Saturday, January 31, 2004

Franklin County Chief Deputy Sheriff Tim Fuller points to "Hispanic groups who are controlling methamphetamine traffic"





Franklin County Commission Law Enforcement Committee hears testimony of methamphetamine-related enforcement expenditures of $700,000 since 1998.



"Commissioner Henry Arnold asked if lawmen are seeing any organized group selling the illegal drugs."



"Fuller explained that there are 'several Hispanic groups who are controlling methamphetamine traffic.'"



"He stated that there does not seem to be any such groups here, yet."



"He added that there have been reports of some gang members from Nashville, Chattanooga and Huntsville who are regular visitors to the area, however."



The Tullahoma News

Friday, January 30, 2004

Mayor Purcell wants think tank on immigrants, "International Mayor's Night Out"





"Mayor Bill Purcell Tuesday said he will introduce an 'International Mayor’s Night Out' in response to a two-year study of Nashville’s immigrant community. He also ordered a performance audit of the Department of Social Services to see how many of the study’s recommendations could be implemented."



"Purcell referred to the Nashville Civic Design Center as 'the conscience' of the design community and a good model for a non-governmental think tank on immigrants."



"'It’s not controlled by or, in the end limited by, the vision or lack of vision of the government,' said Purcell."



Nashville City Paper

Thursday, January 29, 2004

YWCA reaches Hispanic victims of domestic violence





"When Claudia Avila first started answering the Spanish-language crisis line at the YWCA, she got a couple of calls per month."



"Six months later, Avila gets at least two to three calls each week about domestic violence, and she guesses that's just a small fraction of the problem."



"Hispanic women in Nashville tend to stay away from such services. Why? Because they don't know about them, because cultural barriers mean not talking about domestic violence and because women who are here illegally are frightened that they'll be deported if they seek help, Avila said."



"The group meets each Wednesday evening at St. Luke's Community Center in west Nashville."



"For more information in English or Spanish, call the YWCA domestic violence crisis line at 615-242-1199 or 1-800-334-4628."



The Tennessean

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Nashville City Paper editorial: Bush's immigration proposal as needed as the New Deal





"In some ways, Bush’s plan is the 2004 equivalent to the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Projects Administration."



"Granted these programs were instituted in desperate times but the people they served are really no different than the illegal immigrants of today. Like the CCC and WPA workers, many of today’s immigrants are desperate for steady work."



"What Bush’s plan does is match up people who are willing to work with jobs nobody else wants to do."



"And like the New Deal, at the end of the day it is hard to fault a program that allows people who are willing to work hard the chance to support themselves and their families."



Nashville City Paper

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

6% of Davidson County students suspended in 2001-2002 for excessive absences were Hispanic





"'My observation from listening to discussions in State Board of Education meetings and in the legislature is that attendance and truancy is not something that gets a lot of attention,' Ethel R. Detch, director of the Office of Educational Accountability for the state's comptroller of the Treasury, told me Thursday."



"When children don't go to school it becomes more and more difficult for them to catch up once they fall behind, Detch said."



"'In many cases, it's the circumstances,' she added. 'We've got a large and growing English learner population, and they may have more difficulty in coming to school. Also, there are some parents around the state that don't value education.'"



"According to the state comptroller's report, 3,109 students were suspended in Davidson County for truancy during the 2001-2002 school year. Among those, 1,175 were white, 1,647 were black, 186 Hispanic, 97 Asian and four Indian."



The Tennessean

Monday, January 26, 2004

Los Lonely Boys find national audience despite Nashville industry snub





"'Things weren’t going so well in Nashville, so we came back to Texas and started doing our thing here.'"



"It wasn't easy, because people would say 'you don't sound like a Mexican band' and we can do that too but we wanted to do something that was us, something new. That's what me and my brothers did, and now we're bringing it around to where we're recording it and people will be able to hear the way we do it in today's world. I think it's going to go over real well, even in the Hispanic community, because I don't hear anything like that other than Santana.'"



"The group's single 'Heaven' is a hit on Triple A radio (adult album alternative). It is one of many songs from their debut album that delivers the sound of blues, rock, country and various Tex-Mex sounds, sung in Spanish and English."



