News (Noticias) Tagged ‘NALEO’

First Survey of Record Turnout among Latino Voters Reveals Strong Support for President-Elect and Democrats, Along with High Expectations
A new post-election analysis of record turnout among Latino voters shows strong support for President-elect Obama and Democrats, but also reveals high expectations in the Latino community. The survey, commissioned by ImpreMedia in conjunction with the NALEO Educational Fund and Latino Decisions polling firm, found a significant increase in turnout among registered Latinos. Ninety-two percent of registered Latinos surveyed in the poll said they voted in this election, compared to 81.5% in 2004, the percentage cited in the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.
“The record turnout among Latinos solidifies this emerging electorate as an important voting bloc among U.S. voters,” said Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the NALEO Educational Fund. “The survey also finds that naturalized immigrant voters and first time voters played a significant role in shaping the Latino vote. However, the Democratic Party should heed the message of Latino voters in our survey: with their strong support of President-elect Obama and his party, come high expectations,” Vargas concluded.
Key Findings

– Naturalized Immigrant voters comprised a sizeable share of the Latino
vote in this election. Nearly half (46%) of Latino voters were born
outside the U.S. or Puerto Rico. Additionally, new voters were a
significant force in shaping the Latino vote this election. One of
every six Latino voters (15%) was voting for the first time.
– Latino support for President-elect Obama may have been higher than
initially reported in exit poll data. Among all Latino voters, 72% said
they voted for Obama while 25% said they voted for Senator McCain.
Second generation, children of immigrants and Spanish-speakers showed
the strongest support for Obama (80%). Among the third generation,
about one-third voted for Senator McCain (34%).
– More than two-thirds of Latino voters (67%) in the November 4th
Presidential Election say fixing the economy is the most important issue
they expect the new President and Congress to address when they take
office in January. The economy ranked far above other issues, including
Health Care (5%), Immigration (6%), and the War in Iraq (6%).
– Expectations are still high when it comes to dealing with immigration
reform. Overall, 68% of voters say that it is extremely important (41%)
or very important (27%) for the immigration issue to be addressed within
the first year of the new Obama Administration.
– Strong support for the President-elect and the new Democratic-majority
in Congress comes with high expectations from Latinos. Nearly 70% of
Latino voters expect the Latino community to see improvements under the
new Obama Administration. These hopes are even higher among immigrant
voters with 3 out of every 4 expecting something better.

“These survey results provide a clear roadmap for the new Administration as the Latino electorate spoke loudly in this election and articulated its priorities,” said Monica Lozano, Senior Vice President of Newspapers for ImpreMedia. “ImpreMedia is honored to work in conjunction with Latino Decisions and hopes that our elected policymakers are responsive to these priorities as they develop their agenda.”
For this survey, Latino Decisions interviewed 800 Latino registered voters from November 7 - 14, in the 21 states with the largest Latino voter populations, and accounting for 93% of the Latino electorate. Overall, the survey carries a 3.5% margin of error and is meant to be nationally representative of the Latino electorate. “

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the nation’s preeminent Latino leadership organization, congratulates U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA) on his election to serve as Vice-Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Caucus. As Vice Chair, Rep. Becerra becomes the 5th ranking Democrat in the House, and works with the Caucus Chair to develop the Caucus’ legislative and policy agenda.

Rep. Becerra, who is a former Board member of NALEO, comes to his position with over two decades of experience in public service. Prior to his election to Congress in 1992, he served one term in the California State Assembly. Rep. Becerra has served as Assistant to the Speaker of the House and is the first Latino to serve on the House Committee on Ways and Means. As a committee member, Rep. Becerra has used his position to increase opportunities for working families, to improve the Social Security program for women and minorities, to combat poverty among the working poor, and to strengthen Medicare and ensure its long-term viability.

Rep. Becerra is a member and past Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. At the international level, he serves as Vice-Chair of the U.S.-Korea Interparliamentary Exchange, and is Co-Chair of the Congressional Friends of Spain Caucus. Rep. Becerra also serves on the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents, the panel which oversees the Smithsonian Institution’s expansive collection. He was an important leader in the fight to pass legislation establishing a federal commission to explore the viability of creating the “National Museum of the American Latino.”

“U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra brings a wealth of invaluable experience to the Democratic Caucus leadership,” said Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of NALEO. “Throughout his career, he has been a strong voice for inclusion and political access for the Latino community. His election as Caucus Vice-Chair demonstrates that Latinos continue to attain key leadership positions at every level of governance where they shape the policies that affect all Americans.”

