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FOX NEWS LATINO SPEAKS WITH JOSE HERNANDEZ: CLICK HERE OR ON HIS IMAGE TO WATCH & LISTEN TO HIM SPEAK OUT ABOUT RUNNING FOR U.S. CONGRESS

Adam Eschbach/IPT

Jose Hernandez knows all about launches: The former NASA astronaut is helping to kick off the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI)’s conference at the Sheraton hotel in Chicago Thursday, hoping to inspire thousands of students to reach for the stars.

As a child, Hernandez and his family toiled as migrant farm workers. He remembers clearly his father’s words after a hard day of picking cucumbers.

“He said, how do you kids feel right now?” said Hernandez. “Of course, after a hard day’s work, we answered, we’re tired. He said, remember this feeling because you kids have the privilege of living your future now.”

That meant going to school and getting an education. And Hernandez had a goal: to become an astronaut. He applied to the program several times.

AP Photo/Hernandez Family
Future NASA astronaut & US Congressman Jose Hernandez,f ar right, with his brothers Gil, left, Chava and sister Leticia, didn't learn English until he was 12.

“I didn’t get accepted the first time, second time, third time, It took 12 years to get accepted, 12 years, so that’s perseverance.”

In 2009, Hernandez took flight onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Latino Leadership Initiative participants met with astronaut Jose Hernandez photo via CNN

“I was raised by a single mother,” said Adeyanira Escuadra, Whitney Young High School junior. “We come from a low-income family. I think seeing other people start off from a small place and they were able to prosper in life, it’s a very high inspiration for us.”

Chicago is just one stop. The U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute announced Thursday that student events, like the one being held in the city this week, will be held in more than 20 states this year. The ultimate goal for every Latino family?

“In every household, and there are millions of them, we have to work towards this – we have to ensure in every household there is a diploma – for high school graduation, for post secondary education or training,” said Dr. Juan Andrade, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute.That’s an important message for the young minds who are looking ahead.

“Anything is possible in this country,” he said. “If folks are willing to work hard, get themselves a good education, anything is possible.”

Jose Hernandez announces his run for the 10th Congressional District seat during a ceremony at the Tracy Transit Station Tuesday afternoon. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
Read more: Tracy Press - Shooting for the moon

Hernández announced at Pacific Union College on September 29, 2011 that at the urging of President Barack Obama he was considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives and would announce his decision on October 11, 2011. He announced his candidacy as promised on October 11 via Twitter by linking to his campaign website. Hernandez made his first public campaign appearance on January 14, 2012, at a Democratic Candidate Forum in Tracy at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

UPDATE & FOR UPDATED BLOG ABOUT THIS STORY CLICK HERE: In March 2012, Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, a law firm with links to the California Republican Party, sued in Sacramento County Superior Court to block Hernandez from describing himself as an “astronaut/scientist/engineer” on the June ballot.

WATCH US ASTRONAUT JOSE HERNANDEZ IN SPACE…CLICK HERE OR ON HIS IMAGE BELOW

The lawsuit stated that “astronaut is not a title one carries for life”; the election code requires the description be accurate for the previous calendar year. “Allowing a candidate out of nowhere to use the profession of ‘astronaut’ when he hasn’t served in that profession recently is akin to allowing someone to use a title of ‘sailor’ when they no longer own or operate a ship,” said Jennifer Kerns, a California Republican Party spokeswoman. On March 29th, a Sacramento County Superior Court judge ruled that Hernández may be described as an astronaut on the June 5 Democrat primary ballot.

Photo Credit: NASA

FOR MORE ABOUT JOSE HERNANDEZ VISIT HIS PAGE AT HTTP://JOSEFORCONGRESS.COM

Read More: Chicago ABC News

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