will draw together gay and bisexual men of all backgrounds who share a common interest in promoting better physical, spiritual and mental health. We will focus on and celebrate wellness, nurturing, and community building of gay men living in the southeast. Participants will represent urban, suburban, and rural communities from throughout the southeast. Men of color, gay youth, and gay men who have never before participated in formal health promotion efforts are especially invited to join the Summit. http://www.gaymenssummit.com/index.htm

Who’s Positive LAUNCHES NATIONAL YOUTH HIV screening & Awareness campaign

For Immediate ReleaseJuly 24, 2006Contact: Tom DonohueFounder & Executive Directortdonohue@whospositive.orgTel. 814-861-3345 ext 3501

HIV positive youth travel through 25 states promoting HIV Testing & Awareness Leading up to World AIDS Day

State College, PA (July 24, 2006) -- HALF of all new HIV infections occur in YOUTH. For this reason, Who’s Positive announces OPERATION GET TESTED: Infected, Affected. Real Stories, Real People, a nationwide campaign to humanize HIV; prevent and reduce infection rates among youth; and empower, encourage, and provide an opportunity for youth to be tested for HIV.

Beginning on October 15, on National Latino HIV Awareness Day, six HIV positive youth (ages 18-26), five staff, and one reporter will board a 12-person sleeper tour bus to embark on a 48-day trip, ending on December 1 - World AIDS Day. The group will travel the United States from New York to California, stopping at 35 high schools and colleges in 25 states. The tour will also provide the opportunity for young adults to get tested for HIV along each stop. Who’s Positive is currently conducting nationwide interviews, in search of diverse young adults ages 18-26, to join the tour. Applications and tour stop requests can be submitted through the organization’s website at http://www.whospositive.org.

“This fresh, new approach to HIV prevention allows youth to talk to youth — no statistics, no lectures, just stories,” says Tom Donohue, founder and executive director of Who’s Positive. “It’s peers telling peers about their own challenges of living with HIV. It provides a powerful and real way to get young adults to think about something very important: what it would be like if they were HIV positive.”

In the U.S., half of all new HIV infections occur in people under age 25; one-fourth in people under the age of 21. Each year U.S. youth under age 20 experience nearly four million sexually transmitted infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2002, in youth ages 20 to 24, 64% of reported HIV infections occurred among young men and 36 percent among young women; 53 percent among non-Hispanic black youth; 35 percent among non-Hispanic whites; and 10 percent among Latino young adults.

“I refuse to be ashamed of my mistakes,” says Kahlo Benavidez, 20, of Las Cruces, N.M., and a sophomore at New Mexico State University who plans to embark on the tour. “I refuse to hide something that some people think I should. I refuse to let others make the same mistakes I made without knowing what the consequences could be.”

The Latino Commission on AIDS, an organizational endorser of the tour, understands the importance of youth reaching out to their peers. Wesley Tahsir-Rodriguez, Director of Health Policy says, “Having a tour of diverse HIV positive youth speaking to an audience of their peers will lessen the stigma associated with an HIV test. By including a young Latino man like Kahlo, we hope to increase the scope of the tour and reach Latino youth. Latinos are more inclined to take heed to advice from someone that understands what they go through on a daily basis. This tour can also help fight the stigmas that HIV positive Latinos face.”

Janine Plavac, Director of the Academy of Health Professions in Gainesville, Florida - a stop along the tour - says, “Many high school students don’t think that they can get HIV/AIDS. In fact, any student who is sexually active is putting themselves at risk. Many are cavalier about oral sex, because they don’t think it is sex. The group on this tour will easily connect with our student population. This is the prevention we need – peers talking to peers!”

Who's Positive is especially thankful to OraSure Technologies, the manufacturer of the OraQuick® ADVANCE™ Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test and Roche and for supporting efforts to elevate disease awareness and encourage testing among America's youth through Operation Get Tested. Founded in 2003, Who’s Positive is a national non-profit organization which foregrounds the reality of living with HIV through first-hand accounts of young adults coping with the disease. In telling the stories of people living with HIV, Who's Positive hopes to reduce the transmission of HIV among teens and young adults—a population with one of the fastest growing infection rates.