Rep. Becerra’s election comes as the NALEO Educational Fund welcomes 60 newly elected officials to Washington, D.C. for the NALEO National Institute for Newly Elected Officials. This political “boot camp” is designed to help newly elected officials acquire the skills needed for effective governance and establish professional networks needed to succeed in public office. They have the opportunity to witness firsthand the possibilities for leadership available to them as they begin a career in public service. “

An in-depth analysis by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund of adjusted exit poll data published by CNN demonstrates the large surge in Latino turnout nationwide and in projected battleground states helped reshape the political map in this election.

Overall, exit polls suggest that between 8% and 9% of all voters in the general election were Latino. With more than 122 million voters participating in the election, the NALEO Educational Fund estimates that between 9.6 and 11 million Latino voters cast ballots this past Tuesday, making it the largest turnout of Latino voters in history. The census reported 7.6 million Latinos voters in the 2004 Presidential Election.

While the race to capture the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Presidency turned into a landslide, the Latino vote nevertheless had a significant impact in reshaping the political map by helping decide the outcome of several key “battleground” states carried by President Bush in 2004. These states are also likely to be critical in 2012 electoral strategies. In Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, and even Virginia the Latino vote played a decisive role in helping Democrats put these states in the “win” column.

– In Colorado and New Mexico, President-elect Barack Obama won by a margin of approximately 140,000 votes in each state, while more than 200,000 Latino voters in these states cast a ballot for President-elect Obama. Were no Latino votes cast, both Colorado and New Mexico and their respective Electoral College votes would have gone to Senator McCain.

– Florida, which voted overwhelmingly in support of President Bush in 2004 and is home to the largest number of registered Latino Republicans, was carried by President-elect Obama by a margin of 191,560 votes. Approximately 634,500 Latinos cast their ballot for the President-elect.

– Virginia’s growing Latino electorate — approximately 170,000 Latinos cast a vote in the 2008 general election — voted overwhelmingly in support of President-elect Obama. Although the total Latino voters supporting Obama (111,000) did not exceed his margin of victory in the state (155,165), their votes were nonetheless critical in his success.

Click here for tables: www.naleo.org/LatinoVoteAnalysis.html

The above analysis is based upon revised exit polls from CNN, current as of 8am PST, 11/7/2008, available at www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1. Exit polls, although based upon scientific survey methodologies, are nonetheless sample-derived estimates that may not precisely represent the actual vote.

About NALEO Educational Fund:
The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation’s leading non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. “

Thousands of voters helped through the 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota bilingual voter information hotline
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Official (NALEO) Educational Fund reported that as of noon Pacific Time, over 5,500 voters had been provided with assistance in seeking their polling place or with reporting challenges in trying to cast their votes.
The biggest challenge to new voters in this election seems to be the administrative process of their names making it onto voter rolls after registering and the way poll workers handle these situations. Other voter protection calls being addressed today by attorneys include:

– Florida - Democratic candidates names not appearing on ballots.
– California - voters being asked their origin of birth.
– Arizona - Latino voters having to vote at a table in an open space with
no privacy.
– Virginia - long lines resulting in voters being told they have a time
limit to vote.

The NALEO Educational Fund will continue to assist voters and monitor the election through 9 p.m. PST.
About the NALEO Educational Fund
The NALEO Educational Fund is the leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate fully in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. The NALEO Educational Fund is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization whose constituency includes nearly 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials nationwide. “

Latino voters reshape the American electorate
Early exit poll data suggest that Latino voters had a significant impact on the Presidential race in key states, according to an Election Day analysis conducted by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. The NALEO Educational Fund has projected that at least 9.2 million Latinos would vote in this election, and early results indicate that Latino voter turnout is likely to be higher.
Based on media reports of election results with over 95% of precincts reporting, the NALEO Educational Fund analysis reveals that Latinos contributed to Senator Barack Obama’s narrow victories in Virginia and Florida. In Virginia, where the reported margin of victory as of this writing was 120,299, the NALEO Educational Fund estimates that about 67,000 Latinos voted for Senator Obama. In Florida, where the reported margin of victory as of this writing was 178,745, the NALEO Educational Fund’s analysis estimates that about 548,000 Latinos voted for Senator Obama.
According to NALEO Educational Fund Executive Director Arturo Vargas, “In 2004, President George W. Bush gained victories in Virginia and Florida. Four years later, Latino voters have helped transform these states into ‘purple’ ones, where party loyalties will become less predictable. Latinos are reshaping the future of the political landscape.”
Unprecedented efforts were made by both political parties and candidates to court the Latino vote in this election cycle. In battleground states, there was record spending on Spanish language media and ground efforts to persuade and mobilize the Latino electorate. At the same time, non-partisan efforts, like the Aiya es hora! Ve y Vota Campaign (It’s time, go vote), have been informing and motivating Latinos to participate in civic life. The Aiya es hora! campaign is an historic non-partisan campaign that was launched as the Latino community’s action-oriented follow-up to the mobilizations of 2006. It is the largest and most comprehensive effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process.
Mr. Vargas concluded, “We are likely to see record Latino turnout in this Presidential election, and Latinos are playing a key role in determining its outcome. The dramatic increase in Latino participation will extend far beyond 2008 and will have a significant impact on future state and local races. This is an historic election for our nation, and Latinos are writing the next chapter of America’s political history. ”
About the NALEO Educational Fund
The NALEO Educational Fund is the leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate fully in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. The NALEO Educational Fund is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization whose constituency includes nearly 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials nationwide.
Contact: Eric Wagner, ewagner@naleo.org
(213) 747-7606, ext. 127, Cell: (323) 683-9295 “

