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TOP 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ILLINOIS’ REPUBLICAN PRIMARY: STATE’S EMERGING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR & IMMIGRATION POLITICS

March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

THE HISPANIC BLOG IS THE LATEST HISPANIC NEWS BY JESSICA MARIE GUTIERREZ

photo source AP/M. SPENCER GREENE Gov. Pat Quinn celebrates with students and supporters after signing the Illinois DREAM Act into law on August 1, 2011.

A Look at the State’s Emerging Communities of Color in Light of the Republican Primary

Illinois’s slow population growth over the last decade—3.3 percent, compared to a nationwide average of 9.7 percent—masks striking demographic changes in the state. While the white share of the population declined by 4.1 percent between 2000 and 2010, the state’s Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, Alaska Native, and mixed-race communities grew significantly. In 2010 Illinois had the fifth-largest Hispanic population in the country and the 10th-largest Hispanic share as a percent of the total population.

In light of the state’s primary tomorrow, here are some facts about how the state’s growing communities of color are changing Illinois’s economy and electorate.

1. Communities of color—particularly Latinos—drive Illinois’s population growth. The surging Hispanic population in particular propelled the state’s population increase. In 2010 Hispanics represented 15.8 percent of the state’s population, a growth rate of 32 percent over the decade. Hispanic population growth alone accounted for 89.5 percentof the state’s total growth from 2000 to 2009.

2. Children of color now make up close to half of the children in Illinois. In 2008 Illinois was 1 of 20 states in the nation with a child population that was more than 40 percent minority.

3. Communities of color are younger and represent the future of the state. In 2010 the median age of non-Hispanic whites in the state was 41.6 years. By comparison, Hispanics’ median age was only 26.3 years, while the median age of African Americans was32.7 years and Asians 34.6 years.

4. The increase in Illinois’s communities of color will soon translate into political power. In 2008 there were 749,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Illinois—the sixth-largesteligible Hispanic voter population in the nation. In that year the state had the 10th-largestHispanic voting share nationwide, with Hispanics comprising 8 percent of the total eligible voter population in the state. In the 2010 elections 658,000 African Americans, 241,000Hispanics, and 88,000 Asians voted in Illinois, and there is room for these numbers to grow. The pressure to turn numbers into political power will rise along with the number of eligible voters of color in the state.

5. In 2008 the support of Illinois’s voters of color helped then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) defeat Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in the state. Even though Sen. McCain won 57 percent of white voters, Sen. Obama won the state with 61.8 percent of the total vote in 2008. More than 1 million voters of color cast their ballots in Illinois in 2008—more than 25 percent of all votes cast. Exit polls suggest that 95 percent of African American voters, 67 percent of Hispanic voters, and 62 percent of Asian voters supported Sen. Obama at the polls.

6. Illinois is a standout state in protecting its foreign-born population. On May 5, 2011, Gov. Pat Quinn (D) announced that Illinois would not participate in the controversial Secure Communities program (where immigrants booked into a county jail in a participating jurisdiction have their fingerprints shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement), because of concerns that the program was being used to racially profile Latinos and resulting in the deportation of immigrants not convicted of serious crimes. This action spurred other states, such as Massachusetts and New York, to drop the program as well.

7. Illinois passed a DREAM Act and stopped an Arizona-style anti-immigration law. The Illinois DREAM Act creates a privately funded “DREAM Fund,” giving undocumented immigrants access to much-needed financial aid to afford college, and putting them one step closer to reaching the American Dream. On the flip side, Illinois State Rep. Randy Ramey’s (R) Arizona-styled bill H.B. 1969—filed in February 2011—has not been able to make it out of committee.

8. Families of color in Illinois face significant economic hurdles. In 2010 the median household income for African Americans in the state was $32,866—just above 55 percent of the household income for whites. The median household income for Hispanic residents in Illinois that year was 76 percent of non-Hispanic white income.

9. Unemployment hits these communities harder than any other. In 2010, 22.6 percent of the African American civilian labor force over the age of 16 in Illinois was unemployed. This level was 2.4 times as high as the comparable unemployment rate of whites (9.2 percent). Hispanic unemployment in 2010 was also high, at 13.2 percent.

