March 24, 2011
Latinos Central Falls Rhode Island Latinos Census 2010
Latinos - By Karen Lee - Central Falls has claimed a record as Rhode Island’s first Hispanic-majority city, according to 2010 Census data released. The population of Central Falls grew by only 448 to 19,374. But the city’s Hispanic population grew by 2,644. It now stands at 11,685, or 60.3 percent.
The demographics of the densely packed, 1.2-square-mile city of Central Falls reflect a national phenomenon. Driven by the growth in the Hispanic population, minorities are steadily approaching the majority in this country. And, based on Census data projections, by the year 2050, one in three people living in this country will be Hispanic.
“The Hispanic population has grown in just about all corners of the nation, said Mark Hugo Lopez, deputy director of the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C. “It’s a very interesting phenomenon. It’s not only one of population growth, but also of dispersion … it has grown in virtually every county in the country,” Lopez said.
What does this mean for Central Falls and the rest of the state?
“Basically, this means the future of the State of Rhode Island is intimately tied to the future of the Latino community,” said Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, political activist, host of a daily morning program on Latino Public Radio and associate chairman for community relationships at Women & Infants Hospital.
“This is not just about Central Falls,” Rodriguez said. “If you look at the census data for kindergarten entries in the City of Providence, you’re going to find the same thing. The future is this young community and we need to find ways of making the Latino community successful, because that will mean success for the State of Rhode Island.”
Rodriguez noted that Central Falls “has changed just like it has changed over the last 100 years. When the French Canadians [migrated there], all the businesses were French, the Mass was in French. The signs were in French. As time changed … you get more Cape Verdeans, then you get more Italians.
“It’s the immigrant experience,” Rodriguez said, “and Central Falls is at the center of the of the immigrant experience in Rhode Island.”
The Census Bureau determined that, in the 2000 Census, Central Falls had “the third-highest undercount” of any city in the country, said Marta Martinez, Latino outreach coordinator in Rhode Island for the Census Bureau.
That was due, in part, to an anecdotally significant population of undocumented immigrants, who are often fearful of the government, as well as language barriers, frequent mobility and poverty. Census officials deployed extra resources to ensure as complete a count as possible.
That Central Falls is now officially the state’s first Hispanic majority city “is not something new,” says Rep. Agostihno F. Silva, Central Falls Democrat and House deputy majority leader. He and others believe that’s been the case for a number of years.
From the Hispanic-owned businesses up and down Broad and Dexter streets, to the demographic make-up of school sports teams, “you can tell what the [ethnic] population is.”
He is hoping that the demographic shift and slight overall population increase means “we can apply for funds to address constituents’ top needs: jobs, education and training.”
Beleaguered by poorly performing schools, receivership, a corruption probe, foreclosures and high unemployment, this gritty former mill town can use all the help it can get.
“We’ve got a great community. A lot of people who care,” Silva said. “I think we get a bad rap overall. People don’t understand Central Falls because of the fact that they’ve never been through it. We have reps that have never been through. You get that stigma, and we’ve been fighting that a long time.”
“We definitely need a marketing department for Central Falls,” he said. “We’re not going to get General Motors or a Wal-Mart, we’re just not going to get them. The ones that keep us alive are those mom-and-pop stores, the restaurants. You’ve got to really work with them.”
Sonya Arevalo, owner of Adonais Hair Salon on Broad Street, came from Guatemala and became a citizen three years ago. Though business is slow at the moment, “I love it here. I love this place. There are a lot of people walking around; it’s a small town, you can find anything” that you need, she said.
Awilda Taveras and Melvin Molina are hoping the business they opened in December — Alpha Insurance & Multiservice (money-wiring, bill payments and cyber café) — will flourish. And Laura Cuevas, owner of Laurita’s Video, stocks hundreds of titles popular with her largely Guatemalan, Mexican and Salvadoran clientele.
The origin of Central Falls’ Hispanic community includes “the recruitment of talented garment workers from Colombia,” says Alfonso Acevedo, founder and publisher of the regionally circulated America News en Español [americanewsne.com].
Gabriel Martinez, who immigrated to Rhode Island from Colombia in 1972, said a local business owner went directly to Colombia to find workers.
“In Colombia, they know about knitting and weaving. That’s where those people started coming here. Remember that it was [during the time of] the Vietnam War; they needed a lot of people to work in the mills. The first Colombian arrived in 1964 to work in the textile industry.”