Poll of Registered Latinos in Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada Suggests High Turnout; the Economy, and Candidate Support for Community Will Drive Election Outcomes

A significant percentage of Latino voters in key battleground states are either undecided or still open to persuasion in the presidential contest, according to a survey released today by The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund.
The survey of registered Latinos in Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada also demonstrates that Latino voters may turn out in unprecedented numbers and that the economy is their top election priority. Nearly a third of respondents said they had trouble making their mortgage or rent payments at some point during the past 12 months.

Issues such as the war in Iraq, health care and immigration reform are also at the top of voters’ minds. Nearly a third believes there is no difference between the Republican and Democratic parties in their concern for Latinos.

To view the results, including presidential horserace numbers, visit the NALEO website here: www.naleo.org/downloads/2008_Latino_Voter_Survey_in_Battleground_States_fin%20_2.pdf

“As the electoral map takes shape, it’s increasingly clear the Latino vote may be decisive,” said Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the NALEO Educational Fund. “In key battleground states, Latino voters are ready to vote in huge numbers, and a significant percentage is still persuadable. Underestimating the Latino vote could be disastrous for either party,” concluded Vargas.

The bilingual telephone survey was conducted by the public opinion firm Latino Decisions with the support of the AARP. The firm surveyed 1,600 Latino registered voters drawn equally from official statewide voter files in the four states and has a margin of error of +/- 4.7% for each state.

The poll indicates strong support among Latino registered voters in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada for Senator Barack Obama. In Florida, however, the candidates are in a statistical tie, with 38% favoring Senator John McCain and 35% favoring Senator Obama. The shift seems to reflect demographic changes in the state’s Latino voters that are both generational and representative of the growing diversity of Latino immigrant groups now living in Florida.
One in ten Latino voters in Florida remains undecided. In addition, almost 15 percent said their support for either candidate is “not so strong,” suggesting that a significant share of Latino voters in the Sunshine State may still be persuadable. Those findings were largely mirrored in the other battleground states.

In all four states, the survey finds there is tremendous enthusiasm among registered Latinos to cast ballots in the upcoming election. Nearly 90% of those surveyed say they intend to vote on Election Day. Given the growing Latino electorate in states like Nevada, where 59,489 Latino voters have registered since 2004, high Latino turnout could determine the outcome.

“These numbers give a unique glimpse into the views of Latino voters,” said Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President for Social Impact for AARP. “AARP is pleased to work with the NALEO Educational Fund to give greater voice to Latinos in this pivotal election and help Senators McCain and Obama understand the issues that are important to Latino voters in these key states,” she concluded.”

Azteca America, a Grupo Salinas Company, and the University of Denver Latino Center presented yesterday evening on Capitol Hill a report entitled “The State of Latinos 2008: Defining an Agenda for the Future.”
The report calls for a presidential commission on Latino issues to increase Latino access to vital educational, health, economic and civic opportunities. The report also concludes that a lack of immigration reform widens disparities and limits the future progress of the Latino community and the nation.
Representing Senator McCain were California Senator Abel Maldonado and Marco Gonzales, a former aide to Senator Pete Domenici and private practice attorney. Also present was Leslie Sanchez, an independent Republican strategist.
Surrogates for Senator Obama were members of his National Latino Advisory Council Congressman Charlie Gonzalez (TX) and former Attorney General of New Mexico and current Chair of MALDEF Patricia Madrid, as well as Los Angeles City Council President and national co-chair of the Obama for President campaign Eric Garcetti.
During opening remarks, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair and Congressmember Joe Baca (CA) commended the State of Latinos project for uniting national Latino organizations, adding that only through unity will the community advance.
Azteca America and Fundacion Azteca America Chairman Luis J. Echarte pledge continued support for the Latino agenda recommendations, “We will concentrate on pushing the findings of this white paper to be put into action and to ensure that the promises made during the current political cycle become concrete policy.”
Also in attendance were: Congressmember Grace Napolitano (CA) and Congressmember Raul Grijalva (AZ), Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, Service Employees International Union Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina, NALEO Executive Director Arturo Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Gabriela Lemus, Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute Executive Director Octavio Hinojosa, NDN Vice President Andres Ramirez, Republican National Hispanic Assembly Chairman Danny Vargas and Voto Latino Executive Director Maria Teresa Petersen, among other distinguished guests.
The report focuses on five issues of importance to the Latino community: education, health care, the economy, immigration and the Latino vote. Latinos face major challenges in gaining access to these important services. The report advocates collaboration among the nation’s Latino organizations under the umbrella of a presidential commission as the most effective way to ensure change.
The topics covered are of vital importance to the nation as a whole. However, the efforts take on special significance due to the high and growing number of Latinos in U.S. public schools, and their overrepresentation in high school dropout rates. Cultural and communication barriers for public services such as health care are very costly to the nation in the near and long term. Although the state of the economy affects citizens across the nation, the predominance of the housing downturn among current economic woes is especially difficult for the Latino community, given its ties to the construction industry.
Full text of the report available at www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org or www.du.edu/newsroom/releases/media/agendalatina.pdf. “

