Indiana’s Premier Bilingual Magazine - February 2013

Daniel O. (Danny) LópezSpecial Assistant to Indiana’s Governor Mike PenceExecutive Director for Indiana Commission on Hispanic/Latino AffairsDirector of Education for Indiana Civil Rights Commision

Latinos Express Economic Confidence Page 8

Digital Age and Everyday Life Page 5

Feature ArticleExpressions of gratitude and commitment to service, Danny López. Page: 18

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Que Viva! , LLC219-973-5488 / www.QueVivaIndiana.com The Que Viva! Team in Coordination with:

Guest Columnist Daniel O. (Danny) Lopez

Guest Columnist Jerry Davich

Guest Columnist Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Art and Layout Director Domi Edwards

COVER & Feature story photos Jerolyn Wiggins / www.jmarshell.com

Translation Emilio Torres

SPANISH LESSON Maria Guillen

Vice President of Sales Lorraine Guillen-Wentz

editorial director Roberto E. Castañeda

Sales/Ventas

Sales@QueVivaIndiana.com

Editorial & Submissions/Editorial y Presentaciones

ContactUs@QueVivaIndiana.com

February 2013

From the Editor:

As we kick off our third year of Que Viva! we continue with our tradition of attempting to stimulate thought by using multiple perspectives. We are fortunate to have attracted such a dynamic group of individuals that share their thoughts and ideas with you, our readers.

In this edition we welcome author, radio personality and journalist Jerry Davich as he shares his views on the digital age with a special twist on how it can sometimes pull us away, literally too far, from the basics of everyday life and the people who surround us.

Danny Lopez in addition to making his monthly contribution was interviewed for our feature story in this issue. Danny graciously shows us a side very few of us know. In his typical and eloquent style he shares his ideas, optimism and enthusiasm on where our com-munity can go with the right kind of involvement and stimuli from the members of our community. His optimistic message has within it beams of light that challenge us to think and get more involved.

Within our topics in this edition of Que Viva! we include the immigration issue per the eloquence of acclaimed author Raul Ramos y Sanchez as he views the inflammatory rhetoric already brewing with so called nativists.

We also have Pablo Schneider, who contributes to FOX News Latino, as he pays homage to the influence his grandmother had on him. He dedicates a significant part of his time connecting top ranking Latinos in the business world with other business professionals so as to continue with the labor of fortifying our community.

The topics in this issue also include practical ideas and remind-

ers related to education ranging from completing FAFSA forms, to staying on top of the digital age, to health topics dealing with autism. Attorney Roy Dominguez also addresses his perspective on the issues surrounding Right To Work Laws and the complexity associated with either position, pro or con.

Our attempt is to continue to bring you substantive information that continues to spur thought toward the betterment of our com-munity. It is gratifying to continually seek creative ways to bring to you, our readers and friends, information that when pieced together gives us a better sense of how and where we stand in the world.

Saludos,

Roberto E. CastañedaEditorial DirectorQue Viva! Indiana

Please send comments or thoughts to contactus@quevivaindiana.com You can also find all of our previous issues and share with your friends and family --

www.quevivaindiana.com

Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/quevivaindiana

Indiana’s Premier Bilingual Magazine - February 2013

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February 2013

3Que Viva! Editorial

5Guest ColumnConnecions in Disconnected World World – Jerry Davich

6Guest ColumnEmpowering Latinos through School Choice - Danny Lopez

8Culture SectionOur American Dream: Thanks Abuela - Bryan Llenas, FOX News Latino

11education SectionDaily Learning in the Digital Age: U.S. Office of Educational Technology

12education sectionFive Reasons to fill out FAFSA Form: US Department of Education

14financial sectionHispanic’s Growing in Confidence in Economy -- Pew Hispanic Research 15legal sectionCosas Legales, Things Legal: Right to Work in Indiana - Attorney, Roy Dominguez 16health sectionAutism not necessarily for Life

18-23feature articleStrengthening a Foundation toward Prosperity: Que Viva! Indiana Staff

24current social issuesThe Lull Before the Storm: Raul Ramos y Sanchez

25national politicsLatino’s Role Expand in 2013 Presidential Inauguration Associated Press

28economics sectionPresident Reagan on Economic Freedom - Anthony B. Kim

Do you feel connected – to friends, to loved ones, to your community, to your world?

It’s easy to believe we are closer than ever to each other with all the high-tech opportunities available these days. Cell phones. The In-ternet. Chat rooms. Email. Blogs. Dating sites. Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, you name it.

This relatively new tech-nology allows us to connect faster, farther, and more fu-riously with others with the mere click of a finger. And it doesn’t seem to matter which generational group we belong to – Baby Boomers, Echo Baby Boomers, Generation Y, the YouTube Youthquake, the Millennials, or the Facebook Frat.

Everyone has a primal longing to connect with others. It’s a timeless yet always timely phenomenon of our species, since early man asked with a grunt, “Your cave or mine?”

I’m convinced, however, that this 21st century illusion of social security curbs our primal ability to create new intimate, physical relationships, something our

ancestors have been doing for eons. In other words, our so-called “connectedness” is making us more disconnected than ever before, I say.

For example, we’re closer in cyber-space yet more distant in breathing space. We text each other from different rooms

in the same home. We use smart phones to repeatedly do dumb things. We flirt online with people who don’t even exist.

Face it, we live in a drive-thru, dispos-

able, and attention-deficit McCulture that substitutes sound-bytes for substance, quantity for quality, and emoticons for emotions.

Yes, despite all of our modern con-veniences to better connect, there is an obvious lack of connections in our frag-mented and often isolated lives. Just look

around – literally, not virtually – if you can pry your eyes away from your Nook, Kindle, or iPad.

There is hope, though. And it can be found in our “third place.”

Most of us have two primary places – home and work. But there is often a third place where we feel anchored, comfortable, and part of an accepted community of like-minded people.

Maybe it’s a local restaurant, a neighborhood church, a book-store, or the corner pub. The trick is to transform a space, any space, into a place by experiencing positive memories. And returning there again and again.

The concept is the same now as it was in the 10th century, or the 5th century – to bond face-to-face with others on a regular basis, to establish a needed sense of place, if not purpose, in our lives.

So what’s your third place? If it’s in the digital world, maybe it’s time to venture out once again into the physical world. It’s a scary place, I know. But you can always Tweet about it afterward.

Getting connected in a disconnected

worldJerry Davich, GUEST COLUMNIST

Jerry Davich is a journalist, freelance writer, public speaker, radio show host, and author of the book, “Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason.” Find him on Facebook, Twitter, and his blog, www.jerrydavich.wordpress.com. Listen to his “Casual Fridays” radio show on Lakeshore Public Radio, 89.1-FM.

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 2013 5

“Let us think of education as the

means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” – President John F. Kennedy

There are issues of public policy that are dissected and re-dissected by civic and community leaders until neither the constituency nor, as it often turns out, the leadership itself fully understands them. These folks excel at making such matters seem so complex so as to be inaccessible by the people most directly impacted by them.

So allow me, then, to approach the important issue of school choice for Indiana’s Latino community in the simplest way I can: more options and greater control will yield more success for Latino students.

We have come to the understanding, through vast amounts of research, that our traditional public schools do not always provide the best educational environment for some in our communities. That is not to say that education leaders have made no attempts to adapt to changing times and changing demographics. This isn’t true, and many have. But neither is it true that our children are all programmed to learn through one style, and new models in education have sprung up that have sought to give students and their families a more tailored pathway to attainment.