CBS News, Los Lonely Boys

SunTrust Bank musician banking group expands to Miami, brings in Hispanic entertainers





"SunTrust Banks Inc. extended the private banking services it has been offering to the music industry in Nashville since 1988 to Atlanta and Miami last year. The bank's Nashville division has grown to 27 bankers providing the services to more than 1,000 clients, who include some of the biggest stars in country music. It has two bankers in Miami working primarily with Latino music stars and just added a third banker in Atlanta."



"'I knew it would be successful in Atlanta and Miami, but we have greatly surpassed our expectations,' said Brian Williams, senior vice president and director of the bank's music private banking group. 'No other bank is doing this at this level.'"



Atlanta Business Chronicle

Sunday, January 25, 2004

Lipscomb Elementary: 1.2% Hispanic





Tennessean

Lamar Alexander: immigration reform must be coupled with enforcement





"Q: Do you like the president's new immigration policy?"



"A: I give him credit for tackling the problem. Up until now, we have just been ignoring it. We have eight million to 10 million people - more than half from Mexico - in the United States who are here illegally. We lecture other countries about the rule of law yet we ignore the law here regarding 10 million illegal aliens. Now we have a way to offer them a temporary legal status so we can deal with them. It's OK to give them legal status and ask them to accept a certain level of responsibility, but we also must begin to enforce the law. The legislation has not been completed, but it must deal with the rule of law to be effective."



The Jackson Sun News

Saturday, January 24, 2004

Freedom Forum Diversity Institute convenes fifth class





"The Freedom Forum Diversity Institute welcomes its fifth class of seven journalism fellows Sunday, Jan. 25. The 12-week training program at Vanderbilt University is designed for people of color who want to become journalists but have not had formal journalism training."



"Diversity Institute fellows are people seeking a mid-career change or recent college graduates who did not major in journalism. Applicants are nominated by newspaper editors, generally in the applicant’s hometown. Participating newspapers agree to hire the nominees as full-time journalists after they have completed the program, which consists of 12 weeks of hands-on training in all aspects of print journalism — reporting, writing, editing, photography, ethics and other core values of journalism."



"The fellows also will attend the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ 'Covering the New Americans' seminar in Memphis, Tenn., where they will learn how to report on Latinos and immigrant communities."



Freedom Forum

Free mental health seminar offered to clergy with Hispanic churchgoers





"The Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee is sponsoring a free seminar to help clergy locate and develop resources for Hispanic worshippers who may be having mental health crises."



"Fran Peebles of the Mental Health Association said that many area churches were gaining increasing numbers of Hispanic members. These new members may be fluent in English but would feel more comfortable discussing mental health issues in Spanish if it is their first language."



Tennessean

Metro Finance department offers Spanish-language tax assistance answer line





"The IRS and nonprofit agencies have established nearly a dozen Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites thus far in Nashville. Community organizations also plan to help low-income people open bank accounts."



"Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites offer free tax help to people with simple returns and those whose household income is under $35,000."



"For information about hours of operation and VITA sites in Davidson County, call the Metro Finance Department, which answers questions in Spanish and English, at 615-862-5000 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. For information about sites outside Nashville, call toll-free 1-800-829-1040. Seniors can call AARP for free tax preparation help at 1-888-AARPNOW."



Tennessean

Friday, January 23, 2004

Nashville courts to swear in up to 2,000 new U.S. citizens in 2004





Immigration attorney Linda Rose says citizenship naturalization ceremonies always have higher numbers in election year.



The citizenship process takes approximately ten years and now involves numerous new security hurdles.



Video of ceremony available at link below.



NewsChannel 5

Editorial: Hispanic Republicans demand immigration reform





"All the immigrants I have spoken to who need to apply have indicated that they will apply under the terms being proposed by the president. They and their families want to be law-abiding, tax-paying workers. Without this new immigration road map they could not apply."



"During his administration, Bush has appointed record numbers of Hispanics to key positions of leadership and committees. He has hosted Hispanics at the White House, even having a Cinco de Mayo celebration on the lawns of the White House. The president has been building links to the Hispanic community."



"However, the need for immigration reform was sidetracked by 9/11. Still, there was grumbling among Hispanic Republicans that they would not support the president if he ignored the key issue for Hispanic families: immigration reform."



"Those of us who are immigration advocates in Tennessee need to link up with elected officials at a city, county and state level. To enact the president's proposal will not be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is."