Volunteering Links
If you are interested in volunteering, check out the links below.
http://www.volunteergainesville.org/
http://www.youthventure.org/
http://www.actnow.com/
http://www.govolunteer.com/
http://www.redcross.org/

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Youth Scholarships
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/scholarship/scholarships_regional.htm

Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship Program
The PPIA Fellowship Program is designed to prepare college juniors or rising seniors, primarily from historically underrepresented groups, for graduate studies in public and/or international affairs and groom them for professional roles in public service. There is an array of opportunities under the Fellowship which span a period of development from the junior year of college to beyond the completion of a graduate degree.
http://www.ppiaprogram.org/programs/

Youth Elect
A non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing political participation among America's youth by increasing opportunities for their involvement and educating young people on the benefits of political participation. Youth Elect accomplishes its mission through training, publishing, and research. http://www.youthelect.org/

National Latino Conference Underscores High HIV/AIDS Rates Among Latinos
July 25, 2006 – Miami, FL: Speakers addressing a national conference on Latinos and AIDS in Miami, Florida this week decried the disproportionately high rates of HIV/AIDS among Latinos in the United States, and said more needs to be done to combat an epidemic that is devastating Latino communities.

“In America, the culture promises an American dream – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said Frank Oldham, Jr. Executive Director of the National Association of people with AIDS (NAPWA) who spoke during the first day of the 2006 National Conference on Latinos and AIDS on Tuesday morning, July 24th.

The two day conference on Latinos and AIDS, which took place on July 24 and 25, was attended by approximately 300 people and covered several issues from a Latino perspective, addressing the epidemiology of HIV in the Latino community, for example, and the link between HIV and drug use in the Latino community. Many speakers emphasized the disproportionately high rates of HIV/AIDS among Latinos and minorities in general, saying the current trends and statistics are unacceptable.

Latinos comprise 14 % of the US population but account for 19 % of all AIDS cases reported through 2004. In 2004, the AIDS rate among Latinos was more than three times the rate among non Hispanic white men, and the AIDS rate among Latinas was more than five times the rate of non Latina whites.

In 1985, racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 45 % of all AIDS cases diagnosed in the United States, but by 2004, that number had jumped to 71 %, a 25 % increase. “That is shameful, that should not have happened,” said Dr. Antonio Estrada, Director of Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. “If we had been doing our jobs right, perhaps, it wouldn’t have. More importantly, if the government had funded us at the right level, this would not have happened.”

Dr. Gene Copello, Executive Director of The AIDS Institute, said: “This meeting is reminding us once again that HIV is a disproportionate and growing concern among Latinos. Access to culturally competent and culturally specific HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs are needed to serve this population. Access to quality services and programs is the key to addressing HIV/AIDS in this and all groups impacted by the epidemic.”

Television actor Eric Estrada, star of the hit television series Chips in the 1970s and honorary chairman of the conference, told the conference attendees that he was appearing before them as a “concerned parent,” not as an actor. He urged other Latinos to “take ownership of our health as a community by teaching our children about HIV.” “We are at war – it is war time and we have to declare war on HIV and AIDS,” said Estrada.

For more information and to become involved in AIDS advocacy, please contact The AIDS Institute at: (202) 835-8373, or by email at: Info@theaidsinstitute.org or http://www.theaidsinstitute.org=/

The AIDS Institute is a national nonprofit agency that promotes action for social change through public policy research, advocacy and education.

Other Links
http://www.youthaids-aldo.org/
http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/
http://www.youthleadership.net/
http://www.students.gov/
http://www.studentjobs.gov/

2006-07-25T01:41:00.000-04:00

Latina Wins 2006 Miss Universe Pageant
The 2006 Miss Universe Pageant was broadcast the evening of July 23, 2006 on NBC. The contest included 6 Hispanic-Latinas in the Top 20. The competition led the judges to pick the Top 10. Of the Top 10, 5 were Latina contestants from Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Puerto Rico. As the show continued, only 2 Latinas made it to the Top 5; Paraguay and Puerto Rico. In the end, Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera became the 2006 Miss Universe. Congrats to Puerto Rico and Miss Rivera for winning the 2006 Miss Universe Pageant.