And yet, some interest groups have sought to restrict the ability of families to make sensible, well-informed decisions about how their children might best be educated. This is

particularly harmful in Indiana’s Latino community, given that nearly 40 percent of our families are currently living at or below the poverty line. In many cases, the traditional public schools in their area have failed to provide them with stimulating, safe learning environments in which to thrive, but without the financial resources to select better options they have been forced to settle. No Hoosier should be forced to settle for subpar education simply because of their income.

Thankfully, school choice in Indiana already exists. Over the last couple of years, leaders from both parties have come together to provide our families with educational options that allow many students to transfer not only from public to parochial schools but also to other public schools within the same district that are better suited to facilitate transformative educational attainment. In the program’s first year, nearly 750 Latino families directly benefited from this option. When this year’s figures are released, many more will have signed up. Others have opted to stay where they are in deciding that their local public schools are indeed the best fit for their children, a testament to the strength of Indiana’s public school teachers. But all have now been empowered to make decisions about their educational future, and every Hoosier, Latino or otherwise, ought to have that freedom.

I want to be perfectly clear: There is no silver bullet to ensuring academic success. Real education starts at home, and parents are the first and most important teachers children will ever have. The achievement gap between Latino students and their cohorts from other demographic groups will continue to widen until Latino parents are both fully informed and fully committed – in deeds, not just words – to their families’ academic success. But giving more families more options is the first step to empowerment, and the ability to control our educational destiny is significant to realizing long-term academic attainment in our community.

Empowering Latino Families and School ChoiceBy danny lopez

Mr. Lopez is Executive Director of the State of Indiana Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs and Director of Education and Legislation of the State of Indiana Civil Rights Commission.

“La educación es la clave del futuro. La clave del destino del hombre y de su posibilidad de (de) actuar en un mundo mejor.” – Presidente John F. Kennedy

Los oficiales electos y los directores de organizaciones y agencias al nivel local, estatal, y federal demuestran frecuentemente la tendencia de hablar de temas importantes en términos bien entendidos por su contribuyentes. Es mejor decir, demuestran la gran capacidad de hacer lucir cualquier tema cien veces más complicado de lo que es en realidad.

Déjenme entonces abordar el tema de la reforma educa-cional y el proceso de darle aún más control sobre la educación a la familia de esta forma: la reforma educacional es algo positivo para la comunidad latina en Indiana.

El sistema educacional de Estados Unidos – creado en otra época, en otro clima social, y para otro tipo de estudiante – simplemente no se ha adaptado suficiente para mantenerse relevante para muchos de nuestros pupilos. Entendemos, a través de miles de investigaciones sobre el tema, que el ambiente en muchas escuelas públicas tradicionales no les ofrece a los estudiantes la oportunidad de aprovechar de una educación diseñada a sus medidas. A pesar de este hecho las instituciones controlando nuestro sistema escolar han firmemente resistido los cambios necesarios para darle aún más control sobre la educación individual a la familia, de darles a los padres la habilidad de decidir el mejor camino para sus hijos. Pero gracias a los esfuerzos de líderes de ambos partidos, hemos empezado a otorgar a nuestras familias el poder de seleccionar la educación mejor para sus hijos y la gran responsabilidad de educarse sobre todas las diferentes opciones.

En Indiana, School Choice ya existe. En su primer año de existencia, casi 750 familias latinas aprovecharon del programa para trasladar a sus hijos a otra institución. Este año, el programa ha sido expandido y se espera que aún más estudiantes latinos participarán. Desafortunadamente, hasta ahora el departamento de educación estatal ha confiado que los distritos escolares y los grupos locales les estén proveyendo información sobre este programa directamente a familias. Sin embargo, yo he hablado con cientos de familias en diferentes partes del estado y muy pocas de ellas entienden bien sus opciones y derechos bajo la nueva ley.

El programa de School Choice es un recurso nuevo e importante para la comunidad latina no solo porque le da a los hispanos de bajos ingresos la oportunidad de matricular a sus hijos en escuelas religiosas, sino también porque le da a esas mismas familias la opción de seleccionar una escuela pública más exitosa. Cada familia ya puede controlar la calidad y el tipo de educación que reciba sus hijos, a pesar de ingreso o de la ubicación de su hogar.

Quiero quedar bien claro: la educación empieza en casa, y los padres son los maestros más importantes que tendrán sus hijos. El déficit entre el éxito escolar de los estudiantes caucásicos y el de los hispanos seguirá creciendo hasta que nuestras familias tengan la información necesaria para hacer buenas decisiones y el compromiso a desarrollar en sus hijos la disciplina y determinación que necesitarán para ser estudiantes ejemplares. Demasiados padres latinos dicen que quieren que sus hijos aprendan pero no están dispuestos de exigirles sus mejores esfuerzos. No existe legislación ni política pública que pueda arreglar la situación sin la participación activa de nuestras familias.

Nuevos Cambios en el Sistema Escolar les dan a los Padres Más Poder, Más ResponsabilidadBy danny lopez

To know Pablo Schneider is to know the legacy of his abuela - Mar-garita Muñoz de Seraballs.

“I hope you graduate before I die,” she often reminded Schneider, 48, of the weight of expectation she had on him and her five other grandchildren growing up.

Born in 1904 in Puerto Rico, Muñoz de Seraballs, or “Abuela,” came to New York City in 1924, becoming a small business owner, running a pharmacy and retail store in the 1940’s.

For the late Muñoz de Seraballs, education was everything.

It was her life’s goal to make sure her family went to college. But when a teenage Schneider decided to drop out of high school to opt for work in multiple restaurants as a busboy, waiter, and dishwasher, Abuela was beside herself.

I’m on a mission, it is part of my life’s work to help people advance.

- Pablo Schneider, President of Corporate Creations International

“Abuela went ballis-tic,” he recalled.From that day forward, Schneider, president of Corporate Creations International, rededicated himself to pursue his dreams, ultimately becoming a national leader whose goal is to empower and elevate Latino business professionals in all areas of society.

“I’m on a mission, it is part of my life’s work to help people advance,” Schneider said.

This is no under-statement. as founder and chairman of the Board Diversity Institute, a non-profit dedicated to promoting Hispanic leadership at the top levels of the most pow-erful companies in the world, Schneider is helping Hispanic professionals prepare themselves to serve on non-profit, private company, corporate, and gov-ernment boards.

“My job is to help connect Latinos with the 10,000 board members who serve on the boards of the Fortune 1,000 companies,” he said emphasiz-ing the importance of the weight of personal relationships in corporate America

Schneider’s journey from high school dropout to a business leader

was paved with hard work.

Schneider’s restaurant work clean-ing toilets, serving, and busing at four

Our American Dream: From Dishwasher to Business Leader - Thanks AbuelaBy Bryan Llenas

Originally published on FOX News Latino on March 05, 2012, reprinted with permission

Pablo Schneider at the HACR (Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibil-ity) San Francisco Program. (Gustavo Fernandez for Orange Photography http://orangephotography.com/)

Across the United States, in all fields of en-

deavor, Latinos are working to uphold their place

in American society. Fox News Latino is proud

to present “Our American Dream” – a series of

snapshots and profiles of Latino success stories.

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 20138

different restaurants after dropping out his sophomore year of high school continued for the next seven years.

