Newsletter FALL 2012 - US Mexico Foundation

Newsletter FALL 2012
October, 2012
Strategic Binational Philanthropy
I. USMF HOLDS ANNUAL BOARD MEETING
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, MX – On
September 18th and 19th USMF trustees gathered for
the Annual USMF Board meeting. The successful
meeting included discussion of strategic areas of
programmatic and institutional development and
in-depth reports of a number of new grants provided in
the past year, new programs and important strides
achieved as part of existing initiatives. USMF's TREND TOPICS
II. ESCUELA CENTENARIO
Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, MX – On September 17 th the
U.S.-Mexico Foundation (USMF), represented by its President and
CEO, Martha Smith, trustees and staff, participated in a ceremony
at the Elementary School Escuela del Centenario, to honor Ignacio
E. Lozano and to present a gift to the school along with several
partner organizations. The school was built in 1921 thanks to Mr.
Lozano, founder of the newspaper La Prensa of San Antonio, TX.
His family was represented by his son, Ignacio Lozano of Los
Angeles, CA, his daughter Mary Alice Lozano de Brockman of
Mexico City and a number of the founder’s grandchildren and their
families.
The school prepared a festival filled with Mexican traditions
including: dancing, music, food and customs.
“The rich history of this school and the cross-border ties we see
here constitute a perfect example of the kind of leadership and
partnership USMF values and works to replicate throughout the U.S.
and Mexico, specifically through our Mexican American
Leadership Initiative,” said David Ayón, Co-Chair of the USMF
Mexican American Leadership Initiative (MALI).
USMF Board Members and team mentioned these
highlights in the collage above.
“The spirit of Don Ignacio’s legacy, mobilizing efforts in the United
States to work across borders with Mexican counterparts and
address issues at the core of our well-being as a region continues to
live on today through his family and through the work of the
U.S.-Mexico Foundation. We are incredibly proud to be able to
honor the history of Escuela del Centenario and to partner with
distinguished organizations like Nacional Monte de Piedad and UNETE in order to support the young people of Dolores Hidalgo,”
said Martha Smith, USMF President and CEO.
Thanks to all the board members for their participation!
III. BORDER CONFERENCE
U.S. Department of Commerce and Arizona
State University Co-host Conference:
Realizing the Economic Strength of Our 21st
Century Border
Tempe, AZ – On September 23rd – 25th, Arizona
State University joined with the U.S. Department of
Commerce to host members of Congress, state and
local government officials, and business leaders
from the U.S.-Mexico border to conclude the first
annual “Realizing the Economic Strength of Our
21st Century Border” conference in Tempe. USMF
Trustee, Raúl Rodríguez, participated as a panelist
as Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the North
America Center for Transborder studies at Arizona
State University. Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Market Access and Compliance and a member
of the USMF Mexican American Leadership Initiative
(MALI), Michael Camuñez, provided opening and
closing remarks. The three-day conference
highlighted the critical role the U.S.-Mexico trade
relationship plays in strengthening the national,
state, and local economies for both countries –
specifically areas along the border. The U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most
important trade corridors for North American
businesses, representing a $460 billion economic
relationship between the two countries. The border region represents a critical staging point
for U.S. commercial activity with Mexico where
approximately 80 percent of U.S. exports pass
through or originate in that region. It is, therefore,
the key to unlocking the true potential of the
U.S.-Mexico relationship.
IV. NATIONAL HISPANIC FOUNDATION FOR THE
ARTS GALA
Washington, D.C – On September 11th, the USMF attended The
National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts’ (NHFA) 2012
Noche de Gala, as a guest of Nielsen Corp. The event was hosted
by Co-founders Jimmy Smits and Esai Morales, honored Mexican
actor and Oscar nominee Demian Bichir, among others. NHFA was created in 1997 to promote Hispanic talent in the
performing arts.
From left to right: (Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, Director of the Mexican
American Leadership Initiative (MALI), Heather Rotondi Development and
Administration Officer from The U.S.-Mexico Foundation, Dolores Huerta, Raúl Lomeli; Chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, Monica Gil from Nielsen Corp, Nielsen Corp
representatives and Jonathan Patton SaberesPoder)
VI. USMF Hosts Panel Discussion for Jóvenes en
Acción Program
Washington, D.C. – On August 7th, USMF organized a panel of
experts to discuss effective tools for building civil society
engagement and advocacy for a group of talented Mexican students
selected to be part of the Jóvenes en Acción Program. The U.S.
