La Prensa- Letter to the Editor
Carta al EditorLuis Navar y Pedro Rodríguez,Denison
La semana que viene, vamos a escoger en el estado de Iowa quién debe ser el candidato de cada partido para presidente del país a través de caucuses, reuniones de los partidos para elegir a los candidatos.
Como padres buscamos un futuro mejor para nosotros y nuestros hijos, sin importar la raza del candidato. Queremos que en referencia a la economía, la educación y en la política, nuestros hijos se sientan incluidos. Por eso nosotros nos sentimos orgullosos de apoyar a Barack Obama, el candidato que no ha solo comunicado su interés por unir a toda la comunidad americana sino a todos por igual durante toda su campaña. Su equipo ha realizado el mayor esfuerzo por conectarse con la comunidad Latina. Han establecido una operación bilingüe en todo el estado, participando en las comunidades de Denison, Storm Lake y Perry; y ha traído a Federico Peña— el primer alcalde latino de Denver en el Estado de Colorado— y al mismo Obama para hablar con nosotros y también ha tocado en nuestras puertas y ha llamado a nuestras casas para hacernos parte del proceso político.
Obama se ha unido a nosotros y ha marchado con nosotros en grandes manifestaciones el año pasado, el único candidato en hacerlo; el único que luchó por la ayuda financiera para los hijos de inmigrantes; que propuso enmiendas y leyes para reunir a las familias de emigrantes y luchó para facilitar una vía hacia la ciudadanía; el único candidato que trabajó como organizador comunitario para crear poder en las comunidades latinas y afro-americanas de bajos recursos en Chicago— estas acciones sirven como prueba que Barack Obama siempre ha luchado por las familias latinas y no-latinas, y que seguirá luchando por nosotros cuando llegue a la Casa Blanca.
Por estos motivos nosotros apoyamos a Obama como presidente de los Estados Unidos y pedimos que todo el que comparta este interés por crear en Denison, Storm Lake y Perry un ambiente dónde puedan vivir nuestros hijos en paz y felicidad vote, como nosotros, por Obama. En la carrera por la Casa Blanca hay muchos políticos que nos han decepcionado. Muchas son las elecciones que no han servido para nada. Pero lo que quieren Steve King y los otros como él es que creamos que la política no nos afecta y que las elecciones son asunto de “ellos” y no asunto “nuestro”.
Este jueves, 3 de enero a las 6:30pm unámonos para asistir a nuestras asambleas electorales (caucuses) para elegir a Barack Obama. Ha llegado NUESTRO momento, el momento de elegir a un candidato que se preocupa por todos los que vivimos en este país.
El cambio comienza con nosotros. Luis Navar y Pedro RodriguezDenison
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2007
Contact:
Josh Earnest: 515.883.2008 / 515.229.9571
Tommy Vietor: 515.883.2008 / 515.418.7972
Obama Campaign Announces Iowa Latino Steering Committee
DES MOINES -- The Obama Campaign today announced an 88-member Latino Steering Committee that will engage Latinos across Iowa and talk with them about Obama's leadership on issues important to the Latino community, and his commitment to bringing about change we can believe in.
"Today more than ever, America needs a leader who will bring people together to reach for what we know is possible," said Storm Lake Councilwoman Sara Monroy Huddleston, one of four elected Latinos in Iowa. "Barack Obama, the one candidate who will bring new energy and respect to the Presidency, will work alongside all Americans to bring about change we can believe in."
Barack Obama has continued to fight for the Latino community by expanding opportunities for Latinos in education, health care, and economic development. Obama has been a leader in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform and is committed to putting politics aside and offering a complete solution that strengthens our security while reaffirming our heritage as a nation of immigrants.
"Real change comes from the bottom up and the Latino community is a vital part of our grassroots movement for change in Iowa," Senator Obama said. "I am proud to have the support of these leaders in the Latino community who will help ensure that our grassroots movement for change succeeds on caucus night."
For more information on Senator Obama's leadership for the Latino community, click here.