It was in this time that Schneider rededicated himself to his education in the San Diego and Tijuana area of California where he grew up.

He studied for nine of the next 14 years beginning at a community college,

then getting his bachelors and masters degrees from San Diego State.

“It was a pivotal time in my life,”

he said.

It was in his days working as a dish-washer while paying his way through college that he garnered his thirst for helping others, and joined national Hispanic organizations in an effort to mentor and empower Latinos on their own journeys to success for more than the past 20 years.

Schneider, a father of five children, is also a con-tributing editor to Latino Leaders magazine, where he writes a personal and inspira-tional business column called

“”Keeping Up with Pablo.”

He is also the special editor of his own magazine edition entitled Latino Leaders Board Edition, which publishes once a year and is now the gold standard for identifying the nation’s All-Star lineup of Latino board members of some of the biggest names of the Fortune 1000 companies.

“To me success is the ful-fillment of one’s purpose, and for me there are five steps of success -- purpose, goals, plans, action, and results, which are measured by how well you are fulfilling your purpose in life,” Schneider said.

As a business executive for the last 18 years, he believes this is the essential blueprint that Latinos all over the country should follow. He

also believes Latinos need to figure out how to measure their success.

“What’s on your yardstick?” he asks. “Is success only wealth, power, and fame or does it include the people’s lives you touch?”

For Schneider that decision is an easy one that was laid out fundamen-tally by his personal hero and mentor

– Abuela.

“At the end of the day it’s critical to include touching peoples’ lives as part of the equation,” he stated.

Abuela died at the age of 90, but not before realizing the fulfillment of her American Dream. All six of her grandkids have amassed a total of 13 college degrees in a range of fields.

“She was a spiritual giant and she was more intense than most senior corporate executives, elected officials, and board members,” he said.

Schneider hopes he can continue to live his own life with this same in-tensity, and one day become an abuelo, just like her.

And then Schneider recalled the day on which he graduated from college with his bachelors degree. He paused and laughed, as he mimicked his abuela’s voice.

“Pablito – a Masters in anything will do,” she told him.

Our American Dream: From Dishwasher to Business Leader - Thanks Abuela

Pablo Schneider at the HACR (Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibil-ity) San Francisco Program. (Gustavo Fernandez for Orange Photography http://orangephotography.com/)

All they need are the tools

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All they need are the tools

to get there.These resources are online and totally FREE! Explore different career paths.

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and stay up-to-date on the latest college and career planning news via

Trip To College on Facebook.

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Today is Digital Learning Day! As teachers across the country welcome powerful learning technologies into the classroom, students are engaging and benefitting from enhanced opportunities to achieve.

Access to technology has become as im-portant to learning as access to a library, yet teachers remain the critical link between stu-dents and the content. As new, more mobile technologies have entered the classroom, often in the backpacks of students, teachers become orchestrators of projects and seek the best emerging digital environments for improving motivation, relevance and depth of learning.

Teachers are setting expectations for multiple revision cycles of student pro-ductions, made possible with professional tools for writing, composing music, creating video documentaries, and design. They are learning along with their students and modeling good questioning and Internet research strategies, assigning more complex and challenging projects and facilitating communication and collaboration even across borders.

Age used to be considered a barrier to technology use in the classroom, and we would call teachers “digital immigrants” and young students “digital natives.” But teachers have

evolved especially as technology has become increasingly easy to use and available. Like most educated adults, teachers use technology for personal activities – reading, writing, shopping, communicating with family and friends, seeking health advice and more – and they are also using technology for professional growth. In addition to finding resources on

myriad education related topics, they are joining communities of practice to learn with peers and publish and share their ideas and expertise.

Teachers unions and professional as-sociations are supporting the inclusion of digital learning. The American Federation of Teachers launched Share My Lesson, “a place where educators can come together to create and share their very best teaching resources”. The National Science Teachers Association maintains one of the most robust

online communities supporting thousands of science teachers nationwide.

Last August, we launched Connected Educator Month. Over 150 organizations participated, offering close to 100,000 hours of online professional learning, with offerings such as book groups, challenges and contests, discussions, webinars, as well as interactions focused on everything from how to manage the first six weeks of school to how to create your personal learning network. The archives of the sessions are all online. The most common sentiment we heard was that “every month should be connected educator month”. Yes, and every day should be Digital Learning Day!

The education profession is as complex and challenging as it is rewarding. There is plenty to learn but luckily, the opportunity to learn has never been greater. And today

– Digital Learning Day – we celebrate and thank all those educators who are leading the way.

Every Day Should BeDigital Learning Dayby Karen Cator

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 2013 11

The new FAFSA for the 2013-14 school year is now available.

1. It’s the only way to gain access to the more than $150 billion available in federal student aid.Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward getting federal aid for college, career school, or graduate school.

Federal Student Aid provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds each year, but you have to complete the FAFSA to see if you can get any of that money. Not to mention, many states, schools and scholarships also use the FAFSA to award financial aid, so every college-bound student should complete it.

2. It’s FREE!The FAFSA is free to complete and there is help provided throughout the application. Several websites offer help

filing the FAFSA for a fee. These sites are not endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. We urge you not to pay these sites for assistance that you can get for free at the official FAFSA website: www.fafsa.gov.

3. It’s easier than ever.We’ve done a lot over the past few years to simplify the FAFSA. One of the most exciting enhancements has

been the launch of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the FAFSA, and transfer the data directly into their FAFSA from the IRS Web site, saving lots of time. This year, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool will launch in early February, so be on the lookout for that.

4. It only takes about 30 minutes to complete.Given all the simplifications we’ve made over the last couple of years, the FAFSA now only takes about 30 minutes

to complete. That’s probably less time than you spend watching your favorite TV show each week. And think of the benefits: spend 30 minutes completing the application and you could qualify for thousands of dollars in financial aid. Talk about return on investment.

5. More people qualify than you’d think.If you don’t fill out the FAFSA, you could be missing out on a lot of financial aid! I’ve heard a number of reasons

students think they shouldn’t complete the FAFSA. Here are a few:o “I (or my parents) make too much money, so I won’t qualify for aid.”o “Only students with good grades get financial aid.”o “The FAFSA is too hard to fill out.”o “I’m too old to qualify for financial aid.”

If you think any of these statements apply to you, then you should read “Myths About Financial Aid.” The reality is, EVERYONE should fill out the FAFSA! Don’t leave money on the table.

For information and tips on completing the FAFSA, visit StudentAid.gov/fafsa.Nicole Callahan is a new media analyst at the Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid.

5 Reasons You Should Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

by Nicole Callahan

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 201312

Hispanics have grown more satisfied with the nation’s direction and more confident in their finances since 2011, according to a new survey from the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

Today, half of Latinos (51%) express satisfaction with the direction of the country, a 13 percentage point increase over 2011, when 38% said the same. One-third (33%) now report that their finances are in “excellent” or “good” shape, up from one-quarter (24%) who said the same in 2011. And looking forward, Latinos have grown more optimistic about their fam-ily’s finances in the next 12 months, with three-in-four (73%) expecting improvement, up from 67% who said the same in 2011.

These changing assessments about finances and the country’s direction occur as some economic indicators recently have improved for Hispanics. In the third quarter of 2012, the Hispanic unemployment rate was 9.9%, down from 11.2% in the third quarter of 2011. The Hispanic unemployment rate is also now below its level at the end of the Great Recession in the third quarter of 2009, when it stood at 12.7%.1 The poverty rate among Hispanics has also declined, falling to 25.3% in 2011 from 26.5% in 2010 (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor and Smith, 2012).