State Department and the Secretariat for Public Education of
Mexico, in collaboration with the private sector of both countries,
offer this program (Youth in Action), which provides low-income
V. FALL INTERNS
The U.S.-Mexico Foundation is proud to have this
semester 3 interns that are very much involved
with our mission.
I'm Vanessa Ramirez, a graduate
student at Georgetown University. I am
pursuing a Masters in Foreign Service,
with a concentration in International
Commerce and Business. I was born in
Colombia but have lived in the U.S. since I was 10
years old. I moved from New York to D.C. last year
to pursue my graduate degree. My educational
background is in Economics and French, and I
worked in Finance then subsequently in Antitrust
and Intellectual Property (IP) Law prior to returning
to school.
I am Eduardo Vidales, graduate student
from Mexico. My major was
International Business at Universidad
Anáhuac de Querétaro. I came to D.C.
as part of The Washington Center’s
Governors Program, which helps
graduate students to develop a project
that will contribute to Mexico’s economy, society,
environment, and/or development. The project I
am working on is a microfinance institution that
seeks to empower poor women in Mexico by
loaning small credits to help create a small
business or invest in one that exists already.
My name is Héctor Manuel Gómez
Vidal. I went to Law School in Mexico
City at the "Escuela Libre de Derecho".
I have worked in the public service for
a couple of years -at the federal
judiciary system in Mexico - and I also had the
opportunity to work in strategic litigation in the
field of human rights, focused in the defense of the
indigenous community called "Cucapas" in the
State of Baja California.
I currently work on assisting the USMF with
research, communications and development,
primarily focused on MALI and P2P.
VII. 2012 Congressional Hispanic
Caucus Institute Gala and 35th
Anniversary
Washington, D.C. – On September 13th, the USMF
attended the 35th Anniversary celebration of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute as a guest
of one of our major corporate sponsors, Walmart.
The USMF was represented by Zuraya Tapia, MALI
Director and Director of Communications. Honorees
included several distinguished Mexicans and
Mexican-Americans, including George Lopez and Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.
Mexican youth enrolled in the sophomore or junior year of high
school the opportunity to experience the United States and develop
their leadership skills.
The panel consisted of Estuardo Rodriguez, Principal at the Raben
Group; Hector Sanchez, Executive Director of the Labor Council of
Latin American Advancement (LCLAA); Laura Vazquez,
Immigration Legislative Analyst Immigration Policy Project, NCLR; Chris Espinosa , National Director of Advocacy, Hispanic
Federation; and Jose Magaña, LCLAA. The speakers provided the
students with different perspectives on grassroots and grass-tops
organizing, and examples of practices that allow students to
achieve success as leaders of their communities. Zuraya Tapia,
MALI Director, moderated the panel.
VIII. SPECIAL EVENTS
A. Mariachi High
Mariachi High
documents a year in
the life of competitive
high school mariachi
musicians in the
top-ranked ensemble
Mariachi Halcon in the
small border town of
Zapata, Texas – a
flash point for the
complex issues facing
the fastest-growing
ethnic group in the
US. MARIACHI HIGH
turns a positive lens on the dreams and challenges of Mexican
American teenage-hood. In this spirited coming-of-age story, college-bound Latino role
models compete to be the state’s champion band while
experiencing the trials and triumphs shared by all American teens.
From nerve-racking band auditions to the thrill of the 2010 Mariachi
Vargas Extravaganza in San Antonio, graduation and beyond,
MARIACHI HIGH provides much-needed affirmative screen time for
teens who are inspired by cultural pride and striving for excellence.
IX. VIDEO PRESENTATION
MARIACHI HIGH is currently in the post production phase with the
support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Latino Public
Broadcasting, National Geographic’s All Roads Film Project, Chicken
& Egg Pictures, the Lucius & Eva Eastman Fund, Yip Harburg
Foundation, American Electric Power and the Alice Kleberg Reynolds
Foundation.
B. XVI Annual U.S.-Mexico Congressional Border Issues
Conference
Washington, D.C. – On September 20th. The United States-Mexico
Chamber of Commerce hosted what is now a sixteen year tradition
in conjunction with Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX),
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Congressman Henry
Cuellar (D-TX), and the Congressional Border Caucus to address
border issues. Decision-makers from the two nations' capitals and
the border region met at the Rayburn House Office Building. They
explored common issues, learned about border programs and
reviewed potential new policy approaches.
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