Highlights from the 2011 National Convention

Transcription

Highlights from the 2011 National Convention
Highlights from the 2011 National Convention
Winter 2012
President Moran with Former
President of Mexico Vicente Fox
Winter 2012
Contents
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A Message from the National President
82nd Annual LULAC National Convention
LULAC National Expands in DC and California
Leadership
Health
Denny’s: Making a Difference
Technology
Economic Empowerment
Ford: Driving Dreams Through Education
Education
LNESC Update
Civil Rights
Save the Date! 2012 LULAC National Events
Leading the Way: Latinos in Corporate America
In Memoriam
One-year subscription price is $20. Single copies are $5.00. LULAC members receive a complimentary subscription. The publication encourages
LULAC members to submit articles and photos for inclusion in future
issues. Once submitted, articles are property of the LULAC News and
subject to editing.
Advertising rates for LULAC News are available by contacting Paloma
Zuleta at the LULAC National Office in Washington, DC at (202) 833-6130.
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news
League of United Latin American Citizens
1133 19th Street NW, Suite 1000 TEL: (202) 833-6130
Washington, D.C. 20036
FAX: (202) 833-6135
National President
Margaret Moran
Executive Director
Brent A. Wilkes
Editor in Chief
Amanda Lee Keammerer
Aderibigbe
Managing Editor
Paloma Zuleta
Publishing Support
Luis Nuño Briones
NATIONAL OFFICERS
Margaret Moran
National President
Rosa Rosales
Immediate Past President
Roger C. Rocha
National Treasurer
Sandra Jurado
National Youth President
Berta Urteaga
VP for the Elderly
Regla Gonzalez
VP for Women
Ana Valenzuela Estrada
VP for Youth
Manuel Rendon
VP for Young Adults
Mickie Solorio Luna
VP for Far West
Maggie Rivera
VP for Midwest
Esther Degraves-Aguiñaga
VP for Northeast
Juan Carlos Lizardi
VP for Southeast
Baldomero Garza
VP for Southwest
Manuel Escobar, Esq.
National Legal Advisor
STATE DIRECTORS
Rev. John Mireles
Arizona
Rafael Arciga Garcia
Arkansas
Benny Diaz
California
Tom Duran
Colorado
Ada Peña
District of Columbia
Jose A. Fernandez
Florida
Brandie Bedard
Georgia
Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias
Illinois
Debra Gonzalez
Indiana
Gilbert Sierra
Iowa
Elias L. Garcia
Kansas
Jose “Joey” Lopez
Maine
Rose Satz
Maryland
Cesar Martinez
Massachusetts
Ralph Arellanes
New Mexico
Ralina Cardona
New York
John O. Ramos
Ohio
Ivonne Quiñones Lanzo
Puerto Rico
Linda Chavez
Texas
Antonella Romero Packard
Utah
Bob Garcia
Virginia
Luis Garza
Wisconsin
© LULAC National Office
The LULAC News is published quarterly by the national office of the League of United
Latin American Citizens.
news  WINTER 2012
A Message
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
from the President
Dear LULAC Brothers, Sisters and Friends of LULAC:
I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude
and appreciation to all those who attended, supported and
generously contributed to our historic 82nd Annual Convention and Exposition, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Under the banner of Bridging the Gap: Expanding the Latino Agenda into
New Frontiers, the convention was a tremendous success and
served as an ideal setting for addressing the critical issues that
impact our community.
Workshop attendees discussed many issues, from immigration reform and education to health care and civil rights. I
hope that everyone took the opportunity to engage in motivating dialogue and felt inspired to effect positive change for
their own neighborhoods, schools, and governments. After
all, in order to influence legislation that is responsive to our
needs, our work must begin at home. With our nation struggling to recover from the recession, these times have been
particularly hard for the Latino labor force in our community. Unemployment continues to remain as the top problem
plaguing the United States.
Our community continues to carry the heaviest burden.
Latino unemployment is at 11.6% compared to the 9.1% national rating. As recent Census Bureau data indicates, roughly
27% of all Latino families are below the poverty threshold.
Coupled with these figures are proposed harsh immigration
laws that target Latinos, regardless of citizenship status, and
leave us susceptible to racial profiling and law enforcement
discrimination.
Together, we can mobilize as a community! We can ensure
that our elected officials pass legislation that would add to the
purchasing power of our community, strengthen our businesses, and increase opportunities for us. Fight against the
ignorant rhetoric in the media that connects high unemployment rates to undocumented immigration, despite the fact
that recent studies have shown the relationship between these
www.LULAC.org
two issues to be practically non-existent.
The most critical issue looming over our community today
is the state of the economy. We have heard every policy recommendation about how we can turn the economy around.
Contrary to myths in the media, we know that comprehensive immigration reform that includes legalization of undocumented immigrants would not take away U.S. jobs and
would instead create them, adding at least $1.5 trillion in
cumulative GPD over 10 years.
The Immigration Policy Center and the Center for American Progress report that adopting a comprehensive measure
to put undocumented immigrants on a path toward naturalization has unlimited potential economic impact. It could
be marked by higher personal income, which would increase
consumer spending enough to create 750,000-900,000 jobs in
the United States, as well as increased tax revenues of at least
$4.5 billion, in as little as three years. At the end of the day, we
can neither tolerate nor afford to continue making the costly
mistake of ignoring this potential goldmine.
Comprehensive immigration reform is an integral part of
our financial recovery, and we must ensure that our elected
officials are held accountable when they fail to listen to the
facts. As a matter of national concern, we at LULAC are fighting hard to ensure that immigration’s vital role in reversing
our economy is part of the conversations taking place here in
DC. I invite you all to join us in making sure that the needs
of our community are heard. To find out how you can be a
part of the LULAC movement, please visit www.LULAC.org.
Sincerely,
Margaret Moran
LULAC National President
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munity service and unity were addressed by
high-ranking officials such as Secretary of
Health and Human Services Kathleen Sibelius, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Deputy
Director for OPM Christine Griffin, Assistant Secretary for HUD John Trasviña, Associate Attorney General and Co-Chair of
the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico
Thomas Perrelli and Secretary of Labor for
Puerto Rico Miguel Romero. The youth of
LULAC welcomed Melissa “Crash” Berrera
of mun2, comedian Alex Reymundo and
NFL Hall of Fame legend Anthony Muñoz as
special guest speakers at their Annual Youth
Banquet, an event that never fails to uplift
everyone in attendance.
This year, LULAC brought together more
than 19,000 attendees from across the nation. The Opening Reception set the tone
for the convention, as President Margaret
Moran, Mayor Mark Mallory, Ohio State
Representative Alicia Reece, and writer
Maria Antonieta Collins expressed a warm
welcome to all. This marked the beginning
to what became a convention filled with
thought-provoking ideas, inspiring many to
join forces and continue working towards
the fulfillment of the LULAC mission.
In an effort to continue the empowerment
of Hispanics within the federal government,
the Federal Training Institute (FTI) played a
key role in advancing this important initiative. The LULAC Federal Training Institute
Committee (FTI), headed by Sara E. Clemente, provided a learning environment
aimed to both provide resources for current
employees, as well as assist those individuals seeking opportunities within the federal
government. All registered attendees participated in several seminars and workshops led
by top federal employees, where
they had the
opportunity
to grow as a
professional
and expand
their networks. With
numerous
booths in
the free expo
hall accompanying the
successful
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human
Services Kathleen Sebelius at the
seminars, the
Unity Luncheon
general public
As the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony concluded on Wednesday, LULAC opened
its Expo hall to the community of greater
Cincinnati, where more than 132 booths
provided each and every attendee the opportunity to learn. Chatting with different
corporations, meeting government agencies’
representatives, visiting an AARP Wellness
Bus, checking personal health at the Cardiovascular Mobile Health Unit and receiving
free services at the Mobile Mammography
bus provided all participants with countless
opportunities to empower themselves with
critical knowledge, all at no cost.
Additionally, each day of the convention,
LULAC embraced a theme. Important values
like diversity, opportunity, partnership, com4
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
very year, the LULAC community
comes together to celebrate the advancement of the Hispanics in the
United States; location plays no role,
as the passion of the members drives
them to come together from every corner of
the country. For LULAC’s 82nd Annual National Convention, the LULAC community
chose the beautiful city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The theme, “Bridging the Gap: Expanding
the Latino Agenda into New Frontiers,”
created the appropriate platform for every
workshop, expo booth, event, and speaker
to address the challenging and interesting
issues that formed this successful convention.
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Bridging the Gap: Expanding the Latino
Agenda into New Frontiers
L-R: Alfonso Cornejo, Dan Lincoln, Maria Antonieta
Collins, Mayor Mark Mallory, President Moran, Ellen
G. Van der Horst and Melanie Healey kick off the
expo hall with an official ribbon cutting ceremony
received a clear and direct outlook towards
both how to access federal employment and
how to evolve as a leader.
Keeping with LULAC’s commitment to
diversity and inclusion, LULAC collaborated with Unid@s, the national Latina/Latino
LGBT human rights organization. Throughout the beginning of the week, Unid@s conducted their national assembly, addressing
such challenges as transgender bullying and
sexual health issues that affect the Latino
LGBT community across the United States.
In an effort to bridge the gap among LGBT
Hispanics, this year’s partnership between
LULAC and Unid@s reinforced that, through
similar national dialogues and alliances,
change can and will be made.
During the free community workshops
featuring expert panelists, LULAC sought
to increase the empowerment of the Hispanic community. By connecting members
with the top leaders in various policy fields,
LULAC hosted more than 30 exciting and
enlightening conversations in workshops
and seminars throughout the week. Focusing on important subjects such as education,
health, energy, technology, immigration, and
fundraising, LULAC reinvigorated all present with the energy and passion to continue
the work to be done beyond Cincinnati in
their own communities.
Some of the premier workshops featured
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82nd ANNUAL lulac national convention
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
This year’s convention proudly hosted a
Naturalization Ceremony for 93 future Unit-
Above: Maggie Rivera, President Moran, Melanie
Healey and Regla Gonzalez
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Below: Assistant Secretary John Trasvina at the
Freedom Center
www.LULAC.org
ed States citizens. Bringing together former
residents of 43 nations, the ceremony was
led by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. For Mayor Mark Mallory and the
Cincinnati community, this event marked
a historic day for all, as it was the first
time so many people were naturalized at
one time. In fact, as a sign of appreciation
from the community and Mayor Mallory
for all that LULAC accomplished, they
declared July 2nd to be Margaret Moran’s day.
mer President of Mexico Vicente Fox delivered a moving speech regarding the obstacles
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
speakers addressing timely issues, such as the
Puerto Rico Town Hall and the Immigration
Roundtable. Members of the White House,
such as Associate Attorney General Thomas
Perrelli and White House immigration policy advisor Felicia Escobar conversed with
attendees regarding the challenges Latinos
are facing and solutions that are possible.
