Podcasts about latino affairs

To celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, the OneHaas podcast welcomes Patty Juarez, the executive vice president and head of Hispanic and Latino Affairs at Wells Fargo Bank. Patty found her passion for finance and banking at an early age, growing up in Mexicali, Mexico, watching her father run his business. After moving to the U.S. at age 11, education became a top priority for Patty and her siblings. When it came time to apply for colleges, Patty knew Haas was the school for her. She and host Sean Li discuss her childhood in Mexico and how her life changed after moving to the U.S., the work she's done at Wells Fargo to increase capital access for minority business owners, and how she got her nickname of “the people's banker.” *OneHaas Alumni Podcast is a production of Haas School of Business and is produced by University FM.*Episode Quotes:What it was like to leave Mexico at a young ageAs a sixth grader, I felt like it was the end of the world, like moving away from my birth country. Even if it was just across the border, really a few miles away, it just felt like a huge change. Of course, you know, you leave your friends behind and you start a whole new world in the U.S.Where her passion for finance beganI always knew I wanted to be a banker. It's almost like since I was a kid, I was the bank. Monopoly, I was the bank. If we played like little store, I was always the bank. I always handled the cash. And I always had money. I would save my money from birthdays and things. I would lend my money if my grandmother was short or whatever, and then she would pay me back. And if I'd give her $20, she'd give me back $21 or $22. And she taught me about interest when I was a little girl.On her idea to diversify commercial banking I just wondered how much more business we could get if we did it, right? If we actually came to clients in a culturally relevant way, if we recruited talent that looked like our client base, you know, how much more successful could we be? And that was the basis of me launching diverse segments, which really propelled my career to new heights at Wells Fargo.How she hopes to make a difference for minority business owners My goal is to have no access to capital gap, right? So that any business owner can get the financing they need and there's no bias in the decisioning process that leads to them getting turned down for a loan. And that's not gonna be something that's maybe gonna be solved in my lifetime, but I'm damn gonna try really hard to help it along. Show Links:LinkedIn ProfileSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/onehaas/donations

Today our host Minerva Sosa is welcoming Javier Rosales, who shares his personal story moving from Mexico to Bloomington along with his family. Besides working in the private industry, he serves at the Commission of Hispanic and Latino Affairs at the City of Bloomington.

Lilly Cavanaugh, Directora Ejecutiva de la Comisión de Asuntos Hispanas de Ohio / Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs (OCHLA) conversa con Lorena Mora-Mowry sobre los logros del 2022 y los planes para el 2023.

It's a Friday night at the Pillsbury United Communities' Waite House in Minneapolis. Artist Monica Vega is standing over a small table showing other Latinos how to make traditional cempasuchil flowers out of paper. While she walks through the steps, all eyes are on her hands as she molds the bright orange paper into a beautiful flower.  This year, for Día de los Muertos, there will be an “Altar de Muertos,” or ofrenda, at the Minnesota State Capitol for the first time. It will include the cempasuchil flowers Vega and community members are making, mixed in with real, locally grown flowers. Día de los Muertos is when loved ones who have passed away come back to visit and celebrate with the living. Many Latinos create ofrendas in their homes or community centers that include food and drinks, photos of loved ones, papel picado — a decorative paper with intricate cutout designs — and incense. It also includes the cempasuchil flowers — which are traditionally known as the flower of the dead — whose musky scent helps guide the souls back home.  Artists Monica Vega and Flor Soto are designing the ofrenda, which will represent the cultural traditions of Mexican and Latinx communities in Minnesota. Tim Evans for MPR News Lead artist Monica Vega gives instructions to volunteers while working Sunday on the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol. Organizers hope it will create a space to remember those who lost their lives in recent years from COVID-19, police brutality and gun violence. They'll also be remembering immigrants who lost their lives at the U.S.-Mexico border.  For Vega, creating ofrendas is a tradition close to her heart. When she was a young teenager, her father passed away and she created her first altar to keep his memory alive. “The Day of the Dead celebration has been in my family since I can remember. My mom lost a baby and Dad, in a way to keep remembering that baby decided to do an altar at home every single year to remember that baby. When he passed away I really needed a way for myself to heal. It was really hard at that age, losing your dad,” Vega said. “We created the altars at home, but once I got married and had my kids I said, ‘You know what? I should continue my tradition so in that way I let my kids know about Grandpa.'” Now, creating ofrendas has become Vega's craft. The altar at the State Capitol is just one of many she's designed at homes, community centers and cultural organizations across Minnesota. For Vega, it's important to her to research and learn more about the history so she can pass it onto the next generation of Latinos in Minnesota. She said she recognizes that creating the first Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol is a big responsibility for her community. Tim Evans for MPR News Lead artists Flor Soto (left) and Monica Vega pose for a portrait Sunday at the Minnesota State Capitol. Soto and Vega are tasked with creating the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the Capitol. Tim Evans for MPR News Offerings, including children's shoes and toys, representing those who have perished while attempting to cross the southern U.S. border wait to be arranged on the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the Minnesota Capitol on Sunday. Tim Evans for MPR News Artist Monica Vega holds up a decoration reading “MN State Capitol 2022” while arranging the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol. Tim Evans for MPR News Portraits of community members wait to be arranged on the Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol building. Tim Evans for MPR News Candles and Christian icons adorn the Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol building. Tim Evans for MPR News A photo of a deceased woman rests on the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol building. Tim Evans for MPR News Artist Flor Soto sets up a photo of a deceased community member on the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the Minnesota State Capitol. First of its kind at any Minnesota government building The idea for the ofrenda came from Carmen Maya Johnson-Ortiz. She runs (Neo) Muralismos de Mexico, a Minnesota-based Mexican and Latinx community arts organization, with her brother Aaron Johnson-Ortiz. Johnson-Ortiz remembers asking her brother if there had ever been an altar at the Capitol before. When they realized there had never been one at any Minnesota government organization, they knew it was time to organize one for their community.  “I'm Mexican-American, so I can go back and forth. But I know a lot of people that move here and they, you know, are not able to go back to their country, and they miss all the things that, you know, remind them of their family, of their town, of their tradition,” Johnson-Ortiz reflected. “I think it's important that we do them here, so that we can feel like we are part of this community and not just in a different land where our traditions don't matter.” Carmen Maya and Aaron Johnson-Ortiz pitched the idea to the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs. Katya Zepeda is the council's Legislative and Policy Director of Education and coordinated the work from the artists and organizers with the Capitol. Tim Evans for MPR News Frida Solano Vega, daughter of lead artist Monica Vega, helps her mother set up the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol building. Zepeda says she hopes having an ofrenda at the Capitol shows the value in tradition, brings healing to the pain members of the community have been experiencing, and creates a visible space for them to come together.  “We've had loss of jobs, we've had loss of lives, we've dealt with police brutality in our community as well, many lives lost at the border.” Zepeda said. “ All of that just starts to bottle up and to have a spot where you could just remember and feel like, okay, you're not alone.” While the Altar de Muertos is not related to the upcoming election season, Zepeda says she  hopes it serves as an important reminder for elected officials to recognize Minnesota's Latino community.  "Our issues are still going to be there. So it's a reminder, I think, for our politicians, our legislation and our community to remember that we are here, a big part of Minnesota, of the history and that our issues need to be taken into consideration as we build Minnesota up,” Zepeda said. ‘You made it from your heart' Back at the workshop, the pile of cempasuchil flowers grows as artist Monica Vega sits around a table with other Latinos. As the night goes on, community members trade stories on family history, cultural traditions and community happenings. Seeing other Latinos make the cempasuchil flowers brings Vega joy. She hopes visitors will come out to see the Altar de Muertos, and she encourages other Latinos to explore the tradition in their own way. “Sometimes we don't have enough money to buy everything. If you have one picture, if you have one glass of water, if you have any kind of bread — it doesn't really need to be Day of the Dead special bread — if you have only fruit. Whatever you have, that's the way you start it,” Vega said. “Just please don't think if you don't follow those rules, your family members won't come to visit you because that's a lie. They will definitely come to visit you because you made it from your heart.” The Altar de Muertos at the Minnesota State Capitol will be unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 1, available for public viewing until Nov. 12. Visitors are encouraged to bring photos of loved ones to honor. Tim Evans for MPR News Skeleton figurines line the top of the first-ever Altar de Muertos at the State Capitol building.