Tennessean

Marketing firm David Paine and Partners adds bilingual Janine Libbey





"Janine Libbey has joined the marketing firm of David Paine and Partners. Libbey, strategic marketing specialist with a focus on the Hispanic community, has more than 20 years of international marketing experience."



"For 25 years, Janine has held agency and client-side positions in Madrid, Barcelona, San Juan, New York, and San Antonio. She specializes in marketing and research for profit and non-profit organizations."



Tennessean, David Paine and Partners

Thursday, January 22, 2004

Compean family serves south-of-the-border comfort food, fulfills dream at La Espuela restaurant





"A few years ago, Pompilia Compean came to visit a cousin in Nashville and fell in love with the city--both the quality of life and the opportunities it offered. After a brief stop in Idaho, where Eusebio Sr. managed a ranch, the family moved here, and Pompilia got a job in a factory and began putting away money. In July 2002, she opened her restaurant."



"For Pompilia, La Espuela is a gift she gives herself every day. 'There is a saying in Mexico, that it is better to cry for something you try and fail, than cry for something you never did,' she says. 'I will always know that no matter what happens, my dream came true with this restaurant.'"



"La Espuela has the basic Mexican dishes locals have come to expect: soft tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tostadas, chimichangas, flautas, enchiladas, fajitas and tamales. Believe the menu when it describes something as grande. The beef chimichanga grande--a platter-sized tortilla spread with rice, beans, flavorful shredded beef and cheese, then rolled, deep-fried and covered with cheese sauce--seemed nearly the size of a football and could have satisfied any member of the Titans' offensive line."



"Its warmth, charm and good home cooking will win the hearts of Nashvillians looking for comfort food with a south-of-the-border twist - carne y tres."



Nashville Scene

Study estimates 61-70% of foreign-born population in Tennessee complies with immigration law





Urban Institute estimates 50,000 to 70,000 Tennessee workers are undocumented immigrants.



Metro Finance Department study found job availability and low cost of living are the primary reasons immigrants come to the Volunteer State.



Nashville City Paper

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Legislative Reception scheduled for January 28





Immigrant and refugee leaders and advocates will meet with state legislators at the law firm of Waller, Lansden, Dortch, & Davis. For more details, see the calendar.

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Professionals in Nashville's immigrant and refugee population struggle for appropriate employment





"Highly educated immigrant and refugees in the Nashville area struggle to find jobs that maximize their qualifications. Some say Nashville's immigrant population shows signs of including more and more educated individuals."



"'In the last two years, I have been getting many, many clients who come here that are highly educated people,' says Mabel Arroyo, immigration attorney for Stites & Harbison. Arroyo has worked with doctors, nurses, architects and engineers from foreign countries looking for comparable employment locally."



Nashville Business Journal

Monday, January 19, 2004

Hispanic students part of diverse dialog at Glencliff High about legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.





"About half of those in Radford's class are limited English speakers. Most of the Hispanic students sit in desks shoved against one wall. Some keep their eyes cast downward. Yayleen Colmenares, 15, sits forward."



"'When I was young I didn't know who he was. In fourth grade I learned. It was more of a white-black thing. It wasn't a Hispanic thing.'"



"Jalisa, near the front of the class, turns to Yayleen."



"'But if you were Mexican or Kurdish and came here 30 years ago, you would be treated like black people, maybe worse.'"



"Students in schools like Glencliff High — where 29 languages are spoken and there is no ethnic or racial majority among the student body — have to sort through a mosaic of messages and legacies about race. Leaders such as King form only one small part of those impressions. There are also teachers like Radford, as well as music, movies and television, and friends."

Sunday, January 18, 2004

Hispanics embrace NFL football





"Polls by the NFL and ESPN show football is the most popular of the Big Three professional sports -- football, basketball and baseball -- among Hispanics, and more than eight out of 10 Hispanic fans say knowing and following professional football makes them feel more a part of America."

Saturday, January 17, 2004

Cable access programming to include immigrant, ethnic perspectives





Comcast Cable channels 9 and 10 will feature more programs locally produced by Michael Catalano, executive director of the Metropolitan Educational Access Corp.



