Fewer Cubans Make Crossing to US; Economy Cited

Fewer Cubans Make Crossing to US; Economy Cited: MIAMI - The number of Cubans attempting to cross the Florida Straits has fallen by more than half, putting 2009 on track to be perhaps the lowest for migration from the communist island in almost a decade.

Experts say it's hard to pinpoint what has caused such a drastic drop but attribute it to combination of factors, with the U.S. economic downturn topping the list. They also point to stepped up U.S. law enforcement against smugglers, eased U.S. restrictions on Cuban-Americans who want to travel to the island and send money to family there and a clampdown by the Cuban government.

“To be honest, there's really no way of telling. This isn't a science,'' said Andy Gomez, a senior fellow at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies.

The Miami area's unemployment rate may be one of the main reasons for the drop -- at 11.6 percent, it's nearly double from a year ago, making it harder for Cuban-Americans to pay smugglers to help their families leave the island.

HBCU Leaders Gather for ‘Seizing Capacity to Thrive’ HBCU Conference

HBCU Leaders Gather for ‘Seizing Capacity to Thrive’ HBCU Conference: At the 2009 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Conference this week in Washington D.C., the baton of leadership at the White House Initiative on Black Colleges and Universities will switch hands. Bush administration appointee Dr. Leonard Haynes will pass the baton to Dr. John Wilson, an Obama administration appointee.

In July, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Wilson executive director of the White House Initiative. As executive director, Wilson will work with the presidentially appointed HBCU Board of Advisors and assist Duncan in advising President Barack Obama on important matters concerning Black colleges.

And while both Haynes and Wilson are Black college graduates who care about preserving the legacy of these institutions and sustaining their future, pundits suggest that the change in leadership could represent a new and more progressive agenda for the nation's Black colleges and universities.

The Nation: Katrina's Race War Four Years Later : NPR

The Nation: Katrina's Race War Four Years Later : NPR: A segment on Anderson Cooper 360 investigates the white vigilante justice that tore through New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 'Katrina's Hidden Race War', a cover story featured in The Nation, supported by the Investigative Fund at the The Nation Institute, and reported by A.C. Thompson (now a staff reporter at ProPublica), was the first to reveal how white residents of New Orleans shot at African-American men.

The PS 22 Chorus: Fifth-Graders Become A YouTube Sensation : NPR

The PS 22 Chorus: Fifth-Graders Become A YouTube Sensation : NPR: They're an Internet sensation with more than 40 YouTube videos. They've been courted by celebrities, they've been on Nightline and MTV, they've sung songs with Tori Amos and Stevie Nicks, and they're only 10 and 11 years old. They perform in the fifth-grade chorus from Public School 22 on Staten Island, N.Y., and their singing has captivated millions.

It's a hot summer day in Central Park. School is still out, but Gregg Breinberg, the choral director of the PS 22 Chorus, is rehearsing with the kids for a performance only hours away. They start with warm-up exercises.

Because it's summer, only half of the chorus is here, and for many of the kids, it's a bittersweet experience, because all these children will leave for the sixth grade in a few weeks. They will all go to different middle schools, some of which may not even have a music program, given current budget cuts. But with only half of them present, and even though they have not practiced in months, you can feel their magic immediately.

Does Paying For Good Grades Cheapen Education? : NPR

Does Paying For Good Grades Cheapen Education? : NPR: As a new academic year begins, hundreds of schools around the country are experimenting with programs that offer students pay for performance. Even young children can earn cash for reading books, showing up for study hall, improving test scores and meeting other goals.

Many teachers are reporting good results, saying students work harder when given immediate incentives such as money or, in some cases, prizes such as MP3 players and cell phones loaded with free minutes. Various pilot programs have been undertaken in New York, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas and elsewhere.

The programs can be fairly lucrative for children. In a Washington, D.C., pilot program, for example, students can earn as much as $100 every two weeks. Funds for such programs typically come from taxpayers, foundation grants or some mix of private and public money. The programs generally aim to motivate poorer children to improve classroom attendance and performance.

Jenkins' remark raises eyebrows | CJOnline.com

Jenkins' remark raises eyebrows | CJOnline.com: U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins offered encouragement to conservatives at a town hall forum that the Republican Party would embrace a 'great white hope' capable of thwarting the political agenda endorsed by Democrats who control Congress and President Barack Obama.

Jenkins, a Topeka Republican in her first term in Congress, shared thoughts about the GOP's political future during an Aug. 19 forum at Fisher Community Center in the northeast Kansas community of Hiawatha.

In response to inquiries by The Topeka Capital-Journal, a Jenkins spokeswoman said Wednesday the congresswoman wanted to apologize for her word choice and to emphasize she had no intention of expressing herself in an offensive manner.

Study: Policy Changes Needed to Help Latinas Graduate High School

... A report issued Thursday by the National Women’s Law Center and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund attempts to call attention to the high secondary school dropout rate of Latinas and the factors contributing to the dismal number. The study, which surveyed hundreds of high-school age Latinas throughout the country, cites statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. The data shows that 41 percent of Latinas do not complete high school in four years or drop out altogether.

“Latinas are the fastest growing group of female school-age youth,” says Lara Kaufmann, senior counsel for the National Women’s Law Center in Washington D.C. “If Latinas continue to drop out at these rates, we will surely have a huge work force without education and that’s going to be a huge problem for this country.”

The study blames the high dropout rate on a variety of factors that include a need for many Latinos to work to help support their families as soon as they come of age. Latinas often have increased responsibilities at home like having to take care of their younger siblings, the study notes. For many, this means having to sacrifice their studies for domestic duties. A high teen pregnancy rate among Latinas also makes it difficult for many of these young women to continue with their education, the study said.