In addition to the convention center,
President Moran, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, P&G
LULAC took advantage of the wonderful Marketing Director Alita Vargas, and P&G External
downtown sites in Cincinnati to host a Relations Manager Felisa Insignares
few main events. One of these was the
Opportunity Reception held at the Freethat the average Latino strives to overcome.
dom Center. A breathtaking museum depictFormer President Fox, and his wife Marta
ing the emotional and physical struggles that
Sahagun Fox, participated in the final events
many slaves experienced on the journey to
of the convention, and they also helped to
freedom, it served as the perfect conduit to
celebrate the beginning of a new year for
convey the hope that together, as Latinos, we
LULAC. Filled with the passion to sustain
can continue to bridge the gaps among us.
alliances across borders, these two leaders
are encouraging Latinos to unite their voices
In fact, at the Presidential Banquet, forand advocate for each other’s needs.
After an eventful week, the national convention closed with a thrilling Cincinnati
Reds baseball game, where local Hispanic
baseball players were honored on the field
by President Margaret Moran and actor
Tony Plana. Full of outstanding speakers,
top-rate entertainment, free workshops, an
expo hall open to the public, and a high energy around current Latino issues, the 82nd
Annual LULAC National Convention was a
landmark event for the LULAC membership
and a huge accomplishment for all working
to change the lives of Latinos in this great
nation. For more information about next
year’s convention in Orlando, please visit
www.LULAC.org/convention. The 83rd Annual LULAC National Convention will take
place from June 25-June 30, 2012.
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82nd annual LULAC national convention
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Above: The President’s special assistant for
development Cynthia Molina, President Moran and
Felipe Nuno, LULAC member and FTI member
Below: FTI attendees listen in on a workshop
entitled “Emotional Intelligence for Leaders”
Building upon these offerings, LULAC also
hosted the Hispanic Employment Program
Summit (HEPS). According to the LULAC
National Director for Federal Affairs, Sara
Clemente, “This summit was designed to attract all federal and state employees charged
with addressing agency diversity challenges
as they relate to recruitment, retention and
development of Hispanics. HEPS provided
attendees with the tools and resources to assist their respective agencies in addressing
these challenges.”
To combat such a low percentage of Hispanic representation in the federal government,
LULAC hosted the FTI Youth and Collegiate
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
How does the federal government attract
and retain the best employees from all walks
of life? This summer, LULAC addressed this
and other critical questions about how to
continue diversifying the nation’s federal
work force at its annual Federal Training
Institute. Taking place at the 82nd Annual
LULAC National Convention, attendees par-
ticipated in interactive discussions around
diversity, inclusion and representation
within the federal government. Drawing
over 100 federal employees, the LULAC FTI
seminars presented information about how
to address and improve recruitment of Latinos in the federal government. Beginning
with pre-conference meetings, focus groups,
and leadership training, this year’s FTI succeeded in connecting federal employees to
resources that can assist them in serving our
nation through their current and future governmental positions.
LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes,
OPM Deputy Director Christine Griffin, President
Moran and LULAC National Director for Federal
Affairs Sara E. Clemente
Symposium to empower youth and young
adults with information about scholarships,
internships, and careers. Students from the
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
2011 Federal Training
Institute
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
The LULAC National Exposition featured dozens of
federal agencies seeking to recruit both students
and employees alike.
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area met with federal speakers one-on-one
to discuss their professional goals and personal aspirations. With this younger generation taking the lead in the next few years,
LULAC will continue to not only provide
these opportunities for Latino youth and
young adults
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82nd annual lulac national convention
but will also keep pressing the federal government to attract and retain a top notch
work force that mirrors our diverse nation.
LULAC National Youth
day we meet again. Thinking about the magic that I saw happening in Cincinnati, OH
– and the opportunity to share a week of my
summer with such amazing young leaders
– fills me up with excitement. It was a great
time for us Youth.
The Pre-Convention took place at Xavier
University, where we all got to stay at the
university dorms and experience the college life. I cannot stress how important this
experience is. It reinforces the excitement
about living on campus, going to college,
and experiencing this kind of life. I saw a
lot of excited faces and others who were extremely happy to develop good friendships
on the first day of the convention. It is at the
pre-convention that we network amongst
youth from all over the country and this, I
think, is one of the most important things
to take away from LULAC Youth at any convention: the friendships you develop at this
convention are the friendships that will stay
throughout your professional careers.
Some of the activities at the pre-convention
www.LULAC.org
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Student participants at a LULAC workshop
Above:
Coca Cola manager of public affairs and community
relations Ish Arebalos and LULAC national youth
board member Nikki Suarez
Below:
NFL Hall of Fame legend Anthony Munoz addresses
the audience at the Youth Awards Banquet
Throughout the pre-convention, we were
split up into color coded groups, guided by
youth board members who went all out to
bring out team spirit and test who would be
better at the LULAC Game Show. This Game
Show tested the knowledge Youth members
had about the organization they represent
and leadership values they enforce every day.
We closed off the pre-convention and the
Convention started. Buses dropped off the
Youth at their hotels and the city was waiting patiently for LULAC’s arrival! With billboards and colorful signs, they welcomed us,
though some opposition to our presence was
also present.
Main Attractions at the Convention:
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Summer days are over and as everyone starts
a new year in school, I look forward to the
included
tours
of
Xavier University, The
Un i v e r s i t y
of Kentucky,
the Taft Historical Site
and historic
st reets of
Cincinnati,
as well as a
fun and delicious dinner
at a German
restaur ant.
Of course,
we couldn’t
leave without
leaving our mark: community service in the
local church, casa, and a nursing house.
The Workshops-- This is the biggest and
most important thing to take away! Workshops sponsored by McDonalds & Walmart
got you ready for maintaining a professional
career in the social world to being on a budget and how to control overspending, and
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82nd annual lulac national convention
member to visit: from an X-box game to
make-overs to the Marines booth, there was
something for everyone.
People-- Who doesn’t like to meet famous
people or people who have made it far in
life? From Vicente Fox, Anthony Muñoz, La
The Food-- It always seemed like a lot on
your plate, right? Now this also tested your
etiquette. From a salad to dessert, I knew I
was being treated like a queen.
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
job opportunities and how to interview correctly for them. You will leave the convention
being ready for success!
Leadership--Throughout the convention,
we saw leadership from the LULAC National Youth Board, who woke up every day a
little bit early to make sure everything was
in its place for the Youth to arrive to a good
environment and went to bed later just to
make sure that what needed to get done was
being done. I cannot thank Yoana Ayala, Andres Rodriguez, Devin de Loa, Nikki Suarez,
Roxanne Ribot-Gonzalez, Dianne Calix, and
Mrs. Berta Urteaga enough! You are the reason why this convention was so successful!
Thanks for your leadership!
This event is held exclusively for the Youth
to shine and let everyone know how we are
making an impact in our community. In this
banquet, we feature leadership at its best
with famous keynote speakers such as Anthony Muñoz-an inductee to the NFL Hall
of Fame, Crash from mun2, and comedian
Alex Reymundo. To the Youth: thanks for
making a difference in your communities
and be ready for next year to shine on the
stage. For the keynote speakers and sponsors:
thanks for your support and your dedication
to contributing to our generation of leaders.
New Leadership and the Upcoming Year-Next year, we await every single one of you
whom we got to see in Ohio and hope to see
each one of you and more members in Orlando, Florida! So let’s fundraise, find sponsors, and work hard to get there... a good
convention awaits us in Orlando.
This section submitted by LULAC National Youth
President Sandra Jurado.
Youth Awards Banquet-- Who doesn’t like
to get recognized for the hard work they do?
National youth board member presents comedian
Alex Reymundo with token of appreciation for
attending the LULAC Youth Awards Banquet
Banda del Güero, Crash, Hilda Solis, and all
the representatives from big industries, this
was a great convention no doubt.
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
LULAC national youth president Sandra Jurado
LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes and LULAC director of development David Perez with the
2011 Asamblea
Sponsor’s Exhibition-- With tons of goodies to take home, this was a must for every
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Unid@s Asamblea
cluding our LGBT sisters and brothers.
Dear Friends: The mission of Unid@s, The
National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender (LGBT) Human Rights Organization is to create a multi-issue approach
for advocacy, education and convening of
and for our communities. Guided by economic justice, feminist, environmental and
pro-peace values, Unid@s joins a global effort to transform systems and policies to
create the just and equitable world we know
possible.
We would like to thank LULAC National
President Margaret Moran, LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes,
LULAC Ohio State Director Jason Riveiro,
Jesse Garcia, President of LULAC Council
#4871 -Dallas Rainbow Council and 2010
LULAC National Council of the Year and
all allies within LULAC for making this
partnership possible.
This year we partnered with the League
of United Latin American Citizens.
We would like to thank the League of
United Latin American Citizens for
their long standing support of achieving
equal justice under law for all Latinos—in-
LULAC Facts
The LULAC National
Youth are on
Twitter!
In Solidarity,
Jorge Cestou, Ada Conde and Jaime Luis
Santana Rivera, Co-Chairs of Unid@s—The
National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender (LGBT) Human Rights Organization
Concierto de la Gente
How often are concerts featuring popular
artists free and open to the public? Nowadays, free access to good shows is hard to
come by, but LULAC continues to succeed
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
82nd annual lulac national convention
Project Runway’s Nick Verreos hosts the Macy’s
Fashion Show before the Concierto de la Gente
in presenting first-rate entertainment at no
cost every year at its annual national convention.
This past summer, Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center was the electrifying
site of LULAC’s Voces Unidas: Concierto de
la Gente during the 82nd annual LULAC
national convention. Hosted by none other
than Nick Verreos of Project Runway fame,
an exciting fashion show featuring fabulous
summer outfits from Macy’s kicked off the
Special thanks to LULAC
National Youth President Sandra
Jurado of Collin County Youth
Council 298 for contributing her
voice to the national convention
review.
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Keep up with the latest
news from the LULAC
National Youth Board at
home or on the go. Follow
them on Twitter @lulacyouth
or visit their official blog
at http://lulacyouth.tumblr.
com.
Crash of mun2 and comedian Alex Reymundo host the Concierto de la Gente featuring El Guero and Los
Lobos
www.LULAC.org
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82nd annual lulac national convention
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
LULAC members and supporters strive to
represent the LULAC mission in their efforts across the nation. Often advocating
with no recognition, these local leaders
work to ensure that the rights of Hispanics are advanced in the areas of education,
health, immigration, economic status,
housing, civil rights and more.