However, other economic indicators illustrate the dif-ficult times that Latinos have faced since the onset of the Great Recession. Driven mainly by the collapse in the housing market, median household wealth among Latinos declined by 58% between 2005 and 2010 (the latest year for which such figures are available), more than that of either whites (18%) or blacks (54%).2 In 2007, for the first time, the number of Latino children in poverty surpassed the number of white children or black children living in poverty (Lopez and Velasco, 2011). And by their own assessment, Latinos say they were hit harder by the recession than any other group (Taylor, Lopez, Velasco and Motel, 2012).

Nonetheless, the Pew Hispanic survey finds that, compared with the public as a whole, Hispanics are more satisfied with the country’s direction. Just 31% of the general public (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 2012) says they are satisfied with how things are going in the country today, compared with 51% among Hispanics.

When it comes to personal finances, Hispanics’ self-assess-ments, while improving, are not as positive as those of the general public. One-third (33%) of Hispanics say their current situation is

“excellent” or “good” while 43% of the general public says the same. On the other hand, Hispanics are somewhat more optimistic than the general public about the future of their family finances. Some 73% of Hispanics say they think their finances will improve in the coming 12 months, while 67% of the general public says the same.

During this year’s presiden-tial campaign, the issue of jobs and the economy has been a top concern for Hispanics, just as it is for the general public. According to the Pew Hispanic survey, 47% of all Hispanics rate the issue as

“extremely important” to them personally (Lopez and Gonzalez-Barrera, 2012). Among Hispanic

registered voters, 54% rate jobs and the economy as extremely important.

This report is based on a nationally representative bilingual telephone survey of 1,765 Latino adults with a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The survey was fielded from September 7 to October 4, 2012, largely before the first presidential debate, which occurred on October 3, 2012. For a full description of the survey methodology, see Appendix B. The report is also based on a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey data. In addition, the report uses poverty and household income data published by the federal government.

Latinos Express Growing Confidence In Personal Finances, Nation’s Direction

by Mark Hugo Lopez and Seth Motel

SPONSORED BY

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There have been volumes of articles written on this subject and I encourage you to read more on this subject. However, here is a shorten version of the issue. This topic has been source of controversy from many political and interest groups.

This term “Right to Work” (RTW) law, generally speaking, prohibits labor unions and employers from requiring employees to join a union/dues. Also, no employee can be required to pay their “fair share” fees to unions for negotiated labor contracts at their place of employment.

The term RTW does not mean there is a right of employment but a title used by those that promote this type of legislation. The unions/Democrats have said this is an attempt at union busting. On the other hand, chamber of commerce groups/Republicans would promote that RTW would increase wages and attract new jobs to Indiana. Indiana is the 23rd State to enact RTW laws.

However, many studies indicate that such RTW laws do not achieve the increase of employment opportunities nor does it lead to higher wages. A labor study conducted by Notre Dame’s - Higgins Labor Studies Program on this subject. This report is in response to the Indiana Chamber of Commerce assertions that RTW would raise wages for Indiana residents.

The Higgins Report found, in part:

I believe the RTW issue will continue to be a source of discussion in our Community and it is important that we participate in the development of new employment laws.

Roy DominguezAttorney at Law

“Right to Work” Law in Indiana

The opinion is the writer’s and not necessarily that of Que Viva! magazine.

...found major problems and inconsistencies in the Chamber’s data analysis, in particular the Chamber’s one-sided and selective attempt to demonstrate that RTW states have higher rates of growth of real personal income than do non-RTW states. Using a more balanced analysis, the Higgins report found that

• Using data for more than just the two years the Chamber selects leads to the conclusion that growth rates for real personal income were actually higher in RTW states before RTW laws were passed than after.

• Broadening the analysis to consider levels of income rather than just rates of change shows that non-RTW states have a higher level of income than do RTW states.

Leading the Way to Better Health

I recognized my stroke symptoms

because my doctor told me what to

look for. So, I was at Methodist

within an hour.

Letha Bond, Gary

...for Stroke Care.Methodist Hospitals is among the pioneers of therapies, including the Penumbra clot removal system, that are extending the window for effective stroke treatment to as much as eight hours. Methodist is recognized as a primary stroke center by HFAP, and is rated among the TOP 25% for Stroke Care by U.S. News and World Report. By the time Letha arrived at Methodist, she had movement issues and trouble speaking. Interventional Neuroradiologist, Dr. Mayumi Oka, used an intra-arterial tPA to remove a blood clot that was blocking blood flow to Letha’s brain.

Within a day, she was back to her normal self, and ready to resume her life with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Methodist Hospitals offers FREE Stroke, Heart Attack and PAD Risk Assessments, including blood pressure and carotid bruit checks. To register, call 1-888-909-DOCS (3627).

I Chose Methodist

A new study found that some children correctly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at an early age may lose symptoms as they grow older. Further research may help scientists understand this change and point the way to more effective interventions.

ASD includes several related brain disorders, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. People with ASD generally have trouble with social interactions and com-munication. ASD affects about 1 in every 88 children.

Optimal outcome—a term used when symptoms are lost later in life—has been documented in previous ASD studies. However, questions remained about whether

the symptoms disappeared or the original diagnosis was wrong.

A research team led by Dr. Deborah Fein at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, sought to in-vestigate whether optimal outcome could be seen in children who’d had a confirmed ASD diagnosis before age 5. Optimal outcome partici-pants had to be currently enrolled in regular education classrooms and have a documented report of their earlier diagnosis from a physician or psychologist specializing in autism. To confirm this assessment, the reports were edited to remove all information except the descriptions of behavior. They were then re-viewed by an ASD diagnostic expert.

Three groups participated, with

34 children in the optimal outcome group. They were matched by age, sex and nonverbal IQ to 44 children with high-functioning ASD and 34 typically developing peers. The participants ranged from 8 to 21 years old. The study, funded by NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), appeared in the February 2013 issue of Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

The optimal outcome group appeared to have somewhat milder

Early Autism MayNot Last a Lifetime

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 201316

Methodist Hospitals es uno de los pioneros de varias terapias, inclusive el sistema llamado Penumbra el cual elimina los coágulos sanguineos. Este sistema ha extendido el tiempo para el tratamiento eficaz de derrames cerebrales hasta un total de ocho horas. A Methodist se le reconoce como un centro principal contra el derrame cerebral según el HFAP, y ocupa el puesto como uno de los 25% mejores centros sobresalientes hacia el cuidado de estos derrames cerebrales según U.S. News and World Report. Al llegar al Methodist Hospitals, Letha padecía de problemas con su movimiento fisico y se le dificultaba el hablar. El Dr. Mayumi Oka, un neurorradiólogo intervencionista utilizó un tPA intra-arterial para eliminar un coágulo que bloqueaba el flujo sanguíneo hacia su cerebro.

Dentro de solo un día, Letha volvió a la normalidad, y pudo reanudar su vida con sus hijos, nietos y bisnietos.

Methodist Hospitals ofrece evaluaciones gratis para diagnosticar potenciales derrames cerebrales, ataques cardiacos y las evaluaciones de riesgo de PAD, inclusive la presión sanguínea y chequeos del soplo carotideo. Para registrarse, llame al 1-888-909-DOCS (3627).