10. Nevertheless, communities of color contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Unauthorized immigrants paid $500 million in state and local taxes in 2010. In 2009 the purchasing power of Illinois Latinos totaled $43.6 billion. The same year Asian American buying power totaled $23.8 billion. The 56,567 Latino-owned businesses in the state made more than $10 billion in sales in 2007, the last year for which data are available, while the state’s 59,367 Asian-owned businesses generated more than $18 billion in sales.

READ MORE: CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS

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HAS SENATOR MARCO RUBIO BUMPED UP HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY TO BE RELEASED BEFORE GOP CONVENTION?

March 19, 2012 by 1 Comment

Rubio moves publication of memoir before GOP convention

EXCLUSIVE: Marco Rubio, the 41-year-old first-term senator from Florida of Cuban extraction with sterling conservative credentials and matinee star looks, has bumped up the publication of his autobiography from October to June. Politico‘s Mike Allen broke the news this morning. The Sentinel imprint of Penguin Group is moving up the publication of Sen. Marco Rubio’s memoir, “An American Son.” It was originally planned for October but will now go on sale June 19. The jacket is attached, including the flap copy. There will also be a Spanish language edition, “Un Hijo Americano.” Adrian Zackheim, president and publisher of Sentinel: “National interest in Senator Rubio keeps heating up and we want the book out in the world as quickly as possible. It’s important to the Senator and to us that people hear his remarkable story, and that of his family, directly from him.”

See the jacket full size

–Rubio is racing a more critical version, “The Rise of Marco Rubio,” by WashPost’s Manuel Roig-Franzia, edited by Simon & Schuster’s Priscilla Painton, scheduled for release July 3.

–From Rubio’s jacket: “Rubio spent countless hours with his grandfather … ‘Papa’ loved being Cuban, but he also loved America for being a beacon of liberty to oppressed people around the world. As Rubio puts it, ‘My grandfather didn’t know America was exceptional because he read about it in a book. He lived it and saw it with his own eyes. … Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about allowing people to catch up. … [M]y dad would work banquets at hotels. At these events there are usually only two people standing—the speaker on the podium and the bartender behind the bar. My dad was the one behind the bar. But he worked all his life so that his kids could make the symbolic journey from the bar to the podium.’”

READ MORE: POLITICO

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WHICH COMPANIES ARE TARGETING HISPANIC CONSUMERS RIGHT NOW?

March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

THE HISPANIC BLOG IS THE LATEST HISPANIC NEWS BY JESSICA MARIE GUTIERREZ

A summary for, Media Sales Executives, Advertising Agencies and Corporate Marketers to

see what clients are moving into the Hispanic market and/or targeting Hispanic consumers

right now.

