New York City African-American and Latino composers invited to apply for Van Lier fellowships

http://www.meetthecomposer.org/programs/vanlier.htm

The Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust provides support for talented, culturally diverse young people who are seriously dedicated to a career in the arts. Meet The Composer administers the Van Lier Fellowship on behalf of the Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust.

The purpose of the Fellowship is to provide financial support for young composers in the early stages of their careers, working in any style of music or sound art. Funds can be used for any purpose including the creation of new work, the purchasing of music/tech equipment, travel, or research and development.

The Fellowship is open to African-American and Latino composers thirty-two years of age or younger. The applicant must be a full-time resident of New York City (any borough) and show financial need. The applicant must not be enrolled in a degree-granting program at the time of application (i.e. no students). The one-year fellowship award is $8,500. Additional monetary support will be provided if the composer develops and participates in an educational outreach program with students and/or youth groups. This educational component is optional.

The next deadline for applications is December 8, 2008.

Download the guidelines and application here http://www.meetthecomposer.org/programs/vanlier.htm

This year's recipients are Gilbert Galindo and Majid Khaliq.

Gilbert Galindo is an emerging young Mexican-American composer that is increasingly being performed across the country. He has received commissions from the Chicago Fine Arts Society, Duo Petrarca, and the Lone Star Brass with additional premieres and performances from the Midland Odessa Symphony, Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, Bard Institute Composers Orchestra, and the ai ensemble of dal niente group. Read more at www.gilbertgalindo.com.

Majid Khaliq is a musician native to the New York area. His musical palette ranges from the roots of American-jazz music through the greats of the European-classical tradition. Mr. Khaliq has been described by legendary musician Wynton Marsalis as having "a unique blend of improvisation, groove and technical sophistication." Composition and arranging are serious interests of Mr. Khaliq. His compositional teachers are Mexican composer Samuel Zyman and great American violinist/composer Jonh Blake, Jr. Not just a performer and composer, Mr. Khaliq is a teacher of the highest caliber. He has written many essays on the art of violin playing and has recently finished the first volume of a method book detailing the topic.

Past recipients of MTC’s Van Lier Fellowship include César Alvarez, Cristian Amigo, Valerie Coleman, Mario Diaz de León, Dafnis Prieto, Sherrise Rogers, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Julio Santillan, Manuel Sosa, and Emilio Teubal.

• CB08-FF.15
• Sept. 8, 2008 (Updated)
• PDF Version

Hispanic Heritage Month 2008:
Sept. 15 – Oct. 15

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, which was observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15). America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of 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.

Population

45.5 million
The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2007, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 15 percent of the nation’s total population. In addition, there are approximately 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html> and
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011109.html>

About 1
. . . of every two people added to the nation’s population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, was Hispanic. There were 1.4 million Hispanics added to the population during the period.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

3.3%
Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

132.8 million
The projected Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation’s population by that date.
Source: Population projections <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012496.html>

22.4 million
The nation’s Hispanic population during the 1990 Census — less than half the current total.
Source: The Hispanic Population: 2000 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf>

2nd
Ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2007. Only Mexico (108.7 million) had a larger Hispanic population than did the United States (45.5 million). (Spain had a population of 40.4 million.)
Source: International Data Base <http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbrank.pl>
<http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbsum.html> and population estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

64%
The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who are of Mexican background. Another 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with 3.4 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent Salvadoran and 2.8 percent Dominican. The remainder are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

About 50 percent of the nation’s Dominicans live in New York City and about half of the nation’s Cubans in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

27.6 years
Median age of the Hispanic population in 2007. This compares with 36.6 years for the population as a whole.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

107
Number of Hispanic males in 2007 per every 100 Hispanic females. This was in sharp contrast to the overall population, which had 97 males per every 100 females.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

States and Counties

48%
The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California or Texas. California is home to 13.2 million Hispanics, and Texas is home to 8.6 million.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

16
The number of states with at least a half-million Hispanic residents. They are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

44%
The percentage of New Mexico’s population that is Hispanic, the highest of any state. Hispanics also make up more than a quarter of the population in California and Texas, at 36 percent each, Arizona (30 percent) and Nevada (25 percent).
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

4.7 million
The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2007 — the largest of any county in the nation. Maricopa County, Ariz. (home of Phoenix) had the biggest numerical increase in the Hispanic population (60,700) since July 2006.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

97%
Proportion of the population of Starr County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2007, which led the nation. In fact, each of the top 10 counties in this category was in Texas.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

308,000
The increase in Texas’ Hispanic population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, which led all states. California (268,000) and Florida (131,000) also recorded large increases.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

20
Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest minority group. These states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

Businesses

Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002 <http://www.census.gov/csd/sbo/hispanic2002.htm>

1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.