See below for the Iowa Latino Steering Committee members:
Dr. Hector Avalos, AmesJose Cabrales, AmesMario Iniguez, AmesRoy Salcedo, AmesShawn Smith, AmesMary Salazar Guenther, Cedar FallsJesse Martinez, Cedar RapidsMario Rodriguez, Clear Lake Sindya Hernandez, ClintonMaria Ramirez, CliveEladio Webber, Columbus Junction Henry Vargas, DavenportPhil Gomez, DavenportLuis Navar, DenisonPedro "Pete" Rodriguez, DenisonAlba Perez, Des MoinesAnahi Horton, Des MoinesAndrea Rivera-Harrison, Des MoinesBecky Quigley, Des MoinesChivas Rivas, Des MoinesChristina Merical, Des MoinesCynthia McAfee, Des MoinesDaniel Garza, Des MoinesDoris Fernandez, Des MoinesEric Gonzalez, Des MoinesEsther Galvan, Des MoinesEvelyn Garrison, Des MoinesFelipe Gallardo, Des MoinesJackie Carey, Des MoinesJanet Maldonado, Des MoinesJoe Henry, Des MoinesJohn Gonzalez, Des MoinesJorge "George" Valencia, Des MoinesLisa White, Des MoinesLorenzo Sandoval, Des MoinesMarlie Quinteros, Des MoinesMitch Henry, Des MoinesRoberto Samanamud, Des MoinesRose Vasquez, Des MoinesRuby Cruz, Des MoinesYolanda Cintron, Des MoinesCarleen Adame-Garza, Des Moines Chris Villalobos, Des Moines Christina Morrow, Des Moines Claudia Schabel, Des Moines Lucy Carrigan, Des Moines Marcela Tarin, Des Moines Max Cardenas, Des Moines Michele Soria, Des Moines Phil Munoz, Des Moines Ralph Gonzalez, Des Moines Rebecca Ramirez, Des Moines Roberto Rodriguez, Des Moines Steve Martinez, Des Moines Tomas Gonzalez, Des Moines Warren Morrow, Des Moines Jose Pulido, FairfieldSilvanna Heilmann, FairfieldDanny Mendez, Iowa CityDawnelle Gordon, Iowa CityInez Cruz, Iowa CityLazara Pittman, Iowa CityRuben Castillo, Iowa CityJanelle Hernandez-Moreno, MarshalltownPhil Sanchez, Mason CitySal Alaniz, Mt. PleasantGloria Casas, MuscatineGuillermo Gibens, OskaloosaOmaira Gibens, Oskaloosa Mark Meir, PerryArturo Deanda, Sioux CityHector Trejo, Sioux CityJuanita Garcia, Sioux CityJulio Rodriguez, Sioux CityLuis Dario Madrid, Sioux CityManuelito "Tito" Parker, Sioux CityNorma De La O, Sioux CityPerla Alarcon-Flory, Sioux CitySandra Gutierrez, Sioux CityAraceli Benitez, Storm Lake Jose Benitez, Storm Lake Sara Monroy Huddleston, Storm Lake Alicia Mireles, UrbandaleCarlos Rich, WashingtonMiriam Altunez, WaterlooPedro Cortes, WaukeeIla Plasencia, West Des Moines Jose Zacarias, West LibertyRuben Galvan, West Liberty
###
December 20, 2008
Des Moines, Iowa
To Elect Barack Obama is to Elect a Better Future for Everyone
El Latino Newspaper is proud to be the first Spanish speaking newspaper in Iowa to make public our opinion on the future of the US. Like many members of the Latino community in Iowa, we work very hard to secure a better future for our families, we pay taxes, and contribute--- economically, socially, and culturally to our communities. Our job and civil duty gives us the right to evaluate all the presidential candidates—Democrats as well as Republicans and determine who is the person that best represents the interest of the Latino community and has the character and leadership to unite the nation for progress.