If you know of any others please contact me.

• Sunday August 24th
  • 3:30pm College Democrats Hispanic Caucus - Convention Center
• Monday August 25th
  • 10am Hispanic Caucus - Corbel Room - Colorado Convention Center
  • 1:30pm NDN - Immigration Reform and the Next Administration - The Hilton Garden Inn
  • 7pm Salute to Hispanic Caucus, Delegates & Voters Signature Hispanic event of the DNC - Grand Hyatt, Imperial Ballroom 1750 Welton Street
• Tuesday August 26th
  • 10:30am Crashing La Pachanga: Opening lines of communication - Rootscamp Open Space area on the 4th floor of the Alliance Center, located right next door to the Big Tent.
  • 11:30am Latino Leaders Luncheon Series honoring Federico Pena
  • 2pm THE HISPANIC INSTITUTE AND THE COMMON GOOD JOIN IN PRESENTING TWO MAJOR EVENTS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
• Wednesday August 27
  • 10am Hispanic Caucus - Corbel Room - Colorado Convention Center
  • 12pm NALEO to Brief DNC, RNC Convention on Latino Electorate and 2008 Voter Mobilization Efforts - DNC
  • 2pm NHLA Event - Media Matters Building 203b - 1127 Auraria Parkway
  • 7pm Latino Vote - Club Vinyl - put on by Voto Latino - Rosario Dawson will be hosting
• Thursday August 28
  • 9am Immigrant Rights March

Analysis Highlights Growing Latino Political Influence as New Census Data Show Nearly One in Three Americans Will Be Hispanic by 2050

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund (NALEO), the nation’s premiere Latino leadership organization, announced today that it will brief participants at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions on the growing Latino electorate and its likely impact in Election 2008.
As new census data show, Latinos constitute the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States. The community’s growth is already being demonstrated in rising political clout. Unprecedented numbers of Latinos turned out for this year’s presidential primaries, supplying the margin of victory in several key contests.
NALEO will discuss key findings from its Voces del Pueblo (”Voices of America”) report, an innovative survey of registered Latino voters in town hall meetings across America, and release a pocket handbook (in collaboration with ImpreMedia) profiling the Latino electorate in key states. The national coordinators of the historic Ya es Hora (”It’s Time”) campaign, an unprecedented collaboration of national Latino organizations and Spanish-language media that has mobilized nearly 1.4 million legal permanent residents to become U.S. citizens, will discuss how they will build on the success of the citizenship campaign to turn out Latino voters in 11 key states in November.
WHAT: Luncheon Briefing on the Latino Electorate
WHO:
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund
Adolfo Carrion, NALEO President, Bronx Borough President
Rafael Anchia, NALEO Educational Fund Chair and TX State Representative
Rep. Joe Baca, NALEO Board Member, Member of Congress, CHC Chair
Arturo Vargas, NALEO Educational Fund Executive Director
Ramona Martinez, DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair
Janet Murguia, NCLR President
Ulrico “Rico” Izaguirre, Mi Familia Vota Board Member
Where:
Democratic National Convention, Denver, Colorado
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Marriott Denver City Center
1701 California Street
Denver, Colorado, 80202
Republican National Convention, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Participants TBD
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Marriott West
9960 Wayzata Boulevard
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55426
Note that Adolfo Carrion, Rafael Anchia and Arturo Vargas will be available to media throughout both conventions. To book interviews, please contact Mark Glaze or, for Spanish-language media, Estuardo Rodriguez.
Contact: Mark Glaze, mglaze@rabengroup.com, (202) 271-0982
(Spanish) Estuardo Rodriguez, erodriguez@rabengroup.com, (202) 631-2892″

