1	In the News From politics to art, the headlines of Hispanidad. read more...
2	UPFRONT Ruben Navarrette, Jr. Hispanics as a commodity in politics. read more...
3	Dr. Eduardo Padrón Charting a new course toward prosperity. read more...

panorama

youth
Feeling the power
Hispanic girls seem to have a healthy self-image and a strong sense of their place in the world, according to a recent nationwide study by Girl Scouts of the USA. Nearly three-quarters of Hispanic girls consider themselves to be leaders, one of the highest proportions among any racial or ethnic group, according to the report.
“This a very positive finding, given that Hispanic girls represent the [fastest] growing sector of the girl population in the country,” says Judy Schoenberg, lead author of the report. “It appears that Hispanic girls don’t seem to have the fears that are traditional barriers to leadership for girls and boys.” The 72 percent of Hispanic girls who thought of themselves as leaders was well above the overall average of 61 percent for all ethnic groups. Interestingly, however, a gap emerged between girls who consider themselves leaders today and those who want to pursue positions of social or political leadership in the future, with a majority (52 percent) saying that being a leader in the future is not that important to them. Instead, a majority aspires to a different kind of leadership focused on personal principles and ethical behavior.

employment
Spanish spoken here
The need for bilingual workers is higher than ever as corporations recognize the value of employees who can interact with the growing population of Spanish-speaking people in the United States. A recent survey of U.S. hiring managers by empleosCB.com, the Spanish-language component of Career Builder, found that 48 percent of companies are currently seeking Spanish-speaking job candidates.
The demand for bilingual customer service workers has spawned companies such Arise Virtual Solutions, which recruits and trains independent, home-based workers around the country for customer service, tech support and sales. In working with technology, retail and tourism companies in the world, Arise recently noted a marked increase in the demand for agents that are English/Spanish bilingual, says company spokesperson Nicole Lutz. Bilingual agents are paid a premium—up to 20 percent more per hour.

philanthropy
Pop partnership
Some top Spanish-language recording artists have banded together to help Latin America’s poor as part of a campaign called Yo amo América. Singers Juanes, Ricky Martin, Juan Luis Guerra, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz pledged support for the effort, spearheaded by the Inter American Development Bank and the América Latina en Acción Solidaria (ALAS) foundation. Each celebrity will become the spokesperson for one strategic area in the fight against poverty. Ricky Martin will promote universal birth registration as a means of guaranteeing children access to education, health and other public services. Juanes will address the need for universal preschool education as a pillar of early childhood development. Juan Luis Guerra will advocate for greater access to financial services for the poor. Shakira and Alenjandro Sanz, meanwhile, participated in a historic El Concierto Por Los Niños in Mexico and Argentina in May to raise money for the efforts.

americana
Latino museum plan advances
The prospect of one day having a national museum that celebrates Hispanic contributions to the U.S. has moved one step closer to reality. A bill passed by Congress would create a 23-member panel to study the viability of a National Museum of the Latino Community in Washington, much to the delight of Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), who has been fighting for a national institution in Washington for more than five years. “Both native and foreign-born Latinos in the United States have influenced and enriched this country since our nation’s founding,” Becerra said when he embarked on the effort. Although there are at least 15 Hispanic museums around the country, Becerra maintains that without a showcase of Hispanic accomplishments on the National Mall, the Smithsonian Institution presents “an incomplete picture of what it means to be an American.”

buzzwords

"I am confident that I will do very well [among Hispanic voters]. I know their patriotism, I know the respect for the family, the advocacy for pro-life, I know the small business aspect of our Hispanic voters."

Republican presidential hopeful sen. john mcCain, responding to questions about whether Latinos are moving away from the Republican Party, as he announced the recent launch of his Spanish-language website. Reuters

“I don’t think it’s on the scale of the Great Wall of China, but ... to get it done right, to get it done on time, it’s going to take a great deal of effort to have things fall together.”

Richard stana of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, on the challenges of completing hundreds of miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border before the Bush administration leaves office. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Congress and the American public have been adamant that they want and expect border security. We’re serious about delivering it, and these waivers will enable important security projects to keep moving
forward."

michael chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, in a statement explaining why the U.S. government is waiving 36 environmental and management laws in order to proceed more expeditiously with construction on the fence.

"It’s natural there is resistance. We used to be the colony, and now all of a sudden we are the ones colonizing them."

ottaviano de fiore, academic advisor at the Museum of the Portuguese Language in Sao Paulo, on a proposal that has gained approval of the Portuguese government to standardize the spelling of hundreds of words the Brazilian way. Associated Press

"Washington Heights is hillier, it’s more climactic, it’s more well known, it’s more iconic. And it sings better."

lin-manuel miranda, creator and star of In the Heights, a hip-hop and salsa flavored musical about Latino families in Washington Heights that topped the Tony nominations with 13 nods. Miranda was explaining why he based his musical there, even though he grew up in the New York neighborhood of Inwood.
The New York Times