LULAC has accomplished a tremendous amount since our founding on February 17, 1929, yet we know that the Latino community still faces many challenges. Celebrate our birthday today by joining LULAC!
https://lulac.org/contribute/
LOS ANGELES, California – February 12, 2014 – (HISPANICIZE WIRE) – On February 1, 2014 the Hispanic business and marketing community lost an advocate as Hector Galvan from Sprint passed away.
“We at the Chicano Radio Network extend our deepest condolences to Hector’s friends and family. We were always honored to help him with whatever he was involved in, his advocacy efforts were of the highest integrity, he will be missed” – Frank M. Miranda
“His memory will live on through the love he had for his family and the Hispanic community”
Hector was an avid champion of genuine Hispanic community engagement and supported countless Hispanic media, bloggers, and organizations dedicated to improving Latino communities. He served as an ambassador making sure the needs of the public were understood, well addressed and met.
“The National Association of Hispanic Journalist is saddened to hear of the passing of Hector Galvan. Hector was a good friend to our association, sharing in our mission of championing Latinos in the journalism and communication industry. Thanks to his leadership and generosity, NAHJ was able to provide its members with events and programs helping to further their skills and reach. Hector will be forever remembered and missed,” said Hugo Balta, NAHJ President.
He was on the board of the local Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club, volunteered his time to various other community groups and was a strong believer in higher education as the gateway to success, being a proud graduate of both USC and Cal-Berkeley. Throughout his 25 years in public relations, multicultural marketing and community outreach, Hector was known for his passion and tireless efforts to ensure companies were invested in the growing and important segment.
“Hector was a man of integrity and will be remembered for his enthusiasm and passion as part of the Sprint team,” said Doug Duvall, vice president of corporate communications at Sprint. “But more so, his memory will live on through the love he had for his family and the Hispanic community.”
He is survived by his loving wife, Maria Isabel, three children Cindy, Kevin and Matthew and three grandchildren, Jeremiah, Justin and baby Jazzy.
The family has announced the creation of a special scholarship fund to help ensure Hector’s two young boys, Kevin and Mathew have the resources they need for college. All are encouraged to pledge online via:
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/j5y3/the-hector-galvan-college-fund
The site uses the latest encryption technology to ensure every donation is secure. Once the campaign is over in June, the monies will be transferred to the Galvan family to establish a 529 College plan for each of the boys.
Source: http://www.hispanicizewire.com/education-fund-launched-in-memory-of-hector-galvan/
By DAHVI SHIRA AND ELIZABETH LEONARD
02/14/2014 at 08:15 PM EST
Christina Aguilera may be having the best Valentine’s Day ever!
The “Genie in a Bottle” singer and The Voice coach, 33, announced on the most romantic day of the year that she and film producer Matthew Rutler, her beau since the end of 2010, are engaged.
“He asked and I said……,” the recently slimmed down singer Tweeted on Friday to accompany a shot of her and Rutler holding hands – with a gigantic sparkler on her ring finger.
“They’re very much in love and are really excited to take this next step!” a source close to the pair tells PEOPLE.
Source: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20787624,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
BY CHRIS CILLIZZA (WP)
February 14 at 9:00 am
On Wednesday, Ted Cruz did something you almost never see in the Senate: He purposefully made political life harder for his Republican colleagues.
US Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz walks off the Senate floor after a vote on a debt ceiling increase in the US Capitol in Washington, DC USA, 12 February 2014. The Senate passed the measure; their vote came a day after Republican Speaker of the House from Ohio John Boehner allowed and passed a clean debt ceiling vote in the House. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO
US Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz walks off the Senate floor after a vote on a debt ceiling increase in the US Capitol in Washington, DC USA, 12 February 2014. TEPA/JIM LO SCALZO
By forcing the Senate to round up 60 votes to end debate and force a final vote on a clean increase of the debt ceiling, Cruz knowingly complicated things for the top two Republicans in the chamber — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (Texas). Both men face primary challenges from their ideological right and neither relished the idea of helping break a filibuster for a debt ceiling increase with no Republican proposals attached.