Triple
The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.

$222 billion
Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.

44.6%
. . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and Chicanos.

29,168
Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.

• Nearly 43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for nearly 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.
• Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas (61,934).

Families and Children

9.9 million
The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2006. Of these households, 62 percent included children younger than 18.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

67%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

44%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple with children younger than 18.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

66%
Percentage of Hispanic children living with two married parents.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

24%
Percentage of total population younger than 5 that was Hispanic as of July 1, 2007.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html>

Spanish Language

34 million
The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home. Spanish speakers constitute 12 percent of U.S. residents.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

29%
Percentage of Texas residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home, which leads all states. (The percentage for Texas is not significantly different from that of New Mexico, however.) This compares with the national average of 12 percent.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

78%
Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$38,679
The median income of Hispanic households in 2007, statistically unchanged from the previous year after adjusting for inflation.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html>

21.5%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html>

32.1%
The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2007, down from 34.1 percent in 2006.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html>

Education

60%
The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2007.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

13%
The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2007.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

3.3 million
The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2007, up from 1.7 million a decade earlier.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

811,000
Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2007 (e.g., master’s, professional, doctorate).
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

11%
Percentage of all college students in October 2006 who were Hispanic. Among elementary and high school students combined, the corresponding proportion was 19 percent.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

Educational attainment levels are higher among certain Hispanic groups than among others. For example, among Cubans 25 and older, 75 percent were at least high school graduates, and 26 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

Jobs

68%
Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

17%
The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who work in management, professional and related occupations. Roughly the same percentage work in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations (although this percentage is significantly lower than for those in management, professional and related occupations). Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older work in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations; 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations; and 18 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

82,500
Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 46,200 physicians and surgeons; 53,600 postsecondary teachers; 43,000 lawyers; and 5,700 news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 596 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

Voting

7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 47 percent — did not change statistically from four years earlier.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html>

5.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2006 congressional elections. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 32 percent — did not change statistically from four years earlier.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/012234.html>

Serving our Country

1.1 million`
The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

• African-American History Month (February)
• Super Bowl XLII (Feb. 3)
• Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)
• Women’s History Month (March)
• Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
• St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
• Asian/Pacific American Heritage
• Month (May)
• Older Americans Month (May)
• Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
• Mother’s Day (May 11)
• Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
• Father’s Day (June 15)
• The Fourth of July (July 4)
• Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities
• Act (July 26)
• 
  

• Back to School (August)
• Labor Day (Sept. 1)
• Grandparents Day (Sept. 7)
• Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
• Unmarried and Single Americans
• Week (Sept. 21-27)
• Halloween (Oct. 31)
• American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage
• Month (November)
• Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
• Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27)
• The Holiday Season (December)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.

[Excel] or the letters [xls] indicate a document is in the Microsoft® Excel® Spreadsheet Format (XLS). To view the file, you will need the Microsoft® Excel® Viewer available for free from Microsoft®. This symbol indicates a link to a non-government web site. Our linking to these sites does not constitute an endorsement of any products, services or the information found on them. Once you link to another site you are subject to the policies of the new site.

NCLR Launches We Can Stop the Hate Website

Washington, DC—A revamped website launched by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) documents how hate groups in the U.S. have been reenergized by the immigration debate and how the growing intolerance fanned by these groups is leading to a record increase in hate crimes against Latinos. The acclaimed website, www.WeCanStopTheHate.org spotlights hate in the immigration debate with analyses of the leading groups, spokespeople, and media allies of the anti-immigrant movement.

“Given that dozens of anti-immigrant talk show hosts and organizations have descended on Capitol Hill this week, it is especially important that information on what these entities are really all about is readily available to those interested in combating intolerance,” noted Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “Regardless of how one feels about immigration policy, we can all agree that a hate-filled debate is not acceptable.”