"The first giant step for Catalano and company came with the taping of Metro Nashville Schools — No Child Left Behind. The half-hour production, which began taping at Charlotte Park Elementary School on Thursday, will trace a 'newly arrived immigrant child and a native-born American as they go through school, the kind of walls they hit (and) problems the teachers have,' he said."



"'We also plan on having a multicultural newscast every day from here,' he said. He wants that newscast to be a half-hour long and for it to include a look at world events, local news and features from various ethnic communities."

Friday, January 16, 2004

Nashville Spanish directory gets Kentucky investment, support





75,000 copies of the Directorio Comercial will be distributed in July. Last year, 50,000 copies of the first edition were printed and distributed.

Thursday, January 15, 2004

La Cucaracha comic by Lalo Alcaraz

Letter: Southern inhospitality contributes to immigrant isolation





"It still amazes and baffles me that people like Joe Degraauw write letters like 'Illegals should get into the culture.'"



"Too many people in this city take the same stance of 'when in Rome.' Well, I've been to Rome, and I don't speak Italian. Fortunately, there were many gracious bilingual people who were kind enough to help me in my travels."



"It would do some Nashvillians well to remember their roots of Southern hospitality and spread a little neighborly interaction with the newcomers to our city."

Nashville City Paper editorial: Bush's immigration proposal good for rekindling debate





"Even if this proposal goes nowhere, it will at least renew the debate about the best way to deal with immigration. At some point, we as a nation need to come to grips with how large and organized our melting pot should be."

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Inner-city black and Hispanic high-school students matter in Our Town film





Nashville Scene rates Our Town documentary as one of 2003's "Movies that Matter."



"The Compton, Calif., school, populated by inner-city black and Hispanic youth, mounts a production of Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town, with costumes, culture and some dialogue transposed into their own milieu. What's amazing about this journey from idea to theatrical performance--something that happens several times a year at most schools, but here becomes a massive undertaking against all odds--is that these demonized, feared, political-football kids are really normal, and therefore extraordinarily beautiful."

Tuesday, January 13, 2004

Legacy Properties hires broker for Hispanic market





"Tomas Tejeda has joined the Brentwood office of Legacy Properties, LLC/GMAC Real Estate as affiliate broker specializing in the Hispanic market. Previously with Prestige Homes, Tejeda is bilingual."

Memphis gangsters charged with robbery spree targeting Hispanics





"Victims of as many as 200 home invasions in Memphis, Jackson and northern Mississippi were robbed of money and anything else the suspects could carry, investigators said Friday."



"'This is the biggest single criminal enterprise Memphis has seen in a long time,' said Lt. Darren M. Goods, police robbery bureau supervisor."



"The men, all members of the Gangster Disciples gang, would pick out and watch apartment complexes with high populations of Hispanics, police Lt. Jeff Clark said."

Monday, January 12, 2004

Tennessee Grocers Association: international food stores are growing strong





"Five years ago, two of every 100 food stores in the state were international food markets, said Wes Ball, president of the Tennessee Grocers Association based in Nashville. Today, those stores make up between 5 percent and 7 percent."

City Paper editorial: Nashville needs office to welcome, serve immigrants





"Metro now must create a cohesive effort to address the concerns in the study. Whether through the Mayor’s Office or Metro Council, a new office needs to be created that is devoted to pulling together all the existing services for immigrants and then identifying unmet needs."



"Our newest residents should feel just as at home in Nashville as those who have been here for generations."

Sunday, January 11, 2004

Williamson County Republican Party sponsors YMCA Hispanic Achievers





"The executive committee for the Williamson County Republican Party voted to be a sponsor for a program called Hispanic Achievers. Under the Franklin YMCA, it directs Hispanic children into college preparatory courses and professional careers."



"Hugh DuPree, chairman of the Williamson County GOP, explained the decision: 'This is yet another example of people coming together to help and recognize those who espouse the same beliefs that we do: God, strong family ties, a conservative agenda, a strong work ethic, etc. The YMCA is to be commended for their commitment to our Hispanic brethren in Williamson County. We are happy to be included in this fine work.'"



"This nation desperately needs more opportunities to meet the growing Hispanic presence in a positive arena — freed from outrage and division — and more aware of how much we can help each other as one America and one Williamson County."