In the end, this win is truly significant for all Hispanic-Latinos because it shows just how beautiful, talented, and important our people are. In a time when we find ourselves debating issues such as immigration policy, we must continue to show the world that our people are about positive, uplifting actions. We must strike out and prove to the world that we matter. “Raise your consciousness and Raise your voice!” ~David J. Ruiz

Miss Puerto Rico Wins 2006 Miss Universe Title
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205168,00.html

More on Miss Puerto Rico
http://www.missuniverse.com/delegates/2006/files/PR.html

http://www.nbc.com/Movies_Specials_More/Miss_Universe_2006/

http://www.missuniverse.com/index2.html

2006-07-25T01:33:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

Start-Up Funds For Youth Service Day Projects
Win Up To $1,000 In Start-Up Funds For Sustainable National & Global Youth Service Day Projects By Joining the YSA Youth Venture Program. Through partial funding from the US Department of Justice, Youth Service America and Youth Venture, Inc. are teaming up again to further strengthen the youth service movement. In conjunction with National & Global Youth Service Day 2007, April 20-22, funding will be offered to enable young people to engage in community service and make a difference in their world every day. Thirty awards of up to $1,000 in start-up funds will be available to young people who want to create innovative, new, sustainable and civic-minded organizations, clubs or businesses ("ventures").
http://www.youthventure.org/index.php?tg=articles&idx=More&article=773&topics=76

The Riordan Fellows Program
The Riordan Fellows Program targets current college students (juniors and seniors) and recent college graduates (up to 4 years post-baccalaureate) who are considering graduate education in business management. Its core purpose is to educate, prepare, and motivate these individuals to apply competitively and succeed in a top MBA program and a career in management. Fellows attend eight monthly Saturday seminars that provide various activities and services, including:-Graduate-level discussions and case studies led by top UCLA Anderson faculty-Personalized MBA Action Plan-Guest speakers from the corporate community-Guidance on MBA Admissions, financial aid, and GMAT preparation-Personal mentors who are current UCLA Anderson MBA student-Field trips to local companies-Team Community Service Project-Social events with Riordan Programs alumni and corporate representatives-Networking opportunities
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x1326.xml

Motivating Latino Youth to Take On Leadership in Changing Their Communities
Youth Service America is hosting a working group entitled, “Motivating Latino Youth to Take On Leadership in Changing Their Communities” Come explore with YSA and selected experts as to how best to motivate Latino youth to be leaders where they live. For more information and/or to RSVP please email or call.
Contact Sara Boizelle or Robert Bisi
Email rbisi@ysa.org
Phone 202-296-2992 ext 24

Fresno Hispanic Youth Symposium
On the first day of this event you will have the opportunity to work on real-world policy issues and you will meet successful Latinos from many disciplines. You will meet doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc. and learn that you too can reach your professional goal. On the second day you will focus on college preparation and career opportunities. College recruiters will be there to talk to you about campus life, financial aid, and academic courses. In the afternoon you will focus on career and meet professionals in the federal government and private sector. On the last day scholarships will be awarded to outstanding students as well as the winners of the speech, essay, art and talent show competitions. By the end of the event you will be inspired and ready to achieve success.
http://www.hispanicyouth.org/symposium-Fresno.php

Latino Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD)-A national day of campus action
• Latino Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) will take place during Hispanic Heritage Month, on Monday, October 2, 2006 on 100 college campuses throughout the country.• We invite your campus organization to join in LEAD, a national day of action which seeks to continue the work that you are already doing on your campus and which hopes to bring issues impacting the Latino community to the ears of more young Latino leaders.• NCLR is preparing a “LEAD tool kit” which will explain how your campus can get involved. Although one of NCLR’s primary areas of focus is voter registration and civic engagement, the information in the tool kit can be used as a basis for building your campus movement and adapted to your campus’ respective needs. This tool kit will include:• An overview of LEAD, its goals and purpose• A menu of events • Latino youth voting facts and figures• Voter registration laws, rules, and regulations for college campuses • How-to steps for putting together a voter registration drive• Sample letters for attracting college administration and community support• Sample press releases for local media outlets• Sample email alerts to advertise the event• Sample advertising fliers (Spanish and English)We will also be providing incentives for participating campus groups as part of the effort. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email at Jamie Miranda jmiranda@nclr.org or call 202-776-1710.