The Latino population now includes Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Guatemalans; many of the latter fled political persecution during a brutal civil war.
Mario Bueno, executive director of the Progreso Latino social-services agency on Broad Street, said the challenge is to help immigrants gain skills for today’s increasingly knowledge-based job market. To that end, the agency offers ESL, citizenship classes and training in construction, among its many other immigration services and programs.
“When the economy flattens, the poorest working in the community get hit first,” Bueno said. “We need to nurture the community, and make sure it succeeds.”
Bueno adds, “It’s a driven community, in that people are not standing still. They want to brush the dust off and move ahead. This is a community where they can do that.”
Posted by Ahorre at 08:19 AM
January 27, 2010
Spanish Consumers Report en Espanol
Consumer Reports publishes annual buying guide in Spanish. Consumer Reports is going bilingual with the first-ever Spanish-language edition of its buying guide.
Entitled Guia de Compras 2010 de Consumer Reports, the foreword is penned by Julie Stav, host of Univision's "Tu Dinero con Julie Stav".
"With Hispanic buying power in the United States projected to hit $1.3 trillion by 2013, it is more important than ever to provide this demographic with the information to make informed purchasing decisions," said John Sateja, Executive Vice President of Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.
Elena Chavez, Manager, Spanish Language Outreach added, "Based on our celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased reviews, Guia de Compras 2010 will help Spanish-speaking consumers navigate through advertisements, faulty claims and thousands of product options."
Posted by Ahorre at 01:17 PM
Batanga Board of Directors
Batanga, Inc. announced that Lynda Clarizio was appointed to the company's board of directors. With broad experience leading one of the industry's largest digital advertising platforms, Ms. Clarizio will provide a wealth of knowledge and support to the company.
"We are privileged to have Lynda join our board," said Batanga, Inc. Chairman and CEO, Rafael Urbina. "As we continue to expand our digital offerings and grow Batanga Network, currently the largest Hispanic pure-play online advertising network, we will benefit from her expertise and insights. We welcome her and look forward to her contributions."
Currently, Ms, Clarizio is the CEO of INVISION, Inc. Most recently, Ms. Clarizio served as President of AOL's Platform-A, the industry's largest digital advertising platform. Prior to Platform-A, she served as President of Advertising.com since 2006, managing the largest third party online advertising network.
"Batanga's evolution over the past ten years is impressive and clearly demonstrates innovation and forward thinking at its best," said Ms. Clarizio. "I was thrilled to accept the appointment and am excited to be a part of the company's future growth."
Posted by Ahorre at 01:14 PM
Finance Seminars Money Managing Latinos Latinas
Tide & Maria Antonieta Collins offer Home Economics Seminars nationwide.
Jan 2010 - To help Hispanic women nationwide get the most value for their money by better managing their everyday finances, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and its Tide brand have teamed up with journalist Maria
Antonieta Collins and national organization "Las Comadres to bring them the Tide "Mas Valor por tu Dinero" Home Economics Seminars.
The free seminars will give attending women the information and resources to get more value for their money, with tips from how to put together a practical budget to how to save time and money when doing
laundry and buying groceries.
"Based on my experience, which I have shared in one of my books, I understand firsthand the importance of proper budget management and learning to live within our means, and I am thrilled to be working with Tide to share this knowledge with Hispanic women across the country," said Collins.
"We are all going through difficult times and it is imperative to learn to better manage both our time and money so we can get the most value as well as achieve and maintain financial stability and a good quality of life," added Collins.
Open to the public, the seminars will be taking place starting January through June in the following Hispanic dense cities:
-- Miami: January 27, Miami Dade College
-- Nueva York: February 24, Queens Flushing Library
-- Dallas: March 23, Mountain View College
-- Los Angeles: May 12, Boys and Girls Club
-- Houston: June 6, Ripley House
"Tide understands that, because of the difficult economic situation, everyone is looking for ways to get more value for their money every day without sacrificing on quality," said Anelsie Ramos, External Relations Manager for Tide. "Through the Tide Home Economics Seminars, we want to show women that there are simple yet effective ways to get more value for their money on an everyday basis."
Posted by Ahorre at 01:11 PM
December 06, 2009
Mobile Marketing and Digital Content Sales Jobs
Sales Account Manager – Mobile Marketing and Digital Content. Wise Digital Media has an immediate opening for a sales account manager with client relationship experience. This person thrives on exceeding goals and is full of energy, and is ready to attack the exploding the US Hispanic market place.
