The big Hispanic/Latino news this week other than all the St. Patrick/Latino combos and Paquita la del Barrio saying about same-sex adoption, “I’d rather see a kid die.” is all the grassroots buildup to the big pro-immigration march in Washington DC tomorrow the 21st and our national leadership trying to be proactive before the march – I wish I were going but I probably will serve you the best by presenting you with the best news I can find.

Trends: Immigration Reform, Census, Violence in Mexico/Border Area and what I call “Our Future – Our People – Our Youth”

Special shout outs to:

Dyana Ortelli should co-host “The View” :: from www.heralddeparis.com (Seriously, why isn’t there a Latino on the View?)

Did You Know? Tom Flores was the first Hispanic quarterback to play professional football when he was signed by the Oakland Raiders in 1960 in the old American Football League. :: from ourdailybreadbyjoeortiz.blogspot.com

10 Reasons to Commemorate the Chicano Moratoriums 1969-1971 – While many of the Chicano generation are retiring from work, its not time to retire from the movement :: from latinola.com

Video of Los Tigres Del Norte y The Chieftains-Canción Mixteca

Cuba’s Ladies in White

No backing down for Ladies in White protesters in Cuba – The Ladies in White marched to mark the anniversary of Black Spring, but without the abuse they suffered during the previous day’s march. :: from www.miamiherald.com

Brutal atropello contra las Damas de Blanco :: from www.miamiherald.com

Cuban protesters punched, dragged – For the second straight day, but in a much harsher manner, Cuban security agents broke up a protest march by female relatives of jailed dissidents. – Damas de Blanca — or “Ladies in White” :: from www.miamiherald.com

Video: Violencia en Cuba contra Damas de Blanco

Quick Chile Earthquake Update:

New Numbers: 700 people dead + ~$30B damages + 500,000 dogs homeless or affected + Power failure plunged nearly the entire population into darkness last Sunday + Chilean Firms Fire 6,000 without Severance

Immigraion Reform: see all news for Immigration Reform tag

The Case for Immigration Reform – “On the eve of what may be the beginning of the immigration reform debate, are we a big enough country to consider the poor and desperate amongst us? Can compassion and forgiveness guide our judgment or will we hate, fear monger and slog it out healthcare style? I wonder how many of us are U.S. citizens by sheer luck and if so, can we extend the bounty that was freely given to us?” :: from www.huffingtonpost.com

The national mobilization expected to attract some 100,000 people to Washington on Sunday will show an immigrant community fed up with unkept promises and with a Congress incapable of passing a comprehensive immigration reform. :: from www.laht.com

The right way to mend immigration – By Senator Charles E. Schumer and Senator Lindsey O. Graham :: from www.washingtonpost.com

Immigration reform: Stuck in the shadows – (good read – I wish I was going to DC this weekend) :: from www.washingtonpost.com

A Moment of Truth on Immigration Reform is at hand – Frank Sharry :: from www.huffingtonpost.com

After White House Meetings, What’s Next for Immigration Reform? :: from immigrationimpact.com

Groups mobilize to pressure lawmakers to act on immigration reform – Plans include a march in Washington, a texting drive, ‘tacos for justice’ coupons and score cards for lawmakers’ votes on immigration issues. ‘The time for promises is over,’ an organizer says. :: from www.latimes.com

Immigrant advocates wonder will Democrats fight as hard for immigration reform as they’ve done for healthcare? :: from www.latinalista.net

CAP applauds Senators Schumer and Graham’s efforts on immigration reform – White House Statement Signals Stepped up Engagement as Senator Schumer and Senator Graham Push for Immigration Reform This Year

SENATORS ISSUE PROMISING, BUT VAGUE IMMIGRATION REFORM PLANS – President Obama Signals Support

Latino Congress members realize that health care, immigration are intertwined :: from southchicagoan.blogspot.com

Washington to see “anti Tea Party” on Sunday – Gregory Tejeda :: from southchicagoan.blogspot.com

Obama on immigration: then and now by Rep. Luis Gutierrez :: from thehill.com

To Fight for Immigration Reform, Don’t Show Up in the Last Round – (interesting commentary) :: from www.creators.com

U.S. Halts Mexican Migrant Repatriations Via Violent Border City – Cuidad Juarez – (what took them so long?) :: from www.laht.com

Immigration reform could be dilemma – Support it or oppose it, Dems risk voter fallout :: from www.azcentral.com

Census – see all the news for Census tag

Hispanics Are Increasingly Motivated about the 2010 Census with 91% Intending to Participate – according to the newest Ipsos-Telemundo telephone poll :: from www.ipsos-na.com

“No, I am not Black” – Describing Skin Color is a Dilemma for Puerto Ricans – Census – “No, yo no soy negro” – Describir el color de la piel es un dilema para los boricuas :: from archive.constantcontact.com

Filling Out the Census While Latina or How My Mom is White and I’m Not :: from vivirlatino.com

Census Says “Hispanic” Not A Race – Bronx Latinos Confused :: from www.wpix.com

Violence in Mexico/Border Area:

The nearly 50 murders committed on the final day of a long holiday weekend brought to 2,049 the number of drug-related homicides in Mexico just 74 days into 2010 :: from www.laht.com

Just how dangerous is Mexico? Rates of violent crime are on the rise in Mexico, but they remain lower than in the not-so-distant past — and lower than today’s violence in other Latin American countries of comparable size and wealth. :: from eurasia.foreignpolicy.com

The blog Ontobelli (en Español) meticulously accounts for narco-related gun battles across Mexico, mostly via amateur YouTube clips. Many if not most of these battles go unreported in the mainstream press.

