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Community news

GROUPS TO RELEASE REPORT ON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SPANISH-SPEAKING LATINOS AT D.C. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

Study Shows Disparate Treatment for Spanish-speaking Latinos at D.C. DHS Facilities
Washington, DC - At a news briefing on Monday, January 31, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), joined by representatives from the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC), the Equal Rights Center (ERC), and La Clínica del Pueblo, will release a study showing that Washington, DC's Department of Human Services (DHS) has failed to comply with federal and local laws obligating the city to provide interpretation and translation services to its large Spanish-speaking population. The briefing will be held at La Clínica del Pueblo, an independent bilingual, bicultural community medical clinic located at 2831 15th Street, NW, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
The report, commissioned by NCLR and conducted by the Equal Rights Center (ERC), documents the first ever use of paired testers to evaluate health care access. Speakers will discuss the concerns that led to the commissioning of the study of DHS's language services, explain how the testing was conducted, and report on its key findings, which conclude that Spanish-speaking Latinos are experiencing serious hurdles to accessing Medicaid benefits in the District. In addition, speakers will show the impact that these discriminatory practices at DHS have on the local Latino community and address the possible legal and regulatory remedies available to the local Hispanic population.
Participating in the briefing are: Elizabeth Almendras, a Spanish-speaking tester who participated in the study; Denise Gilman, Director of the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project of WLC; Rabbi Bruce E. Kahn, Executive Director of ERC; Dr. Juan Romagoza, Executive Director of La Clínica del Pueblo; and Marcela Urrutia, NCLR Senior Health Policy Analyst.

Education: A Report

The following report was written, revised and submitted by: Manuel Hernández, Education Issues Chairperson, Erika Robles, editor and contributor and Burt Posner, contributor, to the National Hispanic/ Latino American and Migrant Agenda

This report is the culmination of numerous hours of hard work by the
members of the committee. After a series of regional meetings and a
national conference, which was held in Chicago last June, the report was
voted on and approved by the Summit participants. Recommendations are
made at the end of the report. The report will be included in its
entirety.The report was part of a macro-report presented to The President of The United States, George Bush.
The Hispanic/Latino American and migrant preschool, elementary,
secondary and high school population is growing and has now become part
of an important story of the largest minority ethnic group in the United
States. Much of the recent rise in minority enrollment in elementary
and secondary schools may be attributed to the growth in the number of
Hispanic students.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that Hispanic/Latinos have recently made
some major gains, disparities still exist in academic performance between Hispanic/Latinos and non-Hispanic/Latino White students.
Gladly, dropout rates among Hispanic high school students has declined
somewhat giving testimony that, despite the many social, cultural and
economic barriers thrown their way, Hispanic/Latino parents have been
giving the education of their children a high priority. School delinquency and failure is strongly linked and related to the length of time a Hispanic family has lived in the United States and to the family'scountry of origin. Furthermore, educational advancement is a correlation of and positively associated with employment and earnings of Hispanic/Latino parents, yet earnings and employment rates are lower for these individuals than for their non Hispanic
white counterparts with the same amount of education. There is a positive relationship between education and salary for all racial/ethnic groups but the incomes of Hispanic/Latino men are lower than those of White men at most educational levels. About 2 of 5 Hispanic/Latinos 17 years old and over participate in adult education.
Interestingly enough, Hispanic/Latino students are less likely than their non Hispanic white counterparts to take advanced math and science courses but are just as likely to take courses in foreign languages.
Evidence indicates this may be due to the fact that the mathematical base is lost at the early stages of primary education. Knowing the Spanish language at home is not always a guarantee for these students to take what may seem an obviously easy course since the Spanish spoken at home is usually different from the “Castellano” taught at the school.
Hispanic/Latino students have retention and suspension/expulsion rates
that are higher than those of Whites, but lower than those of Blacks.
Despite the lower numbers of drop outs, Hispanic/Latino students still
have higher high school dropout rates and lower high school completion
rates than White or Black students.
On the other side of the coin, Hispanic/Latino students had higher NAEP
reading, mathematics, and science scores in 1999 than in the 1970s,
though their NAEP performance remains lower than White students. 1998
Hispanic/Latino high school graduates earned more credits than did 1982
graduates, especially in academic subjects. They also narrowed the gap
with Whites on academic credits earned. Hispanic/Latino students are
more likely than White and Black students to complete advanced foreign
language classes. More Hispanic/Latino students than in previous years
are taking Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Over one-half of Hispanic/Latino students speak mostly English at home. Hispanic/Latino students are about as likely as non Hispanic white students to make the immediate transition from high school to college.
The birth rates of Hispanic/Latino female ages 15 to 19 are higher than
females from other racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic/Latino enrollments in
colleges and universities increased between 1980 and 2000, though a
smaller proportion of Hispanic/Latinos complete college compared to
Whites and Blacks. The most popular fields of study in which Hispanic/Latinos earned bachelor's degrees were business, social sciences/history, psychology, and education.
The role of teachers make a profound difference in educating children
and the use of bilingual teachers have been part of the tremendous
strides that have been made in educating Hispanic/Latino students.
Research shows that talented and dedicated bilingual teachers are the
single biggest contributor to the educational development of these
children especially in areas where role models are far and few between.
Teachers all too often do not get paid adequately for the professional
job they do. Worse is the lack of administrative and logistical support
that they need in order to deliver good academic performance from their
students. It is a sad state of affairs that there is no comprehensive
reward compensation system for teachers who perform well to increase
student educational achievements.
We need to recruit quality teachers for high-need schools and for
subject areas like math and science by offering pay hikes and also
establish a new teacher corps for recent college graduates. We also
recommend the implementation of high-quality mentoring programs that
pair new teachers with experienced teachers in the same subject area .which
will improve accountability. While every teacher should have protection
from arbitrary dismissal, no dysfunctional and inept teacher should
have a lifetime guarantee on their jobs. States should be encouraged to
develop efficient, prompt and equitable procedures for improving or
replacing teachers who do not perform well on the job.
We are especially concerned with recent tax code changes and funding
formulas that are impacting on our capabilities to afford the many
changes that will become imperative if we are to compete with the rest
of the world with a highly educated and highly trained work force.
Careful reconsiderations must be given to the establishment of
priorities for government spending especially in wasteful defense
spending, pork barrel projects and tax cuts that is draining our ability
to intelligently invest in our children’s education.
Parental involvement opportunities programs such as Local Family
Information Centers would help parents of English language learners make
informed decisions about their children’s education, such as which
program of study is best for helping them learn English and academic
course work.