You will be responsible for driving organic growth of new and existing clients & ensuring flawless delivery of world class mobile marketing digital content solutions. The client targets agencies, brands and media companies. You will be the ‘go to’ person when the client needs support, so building trust with the client and being very organized is crucial.
We are looking for a person to develop new business opportunities by creating and implementing sales and innovative marketing plans.
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
* Personally identify new revenue streams to reach and exceed the sales goals assigned
* Client liaison, relationship management, on-going issue management & resolution
* Identify sales targets, develop relationships and create new business opportunities
* Co-ordinate & facilitate client meetings, Internal / external brainstorm co-ordination
* Take client briefs, evaluate the proposition & develop considered recommendations
* Scope out deliverables & cost estimate – on-going budget, forecast & invoice management
* Experience in pipeline management, maintaining CRM management programs
* Ability to reach and exceed the key indicator ratios; such as sales goals, qualified leads, proposals, closed deals, retention, etc.
Skills
Candidates for this position must be able to demonstrate the following with measureable/quantifiable examples: Spanish bilingual a major plus.
* 3+ years in mobile, agency, or digital experience
* 2+ years digital content sales experience
* 2+ Client management experience
* Process driven and very organized
* Sales leadership and proven business development experience
* Solid, documented track record of sourcing new business opportunities
* Proven experience in developing creative, innovative and effective sales proposals
* Solid presentation skills with comfort and confidence in presenting to senior level executives
* Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
* Education: BS/BA in business / marketing / advertising / or equivalent experience
The Company
Wise Digital Media (WDM) is a full-service mobile marketing agency providing innovative, cost-effective solutions that help clients—including Hispanic subscribers, large consumer brands and enterprise markets – connect with their customers.
Located in the U.S. and throughout Latin America, our team of advertising and mobile media experts is well-versed in the cultural and social drivers of the Hispanic market that get your message noticed. We have developed and implemented dozens of strategic campaigns targeting the LatAm/Hispanic market for leading consumer advertisers such as Proctor & Gamble, Leo Burnett, MillerCoors, Ogilvy, Kimberly Clark, Motorola, Movistar and Claro.
WDM has developed a mobile multimedia messaging platform to provide a variety of mobile marketing services and solutions and content for agencies, media companies, brands, and mobile networks. Look to us for all of your short code SMS, SMS Advertising, Mobile (WAP) and website campaign needs, from strategic planning and creative development to media placement and back-end measurement and analysis.
WDM also owns exclusive rights to the most popular Hispanic recording artists in Latin America. We manage and support international mobile marketing campaigns and offer innovative programs for brands, agencies, publishers and carriers.
We have been operating profitably since 2004 and are 100% privately owned and independent.
This position is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
How to Apply
If you are interested in this position, please contact us by sending us your resume and cover letter to dsawatzke@wisedigitalmedia.com. All information will be held strictly confidential.
Posted by Ahorre at 07:50 AM
November 20, 2009
Hispanics in Tempe Arizona
Second Third Generation Hispanics - By Sarah Fein - According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, the Hispanic population in Tempe, AZ, has increased 22 percent from 2000 to 2005. The significance of the increase is that it has raised the total Hispanic population in Tempe from 28,473 in 2000 to 36,500 in 2005.
The Hispanic population increase has not only affected the Tempe Union High School District, which has adopted an English Language Learners Program to help the non-English speaking students transition better into the English speaking school district, but Arizona State University as well.
According to the most recent institutional analysis fact book, ASU has, as of 2008, 8,109 Hispanic students admitted to their undergraduate degree programs, and 1,225 admitted to the university’s graduate programs
And yet, despite the increase presence on campus, one student feels that the school can do to make its Hispanic students feel at home. Ashley Srery, a 20-year-old Latino student majoring in sociology, feels that Arizona State University could, “create more scholarships and/or grants for Hispanics. Or incorporate more clubs and classes that are geared toward the Hispanic race.”
There is one club, though, implemented by Arizona State University, that is geared toward those students. It is the Hispanic Business Students Association, which gives the Hispanic students at ASU more educational and career opportunities.
In total, the Hispanic population in Arizona accounts for 30.1 percent of the total state population, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. The Hispanic population reached 44.3 million between 2000 and 2006, an increase which accounted for one-half of the nation’s growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
With this burgeoning population in mind, Tempe diversity director Rosa Inchausti said that, “Tempe recognizes all minority groups and does not put focus on one over the other. Tempe tries to be inclusive to all minority groups by recognizing who the community is and accommodating community members and everyone is always welcome and treated with respect.”