Make Your Vote Count NCLR's "LEAP to Action" Register to Vote Here
“LEAP to Action,” NCLR’s nonpartisan voter mobilization project, is an offshoot of the NCLR Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project (LEAP), which works with community-based organizations outside the traditional electoral process to increase Latino civic participation in their local communities. “LEAP to Action” (en español, Salto a la Acción), el proyecto de movilización de votantes de NCLR, es un derivado del Latino Empowerment and Advocacy Project (LEAP, por sus siglas en inglés y en español, el Proyecto para la Participación Política y Cívica de los Latinos) de NCLR. El propósito del proyecto es trabajar con organizaciones comunitarias fuera del proceso electoral tradicional para aumentar la participación cívica de la comunidad latina.
http://www.yourvotematters.org/vote/index.cfm?ms=ncl001

Publicize your organization or group
A registered group is part of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) national Líderes network, and is listed on the website. Registered groups are provided a group "page" to describe themselves and their activities.

What are the benefits of registering?
Registered groups can post events that are pertinent to the advancement of Latino students and youth, subject to NCLR approval. Parties and other purely social gatherings will not be posted.

Registered groups are also eligible to be featured on the Líderes homepage. NCLR will select featured groups based on outstanding activity and collaboration with NCLR and/or other Líderes network member groups. To be featured, your group must be in good standing with its host university, and national governing body (e.g. fraternal organizations).

**Lideres is a resource within the National Council of La Raza. It emails a newsletter with articles, opportunities, and events geared toward Hispanic-Latino students and community.** ~David J. Ruiz

To register visit http://lideres.nclr.org/register/

OPERATION: GET TESTED
Beginning on October 15; National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, six HIV positive youth, five staff and one reporter will board a 12 person sleeper tour bus to embark on a 48 day trip, ending on December 1 - World AIDS Day – and crossing the United States from New York to California stopping at 35 high schools and colleges humanizing HIV through first hand accounts of HIV positive youth. The tour will also provide opportunity for young adults to get tested for HIV along each tour stop.

Nationwide interviews are currently taking place to choose a diverse group of young adults ages 18-26 from all over the United States and tour stops can be submitted through the organizations website at http://www.whospositive.org.

Who’s Positive, a non-profit organization that is committed to raising awareness among youth by humanizing HIV and its consequences partners with organizations all over the US to introduce OPERATION: GET TESTED: a nationwide campaign to humanize HIV; prevent and reduce infection rates among youth; and empower, encourage, and provide opportunity for youth to be tested for HIV.

American Cancer Society’s Great American Health Check
A new online program that helps you determine which early detection tests you need, and then provides a personalized action plan. This action plan provides information and offers helpful tips for reducing your cancer risk, as well as ways to talk with your doctor about early detection.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/PED_13_Great_American_Health_Check.asp

2006-07-21T20:27:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner…

HACU National Internship Program
Overview: As background, the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) works with universities, federal agencies and corporations to recruit well-qualified and motivated students for paid internships during the spring, summer, and fall semesters. These ten- and fifteen-week internship programs allow college students to experience the diversity of careers that exist in the federal and corporate sectors, and provide a quality professional work experience that allows students to make more educated career choices. HACU matches each student's skills and background with the needs of the placements. The result is an internship assignment that directly relates to the student's career goals and allows the placement to further their mission. Because of this opportunity, many of these internships have led to permanent job opportunities for students. www.hnip.net

Latinos Poised to Play Pivotal Role in National Elections
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/21868.cfm?cat=email_NL&list=diversitynews_17july06

2006 National Survey of Latinos
The Immigration Debate
Roberto Suro and Gabriel Escobar, Pew Hispanic Center
Latinos are feeling more discriminated against, politically energized and unified following the immigration policy debate and the pro-immigration marches this spring, according to the 2006 National Survey of Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.

More than half (54%) of Latinos surveyed say they see an increase in discrimination as a result of the policy debate, and three-quarters (75%) say the debate will prompt many more Latinos to vote in November. Almost two-thirds (63%) think the pro-immigrant marches this year signal the beginning of a new and lasting social movement. And a majority (58%) now believes Hispanics are working together to achieve common goals -- a marked increase from 2002, when 43% expressed confidence in Latino unity.

The 2006 National Survey of Latinos was conducted by telephone among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Hispanic adults from June 5 to July 3, 2006. The survey has a margin of error of 3.8% for the full sample.