Manny Hernandez contributes commentary on education issues to Puerto Rico Sun. He may be reached at mannyh32@yahoo.com.

Puerto Rico in the BX!

Puerto Rico in the BX! I took this photo about May 2003 in The Bronx. I sent this greeting to my mom in Puerto Rico back then. Photo was taken in the Grand Concourse, near Yankee Stadium.

This is part of my Puerto Rico in The Bronx series at flickr.

Originally uploaded by clarisel.

Business

Gourmet Hot Chocolate Drink Made From Rich Caribbean Ground Chocolate Makes Instant Cold Weather Treat for Hot Cocoa Lovers

PARLIN, N.J., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- JLL Corp., a New Jersey-based gourmet coffee company, announces the availability of Chocolate Cortes Caribbean Ground Chocolate through their online store, Tastes of the World (http://www.tastesoftheworld.net/). Premium coffee houses are offering new hot cocoa drinks that are triple the fat and calories of the gourmet hot chocolate made from this premium powdered gourmet ground chocolate.
Legends from many cultures claim that consuming chocolate instills strength, health, faith and passion. Researchers have discovered that chemicals found in chocolate are beneficial to health. Theobromine is rich in antioxidants. Stearic acid helps prevent build-up of cholesterol in the circulatory system, lessening symptoms of high blood pressure. Phenylethylamine, (also produced in the human brain during emotional pleasure) is a scientifically proven aid in the control of human stress, believed to be responsible for the feeling we experience when in love.
For a limited time, if you sign up for the Coffee Talk Forums and pledge to donate toward disaster relief efforts through AmeriCares, Tastes of the World will offer a 10% discount toward future purchases through their online store. Members of the Coffee Talk discussion forum can comment on this rich, creamy hot cocoa, also used in baking.
For the best gourmet hot chocolate drink you have ever tasted, pour two tablespoons of Cortes Caribbean Ground Chocolate in a cup. Add 2 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until paste is formed. Add hot milk, stir and enjoy.
To prepare instant hot chocolate in microwave, pour two tablespoons of Cortes Caribbean Ground Chocolate in a cup. Add 2 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until paste is formed. Add one cup of milk microwave for two minutes.

About JLL Corp.
JLL Corp., a New Jersey-based gourmet coffee company, specializing in hard-to-find rare coffees, gourmet chocolate and premium Ceylon teas online, focuses on specialty products not readily available in the United States. JLL Corp. is committed to giving back by donating a portion of proceeds during their launch to the Asian Tsunami Relief effort through an agreement with AmeriCares. They've pledged to donate 5% of sales proceeds toward Tsunami relief efforts. Discounts of 10% on future chocolate purchases through the end of March go to those pledging direct Tsunami aid donations through AmeriCares when registering at the TastesofTheWorld.net web site.