Saturday, January 10, 2004

Bush immigration reform proposal sparks anti-Bush Republican revolution





"'George Bush is clearly proposing to radically change immigration laws so we essentially have an open borders system,' said Virginia Abernathy, a Vanderbilt University professor and national immigration reform advocate. 'All Democratic candidates support that, too, so we have no effective debate on the issue.'"



"Abernathy said that she and other Republicans would be meeting to discuss other candidates."



Some state Republican leaders are still waiting for the details of the plan, and may support it: "If you're saying someone who is here illegally for five years and they have not caused any problems and they're hard-working, and the person who employs them says they've been good workers, I would not be adverse' to the Bush proposals," said Rep. Diane Black, R-Gallatin.



"Gov. Phil Bredesen said President Bush's immigration proposal will have no effect on the issue of whether driver's licenses should be issued to undocumented immigrants."

Incoming Nashville police chief Ronal Serpas tells of reducing drunk driving fatalities in Hispanic community





"[In Washington State] in 2002, we had over 14 fatalities associated with young men who were getting off work as farm workers, drinking and driving, killing themselves and innocent families and children."



"What we learned was that we, the police, needed to do a better job communicating with these communities, and saying, 'Look, here are the dangers of alcohol and driving. Here are the dangers of not wearing seat belts.' Here we have a circumstance where we learned that we were communicating that in the Anglo press. Well, they don't read the Anglo press. Many of these people don't speak English."



"We went and worked with the communities of faith, with the business communities. The Tri-Cities Chambers of Commerce is a full partner with us, so I dedicated a full-time trooper who was born and raised in the Yakima Valley and is of Hispanic descent and speaks fluent Spanish. And in one year we went from 14 drunk driving fatalities to one. And that's just because of communication."

Letter: Bush's common-sense immigration reform proposal improves system, security





"By putting most of the workers into the system, we can focus on getting the remaining criminal immigrants out of the country and better protecting our borders. The temporary workers will have the same opportunity but no advantage, should they seek permanent residency or citizenship."



"The program makes good sense."

Letter: Help immigrants in citizenship transition; don't harp on their language skills





"I disagree that there is anything wrong with immigrant parents speaking in their native tongue to their children: It's their freedom and choice and none of Mr. Reynolds' business."



"Rather than ranting about immigrants who have poor English skills, why not try to reach out and befriend immigrants to help them through this difficult adjustment?"

Friday, January 9, 2004

Second-place Nashville Star John Arthur Martinez finds Dualtone label, sings bilingual country





"John Arthur Martinez of Marble Falls just inked a deal with Dualtone Records."



"Martinez, who placed second, already has decided on the first single, one he wrote and sang on the show — 'Home Made of Stone.' It's about his family having to live in a manufactured home while he pursued his dream."



"He also has recorded a bilingual version of 'Amarillo by Morning' and a new song, 'Tonight at Fiesta.' The rest of the album will be recorded this month."



"'The recording sessions at Emerald Studios surpassed all of my already high expectations,' Martinez wrote his fans. 'My producer, Matt Rollings, most definitely has the ear and the touch when it comes to capturing the essence of an artist.'"



"Rollings, who worked on Keith Urban's self-titled, million-selling debut album as well as with dozens of other artists, assembled an unusual mix of studio musicians for a chemistry not often found on a Nashville recording, Martinez wrote. CMT also is taping a feature story on Martinez."

Trilingual Jeboria K. Russell-Scott to coordinate Catholic Charities' Bridges to Care program





"Russell-Scott, who is fluent in both Spanish and French, was previously a bilingual admitting clerk at Nashville General Hospital, based at Meharry Medical Center."



"She is a graduate of Fisk University with a degree in Spanish and French. In addition to her two years of healthcare administrative experience working at Nashville General Hospital, she also has been a Spanish instructor for children ages 4-12 at the Mini-College of Fisk University."

State educators say No Child Left Behind leaves behind English language learner students





"States are screaming for more flexibility in testing students with disabilities and students for whom English is a second language."



"Latino Advocates say part of that fairness is recognizing Latino students have uniqueness based on ethnicity, language preference, socioeconomic status and how long they have been in the United States."



"'We are no longer invisible as a Latino community, but diversity within the Latino population is something we need to draw attention to across the Unites States,' said Paz."