The survey shows that Latinos to some extent are holding the Republican Party responsible for what they perceive to be the negative consequences of the immigration debate, but the political impact of that perception is uncertain. Party affiliation among Latino registered voters has not changed significantly since the spring of 2004. However, the share of Latinos who believe the Republican Party has the best position on immigration has dropped from 25% to 16% in that time, with virtually the entire loss coming among foreign-born Hispanics (28% vs. 12%), who potentially represent an important and growing pool of future voters.

At the same time, the survey provides little solace for the Democratic Party, which showed no significant gains among Hispanic registered voters and which by some measures has lost some support. If anything, the survey shows that a growing number of Latinos are dissatisfied with both of the major parties.

Other Resources:
July 2006: TOPLINES - 2006 National Survey of Latinos: The Immigration Debate
August 2005: Attitudes Toward Immigrants And Immigration Policy: Surveys Among Latinos in the U.S. and in Mexico
June 2005: Hispanics and the 2004 Election: Population, Electorate and Voters
July 2004: Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation
April 2004: Changing Channels and Crisscrossing Cultures: A Survey of Latinos on the News Media
December 2002: Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation 2002 National Survey of Latinos
October 2002: Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey of Latinos: The Latino Electorate
January 2000: The Washington Post/Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University National Survey on Latinos in America

Who’s Positive Youth Tour
*This tour will be stopping in Gainesville, I am VERY EXCITED!* ~David J. Ruiz

Who’s Positive is very excited!! We will be putting out our national press release to the wires on Tuesday about the tour! We need your help though!!

We are still looking for HIV positive youth to travel with us on the tour. We have interviewed a lot but are still looking for youth between the ages of 18-26. If you are HIV positive and between 18-26 please consider applying for a paid 48 day trip across the US reaching out to your peers bringing awareness to HIV and promoting HIV Testing!

Also, we are looking for organizational endorsement of the tours mission: Mission Statement: Operation: Get Tested (OGT): a nationwide campaign to humanize HIV; prevent and reduce infection rates among youth; and empower, encourage, and provide opportunity for youth to be tested for HIV.

If your organization can support this statement please support us by filling out a quick 30 second form at http://www.whospositive.org/endorsements/add.php. We honestly enjoy receiving the support from around the county!

Finally, everyone has been asking where are you going… we’ll here is an outline of our route. These are potential stops along the way – we are looking for host committees that would be interested in helping to host tour stops in or around these locations. If you are interested sign up your location as a potential tour stop at http://www.whospositive.org/contact/beastop.php

I encourage you all to forward this onward with a personal note. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Tom Donohue, Founder & Executive Director, Who's Positive
PO Box 1205 State College, PA 16804
(814) 861-3345 ext 3501 - office
(814) 861-3389 - fax
(866) 389-9215 ext 3501 - toll free
http://www.whospositive.org

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

LATINO LEADERS ACROSS THE NATION SET TO COMMEMORATE 4TH ANNUAL
NATIONAL LATINO AIDS AWARENESS DAY

2006 THEME IS CHOSEN: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. GET THE FACTS. GET TESTED FOR HIV

For Immediate Release

New York, NY, June 28, 2006 - The National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) Planning Committee announced the theme for the fourth annual NLAAD event: Knowledge is Power. Get the Facts. Get Tested for HIV. This year's theme, which was voted on via an online poll, is meant to draw attention to the critical role HIV testing and prevention education plays in stemming the spread of AIDS. More than 1,000 institutions in 350 cities across the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are participating in NLAAD, which takes place annually on October 15, the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

"National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is a day to bring all Latinos together, regardless of country of origin, to unite in confronting the stigmas associated with the disease and in preventing new HIV/AIDS cases from occurring. We must empower our communities by educating ourselves and expressing the importance of knowing your HIV status. Through extensive educational, training, and testing sites set up within Latino communities, as well as through the celebration of our culture and the preservation of life and hope, we are taking a stand against the spread of HIV," said Dennis de Leon, President of the Latino Commission of AIDS.

Latinos continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, comprising nearly 20% of HIV/AIDS cases nationwide. Limited access to prevention and care, cultural barriers, language barriers, and immigration status has contributed to this disparity.

Lillian Rodríguez-López, President of the Hispanic Federation, stated that "National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, above all else, represents a call to action for Latinos to protect their lives and the lives of those they love. The best way of accomplishing this is by getting tested and learning about HIV, and then sharing those facts with your family and friends. We will continue to empower our communities through this campaign until we finally put an end to this horrible disease."