Register at http://www.tastesoftheworld.net/talk/ .

About Sucesores Pedro Cortes, Inc.

In 1936 a family sharing the name of the well-known Conquistado dedicated itself to processing unique products derived from cocoa beans. Based in Puerto Rico, Don Pedro Cortes Forteza founded Sucesores Pedro Cortes, Inc. Three generations and sixty eight years later, Sucesores Pedro Cortes, Inc. has become one of the most enduring chocolate manufacturers in Puerto Rico, growing to a respected company with a 50,000-sq.-ft. facility, making eleven different brands in Puerto Rico and the continental United States.

http://www.tastesoftheworld.net/coffee-press-americares.html .
E-mail: customerservice@tastesoftheworld.net
Phone: 1-877-895-2662

Source: JLL Corp.

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Women are Less Likely than Men to Research Price when Buying a Used Car, Consumer Reports Pricing Study Finds

Study finds women also more likely to accept unnecessary dealer extras; CR Auto Price Service launches interactive Used Car Buying Kit to offer comprehensive online information package

Yonkers, NY--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--January 12, 2005--Women are much less likely than men to thoroughly research pricing information before buying a used car, a nationwide survey conducted by the Consumer Reports Auto Price Service has found.
Only 69 percent of the women surveyed said they had used a variety of sources to research used car prices before making a purchase compared to 86 percent of the men surveyed, according to CR’s Auto Price Service study. The study also found that men are more likely to negotiate the purchase price than women—with 76 percent of men saying that they had negotiated compared with 68 percent of women.
“Consumers—no matter if they’re male or female—will be able to strike a better deal if they go into the buying process armed with detailed pricing information, said Rob Gentile, Associate Director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Price Service. “Don’t expect to get a great deal on a used car if you haven’t researched what a used car is really worth.”
Consumer Reports’ Auto Price Service findings are based on a nationwide survey of nearly 14,000 adults. The survey, which was conducted in 2004, investigated the buying behavior of new- and used-car buyers.
The Consumer Reports’ Auto Price Service study also found that:
-- Thirty-seven percent of women surveyed visited a dealership without doing any type of prior research, compared to just 29 percent of men.
-- Men are more likely than women (62% vs. 45%) to consider a particular make of used car. Sixty-two percent of men said they went shopping for a specific make compared with just 45 percent of women. Consumers over the age of 55 are also more inclined than those in the 35 to 54 age bracket to shop for a specific make (67% vs. 45%).
-- Men spent a median of one month researching a used car purchase, compared to a median of 2.2 months for women.

The Used Car Buying Kit gives car buyers comprehensive information package
The only independent and unbiased source of auto pricing information on the Web, Consumer Reports’ Auto Price Service is helping car shoppers buy a reliable used car at the best price, with the Used Car Buying Kit. An interactive Web-based one-stop-shop for consumers who want to feel confident that they will select the right, reliable car and that they will be able to negotiate for and get the best price, the Used Car Buying Kit allows consumers to easily pick and compare models that fit their preferences, and gives unlimited access to exclusive CR Ratings, reviews, pricing reports, and reliability information. More information about the Used Car Buying Kit can be found at http://www.ConsumerReports.org/usedcar.
The Used Car Buying Kit features:
-- Unlimited Used Car Price Reports - Learn the fair market value of a used car, whether you are buying, selling or trading-in, from a source you can trust.
-- Side-by-side comparisons of the years, makes and models you choose (1996-2003) - sort by CR ratings, price range, or vehicle type.
-- Consumer Reports Reviews and Ratings - of most used car makes and models (1996-2003)
-- The most reliable cars – Access Consumer Reports unique Reliability Ratings based on survey responses received from over 675,000 people.
-- Consumer Reports' Generation Comparison - Provides a vehicle timeline for when a make and model was redesigned.

Consumer Reports Auto Price Service provides all the pricing information—including information about customer and unadvertised dealer rebates and special financing incentives and the Consumer Reports Wholesale Price—and advice a consumer needs to get the best deal on virtually any new or used vehicle. Call the service toll-free at 800-395-4400 or visit http://www.ConsumerReports.org/carbuying to learn about the latest year-end deals.
Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. CR has the most comprehensive auto-test program of any U.S. publication; CR’s auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe to Consumer Reports, call 1-800-234-1645. Information and articles from Consumer Reports can be accessed online at http://www.ConsumerReports.org.
(C) Consumers Union 2005. Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports is, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. CU supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.