The study cites statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, which show that 53 percent of Latinas become pregnant before age 20.

Kennedy Remembered as Social and Civil Rights Giant

Kennedy Remembered as Social and Civil Rights Giant: Reflecting on the legacy left by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, President Barack Obama called the late Massachusetts legislator one of the 'most accomplished Americans' in history and a man whose work in Congress helped give new opportunities to millions.

'Including myself,' added the nation's first Black president, while speaking to reporters Wednesday at his rented vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. The president ordered government flags lowered to half-staff to honor Kennedy who died at age 77 late Tuesday after battling brain cancer.

Obama wants states to overhaul failing schools

Obama wants states to overhaul failing schools: Obama wants states to overhaul failing schools

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is making good on a promise to use federal dollars to prod local officials to turn around failing schools.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wednesday told states how he wants them to spend $3.5 billion in money from the federal School Improvement Fund.

The fund is for struggling schools, but states have had wide discretion in how they spend it. The $3.5 billion is from the economic stimulus and the regular budget.

Under the new rules, states are to award the money to districts that take one of these approaches:

-Close and reopen failing schools with new teachers and principals.

-Close and reopen failing schools under management of a charter school company or similar group.

-Close failing schools and send students to high-achieving schools in the same district.

-Replace a failing school's principal and overhaul its operations.

Latinos in history add to social studies debate | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Latinos in history add to social studies debate | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: AUSTIN — Scratch Henry Cisneros, but add Dolores Huerta, Dr. Hector P. Garcia, Sandra Cisneros, Henry B. Gonzalez and Irma Rangel to the list of important Hispanic figures that Texas school children might be discussing in the future.

State education leaders are still in the early stages of writing new curriculum standards for social studies that will shape future history and geography books.

And by the time those new textbooks arrive in fall 2013, a majority of the children attending Texas public schools will be Hispanic.

A debate on which — and how many— Hispanic historical figures should be included is coming to the 15-member State Board of Education, which expects to take a final vote next spring.

It's already under way among the review panels the board appointed, who will huddle with the board this fall.

The board is expected to discuss the social studies issue with experts it appointed to develop new standards at the Sept. 16-17 meeting.

More Diversity Among 2009 SAT Test-Takers, Scores Slightly Down

More Diversity Among 2009 SAT Test-Takers, Scores Slightly Down: Although college-bound high school seniors from the class of 2009 rank as the most racially and ethnically diverse group ever to take the SAT, average scores fell slightly from 2008, according to the College Board. In a report released by the College Board on Tuesday, data revealed that of the 1,530,000 college-bound seniors taking the exam roughly 40 percent were minorities, an increase of nearly 11 percent from a decade ago. Blacks and Hispanics accounted for 12.2 percent and 13.5 percent of the minorities taking the test this year, respectively.


Hispanic students, which include those of Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Latin Caribbean and Latin American descent, comprise the largest and fastest growing minority student bloc taking the SAT. In 1999, Hispanics accounted for 7.8 percent of students taking the exam.


The 2009 national average SAT math score of 515 remained unchanged from last year. However, the nation’s average math scores have increased four points overall in the last decade. In contrast, national averages for critical reading (501) and writing (493) each fell a point from their 2008 scores.

Minority Participation, Scores Up for Some of the Washington Area's Class of '09 - washingtonpost.com

Minority Participation, Scores Up for Some of the Washington Area's Class of '09 - washingtonpost.com: Four out of 10 students who take the SAT are racial or ethnic minorities, the College Board reported Tuesday, a milestone for the college admissions test most widely used in the nation and the Washington region.

But scores of the wealthiest students are growing faster than scores of the poorest, and some racial disparities in test performance are widening.

Narrowing such achievement gaps has become a key issue. Loudoun County schools, contrary to the national trend, reported that average SAT scores for black and Hispanic students rose faster than for white students.

For the 1.5 million students nationwide in the Class of 2009 who took the 3-hour, 45-minute test, composite scores were 501 in critical reading, down one point from the year before; 515 in mathematics, unchanged; and 493 in writing, down one point. Those figures include results from public and private schools. The grading scale is 200 to 800 points for each section.

Sonia Sotomayor and Diversity on the Federal Bench - washingtonpost.com

Sonia Sotomayor and Diversity on the Federal Bench - washingtonpost.com: ...Diversity on the federal bench is relatively low, though it's increasing. Sotomayor is part of a pattern among judges nominated by recent presidents, both Democratic and Republican, according to Russell Wheeler, a scholar at the Brookings Institution.

'Sotomayor has been part of three trends since the 1950s -- an increase in the proportion of women and in members of racial and ethnic minorities and a decrease in the proportion of district judges appointed, as was she, from among private lawyers,' Wheeler wrote in a new report, 'The Changing Face of the Federal Judiciary."

Determining Next Step for Women of Color in College Athletics: Mini-Forum Convening This Week at Rutgers

Determining Next Step for Women of Color in College Athletics: Mini-Forum Convening This Week at Rutgers: It’s one of the busiest weeks of the year in college athletics—with classes starting or about to start and training and practice for fall sports in full swing. Yet approximately 40 women of color who work in college athletics will convene at Rutgers University on Wednesday for a mini-forum designed to explore and overcome the barriers facing minority female administrators and coaches.

“One of the things in college athletics is we all get so busy in our individual work lives and our individual niches that we don’t always spend enough time utilizing the resources that are readily available and reaching out to each other in a way that promotes mentorship, guidance and leadership,” says Jacqueline Blackett, associate athletics director for student-athlete support services at Columbia University.