Here’s how the Wall Street Journal’s conservative op-ed page described what Cruz did:
“We’re all for holding politicians accountable with votes on substantive issues, but Mr. Cruz knew he couldn’t stop a debt increase the House had already passed. He also had no alternative strategy if the bill had failed, other than to shut down the government again, take public attention away from ObamaCare, and make Republicans even more unpopular.”
It’s not news that Cruz cares little for Senate tradition. He ran in 2012 on his willingness to shake up the institution, and time and again — most notably during his nearly 24 hour talk-a-thon to protest Obamacare — he has been willing (and gleefully so) to be a fly in the ointment. But, this latest gambit by Cruz may well be the most telling because it directly impacts two men who, if Cruz had any thought of sticking around the Senate for any extended period of time, not only could, but would make life very uncomfortable for him.
There is nothing that politicians — and especially Senators — hate more than being forced into a politically uncomfortable vote by a colleague of the same party. McConnell and Cornyn, both of whom are favorites to win their primaries, will never forget Cruz’s move this past week. And, Cruz is plenty smart enough to realize that.
Cruz, ultimately, wants to be president. And, he may well seize his high profile and his status as a hero among the tea party to run in 2016. (If he runs, he is either in or very close to the top tier of candidates.) If Cruz doesn’t win (or doesn’t run), he won’t be up for re-election until 2o18. He may well run for a second term but if he decides at some point between now and then — or even after he is re-elected — to go the Jim DeMint route and simply walk away from the Senate, don’t be surprised.
Cruz won’t be climbing the leadership ladder. Ever.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/02/14/ted-cruz-isnt-planning-to-be-in-the-senate-for-very-long/?wprss=rss_national
By Bel Hernandez of LatinHeat.com – Jenni Rivera Enterprise Response to allegations in Laura Lucio’s lawsuit below.
Award-winning TV journalist Laura Lucio, and a close friend of the late Jenni Rivera, has filed a $10 million dollar lawsuit against Jenni Rivera Enterprises, Inc.; Estate of Jenni Rivera; Executor Rosie Rivera Flores; ex-Manager Pete Salgado; A yana Musical; Universal Music Group; Simon & Schuster; and others. Lucio claims in her lawsuit that “she was the author of the manuscript that ultimately formed the basis for the book Unbreakable…” published by Atria Books, a Simon and Schuster property on July 2, 2013.
In a video posted by Penguin Español on October 27, 2013 Lucio announced her plans to publish a book entitled Mi Vida Loca through Penguin Español, that she claims she and Rivera began writing in 2005. In her lawsuit she claims that after this announcement Lucio “received a threatening phone call from Rosie Rivera Flores, Executor of the Estate of Jenni Rivera. In this phone call, Ms. Rivera Flores demanded that Ms. Lucio cease and desist from publishing and releasing Mi Vida Loca, informed Ms. Lucio that, henceforth, all communications between them would be through legal counsel only, and asked that Ms. Lucio refrain from any further communication with members of the Rivera family, including Jenni Rivera’s children.” Lucio was forced to postpone the publishing of her book.
According to a press release sent by Lucio’s attorney, Walter F. Wiggins, Jr., Lucio is now claiming that since the book Unbreakable is based on her collaborations with Rivera she is rightfully entitled to royalties. The press release further states that “after numerous failed attempts to obtain accurate information pertaining to outstanding royalty payments due Ms. Lucio; information pertaining to the publication and release of the book Unbreakable; answers regarding why certain individuals were frustrating the realization of projects undertaken by Ms. Lucio, that would inure to the benefit of the Estate of Jenni Rivera…” the decision to file legal action was made.
A counter lawsuit on behalf of the Estate of Jenni Rivera and all the defendants listed on the lawsuit is said to be forthcoming from the Law office of Anthony R. Lopez, a Beverly Hills attorney.
UPDATE: 1/30/14 Jenni Rivera Enterprise Response to allegations in Laura Lucio’s lawsuit below.