The job of Juan Hernandez is to win support for John McCain, particularly Latino votes. So it may seem odd that the campaign doesn’t want its national director of Hispanic outreach to get any press. Repeated NEWSWEEK requests to interview Hernandez have been rebuffed or ignored. When a reporter suggested talking to Hernandez at a convention of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, where Hernandez was slated to appear June 28, his name was suddenly removed from the list of scheduled speakers. A NALEO spokesman, Eric Wagner, says someone from the McCain campaign called and asked to replace him, but didn’t offer an explanation. (A McCain aide, who refused to be quoted discussing internal campaign strategy, later told NEWSWEEK that the campaign had never signed off on Hernandez as a speaker.)”*

The following was released today by the Democratic National Committee:

Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Eliseo Medina held a conference call today to respond to John McCain’s speech at NCLR, and call for straight talk from the GOP candidate on his promise of a third Bush term and contradictions on immigration reform.

To listen to the remarks from the conference call, click on the link below:
www.democrats.org/page/-/audio/calls/071408_conferencecall_remarks.mp3

The following are excerpts from the call:

Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) (0:37)
“In terms of Senator McCain’s remarks to the National Council of La Raza, we were hoping to find out which face of John McCain we’d see today, and we learned that we saw both faces. This is an individual politician who has become very good at sending different signals, depending on which audience he’s addressing. At the National Council of La Raza I think he left probably more ambivalent feelings than anything else. It sounded like he might be in support of the Dream Act, but we’ve heard him say he hasn’t been for the Dream Act; to try to help young Latino and other immigrant students make it into college.

“We find that he continues to be out of touch on issues relating to the economy, and certainly with regard to Iraq. We know that on immigration he has flip-flopped too many times to count, and at the end of the day this, to me, boils down to an issue of trust. For Latino voters, the issue of who will become the person who can deliver after eight years of seeing the serenades of President Bush and the Republicans, Latinos are very anxious to see someone who will deliver on the commitments to improve their economy, their job prospects, opportunities for good schools for their kids, healthcare, and certainly opportunities to become vibrant Americans, who are former immigrants. And so what we learned today, from John McCain in his presentation to the National Council of La Raza is that we didn’t learn anything. We continue to see the two faces of John McCain, and we’re trying to figure out which one we can trust, it’s hard when you have someone who’s flip-flopping on the issues.”

Eliseo Medina, SEIU Executive Vice President (2:37)
“It seems to me that Senator McCain has had three opportunities, first with NALEO, second with LULAC, and third with NCLR to make his case of why the Latino community ought to support him for President of the United States. And I think that the Latino community more than anything else was hoping for some straight talk from the Senator, but I actually think after listening to him three times that we got the exact opposite. And it seems to me that the Senator is trying to have it both ways. First he says to our community that he appreciates our contributions to this society and that we are God’s children, but at the same time, when it comes down to actually taking action to…match his words with acts, he fails. He walked away from McCain-Kennedy, the bill he helped to introduce, and carried his name. He walked away from the DREAM Act as the Congressman said. And at the same time, while doing all of these things, he wants us to believe that he’s on our side and I think he’s having a really hard time making it clear which side he’s on.”

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,

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View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today announced the leadership of its Florida Hispanic Coalition. The coalition includes respected political, business and community leaders.

“John McCain has always been a strong advocate for Hispanics in Florida and across our nation,” said Senator Mel Martinez. “John McCain recognizes the value and contributions Hispanics have made in America. He is someone who has always put this country first, and that’s why he has my full support. The support of this coalition reflects his deep commitment to our community.”

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen added, “As the first Hispanic woman elected to the United States Congress, I know first-hand the inspiration John McCain has provided to all Latinos. He is a patriot who strongly believes in the values that are important to our community.”

Today, John McCain addresses the 25th annual National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) in Washington, D.C., and next week he will make a historic trip to Colombia and Mexico.

Florida Hispanic Coalition Leadership

Honorary State Co-Chairs

Senator Mel Martinez

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart

State Co-Chairs

State Senator Rudy Garcia

State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla

Speaker Marco Rubio

State Representative Anitere Flories

State Representative Rene Garcia

State Representative Marcelo Llorente

State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera

State Representative Juan-Carlos (JC) Planas

State Representative David Rivera

State Representative Julio Robaina

State Representative Marco Rubio

State Representative Trey Traviesa

State Representative Juan Zapata”

The Latino vote could be pivotal in the fall election. Both presidential candidates showed up Saturday to speak at the annual meeting of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, called NALEO.”*

Republican presidential candidate John McCain was speaking, or trying to speak, at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Conference and was met with some anti-war protesters (one was even bi-lingual). So what was McCain trying to say exactly?”*

I was in Washington cafe yesterday when hecklers from Code Pink interrupted Sen. John McCain no less than 3 times during a major speech to Latino voters and elected officials. Shortly after the event, several of protesters marched triumphantly into the coffeeshop I was sitting in on P Street after they stole the media thunder of the event organizers, the Nation Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO). NALEO was trying to highlight Latino voting power and unprecedented participation in this year’s elections.