Lilly Cavanaugh, MBA, CPM, Directora Ejecutiva del Ohio Latino Affairs Commission / Comisión de Asuntos Hispanos conversa con Lorena Mora-Mowry sobre los logros del 2021 y las metas y acciones para el 2022.

Antonio Flores, president and chief executive officer of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), leads a conversation on the role of Hispanic-Serving Institutions in higher education. FASKIANOS: Welcome to CFR's Higher Education Webinar. I'm Irina Faskianos, vice president of the National Program and Outreach here at CFR. Today's discussion is on the record, and the video and transcript will be available on our website, CFR.org/academic. As always, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy. We are delighted and honored to have Dr. Antonio Flores with us today to discuss the role of Hispanic Serving Institutions. Dr. Flores is president and chief executive officer of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Established in 1986, HACU represents more than five hundred colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the United States, Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Europe. During his tenure as president of HACU, the association has nearly tripled its membership and budget, expanded its programs, and improved legislation for Hispanic Serving Institutions, and increased federal and private funding for HSIs. He previously served as director of programs and services for the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority, and the Michigan Higher Education Student Loan Authority. And, needless to say, he's taught at public and private institutions, conducted research and policy studies on higher education issues. And so it really is wonderful to have him with us today to talk about HACU, how HACU is committed to the role of Hispanic Serving Institutions, and to serving underrepresented populations. Obviously, we are very much looking to develop talent for the next generation of foreign policy leaders, and really look forward to this conversation. So, Antonio, thank you for being with us. It would be great if you could talk about the Hispanic Serving Institutions, their role in higher education, and your strategic vision for HACU broadly. FLORES: Thank you, Irina, for those very flattering remarks and introduction. And of course, we're delighted to be part of the series here today and talk a little bit about what HSIs are doing and how they can do more of the great work they've been doing for the nation, and HACU's role as well in promoting them. And suffice to say that Hispanic Serving Institutions have become the backbone of not only Hispanic higher education, but also the American labor force. Because there are more—there are more than 560 now HSIs across the nation, enroll the vast majority, more than 5.2 million of them, of underserved students who historically have not been adequately served in higher education, including Latinos. And it just happens that this population, the Hispanic population, is contributing more than half of all the new workers joining the American labor force today. And that proportion is likely to continue to increase in the years ahead. In addition, of course, they serve scores of African Americans, of Asian Americans, Native Americans, and all Americans. So they are really a microcosm of American diversity. And for that very reason, going forward as these populations continue to increase demographically, their representation in the labor force will only continue to develop. The latest Census Bureau report for 2010 to 2020 indicates that more than 51 percent of all the population growth in the nation is attributed to Hispanics. So there we have it. It's just the reality of the facts. And therefore, HSIs are now the backbone of America's labor force, because ultimately the demands of the global economy are such that we need to step up to the plate and really educate at a much higher level, and train at a much higher level those underserved populations, particular Hispanics, so that we can remain competitive in that global economy. And that includes the preparation of top-notch leaders for foreign service careers. And so if we were to summarize how we view HSIs with respect to America's challenges today, and opportunities in the future, I would say that there are three dimensions that define HSIs vis a vis the United States of America and its future in the world. Number one is diversity. And I already alluded to some of that. But diversity is not just with respect to the fact that they have the most diverse student population on their campuses. But it's also the diversity across types of institutions because we have community colleges, we have regional universities, and we have research-intensive, or R1 institutions. So we have within campuses tremendous diversity, and we have across campuses nationwide institutionally diversity as well. And so that's the name of the game. And that's the name of the game for America, is diversity. And it's the name of the game for the world. It's a very diverse world out there. And so the more attuned those top-notch leaders that were looking to educate in our institutions are with respect to their diversity, the more not only knowledgeable and experienced and sensitive to that diverse reality of the world and of America, the much better leaders they are going to be. And so diversity, again, is that one unavoidable element of our world and of our country. The second, I think, very important element or dimension of HSIs is the dynamism. They are very dynamic institutions that are really doing a magnificent job with fewer resources than the rest of the field. They don't have the big pockets or big endowments. They don't have the applications they need from the federal government they should get. And yet, they excel at educating those who come to their campuses. Just to give you an idea, Opportunity Insights is a name of an organization that does socioeconomic analysis of graduates from students from colleges across the country. And particularly they focus on how institutions educate and position in careers those who come from the lowest quintile of entering freshmen to college. And they believe that those who graduate, they graduate and see what proportion of those who came in the lowest quintile move to the top quintile in terms of earnings. And in the last report I saw, nine of the ten top institutions in that regard were Hispanic Serving Institutions. Nine of the top ten. It's not the Ivy League institutions, for sure. It is those institutions that I mentioned that are part of our group of HSIs. And in fact, the number one is Cal State LA in that report that I saw. And so, again, because they are very dynamic, creative, innovative, and resourceful with respect to using what little they have to optimize the educational outcomes of those who come to their campuses. And not just educational outcomes, but career outcomes. Once they are in the workforce, their earnings are higher than those of others from the same lowest quintile when they enter college. So dynamism is the second major component. And I would say deliverance. Deliverance for underserved populations is another important quality that HSIs represent, because they are ultimately serving—for the most part, the majority of their students are first-generation college students, many of them from immigrant families who are unfamiliar with the educational system and with the intricacies of going through a college education, because they themselves never had that opportunity to pass down. So they are at a very distinct socioeconomic disadvantage coming from those types of families who are also low income, because to be an HSI not only does an institution have to have more than 25 percent of its enrollment being Hispanic, but also they have to show that the majority of their students are Pell Grant eligible—in other words, needy, low-income students. And the other criterion is that they have to spend on average per student less than the average of their peer institutions. So they are efficient, very cost-effective, and they serve the neediest of our society. So there you have it. Diversity, dynamism, and deliverance for the most needed in our society. That's what HSIs are all about. And so they really are in need of much greater support from the federal government, the state governments, and from the corporate community and the philanthropic community. And our association advocates for that to be the case, with some success but not enough. We have been able to increase the appropriations for them from Congress over the years, but they are way behind other cohorts of minority-serving institutions that get much more money per student than HSIs do, despite the fact that they—for instance, they not only educate 67 percent of all the 3.8 million Hispanics in college today; they also educate three times as many African Americans as all the HBCUs combined. Let me repeat that: More than three times as many African Americans go to HSIs as they go to HBCUs, OK? And more than 42 percent of all the Asian Americans in college today attend HSIs. They also educate more than twice as many Native Americans as all the tribal colleges and universities put together. And then we have other groups of different national origins who come to our campuses. So they are extremely diverse. And so that's, in a nutshell, what HSIs are all about. And they've been growing, about thirty new HSIs per year, because demographically it's how the country's moving. There are more Hispanic young people emerging from high school and going to college than from any other group. And conversely, the non-Hispanic White student enrollment has been declining continually year after year for the last ten years. Look at the numbers. And that's not going to stop. In major states, like California and Texas, for example, the two largest in the nation, more than 50 percent—about 52-55 percent of the K-12 enrollment is Hispanic. If you add the other minority populations, overwhelmingly these states futures are diverse and Hispanic. And so is the country. Other states are moving in the same direction, whether it's Florida, or Illinois, or New York, New Jersey. The main states in the nation are moving in those—in that direction. So that's why it's so essential for Congress, the states, corporate America, and philanthropic America to invest in these institutions much more than they have been doing, because they represent the very future of this nation. To the extent that the new generations of graduates coming out of them are equipped with the right tools to succeed as scientists, as technicians, as professionals in whatever field they choose, our country will thrive. And the opposite will happen if we don't. It's that simple. And so that's what I wanted to just briefly say as an introductory commentary on HSIs. FASKIANOS: Fantastic. Thank you very much for that. We're going to go to the group now for their questions. (Gives queuing instructions.) So I'm going to first go to Manuel Montoya, who has raised his hand. Q: Thank you very