One such program the diversity department puts on to celebrate just the Hispanic heritage is the Tardeada Festival, which celebrated the original Hispanic founders of Tempe.
Along with the recent local increase the Hispanic population, the 2010 projection in the United States is 47.8 million, which represents 15.5 percent of the population; the projection for Arizona in 2025 is 32.2 percent of the state’s population. With these increases in mind, the Hispanic population will have a considerable impact on ASU--not to mention the entire Arizona educational system.
11/17/09
Posted by Ahorre at 11:19 AM
August 11, 2009
Latino Executives in Corporate America
Hispanic Market Info - BY MIKEVALDES-FAULI mvaldesfauli@jeffreygroup.com
In the 1980s, it was a huge source of pride for Hispanics that the CEO of Coca-Cola was one of their own. When the Cuban-born Roberto Goizueta was promoted to the helm of the world's best-known brand, it was an anomaly that made headlines as much for his ethnicity as for his business acumen.
Most Latino executives up to that point had been ``token Hispanics'' who managed after-thought multicultural divisions with tiny budgets. Although the landscape of U.S. Hispanic CEOs today is still significantly under-representative when compared to Hispanics' percentage of the total population, things are shifting in the right direction.
Hispanics can, and should, take comfort that the momentum is on our side, as companies are investing more heavily in the Latin marketplace, and Latinos are being promoted to the upper echelon of virtually every facet of American life.
The most recent Commerce Secretary under President Bush, Carlos Gutierrez, came to his government post as the former global CEO of Kellogg. Antonio Perez, a Spaniard, is currently chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak. Less than two years ago, George Chavel was named president and CEO of Sodexo (U.S. operations), a $7.3-billion company with 120,000 employees and 10 million customers. What do all of these appointments have in common? In a way, they are ``post-ethnic.'' These individuals rose to the top due to their unique skill sets, rather than their country of origin.
The political realm is experiencing a similar paradigm shift. A recent example is Sonia Sotomayor, the Supreme Court nominee whose parents hail from Puerto Rico. Hispanics from either political party should appreciate that both the praise and criticism bestowed upon Sotomayor thus far has been relatively fair in nature, delving deeply into her controversial rulings and extensive academic track record. Even her rulings that deal with affirmative action and gender have been largely handled in the mainstream media with respect and deference to her independent intellect, rather than merely a racial stereotype born from her heritage.
The White House is following suit. As pointed out in a June 15 Houston Chronicle article by Richard Dunham, President Obama has appointed many more Hispanics to his administration than any previous president in American history, serving as a testament to the increasing clout of the nation's largest minority group. Latinos make up 11 percent of Obama's first 300 nominees for senior administration positions that require Senate confirmation.
The realm of marketing and outreach to the Hispanic community has also experienced a boom of late.
The previous modus operandi for companies entailed not only token Hispanic executives, but also a token Hispanic marketing strategy, which conducted the bare minimum outreach to appease interest groups. What major companies have now begun to realize is that they can actually make money by aggressively targeting Hispanics.
As U.S. general market ad spending has ground to a halt in the past year, the $4 billion Hispanic ad market continues to show respectable gains. In 2008, spending on Spanish-language TV grew by 4.4 percent, and Spanish-language magazines surged by 14.2 percent, while the U.S. media market as a whole grew by just 0.6 percent, according to TNS Media Intelligence. The top 10 Hispanic advertisers spent $1.94 billion in 2008, including the likes of classic American companies such as Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, AT&T and Johnson & Johnson.
With these trends towards breaking down barriers and charting new courses, it is ideal timing for all companies and people to reconsider their preconceived notions of the Latin marketplace.
There are no longer ``Hispanic products'' any more than there are ``Hispanic executives'' or ``Hispanic politicians.'' There are ways of communicating with the Hispanic market (in-language and with cultural relevance), just like there are good or bad executives who happen to be Hispanic.
We appear to be in the early stages of a trend leading toward a more-equitable business and political climate. Eventually, the number of Hispanics in corporate America, Latino elected officials, and marketing dollars invested toward this community should be in lockstep with the Latino percentage of total population. At that point, we can finally be rid of all the tokens.
Mike Valdés-Fauli is managing director of The Jeffrey Group.
