From the Editor

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes a person powerful. It’s even more difficult to quantify it, yet this is what we endeavor to do in this, our annual Power Issue. Looking to those Latinos who have paved their own way while opening up a path for others, those who have left a mark on their industry, and those who are just starting their journey, we celebrate the people who represent what it means to be strong, fearless, relentless and in the end, persevere. In that spirit, we present the best of the best, starting with our cover story profile of the new Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. The former Colorado senator has risen through the ranks, becoming one of the most powerful Hispanics in the U.S. government and overseeing a department that controls more than 500 million acres of American land. Salazar sat down with Hispanic in his Washington, D.C. office to discuss his new role in the nation’s capital and his family’s long, proud tradition as farmers and ranchers in the West. We also shine a light on other leading Latinos in every industry, from the arts to sports to civic activism in our story “Latino Force.” Higher education is also on the forefront of power as we examine the top undergraduate schools for Hispanics. Also in this issue, we travel south to the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, a tiny isle being explored by more and more curious visitors. In our music section we speak to the twin songstresses that make up the pop duo Nina Sky as they return to the scene with a new album, and we take a nostalgic look back at the Brazilian sounds of bossa nova, celebrating 50 years in the making. Enjoy!

Marissa Rodriguez
Editor