The website, originally launched in January of this year, has been redesigned to make it easier for visitors and users to find information, obtain the latest updates, and learn how to get involved. Its features include an extensive library of videos on the links between anti-immigrant and extremist organizations throughout the country; fact sheets on, among other topics, the code words of hate used in the debate and the most prominent media spokespeople from these anti-immigrant and extremist groups; and frequently updated posts, called “The Latest,” on incidents of hate in the media, from policymakers and others.

The new website can be found at www.WeCanStopTheHate.org

Post-Labor Day Post

NCLR (National Council of La Raza) has published an informative report on today's Latino workforce, noting that, while Latinos make up the fastest growing numbers amongst workers here, they are the most affected by the slumped economy. Also noted are the alarming number of deaths and serious injuries incurred by Latinos on the job.
The full report is downloadable from NCLR's site: Labor Day: A Snapshot of the Latino Workforce

Aids among Latinos on the rise

From The Washington Post a grim article noting the spike in HIV/Aids figures among Latinos, with a focus on how the disease uniquely and more adversely impacts undocumented homosexual immigrants. Despite questions I have about the data, if you're an activist, an Aids activist, or a gay Latino, this is an important piece to read.

Well, there you have it

Press Release July 24, 2008 For Immediate Release Contact: Mary Seaborn info@pewhispanic.org 202-419-3606 or Brandon Maitlen bmaitlen@pewresearch.org 202-419-4372 Hispanics Support Obama over McCain for President by Nearly Three-to-One, Pew Hispanic Center Survey Finds Hispanic registered voters support Democrat Barack Obama for president over Republican John McCain by 66% to 23%, according to a nationwide survey of 2,015 Latinos conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, from June 9 through July 13, 2008. The presumptive Democratic nominee's strong showing in this survey represents a sharp reversal in his fortunes from the primaries, when Obama lost the Latino vote to Hillary Clinton by a nearly two-to-one ratio, giving rise to speculation in some quarters that Hispanics were disinclined to vote for a black candidate. In this new survey, three times as many respondents said being black would help Obama (32%) with Latino voters than said it would hurt him (11%); the majority (53%) said his race would make no difference to Latino voters. In addition to their strong support for Obama, Latino voters have moved sharply into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade. Some 65% of Latino registered voters now say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 26% who identify with or lean toward the GOP. This 39 percentage point Democratic Party identification edge is larger than it has been at any time this decade; as recently as 2006, the partisan gap was just 21 percentage points. The report also examines Hispanic registered voter engagement, party identification, ratings of national conditions, and top campaign issues. The report, 2008 National Survey of Latinos: Hispanic Voter Attitudes, is available at the Pew Hispanic Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org. The Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. # # #

This email was sent to amorusobelmont@yahoo.com by info@pewhispanic.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Pew Hispanic Center | 1615 L Street, NW, Suite 700 | Washington | DC | 20036

The NSHMBA lists key questions Latinos want to know about potential employers

The authors of The Complete Job Search Guide for Latinos have written a valuable column in the current newsletter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. It reviews the questions that are both salient and "correct" that a Latino may ask about his/her employer to ascertain whether worker and workplace are on the same page with "core values, beliefs and career goals." The authors remind us how penetrating the culture of the employer and his/her organization can facilitate finding that perfect career.

See: Job Search Questions Latinos Can Ask About Potential Employers

Immigrant Latino Workers Hit Hard by Economic Slowdown, Pew Hispanic Center Report Finds

The Pew Hispanic Center today released Latino Labor Report, 2008: Construction Reverses Job Growth for Latinos. Using data through the first quarter of 2008, the report finds the economic downturn having a disproportionate impact on Hispanic workers. From an historic low in late 2006, the unemployment rate for Latinos rose sharply in 2007 and currently stands well above the rate for non-Latinos. Immigrant Hispanics, especially Mexican immigrants and recent arrivals, have been hurt the most by the slump in the construction industry. Weekly earnings for most groups of Hispanic workers, particularly construction workers, also slipped backward in the past year. There are no signs Latino immigrants are leaving the U.S. labor market but they now play a smaller role in the growth of the Hispanic workforce than in recent years. The report is available at the Pew Hispanic Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org. The Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Pew Hispanic Center Releases a Fact Sheet on the Puerto Rican Electorate