much, Irina. And, Dr. Flores, it's a real pleasure to have you on the call. I appreciate all the work that you do for HACU and for Hispanic Serving Institutions. I am with the University of New Mexico. I'm an associate professor in international management at UNM, but I also do a lot of work with my cohorts on supporting HSI—our HSI designation. We are a Hispanic Serving Institution and an R1 institution as well. All of the things you said are really important. And I had a comment and then a question. I think this question of—this idea of diversity being the name of the game is not to be underestimated. I think that the students that go through HSI-designated institutions, I think that they have the potential to reshape and recalibrate what we mean when we say we are ambassadorial in the world. And the United States needs to upgrade and change its relational dynamics, political and economic, to include diverse voices that come from the learned and lived experiences of people who traditionally come from first-generation families, first-generation students. And HSIs are equipped to do that. So my question becomes, you mentioned wanting to track some people into the foreign service exam. But what other types of experiences or opportunities do you think are best practices for students that are coming out of HSIs to participate in the larger international relations frameworks and careers that are setting the global agenda? FLORES: That's a good question, Professor Montoya. And let me share with you briefly something that I mentioned before we started the webinar to friends at CFR. And that is that HACU has a very robust national internship program that places upwards of five hundred undergraduates, and some of our graduate students, with federal agencies, including the State Department. We signed an MOU with the late Secretary Powell, who at that time was very much committed to increasing the number of Latinos in the Foreign Service, and other underrepresented populations. And that remains in place, although not with the numbers that we would like to see. And yet, there are other agencies that also have a foreign or abroad projection, like Department of Agriculture, for example. And others that have offices across the world. And so we are very much into helping them find the right talent they need, and getting them also as interns experience those agencies, and putting them on the right track to become full-fledged employees once they graduate. So that's one of the things that we've been doing. We need to do much more of that. I accept that the number is, as impressive as they may sound, are very minute when it comes to the populations that we're talking about. And our own association has made it a priority to expand its international reach. And we have, depending on the year, anywhere from forty to fifty universities across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain that are affiliated with us to do precisely what you suggest, which is student mobility and experience abroad. And so—and in both directions, also that they would come to be in the U.S. And so we have the beginnings, I think, of a major push to make sure that many, many more young people who—they have a kind of an almost organic connection to international affairs, in this case Latinos, because most of them come from families who immigrated or have roots in other countries, and are really very much culturally adept to international roles. So your point is well-taken. And you'll see a lot more activity from our end as an association in that regard. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to take the next question from Shoshana Chatfield. Q: Yes, hello. I wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful presentation and for really exposing me to some of the issues that I wasn't aware of previously. I am the president of the United States Naval War College. And since I've been here over the past two years, I have been actively trying to expand our recruiting effort to make our vacancies on our faculty available to members of the community. And yet, I'm not seeing any appreciable difference in the applicant pool. And I wondered if you could advise me how I might approach this differently to raise awareness about hiring to these war colleges who have not traditionally had a high representation of faculty who come from the same backgrounds that you described. FLORES: Thank you. Thank you for your very timely question, President Chatfield. Let me say that one of the first things that I would suggest is that you join our association as a college. Why would that be helpful to your effort? Because then you will connect with presidents and CEOs of five hundred-plus community colleges, regional university, and so forth, and school districts that are also affiliated with that, that are defined as Hispanic-serving school districts. So that even in high school you will have a presence through our association's outreach to them, and that you also would network with peers of diverse institutions across the country who may have robust pipelines of Ph.D. graduates and others who could fit your own aspirations, in terms of getting some of those faculty on your campus, some of those administrators, and some of those as students. Because, at the end of the day, probably—you probably want to have a much more diverse student body. And that can come from precisely that opportunity to not only interact but formally establish relationships with some of those colleges to transfer, for instance, from community colleges or from high schools that we interact with on a regular basis. So that would be one suggestion. We also have in our association a very, very nimble system called ProTalento. It's online. That is P-R-O-T-A-L-E-N-T-O, ProTalento. And that that—you can go to our website, find it. And we have on that website a very robust database of individuals who are looking for opportunities at different colleges. That are already teaching, or doing research, or both, and are looking for other opportunities. And also, we have institutions that are looking for them. And the system basically matches them. So you can go there and find a goldmine, so to speak, of talent. FASKIANOS: Thank you very much. Great question. And we have a written question, a couple written questions in the chat. This one comes from Andrea Purdy, who is an associate professor of Spanish at Colorado State University. We are anticipating reaching HSI status. And in talking to my students, a comment they have made to me is that they don't always feel welcomed all over the university. There are niches, but overall the sense of belonging is not felt. They also commented that while they are beginning to see themselves in classrooms, they don't see themselves in the faculty. What suggestions do you have for universities to make sure that the inclusivity is felt at all levels? FLORES: Well, it's similar to the previous question in some—in some regards, because ultimately the first thing you want to do as a college or university, it has to be job number one, is to create a climate—a campus climate of support and welcoming feelings for the students, that they feel not only appreciated but they feel really supported and welcome to the institution. And so the point made is how can we recruit or how can we diversify faculty and staff? Well, again, you go—you know, when you want to catch fish, you go fishing where the fish are. And the fish are in some of the HSIs, those that are already more developed institutions. And many of them are regional universities or R1s or R2s. And those could be a source of talent for institutions like Colorado State, that is lacking some of their representation. And of course, I want to insist that please visit ProTalento. And you may be surprised how much success you could have in getting people from that database to consider your institution. But of course, faculty and staff who look like the students are essential to create that culture, that campus climate of appreciation and welcoming, I would say. FASKIANOS: Thank you. Let's go next to Rosa Cervantes, who has a raised hand. And please unmute yourself and tell us your affiliation. Q: Good afternoon. Thank you for taking my questions. My name is Rosa Isela Cervantes. I'm the director of El Centro de la Raza at the University of New Mexico, and also special assistant to the president on Latino Affairs. And I really interested in what you said, Mr. Flores, about the diversity of students at HSIs, and that we serve three times the amount of—if I heard correctly—of African American students at HSIs than BCUs, is that correct? Is that— FLORES: That is correct, yes. Q: OK. And I wanted to see if you could expand a little bit about that, and also maybe think through or talk to how we can do some coalition building with folks. Because I really feel like HSIs are completely underfunded, right? You've stated it, we've heard it. But yet, they're so robust and they do so many different things for so many different students. I wonder how we might continue—and we're a member of HACU—but I wonder how we maybe think through some conversations to really get out the word about that idea, that HSIs are that robust, that HSIs do served large populations of students. And sometimes some of the most neediest students that require more money, right, for their funding. And so I just think that's very interesting. I think—I don't think a whole lot of people know about it or understand that. I had a faculty member at a different institution actually question me, because I had read that somewhere. And I think we need to talk more about it. So I'm just wondering your thoughts about coalition building and what else we can do, and how other ways that HACU needs our support to make that happen. FLORES: Thank you for your excellent question, Ms. Cervantes. And let me share with you that last week I was in Washington, D.C. most of the week and met with a number of Congress individually, including your great senator, Mr. Lujan. And guess what? There was a lot of good conversation about that point. And I have also talked with a number of African American members of Congress who didn't know that, and who actually had themselves—(background noise)—and who actually have themselves a significant number of HSIs in their districts. And they didn't know that they had all these HSIs in their districts. And so I think the word is getting out there. And, more importantly, the appreciation for the fact that these institutions really are very diverse, and not only do they educate the vast majority of Latinos and Latinas, but they also educate a larger number, as we said, of African Americans and others than the HBCUs, for example. And they didn't know that. And then—so I think that mindset might begin to change, because at the end of the day the funding and support should be focused on the students. And ultimately, if you help the neediest of students you have the more diverse population, but you have the fewest dollars per student coming from Congress. There has to be something wrong there with that