After carefully studying the presidential candidates, the editorial team at El Latino, has decided to endorse Senator Barack Obama. Since Obama’s father was a foreigner and Obama is a minority in the US, he not only understands the Latino community, he feels it—the good and the bad. We identify with Obama and are convinced that he understands the issues that directly impact Latino families: issues like immigration, education, the War in Iraq, civil rights, and small business development. The most important thing is that these issues get implemented in Congress. No other presidential candidate, particularly divisive candidates, can unite Congress and secure the votes to finally pass comprehensive immigration reform. We believe that Obama is the only candidate with the capability to change the immigration laws to keep our families together and give everyone the opportunity to pursue the American Dream.
We are proud once again to take this historic position in the state of Iowa. We know very well that an endorsement of a candidate is something controversial and that many people may not agree with. Although we are living in difficult times, we are also living in a time of much opportunity and hope. We believe that Obama is the candidate of hope and the future. We make the decision to endorse with conviction, bravery, and the confidence that he best represents a better future for our families and community. We ask with all our heart that all members of the Latino community in Iowa attend the caucus to vote for Barack Obama, January 3 at 6:30pm.
**Caucus: Political party meetings to elect a candidate.
For more information about Senator Obama, his platform and to find out your caucus location, please visit the following sites: Latinos for Obama: www.latinos.barackobama.com
Spanish: www.barackobama.com/espanol/
Link to Caucus Center: http://iowa.barackobama.com/caucus
Direct link to caucus locator: http://iowa.barackobama.com/IACaucusLocator
New Hispanic Voters in Iowa Push Democrats Into Balancing Act
DES MOINES — At La Favorita, a Mexican grocery store here, there is plenty of food for sale — and also a new brand of politics.
OBAMA CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO ADDRESS LATINO DROPOUT RATE
LOS ANGELES, CA - - At a townhall meeting held at the East Los Angeles high school on which the movie "Stand and Deliver," was based, Barack Obama today announced that he will introduce a middle school investment bill that will help reduce the Latino dropout rate. Obama also discussed his plan to help relieve the grip poverty has on our cities.
Latinos are dropping out of school more than any other group of Americans. Obama’s bill invests in proven strategies to support middle school students because research shows that the academic problems that lead a high school student to drop out often begin in middle school. His bill also awards grants to help states and districts improve graduation rates. In addition, Obama supports efforts to address the dropout crisis by strengthening the role of non-profits and community-based organizations and by enhancing collaboration among parents, state and district leaders, elected officials, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
"When I’m President, we’ll give our kids everything they need to have a fighting chance," said Obama. "Let’s not pass a law called No Child Left Behind and then leave the money behind. Let’s rebuild our crumbling schools and recruit an army of new teachers because what makes the most difference in any child’s education is the person standing at the front of the classroom. And we also have to make sure that every child who wants to learn English has the resources to learn English. And that any child who comes here and studies here and does well in school has the same chance to attend a public college as anyone else."
Obama proposed expanding the Harlem Children’s Zone, which treats poverty as an all-encompassing problem that must be addressed at all levels from education to counseling to health care, to twenty cities nationwide.
Obama, who sponsored the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) in Illinois, also addressed the consequences of Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto of the DREAM Act. "Instead of driving thousands of children who were on the right path into the shadows, we need to give those who play by the rules the opportunity to succeed," he stated.
Obama’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:
Remarks for Senator Barack Obama
Garfield High School
Los Angeles, California
October 20, 2007
The other day, I was reading the paper and came across an article about failing schools here in Los Angeles. The article told the story of Martha Sanchez, a mother of three, who’s frustrated with L.A.’s schools. She said that when her son Gonzalo started falling behind in the seventh grade, he never got the support he needed. When she called the school to complain, nothing changed.
"Maybe the system is not designed for people like us," she said.
Not designed for people like us.
It saddens us to hear her say that. And yet, we all know why she would feel that way. Because from East L.A. to West Chicago to the South Bronx, students like Gonzalo have been getting left behind for a long time now. We see it in schools where teachers don’t have the resources they need, where the classrooms are crumbling or overcrowded, or where phone calls from concerned parents are met with silence on the other end.
And our neglect of these students is being reflected in a rising dropout rate. I don’t have to tell you how serious this problem is. In this school district, the dropout rate is 25 percent, and even higher for Latinos. This points to a larger trend. Because Latinos are dropping out of school more than any other group of Americans.