Above: Los Lobos performing for the LULAC national convention crowd at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati,
Ohio
Below: Seated persons listen to guest speakers during LULAC’s first naturalization ceremony
Special Naturalization
Ceremony
Taking place at the end of a long week of
events, one special ceremony stole the show
with its emotional setting. For the first time
in LULAC’s 82 year history, LULAC’s National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio included
a Citizenship Ceremony where 93 people became U.S. citizens. The ceremony took place
Friday, July 1st and featured highly distin10
guished guests such as USCIS Director Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Senator Rob Portman,
Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, Honorable S. Arthur Spiegel of the United States
District Court for the Southern District of
Ohio, and LULAC National President Margaret Moran. Visibly moved by the ceremony, attendees left
feeling proud to
live and work in
this great nation
where anything
is possible.
Woman of the Year:
Maritza Mendoza - Council 3151 – Anaheim, California
Man of the Year:
Fred Baca – Council 8003 – Silver City, New
Mexico
Council of the Year:
Council 5009 – Merrillville, Indiana
LULAC
Awards
What does LULAC mean to the
everyday person
in the community? Every year,
t housa nds of
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
night’s activities. Proud masters of ceremonies – Melissa ‘Crash’ Barrera of mun2 and
comedian Alex Reymundo – set the stage
for a fun evening of nonstop laughter and
dancing. Followed by an entertaining performance by El Guero, the main act took
over the stage – Los Lobos! The night could
not have been more energizing, leaving the
diverse Cincinnati crowd with a spectacular
presentation of the best that LULAC has to
offer – for free.
During every national convention, a select
few of these tireless advocates take their
place on stage before their LULAC family
and receive the organization’s gratitude for
their contributions to the advancement of
the Latino community. In Cincinnati, the
following LULAC members and councils
were acknowledged for their struggle to
speak out against injustice and lead the way
for change in our world. Congratulations
to all!
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82nd annual lulac national convention
Felix Tijerina Award for Service to the
League:
Joe Campos, Council 101, Dallas,TX &
Chairman of National SER
Aztec Awards for Civil Rights:
Edna Canino, Past National Vice President
for the Southeast, Miami, Florida
JC Martinez Award for Expansion of the
League:
Enrique Melendez, LULAC District Director,
Puerto Rico
Cesar Chavez Award for Leadership & Community Service:
Sylvia Gonzales, Vice President for the
Southwest
Anita Del Rio Award for Latina Leadership:
Regla Gonzalez, Vice President for Women
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Margaret Moran San Antonio, TX
IMMEDIATE PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Rosa Rosales
San Antonio, TX
NATIONAL YOUTH PRESIDENT
Sandra Jurado Plano, TX
Senior of the Year Award (presented by Rolando Gonzalez VP for Elderly):
Elsie Valdez – Past National Vice President
for the Southeast & Advisor to the National
President
NATIONAL TREASURER
Roger C. Rocha Laredo, TX
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR WOMEN
Regla Gonzalez Roslindale, MA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR
YOUTH
Ana Valenzuela Estrada
Tucson, AZ
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR
YOUNG ADULTS
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Raymond Telles Award for Education:
Oralia Garcia Dominic, Chair - Health Task
Force, Penn State University
diversity of the Latino community within
our nation. With Cuban, Mexican, Peruvian,
Greek, Chicano and Puerto Rican roots, the
volunteer-based board members are women and men – young and old – of various
backgrounds, work experiences and education levels. Yet, they all share one mission:
to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic
population of the United States. Elected during this past convention in Cincinnati, LULAC welcomes the new 2011-2012 national
board and encourages all members to keep
in touch with them for the latest updates
around critical issues in the Latino community.
Above: Items from the naturalization ceremony on
Friday
Below: U.S. Secretary of the Department of Labor
Hilda Solis speaks to the crowd at the Unity
Luncheon
John Arnold Award for Humanitarian Service (presented by Dr. John Arnold):
Lisa Hopper, Founder & President of World
Care
New LULAC National
Leadership
Representing close to a thousand local councils across the United States and Puerto Rico,
the LULAC national board symbolizes the
www.LULAC.org
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
President’s Lifetime Achievement Award:
Tom Sandoval, LULAC Council #2
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82nd annual lulac national convention
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
LULAC NATIONAL HISTORIAN
Luis Nuño Briones
Dallas, TX
Manuel Rendon Frisco, TX
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE
ELDERLY
Berta Urteaga
Lake Jackson, TX
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT NORTHEAST
Esther Degraves-Aguiñaga
Chelsea, MA
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHEAST
Juan Carlos Lizardi
Bayamon, PR NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHWEST
Baldomero Garza
Houston, TX
SOUTHWEST REGION
ARKANSAS
Rafael Arciga Garcia
Fayetteville, AR
COLORADO
Tom Duran
Pueblo West, CO
NEW MEXICO
Ralph Arellanes Albuquerque, NM
TEXAS Linda Chavez
Austin, TX
MIDWEST REGION
ILLINOIS
Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias
Chicago, IL
INDIANA
Debra Gonzalez Valparaiso, IN
IOWA
Gilbert Sierra
Davenport, IA
KANSAS
Elias L. Garcia
Topeka, KS
OHIO
John O. Ramos Columbus OH
WISCONSIN
Luis Garza Racine, WI
FAR WEST REGION
ARIZONA
Rev. John Mireles Phoenix, AZ
CALIFORNIA
Benny Diaz
Garden Grove, CA
UTAH
Antonella Romero Packard
Saratoga Springs, UT
SOUTHEAST REGION
FLORIDA
Jose A. Fernandez
Orlando, FL
GEORGIA
Brandie Bedard Tucker, GA
Above: Mariachis Altenas of San Antonio, TX perform at a luncheon
Below: Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, President Moran, USCIS director Alejandro Mayorkas, The
Honorable S. Arthur Spiegel, and Senator Rob Portman at the first naturalization ceremony held at the
LULAC national convention
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT MIDWEST
Maggie Rivera Crystal Lake, IL
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT FARWEST
Mickie Solorio Luna
Hollister, CA
NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIAN
Patricia Roybal Caballero
Albuquerque, NM
12
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
NATIONAL SECRETARY
Connie Martinez Tucson, AZ NATIONAL CHAPLAIN
Toula Politis LugoWest Roxbury, MA
news  WINTER 2012
82nd annual lulac national convention
PUERTO RICO
Ivonne Quiñones Lanzo
Hato Rey, PR
NORTHEAST REGION
MAINE
Jose “Joey” Lopez Lewiston, ME
MASSACHUSETTS
Cesar Martinez Boston, MA
MARYLAND
Rose Satz
Aberdeen, MD
VIRGINIA
Bob Garcia
Arlington, VA
WASHINGTON, DC
Ada Peña
Washington, DC
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
NEW YORK
Ralina Cardona Mott Haven, NY
Above:
The Embajadores Peruanos perform at Wednesday night’s Cincy USA celebration
National President
Honors Latino
Baseball Players
O. Cabrera
R. Hernandez
J. Francisco
M. Cairo
B. Arroyo
J. Cueto
D. Herrera
E. del Rosario
E. Volquez
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
With actor Tony Plana and LULAC Convention Co-Chair Jason Riveiro, LULAC National President Margaret Moran honored
nine Hispanic baseball players at The Great
American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.
President Moran delivered opening remarks
at the Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Indians
game and presented each of the following
men with a presidential commendation:
LULAC national women’s commissioners with Hall of Fame inductees at the 2011 Women’s High Tea and
Pinning Ceremony
Congratulations to all!
www.LULAC.org
13
LEADERSHIP
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
The LULAC National Office
moves to a new headquarters in DC!
Past LULAC national presidents join President Moran (center) in celebrating the grand opening of the new LULAC
national DC headquarters
L-R: Mrs. Rosa Rosales, Mr. Ed Pena, President Moran, Mr. Oscar Moran, and Mrs. Belen Robles
An ever increasing population, the Latino community has continued to experience great strides in
the areas of education, technology, health and political empowerment. At the 2011 national convention
in Cincinnati, LULAC celebrated 82 years of advocacy and advancing the power of Hispanics across the
United States and Puerto Rico. After our convention, LULAC proudly unveiled a new office to house
our national headquarters on the 10th floor of 1133 19th Street NW in Washington D.C. – our biggest
expansion yet! Within months, we opened our first regional office in Sacramento, California, further
adding to the growth of our organization’s ability to serve Latinos nationwide.
Our new headquarters are a reflection of the Latino community’s growing presence and reflect the
increased volume of programs LULAC oversees that bring resources to many of our communities. Since
1973, LULAC has played an instrumental role in Washington by ensuring that the voices of millions
of Latinos are heard. As the fastest-growing community in the United States, we will secure our seat at
the table and impact legislation that is important to our families. Our new office space will allow us to
increase our national staff, strengthen our ability to deliver additional model programs, and respond
to the Latino community’s growing needs and challenges.
This new chapter in our ongoing expansion will undoubtedly enable us to continue our historic
mission of advancing the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing,
health and civil rights of all Latinos.
Margaret Moran
National LULAC President
14
news  WINTER 2012
LEADERSHIP
LULAC National Launches First Regional
Office in Sacramento, CA
On October 12th, the League of United
Latin American Citizens opened its first
regional office in California. Both an important and historic day for LULAC, the
opening of this new regional office signifies
our growth as an organization and our unwavering commitment to better serving the
Latino population.
The opening of the new office will enable
LULAC to achieve a long-standing objective:
to establish a strategic foothold in the West
Above:
LULAC California state director Benny Diaz
Below:
LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes, LULAC
national vice president for the midwest Mickie Solorio Luna,
California Governer Jerry Brown and Roy Perez
through which we can advance LULAC national’s expanding initiatives in the region.
To commemorate this joyous occasion, LULAC hosted an official grand opening, in
conjunction with a dedication reception,
drawing diverse and notable attendees from
throughout the community.
For the grand opening, national LULAC
board members and guests were invited to
participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony and
open house. In her remarks, LULAC national
president Margaret Moran expressed her excitement for the opening of the new regional
office in downtown Sacramento, stating that
“California will allow us to continue our
fight seeing as the Golden State has – and
will continue – to play a pivotal role in the
struggle for Latino civil rights.” The grand
opening ceremony was followed by a reception made possible by our generous sponsors
Yum! and Community Financial Services of
America (CFSA).
musical sounds of Cafecito Combo delighted
all those in attendance. A beautifully painted
Above:
LULAC district 13 director Angelo Montalvo and LULAC
district 19 director Carlos Jaureque
Below:
Grupo Cafecito provides musical entertainment for the
night’s festivities
The reception took place downtown at Tequila Museo Mayahuel, where guests enjoyed
delicious Mexican cuisine. Meanwhile, the
mural adorned the entire front wall of the
room, enriching the atmosphere around it.