The National Latino AIDS Awareness Day was created in 2003 by the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Federation in partnership with community based organizations, people living with HIV/AIDS, Health Departments and others, to educate, empower and enable the Latino community to confront AIDS. Organizations participating in NLAAD forge partnerships with the media, elected officials, civic and religious leaders, foundations, celebrities and the health care system in order to address this epidemic.

For more information on how you can save a life by getting tested for HIV or to find out how you can participate in one of our many events please visit www.nlaad.org.

NLAAD is supported by NBC, Telemundo, Cable Positive, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Viacom, Univision, Orasure Technologies, Abbott Laboratories, the Office of Minority Health Observance Days, the CDC National Prevention Information Network (partial list).

This press release is being disseminated nationwide to English and Spanish-language media by PR Newswire, the official newsletter of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day and the global leader in news and information distribution services.
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Scholarship Link
http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/opportunity/scholarships/scholarships.asp

Accountability: Bill Gates Sets Condition for AIDS Grants
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/21899print.cfm

Volunteer Gainesville Website
http://volunteergainesville.org/

With passion, preparation, and perseverance,
David J. Ruiz

2006-07-21T03:36:00.000-04:00

News from the David J. Ruiz corner...

Publication Helps Older Hispanics Improve Doctor/Patient Communication
I'm sending you a link to the following NIH news release, Free Publication Helps Older Hispanics Improve Doctor/Patient Communication, May 17, 2006 News Release -National Institutes of Health (NIH):
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/nia-17.htm

CURRENT HARVEST OF HOPE FOUNDATION FUNDS TO HELP MIGRANTS
www.harvestofhope.net

New Hispanic Anti-meth Ad Campaign Is Launched
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy have introduced a new communications campaign aimed at preventing the use of methamphetamine in the Hispanic community.

The English and Spanish language announcements, including public service advertisements for television, radio, and print, will receive national distribution, making this the largest scale Spanish language anti-meth effort to date. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/news/press06/060506.html

OPERATION: GET TESTED
Infected; Affected, Real Stories; Real People

Who’s Positive, a non-profit organization that foregrounds the reality of living with HIV through first-hand accounts of young adults coping with the disease is proud to announce OPEARTION: GET TESTED (OGT); a nationwide campaign to humanize HIV; prevent and reduce infection rates among youth; and empower, encourage, and provide opportunity for youth to be tested for HIV. OGT will enable six HIV-positive youth between the ages of 18 and 26 to travel across the country (on a 12 person sleeper tour bus) on a mission to put a human face on HIV, and, in the process, help to prevent and reduce infection rates among youth and provide opportunity for youth to be tested for HIV.

Overview:
Operation: Get Tested
*October 15 (National Latino HIV Awareness Day) to December 1 (World AIDS Day)
*Six HIV-positive youth between 19 and 26 of diverse backgrounds; five Who’s Positive staff; and one embedded reporter
*Twelve person sleeper tour bus
*35 stops; 70% college and 30% high schools (tentative)
*Tour route: New York to Florida to Texas to Iowa to California (tentative)
*Three day speaker summit September 8, 9 and 10 at the Pittsburgh Marriott
*Who’s Positive would like to request your review and organizational endorsement of

Operation: Get Tested (OGT): More information, to request a stop in your town and to endorse the tour just visit our newly re-designed website at http://www.whospositive.org.

PS, Don’t forget to list your organization as a resource for people. On our website visit Services/Resources and then Resources to submit your organization and its URL as a resource for people.

Tom Donohue
Founder & Executive Director, Who's Positive
PO Box 1205
State College, PA 16804
(814) 861-3345 ext 3501 - office
(814) 861-3389 - fax
(866) 389-9215 ext 3501 - toll free
http://www.whospositive.org

Anti-Immigrant Ordinance
The Town of Avon Park in Highlands County, Florida is trying to pass a city-wide, ugly anti-immigrant ordinance at their city council meeting on July 24th.

We need your help to try to stop it! We need contacts at businesses, churches, unions, schools, organizations, landlords, charities, etc. in that area to try to help sway the city council to vote against this ordinance!! (A copy of the ordinance is attached to this email.) One swing vote will make the crucial difference. We cannot afford to lose this battle by ONE VOTE!