equation. So there is an inequity that we are, as an association, trying to remedy. And we need all the help we can get from all—our own Latino organizations and HSIs, but also from others including the HBCUs. It's not about reducing funding for them or anything like that. They can and should be getting even more. But not—but HSIs shouldn't be treated as second-class institutions. They are not. They are the backbone, again, of America's labor force, in terms of training that labor force to be competitive in the global economy. So they have to be treated appropriately and equitably. Basically, it's about equity in terms of funding. And right now, things are not at all equitable, but we're changing that gradually. And thank you for your question. Q: Gracias. FASKIANOS: So we have a written—several written questions. So Sandra Castro, who is assistant dean of the undergraduate programs at Adelphi University says: What recommendations do you have for institutions that are striving to become HSIs in preparing for this designation? What internal changes and institutional infrastructure is necessary to truly serve the Latino student body? FLORES: I will suggest three things. One is, begin to work more closely with institutions that are already HSIs and that are doing a good job being HSIs, that are recognized for having, as they say, best practices with respect to being an HSI. And learn from them. Learn how it is that they do what they do well. And begin to then—and the second point is, educate your own leadership at your institution about how they can be much more effective and receptive to the inevitable demographic change in their student population to become an HSI, and how they can make the most of it in terms of student success, and also learning the ropes of how to get grants and funding to improve services for this population. And the third thing that I would recommend very strongly is that, you know, take a very hard look at all of your outreach and marketing materials, and revise them accordingly so that you reflect that commitment to diversity, in particular to Latino inclusion, in terms of bilingual materials and outreach to families and communities. Because many times the decision about whether to go to college or where to go to college by a student is really influenced very heavily by the family, the parents particularly, because of the tremendous pressure that many of them have in starting to work to contribute to the family income, because they come from low-income families. So working with those families and making them aware of the importance of getting a degree, a college degree, and postponing some of that lower-income—some of the minimum-wage salary that they could get as a high school graduate, and working with those families is very important. Working in their language and culture is even more important for some of them. FASKIANOS: Great. I think this is a good segue to the next question from Eric Hoffman, who got an upvote. He's the dean of the Honors College at Miami Dade College. And his question is: How can we get the Hispanic and Latinx students out of their community and expand their aspirations to colleges and universities in states and areas far from home? FLORES: Well, you know, it's an excellent question, in the sense that historically—because these are first-generation college students for the most part, whose families have not had the opportunity to educate themselves in college. And their temptation is to stay home. Especially sometimes it's worse for female students to move away from home. And my suggestion is that you, again, will work with those families as closely as you can to make them aware of the fact that moving away doesn't mean—moving away physically doesn't mean moving away from the family otherwise, that they will ultimately remain connected to the family. And now with technology it's even easier. You know, we have Facetime. We have all kinds of other ways of interacting that were not available just some years ago. And they ultimately need to consider the best options in terms of financial aid and the quality of education they're going to get, and a few of the studies that they want to pursue. Sometimes all of those things are not available locally, so you have to go where all of those are. And I think that once there is a process of education for the family in that regard, they tend to be much more flexible. We experience some of that with our own national internship program, because we place them primarily in the Washington area, but also in other places. And I personally get to intervene sometimes with some families in their language, in Spanish, to reassure them that the young woman that was going to be placed somewhere else in Washington, D.C. or elsewhere was going to be OK, and she was going to come back home after the ten-week experience, or fifteen-week internship. And, guess what? After they experienced that, their siblings—they were trailblazers for their siblings and for neighbors, and all that. Now we don't have that problem, at least with our internship program. We have thousands of applicants and, unfortunately, we can only place about five hundred a year, annually. And so it does pay off to invest in working with families closely. And again, it's a generational effect, because then younger siblings or relatives will not have that kind of issue going forward. FASKIANOS: You had mentioned that you were in D.C. last week meeting with members of Congress. And we obviously have a new secretary of education, Dr. Cardona. Have you seen a shift from the Biden administration in their approach and what they're doing from a federal level to support the HSIs? FLORES: Oh, absolutely. I mean, there is just no question about that. The shift has been dramatic. And this administration and Congress are—have shifted gears and are actually investing more than anything else in people, investing in the economy to create more jobs, investing in education to prepare the labor force much better, investing in health to protect people from not just the pandemic but from other diseases that we experience. And just in general, the infrastructure, they just passed that bill in the House, is to improve the lives of people across cities, across states, by improving their infrastructure. It is not just about roads and bridges. It is also about water systems that are decaying and are affecting the health of people. It is about the lack of access to broadband connectivity. It is all of those things that will improve the lives of people. And so there, no question. And HSIs have improved—again, not to the extent that they should be supported. But we are in a much better situation now than we were just a couple of years ago. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to take Nathan Carter's written question, and then Mike Lenaghan, I know you wrote a comment/question in the chat, but I'd love for you just to raise it and speak it, because I'm afraid I might not get it exactly correct. So Nathan Carter from Northern Virginia Community College in the Washington D.C. metro area. I am the—NOVA's chief diversity equity and inclusion officer. We are an emerging HSI. When we look at our enrollment data here in fall 2021, we see a clear decline in quote/unquote “new” Hispanic students, both male and female. We wish to discuss this growing issue and recognize what may be the current obstacles or community issues happening right now in the Hispanic community that will help us explain what we see and how we can reach out to the Hispanic community to help address what could be a growing problem across various states. So I think if you could comment on that, and how to, you know, have that discussion. FLORES: Well, thank you for that question. It's something that, of course, has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Because a lot of our colleges and universities, HSIs and others, did not have the endowments or the money to immediately make—shift gears in the direction of the technology required to move from in-person to online teaching and learning, and to train faculty and staff to manage all of those new systems. And that's on the institutional side, that there was that kind of reality of not getting all of the necessary resources to make that shift immediately and successfully. On the receiving end you have families and communities that do not always have the connectivity to broadband and the devices at home and the space at home to learn online. And so it was a one-two punch—institutional and students were hit very hard. And therefore, many of them withdrew. And apart from the fact that when it comes to the rate of infection, hospitalization and death, Latinos were worse hit than any other population, so much so that during the pandemic Latinos shrank their life expectancy by three years, compared to two years for Black and 0.68 years, so less than a year, for non-Hispanic Whites. So you do have all of those things. And ultimately, that means that the students served by these institutions come from those very families that were hardest hit in their health as well. So they couldn't go to school. They were trying to survive. And many did not. And so there was a drop in the enrollment, and particularly at community colleges, is where the—they were the hardest hit with respect to that, just like that community that is emerging as an HSI. So we are pushing very hard for that to be remedied, not just for the pandemic, but for the long term. Because I think the hybrid models of teaching and learning should—will remain in place for the long haul. And we need to make sure that those families, those communities that have been historically underserved and underfunded get that necessary technology at home to do that type of educational experience. We also need to make sure that the institutions that are suffering the most get the most help to beef up their infrastructure. And not just in terms of technology, but also in terms of expanding classrooms and also creating labs that are very expensive to create for technology of science or engineering types of degrees, which are the most in demand. And in some states, it's even—it's worse than in others because a lot of students are homeless. A lot of students are homeless. And in a state like California, where we have the largest concentration of Latinos, for example, that problem has been rampant and recognized by the state as a huge priority. So what they need to do is also build affordable housing even on campuses, so that those students have a place to live in a decent, humane way. And so there are many things that come to create this perfect storm against populations like low-income Latinos, and African Americans, and others. FASKIANOS: Thank you. I'm going to ask Mike Lenaghan to ask his question live. Q: Thank you very much, Irina. And it's a pleasure to see you, Dr. Flores. I am Mike Lenaghan from Miami Dade College, and truly cherish the empowerment we've enjoyed through the vehicle of HACU. It's been my experience, basically with a great deal of labor-intensive and purposeful