LULAC proudly welcomed the Governor
of California, Jerry Brown. LULAC national
executive director Brent Wilkes took a moment to personally thank the Governor for
his passage of the Dream Act in California
and for his endless dedication to the advancement of Latinos. The Governor provided closing remarks by reiterating his
commitment to educational attainment for
all students and demonstrating his support
of LULAC’s new endeavor.
Guests had the pleasure of hearing from
wonderful speakers including: Brent Wilkes,
www.LULAC.org
15
LEADERSHIP
Elizabeth Garcia, LULAC director of national programs.
Special guests who attended the reception included Insurance Commissioner Dave
Jones, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson,
and LULAC members from Antioch, Castroville, Garden Grove, Hollister, Los Angeles,
Sacramento, Santa Ana, San Gabriel, Santa
Maria, Stockton and many more.
Below: Sacramento LULAC members
LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes and LULAC national director of programs Elizabeth
Garcia, who will also oversee the new California regional office
LULAC national executive director; Margret
Moran, LULAC national president; Jessica
Nuñez de Ybarra, organizing committee
representative; Dave Gandara on behalf of
CFSA; Mickie Luna, vice
president of the Farwest
region; Benny Diaz, California state director; and
A view of the crowd gathered to celebrate the expansion of LULAC national into California
For their help with making this event possible, LULAC recognizes the following honorary and organizing committee members:
Honorary Committee:
Honorable Cruz Reynoso, Former California
Supreme Court Justice
Cruz Bustamante, Former California Lt.
Governor
Ana M. Caballero, Secretary of State and
Consumer Service Agency
Kevin de Leon, California State Senator
Roger Dickinson, California State Assem16
news  WINTER 2012
LEADERSHIP
the first sponsor for the California Regional
Office. Yum!’s generous contribution will
support critical office operations. We also
acknowledge CSFA for their contributions
to our opening reception.
Spearheading the office will be senior
staff member Elizabeth Garcia, the LULAC
Director of National Programs. The LULAC
California Regional Office will work to expand its community initiatives focused on
increasing college attendance rates, building broadband awareness, empowering the
community with financial literacy, disseminating health and wellness curriculum, and
promoting civic engagement.
Above:
Special guests at the LULAC California regional office open house
blymember
Luis Alejo, California State Assemblymember
David Hernandez, Northern Region, California Teachers Association
Organizational Committee:
Angelo Montalvo, LULAC District #13 Director
Dave Gandara of Community Financial Services of America
Rebecca Sandoval, Founding Member, Sacramento LULAC Cruz Reynoso Council
Michael Pérez, Vice President, Stockton LULAC Council #2060
Steven J. Ybarra, Executive
Consultant, Consultants Associated, Sacramento
League of United Latin American Citizens
California Regional Office
1225 8th Street, Suite 550
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 551-1330
Fax (916) 448-3248
Written by Kristian Larios
Rebecca Sandoval and Roy Perez
John Arriaga, President, JEA &
Associates, Sacramento
Roy Perez, Chairman, CA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
& CEO, RMP Strategies, Inc.
Gloriamalia Pérez, Partner,
RMP Strategies, Inc.
LULAC is extremely grateful
to its sponsors Yum! and CSFA
for their support. Yum! was instrumental in helping LULAC
achieve this goal by becoming
www.LULAC.org
17
LEADERSHIP
UNT LULAC Council #4789 Attends
HNBA National Conference
The Hispanic National Bar Association held their national conference in the
city of Dallas, TX from Aug. 31st- Sep. 3rd. The invitation was made to LULAC
Council 4789 of the University of North Texas to participate as volunteers and
attendees of the event. UNT LULAC was well represented at the event by sending 10 members to participate alongside members of the North Texas DREAM
Team and the Texas DREAM Alliance. This amazing opportunity for so many of
LULAC’s young professionals proved to be as fulfilling as we thought. The event
included many distinguished presenters such as Janet Napolitano, Todd Robinson,
Mayor Julian Castro, and Sen. John Cornyn. The HNBA Conference also provided
us with the opportunity to discuss national and state immigration policy with
experts in the field such as Brent A. Wilkes, Executive Director of LULAC, Héctor
E. Sánchez, Executive Director of LCLAA, and Thomas A. Saenz, President and
General Counsel of MALDEF. The wealth of information that these representatives
were able to share with our members was immense and will definitely help in the
efforts that we partake in in our community and state. One of the most important aspects of this experience was being able to interact with so
many professional Latinos that have succeeded and are doing what they love, while making a huge impact on society. This kind of inspiration
is difficult to put into words, but definitely well worth the effort.
One of the most memorable aspects of this Conference were the remarks of the Honorable Jimmie V. Reyna, Judge of the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit and past HNBA President, at the Awards Gala Dinner. Mr. Reyna shared his story of growing up in a poor
family so similar to the one that many of us are coming from. His inspirational remarks and story of success brought tears to our eyes and
fuel to our souls. He reminded us that everything we do must be done “Con Ganas”. Todo Con Ganas! This will be a moment that few of us
young LULACers will ever forget as it reminded us of the reason why we work so hard, why we put so much effort and why we sacrifice so
much. The HNBA was a success for so many reasons but also for the fact that it inspired the new generation of activists and professionals to
continue working hard and becoming the pillars of hope that our Latino community needs.
Submitted by:
Carlos Manuel
President- UNT LULAC 4789
18
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LEADERSHIP
LULAC welcomes Vancouver, Washington members!
We had a wonderful LULAC Organizational meeting on August 13, 2011 at Washington State University Vancouver. National
President Margaret Moran and former National President Oscar Moran attended the
organizational meeting in Vancouver Washington organized by Mickie Solorio Luna,
National Vice President, Farwest Region and
Diana Perez, President of Vancouver LULAC
Council #47013.
Guests included two of only three Latino
State Representatives in the state of Washington (Luis Moscoso, Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney), Vancouver City Council members Jack
Burkman and Bart Hanson, Honorable Mayor Michael Ciraulo of Battle Ground, Consul
of Mexico Enrique Romero, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler’s Office Field Representative Kim Peiper, Clark Community
College President Bob Knight, Washington
State University Vice Chancellor Dr. Karen
Schmaling, Washington State Commissioner
of Hispanic Affairs Rosalba Pitkin, two representatives for Clark County Public Health,
Vancouver Chair of One America Rick Covington, Coalition of Minorities, Si Se Puede
from state of Oregon, Latino Civic Alliance,
Christian Counsel Latino Support Services,
young adults from the Seattle/Tacoma area,
and several youth from Vancouver. Needless to say, it was a successful first meeting
for Washington in an effort to grow LULAC
in this Region. Already the local council
have begun communications to establish a
young adult council in Vancouver and Seattle, another council in Portland, Oregon,
and will make a special trip to meet with a
community leader in Yakima, WA. LULAC
members are excited to initiate a growth of
the organization in a State that is in desperate need of LULAC.
Keynote speakers included Joaquin Avila,
Voter Rights Attorney, Mickie Solorio Luna,
and Richard Roybal. Mr. Avila introduced by
Oscar Moran was the keynote lunch speaker
www.LULAC.org
and received a standing ovation and many
applauses for his renown work in voter right
cases. Mickie educated the participants on
the structure of LULAC and led participants
through an informal dialogue which helped
created an open friendly environment. Mr.
Roybal highlighted the educational arm of
LULAC and shared the expansive programs
that could benefit Latinos in Southwest
Washington. As a result of Mr. Roybal’s
information, we were able to submit a candidate in time for the Washington Youth
Leadership Program. Upon the end of the
speaker platform and meeting, President
Margaret Moran presided over the installation of the Vancouver LULAC officers.
the new Washington State LULAC Board.
Washington LULAC is now on the National
LULAC radar and we are all excited for the
new membership. WELCOME!
Food and snacks were donated by
WalMart and JoFoody’s Catering. This was
a huge money saver for the local council. The
title sponsor was MoneyTree, Inc., which allowed the program to be presented in a very
professional manner. The relationship with
Washington State University allowed for
easy use of the University’s facilities. Most
importantly, the in-kind contribution and
volunteer hours by LULAC members and
friends far exceeded the actual cost of the
organizational meeting. This is exactly what
the Vancouver Latino community needed.
As a result of the organizational meeting,
Vancouver LULAC has established more
partners that will help in the endeavor of
reaching the council’s mission within the
top 3 priorities: Health, Education, and
Immigration. Currently the committees
under these three priorities are busy identifying goals and tasks for the year, in addition to establishing critical partnerships and
key stakeholders. Without partnerships they
would not be able to go far. It is a long road
and now there is a path.
The next goal is for Mickie Solorio Luna,
VP for the Farwest to return to Vancouver in
January of 2012 and help establish and elect
Written by Mickie Solorio Luna, LULAC
National Vice President for the Farwest
19
HEALTH
Latinos Living Healthy - Updates from the National
Convention
The first of these was titled “Latinos Living Healthy: Addressing Childhood Obesity: Strategies from the Field”. The session
focused on the local perspectives of organizations that are combating the obesity epidemic by highlighting current statistics and
providing guidance for audience members
seeking to become involved in improving the
health of their communities. The panel consisted of Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator
at USDA, Food & Nutrition Services; Teresa
Niño, Director at the Office of Public Engagement, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health & Human
Services; Naomi Torres, Superintendent of
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
with the National Park Service, Let’s Move
Outside Junior Rangers Program; and Sabrina Spencer, President, San Antonio Social
Work Student Council # 4810, Latinos Living Healthy: Addressing Childhood Obesity
in San Antonio.
Guadalupe Pacheco, Senior Policy Advisor
from the Office of Minority Health moderated the second workshop, “Got Coverage?
The Affordable Care Act and Latinos”. Panelists Mayra Alvarez, MHA Director of Public Health Policy from the Department of
Health and Human Services Office of Health
Reform Latino Health & the ACA, Sinsi Her20
nandez-Cancio, Director of Minority Health
Initiatives at Families USA Health Disparities, and Oralia Garcia Dominic Ph.D., M.S.,
M.A. from Penn State College of Medicine,
Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Health Services Research and LULAC
National Health Task Force Chair addressed
the disparities in health care and the burden
of chronic disease on the Latino population.