The Pew Hispanic Center today released a fact sheet on the demographics of eligible voters in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The fact sheet contains information on elections in Puerto Rico and data on the size and social and economic characteristics of the Puerto Rican eligible voter population. This fact sheet is based on the Center's tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2006 Puerto Rico Community Survey. All Hispanics in the 2008 Election fact sheets are available on the Center's website at www.pewhispanic.org. The Pew Hispanic Center, an initiative of the Pew Research Center, is a non-partisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Check out the "Super Amigos"

Into lucha libre? Repulsed by it? Into fantasy and humor and progressive social commentary? If any of the above, you should check out the Mexican series, "Super Amigos," 5 chilango homies in Super Hero get-ups wrestling the wrongs of their enrubbled city: poverty, environmental degradation, homophobia, animal cruelty, predatory landlords.
Mixing animation with on-site--what a sight!--footage of Mexico City, and lots of satire and pathos, it's brilliant!
You can check out "Super Amigos" on LinkTV, another super outlet for on-the-mark independent news, culture, commentary, and lots of music and a special Latino channel, Latin Pulse. En español. Lately, they've done cogent episodes on the elections from a Latino perspective, Fidel's swan song, immigration, more.

Some salsa with your Cinco de Mayo

For those of you who celebrate Cinco de Mayo--yes, we all know it's a manufactured holiday, invented to sell salsa and Taco Bell to the gringos--here are some facts and figures about Aztlán in a (not so?) strange land that may be fun to pull of the hat at that Cinco de Mayo barbecue I'm sure you'll be invited to.

• 
  
• CB08-FF.07
• March 5, 2008

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the legendary Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, in which a Mexican force of 4,500 men faced 6,000 well-trained French soldiers. The battle lasted four hours and ended in a victory for the Mexican army under Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. Along with Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16, Cinco de Mayo has become a time to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture.

28.3 million

Number of U.S. residents of Mexican origin in 2006. These residents constituted 9 percent of the nation’s total population and 64 percent of the Hispanic population.

17.86 million
Number of people of Mexican origin who lived either in California (10.84 million) or Texas (7.02 million). People of Mexican origin made up more than one-quarter of the residents of these two states. (The unrounded total for California and Texas combined is 17,866,191.)

25.7
Median age of people in the United States of Mexican descent. This compares with 36.4 years for the population as a whole.

630,000
Number of Mexican-Americans who are U.S. military veterans.

1.2 million
Number of people of Mexican descent 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher. This includes about 350,000 who have a graduate degree.

37%
Among households where a householder was of Mexican origin, the percentage of married-couple families with own children younger than 18. For all households, the corresponding percentage was 22 percent.

4.1
Average size for families with a householder of Mexican origin. This compares to 3.2 people in all families.

14%
Percentage of employed civilians 16 and older of Mexican heritage who worked in managerial, professional or related occupations. In addition, 23 percent worked in service occupations; 20 percent in sales and office occupations; 19 percent in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations; and 20 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations.

$37,661
Median household income in 2006 for households with a householder of Mexican origin.

23%
Poverty rate in 2006 for people of Mexican heritage.

69%
Percentage of civilians 16 and older of Mexican origin in the labor force. The percentage was 65 percent for the population as a whole. There were 13 million people of Mexican heritage in the labor force, comprising 9 percent of the total.

51%
Percentage of householders of Mexican origin who owned the home in which they lived.

Source for the preceding statements: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Trade With Mexico

$347.3 billion
The value of goods traded between the United States and Mexico in 2007. Mexico was our nation’s third-leading trading partner, after Canada and China.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Businesses

701,078
Number of firms owned by people of Mexican origin in 2002. They comprised almost 45 percent of all Hispanic-owned firms. Among these Mexican-owned firms, 275,896 were in California and 235,735 in Texas. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif., combined statistical area had 174,292.

$96.7 billion
Sales and receipts for firms owned by people of Mexican origin in 2002.

Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-Owned Firms: 2002 <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/sb0200cshisp.pdf>

Mexican Food

$100.4 million
Product shipment value of tamales and other Mexican food specialties (not frozen or canned) produced in the United States in 2002.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/INDRPT31.HTM>

337
Number of U.S. tortilla manufacturing establishments in 2005. The establishments that produce this unleavened flat bread employed nearly 14,000 people. Tortillas, the principal food of the Aztecs, are known as the “bread of Mexico.” About one in three of these establishments was in Texas.
Source: County Business Patterns: 2005 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html>

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.

Hip, hip, Latinas!

Hispanic Business magazine lauds successful Latinas making an impact on America's workplace by naming 20 to their Winner's Circle of Elite Women. They include an astronaut (Ellen Ochoa, already on our Wall of Fame), a California State Senator (Gloria Romero), IT entrepreneur (Nina Vaca), and a university president (Dr. Elsa Murano, Texas A and M).
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?idx=94479

(Brief, but not) Close Encounters with Junot Diaz

Some years ago, let’s say 4, I was in Jamaica for the Calabash Literary Festival, a yearly throw-down of writers, most of them Caribbean-rooted. The affair takes place at a now-trendy, but once funky complejo of sunny-colored bungalows overlooking the sea on the island’s south coast. Jake’s is where my many Jamaican adventures began nearly 15 years ago, and will always have deep associations for me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Junot Diaz’ name on the roster of presenters, who’ve numbered, over the years, major leaguers like Sonia Sanchez and Derek Wolcott. I’d been clocking his rising star through his edgy, sometimes irritating, but always engaging short stories published in the New Yorker with enough regularity to pay the rent. They referenced dominicanos trying to get it on, get over, get smart and get out. While I wasn’t always captivated by his surrogates’ predicaments—but maybe that was his ploy: to get me to struggle with my sympathies—his characters were always fully-formed and deeply penetrated; the dialog was snap your fingers true and oftentimes hysterical.

I can’t remember what Junot read (nor did I know that he was then, as he would be for 10 long years, in agony over a hiccoughing first novel that needed to expire several times before being birthed). But, I remember he wore a fly Panama hat that made him look, at the same time, muy caribeño and positively Princess Line, and that he made us all crack up.

Back in New York less than a week later, near my home, I spied Diaz on the street, unmistakable this time in his wire frames and face and pate powdered in fuzz.

I approached, uncharacteristically bold, probably in unconscious acceptance of a generally inviting vibe. “Hey, I know you. I saw you read at the Calabash Festival last week.” We talked easily, not so much about our craft as about Jamaica. I was impressed at how, after just that one brief other-focused visit –by then, I’d probably notched in 20—he’d been able to digest and articulate so clearly Jamaica for all its dysfunctionality and misplaced humanity, assimilating what would seem the most inconsequential clues into an unassailable identikat.

I put Junot Diaz into my teeny evening purse of perfect intellectuals—those who use their gut instincts and superior power of observation and poetry to navigate the world and then apply left brain formatting to legitimize their findings in order to communicate and, hopefully, make a defining contribution to society.

When the story of Oscar Wao’s brief encounter with life came out, I rushed to buy the book, but put off reading it. I was afraid I’d be disappointed and, with it, the Junot Diaz bubble would burst.

But the searching interviews of the author, officially conferring his brainiac status, while confirming his earnest humility, moved me to get to it. The undertaking was epic.

Diaz’ apportioned history of the DR is doctoral yet reads like a Classic Comic, his Oscar Wao (from Wilde, you see, but the homies can’t put the ‘l’ and the ‘d’ together) is redemptively not cloyingly pathetic, and the narrator, Yunior, the homie hustler is the perfect foil, and alter ego, to outsized Oscar. In the end, because they both ring so true, I think our professor of English at M.I.T. has crafted the two characters from the dead-set middle that is himself.

And here’s Diaz, with his home-honed humility bigging up the big heads (as they say in Jamaica) at M.I.T. for allowing their brilliance to nurture “Oscar Wao’s” womb.* But, au contraire, Junot. It’s your brain, that perfect ping pong left brain, right brain, 2-stepped merengue that’s feeding them mouthfuls indeed!

* "I'm just so proud and overjoyed and happy to have finished this book at MIT, surrounded by so many brilliant colleagues and students." MIT News (online—9th April, 2008)

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See, too, Carolina Gonzalez on Why Wao's Pulitzer Matters on the HAV home page.