Blackett, who will participate as a panelist in the mini-forum, is most eager to meet people that she’s either never met or only met in passing because networking is a vital tool for anyone who works in college athletics.

Change in Perspective - washingtonpost.com

Change in Perspective - washingtonpost.com: Anthony Wright is learning that life can depend on how you frame it. He is an Alexandria middle-schooler participating in the city's iMovie Mentors program. Each year, the project matches male mentors, including photographer Alexey Tolchinsky, with 10 to 12 at-risk boys -- who might be having trouble in school or lack a positive male influence. The mentor-student pairs meet weekly from April through December to form relationships, make video documentaries and work on life skills such as anger management and problem-solving. In late spring, Anthony, Alexey and the other participants spent a weekend at Camp Kekoka in Virginia's Northern Neck, where they built bonds from breakfast to bonfire. Between working on their filming, the boys fished, swam, kayaked and drenched one another with water balloons. Anthony, 13, recorded the life around him, capturing joyous action shots of a fellow camper snagging a Frisbee and of a dog eagerly fetching a stick. In December, the boys will screen their documentaries at an Academy Award-like program at Old Town Theater -- stretch limos, red carpet, cheering crowds and all.

Robert Bobb hits streets to coax students back - washingtonpost.com

Robert Bobb hits streets to coax students back - washingtonpost.com: ...Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager Robert Bobb is walking some of the city's toughest neighborhoods to bring back Harvey and other parents who have abandoned the district by the thousands.

It's an imposing sales job, especially with the district's $259 million deficit and his decision to close 29 schools and lay off more than 1,000 teachers before classes start Sept. 8.

'You hear all the negative,' Harvey said this week following a surprise visit from Bobb to her west side home. 'My theory is change doesn't come overnight. I'm not saying I'm willing to put my foot in the door. I have to wait and see.'

Urban schools use marketing to woo residents back - washingtonpost.com

Urban schools use marketing to woo residents back - washingtonpost.com: ...The $50,000 campaign by a school system still trying to rebound from a long history of racial segregation and white flight is an example of efforts under way in several cities to retain students. School districts are highlighting improvements to halt declining head counts so they can retain their funding, especially in light of drastic state budget cuts.

'People are still stuck with perceptions of yesteryear, and are not really aware of what we have to offer today,' Richmond Superintendent Yvonne Brandon said. 'It's not perfect, but be a part of the solution and become invested now.'

Like other urban school districts, Richmond, where 88 percent of students are black, 7 percent are white, and 71 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, has struggled on many fronts.

Black Youth Invents Surgical Technique - at 14

Black Youth Invents Surgical Technique - at 14: Tony Hansberry II isn’t waiting to finish medical school to contribute to improved medical care. He has already developed a stitching technique that can be used to reduce surgical complications, as well as the chance of error among less experienced surgeons.

'I've always had a passion for medicine,' he said in a recent interview. 'The project I did was, basically, the comparison of novel laparoscopic instruments in doing a hysterectomy repair.”

By the way, Hansberry is a 14-year-old high school freshman.

In April, the brilliant teen presented his findings at a medical conference at the University of Florida before an audience of doctors and board-certified surgeons.

Hansberry attends Darnell-Cookman, a special medical magnet school that allows him to take advanced classes in medicine. Students at the school master suturing in eighth grade.

Burl Toler, First Black N.F.L. On-Field Official, Dies at 81 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Burl Toler, First Black N.F.L. On-Field Official, Dies at 81 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: Burl Toler, who as perhaps the best player on one of college football’s greatest teams became the focus of racial discrimination, and who went on to become the first black on-field official in the National Football League, died Sunday in Castro Valley, Calif. He was 81.

The story of Toler’s college team, the 1951 University of San Francisco Dons, is one of the most extraordinary in sports. Called by Sports Illustrated “the best team you never heard of,” the Dons sent nine players to the N.F.L., three of whom — Gino Marchetti, Bob St. Clair and Ollie Matson — were eventually inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. Its head coach was Joe Kuharich, who went on to coach at Notre Dame and for three professional teams; and the athletic publicity director was Pete Rozelle, who became the N.F.L. commissioner.

Toler, who played on the line on offense and linebacker on defense, was drafted by Cleveland, but he never made it to the pros because of a severe knee injury in a college all-star game.

What Will They Learn? - A guide to what college rankings don't tell you about core curriculum requirements

What Will They Learn? - A guide to what college rankings don't tell you about core curriculum requirements: The search for the right college can be overwhelming. So many guides, so many rankings. There is one thing none of them will tell you: which universities are making sure their students learn what they need to know.

This free resource does just that, focusing on seven key areas of knowledge. It's designed to help you decide whether the colleges you're considering prepare their graduates to succeed after graduation.

Adult, 2 teens charged with beating elderly black man - CNN.com

Adult, 2 teens charged with beating elderly black man - CNN.com: Authorities have charged two teenagers and an adult in connection with the beating of a 76-year-old African-American man early Tuesday in Baltimore, Maryland, in an incident police say had a racial connection.

Emmanuel Miller, 16, and Zachary Watson, 17 are charged as adults, police said. They and Calvin Lockner, 28, face numerous charges in the alleged beating of James Privott, including attempted murder, assault and harassing a person because of race or religion, according to court documents.

Lockner is a white supremacist with the nickname "Hitler," Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Gugliemi told CNN.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld told reporters some of Lockner's tattoos seem to indicate his affiliation with racist groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood, according to audio comments posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate WBAL.

There is no evidence the teenagers were affiliated with any white supremacist groups, Gugliemi said, but the two knew Lockner.