“As an organization, Jenni Rivera Enterprises, Inc. is committed to holding ourselves to the highest of standards – both related to the performance of our employees, officers and to our responsibility to the legacy of Jenni Rivera. We take seriously any allegations like those outlined in the press release distributed by Ms. Lucio, but stand firm that these specific allegations are simply not true and without merit.
We believe the proper place to disclose the facts of this case are in the courtroom and look forward to that opportunity. Our greatest concern is the disparaging remarks made about specific officers and employees. These are individuals who are dedicated to their jobs and work hard every day to help Jenni Rivera Enterprises excel and achieve our vision for the legacy of Jenni Rivera, and any assertion to the contrary is baseless.”
Source: http://www.latinheat.com/the-biz/award-winning-tv-journalist-sues-jenni-rivera-estate-for-unbreakable-book-royalties/
By Matthew Hendley Wed., Feb. 12 2014 at 6:00 AM – phoenixnewtimes.com
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder made headlines Tuesday by calling on states to repeal laws that keep felons from voting after they’ve finished their sentences.
One Arizona Democrat already introduced a related proposal several weeks ago, but it hasn’t seen any action at the Legislature.
Representative Martin Quezada.
Although Arizona doesn’t prevent felons from registering to vote after they’ve finished their prison sentences or terms of probation, the right to vote isn’t automatically restored in some cases. When people been convicted of two or more felonies and served their sentence, they have to apply to a judge and have a judge approve the restoration of their right to vote.
Representative Martin Quezada, a Phoenix Democrat, is the lone sponsor of House Bill 2132. The bill would make the right to vote automatically restored for a felon who’s finished his sentence, no matter how many felonies he’s committed.
Attorney General Holder, citing a recent study, said felons in Florida who were granted the right to vote were less likely to go back to prison — perhaps an indication that voting is a part of an ex-con’s reintegration into society.
Quezada offered similar reasoning.
“We are better served when we create opportunities for people to be a part of their communities, and voting is one way to do that,” Quezada said in a statement. “People who are returning to their communities should have a voice. When more people participate, our electorate becomes more representative and stronger. My bill addresses these very issues but unfortunately, it has not been heard in committee.”
Although Quezada’s bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, the chairman, Republican Representative Eddie Farnsworth, hasn’t scheduled it for a hearing.
“In light of the national attention this matter is getting, I hope that Rep. Farnsworth will give my bill a hearing,” Quezada said in his statement. “Otherwise, this bill will die and Arizona will continue to disenfranchise a sizable number of people who deserve a chance to participate in the process.”
Frank Miranda – President/CEO of Chicano Radio Network U.S.A. – CRNLive.com
“The enemies of the state (those that shut down the government-GOP) are allowed to vote, so why not other felons? Isn’t treason a crime anymore?”
Frank M. Miranda
Source: http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2014/02/arizona_democrats_bill_would_a.php
The word came down yesterday, HBO has given a series order to the dark comedy The Brink, which means Esai Morales will be the the next Latino President of the United States (his pal Jimmy Smits held that office first on TV). The pilot script was written by Roberto Benabib and Kim Benabib, directed by Jay Roach and exec produced by Jerry Weintraub.
The series revolves around the geopolitical crisis effect on three men US Secretary of State Walter Hollander (Tim Robbins); lowly Foreign Service officer Alex Coppins (Jack Black); and an ace Navy fighter pilot named Zeke Callahan (Pablo Schreiber). They must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War III. Morales play Julian Navarro, the President of the United States.
Morales has been a very busy actor lately. He is currently playing Chief Mateo Cruz in a multi-episode arch in Criminal Minds. He recently principal Jose Marti in Robert Townsend’s Playin’ for Love which is directed Townsend, who also produces along with Lydia Nicole. He is also rumored to be making his directorial debut on a film entitled Precious Cargo.