Posted by Ahorre at 04:16 PM
June 11, 2007
Spanish Direct Mail to Hispanic Market
Hispanic Marketing - The Nielsen Co. projects that the Hispanic share of U.S. households will rise steadily from 16.7% in 2005 to 27.9% in 2050, and the proportion of children under 6 who are Hispanic will rise from 21.3% in 2005 to 30.2% in 2050.
The Hispanic market is particularly under-marketed to, relative to the rest of the country, in direct and relationship programs. But receptivity to even conventional advertising pitches is higher among Hispanics too. About two-thirds of Hispanics say they enjoy looking at or listening to advertising, compared with about one-third of non-Hispanic whites. Fewer telemarketers target Hispanics, far fewer than the national average participate in the national do-not-call list.
Now is the time really to get it right."
Hispanics who speak only Spanish also are significantly undertargeted by online advertising, noting that only about 10% of web content is available in Spanish.
As for teens, direct mail may be the only medium where they are more receptive to ads than the general population. Research with Yahoo by Omnicom Group's OMD in 2005 and 2006 found teens were about as receptive to advertising in a range of media as family members overall.
Posted by Ahorre at 08:31 AM
June 07, 2006
Adelante Cingular Hispanic Stores
Cingular Wireless announced that it is converting eight of its Houston stores to cater to Hispanic consumers
Beginning this week, Cingular will be converting signage and collateral in these stores to both English and Spanish.
The stores will be staffed with bilingual sales people that "will be trained to handle the needs of Latino consumers using culturally appropriate selling techniques," according to Cingular.
The more than 420 Cingular stores that are being converted nationally to the new bilingual concept were selected according to Hispanic population density in the neighboring area. They are located in more than 40 cities, primarily in states with high percentages of Hispanics such as Texas, California, Illinois, New York and Florida, but also in other emerging Hispanic markets such as Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Oregon.
With nearly 56 million customers, Cingular claims to be the nation's largest voice and data wireless provider and the No. 1 provider to the Hispanic community.
Houston has the fifth largest Hispanic population in the nation, and the largest in Texas.
The new bilingual store concept includes products and services and marketing and infrastructure. Among the changes will be more customized wireless content, specialized infrastructure support, the creation of four bilingual call centers for customers who prefer to do business in Spanish and prepaid roaming to Mexico.
Customers can also request to receive their phone bills in Spanish and access a Spanish-language Web site.
Cingular is also using a special advertising tagline, "Adelante," in its Hispanic advertising in lieu of "Raising the Bar."
Posted by Ahorre at 07:30 AM
December 11, 2005
Who is Martin Danenberg Mr. El Quijote
By Profesor Martin N. Danenberg “El Quijote del GED”
Before becoming known as “El Quijote del GED” a few years ago for my work in promoting the GED or High School Equivalency on Long Island and across our nation (and then in Latin America), I was a teacher in New York City.
In the middle of my career, I decided to write a story, known in the film industry as a movie treatment. This treatment called Tov Meod in Hebrew was about the terrorism that came about in Palestine and Israel and it concluded with an act of terrorism in Washington, D.C. during the Camp David Peace Talks of President Jimmy Carter. When I wrote this treatment back in the middle 1980’s, I wanted to wake up the American public and the world to the eventual spread of terrorism beyond Israel (and of course the other nations that had to put up with terrorism. I later wrote the screenplay and submitted to too to film makers
Among the people I contacted included many famous film makers including some who are no longer with us (Stanley Kramer “Champion,” “High Noon,” “Inherit the Wind,” “It’s a Mad Mad Mad World”, Jose Ferrer, Jack Lemmon, and Mark Warren “Come Back Charleston Blue”). Some of the others included Costa-Gavras “Z,” “The Music Box”, Andrew Victor Mc Laglen “On Wings of Eagles,” “Mc Clintock,” “Sahara,” and Milos Forman “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Amadeus.” Costa-Gavras and Andrew Mc Laglen were my best hopes to realize the production of the script, but I had to abandon my efforts. My late, wonderful friend Mark Warren said it was “required reading for all high school students.”
I have decided to present parts of that screenplay to my readers across the United States. Although the violence described in the Sacred Oath, my screenplay, is mild compared to violent terrorism the world had known, it is still an important work. A sequel is in my head which would shock the world though. I will not abandon my work as “El Quijote” in order to write that sequel. The education of millions of Latinos is that important to me.