This workshop highlighted the importance
of eliminating these disparities and how improved access and quality of health care can
improve overall health outcomes.
Director of Multicultural Initiatives at the
Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado, Juan
H. Flores, Executive Director of La Fe Policy
Research and Education Center and Rebecca
Frank, Online Network Analyst & Coordinator for PreventObesity.net spoke about
the possibilities available in social networking and the importance of using this tool
to reach new audiences within the Latino
community.
Finally, “Utilizing Social Media to Leverage Community Health Resources, Raise
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
LULAC’s 82nd National Convention in
Cincinnati was a great success. It connected
a growing Latino population in Ohio with
corporate exhibitors, federal jobs, colleges
and information pertaining to the community. LULAC representatives gathered from
all over the country to partake in events and
informational sessions centered around topics such as education, health, immigration,
housing and leadership development, among
many. Under the umbrella, Latinos Living
Healthy, three workshops focused on the
health of the Latino community were carried
out. These workshops were held throughout
the day on Thursday June 30.
Above:
LULAC national health and nutrition advocate Liliana Ranon guides a panel discussion about
childhood obesity
Awareness and Engage Your Community”,
focused on how people involved at all levels
of advocacy can use social marketing tools
and resources to improve dissemination of
information.
Submitted by Liliana Ranon and Alana Sutherland of
the LULAC National Office in Washington, DC.
Moderator Miguel Gomez, Director,
AIDS.gov, Office of National AIDS Policy
and the Department of Health & Human
Services and panelists Victoria Zempel,
news  WINTER 2012
HEALTH
Feria Familiar en San Juan, Puerto Rico
Obesity is a significant public health
problem in the U.S. It is particularly problematic among Hispanic Americans because
of the disproportionate rate at which they
are becoming overweight or obese. In 2009,
according to the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Hispanic Americans
were 1.2 times as likely to be obese than nonHispanic whites.2 Among Mexican American women, 73 percent were overweight
or obese compared to only 61.6 percent of
the general female population. From 2007
through 2008, Hispanic children were 1.4
times more likely to be overweight as nonHispanic white children; from 2005 to 2008,
Hispanic women were 30 percent more likely
to be overweight as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
couraged to sign up for the free sports
clinics led by the Secretary of Sports and
Recreation Henry Newman. Led by Plaza
Ejercicio instructors, adults participated
in a series of Zumba classes, another one
of Secretary Newman’s programs. In addition, participants shopped for locally
grown fresh fruits and vegetables at the
on-site open air farmer’s market. Thanks
to the support of the 100 vendors present, the general public obtained critical
health information and learned how to
incorporate simple steps into a daily routine
towards an overall more healthful life.
“Our communities increasingly suffer
from obesity-related chronic diseases. The
real option of making healthy choices should
not be afforded only to the affluent sectors
of our society but to all families regardless
of socioeconomic background,” said Brent
Wilkes, LULAC National Executive Director. “The obesity epidemic in this country is
predominately among the underserved and
minority communities. This is no random
act – an alarming amount of people in low
income communities cannot afford healthier
food options, lack knowledge about nutritious foods, and often live in areas that don’t
have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”
With over 10,000 attendees, the LULAC
Feria Familiar is a vibrant example of how
communities appreciate such events that
connect with people on a local level and
where the message is simple: It is important
With support from the Walmart
Foundation, LULAC launched an initiative focused on presenting healthy
food options, emphasizing the importance of physical activity and addressing the health inequities faced by
Latinos. Kicking off with a community
health fair in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the
Latinos Living Healthy: Feria Familiar
consisted of exciting health activities
throughout the day. The morning began with a series of workshops covering
topics from nutritious foods to internet
security and programs like WIC. Free
health screenings and vaccinations
were provided and children were enwww.LULAC.org
21
HEALTH
Feria Familiar en San Juan, Puerto Rico
to lead a healthier life and there are many
simple steps you can take today to lead to a
healthier tomorrow. LULAC recognizes that
the Latino community is eager to learn more
about health; we welcome the challenge of
empowering Latinos with tasty and healthy
food options that are not necessarily costly.
As one local food vendors stated: “People
have a misconception when they hear a certain food is organic, homemade, without
preservatives, or even healthy – they automatically think it is tasteless and costly, when
it is the opposite. More events like this one
are needed to introduce people to a healthier
lifestyle, and let them see for themselves that
good, healthy options are delicious.”
22
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HEALTH
Working to Prevent Diabetes from Arizona to Africa
In the early 1930’s, there were only a
handful of cases of Diabetes reported in the
United States. Today, our country like most
of the industrialized nations there is a pandemic. Our Latino populations, as well as
African Americans, are especially hit hard
with the scourge of Diabetes and statistics
show it is only getting worse. One ray of
hope is that our US based LULAC members
coupled with international LULAC Associate
members have teamed up to do something
about it. Since January, two seminars on the
Natural Cure of Diabetes have been held in
West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana) and one in
San Luis, Arizona, on the US/Mexico border.
The message is simple “we are a product
of what we eat” and Diabetes can be traced
to bad eating and poor exercise habits. Furthermore, the best way to prevent and cure
Diabetes is to go back to the natural foods
our ancestors ate; cutting out sugar, sodas,
salt, red meats, and sharply curtain dairy
products, fats and of course “junk foods” to
name a few.
So how did we get the message across? In
San Luis,
Arizona,
C e s a r
Chavez’
h o m e town we
conducted
a one day
seminar
on The
Natural
Cure of
Preventing Diabetes. At
the lunch
hour, we
engaged
the local
nutrition “promotoras” to prepare a “whole
foods” and organic buffet luncheon for the
300 participants. LULAC Council #1088
member Dr. Gabriel Cousens, who has 38
years of experience treating Diabetes “the
natural way,” was the keynote speaker. Both
the beverages and foods were traditional
but prepared in “the natural way” with-
out grease, salt, or sugar, preservatives, etc.
There was an abundance of raw vegetables
and fruits prepared from organically grown
produce. The response was overwhelming
with everyone wanting seconds.
In Ghana and Nigeria, similar seminars
were held in farmworker communities with
the same message. Emanating from those
West African seminars two nutrition centers
were established for on-going nutrition and
feeding programs. Up to 350 children and
elderly are served with “natural foods” daily.
The attendance of the two West African
seminars was over 1000 participants. That
same model is now replicated to feed 300
abandoned Mexican border orphans daily,
who have been deported from the Border
Patrol roundups.
Finally, Dr. Cousens encourages making
the necessary lifestyle changes in what we eat
and how we exercise to help eradicate Diabetes. For more information consult www.
treeofliferejuvenationcenter.nu.
Submitted by Dr. John Arnold
www.LULAC.org
23
HEALTH
Denny’s: Making a Difference One Diner at a Time
It’s no secret that Americans love to eat out. According to the National Restaurant Association, Americans are expected to spend more than $600 billion this
year dining at nearly a million restaurants and fast-food locations throughout the
country.
At the same time, 68 percent of American adults and one third of children are
overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To combat that trend, many in the restaurant industry have made changes to their
menus to provide healthier options for diners. One of LULAC’s national partners,
Denny’s, is a major player in the movement. And with more than 1,600 locations
throughout this country, their impact
could be significant.
“As America’s favorite diner, Denny’s is always open. Our 24-hour dining offers everyday value, choice and
accessibility to all of our customers,
as well as more nutritious menu options for diners at any time of day,”
said Robert Rodriguez, Denny’s chief
operating officer and LULAC Corporate Alliance member. “The health
and well-being of our customers is
extremely important to us, which
is why we want to present healthier
alternatives to some of America’s favorite dishes.”
“LULAC and Denny’s are united
in our efforts to improve the future
of this nation,” said LULAC president Margaret Moran. “We applaud
Denny’s for emerging as a corporate
leader in the health and wellness of
our communities.”
The nationwide initiative highlights two dishes on Denny’s Kids Menu – Denny’s
Junior Build Your Own Grand Slam® and Spaghetti Plate – that promote the importance of making healthy food choices. Both American classic dishes feature
whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean proteins while offering low levels of fat, sodium
and sugar.
“Accessibility to nutritious menu options is an important step towards improving the well-being of future generations,” Rodriguez said. “We encourage parents to
use the wide variety of meals and menu items offered at Denny’s as an opportunity
to teach children to make healthy eating choices for a lifetime.”
Denny’s is also looking to
improve the education of our
nation through such initiatives as Hungry for Reading,
a program designed to reward
young readers. For every 10
books a child reads, parents
sign off on a special Hungry for
Reading bookmark. Once they
reach 10 parent signatures, or
10 books read, they receive a
free kid’s meal at a participating Denny’s restaurant. Visit
your local Denny’s to learn
more.
Extending its commitment
to education during the 2011
LULAC National Convention,
Denny’s was lead sponsor of
the Community Breakfast,
LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes, Denny’s chief operating officer Robert Rodriguez, and
and announced their support
President Moran
in the amount of $2,000 to the
LULAC National Educational
Service Centers (LNESC), the education arm of LULAC. The funds will support
To provide dining options for a healthier generation, Denny’s recently introduced
the LULAC National Scholarship Fund, which helps approximately 1,200 students
a new range of nutritious Fit Fare® meals and menu items. Fit Fare dishes, which are
reach their educational goals each year. LULAC has committed to matching those
lower in fat and calories and higher in protein and fiber, are integrated directly into
funds, resulting in a $4,000 joint donation to the scholarship fund.
the standard menu along with their nutritional information. The new menu options
offer diners healthy eating choices without compromising on taste, value or variety.
“LNESC is excited to partner with a premier company like Denny’s to provide
In July, Denny’s was named an inaugural leader of the new Kids LiveWell promuch needed scholarship funds to the Latino community. We look forward to
gram launched by the National Restaurant Association and Healthy Dining, an
continuing this partnership and increasing our ability to serve high-need students
online resource to help Americans find dietitian-approved menu options. Created
across the U.S. and Puerto Rico,” said LNESC executive director Richard Roybal.
to help parents and children select healthful menu options when dining out, Kids
LiveWell nutritional guidelines highlight children’s meals that contain a total of 600
calories or less, including a paired side under 200 calories.
This article sponsored by Denny’s.
24
news  WINTER 2012
Open to making
our communities better.
And we stand by that. We are a company that values the health
and well being of all of our customers. That’s why Denny’s is
proud to partner with LULAC. By combining our efforts, we
can bring about greater change for our youth. Major initiatives
include the new Kids LiveWell program, Hungry for Reading
and the LULAC National Educational Service Centers
DENNY’S
ADhelps 11,000 students reach their
Scholarship Fund,
which
educational goals each year.