leadership development, to have my scholars—just me, as one faculty member—successfully transfer to over 139 colleges and universities in the United States, all of whom required financial support and almost all of whom were able to avoid loans. This is over a twenty-year period. My question is: How might I, as a faculty member, also someone who's labor-intensive, be empowered, possibly mediated by HACU, to share basically how to set up my Hispanic students and their families and their relatives for the kind of success my scholars have enjoyed at Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Georgetown, UVA, Duke, UCal Berkeley, and so on? Which, when the right combination of chemistry and self-identification occurs, each of my Hispanic/Latinx scholars basically knows what they uniquely bring and add, as well as what they uniquely can address and engage in each school. I realize I am just a microcosm in a larger macrocosm, but I'm wondering does HACU have a role to play that might mediate some education and sharing, not just a book or a strategy, but something that could be shared, including some of what I like to call my all-stars, who have enjoyed operating in the context of HACU as a launching pad. Thank you, sir. FLORES: Thank you for your very, very important work, Professor Lenaghan. And thank you for your very caring teaching and supporting our students, your scholars. And ultimately, you have a lot to offer to the academic community as a faculty who cares about these students not only doing well but excelling and going to places that perhaps their families never thought of them being able to go. And I think it begins with learning from people like you what is it you've been doing so well to help those that you have helped to excel. And HACU can be a platform for you to share that. We ultimately have annual conferences and other meetings where your expertise and your success can be shared with others to adapt it to their own needs and replicate what you've been doing so well in other places, so that many more can go onto those very selective institutions, and others. And of course, I don't know if we've been connecting—I insist on this point, on connecting with families, because many of the Latino families—and maybe in the Miami area it's a little different because a lot of the Cuban and South American families perhaps come from a more middle-class background than in places like Texas or California. And maybe they had already some collegiate experience in their home countries, and they immigrated there, or whatever. But that helps a lot, OK? When they come with that background. But when they don't, when they are immigrants who come without even a high school diploma from their home countries, and they don't know the language, their highest expectation is at least to get their high school diploma and start working somewhere. And so taking them to the next level, it takes a lot of work. And it takes a lot of work in terms of making sure that they understand that if their child has the talent, and has the persistence and discipline, et cetera, et cetera, to go places, that they can be very helpful to him or her in ensuring that there is a space at home where they can study, that they do concentrate on their studies, and that they really aim for those places that you mentioned and don't settle for second-best of going to some institution, but make that their goal: I'm going to go to X or Y Ivy League or very selective institution because I have with it takes, but it's going to take a lot of nurturing and support. And the parents can be very helpful, even if they don't have an education, by really making sure that their child has the space and the time at home to concentrate and study. That will go a long way. But really, let them flourish. And so HACU can be a platform in three different ways. One is, allowing individuals like yourself, who are excelling in their teaching, to share their best practices with others. Secondly, we also, of course, have to recognize that we have some programs already in HACU that are very effective, especially those that are focused on moving a critical mass into STEM degrees. And we're going to emphasize that even more going forward. And thirdly, that we, as an association, have the ability to influence federal agencies and others—and corporations to invest in the kinds of practices that you may be successful at. And I'll give you a couple examples. We just got a planning grant from NSF, HACU did. And we are almost done with the planning for one year, because we want to submit a multiyear, multimillion grant to NSF with an emphasis on moving as high as possible, to the PhD. in fact, Latinos all the way from community college up to the research one institutions. And we are working on that proposal to be submitted early next year. But we could, I'm sure, learn from what you're doing. And so we could influence agencies to also invest more. We have a new program under NSF for HSIs that you can apply for a grant to expand what you're doing with more students, more parents. And the same thing is true with respect to other agencies. I was just in Washington last week and met with the undersecretary of the Department of Commerce to discuss the technology program, where our institutions will each have a role to play. And so we have the role of advocating and influencing agencies and Congress to invest in institutions like yours, Miami Dade, and professors like you, so that you can do more of exactly what you are doing. So please feel free to send us an email at HACU. You can send it to my attention. And I'll make sure that it finds its way to the right staff in charge of the kinds of programs that you are dealing with. We do have great staff that follows up on situations like yours. FASKIANOS: Fantastic. We will circulate after this an email with some of the resources you've mentioned and the email that we should be sharing, Dr. Flores. So we have another question, and it follows onto Mike's question, from Arturo Osorio, who's an associate professor at Rutgers University. Any advice or programs that you know to help connect the parents of the Hispanic Latino Students to the higher education experience? Many of our students are first-generation Americans and also first-generation college students. This creates a large cultural and experiential gap for parents to bridge on their understanding of what kids are going through and support them. As a result, many of the students have very stressful moments as they navigate away from the family to their college life. FLORES: Yeah. Excellent question. And my suggestion is that please send us an email. We have an office in HACU that is designated to promote pre-K-12 and higher education collaboration. The executive director of that office is Jeanette Morales. Jeanette Morales has a team, and they work with clusters or consortia of colleges, universities and K-12 schools, particularly secondary schools, to move out successfully many more of those underserved students to college and be better prepared to succeed in college. It is more substantive than just a college visitation thing or admissions officers talking with them at an event. They actually have early college interventions for high school students. So they actually earn even college credit when they are creating high school for the most advanced students. But they also have opportunity for professors from some of those universities and community college to teach as visiting teachers in those high schools, where they may not get the resources to hire faculty for advanced courses and for the courses that are required to be successful in especially STEM degrees, like advanced math, advanced science, and so forth. So that office and our association has been in place for the last seventeen years. It was that far back when we first saw that more than half of the battle to succeed in college has to be won in K-12. And it has to be won with families on your side, because first-generation college students do depend largely on families to make decision after high school. So please feel free to contact Jeanette Morales or myself in my email at our San Antonio headquarters. FASKIANOS: Thank you very much. We are at the end of our time. I just wanted to ask if you could just do really briefly what you're doing internationally to encourage—you know, and we don't have a lot of time. But I don't want to leave without—you had told me in our pre-call just a little bit. So if I you could just give us a wrap-up on that, that would be fantastic. FLORES: Yeah. We think of international education not as an appendage, not as a luxury, not as an add-on proposition, but as an integral part of a college education, in this case. And we hope that the vast majority of our young people will have a chance to experience a study abroad. And of course, it's like a big dream, because right now if you look at the numbers, only about 5 to 7 percent, max, of all the 350,000 American students going to study abroad are Latino. And the same number, roughly the same percentage, is African Americans and others. And conversely, only about maybe 3 percent of all the students coming from other countries come from Latin America—1.3 percent only from Mexico, which is right next door to us, OK? So that has to change. And it has to change because people who have an international experience ultimately expand their horizons and their vision of the world and are more effective not only professionals but citizens of the world. And we feel that it is very important for our young people to do that, not as a—as a kind of a luxury, or anything like that, but as an integral part of their development as professionals. And so we plan on being even more keen on affecting legislation that will provide more resources for our institutions and international programming, and ourselves as an association being much more engaged in getting more international institutions to affiliate with us to promote that mobility, that experience, independent of whether the government decides to invest or not. FASKIANOS: Wonderful. Thank you very much. Antonio Flores, this has been really a great discussion. And thanks to everybody for their terrific questions and comments. We really appreciate it. HACU is lucky to have you. We're fortunate to have you leading this great association. As I mentioned, we will send out a link to this webinar, also some of the resources you mentioned, email addresses and the like. And I'm sure everybody knows it, but it's worth repeating, the HACU website, HACU.net. You can follow them on Twitter at @HACUnews. So go there. You can also follow us at @CFR_Academic. And please go to CFR.org, ForeignAffairs.com, and ThinkGlobalHealth.org for CFR's resources on international affairs and the like. So I hope you're all staying well. Dr. Flores, thank you again. And we look forward to your continuing involvement in this webinar series. The next invitation will be for December, and we will be sending that out under separate cover. FLORES: Thank you very much, Irina. Thank you, everyone. (END)