THE SACRED OATH
FADE IN
1 EXT. TOWN OF HEBRON - EARLY EVENING
The year is 1929. It is the end of the workday for the residents of Hebron, Palestine. White tents can be seen that are used by the settlers. At this hour, Jewish settlers are returning from the fields. Some are carrying buckets in order to get their ration of water. An infant is wasting water. His father stops to show his son not to waste water. Others can be seen washing themselves, having a drink, and having fun.
2 INT. HOUSE - SAME TIME
The pouring of water can be heard as it splashes into a metal basin. A woman is pouring water to be used for cooking.
3 INT. ANOTHER HOUSE - SAME TIME
Talmudic students are studying and praying.
4 EXT. HILL OVERLOOKING THE VILLAGE - SAME TIME
There is silence for several seconds. Arabs dressed in traditional garments and European clothing are mounted on horses at the top of the hill. Like vultures getting ready to attack their prey, they are holding various weapons. The leader looks over the others and gives a signal. The sound of horses hooves pounding against the hard earth is heard. The Arabs make their way toward the houses of the Jews. The horses are moving faster. The sound gets louder. The Arabs launch their attack on some Jews who are outside.
5 INT. HOUSE - SAME TIME
Arabs enter the house where the Talmudic students are and proceed to slaughter these helpless people. Their cries ring out.
6 INT. ANOTHER HOUSE - SAME TIME
A man and woman frantically try to hide their children. One child is a young girl, about eight years old. The other child is an infant, about six months. The young girl and her brother are being hidden behind a closet. The closet is pushed back toward the wall. The Arabs enter the house and kill the man and woman before the eyes of the young girl.
7 EXT. - SAME TIME
Arab blades slash through the evening air. Arabs chase after other Talmudic students who try to run away. Two more students cry out as they are being killed by Arabs. There are more cries of agony in the air.
EXT. ARAB TOWN - AFTERNOON
It is 1948. Jewish members of the Irgun Zwai Leumi are attacking an Arab village that is being protected by a small group of youths from another town. The sound of a grenade is heard. An Arab lays wounded on the ground, a revolver by his side. Another Arab youth, about eighteen years of age is running up the dusty street in the direction of his wounded friend. Suddenly, the Arab stops as he hears one of the Jews call out.
JEW
Moshe! Look out!
Moshe turns and sees the Arab directly in front of him. The Arab turns his head in the direction of the revolver that is on the ground near the wounded Arab. He fixes his eyes on the revolver on the ground. Moshe is holding a revolver in his hand. The Arab rushes toward the gun, grabs it, turns to shoot, and is shot by Moshe. Moshe keeps the gun aimed at the Arab for a moment. The Arab falls on the ground, face first. He is dead. Moshe is in a temporary daze because he has killed his first Arab. Sweat is on his face.
28 EXT. JERUSALEM – AFTERNOON
Mehdi and Rivka are walking around Jerusalem. She is wearing the peace symbol on her shoulder bag and on the back of her jeans. They stop sometimes, as Rivka explains something special about each place to Mehdi.
RIVKA
Right over there on Marcus and Dubnov Streets, the Iraqi Army was camped in 1948.
Mehdi and Rivka walk some more. Rivka points as she walks.
On Chovevei Zion Street the Arab forces gathered arms in Gross's basement while across the street the Haganah did the same thing.
Rivka and Mehdi walk a little to the northeast.
There's the King David Hotel. Which…
MEHDI
Which was blown up by Jewish terrorists in 1946.
RIVKA
You can call them whatever you like. They were fighting the British who did nothing to protect us. Someday I may have to fight to protect Israel, but I am sure there won’t be any war for many years.
Rivka and Mehdi turn in the direction of Old Jerusalem. They walk inside the walls. Suddenly a stone that has fallen from a roof strikes Mehdi on his shoulder. He discerns voices on the roof. He decides to investigate.
MEHDI
Rivka, please wait here. I'll be right back.
Mehdi walks away, scales a wall, and climbs up to the roof. He spots two children on the roof precisely where the stone had fallen.
29 EXT. ROOF OF BUILDING - SAME TIME
Mehdi approaches the two children on the roof.
MEHDI
What are you doing here?
The children start to run away. Mehdi catches one of them. He notices that it is a girl.
ARAB GIRL
(Shouting)
Let me go! Let me go!
MEHDI
You shouldn't be up here.
Mehdi looks at the other youth.
Come here! I'm not going to hurt you.