Despite NALEO’s attempts to let the media know that it was the white women and not members of their organization, many of the mainstream media basically reported as if Latinos had dissed the GOP candidate. While many, if not most, of us do, in fact, find McCain and other warmongers more than worthy of attack for their seemingly infinite ability and desire to send other, mostly poor people’s children to kill and die in war, we should prioritize accuracy and fairness.”*

nivision Communications Inc., the nation’s leading Spanish-language media company, and the “Ya es Hora” (It’s Time) national partners, announced the expansion of this award-winning civic engagement campaign through new local efforts in partnership with mayors in the top Hispanic cities to register and mobilize voters. Mayors partnering in this effort include New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Houston Mayor Bill White.

As part of the partnership, the mayors will participate in public service announcements (PSAs) to run on Univision, Univision Radio and Univision.com (Keyword: Ya es Hora), which will support local grassroots activities taking place in their communities. In addition, Univision will also launch new PSAs focused on informing its audiences about absentee voting.

“The fact that today we are able to engage the mayors of cities with large Hispanic populations in this effort means that we will be able to further enhance our reach and mobilize our community,” said Cesar Conde, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Univision Communications Inc. “Hispanics will be instrumental in electing the next president of the United States and we are committed to doing our part to empower this important constituency.”

”Our ability to ensure our constituents are informed and able to participate in local, state and national elections is critical,” said Mayor Diaz. ”One of our priorities at the U.S. Conference of Mayors is promoting civic engagement which makes the partnership between the mayors of these Hispanic cities, Univision and the ‘Ya es Hora’ partnership crucial to our efforts.”

“We have seen unprecedented engagement by Hispanics in the primaries because of the ‘Ya es Hora’ campaign,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the NALEO Educational Fund, a national “Ya es Hora” partner. “This speaks to the power of ongoing outreach and information efforts. Most importantly, it once again highlights the commitment of Hispanics across the country to become active, and have a voice, in their communities.”

“In the last few months we have had thousands of Hispanics become naturalized citizens in the Los Angeles area because of the ‘Ya Es Hora’ campaign,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “By helping these new citizens, as well as any other eligible voters to register to vote, we will increase participation at the polls and enhance civic participation, which is vital in a thriving democracy.”

“Latinos comprise a powerful and growing segment of voters in America,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “In this day and age, candidates for the most powerful offices in the country know that to win, they must appeal to Latinos. Thanks to the great work of Univision and NALEO on the ‘Ya es Hora’ campaign, I expect Latinos to flood the polls this November and play a major role in deciding who becomes the next President of the United States.”

The Peabody award-winning “Ya es Hora” initiative is a national civic engagement campaign developed to inform, educate and motivate Hispanics to participate in the American political dialogue by leveraging the power of a coalition of the nation’s largest and most established Hispanic organizations and the country’s largest Spanish-language media companies. Since January 2007, the campaign has mobilized close to 1.4 million eligible immigrants to apply for citizenship, secured more than 400 local community based organizations as partners, generated more than 40,000 calls to the 888-Ve-Y-Vota toll free number, driven more than 94,000 unique visits to www.yaeshora.info, distributed more than 110,000 brochures and conducted more than 200 citizenship workshops. Univision, the NALEO Educational Fund, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Council of La Raza, ImpreMedia, Entravision Communications, Mi Familia Vota Educational Fund and more than 400 organizations are partners in this effort.

About the NALEO Educational Fund:

The NALEO Educational Fund is the leading nonprofit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.

About Univision Communications Inc.:

Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 97% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 85% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 63 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at http://www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa’s pay television channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States.

For more information, please visit www.univision.net.

Contacts

Univision Communications Inc., New York
Mónica Talán, 212-455-5331 or 917-331-9327
marketingcomm@univision.net

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LATINA Style Magazine, the premier magazine addressing the needs of established Latina & Women entrepreneurs in the U.S., will celebrate the 2008 LATINA Style Business Series (LSBS) 10 Year Anniversary Tour in Atlanta, GA, June 19, 2008, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown, 590 West Peach Tree NW, Atlanta, GA, 30308.