Catholic Charities Latino Affairs promotes our programs and services to Latino/Latinx residents in Cook and Lake counties, through community outreach and education. In recent months, these efforts have expanded, internationally, in support of COVID-19 vaccinations. Join Katie Bredemann as she welcomes Cary Rositas-Sheftel, Ph.D., Director of Catholic Charities Latino/Latinx Affairs to discuss the innovative ways her department continues to respond to the needs of the Latino community as the pandemic evolves.

Felipe is the Former Senior Legislative and Policy Director for the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, and is currently a Tax Policy Advisor. Felipe also obtained an MS in Business Management from the School for International Training. 

John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas is an educator, social worker, and justice advocate currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Leadership at the University of Iowa. He has a distinguished career as a champion of immigrant’s rights in Iowa, and especially creating opportunities for young people. Ye created the state’s first bilingual Spanish-English immersion program in West Liberty, led the Governor’s Commission on Latino Affairs and the state’s Department of Latino Affairs, then served as the Director of Iowa’s 4H Youth Development Program. Drawing from his own life experience, John-Paul helped support other young immigrants and helped build bridges with white Midwesterners in communities struggling with the rapidly changing demographics of the region. As the leader of 4H, John-Paul pushed the organization to grow more diverse and inclusive. He developed programs for young people from Latino and African backgrounds, serving not just farm kids, but also the children of meatpackers, migrant workers, and urban youth. His leadership of 4H became controversial as he championed LGBTQ rights, and especially protections for transgender youth. For more context on this struggle, read this investigative report from the Des Moines Register, which explores his firing from 4H in the context of broader political and cultural polarization in Iowa and the United States.  UPDATE: In the podcast interview, John-Paul was unable to speak freely about his conflict with 4H, due to the ongoing lawsuit he filed in 2018, alleging harassment and discrimination in his termination. Just before the release of this episode, the state of Iowa agreed to a settlement.

Deep Thoughts: Science and Social Justice is an interview podcast where we take a deep dive into the struggles, triumphs and personal stories of minorities in the sciences, arts and public service. The goal of these interviews is to have candid, first person conversations about the role of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in politics, the sciences and beyond.This episode features Dr. Adrian Rivera Reyes. Adrian received his in PhD in cancer biology at Upenn and is currently a science and technology policy fellow at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in DC. Adrian ran for city council at large in Philadelphia in 2019 where he was then later appointed to Commissioner at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. As an LGBTQ candidate, a millennial and importantly, a scientist we are going to talk with Adrian about barriers and biases he had to overcome and how these first-hand experiences can inform the future of science policy, spotlight racist research and highlight diversity in STEM.Follow @Deep_Thoughts_Podcast on instagram for all podcast updates!Email deepthoughtsinterview@gmail.com if you would like to be on the show!

Minnesota has some of the largest racial disparities in education in the U.S., and efforts to solve the decades-long problem have so far been unsuccessful. “In terms of the white-Black gap, we are the 50th in the nation, or the 49th, depending on which year you look at,” said Anusha Nath, research economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and co-author of a 2019 report on the gaps. Nath and several other experts spoke Wednesday at a virtual MPR News event, In Focus: Equity in Education. “Many states struggle with achievement gaps as well, but Minnesota has been struggling for a very long time, and we're at the bottom persistently,” Nath said. Gaps in graduation rates and test scores have long been used to measure these disparities. But, in recent years, there’s been more focus on inequalities in access to resources that can influence how well kids do in school. And then, there’s racism — biased teachers and staff, and systems within schools that put up barriers for Black and Indigenous students and students of color. “We don't talk or celebrate Black and brown and Indigenous people, even in our very basic curriculum,” said Ramona Kitto Stately, project director for We Are Still Here Minnesota. “We choose a month and those histories are told during that month, but that is really our failure” to explain the importance of diversity to children. During the virtual event, MPR News host Angela Davis led a discussion built around community participation, and talked with people who have been working to level the playing field for all students. They discussed what’s getting in the way of progress on equity in education in Minnesota and which solutions are showing promise. Watch the community event discussion https://www.facebook.com/MPRnews/videos/374347433607970 Guests: Jess Davis is a racial equity coach for St. Louis Park Public Schools and worked as a math teacher in the Twin Cities metro area from 2006 to 2020. She was the 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Samantha N. Diaz is the legislative and policy director for education issues at the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, a state agency that advises and informs the governor and legislators on matters of importance to Latinos in Minnesota. She previously served as the associate charter liaison at the Pillsbury United Communities Office of Public Charter Schools. Anusha Nath is a research economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. She co-authored the 2019 report "A Statewide Crisis: Minnesota’s Education Achievement Gaps," and continues to research the reasons behind the state's educational disparities. She has previously taught at Boston University, Delhi University and the University of Minnesota. Ramona Kitto Stately is an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Dakota Nation and project director for We Are Still Here Minnesota, which aims to change the narrative around Native people in the state. She also chairs the Minnesota Indian Education Association and has worked in Indian education in Minnesota for more than 15 years. Michael Walker is the director of Black Student Achievement for the Minneapolis Public Schools. Before that, he worked in several capacities at Roosevelt High School, including as assistant principal. He was a 2017 Bush Fellow and previously served as community outreach, program and youth development director at the YMCA in the Twin Cities. In Focus is a series of convenings MPR is committed to leading over the next year to bring awareness, dialogue and potential solutions to Minnesota’s persistent racial disparities — in education, health, economic opportunities and many other areas. Through conversations with community leaders that are shaped by our curious, engaged audience, MPR hopes to encourage new connections and relationships that will help Minnesota communities make progress toward equity and inclusion. If you have thoughts or questions about the event or the topic of education equity, check out the MPR News Ground Level project page for different ways to share your experience. Come back to this page for updates on the event’s lineup and other details. Previous events Discussion Spotlight on the future of policing Call To Mind Spotlight on black trauma and policing Call To Mind Spotlight on parenting during a pandemic