ARAB GIRL
You are a Jew, aren't you?
MEHDI
No, I'm not. Why do you think I'm a Jew?
ARAB GIRL
Because you're hurting me. An Arab wouldn't hurt us.
Mehdi loosens his grip and holds the girl by her clothing. The boy now moves closer to Mehdi.
MEHDI
Good! Don't be afraid. I'm an Arab, just like you.
ARAB BOY
Do you support Al Fatah?
MEHDI
No! They are too extreme.
ARAB BOY
Then you're not like us.
MEHDI
What am I doing? Arguing politics with a boy. What are you doing on this roof?
ARAB BOY
(Looking at the girl)
I'll speak.
(Pausing)
We were killing Jews.
MEHDI
What do you mean?
ARAB BOY
We were watching the street. If anyone approaches who looks like a Jew, we kill him.
The boy points to the stick that is laying on the roof.
MEHDI
How many Jews have you killed?
ARAB BOY
I killed two.
ARAB GIRL
I killed one.
ARAB BOY
No she didn't. She thought she killed one. It was a mistake. The one she killed was not a Jew. He was a fair skinned Arab that I know.
MEHDI
Who told you to come up here and kill Jews?
ARAB BOY
No one told us. It's just something we want to do.
MEHDI
I'm an Arab and I never played this game. It's not good. You should be playing peaceful games. You look like two intelligent children. Some day you could grow up to be Prime Minister of Israel.
ARAB BOY
Really!
MEHDI
Yes! Either of you. Now get off this roof. If you play this game again, you're going to get into trouble. Let's go!
Mehdi and the children walk along the roof together. Each child jumps down from the wall. Then Mehdi jumps down. Mehdi watches the children as they walk along together. Then he returns to Rivka.
RIVKA
What happened?
MEHDI
Two children were playing war games. Sometimes I think that things will never change.
RIVKA
Things will change. Give it a chance. We should make love, not war.
Mehdi pulls Rivka close to him as they walk away.
45 EXT. ISOLATED AREA IN JERUSALEM - EARLY EVENING
Ali Lakhdar is walking with his son Mehdi in a deserted field. A puppy follows them as they walk. Finally, Ali stops. He ties the puppy to a wooden stake. He takes a gun from a bag and checks the gun carefully. Satisfied that everything is okay, he moves closer to the stake.
ALI
Mehdi, come closer.
Mehdi walks over to his father. Ali places the gun in his son's small hands.
ALI
Here.. Hold it like this.
Ali sees that Mehdi is following his directions well and he moves Mehdi a little closer. He directs the gun that Mehdi is holding.
Now, squeeze the trigger.
Mehdi pulls the trigger and the gun explodes. Mehdi is forced backward. Regaining his balance, Mehdi sees what has happened. The puppy is lying dead on the ground, bloodied by the bullet. Ali picks Mehdi up and takes him away. Mehdi looks back at the dead puppy as he is carried away.
MARTIN N. DANENBERG
GEDHOTLINE@AOL.COM
631-348-1341
WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/GEDHOTLINE
WWW.AHORRE.COM
Posted by Ahorre at 11:09 AM
September 12, 2005
AOL Latino Hispanic Heritage Month
Ricky Martin, Alex Rodriguez, Gloria Estefan and Chayanne Line up for AOL Latino's Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
(HISPANIC BUSINESS WIRE) AOL Latino celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month through extensive programming including commentary by Ricky Martin, Alex Rodriguez and Chayanne. The exclusive show, presented by Gloria Estefan, will highlight diversity, historical traditions and Latino community achievements on music, politics, arts, movies and sports. The programming will be available in Spanish through AOL Keyword: Mes de la Herencia Hispana and in English through KW: Hispanic Heritage Month.
"This month we proudly celebrate our legacy, which is inherited from our parents and grandparents who created a better future while writing the history of our community," says Estefan in the video. "Latinos brought salsa, merengue, tango, tacos and arepas to the United States, but more than anything, we brought mucho, mucho corazon, lots of heart."
"Hispanic celebrities who have made it in the U.S. are admired by many," said Lavonne Luquis, Director of Programming, AOL Latino. "Having these beloved stars speak about their Hispanic heritage offers our members a unique perspective they can't find anywhere else."
"We are proud to present a wide range of features through all of our channels from sports, music, entertainment and lifestyles acknowledging the great contributions Latinos have made to this country," Luquis concluded.