Officials Find Swine Flu Hits Minorities Harder : NPR

Officials Find Swine Flu Hits Minorities Harder : NPR: Young people are more at risk of getting swine flu, and pregnant women, among others, have a higher chance of hospitalization from the new flu. Now public health officials are discovering that blacks and Latinos have a substantially higher risk of both.

It is apparently not because of race or ethnicity, per se; it's because of the social circumstances of many African-Americans and Hispanics.

The new data are from Boston health authorities. Federal health officials are studying flu disparities on a national basis but haven't released numbers yet.

More Black and Hispanic Students Taking the ACT Exam, College Readiness Levels Remain Flat

More Black and Hispanic Students Taking the ACT Exam, College Readiness Levels Remain Flat: While scores and college readiness levels remained relatively flat from 2008, the numbers of Black and Hispanic high school graduates in 2009 who took the ACT college entrance exam remained the same or increased for a fourth consecutive year nationally, according to the ACT ‘Measuring College and Career Readiness: The Class of 2009’ report. According to the study, 196,000 Black and 134,000 Hispanic 2009 graduates took the exam while more than 178,000 Blacks and 114,000 Hispanics from the 2008 class took the exam.

For Blacks, the increase in ACT test taking was a 10 percent jump over one year and 41 percent jump since 2005. Hispanic high school seniors saw a 16 percent increase in ACT test taking over one year and a 60 percent increase since 2005. The findings also showed that for Black students who took the ACT exam, there was also an increase in the number of test-takers. Overall, 1,480,469 high school seniors from 2008-09 took the ACT, a 4.1 percent increase from the 2007-08 senior cohort of 1,421,941."

Obama Joker artist unmasked: A fellow Chicagoan

Obama Joker artist unmasked: A fellow Chicagoan: The Obama Joker artist has been revealed, and he’s from President Barack Obama’s hometown—Chicago. According to the Los Angeles Times, 20-year-old Firas Alkhateeb, a senior history major at the University of Illinois, crafted the picture of Obama with the recognizable clown makeup using Adobe's Photoshop software. Concerned about a lawsuit, Alkhateeb was relieved that the situation had floated for months without any major news organizations discovering that he was the man behind the paint.

Gene Variant Predicts Racial Disparity in Hepatitis Treatment Success

Gene Variant Predicts Racial Disparity in Hepatitis Treatment Success: Scientists say they've found a big reason why treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection works better for White patients than for African-Americans. It's a tiny variation in a gene.

People with a certain gene variant are far more likely to respond to treatment, and that variant is more common in people with European ancestry than African-Americans, researchers report.

In fact, that probably explains about half the racial disparity in treatment response, the scientists estimate in a study published online Sunday by the journal Nature.

The work involved 1,137 patients who had a chronic infection with the most common type of hepatitis C virus found in the United States and Europe, one that is less responsive to treatment than other types. They were given standard drug treatment.

Analysis showed the treatment wiped out the virus in about 80 percent of study participants with the favorable genetic variant, compared to only about 30 percent among those who lacked it.

African-Americans who had the gene variant showed a better response rate than Whites who didn't have it, indicating that the gene is a better predictor than ethnicity, the researchers said.

Federal Judge Upholds UT's Race-Conscious Admissions Policies

A judge dismissed a federal lawsuit Monday that claimed undergraduate admissions policies at the University of Texas at Austin violated the Constitution and federal law.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled Monday that the university's use of race and ethnicity as factors in admissions is constitutionally acceptable.

The lawsuit argues that a 2003 Supreme Court ruling, which allowed universities to use race as one of many factors in making admissions decisions, also required universities to make a good-faith effort to improve diversity using race-neutral policies before resorting to racial preferences.

Most of the university's freshmen are admitted through a state law allowing automatic college admissions for students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. Race and ethnicity are among several factors considered by the university for admissions outside the top 10 percent law.

Tribal Members, Researchers Band Together to Bring Back Condor

Tribal Members, Researchers Band Together to Bring Back Condor: The tribes of the lower Klamath River have since ancient times decorated themselves with condor feathers when they performed the dances designed to heal a world gone wrong.

“It can soar the highest, so we figured that was the one to get our prayers to heaven when we were asking for the world to be in balance,” said Richard Myers, a member of the Yurok Tribal Council and a leader in the revival of the tribe's world renewal ceremonies.

Now the Yurok Tribe is using modern science in hopes of restoring condors, which have not soared above the northern coast of California since 1914.

If they establish that condors can survive here, and get federal permission to introduce birds from a captive breeding program, it would be the first restoration of condors in the northern half of its historic range, and a stepping stone to condors soaring over Oregon and Washington. Lewis and Clark collected some as they trekked down the Columbia River.

Pride and Peril: Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Pride and Peril: Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Once a beacon of hope for thousands of Black students denied access to higher education by predominantly White institutions, historically Black colleges and universities have educated generations of Black scientists, doctors, lawyers, educators and social activists. But today, these institutions face serious challenges. Questions of relevance have reached a fever pitch as today’s Black colleges work to address declining enrollment, low graduation rates and financial instability. Despite the challenges, however, HBCUs for many Black students – and others – remain the last best hope of succeeding in the higher education arena. As the age-old debate for and against Black colleges rages on, Diverse has identified five threats facing HBCUs and five opportunities that could define their futures.

Muslim women uncover myths about the hijab - CNN.com

Muslim women uncover myths about the hijab - CNN.com: Rowaida Abdelaziz doesn't want your pity.

She doesn't want your frosty public stares; the whispers behind her back; the lament that she's been degraded by her father.

What the Muslim high school senior wants you to understand is that she doesn't wear the hijab, the head scarf worn by Muslim women, because she is submissive.