Why is this so important, if it is just one little town in Florida? It is extremely important!!! Because, what happens in Avon Park will set a precedent for other towns and cities around the country who are thinking about trying to do the same!!!! Everyone will be watching the outcome of the vote in Avon Park!! If we let it happen there, it will spread like wildfire to other places! We must stop the fire before it gets out of control!!! We must show that the Pro-Immigrant Forces are in the majority; that the bigotry of a few will not rule the will of the many!

What can you do? You can let us know if you have any contacts in that area. You can forward this email to your own email lists to let others know about it. You can do some research to find out what sympathetic ears we might be able to reach in Avon Park and Highlands County to inform them of the seriousness of this issue.

And, we, also, need YOU to plan to take the day off to pack the City Council Chambers with pro-immigrant supporters on that day.

I know you are all very busy! But, history will judge us by what we do today! Our daily responsibilities are important, but our responsibility to fight for social justice is even stronger! Let us not sit this one out! We must act!

Thank you! Please contact me at 407-886-5151.

In solidarity, Jeannie Economos
Farmworker Association of Florida
815 South Park AvenueApopka, FL 32703
(407) 886-5151
(407) 884-6644 (fax)
www.thefarmworkerassociationofflorida.com
Farmworkerassoc@aol.com

Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project
The CHAMP has started a monthly bulletin focusing on HIV/AIDS and prison advocacy campaigns. Each issue will consist of a concise, easy-to-read, accurate and practical case study of an activist campaign related to prison and HIV/AIDS advocacy. The case studies include three different types of campaigns:
• Those addressing issues of HIV prevention, testing and stigma in jails and prisons;
• Those that address specific issues for incarcerated people living with HIV; and
• General campaigns that address conditions affecting incarcerated people with HIV and others. We hope that this monthly bulletin will inspire and empower more individuals and organizations to take action on HIV in jails and prisons. These case studies will highlight not only the content of the campaigns that have been fought, but will explore organizing strategies and tactics as well. Our reports from the ground will provide concrete ideas on how individuals and organizations can focus on these issues in their own communities. Please contact us if we can provide additional help or support in finding your role in HIV prevention justice.
Sonny Suchdev, Community Organizer
sonny@champnetwork.org
http://www.champnetwork.org
(212) 937-7955 x 3

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES TAX HOLIDAY BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Gov. Bush encouraged Floridians and out-of-state shoppers alike to take advantage of the state's sales tax holiday, which runs Saturday July 22nd until midnight on July 30th. The sales tax holiday includes books, clothing, footwear and certain school supplies. I am delighted that millions of Floridians will again have the opportunity to save money during the sales tax holiday, and am particularly pleased that shoppers will again be able to save money on books. Reading is a critical part of lifelong learning and success, and the sales tax holiday is a great way for families to save money while encouraging reading.

STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Gov. Bush signed HB 795, which creates the First Generation Matching Grant Program and appropriates $6.5 million for state universities for the program. Under the bill, the state will provide matching funds to state universities and community colleges to provide scholarships to students who are the first in their family to attend college and earn a bachelor's degree. HB 1237, signed into law earlier this week, also provides $5 million for community colleges for the program. I thank the members of the Florida Legislature for working with us to ensure students are able to pursue a college education and overcome financial obstacles. Now, students will have an opportunity to pursue and reach their dreams of a higher education.
For last two source is www.myflorida.com.

2006-07-21T03:28:00.000-04:00

LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID...

“EMPOWERMENT through KNOWLEDGE & ACTION!” ~David J. Ruiz

Ordinary Man... Remarkable Journey!

“God is served best not by the talented, But by the dedicated.”

You think you know... But U HAVE NO IDEA! This is the Life of David Joseph Ruiz...Educated, professional, successful, hard working, service-oriented, leader, optimistic, high self control, assertive, rarely irritated, self revealing, open, high self concept, controlling, like to stand out, dominant, organized, resolute, strong, crave attention, brutally honest, realist... need I go on?

It's all about the 3 P's: Passion, Preparation, & Perseverance! ~David J. Ruiz

“We must find the congruency between our words & our actions.” ~David J. Ruiz

“The grassroots of effective communication is working together & involving ourselves in a common goal.” ~David J. Ruiz