Major private funding comes for services to immigrants

March 12, 2008

PRESS RELEASE

MIAMI – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced it will invest more than $3 million in programs to help eligible immigrants become citizens and participate more fully in the civic life of their communities. The foundation’s New Americans initiative addresses opportunities in Knight communities to provide education and family services to growing numbers of immigrants, particularly those who have green cards and want to become naturalized citizens....

Expanding this commitment, Knight’s board of trustees recently approved three-year grants to three national groups working to support community efforts smoothing the transition of newcomers into American society. Funding was awarded to the National Council of La Raza, the National League of Cities and the National Council of the YMCAs of the USA, among others.

“National immigration policy continues to be the subject of hot debate,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of Knight Foundation. “Meanwhile, local communities need help now to deal with the challenges and opportunities of their increased immigrant populations.

“We want to turn down the volume and provide practical solutions. That’s why we are focusing on encouraging civic participation and naturalization of eligible immigrants in Knight communities. When they become citizens and vote, immigrants gain a greater voice in the political decisions that affect their lives,” he said....

The nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, La Raza is helping to lead a nationwide civic participation campaign, “Ya es hora” (“Now is the time”), which aims to naturalize one million eligible legal permanent residents during the next two years. Ibargüen announced Knight support of the campaign at a “Ya es hora” benefit concert Tuesday [March 11] at Miami’s Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

The Washington-based National League of Cities is receiving a grant of $880,000 for technical assistance, training and other resources that will enable municipal leaders to support immigrants in their communities.

Knight also awarded $750,000 to the National Council of YMCAs of the USA, based in Chicago, for development of local programs for immigrant youth and families in Knight communities. The Y’s programs will focus on naturalization, education, financial literacy and other citizenship skills.

In addition, $150,000 was granted to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, of Washington, D.C., supporting efforts to bring together state governors to discuss immigration policy.

“Knight Foundation has worked for years in partnership with national and grassroots groups to promote civic engagement and provide services to immigrants,” said Damian Thorman, Knight national program director. “Immigrant families now settle not only in the historic gateways, such as California and Florida, but also in new nontraditional gateways.... It makes sense to help eligible immigrants become citizens and take greater leadership responsibility in their communities,” he said.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. To learn more, visit, www.knightfoundation.org.


Contact: Marc Fest, Vice President of Communications, 305-908-2677

Read the Knight Foundation Reporter Analysis on the American Dream Fund program at:
http://www.knightfoundation.org/permalink/316633/137252

Related Links:
National Council of La Raza

Ya es hora

National League of Cities

YMCA of the USA

National Governors Association

Nominees for annual Women's History Month - Latina Wall of Fame

In commemorating Women's History Month 2008, the editors are working on adding this year's updates to our annual Women's History Month - Latinas Wall of Fame feature.

We will be posting biographies of the editors' and readers' picks for new honorees this year, and encourage you to stop back later this week to see the updated feature.

Meanwhile, as always, we are inviting your nominations for influential Latinas you would like to see recognized on the Wall of Fame, and encourage you to leave us a comment on this blog post telling us:

"Which Latinas do you think have made the most real, lasting
difference in shaping American history and culture, and our communities, and why?"

We're using the blog this year because we want to give contributors the chance to not only send us a name, but to also include a brief description -- in your own words, using links, if you like -- of why you feel this woman should be nominated and what accomplishments you particularly admire.

We also want to thanks those who sent in their suggestions after last year's feature, and hope you'll check back here or on the Village to see the new honorees later this week.

Good show, Amy, Juan

Dolores Huerta and Antonio Villaraigosa are howlin' for Hillary
Gus Cedillo and Federico Peña are barnstorming for Barack ...
...and DemocracyNow! does an informative wrap-up of last night's debate between the two candidates 5 days before Super Tuesday. Will Voto Latino bring 'em out for Clinton or Obama? Here's the blurb and the show, and while you're at it, join our own voto latino and let us know how you represent.