It’s what a great diner does. It makes a positive impact on the
communities it serves. It makes the world a nicer place too.
And we’re very open to that.
Join the conversation. You can find us at facebook.com/dennys
or twitter.com/dennysgrandslam. Or to receive our latest news,
offers and promotions, go to dennys.com.
Denny’s is an equal opportunity employer. © 2011 DFO, LLC
TECHNOLOGY
¡Cambia Tu Futuro!
across the country by helping to bring the
Internet into their homes and ensure that
they are not left behind as our country races
into the 21st century.
Broadband access holds huge potential
for the Latino community. Latinos have a
higher unemployment rate, fewer financial
resources, lower rates of English proficiency,
and higher rates of immigration than our
non-Hispanic white counterparts. Now,
more than ever, we must reach out to our
community and educate them about the realities of broadband Internet.
If you are reading this, you are likely committed to the advancement of the Hispanic
community. Like us, you seek to help Latinos
increase their access to opportunities that
lead to greater success. Maybe find a new
job? Buy a new car? Locate a new doctor?
Finish that final paper before earning a degree? Look for a better mortgage rate? Join
an exercise group? Get in touch with an old
friend? Give elected officials a piece of their
mind? You may already know that there is a
single tool – the Internet – that can help your
community members accomplish all of these
goals and many more. But, for some reason,
most people in our community, especially
Spanish-dominant Latinos, aren’t using it.
High-speed Internet access (also known
as “broadband”) is now a basic resource, one
that is essential to a productive, connected
and informed life. It is a utility—like gas,
water or electricity—that makes modern life
possible. It is time to stop thinking of it as a
luxury and start thinking of it as a necessity.
According to a recent Pew survey, only
45% of Latinos have broadband at home,
26
compared to 65% of whites and 52% of
blacks. Even when accounting for income
and education, non-Hispanic whites are still
more likely than Latinos to have high-speed
internet at home—by a factor of 14 percentage points. It gets worse when we look at
non-English speakers. Pew found that only
about a quarter (26%) of Spanish-dominant
Latinos have home broadband access, compared with about half (52%) of bilingual
Latinos and two-thirds (66%) of Englishdominant Latinos.
Why isn’t our community online? According to the U.S. Department of Commerce,
the number one reason people give—including more than a third of Latinos—for not
having high speed internet at home is that
they are “not interested” in the Internet and/
or “don’t need it.”
This is why LULAC and NCLR, in partnership with One Economy and a group of
the nation’s leading civil rights organizations
known as the Broadband Opportunity Coalition, have launched a National Broadband
Awareness Campaign: Cambia Tu Futuro.
Our goal is to reach millions of Latinos
Add your voice to this effort. Tell those
around you – parents, uncles, grandparents,
neighbors and friends. The Internet links
job seekers to employment opportunities,
connects students to financial aid, provides
language learners to educational resources,
and empowers immigrants with information
on their new communities. It is also a great
way to call home —wherever home might
be— and talk to family members for free or
close to free.
Say to your communities that the Internet is not, as many believe, “too expensive.”
In fact, you can get basic broadband service
starting at $9.95 rate (http://www.internetessentials.com/) a month. That is probably
less than many were paying a decade ago
for a home phone line and may be less than
they’re paying for cable now. More importantly, opportunities offered by broadband
make it an investment that will pay for itself.
The time to close the broadband divide is
now. Add your voice to this effort and reach
out to people in your community today.
We have also created public service announcements that will begin airing in the
coming weeks through your cable or satellite
provider. To see the PSAs and to learn more
about the Campaign—including how to get
broadband and how much it really costs—
visit www.cambiatufuturo.org.
news  WINTER 2012
economic empowerment
Learning about Financial Literacy with Wallet Wise
Looking for fundraising opportunities for your council or technology center? In collaboration with Ally Financial, LULAC has launched
a financial literacy program called “Wallet Wise.” LULAC councils, technology centers and LNESC can raise $400 per workshop by simply
empowering local community members with critical resources about budget, credit and loans. All interested LULAC members must attend a
mandatory webinar. Questions? Please contact Ulises Gonzalez at 202-833-6130 x113 or [email protected].
Wallet Wise by Ally Financial Program Description:
Ally recently introduced a new financial literacy program called Wallet Wise that will replace the existing SmartEdge curriculum. The curriculum will be available both online and via in-person workshops. Ally will provide workbooks (covering content on budget, banking and
investing, credit, mortgages or auto finance), as well as a PowerPoint presentation for each individual course that can be used to guide the
lessons. The curriculum must be taught to groups of 30 or more unique participants per class. LULAC councils and partner organizations will
receive $400 after each class is completed and documentation is submitted to Ally in accordance with the guided instructions.
Target Markets include: Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Riverside, CA; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; San
Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Santa Ana, CA; Denver, CO; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Cambridge,
MA; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; Kansas City, MO; St. Louis, MO; Camden, NJ; Edison, NJ; Newark, NJ; New York, NY; Charlotte, NC;
Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Salt Lake City, UT; Seattle, WA; Washington D.C.; and Milwaukee, WI.
www.LULAC.org
27
EDUCATION
Do you know
someone who has
not finished high
school? Are you worried about the future
of our youth? The
overall national high
school dropout rate
is of utmost concern,
as the problem is even
more severe among
minorities with nearly
45 percent of Hispanics students failing to
complete high school
on time. Understanding the important role
of LULAC Councils
nationwide, the Ford
Motor Company
Fund has doubled its
efforts to prevent rising dropout rates by Ford Motor Company Fund Lynn Quigley presents certificates to the 2011-2013 recipients of the Ford Driving Dreams Through Education grant with President
offering 10 more coun-Margaret Moran and LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes at the LULAC national presidential banquet
cils the opportunity to
cinnati, OH)
local solutions. LULAC and the Ford Motor
develop 10 new community-based projects
Company Fund would like to congratulate
in the coming year.
• LULAC Council #39000 (Dayton, OH)
the ten new grantee recipients:
LULAC and the Ford Motor Company
• LULAC #4692 (Victoria, TX)
2011-2013 Program Sites:
Fund have joined forces in a groundbreak• Anaheim LULAC #2848 (Anaheim, CA)
ing initiative – Ford Driving Dream Dreams
To date, the Ford Driving Dreams initiathrough Education – to support students’
tive has impacted the lives of 242 students
• East Aurora LULAC #5218 (Aurora, IL)
educational goals and ensure that more
throughout the United States. In addition
young Latinos complete high school. This
to the students’ participation, this initiative
• LULAC Council #5006 (Michigan City, IN)
initiative funds 10 local solutions aiming to
has developed 86 adult mentors and tutors,
mitigate a critical problem of national imengaged with more than 40 parents and 27
• Davenport LULAC #10 (Davenport, IA)
portance, one that is closely related to the
community leaders. Over the past year, over
economic growth of our country. LULAC
300 community members participated in
• LNESC / LULAC Council #9607 (Kansas
councils will provide services (extracurevents sponsored by this initiative and we
City, KS)
ricular activities, tutoring, and mentoring)
are now working with the councils to launch
to students in order to stimulate academic
their programs this coming fall, as well as
• Bronx LULAC Council #23044 (Bronx, NY)
achievement and encourage high school
continuing to support the initial 10 sites
completion.
chosen in 2010. LULAC and the Ford Mo• LULAC Syracuse Council #204558 (Syrator Company look forward to a productive
cuse, NY)
After a competitive review process, overyear of empowering young Latino students
seen by educational experts, ten of the 46
with the resources and motivation needed
• LULAC Cincinnati Council #39004 (Cinapplicants were selected to implement their
28
news  WINTER 2012
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
Ford Driving Dreams Through Education
Ford Motor Company Fund
and Community Services builds
communities through volunteerism
and partnerships with nonprofit
organizations that focus on education,
preserving America’s heritage,
and automotive safety.
Ford Motor Company is proud to partner with
LULAC and salutes the 2011 LULAC Council
winners of the Ford Driving Dreams through
Education program, stimulating academic
achievement and high school completion.
www.fordbrighterfuture.com
EDUCATION
Addressing the Latino Drop-Out Rate
to achieve their dreams. For more information about this program, please contact Ulises Gonzalez at 202-833-6130 or at
[email protected].
2010-2012 Program Sites:
• LULAC Cesar E. Chavez Council #1086
(Mesa, Arizona)
•LULAC #1083
(Phoenix, Arizona)
Photo by Luis Nuño Briones
• LULAC Salinas Council #2055
(Salinas, CA)
• Santa Ana LULAC #147
(Santa Ana, CA)
Lynn Quigley, Manager for Community Relations for the
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services at the
LULAC national presidential banquet
• Midwest City LULAC #19002 (Midwest,
Oklahoma)
• Central Texas LULAC #4734 (Temple,
Texas)
• Collin County LULAC #4537 (Plano, Texas)
• Greater Houston LULAC Council #4967
(Houston, Texas)
• LULAC Council for Justice, Equality and
Business Development #4782
(Farmers Branch, Texas)
• Milwaukee LULAC #326 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
30
news  WINTER 2012
EDUCATION
Empowering Students to Succeed Nationwide
Above: Massachusetts LULAC Sweethearts
Middle: Daniela Marquez, 2011 LULAC National Sweetheart
Below: President Moran with Joshua Montemayor of UTSA
LULAC National Vice President for Women Regla Gonzalez with scholarship
recipients
D
o you remember the first time you
saw a young person receive their first
scholarship? The excitement in their
expression, the gratitude in their voice, and
the determination in their heart to make a
difference remain imprinted in our memories. These rising leaders remind us that a
little recognition can go a long way and LULAC councils are proud to support students
striving to succeed across the nation.
Northeast Region 
chusetts Sweetheart Daniela Marquez, who
won the National Sweetheart at the LULAC
National Convention in Cincinnati, OH this
past summer. 
San Antonio, TX 
President Moran presents
scholarships
T
his past summer, President Margaret
Moran presented scholarships to Clark
High School students, Cassandra Borrego of Austin College and Joshua Montemayor and Edgar Estrada of UTSA in San
Antonio, TX.
Council 12113
In August, MT Washington Bank hosted
LULAC Council 12113 to award the 20112012 scholarship to Jenny Cintron of Council 12115, presented by Sara Barrientos,
president of Council 12113 and Regla Gonzalez, LULAC National Vice President for
Women and Scholarship Chair.