Source: http://www.latinheat.com/spotlight-news/hbo-orders-the-brink-with-esai-morales-tv-series/
Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett (R)
On a party-line vote, a Florida county’s Republican majority Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to eliminate almost one-third of Manatee County’s voting sites. The board accepted a proposal by Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett (R) by a 6-1 vote to trim the number of precincts, despite unanimous public testimony against the move — and complaints by the lone Democratic Commissioner that it would eliminate half of the polling places in his heavily minority District 2.
Bennett, in his first term as elections supervisor, proposed reducing the number of Manatee County precincts from 99 to 69. Citing decreased Election Day turnout, as more voters switch to in-person early voting and vote-by-mail options, he told the commissioners that the move would save money and allow the county to offer more early voting sites in the future.
In the public comment section of the meeting, all ten speeches strongly opposed the move. Representatives of the local NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Council warned that the cuts would decrease voter turnout because voters would have to travel further to a polling place, especially among the elderly and people without cars, and noted that the cuts disproportionately affected minority-heavy precincts. Bennett dismissed these concerns, noting that because District 2 had received “preferential treatment in the past,” even with the changes, his district will have the smallest number of voters per precinct. “It was overbalanced before, it’s overbalanced now.” Bennett also repeatedly noted that he had discussed the move with civil rights groups and both the Republican and “Democrat” Parties.
Bennett assured the commission that if lines are longer in 2014 as a result of these changes, he would ask them to revisit the decision in 2015, before the 2016 elections. But it is unclear whether voter accessibility is a sincere priority for him. In 2011, while serving in the Florida Senate, he endorsed making it hard to vote: “I wouldn’t have any problem making it harder. I would want them to vote as badly as I want to vote. I want the people of the state of Florida to want to vote as bad as that person in Africa who’s willing to walk 200 miles…This should not be easy.” He made that comment as he supported a voter suppression bill that reduced the number of days for early voting in Florida and helped create long lines across the state.
Actor and filmmaker Edward James Olmos will be recognized for his work against human trafficking, his support for immigration reform and his fast with Cesar Chavez to call attention to farm worker safety. The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) will present the “Stand and Deliver” actor with the Lupe Ontiveros Indomitable Spirit Award at the NHMC Impact Awards Gala on February 28th.
“Throughout his distinguished acting and filmmaking career, Edward James Olmos has courageously used his platform to stand up for what is right, even when it might have hurt him with some audiences,” said Alex Nogales, President and CEO of NHMC, a civil rights and media advocacy organization.
“As he continues to lift up and defend the Latino community, Olmos’ leadership sets the example for all Latino media and entertainment professionals to use their voice to make this country a better place for all Americans–especially people of color,” he added.
The award is named for the Mexican-American actress Lupe Ontiveros, who died in 2012.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/edward-james-olmos-be-honored-his-advocacy-n27406
Aloni Bonilla uploaded one of the close to 82,000 YouTube videos with headlines that promise to show “police brutality caught on tape.”
“220lb. OFFICER BEATS UP WOMAN INSIDE A HOSPITAL,” reads the headline for the 20-minute video Bonilla uploaded on March 9, 2013. But Bonilla’s YouTube video is different from most of the videos that claim to show police officers using excessive force: she’s also the victim.
Bonilla, a fourth generation self-identified Chicana, was on her way to spend the night at a friend’s house to be closer to an early morning math final at California State University Los Angeles. But before she arrived, Bonilla was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence.
In the early morning of March 21, 2012, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer took Bonilla to the hospital for a blood sample after a breathalyzer at the scene found traces of alcohol. In California, it’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content at or above 0.08 percent and Bonilla’s sample registered .139. Bonilla agreed to providing a blood sample for a more accurate reading at the hospital, according to court documents obtained by Fusion.
But the blood sample was never taken because a physical altercation took place between Bonilla and the CHP officer.
Bonilla was charged with driving under the influence, vandalism, resisting arrest and failure to provide a driver’s license. Through a court order, Bonilla obtained the surveillance shot in the hospital.