A snapshot of the comprehensive Hispanic Heritage Month programming includes:
-- Singer Gloria Estefan narrates an exclusive video discussing the long-lived legacy of Hispanics in the U.S. - starting with Mexican-American labor activist Cesar Chavez. Estefan's narration honors such greats as Desi Arnaz, Jennifer Lopez, and the first Hispanic astronaut to travel space, Dr. Franklin R. Change-Diaz, among many others. In addition, the Musica (Music) channel will honor pivotal figures in Latin music history such as Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana and Tito Puente with a special video and audio gallery.
-- Deportes (Sports) includes an exclusive interview with NY Yankees' Third Baseman Alex Rodriguez. The channel also takes a look at the history of Latinos in baseball, paying special tribute to those in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
-- Tu Vida (Lifestyle) offers culinary and travel guides from each Latin American country for those wishing to celebrate with authentic Latin culture. AOL CityGuide will also include a special 'Latin Scene' guide to the best Latin events and restaurants in top Hispanic cities.
-- Noticias (News) focuses on the history of Hispanic Heritage. Also as part of the political coverage, the channel will report on those Hispanic politicians who are likely to win national offices in 2006.
-- Dinero y Exito gives a special look at the hot spots for Latinos to live in the U.S. including the best housing and job markets. Plus, it offers a look at the booming trend of Hispanic homeownership in the U.S.
Posted by Ahorre at 11:52 AM
May 24, 2005
Kraft Foods’ English as a Second Language (ESL) Program
HISPANIC WIRE) In partnership with well-known community organizations across the country, Kraft Foods is offering a creative English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum to the Hispanic community. Designed to teach the basic elements of the English language, plus the additional educational components of healthful eating, nutrition label comprehension, and food preparation, for the past four years, this program has provided a fun and innovative educational curriculum to help teach English to Spanish-speaking adult students utilizing a key element of the Hispanic culture – food.
Posted by Ahorre at 02:32 AM
May 04, 2005
U.S. Born Hispanics English Educated Affluent
AdAge.com Rapidly shifting demographics within the overall U.S. Hispanic population are causing profound changes among marketers, media and the $3.5 billion-a-year advertising industry that targets consumers of Latino descent.
'Speak English. Live Latin' For the first time, the number of U.S.-born Hispanics -- more acculturated, English-speaking, better educated and often more affluent than the first foreign-born generation -- is growing faster than the immigrant population.
By 2020, just 34% of Hispanics will be foreign-born first generation; 36% will be the U.S.-born second-generation children of immigrants; and 30% will be the third-generation offspring of U.S.-born Hispanics, according to Pew Hispanic Center. Even today, 88% of Hispanics under 18 are U.S.-born -- a fact that has huge implications for youth-oriented marketers.
Posted by Ahorre at 12:22 PM
February 12, 2005
Hispanic Entrepreneurs Latino
By Melissa Cantor - One hundred reasons why Hispanic business is thriving.
Two million and counting. That’s how many Hispanic-owned companies there are in the United States, a number experts estimate will hit eight million within the next 10 years. Women are a big part of the reason Hispanic entrepreneurship is thriving: Latinas owned nearly half a million businesses as of 2002, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research.
Hispanic-owned firms are not only growing in numbers—we’re making inroads in an ever-increasing range of industries: Companies such as Olga Martinez’s Allright Diversified Services in Fresno, California, are building our roads; entrepreneurs like Anthony Camargo of Anthony Nak in Austin, Texas, and Omar Torres of OPUS7 in New Jersey are designing the clothes and jewelry we wear; in Virginia, Dennis Garcia of Potomac Management Group heads one of the fastest-growing companies providing technology support for homeland security; pollster Sergio Bendixen of Bendixen & Associates in Miami is tracking the views of Hispanics nationwide.
These are just some of the faces behind the numbers. But success is not measured in numbers alone. In choosing those companies to feature in our first annual list of Latino business leadership, we focused not just on revenue but on innovation, growth, and the quality of the products or services offered, as well as on intangibles that directly affect our communities: During the worst economic downturn in decades, many business owners chose not to cut staff, even at the expense of reduced revenue, keeping countless families working.
Finally, this list is a work in progress. For reasons of time and space, many companies that undoubtedly merit inclusion do not appear in this year’s list. To those we offer our apologies and extend an invitation to write to us. Claim your place. Tell us your stories. Be counted among the top Hispanic entrepreneurs.
Posted by at 10:50 AM