The LATINA Style Business Series is the most successful ongoing business development program for Latina business owners in the nation. Over 17,000 Latina entrepreneurs and professionals have benefited from participating in this exciting and informative one-day business program since it first launched in 1998. The focus of the 2008 Series will be to provide a platform for women business owners who are looking to position their enterprises to succeed at the next level.

The 2008 LSBS title sponsor is Macy’s Inc. National sponsors include: AFLAC, Principal Financial Group, Sam’s Club, State Farm Insurance, United Healthcare and Wal-Mart. The series beverage sponsor is PepsiCo and its brands Aquafina and Propel.

Macy’s has partnered with one of their cosmetic brands, LANCOME, to feature an all-day cosmetics lounge. Additionally, Macy’s will host a Fashion Seminar “Do’s and Don’ts in Business Attire” that will feature how to transform business outfits into evening wear. Ms. Xanthe Tilden, fashion and entertainment correspondent and producer for CNN en Espanol, will moderate the Macy’s Fashion Show.

The event Co-chairs are Sandra Font, Interim President, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Judith Martinez-Sadri, Editor-in-Chief, Atlanta Latino. The GHCC is the leading Hispanic business organization whose mission is to promote domestic and international economic development of Hispanic businesses and Hispanic business people to link businesses in Latin America and in Georgia. Atlanta Latino is the largest bilingual weekly newspaper with an audited circulation of 30,000 copies. Atlanta Latino is distributed to over 2,100 points of distribution throughout 13 counties in the Atlanta area in 38 cities. The company also owns and operates metro Atlanta’s premier bilingual website: www.atlantalatino.com .

According to the 2002 Economic Census, a report issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 18,310 Hispanic-owned firms in the state of Georgia generating over 4.2 billion dollars in gross receipts. In the city of Atlanta alone there are 14,988 Hispanic-owned businesses generating over 3.2 billion dollars in sales.

In addition, LATINA Style has partnered with the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), LatinVision, Latinos in Information and Sciences Technology Association (LISTA), National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA), PR Newswire, SCORE, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP). The U.S. Small Business Administration will provide local support and have a presence at the event.

Local Partners include: Atlanta Latino, Atlanta Women’s Network, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Minority Business Enterprise Center, Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, Georgia Women’s Business Council, Groupo Laza, LLC, and Mundo Hispanico. Local radio media partners include: Viva 105.7 and El Patron 105.3.

The event includes exhibits and expert presenters who will speak on the topics of “Securing Capital to Build Capacity,” “Protecting You and Your Investments,” “Successful Marketing Strategies to Sell You and Your Business,” “Latina Entrepreneur Spotlight: Lessons Learned” and “Macy’s Fashion Seminar.” We will feature local business leaders and hear first-hand how they were able to find true business success! These women will share the obstacles they have overcome, their secret to work-life balance, and how they stay motivated in their business. The audience will have the opportunity to interact with all of our panelists during the luncheon.

Registration fee includes: free makeovers at the cosmetic lounge by LANCOME, dynamic panels, high power networking opportunities in the exhibit area, breakfast, lunch, commemorative gift bag, and a two-year subscription to LATINA Style Magazine, for a tremendous value of only $30! Over 70 cities have been visited since the inception of the Business Series in 1998. Since then, it has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Latina, Hispanic, and small-business communities. The Series has been featured on NBC News, ABC News, FOX network, Univision, Telemundo, the San Diego Tribune, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Dallas Morning News, and SBTV. “*

LATINA Style Magazine, the premier magazine addressing the needs of established Latina & Women entrepreneurs in the U.S., will celebrate the 2008 LATINA Style Business Series (LSBS) 10 Year Anniversary Tour in Atlanta, GA, June 19, 2008, from 8:00am to 4:00pm at the Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown, 590 West Peach Tree NW, Atlanta, GA, 30308.

The LATINA Style Business Series is the most successful ongoing business development program for Latina business owners in the nation. Over 17,000 Latina entrepreneurs and professionals have benefited from participating in this exciting and informative one-day business program since it first launched in 1998. The focus of the 2008 Series will be to provide a platform for women business owners who are looking to position their enterprises to succeed at the next level.

The 2008 LSBS title sponsor is Macy’s Inc. National sponsors include AFLAC, Principal Financial Group, Sam’s Club, State Farm Insurance, UnitedHealthcare and Wal-Mart. The series beverage sponsor is PepsiCo and its brands Aquafina and Propel.

Macy’s has partnered with one of their cosmetic brands LANCOME to feature an all day cosmetics lounge.

The event Co-chairs are Sandra Font, Interim President, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Judith Martinez-Sadri, Editor-in-Chief, Atlanta Latino. The GHCC is the leading Hispanic business organization whose mission is to promote domestic and international economic development of Hispanic businesses and Hispanic business people to link businesses in Latin America and in Georgia. Atlanta Latino is the largest bilingual weekly newspaper with an audited circulation of 30,000 copies. Atlanta Latino is distributed to over 2,100 points of distribution throughout 13 counties in the Atlanta area in 38 cities. The company also owns and operates metro Atlanta’s premier bilingual website: www.atlantalatino.com .