  • Post Foods-XL Alliance
    Post Food’s has announced that XL Alliance will be its new advertising agency-of-record in support of Honey Bunches of Oats Hispanic marketing, the Bradington Herald reports. The New York and Denver-based agency will work in collaboration with their current media agency, MV42, Mediavest Multicultural. “We have a strong commitment to the growth of the Post business,” said Tony Shurman, Post Marketing Director. “XL Alliance has the right framework and is a great marketing partner to help continue the positive momentum we have achieved within the multicultural community.” In its new role, XL will evolve its incumbent assignment as Hispanic digital and social media marketing agency to include advertising, cross-channel planning and shopper marketing for Honey Bunches of Oats.Liliana Gil, cofounder and Managing Partner of XL Alliance; an executive who departed from Johnson & Johnson three years ago to join partners Enrique Arbelaez, Manny Fields and Armando Martin as cofounders of the agency.  In addition to Post Foods, XL serves a roster of clients that includes Kroger Co., Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Diageo, among others.
  • American Heart Association – Interlex
    The American Heart Association is working with Interlex to conduct branding, awareness and attitudinal research to develop a new positioning strategy for the American Stroke Association Brand. “For the past few months we’ve been deep into the research phase, conducting both quantitative and qualitative studies across General, African American, Asian American, Hispanic, South Asian, and Native American segments,” said Interlex President and CEO Rudy Ruiz. The goal, according to Ruiz, is to help the Association build a brand platform and communications strategy which is universally appealing and multicultural at the core. “This is a national initiative,” said Ruiz. “The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is very committed to improving the health of all Americans. And since minority segments are often disproportionately impacted by stroke, it is very important that they reach these audiences in meaningful, motivational ways.”The San Antonio-based shop joins the Ad Council, Grey Worldwide, and Omnicom’s Cone Communications on the AHA/ASA roster of agencies.
  • Yahoo! En español – Toyota Prius
    Yahoo! en Español launched a new blog, “Vida Ecologica” sponsored by Toyota Prius v, presenting tips on how to live an environmentally-conscious life.
  • American Airlines – Q’VIVA
    American Airlines and Q’VIVA! The Chosen have teamed up with the show’s producers to offer fans a chance to win a unique VIP experience to attend a live Q’VIVA! performance in the United States.
  • Walt Disney Records
    Walt Disney Records will be releasing two Song & Story titles and a collection of Disney Princess songs in Spanish for the very first time.  The label will also release the Spanish language digital soundtracks for Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.  All five albums will be released tomorrow March 20, 2012 wherever music is sold, digitally and physically. “We’re thrilled to offer Spanish-speaking families an additional way to experience the magic of Disney music in their native language,” says Cathleen Taff, SVP/GM, Disney Music Group.
  • Pepsi NEXT
    Starting March 26, cola lovers everywhere will be invited to get a first taste of new Pepsi NEXT, a new beverage which intends to be a game changer in the cola category and the first to deliver real cola taste with 60% less sugar than Pepsi-Cola. “We’re on a mission to get consumers to experience the real cola taste of Pepsi NEXT for themselves,” said Angelique Krembs, Vice President TM Pepsi Marketing.
    Promotions around the launch will include:
    – A Walmart sampling program hitting 800 Walmart Supercenter stores across the country, beginning March 26 through the end of April. Consumers can visit facebook.com/pepsinext to find the nearest Walmart store for their risk-free trial of Pepsi NEXT.
    – In-market sampling for consumers to try Pepsi NEXT for free across 40+ cities nationwide between the end of March and August 2012.
    – A TV ad spot, created by TBWA/Chiat/Day, featuring an excited young couple recording their first interaction with Pepsi NEXT, meanwhile missing the “unbelievable acts” of their baby in the background, from dancing to handstands. This 30-second spot will begin airing nationwide on March 26 on prime-time and cable networks, and will be complemented with online and radio advertising.
    – A digital application on facebook.com/pepsinext inviting users to “taste” Pepsi NEXT online.
    – Targeted and relevant Hispanic advertising and grassroots marketing.

READ MORE: PORTADA NEWS

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THE “BOOK SMUGGLERS” PROTEST ARIZONA’S CONTROVERSIAL BAN ON ETHNIC STUDIES CLASSES: MEET THE LIBROTRAFICANTES

March 19, 2012 by 2 Comments

Arizona Ethnic-Studies Ban’s Unintended Result: Underground Libraries

Meet the Librotraficantes—the “book smugglers” protesting the state’s controversial ban on ethnic-studies classes—and putting Mexican-American works in students’ hands.

Some 30 students, teachers, and activists emerged from the bus carrying boxes of books. As they stepped onto the pavement Saturday and into the bright Tucson sun, they chanted in unison, “What do we want? Books! When do we want them? Now! Who are we? Librostraficantes!”

The Spanish term, which means “book smugglers,” is the brainchild of Houston Community College professor and author Tony Diaz, who with a few dozen supporters set out March 12 for Arizona to protest a 2010 state law that prohibits certain types of ethnic studies in public schools. In January officials shut down the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican-American-studies curriculum. The Librotraficante Caravan traveled through Texas and New Mexico, stopping in cities along the way to hold literary readings, collect donated books, and establish “underground libraries” filled with titles from Tucson’s banned courses. Several authors whose works were discontinued participated—Rudolfo Anaya, widely considered the godfather of Latino literature in the Southwest, even invited the caravan into his Albuquerque home for posole, traditional pork stew.
“I’m much obliged to the Tucson Unified School District for creating this little book club,” Diaz said after arriving at a youth center that will be the site of Tucson’s “underground library,” home to copies of some 80 books taught in the now-defunct program, including The House on Mango Street by bestselling author Sandra Cisneros, Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, and The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea. “When Arizona legislators decided to erase our history, we decided to make more!” The law originated amid Arizona’s heated debates over the immigration crackdown spearheaded by Republican legislators, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and Gov. Jan Brewer. The governor signed the ethnic-studies measure in May 2010, just weeks after signing into law the country’s toughest immigration bill in generations. (That measure, S.B. 1070, is heading to the Supreme Court in April.) Soon after, officials declared the Tucson program illegal, and a group of teachers sued the state in federal court. In January an administrative judge approved the courses’ elimination, and the classes’ books were boxed up and taken to storage facilities and school libraries. A district-court judge is scheduled to hear motions in the case today.
                                                                                                                                                                       Megan Feldman
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne wrote the ethnic-studies law while he was the state’s superintendent of public instruction. Banning courses that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, encourage resentment against a group of people, or are created specifically for one group, the law was aimed squarely at the Tucson Mexican-American-studies program. Its teachers, Horne claims, taught Chicano history and literature through a racist and politicized filter that wrongly informed students that they’re oppressed by white people. (He says he began looking into the program in 2007 after labor leader Dolores Huerta told Tucson students that Republicans hated Latinos, and when he sent a Latina Republican aide to the school to counter that view, some students turned their backs and raised their fists in the air.)