Bonilla claims the 20-minute video uploaded to the video sharing site shows the officer using excessive force and contradicts statements made in the police report. She took the officer to court to dispute the charges in the police report that Bonilla says the video proves are false.
The officer contends that Bonilla waved her arms around and approached him to try to head butt him. The video shows the CHP officer pushing Bonilla against the wall and then forcing her to the floor. He then pins Bonilla down with his knee.
Bonilla ended up with a black eye from hitting a wall-mounted medical device, according to court documents. Today, she has five slipped discs in her spine and neck she says were a result from the altercation with the officer.
Bonilla was confident that if a jury saw the video they would side with her. But the judge denied the use of the video as evidence in the case because there was an 11-second gap in the video.
How the video ended up on YouTube
“I was in the third day of my trial and when I heard they were not going to use my video,” Bonilla recalled. “I said, ‘Well, if the court isn’t going to acknowledge my video, then social media will.’”
Bonilla posted to YouTube and used the site’s video annotation feature to add a minute-by-minute breakdown.
YouTube and other online video sharing platforms have allowed people who are not immediately credible sources or witnesses more credible sources with video.
“Online video democratizes things. It allows everyone to have an audience, if the audience is willing to watch it,” said Karen North, director of University of Southern California’s Annenberg Program on Online Communities.
“You post something on YouTube because you feel wronged, you’re angry and you want to rally up the public,” added North. “Then it’s justice by public opinion.”
But North warns it’s not a foolproof system.
“Because video can be altered or be taken out of context, the accuracy and the interpretation are not necessarily perfect,” North said.
According to court documents, the judge rejected the video as evidence against the CHP officer citing the 11-second gap was “right at the beginning of the incident so we don’t have the initial contact of the incident,” and thus, “it does not accurately depict what it purports to represent.”
The 18:53 minute surveillance video provided to the court by the hospital had gaps that were several seconds long throughout the video, including the 11 seconds right before the altercation between the officer and Bonilla.
“We did respond to the document request in full and in accordance with our policies, procedures and also in conformance with the law,” a spokesperson from the Citrus Valley Medical Center – Queen of the Valley Campus, where the incident took place, told Fusion.
The spokesperson said the missing gap could possibly have occurred because the hospital has surveillance cameras that are triggered by motion sensors. However, they could not comment or provide details about the specific camera that shot the footage obtained by the court.
The CHP denied Fusion’s request to interview officer Jose Ramirez, the California Highway Patrol officer seen in the video but they provided a statement.
“She was injured as a result of being combative with the officer,” Juan Galvan, public information officer for the CHP, told Fusion. Galvan refused to comment on the video Bonilla uploaded to YouTube.
“We did receive a complaint of allegations of excessive force. It was investigated and the officers were exonerated of those allegations because they were not substantiated,” Galvan said.
Still, Bonilla’s defense attorney maintains the video didn’t show any of the events described in Officer Ramirez’s testimony.
“You’ll see the video for yourself. It shows Ms. Bonilla sitting down. She never gets up,” Bonilla’s defense attorney told the jury, according to court records. “She never starts yelling. She never is flailing her arms. She’s just sitting down there. The police officer for whatever reason starts talking to her and gets mad at her. You’ll see in the video he slams her to the other wall and after that he slams her to the floor.”
The jury that convicted Bonilla never saw the video.
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The impact of the conviction
In June 2013, Bonilla graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a degree in mathematics, though a year behind schedule prior to her arrest. She hoped to teach math one day, but with her criminal record, now she can’t even find consistent tutor work.
The YouTube video has garnered Bonilla media attention. “La Opinion,” the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S., wrote a feature story about her case after a journalist found her video on YouTube. Other local and national Spanish-language outlets have covered her story too.
Fusion is the first English-language news publication to share Bonilla’s story.
On Feb. 6, three judges at the L.A. County Superior Court heard Bonilla’s appeal case. She’s fighting for a new trial to get the four charges charges dropped and she wants the video to be used as evidence.
The judges will make their decision in the next two weeks.