Democratic Presidential Nomination Could Hinge on Divided Latino Vote

With Super Tuesday just four days away, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are actively courting support from Latino voters across the country. We speak to Dolores Huerta, a longtime labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America who is supporting Clinton; Federico Pena, a former Clinton cabinet member and Denver mayor now co-chairing Obama’s campaign; and California State Senator Gilbert Cedillo, who is also backing Obama.

The Arrogance of (Media) Power

Fave columnist Roberto Lovato makes a convincing argument against the pundits who claim that Barack Obama's poor 2nd in Nevada to Hillary Clinton's win was an aspect of black-brown tensions. How can, Lovato reasons, the "experts," both black and white, know what's going on in the Latino mind if they don't follow the Spanish language media?
Lovato also asks, if Latinos are skittish on Obama because of his race, then why did they deliver 36% of their vote to Jessie Jackson's presidential bid in California in 1988 and a solid 50% in Latino-loaded counties in New Mexico?
Read Everyone's Expert on the Latino Vote, Except Latinos. It's anti-dotal.
As well as Lovato's musings on John McCain's chances of shoring up Latino votes for the GOP.
Finally, vote in our poll: Will Latinos cast the deciding vote come Super Tuesday in any of the 22 contests?

Joining the issues--Joining the struggle?

I do hope you take the time to read my op-ed on the Women’s Village page indicting “second wave” feminists for their elitism, pointing more specifically at their icon, Gloria Steinem, and her NY Times column premised on her belief that women are even lower down on the totem pole of groups non grata in our society than blacks. The piece begs the question of Latinas and their relationship to feminism, both black and white.
I also recommend our Focus on the race-gender based hostility between the Clinton and Obama camps.
We’d like to get a dialog going on whether Latinas can identify with and feel a sense of belonging to either the white feminists’ struggle or black women’s plight and fight, or whether the Latina experience confronts separate issues and expectations. So read and comment--give the HAV some content for a Latina follow-up.
And while you’re figuring it all out, don’t forget to vote in our poll on sister solidarity.

Institute for Justice and Journalism Seeks Ethnic Media

A heads-up from L. Patricia Ice, our resident attorney and columnist on immigration matters:

Deadline: January 28, 2008

USC Annenberg's Institute for Justice and Journalism invites ethnic media journalists to apply for its 2008 fellowships, focused on "Immigration: Reporting the Full Story."

IJJ will award ten fellowships to ethnic media journalists in early 2008 to enable them to report on the complexities of immigration issues with depth and context. Selected fellows will participate in a March conference in Tucson, Arizona, that will include field reporting experiences along the U.S.-Mexico border.
A follow-up session will be held in June at John Jay College in New York City.

Experienced print, television, radio, and online journalists employed by ethnic media news organizations are eligible to apply for the fellowships. All travel-related and professional development expenses will be covered by IJJ.

Application guidelines and forms are available at the IJJ Web site.

RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10010533/justicejournalism

For additional RFPs in Journalism/Media, visit:
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_journalism.jhtml

New Pew Report Clocks Latinos on Immigration

For a second week in a row, I was able to participate, via phone, in the Pew Center's release of an important study, this one on Latinos' attitudes to immigration, "As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Latinos Feel A Chill." The survey, taken in November, asked respondents whether they were citizens or not, but not about their immigrant status. Puerto Ricans were included as native born in the group questioned from the overall population, not the immigrant group. And Brazilians were included as Latinos. On the whole, the findings showed Latinos (75%) favorable to ALL immigration and a belief that, on the whole, immigration benefited this country.

Other tidbits that should whet your appetite to read the summary, even the whole report, are:
* 54% of Latinos fear deportation of themselves, family members or friends. (There has been an 84% increase in deportations in the past 5 years, with a tenfold increase in workplace deportations.)
* 41% of respondents said they have been discriminated against this year. 31% had an equal complaint 5 years ago.
* Hispanics and non-Hispanics disagree widely on current measures taken against the undocumented, the most notable: workplace raids, the cooperation of local authorities with federal immigration agencies, checking the documents before issuing immigrants a driver's license.
* Responses to nearly all the questions placed native born Latinos between the foreign born and the general population, though their views tended to side more closely with those of the foreign born, i.e, their own folk.
* 8 of 10 Latinos believe their children will be more affluent than the current generation.

For more stats on recent trends in immigration, try Stateline.org.