Lilly Cavanaugh, Executive Director of the Ohio Latino Affairs Commission and Barb Smoot, President & CEO of Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD, the organization that develops and advances women’s leadership to strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves tased with Lorena Mora-Mowry about the Latina Equal Pay Day in 2020. -It takes Latinas about 23 months to make what a white man makes on average over the span of 12 months. In other words, Latinas make 54 cents to every dollar a white- non Latinx man makes. Lilly and Barb would like to uplift all Latina voices and stories and begin discussing pay parity. "We should not only learn how to climb the success ladder, but also how to advocate for our value in the workplace and negotiate for just wages. There are complex systemic issues that exist for women in the workforce compounded by racial differences, and raising awareness of this is the first step", said Lilly. The 2020 Latina Equal Pay Day National Forum- ¡Latinas Unidas in Pursuit o f Pay Equity will be held on October 29th, 9:00am 4:30pm EST. This event is a virtual forum on strategies to eliminate the economic, health and safety disparities that Latinas face. Let’s close the disparity gaps for the next generation of Latina leaders! About Barb Smoot: Barb is President & CEO of Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD), the organization that develops and advances women’s leadership to strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves. Barb serves on the national board of National Church Residences, the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing in the U.S., chairs the Audit, Finance & Risk Committee and serves on the foundation board. Barb was recently selected to serve on Franklin County’s Equity Alliance Committee which focuses on strategies to improve success outcomes for African American businesses historically diminished by the economic injury of systemic racism and the disproportionate detrimental impact of COVID-19. She is a commissioner on the Columbus Women’s Commission, chairing the Gender Equity in the Workplace Committee, and also serves on the City of Westerville Board of Zoning Appeals. Barb has previously served on the boards of the Nationwide Federal Credit Union, the Martin Luther King Arts Complex and St. Joseph Montessori School. Barb, a past Fellow in the Society of Actuaries, has 20+ years of prior financial services experience at Nationwide Financial where she held a variety of executive roles including product manager for individual life insurance, a profit center that generated over $80 million in pre-tax operating earnings and over $175 million in first-year premiums. Barb is a 2020 YWCA Columbus Women of Achievement honoree and was selected as Columbus CEO 2017 CEO of the Year for Small Nonprofits. She is a graduate of Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. About Lilly Cavanaugh - Lilly is the executive director of OCHLA (Ohio Commission for Latino Affairs). She is Costa Rican and moved to Ohio in the 1980’s. She has been an entrepreneur, volunteer, and advocate for immigrant rights. She really is an inspiration to the community and an example of, not only success, but also the importance of being fully invested in the community.

Robyn and Anna chat about the pandemic, the church, and social justice with Latinx visionary Lisbeth Melendez-Rivera. Her perspective is formed by her Puerto Rican roots, her background in the medical field, and the unashamed presence in queer liberation. Lisbeth is the Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives for the Religion and Faith Program. . She envisioned and directed Before God: We Are All Family, a powerful short documentary that she has shared with Latino/a communities across the country. In addition to being a powerful training tool, Before God has been recognized at the Reel it OUT Queer Film Festival in Norfolk, Virginia and at the Ethnografilm Festival in Paris, France.As the Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives, Lisbeth works to deepen the already impressive reach of her work with Latino/a communities and will to develop and implement Catholic engagement work across the organization. As a testament to Lisbeth’s longtime work at the intersection of Latino/a and LGBT communities, Lisbeth was recognized with The Legacy Award, presented by the Women of the Latino GLBT History Project in partnership with the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.Lisbeth has crisscrossed the country, training workers and community leaders in organizing, leadership development and community building strategies from a grassroots perspective. Lisbeth has served on the Boards of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Pride @ Work & the National Organizer Alliance. She has also been a volunteer with Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), Haymarket People’s Fund, ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation for Justice as well as many other organizations.A biologist and sociologist by education, is it her calling to social justice that makes her passions flare and her days move forward. Today Lisbeth lives in Washington, DC alongside her life-partner, Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz, her godson, and their animal farm!

Robyn and Anna chat about the pandemic, the church, and social justice with Latinx visionary Lisbeth Melendez-Rivera. Her perspective is formed by her Puerto Rican roots, her background in the medical field, and the unashamed presence in queer liberation. Lisbeth is the Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives for the Religion and Faith Program. . She envisioned and directed Before God: We Are All Family, a powerful short documentary that she has shared with Latino/a communities across the country. In addition to being a powerful training tool, Before God has been recognized at the Reel it OUT Queer Film Festival in Norfolk, Virginia and at the Ethnografilm Festival in Paris, France.As the Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives, Lisbeth works to deepen the already impressive reach of her work with Latino/a communities and will to develop and implement Catholic engagement work across the organization. As a testament to Lisbeth’s longtime work at the intersection of Latino/a and LGBT communities, Lisbeth was recognized with The Legacy Award, presented by the Women of the Latino GLBT History Project in partnership with the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.Lisbeth has crisscrossed the country, training workers and community leaders in organizing, leadership development and community building strategies from a grassroots perspective. Lisbeth has served on the Boards of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health, the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Pride @ Work & the National Organizer Alliance. She has also been a volunteer with Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), Haymarket People’s Fund, ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation for Justice as well as many other organizations.A biologist and sociologist by education, is it her calling to social justice that makes her passions flare and her days move forward. Today Lisbeth lives in Washington, DC alongside her life-partner, Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz, her godson, and their animal farm!

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction and Lesley Payne * 7:33 Davonte: RunDSM * 18:49 Marlú Abarca: Office of Latino Affairs & Des Moines Public Library * 35:00 Morgan Nicole: #PaintitBlack at Drake UniversityTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

The installation contrasts Des Moines ranking as “Best in Nation” place to live, “Iowa nice” reputation of being overly friendly and go out of our way to help fellow citizens, and the visitors’ personal story.Introduction * 2:11 Leah: RunDSM * 12:12 DeLayne Carrington: Wildwood Hills Ranch of Iowa * 21:43 Will Keeps: Starts Right Here * tbd Sonia Reyes: Office of Latino Affairs & Iowa Queer Communities of ColorTravel outside the space of your routine to reflect on:When did you get to Des Moines?Where are you going?Who are you going to see?Why are you going?What will you do in Des Moines?How will you move forward?

A little secret and a big dream, combined with relationships forged in his life ended up with Moe Vela reaching the White House working for Al Gore and Joe Biden. Moe Vela, Chief Transparency Officer at Transparent Business, joins Adam and Naresh to discuss how to create those meaningful relationships, the new business card, and what Moe did in the White House that he's proudest of. Vela is the first Hispanic to serve in two senior executive roles in the White House, first during the Clinton Administration as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Advisor on Latino Affairs in the Office of Vice President Al Gore, and later during the Obama Administration as Director of Administration for Joe Biden. He is the author of Little Secret Big Dreams: Pink and Brown in the White House Website: www.TransparentBusiness.com www.WorkFromHomeShow.com Featured Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Catholic Charities Office of Latino Affairs continues to expand with positive initiatives that improve the lives of Latino clients in a wide variety of ways. The focus is helping clients with immediate needs and establishing education and professional opportunities for young Latinos as they plan for their future. Join Marie Jochum and Brigid Murphy as they welcome Dr. Cary Rositas-Sheftel, Ph.D, Director of the Office of Latino Affairs to discuss these programs and services that are offered throughout Cook and Lake counties.

You won't want to miss todays special episode in our Faith and Politics series as Pastor Debbie Griffin speaks with advocate Marlu Abarca who is the vice chair of the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs and is currently running for Des Moines City Council at-large. Join us as Marlu shares a piece of her journey through spirituality, being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, her extensive social justice work, and drive to make sure she leaves Des Moines better than she found it.    

Found In Translation Episode 334: Host Ray Collazo is joined by new cohost Leadership Expert and Activist Adriana Rivera to discuss how we save leadership in 2019. Rivera shared her five keys to saving leadership in 2019 while Collazo explains how ignoring these lessons relates to how we got into this political mess. Rivera also shares best practices on how to integrate LGBTQ issue awareness into all of our day to day social justice work and updates us statewide advocacy efforts through her role with the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. Collazo reveals what’s needs to happen next in Trump impeachment process and why Senator Bernie Sanders is like marriage: he is front and center in sickness and in health. In the “Behind The Turntables” segment, Rivera and Collazo talk about what makes great DJing at a Latino party and why the viejitas love those grimy Latino Trap jams.