According to the 2002 Economic Census, a report issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 18,310 Hispanic owned firms in the State of Georgia generating over 4.2 billion dollars in gross receipts. In the city of Atlanta alone there are 14,988 Hispanic owned businesses generating over 3.2 billion dollars in sales.

In addition, LATINA Style has partnered with the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPHA), Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), LatinVision, Latinos in Information and Sciences Technology Association (LISTA), National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), PR Newswire, SCORE, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP). The U.S. Small Business Administration will provide local support and have a presence at the event.

The event includes exhibits and expert presenters who will speak on the topics of “Securing Capital to Build Capacity,” “Protecting You and Your Investments,” “Successful Marketing Strategies to Sell You and Your Business,” “Latina Entrepreneur Spotlight: Lessons Learned” and “Macy’s Fashion Seminar.” We will feature local business leaders and hear first-hand how they were able to find true business success! These women will share the obstacles they have overcome, their secret to work-life balance, and how they stay motivated in their business. The audience will have the opportunity to interact with all of our panelists during the luncheon.

Registration fee includes: free makeovers at the cosmetic lounge by LANCOME, dynamic panels, high power networking opportunities in the exhibit area, breakfast, lunch, commemorative gift bag, and a two-year subscription to LATINA Style Magazine, for a tremendous value of only $30! Over 70 cities have been visited since the inception of the Business Series in 1998. Since then, it has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Latina, Hispanic, and small-business community. The Series has been featured on NBC News, ABC News, FOX network, Univision, Telemundo, the San Diego Tribune, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Dallas Morning News, and SBTV.

LATINA Style Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for the professional Hispanic woman, hosts the LATINA Style Business Series bringing resources to entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in the local area.

For more information or to register for the Atlanta Business Series, visit www.latinastyle.com or call 1-800-651-8083.”*

LATINA Style Magazine, the premier magazine addressing the needs of established Latina & Women entrepreneurs in the U.S., will celebrate the 2008 LATINA Style Business Series (LSBS) 10 Year Anniversary Tour in New York City, NY, Thursday May 15th, 2008, from 8:00am - 4:00pm at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, 1605 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019.

The LATINA Style Business Series is the most successful ongoing business development program for Latina business owners in the nation. Over 17,000 Latina entrepreneurs and professionals have benefited from participating in this exciting and informative one-day business program since it first launched in 1998. The focus of the 2008 Series is to provide a platform for women business owners who are looking to position their enterprises to succeed at the next level.

The event co-chairs are Shirley Rodríguez Remeneski, President, 100 Hispanic Women, and Jerusha Ramos, Investment Advisor for NL Financial and community leader with many advocacy organizations.

Mrs. Rodríguez Remeneski founded 100 Hispanic Women in 1996 as a forum for Latinas, individuals and organizations who support Hispanic women, to come together and address issues affecting our communities. Prior to founding 100 Hispanic Women, Mrs. Remeneski held the position of Senior Vice President at the Empire State Development Corporation’s Economic Revitalization Division, where she was appointed in January 2002. At Empire State Development, Ms. Remeneski was responsible for overseeing economic development for distressed communities in New York State, and designing projects and programs to stimulate growth and development that lead to the creation of permanent jobs, and sustainable business enterprises.

Ms. Ramos is a well-rounded business professional who works with business owners and other high-earning employees providing them with quality financial analysis and strategies. She is active in organizations such as National Association of Women Business Owners, serving in the capacity of Former Vice-President of Membership, New York City chapter and former National Chair of Diversity / Market Development Forum. She is also involved with the New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. In 2007, she chaired the 24th Northeast Regional Convention of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce.

The 2008 LSBS title sponsor is Macy’s Inc. National sponsors include Sam’s Club, State Farm Insurance, UnitedHealthcare and Wal-Mart.

In addition, LATINA Style has partnered with the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), iHispano.com, Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association (LISTA), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), LatinVision, National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), PR Newswire, U.S. Small Business Administration, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).

Local partners include: 100 Hispanic Women, Dress for Success , Greater New York Chamber of Commerce (GNYCC), Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC), Morris County Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce (MCHACC), National Association of Women Business Owners - New York (NAWBO-NY), National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Health (NHCCH), New York City Department of Small Business Services, New York State Federation of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NYSFHCC), New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce (NYWCC), Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (LIHCC) Women’s Bureau-U.S. Department of Labor & Women’s Venture Fund.

The event includes ex