Also pictured is the 2011 LULAC Massa-
www.LULAC.org
31
EDUCATION
Encouraging Scholarship Among Young Leaders
Above: President Moran with Edgar Estrada of UTSA
President Moran with Cassandra Borrego of Austin College
Philip Reyes, President of LULAC Council 2 in San Antonio, TX
32
news  WINTER 2012
EDUCATION
LNESC & McDonald’s Form New Partnership to Bring Essential
Educational Resources to High-Need Communities
Written by Jason Resendez
Director of Corporate Relations & Development, LNESC
At this year’s LNESC National Breakfast
in Cincinnati, OH, LNESC announced a
partnership with McDonald’s USA on a new
national initiative to provide greater access
to higher education for Latino students in
seven high-need communities across the US.
Latino community at the grassroots level has
given us deep insight into the educational
needs of the Hispanic community and college access is a top priority. LNESC is proud
to partner with McDonald’s to leverage our
direct-service experience to bring college access information to thousands of students
across the US,” said Richard Roybal, LNESC
Executive Director.
white.
College Access & Success 101 addresses
these dismal numbers by equipping students
and their parents with valuable college access
information and counseling. Trained LNESC
center directors and coordinators will host a
series of workshops to demystify the college
application process and
decipher acronyms like
FAFSA – a key component to applying for
federal financial aid.
Further, LNESC will
focus on providing
parent-to-parent mentoring aimed at helping parents feel more
comfortable sending
their children away to
college.
The partnership is the culmination of
several discussions and
meetings in which McDonald’s and LNESC
strategized on the best
ways to provide students and their parents
with essential college
information at the
grassroots level. The
result is an innovative
and community-based
approach to addressing the Latino college
access dilemma called
College Access & Success 101, which will
focus on all aspects of
getting students into
college – from FAFSA
applications to course
selection and parent
Ford Motor Company Fund Lynn Quigley presents certificates to the 2011-2013 recipients of the Ford Driving Dreams
mentoring.
“McDonald’s is committed to developing
strategic alliances with
Latino organizations
like HSF and LNESC
that promote early college awareness,” said
Gus Viaño, Director
Through Education grant with President Margaret Moran and LULAC national executive director Brent Wilkes at the
of Inclusion & Diversity,
LULAC national presidential banquet
McDonalds. “Through
Through this initiative,
our sponsorship of ten HSF Steps for SucLNESC will also combine forces with the
cess College Workshops and seven LULAC’s
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), one of
According to the Department of EducaNational Educational Learning Centers,
the nation’s largest providers of scholarship
tion, Hispanic Americans are one-third as
families will have the opportunity to work
dollars for Latino students. LNESC will suplikely as white Americans and about 40 perone-on-one with qualified representatives
port and supplement HSF’s Steps for Success
cent as likely as African Americans to earn
who can guide them through the college
workshops, a series of large-scale bilingual
a bachelors degree. If this trend continues,
process to help students achieve their colcollege access workshops that will occur
out of every 100 Hispanic students entering
lege goals.”
throughout the United States and are sponkindergarten, only 12 will receive a bachelors
sored by McDonald’s USA. As one of the
degree by the time they are 20, compared to
HSF Steps for Success workshops and
nation’s largest and oldest Latino education
36 out of every 100 white students. Further,
LNESC College Access & Success 101 proorganizations, LNESC is well aware of the
according to National Center for Education
grams will be carried out in Los Angeles,
barriers that students in Latino communities
Statistics, while Latino students make up 18
Miami, Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia,
face when it comes time to apply for college.
percent of the total college age population,
Houston, and El Paso.
only ten percent of all 2002 undergraduate
“LNESC’s 38 year history of serving the
students were Latino and 69 percent were
www.LULAC.org
33
CIVIL RIGHTS
Advancing the Rights of Latinos across the United States
Midwest Region 
LULAC Ohio Congratulates
Board Member Inducted
Into the Ohio Civil Rights
Hall of Fame
V. Anthony Simms-Howell is the
fifth Latino inducted into the
Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame
The League of United Latin American
Citizens in Ohio, its State Director John O.
Ramos and executive board members are
pleased to announce the induction of our
Board Member V. Anthony Simms-Howell
into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame. He
is among a privileged group who has been
recognized for their substantial contributions towards the promotion of civil rights
in the State of Ohio. He is the fifth Latino
to be inducted, joining past honorees Ruth
Gonzalez de García, Baldemar Velasquez,
Salvador Ramos and Rhonda Rivera.
among others.
“Tony Simms has been part of the LULAC
Ohio executive board as our State Treasurer
for the past 4 years. He has been deeply involved as a civil rights activist for all Hispanic/Latinos and minorities residing in the
great state of Ohio. This is a well deserved
honor,” stated John O. Ramos.
Tony has received numerous awards such
as The Santa Maria Community Services Sister Margarita Brewer Hope Award, the 2007
LULAC Community Award, Distinguished
Hispanic Ohian by OCHLA, HCC 2004
Hispanic Business Advocate of the Year, and
a Lifetime Achievement Award by Su Casa
Hispanic Center.
Farwest Region 
LULAC California
participates in 13-day farm
worker march
The League of United Latin American Citizens in California marched to Sacramento
in solidarity with farm workers across the
state. With a historic breakthrough of 5000
participants, LULAC National Vice President for the Farwest Mickie Solorio Luna
witnessed firsthand the power of this great
march and was recognized by the UFW as
a supporter. The LULAC introduction was
performed by Assemblymember Luis Alejo,
who is also a member of San Benito County LULAC Council #2890. Pictures can be
found below and on the next page!
He will be inducted at the Third Annual
Civil Rights Hall of Fame Ceremony that
will take place Thursday, October 13, 2011
in Columbus, Ohio.
Contributed by Leyla Pena
The Civil Rights Hall of Fame acknowledges outstanding Ohioans who are recognized as pioneers in human and civil rights
and who have advanced the goals of equality
and inclusion. Inductees are individuals who
have made significant contributions in support of civil rights, cultural awareness, and
understanding in furtherance of a more just
society.
Tony Simms-Howell was born in the Republic of Panama. He and his wife Julieta
migrated to the United States in 1968. Both
have an extensive history in volunteering
and community involvement. He is currently
a Commissioner for the Ohio Commission
on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, Board Member
of the FBI Citizen Academy Foundation,
Founding Member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cincinnati,
and Member of Cincinnati Public School
Early Childhood Education Policy Council;
34
news  WINTER 2012
CIVIL RIGHTS
Marching for Justice, One Step at a Time
Above: The front of the historic farm worker march to Sacramento
Below: LULAC National VP for trhe Farwest Mickie Solorio Luna with the President of the UFW Arturo Rodriguez
www.LULAC.org
35
CIVIL RIGHTS
Know Your Rights!
The Anti-Discrimination Provision of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA)
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has an office dedicated
to ensuring that employers are not discriminating against work-authorized individuals
based on their national origin or immigration status. It is unlawful to fire or refuse to
hire certain workers because of where they
are from or because they are not U.S. citizens. The law also protects workers where
employers discriminate against them by asking for too many work-authorization documents or by rejecting valid documents.
How can you tell if an employer is violating
the law? An employer may be discriminating
based on citizenship or national origin in employment if the employer:
o
Specifically asks a worker for a
“green card.”
o
Asks certain workers for more
documents than needed to complete the I-9
form.
o
Rejects valid work authorization
documents.
o
Refuses to allow certain workers to
begin working based on a name and Social
Security number no-match.
o
Refuses to hire refugees and asylees
because they don’t have Social Security
numbers or green cards.
o
Only hires U.S. citizens (unless that
policy is specifically required by law).
o
Asks certain workers for work authorization documents before offering them
jobs.
o
Fires work-authorized workers for
lying about their prior undocumented status, but has not fired other workers for lying
about different aspects of their background.
o
Runs certain workers through EVerify before offering them jobs.
o
Asks certain workers to run themselves through E-Verify’s Self Check.
o
Uses E-Verify to check only some,
but not all, new workers.
o
Refuses to allow certain workers
to contest “tentative nonconfirmations”
(TNCs).
o
Refuses to allow certain workers to
work while contesting TNCs.
It is unlawful to intimidate, threaten, or
retaliate against anyone for contacting the
Hotline, assisting in any way in an investigation, or filing a charge with OSC.
For more information or to obtain outreach materials, call the Hotline or visit
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc.
What should you do if you think you or
someone you know has been discriminated
against in hiring or firing based on national
origin or citizenship status?
Call the Office of Special Counsel for
Immigration Related Unfair Employment
Practices (OSC) at the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice on its
Worker Hotline number at 1-800-255-7688,
9am-5pm, E.S.T. (TDD for the hearing impaired is at
What about E-Verify? An employer’s use
of E-Verify may be discriminatory if the employer treats workers differently during the
E-Verify process based on national origin or
citizenship or immigration status, such as if it:
36
1-800-237-2515). You do not have to provide your name, and telephone interpreters
are available in many languages as needed.
news  WINTER 2012
Submitted by the United States Department
of Justice Civil Rights Division, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair
Employment Practices
SI USTED TIENE DERECHO A TRABAJAR,
no deje que nadie se lo quite.
Si tiene derecho a trabajar
legalmente en los Estados
Unidos, existen leyes
para protegerlo contra
la discriminación en el
trabajo.
Debe saber que Ningún patrón puede
negarle trabajo, ni puede
despedirlo, debido a su país
de origen o su condición de
inmigrante.
En la mayoría de los casos,
los patrones no pueden
exigir que usted sea
ciudadano de los Estados
Unidos o residente permanente o negarse a aceptar
documentos validos por ley.
Si se ha encontrado en
cualquiera de estas
situaciones, usted podría
tener una queja valida de
discriminación.
Comuníquese con la Oficina
del Consejero Especial (OSC)
de Practicas Injustas en el
Empleo Relacionadas a la
Condición de Inmigrante
para obtener ayuda en
español.
Llame al 1-800-255-7688; TDD
para personas con problemas
de audición: 1-800-237-2515.
En Washington, DC, llame al
(202) 616-5594: TDD para
personas con problemas de
audición: (202) 616-5525. O
escríbale a OSC a la
siguiente dirección:
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Special Counsel - NYA
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
Departamento de Justicia
de los Estados Unidos,
División de Derechos
Civiles
Oficina del Consejero Especial
MenosPArAdAsPorgAsolinA y
másPArAdAsfuErAdElArutinA.
También conocidas como
42mPg* en carretera.
*AproximadodemillasporgalónencarreterasegúnlaEPA,graciasauneficiente
motorturbocargadoyundiseñoquereducelaresistenciaymejoralaaerodinámica.
El Chevy Cruze Eco 2012
Save the Date!