...Para el cuidado de derrames cerebrales

Lideres en Obtener una Mejor Salud

Yo Elegí a Methodist

Dr. Mayumi OkaDr. Sanjeev ManiarStroke ProgramMedical Doctor

social problems at an early age than the high-functioning ASD group. However, both had similar com-munication and repetitive behavior symptoms.

To evaluate their current status, the researchers used a standard set of cognitive and observational tests as well as parent questionnaires. This assessment found that the optimal outcome children had no apparent deficits in language, face recognition, communication or

social interaction.

The researchers now plan more in-depth comparisons of these chil-dren, including structural and func-tional brain imaging studies. They hope to better understand which children with ASD might experi-ence an optimal outcome and why.

“All chil-dren with ASD are capable of making prog-ress with in-tensive therapy, but with our current state of knowledge most do not

achieve the kind of optimal outcome that we are studying,” Fein says. “Our hope is that further research will help us better understand the mechanisms of change so that each child can have the best possible life.”

Early Autism MayNot Last a Lifetime

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 2013 17

Over the course of two genera-tions since Daniel O. Lopez’ (Danny) grandparents brought his parents from Cuba to the United States, driven by tyrannical political eruptions whose re-percussions endure to this day, Lopez has found a way to honor those who have sacrificed so much for him. That honor manifests itself by his having developed both business and cultural acumen and rise to the highest levels of State Government. He has served as Executive Director of Indiana’s Com-mission of Hispanic/Latino Affairs and

Director of Education for the Indiana Civil Rights Commission for close to three years. Lopez was also just recently appointed as Special Assistant to Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence.

Arrival to the U.S.:

Danny was nurtured by many of his grandparent’s stories relative to their deep respect and appreciation for the land they departed from in 1960. It was this fateful year when Fidel Castro rose to power and his policies

decimated civil liberties in Cuba. The America Lopez’ grandparents found provided fertile ground for self devel-opment and, very soon after arriving in the U.S., they deciphered the inner workings of the bedrock institutions and rule of law in this great United States. These conditions were a perfect cauldron for Danny’s generation to thrive in, if only the necessary sacri-fices were to be made. By diligently learning the internal working of these democratic institutions and creating a deep root system to support Danny’s

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by ¡QUE VIVA! INDIANA STAFF

generation, his family and community made it a foregone conclusion that he would obtain a formal education and fully participate in society.

Upon leaving Cuba, Danny’s

grandfather figured a way to prevent his watch from being confiscated by Castro’s forces by placing it on is daughter Silvia’s wrist. Not too long after arriving in the U.S. he fell ill and was diagnosed with brain cancer. In his quest to gather the needed resources to secure experimental treatment for his illness found strictly in Japan, he had sold the gold wrist band. Sadly, the treatment was unsuccessful. Many years later Mrs. Silvia Lopez, Danny’s mother, gave him his grandfather’s watch, which was newly affixed with a leather band. When he learned of the underpinnings for the leather band, it further emblazoned a sense of pride and debt of gratitude he feels toward his parents and grandparents for the many sacrifices they made on his behalf.

Galvanizing a Career:

After significant focus, he earned a master’s degree in Sports Market-ing and Administration. He coached boy’s high school basketball in Miami for seven years and for two years at a junior college in the Atlanta area prior to returning to Miami. Upon Lopez’ return to Miami, he utilized his

people, communication and network-ing skills to transition to the political arena by closely working with two U.S. Congressmen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who served in the U.S. House of Rep-resentatives from 1993 to 2011 and his brother Mario Diaz-Balart, currently serving in the U.S. House of Repre-sentatives for the 25st Congressional District. Lopez along with his business partner launched a media and public relations firm that would also put them front and center on a national level by participating in Senator John McCain’s Spanish language thrust during his presidential campaign in 2008.

Arriving to the Midwest:

After the 2008 presidential election Lopez’ wife, Sofia Margarita Souto shared the great news about her having accepted the candidacy for a Ph.D. in Speech Pathology at Indiana Uni-versity in Bloomington, IN. Danny enthusiastically supported Sofia in her endeavors. The versatility, strength and interconnectedness of Indiana’s educational and civic institutions came to light when Danny handily accepted the position of Communications Di-rector for the City of Bloomington, IN. Lopez’ talent would eventually be discovered by the Administration of former Governor Mitch Daniels’ and was invited to work at the Indiana State House.

Lopez is unique in the sense that he embodies the concept of bilingual-ism and biculturalism. His family background has crystallized in him a pride, fervor and affinity that make the plight of today’s Hispanic or Latino community real and palpable for him. At the same time, he is very optimistic about the great opportunities that lie ahead for the community because of the educational opportunities and in-frastructure available to all who want to earn their place at the table.

His panoramic perspective of today’s reality leads him to a pervasive conclusion about newly arrived ethnic groups in this great land -- the reality of being misunderstood at times. He understands and promotes the need to overcome the “barriers to entry” by becoming actively engaged through a full indoctrination process of today’s America. Another refreshing thing about Lopez is that his multifaceted thinking embraces all newcomers as well as those that are not so new. He has trumpeted and celebrated not only the arrival and resilience of the Burmese, Iraqi, and Chinese communi-ties, but has also painfully witnessed the difficulties that many poor white families encounter today.

On breaking the cycle of educa-

tional and ultimately economic un-

Danny LopezDanny LopezStrengthening a Foundation

Toward Prosperity

derachievement:

At the risk of pointing out a cliché, Lopez says that today’s most prominent civil rights issue is that of education.

“Without the proper education and preparation, we lack the ability to deal with and participate in a system that promotes our well being”, says Lopez, “there is a vast difference in the experiences that a child is exposed to at school in economically disad-vantaged areas versus one that is not economically disadvantaged and it is critical that we find a way to close the gap to reverse the vicious cycle that propagates the disparity between the haves and have not’s”

Lopez underscores the premium value that modern day society assigns to a quality education and instruc-tion that fosters true development and preparation for society’s needs. Value creation comes from enlightened minds and the home is where these minds are launched. Engaged parents nurturing their children to learn and grow to their full potential by awaken-ing their intellectual curiosity is crucial.

The State of Indiana allocates 64% of its fiscal budget toward public education at the elementary, second-ary and higher educational levels. “It is important to make every one of these dollars count and as a Hispanic community we need to act, we need to realize that even if a parent had a negative experience going through school, there is a need to reorient our thinking and encourage our children to learn -- to achieve and to recognize that without a solid education their ability to fully participate in this society will be negatively impacted” said Lopez

Short of a collaborative approach

between parents, schools and com-munity organizations, the vicious cycle will continue to propagate the downward spiral of underachieving communities. “How we re-create an educational system that enables our vulnerable youth toward success largely depends on a multi-faceted approach that involves everyone in the community” said Lopez.

