This November 2, Vote for Respect!

On November 4, 2008, the Latino community turned out in record numbers to vote. This year, as midterm elections approach, we need to remember that this election matters just as much, if not more.

Our country is enduring tough economic times, and the Hispanic community has been hit particularly hard by the recession. But we are also facing challenges of a different type. While intolerance and discrimination are nothing new to Latinos, our country's anti-Latino sentiment has escalated in recent months. We've seen this with the passage of SB 1070 in Arizona, in discussions from some senators about doing away with birthright citizenship, as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, and from a general, growing resentment toward the Hispanic community. It's time for us to stand up and say that we won't tolerate bigotry or discrimination anymore.

This November 2, your vote is your voice. Tell your elected officials that the Latino community deserves respect, not intolerance.

REGISTER TO VOTE now through the ya es hora (It's Time) campaign website and be counted in this year's election! You can also sign up for updates on the election by texting VOTE to 62571.

Also, check out NCLR's monthly issue updates below and stay informed on the policies that are affecting Latinos this election cycle.

Por una cultura diferente EL MIEDO GLOBAL

Los que trabajan tienen miedo de perder el trabajo.
Los que no trabajan tienen miedo de no encontrar nunca trabajo.
Quien no tiene miedo al hambre, tiene miedo a la comida.
Los automovilistas tienen miedo de caminar y los peatones tienen miedo de ser atropellados.
La democracia tiene miedo de recordar y el lenguaje tiene miedo de decir.
Los civiles tienen miedo a los militares, y los militares tienen miedo a la falta de armas y las armas tienen miedo a la falta de guerras.
Es el tiempo del miedo.
Miedo de la mujer a la violencia del hombre y miedo del hombre a la mujer sin miedo.
Miedo a los ladrones, miedo a la policía
Miedo a la puerta sin cerradura, al tiempo sin relojes, al niño sin televisión, miedo a la noche sin pastillas para dormir y miedo al día sin pastillas para despertar.
Miedo a la multitud, miedo a la soledad, miedo a lo que fue y a lo que puede ser, miedo de morir, miedo de vivir.
Patas Arriba.
La escuela del mundo al revés.

Eduardo Galeano (Historiador y estudiante de nuestra gente)

Esto aparecio en mi facebook por medio de lo que esta ocurriendo en ese triste pueblo de Ciudad Juarez

The Board of Education last night addressed the critical issue of our low high school graduation. The tone was set by an air of annoyance that we were even discussing this issue and then it moved to one of “we knew this all along”. It concluded with a PowerPoint presentation highlighting what we all know and with no new information: After Mr. Hastie asked what new programs had been implemented this past year; Mr. Conetta found it difficult to identify any new programs except for the introduction of software that tracked students. No new Ideas. No Vision. No realization that perhaps thinking outside the box is a welcomed endeavor. No hard questions from the Board Members. While they presented a careful recompilation of items that presumably benefit the Hispanic students, what about the African-American students? Nothing! Then there was the overall graduation rate of 66% - 66%. It was embedded in a myriad of other statistics intentionally placed to hide and distract from the issue. Was it discussed at length and conclusively? NO. It was simply mentioned in passing as if embarrassed that it was even there. There were questions during the presentation by the Board Members, but none were allowed by the community present. There was a chart on ethnicity of our school children. I wanted to ask who decided the ethnicity of our children. School officials? Who?

For the very first time, the New Rochelle School Board will address the critical issue of high school graduation. As many of you already know, through the Talk of the Sound, our graduation rate is one of the lowest in Westchester County. The School has never addressed it until I kept bringing it up publicly. The statistics are dramatic, particularly for our children of color. The school will probably avoid the issue and present old ideas that have never worked and more importantly, they will present issues such as how many of our students go to college and where they go. Of course, this does not address the issue, but it is a typical way, as customary, that they will avoid the real issue. Come and watch for your self on Tuesday July 27th at 7PM at 515 North Avenue - 2nd floor. Let's see how transparent our Board of Education really is and how courageous they can be with the facts.

Charlotte Stadler was an extraordinary teacher. She was a teacher to both my children at Columbus. She developed a math curriculum that opens the world to math for many Columbus children and she made it fun. She and her colleagues are the reason Columbus is always at the top in math scores for elementary schools in New Rochelle. Through her generosity, she financially supported the Chess team that we all work so very hard to develop with Mr. Hegenauer. They were champions in every chess competition in NY, CT and nationwide. The proof is their hundreds of individual and team trophies. We are often blessed with unique and wonderful teachers that make a difference to our children and our community. Charlotte was that one person. We were all very sad to hear that Charlotte passed away recently. We were missing here already after her retirement a year earlier.

The family has setup the Charlotte K. Stadler Fund which they hope will provide necessary scholarships and funding for Columbus Elementary School (see attachment). If you are able to provide any support to the Fund, please contact them at:

The Charlotte Stadler Fund
c/o John B. Stadler
9 Serpentine Trail
Larchmont. NY 10538
johnstadler@gmail.com

Thank you,

Martin Sanchez