“It’s a fundamental American value that what matters about us is what we know, what we can do, and what is our character—and that what race we were born into is irrelevant,” Horne says. “This program is teaching students the opposite—that what matters about people is their race.” In a recent court brief, he cites former district teachers who claim students became resentful and mistrustful of authorities after taking the classes, as well as a white student who said Hispanic students ceased speaking to her because of her race. The program’s teachers and many of its students dismiss such accusations. Alfonso Chavez, 20, says the classes helped him understand his culture and history while getting an education that included the state-mandated core curriculum. “These classes are very relevant, especially here in the Southwest,” he said at a Librotraficante breakfast hosted by a Tucson gallery. “It helped me grow as a person, and my grades started improving.”

“THE BIG CULTURAL AFFRONT TO ME IS THAT THEY WALKED IN THE CLASSROOMS AND BOXED UP THE BOOKS IN FRONT OF THE LATINO STUDENTS. THAT WAS THE SINGLE ACT THAT GALVANIZED US AND THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT!”

Erin Cain-Hodge, a 19-year-old University of Arizona student, says being one of three white pupils in one of the now prohibited courses was valuable. “I took the classes because I was constantly hearing from the same white male authors,” she says. “I thought, ‘There has to be more.’” Horne says the state’s standard courses include Chicano authors and even instances of historical oppression, but Mexican-American-studies supporters say Latino history and literature are underrepresented.
“Many of my students would come in and say they’d never read any Chicano literature before,” said Curtis Acosta, a plaintiff in the case who has taught in the Tucson schools since 2003. In a district that’s more than 60 percent Latino, teaching Chicano history and literature is crucial for students’ sense of belonging and academic development, he said. As for claims that he taught students to resent white people? “I think Horne needs to take credit for his own work,” Acosta said. “If he feels that anger, we definitely didn’t have to teach it, because he’s teaching it to them.”
READ MORE: THE DAILY BEAST

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UNITED AIRLINES RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH NAT’L ASSOCIATION OF HISPANIC JOURNALISTS

March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

THE HISPANIC BLOG IS THE LATEST HISPANIC NEWS BY JESSICA MARIE GUTIERREZ

United Airlines announced that it has renewed its partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). United will be the official airline of special events for the organization in 2012.

“United is proud to continue its support of the NAHJ,” said John Slater, United’s vice president of sales – Americas. “We applaud the NAHJ’s dedication to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry and are pleased to facilitate the organization’s events around the country.”

The United-NAHJ partnership includes support for seven events: the 2012 NAHJ Hall of Fame Gala during the UNITY Convention, August 1-4, in Las Vegas – the nation’s largest gathering of minority journalists; the NAHJ 23rd Annual Scholarship Benefit in the fall; and five NAHJ regional events to take place in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Postcard from event that happened September 2011

“We are grateful to United for its generous support of NAHJ at a time when news coverage of the growing Latino community has never been more crucial,” said Michele Salcedo, NAHJ president. “Although many companies are rethinking their commitment to diversity, United has chosen to continue our longstanding relationship that began with Continental Airlines. We not only thank them, we applaud them.”

Continental began its support of the NAHJ in 2005.

SOURCE United Continental Holdings, Inc.

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