Promoting and creating a civically engaged community:

Another crucial component related to the topic of infusing new energy to our community is civic en-gagement. “We need to engage our elected officials and those who have voluntarily adopted leadership roles in our communities and convey a level of expectations and results that propel our communities toward progress”

The results generated by the power of the ballot is a true measure of how civically minded a community is. There are financial resources provided by the State Administration aimed at helping communities to enhance systems that make economic progress possible. An issue like mass transportation at a local level that requires local leadership and a “roll up your sleeves” pragmatic approach that advances a community toward economic strength and pros-perity is just one example of how an engaged community coming together to create tangible change is extremely important. Looking at the available resources and reformatting them toward better utilization to empower the community is of paramount and immediate importance. “The ultimate goal is to foster an environment that will create economic development and rising tides for our communities”

says Lopez, “some real conversations with local and state leaders will need to be addressed from a job creation, workforce development, true educa-tional development and a mass transit perspectives, just to name a few” The basic tenet comes back, yet again, to the notion that every individual who has a stake in the enhancement of our communities toward the creation of economic freedom and ultimately toward personal freedom needs to get involved.

Danny Lopez’ attitude toward life and work is one of genuine optimism

– a mantra he has inherited from his family and learned through his edu-cational and life experiences. He is confident that our community will meet the challenge and fully recognize the opportunities that lie ahead. The community is a young community with an average age in the State of Indiana of only 24. Lopez inherently knows that the energy and raw brain power that our youth bring has the potential to reshape our world.

There are many role models that our youth can look to and recognize that each of them individually brings unique gifts. He knows our communi-ty will flood the workforce with proud, intelligent and energetic people ready to make their mark. We at Que Viva! are honored and proud to count Danny Lopez as a friend and an individual who selflessly and humbly shares his natural talents in effort to contribute to the best of his ability. We are indebted and grateful to a wonderful set of grandparents and parents who made their way to the United States 53 years ago for having made it possible for him to be among us.

A lo largo de dos generaciones desde que los abuelos de Daniel O. (Danny) López trajeron a sus padres desde Cuba a los Estados Unidos, tal partida impulsada por erupciones políticas tiránicas cuyas repercusiones perseverar hasta el día de hoy, López ha encontrado una manera de honrar a aquellos que han sacrificado tanto por él. Ese honor se manifiesta a través de su desarrollo no solo como hombre de negocios sino a nivel cultural el cual le ha permitido ascender a las cimas más altas gubernamentales estatales. Se ha desempeñado como Director Ejecutivo

de la Comisión de Indiana de Asuntos Hispanos / Latinos y el Director de Edu-cación de la Comisión de Derechos Civiles de Indiana por cerca de tres años. López también fue recientemente nombrado como Asistente Especial del gobernador de Indiana, Mike Pence.

Llegada a los Estados Unidos:

Danny se nutria por muchas de las anécdotas de sus abuelos donde apre-ndió del profundo respeto y aprecio por su tierra natal de donde partieron en el

año 1960. Fue este fatídico año cuando Fidel Castro llegó al poder y sus políticas destrozaron las libertades civiles en Cuba. Los abuelos de Lopez encontraron en Estados Unidos una tierra fértil para un desarrollo personal y, muy poco después de llegar aquí, lograron descifrar la forma en la cual las instituciones de este gran país y sus respectivas base firmemente ancladas en la ley. Estas condiciones serian ideales para que la generación de Danny pudiera crecer y prosperar, si sólo los necesarios sacrificios se llevaran a cabo. Con gran diligencia, la familia de Danny y

POR EL PERSONAL DE ¡QUE VIVA! INDIANA

Fortaleciendo un Cimientohacia la Prosperidad

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Danny LopezDanny Lopez

su comunidad, se maniobraron en forma inteligente dentro de estas instituciones democráticas y crearon una fuerte base para que no hubiera duda alguna que él pudiera lograr una educación formal para que así pudiese participar plenamente en la sociedad.

Al partir de Cuba, el abuelo de Danny

evito que las fuerzas de Castro se apoder-aran de su reloj de oro de tal manera que lo colocó en la muñeca de su hija Silvia, la madre de Danny. A corto tiempo después de llegar a Estados Unidos, cayó enfermo y se le diagnosticó cáncer cerebral. Para poder reunir los recursos necesarios al buscar un tratamiento experimental para su enfermedad estrictamente encontrado en Japón, había vendido la pulsera de oro de su reloj. Lamentablemente, el tratamiento no tuvo éxito. Muchos años después, Doña Silvia López le regalaría a Danny el reloj de su abuelo, pero ahora con una banda de cuero. Al enterarse de la razón por la cual tal bello reloj tenía una banda de cuero, Danny se lleno de orgullo y agradecimiento por lo mucho que sus padres y abuelos habían hecho por él.

Establecimiento de su carrera:

Después de un enfoque significativo, Lopez se recibió con una maestría en Administración y Marketing de Deportes. Fue entrenador de baloncesto para chicos de secundaria en Miami por un periodo de siete años y otros dos años en una univer-sidad cerca de Atlanta antes de regresarse para Miami. Al regresar a Miami, puso a gran uso sus habilidades de tratar con la gente, sus habilidades de comunicación y su liderazgo social para hacer una tran-sición hacia la arena política. Llego a establecer una estrecha colaboración con dos miembros del Congreso de Estados Unidos, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, quien sirvió en la Cámara de Representantes desde 1993 hasta 2011 y su hermano Mario Díaz-Balart, que actualmente es miembro de esta misma Cámara representando el Distrito Congresional numero 25. López, junto con su socio de negocios formarían una empresa del medio de comunicación y relaciones públicas que los impulsarían hacia el centro del mundo político a nivel

nacional, ya que serian ellos el principal medio por el cual los mensajes del idioma español del senador John McCain durante su campaña presidencial en el año 2008 llegaron a la comunidad.

La llegada al Medio Oeste del país:

Después de las elecciones del 2008, su esposa, Sofía Margarita Souto le compar-tió la gran noticia de ella había aceptado la candidatura para un doctorado en Logopedia en la Universidad de Indiana en Bloomington, IN. Danny le apoyó sus esfuerzos y aspiraciones con gran entusiasmo. La versatilidad, fuerza e interconexión entre aquellas instituciones educativas y cívicas dentro de Indiana salieron a la luz cuando Danny agilmente aceptó el cargo de Director de Comunica-ciones de la Ciudad de Bloomington, IN. El talento de López eventualmente sería descubierto por la administración del ex gobernador Mitch Daniels y de pronto se le invito a López a que se integrara dentro de la administración del gobernador.

López es individuo único en el sentido de que vive el concepto de bilingüismo y el biculturalismo. Su entorno familiar ha cristalizado en él un orgullo, fervor y una afinidad hacia la comunidad hispana o latina que él puede ver la su vida cotidiana en forma real. Al mismo tiempo, él se llena de optimismo acerca de las grandes oportunidades que nuestra comunidad tiene por delante ya que las oportunidades educativas están ancladas en una fuerte infraestructura y están disponibles para todos aquellos que esmeren lograr algo con sus vidas.

De una perspectiva panorámica acerca de la realidad actual le permite a concluir algo que en general todo grupo étnico ve al llegar a esta gran tierra - la realidad de que en veces es posible ser mal interpretado. Él ve y promueve que es necesario superar tales “barreras de entrada” y cree que es im-portante que cada individuo se involucre al aprender los procesos por los cuales el América de hoy funciona. Otro detalle que es impresionante acerca de López es que su habilidad de pensamiento polifacético el cual abarca no solo a los recién llegados

sino aquellos que tienen aquí generaciones. No solo ha celebrado llegada y fuerza de voluntad de los birmanos, iraquíes, y las comunidades chinas, pero también ha sido testigo dolorosamente de las dificul-tades en las cuales muchas familias pobres blancas se encuentran hoy en día.