Mexican Drug Cartels Extend Reach Farther Into U.S. – (click around the graphic for lots of info thanks to NPR) :: from www.npr.org

American Consular Slayings

A top-level American delegation will visit Mexico on Tuesday in a major show of solidarity, after the borderland drug war claimed the lives of U.S. consulate employees last weekend. :: from www.dallasnews.com

Consular slayings spotlight Mexico’s failures in fighting drug gangs – On a visit to Ciudad Juarez in the wake of the killings of an American couple and a Mexican, President Calderon is confronted by angry demonstrations and a tense, frustrated citizenry. :: from www.chicagotribune.com

The spin on President Felipe Calderon’s visit to Juarez – The range of spin on the news of the day in the Mexican press is often astounding. :: from latimesblogs.latimes.com

Suspected drug cartel hit squads gunned down three people connected to the US consulate in Ciudad Juarez :: from news.bbc.co.uk

The State Department is authorizing U.S. government employees at six U.S. consulates in northern Mexico to send their family members out of the area because of concerns about rising drug-related violence. :: from www.google.com

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Tuesday that she will freeze funds for expanding the virtual fence that originally was supposed to monitor most of the 2,000-mile southern U.S. border by 2011 but now covers only a portion of Arizona’s boundary with Mexico. :: from www.npr.org

17 killed as Acapulco tourist idyll shattered by growing drug violence :: from www.timesonline.co.uk

Our Future – Our People – Our Youth:

New NCLR Fact Sheet Shows Young Latinos Overrepresented in Juvenile Justice System and Adult Prison Facilities

Extreme obesity is affecting more children at younger ages: 11.2% of Hispanic teenage boys now classified as extremely obese

Minorities at Greater Risk for Kidney Disease – Hispanic Americans have nearly twice the risk of kidney failure compared to non-Hispanic white Americans.

Low Hispanic College Graduation Rates Threaten U.S. Attainment Goals – New Study: “Rising to the Challenge: Raising Hispanic Graduation Rates as a National Priority” – Hispanic students generally graduate at lower rates than their white peers, even among schools with similar admissions standards

New report finds colleges bear half of the blame for low Latino graduation rates :: from www.latinalista.net

Thoughts on the Mexican American Struggles for Peace and Justice – We are entering a new movimiento era for Mexican Americans and Latinos where a passing of the torch is in process :: from latinola.com

Increasing Evidence That Recession Has Caused Number of Unauthorized Immigrants in US to Drop :: from www.migrationinformation.org

Sadly, the California governor’s race has turned into a “let’s see who can talk the toughest on immigration” competition. :: from latinopoliticsblog.com

A bill that would require Oklahoma public schools to verify the immigration status of all students and report it to the state Department of Education drew fire from Tulsa Hispanic leaders Monday as well as criticism from Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Keith Ballard. :: from www.tulsaworld.com

Catholic Church, and religion in general, losing Latinos in USA :: from www.usatoday.com

32% of US Catholics are now Hispanic :: from www.catholicculture.org

Yet Another Reason for Poor Performance among Latino Students (Like You Haven’t Heard it All Already) :: from labloga.blogspot.com

An Open Letter to the Texas Board of Education: Stop Rewriting History – (excellent commentary – this goes way past racial issues to something more insidious – I must point out that all 5 ‘minority’ board members voted ‘no’ but in this case they really were the minority as the other 10 held the majority) :: from www.huffingtonpost.com

Texas schoolbook controversy ought not be a surprise :: from southchicagoan.blogspot.com

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to launch a crime and immigration sweep this week, but declined to say specifically when or where it will begin. :: from www.azcentral.com

Targeting illegal immigrants, Arizona goes too far :: from www.washingtonpost.com

Restrictionist Front Group Still Pushing Green Xenophobia – Progressives for Immigration Reform (PFIR)—a front group for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) :: from immigrationimpact.com

Other:

Report Shows Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Projects Lead to Massive Displacement of local populations in Latin America

About 120 million people lack access systems for potable water and basic health services in Latin America and the Caribbean :: from www.laht.com

With so many Zacatecans in L.A., why is the best cooking still found at home? :: from www.latimes.com

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Translator Edith Grossman Speaks Up For Translations – (interesting) :: from www.huffingtonpost.com

Video: The National Hispanic Media Coalition 2010 Impact Awards Gala – Part 1 & 2 – hosted by Wilmer Valderrama and Jose Luis Valenzuela

TOP Ten ways Chicanos celebrate St. Patricks Day – Al Carlos

New political movement Coffee Party USA could become Café Olé for Latinos :: from www.latinalista.net

Latino Congressmen Take a Gamble with Health Care Reform :: from latinopoliticsblog.com

Three Mexican guestworkers find doing things legally incurs a high cost :: from www.latinalista.net

Illinois bill assumes all Latinos and blacks are gang members :: from www.latinalista.net

Gay Parents or Death? Famed Latino Singer Picks Death – A Mexican feminist singer makes controversial comments just days after Mexico City performs its first same-sex marriages. – Paquita la del Barrio is standing against same-sex adoption, saying, “I’d rather see a kid die.” :: from www.nbclosangeles.com

Nicknames given with affection – Sobrenombres – – With all due respect to El Gato, Chapito, El Baby, La Blondie, El Dormido, La Peach, La Bomba and all the proud vatos from El Sobaco. :: from www.elpasotimes.com

First alpaca in the world that can surf lives in Peru – (with video en Español)