In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing the Reverend Rick Romero, OSFoc. Father Rick is a priest with the Old Catholic Churches International.  Father Rick is also a Friar with the Order of St. Francis Old Catholic and is Vicar of Latino Affairs.  Since the age of nine, Father Rick has been a student of the Bible and has actively been in service of the church.  Born and raised as a Seventh-day Adventist, Father Rick attended Adventist schools until his sophomore year of college studies.  At the age of 17 Father Rick began directing church choirs and eventually became Professor of Music and Director of Choirs at an Adventist university in Mexico.  Father Rick conducted two concerts of Handel’s “Messiah” in Spanish at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City with the Mexico City Chamber Orchestra and the University Choir.  This was the first-ever performance of “Messiah” in the Spanish language at the Palacio. While in Mexico City, the choir also gave a live performance of the cantata “Jesus is Coming” on national television.  After returning to the United States, Father Rick continued to direct choirs at several churches of various denominations, ranging from Catholic and Protestant to Unitarian Universalist.  After 30 years of service as a church musician, in 2008 Father Rick enrolled at Sophia Divinity School, a seminary with the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch.  In 2011 and 2012, Father Rick was ordained into the Diaconate and Priesthood by Bishop William Gameson of the Catholic Church of Jerusalem.  In 2012 Father Rick began a chartered ministry with the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch.  He began a parish ministry, “Our Lady of the Roses,” which focused on social justice issues including prison ministries at Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s “Tent City” and advocacy for universal health care.  Father Rick founded Universal Spirit Broadcasting Network in 2010, and he is the Executive Producer.  Universal Spirit Broadcasting Network, Incorporated is an educational, non-profit Colorado corporation that is a telecommunications organization dedicated to ecumenical ministries that celebrate all faiths based on the Universal Spirit of peace and love.  USBN features programs that are spiritual, educational, promote fine art, and highlight social justice issues.  USBN is currently producing “End Game,” a program of political and spiritual commentary.  USBN and “Convergent Streams” magazine are co-producing “The Unidos Voice” as an outreach to the spiritual community on social media.  Father Rick is a contributing editor of “Convergent Streams.” In this episode, We talked primarily about his social justice work, We talked about Universal Spirit Broadcasting, The Unidos Voice, and the Unidos Manifesto, along with the struggles of producing audio-visual content for the Independent Sacramental community. Links: Unidos Voice with Rev. Fr. Rick Romero. Unidos Voice with Rt. Rev. David Oliver Kling. Convergent Streams: The Premier ISM Magazine. This podcast is produced by The Community of Saint George (The Young Rite).

Part One: Hosts Clarence Boone and Roberta Radovich speak with Josefa Luce, the Latino Programs Coordinator for the City of Bloomington, and Gavin Everett, a city commissioner for Hispanic and Latino Affairs, about the 2nd Annual Bloomington Black y Brown Arts Festival (BBBAF) – May 14 to May 18, 2019. The Bloomington Black y Brown …

Lesley Payne interviews Marlú Abarca about coming to Iowa and working as the Vice Chair of the Latino Affairs Commission, a part of the Office of Latino Affairs, which streamlines access to services offered by the State of Iowa. The commission is made up of seven Governor-appointed community members who volunteer their time to represent the Latino community in Iowa. During the week, you might find Marlú working as a Bilingual Services Library Assistant in the Des Moines Public Libraries. Through her position, she ensures that the Library is a welcoming environment that engages the community, celebrates culture, and promotes literacy.

Air date: 01/15/2018 Israel Fernando Herrera’s participation in leadership and other important roles has vastly improved the visibility and embrace of the Latino and Hispanic members of the Bloomington community. Israel’s service has touched the City of Bloomington Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, at WFHB for the “Hola Bloomington” program, Lotus, Bloomington Worldwide Friendship, La Escuelita Para Todos, Grupo de Teatro Vida, and countless other groups. Israel makes it a point to be personally involved in the lives of Latino and Hispanic families in Bloomington. He works to make Bloomington a better place for families, and to empower them to be involved in the civic life of the Bloomington community. Israel is a catalyst for community-building in Bloomington. His hard work makes our city a better place for everyone. FEATURED ORGANIZATION City of Bloomington Commission on Hispanic & Latino Affairs FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY LINKS Interfaith Shelter at Wheeler Mission Hoosier Riverwatch Activate is a co-production of WFHB Community Radio and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network.

Enjoy a recording of our first-ever live show on Friday January 25 at the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs’ 2nd Annual Latino Day on the Hill.

Marlu Abarca is a Los Angeles native who moved to Iowa for college in 2010. After moving to Des Moines in 2014, she has gotten involved in civic engagement through local non-profits, like Al Éxito!, volunteering at Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs, and a full-time job at the Des Moines Public Library. PAYCE Fellow Genesis Buckhalton (Drake University) describes how Marlu focuses on local change to bring cultural awareness and to represent the Latino community in Iowa. Song credit: "Flauta" from Miente, miente, que algo queda by los tu.l.a. At Free Music Archive.

This week you're in for a treat as La Llave gets inspiration from Henry Jimenez, a scholar with a dual degree in Woman's Studies and Political Science. He is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs. Henry talks about how hard working our parents are to come into this country, undocumented, and provide a life for their families. He believes in leading and working towards a bright futuro para nuestros hijos. We dive into Henry's dream of creating the act of voting as a new family tradition. The compadres were inspired by Henry's optimism radiating through the studio. And we hope he has the same effect on you. Tune in so you can get to know this humble man who is proud of wearing his chanclas and carry with him his culture.  Follow our journey through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

https://www.youtube.com/user/WrightStateU Wright State students, faculty and staff could find plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween around campus over the last week. The University Activities Board along with the University Center for International Education hosted the WSU Scare Fair in the Student Union Atrium. Students played games, ate popcorn, carved pumpkins and learned about different cultures. “We are always trying to educate our international students on some American traditions,” said Catherine Hernandez, international student program coordinator at the University Center for International Education. The Global Public Health Brigade hosted a Pumpkin Smash fundraiser on the Quad. Students paid $3 to smash a pumpkin with a sledgehammer. Proceeds from the event will benefit an upcoming trip to Nicaragua. The Office of Latino Affairs hosted a party to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Students painted masks, danced and learned about Latino traditions. More at http://webapp2.wright.edu/web1/newsroom/2017/11/01/smashing-pumpkins/#video

Immigrants are one of the biggest factors that help the D.C. region grow and sustain itself. "My mission in the office is to improve the quality [of life] for D.C.s Latino residents," says Jackie Reyes, director of the Mayors office on Latino Affairs, to learn more about how immigration benefits the greater Washington area.

http://wright.edu/news About 170 children got the Wright State University experience as part of the 15th annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Sponsored by the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Foundation, the April 6 event resulted in the boys and girls between the ages of ages of 8 and 18 observing their parents or mentors at work, exploring the campus and attending concurrent sessions focusing on career paths in the sciences, business, technology, arts, and other fields. “It’s important because they’re seeing what I do every day,” said Julia Acosta, director of Latino Affairs. Acosta’s son and daughter both participated in several of the breakout sessions. More at Wright.edu

Joining the program are the new Executive Director of the Indiana Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, Danielle Dean, and Carlos May, who in his position as Senior Executive Policy Advisor to Mayor Ballard, oversees the same issues for the city of Indianapolis. Interestingly, they are siblings.

Indianapolis' growing hispanic community. Guests: Carlos May - Director of Latino Affairs for the City of Indianapolis, Carmen DeRusha - Hispanic community leader and Pam Gemmer - Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School ESL/Spanish teacher

Bonus Convocation: "From Rural Mexico to the Indiana Statehouse" - Juana Watson, Senior Advisor for Latino Affairs to Gov. Mitch Daniels