Al romper el ciclo de bajo rendimiento

educativo y económico:

A riesgo de señalar un cliché, López dice que el asunto sobresaliente de derechos civiles es aquel que involucra la educación. “Sin una educación y prepara-ción adecuada, carecemos de la capacidad de darle frente a la vida en forma optima para participar en un sistema que prom-ueve nuestro bienestar”, dice López, “hay una gran diferencia en las experiencias de aquel niño que va a una escuela en un área con desventajas económicas comparado a un niño donde no hay esos retos y es importante que encontremos una manera de cerrar esa brecha para revertir ese círculo vicioso que propaga la disparidad económica e intelectual”

López subraya el gran valor al cual la sociedad le asigna a una educación de calidad y a una enseñanza que fomente un verdadero desarrollo y preparación personal para cumplir con los requisitos de esta sociedad. El poder generar valor económico proviene de una mente ilumi-nada y el hogar es donde tal mente se pone en marcha. Es importante que los padres le dediquen el tiempo e inculquen a sus hijos que el aprender les ayudara a llegar a su máximo potencial. El despertarles su curiosidad intelectual es sin duda de gran importancia.

El Estado de Indiana asigna el 64% de su presupuesto fiscal a la educación pública en los niveles educativos de primaria, secundaria y superior. “Es importante esta inversión de dólares genere resultados. Como comunidad hispana tenemos que actuar, tenemos que darnos cuenta de que aunque algunos padres hayan tenido experiencias no muy agradables durante sus años de enseñanza, hay gran necesi-dad de reorientar nuestro pensamiento y aconsejar a que nuestros hijos apren-

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 201322

dan – que logren y reconozcan de que sin una educación sólida, su capacidad para participar plenamente en esta sociedad se verá negativamente afectada “, dijo López

Si hay ausencia de una colaboración entre los padres, las escuelas y las or-ganizaciones comunitarias, este círculo vicioso continuará propagándose hacia este espiral negativo que existe dentro de las comunidades de bajo rendimiento.

“ La forma en la cual regeneremos nuestro sistema educativo será clave para que aquellos jóvenes vulnerables tengan una oportunidad hacia el éxito y dependerá en gran parte del enfoque multifacético que incluya a todos los miembros de la comunidad”, dijo López.

La promoción y la creación de una comunidad comprometida a nivel cívico:

Otro componente importante rela-cionado con el tema de infundir nueva energía a nuestra comunidad es el com-promiso cívico. “Tenemos que involucrar a nuestros oficiales electos y los que volun-tariamente han adoptado roles de liderazgo en nuestras comunidades para que haya grandes logros e impulsen a nuestras co-munidades hacia el progreso”dijo Lopez.

Los resultados generados por el voto de la comunidad es una medida verdadera de ver en nivel de involucramiento cívico

de una comunidad. Existen recursos fi-nancieros aportados por la administración general del estado con el fin de ayudar a las comunidades a que mejoren sus sistemas hacia el progreso económico. Un tema, tal como el de transporte público local, requiere de un liderazgo local, energico, y pragmático para que la comunidad avance hacia una prospera fortaleza económica. Este es solo un ejemplo del cómo una comunidad unida puede generar grandes resultados.

En cuanto a los recursos disponibles, es necesario orientalos hacia una uti-lización optima para así apoderar a la comunidad. “El objetivo final es fomentar un ambiente que pueda crear un desarrollo económico para un levantamiento de nuestra comunidad”, dice López, “tienen que llevarse a acabo conversaciones serias con los líderes locales y estatales tales como la creación de empleo, desarrollo de la fuerza laboral, desarrollo de la educación verdadera y el transporte público, sólo para nombrar unas cuantas” El principio básico que se toca, una vez más, es el hecho de que todos aquellos con un interés de una mejor comunidad enfocada hacia la libertad personal y económica debemos participar.

La actitud de Danny López ante la vida y el trabajo es de un optimismo sincero

- ha heredado esta energia de su familia y la ha vivido a través de sus experiencias educativas y su vida en general. Ésta con-fiado en que nuestra comunidad vera el reto en mano y reconocerá plenamente las grandes oportunidades que tenemos por delante. La comunidad hispana es una comunidad joven, con una edad media en el Estado de Indiana de sólo 24 años. El sabe que la energía y la inteligencia de nuestra juventud aportan lo necesario para realizar grandes avances para el mundo.

Hay muchas personas que nuestra juventud puede mirar para aprender. Tambien podra, esta juventud, reconocer que cada uno de ellos tiene sus talentos únicos. López reconoce que nuestra comunidad tendrá gran influencia dentro lo que es la fuerza de empleo. Con fuerza de voluntad, inteligencia y gran energía, sin duda dejara su impresionante huella.

Nosotros en Que Viva! nos senti-mos honrados y orgullosos de contar con Danny Lopez como amigo. El es persona que, sin interés y modestamente, comparte su talento con el fin de contribuir. Les agradecemos a sus padres y abuelos por aquella senda que abrieron al venir a los Estados Unidos hace 53 años. Tal esfuerzo hizo posible que Danny Lopez esté aquí con nosotros.

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The prospects for comprehensive immigration reform have never looked brighter. After 71% of Latinos voted to re-elect Barack Obama, a stunned Republican party saw the consequences of pandering to its xenophobic fringe during the Republican primaries and the general election. In the wake of this demoralizing defeat, some GOP leaders have publicly reconsidered their hardline stance on immigration reform. Still, the chances of getting an immigration reform bill through congress are far from certain. A host of immigration restrictionists are waiting in the wings, marshaling their forces, ready to pounce on any new legislation.

Well-funded nativist organizations like Numbers USA, ALIPAC and others are seizing the talk of immigration reform as an opportunity to further fatten their coffers, feverishly exhorting donations for their fight against any new legislation. And fight they will. Their very existence is at stake.

There will be no room for compromise with the nativist lobby. Even the watered-down immigration reform proposals of Republican Senator Marco Rubio are being already being called “amnesty.” So you can expect any Democratic-sponsored bill to be a non-starter. The hit list of Republican congressional members who reach across the aisle and support immigration reform is being drawn up. Those who break ranks can expect to feel their fury. Moreover, the restrictionists are doing more than playing defense.

Rep. Steven King (R-Iowa) has introduced “Birthright Citizenship Act” that would overturn the 14th Amendment’s guarantee that a child born in the USA is a citizen, dredging up the false specter of undocumented immigrants seeking to live on the U.S. dole through their “anchor babies.” Numbers USA has even gone so far as to suggest illegal immigration is primarily responsible for the historic

water shortages of the U.S. Southwest.

With such vehement opposition in the works, is there any chance to pass an immigration reform bill this year? That will depend on how its supporters frame the debate. The cornerstone argument against immigration reform will be: “Secure the borders first, then we can talk about what to do with the undocumented.” The nativist lobby is already preparing an offensive that claims the Border Patrol only intercepts 61% of border crossers and other statistical smokescreens. Ironically, the U.S. border with Mexico has never been more secure.

In January 2013, the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute released a comprehensive report that concluded: “Today there is no net new illegal immigration from Mexico for the first time in 40 years.” The study cites increased border security along with the economic recession as factors in the decline. What’s more, the study goes on to say: “The US government spends more on its immigration enforcement agencies than on all its other principal criminal federal law enforcement agencies combined.” Indeed, while Republicans continue to hammer Obama for being soft on immigration enforcement, he has actually deported 1.5 times more people on average per month than his GOP predecessor, George W. Bush. The difference is that the Obama administration has focused deportations on the undocumented with criminal records, not those simply doing honest work.