April 13-14, 2012 in Houston, Texas
“Honoring our Past, Celebrating our
Present and Envisioning our Future”
For more information and
to register, please contact the
LULAC Fiscal Office
201 East Main, Suite 605
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-577-0726
www.LULAC.org
38
Hotel Information:
Hilton Houston Post Oak
2001 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston, TX 77056
Reservations: 713-961-9300
Cut-off date: 3-28-2012
news  WINTER 2012
“The most exciting event in the Hispanic community”
83rd LULAC
National Convention & Exposition
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort | June 25 — June 30, 2012
300 Exhibitors
20,000 Participants
150 Panelists & Speakers
The following events are free and open to the public:
50 Workshops & Seminars
Federal Training Institute
Job, College & Health Fair
Youth Conference & First Rate Entertainment
League of United Latin Amer ican Citizens
Leading the way: latinos in corporate
america
A father of four, Fernando Laguarda relishes his full life. Hard work – in and out of the office – has been a
major driver in his career. “Confidence and determination are really important to success,” he says. “Good ideas
are easy, [but] it’s working hard that matters.”
As Vice President of External Affairs and Policy Counselor at Time Warner Cable, Inc - and a member of
LULAC’s Corporate Alliance Executive Committee and Vice Chair of its Policy Committee - the peripatetic
Laguarda is one of the driving forces behind the partnership between LULAC and Time Warner Cable, a major
multichannel video program provider.
He was instrumental in arranging for Time Warner Cable to have a highly visible presence at the 82nd LULAC
National Convention & Exposition in Cincinnati this past summer. Not only did Time Warner Cable’s large
booth on the convention floor feature its residential and business-class offerings, it was also staffed by human
resources professionals who assisted attendees in uploading resumes for possible positions within the company.
Time Warner Cable also sponsored LULAC’s presidential gala awards banquet at the convention.
While arranging the company’s presence at the Cincinnati convention required tremendous effort from Laguarda, and VP External Affairs
Howie Hodges, the two feel it was a terrific investment. The company’s presence “showcased its deep connections with the Hispanic market
across our entire footprint and in each of our various business segments,” Laguarda says.
Not far from the site of the LULAC convention is another prime example of the LULAC-Time Warner Cable collaboration. Beginning in
2010, under a three-year, $200,000 grant, Time Warner Cable and LULAC are supporting five technology centers that provide broadband
Internet technology and training to underserved Latino communities throughout the country. The tech center in Cincinnati is joined by similar facilities in San Antonio, TX; Kansas City, MO; Waukesha, WI; and Charlotte, NC. Time Warner Cable plans to connect 13 more LULAC
Tech Centers this year. That the centers emphasize Internet skills Latinos can use to research opportunities in employment and education is
critical to Laguarda. It stems from his appreciation for hard work. Whether he’s speaking about career choices or ways Latinos can overcome
obstacles, this same work ethic is central to his ideas. “People see you or see or hear your name and they make assumptions before they meet
you,” he says. “Work hard, keep an open mind, and be willing to learn and contribute and you will go far.”
Laguarda believes hard work need not feel onerous. Of his own position at Time Warner Cable, he says, “Helping a company that provides
good jobs to more than 48,000 people in 28 states is pretty cool.” A lawyer by training—he received his J.D. from Georgetown and his undergraduate degree from Harvard, both with honors—Laguarda even found enjoyment in his corporate lawyer days before joining Time Warner
Cable. “I’ve litigated in federal and state courts, which is scary but really fun.”
Clearly, Laguarda has found his calling at Time Warner Cable, where he combines law with community service. As TWC’s lead voice in
Washington, DC on external affairs, Laguarda explains that he “get[s] to work with and support a range of important community organizations.” He continues his community service outside the office, serving on the boards of the Family Online Safety Institute, Friends of the
National Museum of the American Latino and the Harvard Alumni Association. Laguarda is also board chairman of Washington Empowered
Against Violence (WEAVE), which provides legal services and counseling to survivors of domestic abuse, stating that “I’ve always taken pro
bono cases representing victims of domestic violence.”
Despite his hectic schedule, it’s rare to find Laguarda without a smile on his face. “It’s not a sacrifice if you’re doing what you enjoy, and
that means both at work and at home.”
A longtime partner of LULAC, Walmart strives to create opportunities that improve lives every day. Oftentimes, the goals of LULAC members overlap with the mission of Walmart itself, resulting in the development of unique community perspectives. One example of this special
partnership lies in the everyday experience of one LULAC member from Arkansas, Mr. Adrian E Dominguez.
40
news  WINTER 2012
Leading the way: latinos in corporate
america
Adrian is a native of El Paso, Texas and has lived in Northwest Arkansas for seven years. Presently, he is a
Logistics General Manager for Walmart. During his tenure at Walmart, he has been recognized for three years
as Specialty DC of the Year, Safety DC of the Year and the Arkansas Governor’s Office for Safety. He was the
Hispanic/Latino Associate Resource Group Associate Development Chair, recipient of the Heroes de Corazon
Award for community involvement, and recipient of the UNITY Award recognizing outstanding inclusiveness
and opportunities within the Associate Resource Groups.
An active member of his community, Adrian has been a council officer for 5 years within the League of United
Latin American Citizens. As State Officer for the Knights of Columbus, he earned the international distinction
of District Deputy of the year. Adrian is also a leader for the AMIGOS (A Motivated Informed Group of Supporters) mentoring program at Bentonville Highs School, a respected church leader and board of director on
the Rogers/Lowell Chamber of Commerce.
Married to Socorro and father of two wonderful girls, Kristina who is a junior in college and Gabriela who is a 12th grader, Adrian exemplifies the best combination of what LULAC and Walmart leaders can become.
Denny’s may be America’s diner, but with restaurants in eight countries and executive leadership from around
the globe, America’s diner is becoming much more international.
One of the highest-ranking Denny’s executives is Robert Rodriguez, a newly appointed board member of
the LULAC Corporate Advisory Council. As chief operating officer, Rodriguez oversees the operations of the
company’s nearly 1,700 diners worldwide. And as a Cuban American, he has a passion for strengthening the
company’s involvement with, and support of, the minority community.
“As an immigrant to this country, I appreciate the importance of opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “As an industry leader, it is incumbent upon this company to give opportunities to minorities and allow them to succeed.”
Denny’s values diversity in all areas of the company’s operations. As of 2011, minorities make up 60 percent of
Denny’s total workforce and 40 percent of its overall management. The board of Denny’s Corporation consists
of 10 directors, 40 percent of whom are minorities and women. Fifty-nine percent of franchises are minority
and women-owned. Since the inauguration of Denny’s Supplier Diversity Initiative in 1995, the company has
spent more than $1.4 billion with minority and women-owned business enterprises.
“Part of my job is fostering the professional development of our employees,” Rodriguez said. “I work closely with all of our franchise owners,
especially our minority team members, to create development plans and set goals and expectations for their growth. I am incredibly proud
of what our minority franchise owners have done, and Denny’s is committed to supporting those team members to continue that success.”
The connections between Denny’s and LULAC have never been stronger, including a shared commitment to health and education. Denny’s
new Fit Fare menu features items for all ages that are lower in calories, fat and sodium with higher levers of healthy protein and fiber. And at
the 2011 LULAC National Convention, Rodriguez announced a $2,000 donation from Denny’s to the LULAC National Educational Service
Centers Scholarship Fund, which helps more than 11,000 students reach their educational goals each year.
“LULAC is doing a fantastic job teaching our Hispanic students the importance of education and healthy eating,” Rodriguez said. “Denny’s
is proud to partner and support organizations that are recognized as community leaders in order to create a stronger, healthier, brighter generation.” To learn more about the exciting things that are happening at Denny’s, visit us at www.dennys.com.
www.LULAC.org
41
In Loving Memory of Bryan Michael
Zamudio
Berna Maya, Salinas LULAC Council
#2995
God received our angel Bryan MichaelMaya Zamudio at 3:15 September 2,
2011. Brian was such a giving person
and as a organ donor seven gifts from his
body will save the lives of seven people
and his memory will live on forever! I
loved my nephew with all my heart and
I will miss his big smile and jokes. But I
will always have the beautiful memories
we shared. Thanks to my family, dear
friends, coworkers, and all elected
officials for all your thoughts and prayers.
Sra. Manuela Maya, Grandmother,
LULAC Council #2995
Our grandson always thought of others
first, when I had a heart attack last year,
he vowed to donate any organ to me to
keep me alive, and when he went for his
driver’s license recently, he signed up
to be a donor, not knowing how soon
God would take him home and allow his
desire to keep others alive come to pass.
Our grandson has blessed 7 other people
to live and we know God has received
Bryan in his Glory.
Mickie Solorio Luna, National VP
Farwest Region
Our sympathy goes out to the Margie
Maya Zamudio and the Maya family in
the tragic loss of Bryan. Bryan dedicated
many volunteer hours as a LULAC
Youth member and set the tone for
other young people to follow his desire
in helping others. Bryan gave more
than community service when he made
a decision to donate his organs so that
others could enjoy life as he had. This is
not only a tragic loss for the family but
also for LULAC Youth and the LULAC
organization. We must continue to work
daily to address youth violence in our
communities nationwide that at times
impact our membership and loved ones.
May Bryan rest in peace and may his
family know how much we in LULAC
appreciate the lesson Bryan has taught
everyone of us. Love each other, give so
others can live.
42
news  WINTER 2012
In Memory of Jorge Fuentes Davila
LULAC Remembers Jorge Fuentes
It’s with a heavy heart that, on behalf of LULAC, I take this opportunity to pay my sincere respects to Jorge Fuentes, LULAC’s meeting
planner for the past 16 years. A dear friend to the LULAC family, the passing of Jorge Fuentes was a loss felt deeply throughout the LULAC
community. Jorge’s wonderful talent and artistic eye was largely responsible for the evolution of LULAC’s National Convention into one
of the most professional, well run and visually impressive events in the Hispanic community.
Following his passing we received many emails and letters of regret sent by Jorge’s former colleagues, friends and LULAC members.
Many of you expressed sorrow at having lost him so suddenly. I fondly remember working with him as we planned the national convention and other LULAC events. His ability to take an empty convention hall and bring it to life with spectacular events always amazed me.
His friendship, work ethic, keen attention to detail and creativity will be sincerely missed.
LULAC’s most important assets are our wonderful members and employees who give their talent, creativity and hope to make us an
incredible force for good. Jorge Fuentes loved LULAC and put his heart and soul into making us a better organization. We will all remember him for his humor, accomplishments and dedication to helping LULAC become a more capable advocate for Latinos throughout the
United States and Puerto Rico.
www.LULAC.org
43
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