"It represents beauty to me," says Abdelaziz, the 17-year-old daughter of two Egyptian parents living in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

"My mom says a girl is like a jewel," Abdelaziz says. "When you have something precious, you usually hide it. You want to make sure you keep it safe until that treasure is ready to be found."

The nation has heard plenty of debate over racial profiling. But there's a form of religious profiling that some young Muslim women in America say they endure whenever they voluntarily wear the hijab.

The hijab, also known as the veil, is the headscarf worn by Muslim women around the globe. It's a simple piece of cloth, but it can place young Muslim women in Western countries in difficult situations.

Black Male Enrollment at Mississippi Institutions Lags

Black Male Enrollment at Mississippi Institutions Lags: A task force commissioned by the Mississippi College Board to recommend ways to improve Black male college enrollment has not made much progress despite having more than a year on the job.

According to The Clarion-Ledger, a task force has met a few times since its creation in June 2008, but it could be another year before they implement any plans.

“There’s still a lot of work to do here,” Reginald Sykes, assistant higher education commission, told the newspaper. “We want to set manageable goals. Once we do that, we’ll be able to implement a plan.”

Improving community college transfers has been talked about as one way to improve enrollment among Black males, who made up 8,452 of the nearly 72,000 students enrolled in Mississippi’s public university system in 2008, compared with 17,597 Black females.

A Decline in Humanities

A Decline in Humanities: ...Doctorate students of color who are couched in humanities and liberal arts fields such as philosophy, communications, and ethnic studies could be especially impacted by college job cuts and hiring freezes.

Since humanities professions have not been strong revenue producers for most universities, they are often the first to get cut or scaled back during tough economic times. With universities emphasizing investments in jobs in the sciences, the growth of humanities fields might not keep pace with the number of doctorate graduates over the next few years.

Ronald L. Jackson, dean of the College of Media at the University of Illinois and the chair of the university’s African-American Studies department, says the outlook doesn’t look good for many doctorate students who are looking for jobs in specialized fields such as ethnic studies.

“From an African-American studies perspective, there are very few graduate programs,” Jackson says, adding that fewer specialized programs often means fewer faculty jobs. “Humanities will have somewhat of a decline because there's less funding and less opportunities for hiring.”

Smashing the Stereotypes On the Big Screen

Smashing the Stereotypes On the Big Screen: While attending graduate school at Stanford University, Dr. Chon Noriega watched four fi lms that impacted his life: “Stand and Deliver,” “La Bamba,” “Milagro Beanfi eld War” and “Born in East L.A.”

All four movies, which came out within a year of each other in the late 1980s, showcased for Noriega Hispanic actors and the impact Hispanics had in America. They had an indelible impact on Noriega, a film and media studies professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has written a book, Shot in America: Television, the State, and the Rise of the Chicano Cinema, and edited nine books on Latinos in film, media and art. Noriega earlier this summer cohosted a month-long series on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) called "Race & Hollywood: Latino Images in Film."

“Green” For All

“Green” For All: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson works to ensure minorities are not left out of the burgeoning ‘green’ economy.

Enter into the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency and encounter something never seen in its history until now, a photo of the first African-American to serve as the agency’s administrator.

Born in Philadelphia and raised in New Orleans, Lisa Perez Jackson is the new face of the EPA, and, just like the president who appointed her, Jackson represents change.

Only seven months into the job, Jackson has dived into a number of important issues largely ignored by the previous administration. Under Jackson’s leadership, the EPA has prompted the Obama administration to pursue legislation that cuts carbon emissions, limits green house gases and addresses climate change.

Undocumented Immigrants Spend Millions Extra on Tuition

Undocumented Immigrants Spend Millions Extra on Tuition: PHOENIX - More than two years after Arizona voters passed a law denying in-state college tuition and other state-funded benefits to undocumented immigrants, thousands of people are still applying for those services and being turned away.

Supporters of the law say the numbers are evidence that the measure is working, saving money that the state shouldn't be paying to educate people who came here illegally. Opponents say the numbers show thousands of bright young people are being denied the opportunity to improve their lives through education and contribute to society.

The law, known as Proposition 300, was approved in 2006 by more than 70 percent of Arizona voters. It requires state agencies to verify the immigration status of applicants for state-funded services such as child care and adult education, along with in-state tuition and financial aid for college students.

Sotomayor Sworn In as Supreme Court Justice - NYTimes.com

Sotomayor Sworn In as Supreme Court Justice - NYTimes.com: WASHINGTON — Justice Sonia Sotomayor took the judicial oath on Saturday, becoming the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the Supreme Court in United States history.

At just past 11 a.m., Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered a pair of oaths to her in two private ceremonies at the Supreme Court building, completing her ascent to a life-tenured position as the nation’s 111th justice, and the first to be nominated by a Democratic president since 1994.

In the first ceremony, which took place in the justice’s conference room and was attended only by her relatives and a court photographer, she took the standard oath affirmed by all federal employees, swearing to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Tribal Colleges Seeking Stability in Federal Funding Cycles

Tribal Colleges Seeking Stability in Federal Funding Cycles: For Leonard Dauphinais, one of the most challenging things about running a tribal college is not a lack of federal funding but trying to figure out when that funding will arrive at his school.

“Like everyone else our challenges during this economic downturn are significant,” says Dauphinais, who is the acting president of Turtle Mountain Community College in Balcourt, North Dakota.

“We're still up and operating – so that's the good news,” continues Dauphinais, “but trying to get our federal funding in a timely manner has been an ongoing issue for us.”