The goal of the immigration restrictionists will be to stoke fear and inflame passions. Supporters of immigration reform must be armed with the facts on border security and debunk the myths that will be used to oppose this much-needed legislation. Can immigration reform succeed? Si se puede – Yes, we can. But only if we are prepared for a prolonged legislative struggle and are ready to counter distortions with facts.

The Lull Before the StormBy author: Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Raul Ramos y Sanchez is the award-winning author of the novels AMERICA LIBRE, HOUSE DIVIDED and PANCHO LAND. He is also host and editor of MyImmigrationStory.com For more information visit www.RaulRamos.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Latinos are taking a more prominent role in President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, from the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice swearing in the vice president to a star-studded concert celebrating Latino culture.

Eva Longoria, a co-chairwoman for Obama’s campaign, hosted “Latino Inau-gural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center” as a salute to the president Sunday evening ahead of his public swearing-in Monday. Jose Feliciano, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno and Latin pop star Prince Royce all performed. The lineup also included Mario Lopez and Wilmer Valderrama.

Vice President Joe Biden and his family appeared onstage, drawing big cheers, to help open the show. He said he wanted to thank Latinos for their support in last year’s election.

Biden said something profound hap-pened with the enormous Latino support for Obama, and he said the Latino com-munity underestimates its power.

“One thing that happened in this election, you spoke. You spoke in a way that the world, and I mean the world, as well as the United States, could not fail to hear,” Biden said, calling the Latino vote decisive. “This is your moment. America owes you.”

Feliciano opened the show by singing the national anthem. Marc Anthony later drew big cheers when he applauded Latinos’ growing political influence. “Our united voice got us all here tonight and got the best man for the job in the White House,” Anthony said.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who gave the keynote speech at last year’s Democratic National Convention, recalled the admiration Latinos held for another president more than 50 years ago. Portraits of President John F. Kennedy still hang in many homes, he said.

“As we said ‘Viva Kennedy’ 50 years ago, today we say ‘Viva Obama,’” Castro said.

A children’s choir from San Juan, Puerto Rico, closed out the show, singing “This Land is Your Land.” They were joined by a larger Latino choir, including Hispanic members of the U.S. military, in singing “America the Beautiful.”

Earlier Sunday, Justice Sonia Soto-mayor, an Obama appointee who is the first Hispanic justice on the highest court, administered the oath of office to Biden. And Richard Blanco, a son of Cuban exiles, is Obama’s inauguration poet.

Latinos have a distinct presence at this inauguration after raising funds and turning out the vote for Obama in the 2012 election. Hispanics voted 7 to 1 for Obama over his challenger, Republican Mitt Romney, whose Hispanic support was less than any other presidential candidate in 16 years. Analysts said Romney’s hard-line stance on immigration was a factor.

San Antonio philanthropist and business leader Henry Munoz III, who coordinated the Latino inauguration event with Longoria and other Obama supporters, said this is a special moment when the Latino community is positioned to take an expanded role in shaping the country’s future.

“Without question, the presidential election of 2012 proves that Latinos are perhaps the most important influence from this point forward in the election of the president of the United States,” Munoz said. “It’s important that the leadership in Washington view us not as a narrow inter-est group but as a vibrant political force” that carries not just votes, but influence and financial resources.

Organizers planned a series of sym-posiums, dinners and events ahead of the inauguration to keep people talking

about issues that matter to Latinos, from immigration reform to building a Latino history museum on the National Mall. Munoz led a presidential commission that called on Congress in 2011 to authorize such a museum within the Smithson-ian Institution, but Congress has not yet passed such a bill.

Munoz said it’s important to keep Latinos engaged through the inauguration and beyond.

“Our work is not done. It doesn’t end,” he said. “We have a tendency to look at this phenomenon as ending on Election Day, when the reality is now it’s time to get to work.”

Longoria said this is her first inau-guration. She has taken on a new role as political advocate since her days on “Desperate Housewives,” pushing for a Latino history museum in Washington and raising funds for Obama’s re-election.

Even though this is Obama’s second inauguration, Longoria said there is still much to celebrate, including Sotomayor’s role swearing in the vice president.

“There’s something special about seeing a president recommit himself to the people of this great nation,” she said before the show.

Longoria said she hopes to help in-fluence policies, including immigration reform, and hopes Obama will make that his top priority as an economic issue. She called the Latino fundraising effort for the president a historic turning point.

“I think we have a permanent seat at the table, and now we’re going to be able to have influence on what affects our communities,” Longoria said. “I take civic responsibility very seriously, and I want to do what I can to help my country.”

Latinos take on bigger role in Obama inauguration

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 2013 25

Where’s the fire? ¿Donde está el incendio? doan-day ess-tah ehl een-sen-dee-oh

Who called____? ¿ Quién llamo _____? key-yen yah-moh _____?

-the Fire Dept - los Bomberos -lohs boam-bear-ose

-9-1-1? -nueve uno uno -nway-bay oo-no oo-no

Who is inside? ¿Quién está adentro? key-en ess-tah ah-den-tro

How many inside? ¿Cuántos adentro? kwahn-tose ah-den-tro

Who is in: ¿Quién está __? key-en ess-tah

-The apartment -el apartmento el ah-par-tah-men-toe

-House // -Building -la casa // - el edificio lah kah-sah el ed-ee-fee-see-oh

Did you smell gas? ¿Olió gas? oh-lee-oh gahss

Was there an explosion? ¿Hubo una explosion? oo-bo oo-nah ex-plo-see-own

spanish lesson

FIRE-QUESTIONS & LOCATIONS

word of the week

by maria guillen

Fireplace | Chimenea | chee-men-a-yah

Reagan’s Legacy: Economic FreedomAnthony B. Kim

Photo credit: Newscom

In his January speech, the President spoke eloquently: “One of the greatest contributions the United States can make to the world is to promote freedom as the key to economic growth. A creative, competitive America is the answer to a changing world, not trade wars that would close doors, create greater barriers and destroy millions of jobs. We should always remember: Protectionism is destructionism.”

Oh, sorry! Did you think that was President Obama? Actually, the President who spoke those words was Ronald Reagan in his last State of the Union address 25 years ago.

In his two terms in office, President Reagan gave America a powerful transfusion of his own optimism and hope. He rekindled a sense of the possible, rescuing America from defeatism and restoring our confidence and pride in this great nation. That transformation of America was possible chiefly because of Reagan’s unshakable faith in the power of ideas.

President Reagan’s wisdom and insight on the power of freedom continue live on in The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom. His legacy shines brightly in the experiences of many developing economies that have joined the free world only in recent decades. The embrace of economic freedom by the young democracies of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has proven particularly remarkable, and many other countries have made gains in reducing poverty by adopting measures that open up their economies.

Regrettably, America’s leadership in advancing economic freedom has been fading. According to the recently released 2013 Index, the United States remains just a “Mostly Free” economy. America’s economic freedom is at its lowest level since 2000, and its scores have declined six years in a row.

Today, as we commemorate President Reagan’s 102nd birthday, renewing our commitment to economic freedom is the best way to restore confidence in the power of conservative ideas, which can resurrect America’s opportunity for all.

¡QUE VIVA! | FEBRUARY 201328

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