Now, I think part of the reason we’ve let the problem get to this point is that we tend to view students at inner-city schools as someone else’s rather than our own. We say things like "these kids can’t learn" and "these kids are too far behind." So the first thing we need to do is to start treating "these kids" like "our kids." And that means making sure we have an education system that’s working for students like Gonzalo. Because no American should feel like their education system isn’t designed for them.
And we also have to make sure that every child who wants to learn English has the resources to learn English. And that any child who comes here and studies here and does well in school has the same chance to attend a public college as anyone else. This is what the DREAM Act does.
The other week, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the DREAM Act for the second time. That was wrong. Instead of driving thousands of children who were on the right path into the shadows, we need to give those who play by the rules the opportunity to succeed. That’s why I helped pass the DREAM Act when I was a state Senator in Illinois. That’s why I’m fighting for it in the U.S. Senate. And that’s why I’ll make it the law of the land when I’m President. And while we’re at it, let’s pass comprehensive immigration reform, because until we do, we won’t be able to focus on the other challenges facing the Latino community.
That’s why I’ve proposed a STEP UP plan to expand summer learning opportunities through partnerships between schools and community organizations. And that’s why next week, I’ll be introducing a bill in the Senate that invests in proven strategies to support middle school students and that awards grants to states and districts that are improving graduation rates.
But we can’t just work through the schools. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach. We need to bring together state and district leaders, foundations, entrepreneurs, and community organizations so we can solve this problem together. And that’s what I’ll do as President.
Now, I didn’t just discover these issues on the campaign trail. I’ve been working with the Latino community to address these issues for over two decades. As some of you may know, I got my start in public service after college when I moved to Chicago to be a community organizer on the South Side. And one of the things I did was build a coalition between Black and Latino leaders to help set up afterschool programs. Because we knew that if we could keep kids off the streets and in school, we could improve graduation rates. And I also fought to get state funding for a dropout prevention program that’s still in operation today.
And what I learned in the process is that it often takes more than academic failure for kids to give up on their education. There are usually other issues involved. Maybe it’s a teen pregnancy or the demands of a job. Or maybe it’s an immigration raid that snatches a child’s parents away so they’ve got no one at home to offer them guidance and support. Or maybe it’s a sense that certain students aren’t expected to succeed so after a point, they just stop trying. We can’t let this continue. We teach our children that in America, if you dream big and work hard, you will thrive. We have to keep that promise.
So if we’re serious about addressing the problems in our urban schools, we’re going to have to lift expectations and restore a sense of hope in our communities. It’s time to stand and deliver for America’s urban poor.
A few months ago, I outlined my plan to fight poverty in our nation’s cities. It’s a plan that takes a comprehensive approach, addressing poverty by addressing its root causes in the community. We’ll invest in programs that offer everything from counseling for new mothers to afterschool programs to free medical services, and job counseling for parents.
And we’ll create good paying jobs here at home, and invest in innovative transitional job programs so we can get the unemployed working again. It’s also time we did something to bring businesses back to our inner-cities. A long time ago, we created a World Bank to spur economic development in some of the world’s poorest regions. Well if we can have a World Bank than we can have an urban bank right here in America. And when I’m President we will.
Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
Candidates target Hispanic votersBy DICK JOHNSON, dick.johnson@globegazette.com
HAMPTON — As the nation’s fastest-growing minority group, Hispanics represented nearly 10 percent of eligible U.S. voters in 2006.They could represent nearly a quarter of the total population by 2050, according to http://hispanic.com.Presidential candidates have noticed.U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., formed a National Hispanic Leadership Council which includes two Hispanic Iowans.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the first Hispanic Democratic presidential candidate, has established “Mi Familia con Bill Richardson (My Family with Bill Richardson),” a national Hispanic outreach and organizing program.Federico Peña, Secretary of Energy and Transportation Secretary for former President Bill Clinton, recently toured Iowa in support of Democratic candidate Barack Obama. Peña is a co-chairman of Obama’s national campaign.“I would say the effort is maximum,” he said in an interview with the Globe Gazette. “The Obama campaign fully recognizes the role that the Hispanic community is playing throughout the country. We have worked very hard to empower and engage Hispanics across the state. We think the Latino vote is key, and we’re going to get as much support there as we can.”The Obama campaign is targeting about 10 states with sizeable Hispanic populations. It opened its 30th and 31st offices in Iowa this fall.Obama’s Latino Steering Committee, established to engage Iowa Hispanics, includes Mario Rodriguez of Clear Lake and Phillip Sanchez of Mason City.“A close state election will make a difference,” Peña said. “That’s why we’re organized so well in these key states. We’re focusing very seriously on the Latino community in Iowa.”Iowa’s Hispanic population is still rather small, and scattered in small towns, rather than concentrated in a few communities.And many North Iowa Hispanics are not naturalized, and speak little or no English.“The main barrier is the language. That’s one of the things I’m concerned of,” said Carolina Gaytán, a certified nurses assistant and interpretor/translator from Hampton. “Sometimes people cannot voice their opinion on certain things. They’re starting to go to school, many of them. Later on, maybe things won’t be so bad as they are right now.”Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin represented 10.5 percent of Franklin County’s population, and 7.1 percent of Wright County’s population in 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.“That isn’t even a thing that I’m thinking about,” said Peggy Campbell of Sheffield, Franklin County Republican Party chairwoman. “Everyone that’s on the list, I’m just glad that they’re Republican.”— Associated Press writers Nafeesa Syeed and Mike Glover contributed to this report.
http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18852005&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554337&rfi=6
Ames Tribune 9/25/07
To the Editor Those watching Univision, the Spanish-language network, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, witnessed a historic event. This was the first time that a Spanish-language network sponsored a presidential debate. Having observed Latino politics in Iowa for the last 14 years, this event represents the increasing potency of the Latino vote.However, not all candidates are taking advantage of this opportunity, and some are philosophically against it. On the Democratic side, all the major candidates were present.But Republicans did not have such a forum on Univision because only Sen. John McCain was willing to participate in a similar event. This signals a reversal from the strategy of George W. Bush when he was a candidate.In 2000, I thought that George Bush had the most effective outreach to Latinos in Iowa. He had a full-time staff person devoted to Latino issues and building a Latino base in Iowa. That may not be enough for Latinos like myself to vote for him, but that effort does carry weight with many Latino voters. Bush, after all, won 48 percent of the Latino vote when he last ran for governor in Texas. I am not sure any Republican candidate can even approach this sort of support in this election from Latinos nationwide.This year, the most vigorous outreach to Latinos I have witnessed is that of Sen. Barack Obama. He has a full-time staff person, Joan Kato, devoted to building a Latino network of supporters. Sen. Obama's Latino advisory committee includes powerful voices in the Latino community in Iowa. Although the total proportion of Latino voters in Iowa is still small, one cannot evade the fact that Latinos now outnumber farmers in Iowa. No one will be able to ignore the Latino vote in this election cycle, especially in key states, such as California, Florida, and Texas.In the present election cycle, Latinos in Iowa may make a difference in a close race in some areas with high Latino populations (e.g., Muscatine, Denison, Storm Lake, Perry, Marshalltown) if voting registration drives are successful.Although the presidential forum focused a lot on immigration issues, I support Sen. Obama because, in addition to having sensible plans on many Latino issues, he was against the Iraq War from the start. Opposition to the Iraq war showed me that Sen. Obama's wisdom and courage was more potent than all of the experience of those seasoned politicians who voted for this costly and unwise human disaster that disproportionately affects the lives of the poor and the marginalized in this country and in Iraq.Like many Latinos, I am interested in a candidate who makes an effort to reach out to Latinos. But that is just the first step. At the end of the race, I will vote for the candidate who addresses all the major aspects of my life as an American and as a citizen of an increasingly dangerous world. Sen. Obama is that candidate.Hector Avalos809 Wheeler Street, No. 6Ames