That's because for years the money that the nation's tribal colleges have received through the Bureau of Indian Affairs arrives only after Congress has signed off on a new fiscal year budget, a process that oftentimes takes months.

Rising Tuition Rates, Recession Having Impact on Students, Schools

Rising Tuition Rates, Recession Having Impact on Students, Schools: Many of the nation’s colleges and universities are raising tuition for students this school year, and the economic recession is having an effect on several Minority-Serving Institutions.

California State University, which has a large minority population, raised tuition and fees 20 percent for students this fall.

Joaquin Beltran, 25, a senior studying political science at California State University’s Los Angeles campus and president of Associated Students Inc., says there are several students who are being affected by the tuition hike.

“I’m one of those students,” Beltran says. “It’s those students who are working and living paycheck to paycheck. I can’t afford this increase.”

Overall, Beltran says the tuition rose 32 percent this year, including a 20-percent hike in July.

Annual Ebony Fashion Fair show is a victim of economy | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/07/2009

Annual Ebony Fashion Fair show is a victim of economy | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/07/2009: ...After more than 50 years of showcasing the highest caliber of fashion in the industry to mostly African American audiences, organizers of the traveling international fashion show have canceled its fall 2009 installment.

The Philadelphia Cultural Committee Inc., the nonprofit organization that has hosted the program annually in Philadelphia or New Jersey for 50 years, is among 180 organizations that will not put on a show this fall.

'The overall economic climate has presented challenges for many, including our potential corporate sponsors,' said Linda Johnson Rice, the chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Co., in a statement.

Regional Shift Seen in Education Gap - NYTimes.com

Regional Shift Seen in Education Gap - NYTimes.com: WASHINGTON — Historically, the achievement gap between America’s black and white students was widest in Southern states, where the legacies of slavery and segregation were reflected in extremely low math and reading scores among poor African-American children.

But black students have made important gains in several Southern states over two decades, while in some Northern states, black achievement has improved more slowly than white achievement, or has even declined, according to a study of the black-white achievement gap released Tuesday by the Department of Education.

As a result, the nation’s widest black-white gaps are no longer seen in Southern states like Alabama or Mississippi, but rather in Northern and Midwestern states like Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin, according to the federal data.

THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | The Dallas Morning News

THE EDUCATION FRONT Blog | The Dallas Morning News: In Arne Duncan's speech this week to the National Council of La Raza, the education secretary did a good job highlighting the need to improve high school and college graduation rates for Latinos.

I think this is the second greatest challenge facing the country, behind getting the international religion-and-politics equation right so we don't blow each other up. I was glad to see Duncan take this issue on directly, and he raised a point at the end of his speech that I hadn't thought about: The nation needs more Latino teachers.

According to Duncan, twenty percent of all public school students in the U.S. are Latino. But only five percent of their teachers are Latino. He challenged La Raza, which has a very good record in promoting educational achievement, to encourage more Latinos to become teachers.

His assumption is that more Latino teaches will help more of the growing number of Latino students -- half of Texas public school students are Hispanic -- graduate from high school and college. About half of all Latinos drop out of high school, Duncan claims.

Nike mentors give Latino youth a career boost

Nike mentors give Latino youth a career boost: Seven Latino students at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek campus are getting a jolt of business savvy from Nike workers, one meeting and piece of advice at a time.

As part of a mentoring program that partners the Nike Latino and Friends Network with students from the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), each of the students – all first-generation college scholars from migrant-worker backgrounds – work with a Nike employee at honing crucial job skills and creating networking opportunities.

The mentoring program officially kicked off June 18.

Experts: Latino students can feel less than valued - Salt Lake Tribune

Experts: Latino students can feel less than valued - Salt Lake Tribune: When Richard Gomez was young, his father discouraged him from going to college.

'My dad was saying, 'No, you're the oldest of eight. You need to graduate and go to work,'' Gomez said.

But Gomez, now coordinator for educational equity at the State Office of Education, went to college anyway after a counselor told him he was 'college material.'

It's the type of encouragement Gomez said is essential to keeping Latino students -- who might not otherwise envision the same futures as their white peers -- in school. Experts say a number of systemic and personal challenges keep many Latino students from graduating.

Some face economic pressures such as having to work -- or wanting to drop out of school -- to help support their families. Others struggle to fulfill high school requirements in a language they're still learning. Some students who are in the U.S. illegally --- about 7 percent of Latinos younger than 18 -- see no point in finishing school, knowing it will be difficult to secure scholarships and professional jobs, experts say.

Hispanics' decision to go to college is influenced by parents - KTRE.com Lufkin and Nacogdoches |

Hispanics' decision to go to college is influenced by parents - KTRE.com Lufkin and Nacogdoches |: NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) - Texas must do a better job increasing Hispanic enrollment in colleges and universities. A progress report to the Higher Education Coordinating Board in Texas shows Hispanic enrollment needs to double in the next six years to meet 2015 goals.

At Stephen F Austin State University Hispanic enrollment is around 8.8%. That's up from the 8.4% seen in 2007. There has been a gradual climb in the number of Hispanic students since 2004.

News: Models of Success With Latino Students - Inside Higher Ed

News: Models of Success With Latino Students - Inside Higher Ed: With the Latino population growing, colleges are considering their success -- or lack thereof -- in educating Latino students.

A new report released Wednesday, 'Modeling Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs): Campus Practices that Work for Latino Students,' explores strategies used by institutions with significant Latino enrollments. The report was released by Excelencia in Education and examined six community colleges and six public universities -- in California, New York and Texas.

The report looked at five topics identified to help Latino students succeed and what the 12 institutions were doing in those areas. Some examples:

Community outreach: East Los Angeles College works with students in middle and high schools to teach them math and prepare them for college math.

Academic support: El Camino College set up a First Year Experience Program in which students participate in learning communities (programs in which cohorts take multiple classes together), and also receive help from peer and faculty mentors.

Data use: New York City College of Technology, of the City University of New York, conducted surveys of students and found that many minority students were troubled by a lack of communication with professors and advisers about career goals. The college responded by creating new programs for undeclared majors and revamping career counseling.

Lifeline Live: Celebrity Gossip & Entertainment News from Hollywood

Lifeline Live: Celebrity Gossip & Entertainment News from Hollywood: Dominican-born beauty and Heroes actress Dania Ramirez, 29, is stepping into the role of new CoverGirl spokesmodel. Following in the footsteps of Rihanna, Drew Barrymore, Queen Latifah and Ellen DeGeneres, she will be prominently featured in print and television ads starting in January.

“I’m bringing my story, a story of struggle and hard work. Not speaking the language [when I got to America] and trying to figure out my definition of beauty, you learn to recognize the beauty in all of us. It takes a strong person to get where I’ve got,” she tells People.com, adding that this feels like it has 'been in the works my whole life. I’ve always dreamed of being a CoverGirl.”

On sidelines, Hispanics cheer Sotomayor - USATODAY.com

On sidelines, Hispanics cheer Sotomayor - USATODAY.com: At the moment of Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation as the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court, Carmen Garcia cried, hard.

She was one of several women at the FB Lounge in New York City's Spanish Harlem who saw in Sotomayor's life story a version of her own, or her parents'.

'All the obstacles she must have seen in the South Bronx, I saw in Spanish Harlem,' said Garcia, 58, a hospital food-service worker whose parents brought her to New York in 1957. 'Any child that looks outside the window to the fire escape and wants to become a judge, a lawyer, a district attorney, a Supreme Court (justice), and sees what Sotomayor used to see, can say, 'I can do it, too.' '

For many of the nation's Hispanics, Sotomayor's confirmation marked a proud milestone — an affirmation of their struggles and hard work, an inspiration for them and their children.

Senate Votes 68 to 31 to Confirm Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court - washingtonpost.com

Senate Votes 68 to 31 to Confirm Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court - washingtonpost.com: The Senate, in a vote laden with history and partisanship, confirmed Sonia Sotomayor on Thursday as the 111th justice and the first Hispanic to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The confirmation of President Obama's first high court nominee was a milestone for his presidency. But the Senate's nearly 20 hours of debate over Sotomayor this week -- and the fact that only nine Republicans voted for her -- made clear the divisive contours her nomination had assumed since Obama chose her this spring.

Although the 68 to 31 vote was a GOP defeat, Republicans contended that they had succeeded at framing the confirmation debate in a way that could influence Obama's future nominations throughout the federal judiciary, including to the Supreme Court if vacancies arise.

For Latino Activists, Sotomayor Confirmation Is Emotional Moment - washingtonpost.com

For Latino Activists, Sotomayor Confirmation Is Emotional Moment - washingtonpost.com: At a 'vote watch' party held by Latino activists at a hotel bar a few blocks from the Capitol, news of the final Senate tally clinching Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation to the Supreme Court set off whoops and cheers, followed by sustained chants of 'Si, se puede! Si, se puede!' and 'Sonia! Sonia!'

"It's something you cannot even explain -- how proud and how emotional a moment this is for us," said Vanny Marrero, 72, a retired government human resources worker from Northern Virginia who belongs to the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women.

Appeals Court Hears Mississippi Voting Rights Case Sparked by Inclusion of College Voters

Appeals Court Hears Mississippi Voting Rights Case Sparked by Inclusion of College Voters: A federal appeals court is reviewing the dismissal of a lawsuit that claims Black voters in Hattiesburg, Miss., have been marginalized by the city's decision to count thousands of college students in drawing its ward boundary lines.

Lawyers for the southern Mississippi city on Monday asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a lower court's ruling that Hattiesburg's inclusion of college students for redistricting didn't violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965. A three-judge panel from the appeals court didn't immediately rule.

Ellis Turnage, an attorney for several Black Hattiesburg voters who are named as plaintiffs in the suit, said Blacks in 2005 accounted for an estimated 52 percent of the city's registered voters but have had their voting strength diluted by racial gerrymandering.

'Obama Effect' at school: Black parents volunteer, expect more - USATODAY.com

Obama Effect at school: Black parents volunteer, expect more - USATODAY.com: ...In the new findings, African-American parents of children in K-12 schools say they're much more likely to volunteer in a classroom this fall, in effect narrowing a volunteering gap.

The survey, being released today by GreatSchools, a San Francisco non-profit that promotes parental involvement, finds a jump of 37 percentage points in the portion of African-American parents who say they'll volunteer in their child's school — 60% vs. 23% a year ago.

In the same period, the percentage of white parents who plan to volunteer rose six points, from 47% to 53%.

"Clearly, this data is showing that the parent in chief, President Obama, is having an impact on parents' thinking, especially African-American parents' thinking," GreatSchools CEO Bill Jackson says. He notes that in several speeches, Obama has urged parents to turn off the TV, read to their children and attend parent-teacher conferences.

"That jump that we're seeing … is clearly a response to that," he says.

The Internet survey of 1,086 parents has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. For the African-American group, the sampling error is much larger — 12.7 percentage points — but the new findings are outside the sampling error.

Tolerance.org: Teaching Tolerance: Anti-Muslim Church Sign Draws Protest

Tolerance.org: Teaching Tolerance: Anti-Muslim Church Sign Draws Protest: People of many faiths – and of no faith at all -- turn out to protest a church sign that declares 'Islam is of the Devil.'

by Tim Lockette


Residents of Gainesville, Fla. were shocked to find the words 'Islam is of the Devil' on a prominent sign in front of a local church.

An act of vandalism? Apparently not.

Leaders of Dove World Ministries placed the sign in front of their church to 'expose Islam' as 'a violent and oppressive religion that is trying to mascarade (sic) itself as a religion of peace,' according to the church’s website.

The church's neighbors see things differently. A diverse group of local residents, including Christians, Jews, Muslims and freethinkers, held a protest to show they don't support the sign's message. 'Having this sign here without anyone saying anything makes us all complicit,' said one protester.

Report: Texas Still Lags in Hispanics in Higher Ed

Report: Texas Still Lags in Hispanics in Higher Ed: Hispanic enrollment in Texas colleges and universities would need to almost double in the next six years to meet the state's goals by 2015, according to a new state report.

The staff report approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board last week looked at progress toward goals adopted by the state in 2000. The board has long considered lagging Hispanic enrollment and graduation rates a major problem.

“Texas is not one of the highest-achieving states in terms of overall education attainment,” Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Raymund A. Paredes said. “And Hispanics are the lowest-achieving of the three major ethnic groups in Texas.”

The Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that the review found Hispanic enrollment had grown faster than that of Blacks or Whites but not fast enough to meet the state's goals. Nearly 129,500 more Hispanic students have enrolled in higher education since 2000, but another 309,000 would need to do so by 2015 to meet the state's goal of 5.7 percent of Hispanics enrolled.

New campaign aims to promote black child adoption - USATODAY.com

New campaign aims to promote black child adoption - USATODAY.com: While African Americans account for 15% of U.S. children, they make up 32% of the 510,000 kids in foster care, according to a May 2008 report by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a private research group. The report is based on 2006 data, the latest available. It shows that black children in foster care, especially older ones, are less likely than white ones to be adopted.

To help deal with that imbalance, a federally funded ad campaign is to be unveiled today. It is aimed at encouraging African Americans to adopt from the foster care system. The ads will appear this fall on radio, TV and in newspapers.

'They're long overdue,' says Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.

A 1994 federal law, the Multiethnic Placement Act, prohibits denying or delaying an adoption because of race but requires 'diligent' efforts to recruit parents of the same race.

The new ads, developed by the Advertising Council, are part of a series that began in 2002 to promote adoption from foster care. The ads, like prior ones, are humorous and carry the same tagline: 'You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent.'

WSU Loses Migrant Education Program

WSU Loses Migrant Education Program: PULLMAN, Wash. – A Washington State University program that for more than four decades helped educate migrant workers and their children has lost its federal funding.

The program helped students to pass the GED tests, which certified they had high-school-level skills. It was the oldest program of its kind funded by the U.S. Office of Migrant Education and was the university's first program for minorities.

Over the years, some 3,700 students enrolled in the High School Equivalency Program. Of those, 80 percent were Hispanic, mostly from central Washington, while 20 percent were Indians, WSU said.

When the grant was not renewed this summer, six faculty and staff members lost their jobs. The university will reapply for the grant in 2010 in hopes of continuing the program, said College of Education interim dean Phyllis Erdman.

U.S. recession pains minorities, but hope persists | Reuters

U.S. recession pains minorities, but hope persists | Reuters: CHICAGO (Reuters) - The recession has delivered a disproportionate blow to blacks and Hispanics, yet minorities may be more optimistic about the economy than most Americans and many feel they have earned a place at the corporate table.

A pair of surveys released this week carried some hopeful signs for minorities, who in recent years have seen African-Americans occupy top executive posts at an expanding roster of companies, including Time Warner Inc and Xerox Corp.

But in factories and the lower rungs of corporate America, workplace diversity often is a secondary priority, according to Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, a civil rights group holding its annual meeting this week in Chicago.

Blacks and Hispanics have suffered disproportionately in the recession because they often lack seniority, and they are heavily represented in the hard-hit retail, manufacturing and auto industries, Morial said in an interview.

Latinos say they also face racial profiling by police - CNN.com

Latinos say they also face racial profiling by police - CNN.com: NEW YORK (CNN) -- Many Latinos say they know how Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates felt during a recent arrest because they believe police often racially profile Hispanics, too.

Gates, a noted African-American scholar, has said he was arrested at his home in large part because of his race. Police say he became disorderly when asked for identification after a report of a possible break-in.

'Professor Gates' case resonates with us because he is a prominent academic at a very prominent institution, but it is a reality that occurs on these streets every day,' said Vicente Alba-Panama of the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights.

Harlem Program Singled Out as Standard to Improve Children's Lives - washingtonpost.com

Harlem Program Singled Out as Standard to Improve Children's Lives - washingtonpost.com: ...This is the starting point for the Harlem Children's Zone: the womb. Geoffrey Canada's nonprofit has created a web of programs that begin before birth, end with college graduation and reach almost every child growing up in 97 blocks carved out of the struggling central Harlem neighborhood.

Canada was raised poor in the South Bronx and went on to earn a graduate education degree from Harvard. Years ago, he grew frustrated that his successful after-school program was not decreasing Harlem's tally of high school dropouts, juvenile arrests and unemployed youths. He set out to devise an encompassing program to "move the needle" and improve the lives of poor children in a mass, standardized, reproducible way.

Now the Obama administration seeks to replicate Canada's model in 20 cities in a program called Promise Neighborhoods and has set aside $10 million in the 2010 budget for planning. President Obama has frequently singled out the Harlem Children's Zone, and first lady Michelle Obama recently called Canada "one of my heroes."