Recent Harvard Law graduate receives Skadden Fellowship for public interest work in Nashville





"Sharmila Murthy '03 will work with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands and local Latino, Kurdish, and Somali community groups to advocate for the rights of immigrants and refugees in Nashville."



"The Skadden Fellowship Foundation, established in 1988 by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, each year awards 25 fellowships to graduating law students and outgoing judicial clerks. Fellows are provided a $37,500 salary and fringe benefits package, with the expectation of renewal for a second year."

Letter: immigration laws do not promote legal residency





"Present immigration laws do not promote legal residency. Given a choice, would people choose to be here 'illegally'? Would they choose to enter the country in a way that could result in death (the individuals that died in the back of an abandoned semi last year) or imprisonment?"



"It is my hope that those of us descended from immigrants will encourage legislators to pass laws allowing hard-working immigrants with no terrorist ties to reside here legally as they continue to contribute to our great nation."

Letter: Immigrant support leads to tax crisis





"I read with growing horror and a fair amount of revulsion the article 'Study: Immigrants isolated in Metro' (Jan. 8, p.1)."



"As a citizen of Tennessee who fled my native state of California 20 years ago, I am concerned when I read an article like this."



"Make no mistake; this is how it starts. And it will not stop until we are as broken and tax burdened as the residents of my former home."

United Way says Madison neighborhood is underserved





"The Madison area from Briley Parkway along Gallatin Road experienced a recent influx of Hispanic immigrants, which didn’t show up in the 2000 Census."



"Joosten said the Hispanic population in the Woodbine area is better off than the one in the Madison area because Madison does not have a Family Resource Center."



"United Way currently has 13 Family Resource Centers (FRCs), which are Woodbine, St. Luke’s, Northeast Nashville, Napier, McKissack, C.E. McGruder, Maplewood, Fall-Hamilton, Cora Howe, Cayce, Bordeaux, Bethlehem Centers, and Pearl Cohn. Family Resource Centers address the needs of the neighborhoods they serve through a partnership of health and social service providers, residents, schools, businesses and faith-based organizations."

Thursday, January 8, 2004

Vanderbilt study shows Nashville immigrants are less wealthy, powerful, and understood than their native neighbors





"The Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies, or VIPPS, conducted the study. Last year the Metro Council approved $350,000 for the effort. The 273-page report outlines contributions of immigrants to the city, as well as identifying their needs."



"The number of immigrants who moved into Davidson County in the last decade tripled, the study found, making Tennessee one of the fastest growing hubs of immigrants and refugees in the country. The study maintains that because of the availability of jobs and a low cost of living, Tennessee is very attractive and could remain so. Of the foreign born in Metro Nashville 61 percent are from Mexico or Central America." - Nashville City Paper report



"The study's recommendations include establishing a countywide organization dedicated to 'immigrant and refugee affairs' to continue monitoring social service and other needs of Nashville immigrants."



"It will be up to the mayor's office to decide which of the study's recommendations to propose, said Michelle Lane of Metro Finance Department, which oversaw the study and its release yesterday. The full 'Immigrant Community Assessment' can be accessed at: ftp://ftp.nashville.gov/web/finance/immigrant-community-assessment-nashville.pdf."

Nashville is cautious about Bush's immigration proposal





Immigration advocates await details; immigration opponents are worried about the plan's potential adverse effect on the labor market.



"'We're very excited this dialogue has started and he has recognized publicly the contribution of undocumented workers,' said Renata Soto, executive director of Conexion Americas, which assists Hispanic families in Middle Tennessee."



"'I think he takes no account of the pressures of the U.S. labor market on the average American worker,' said Virginia Abernathy, professor emeritus of anthropology at Vanderbilt University Medical School. Abernathy opposes the Bush plan."



"'It's going to have a huge impact here, because more illegal aliens will be attracted to work here. And the very large growth in the working poor population directly affects services like TennCare, schools and hospitals,' said Abernathy, who is also on the board of two Washington, D.C.-based groups favoring immigration restrictions: the Carrying Capacity Network and Population-Environment Balance."



"Advocates for and against immigration point to jobs as the main lure for legal and illegal immigration to Tennessee, a state with the sixth-fastest-growing immigrant population in the country."



"Low unemployment rates in the state, and especially in Middle Tennessee, mean employers are always looking for workers, said Tom Negri, general manager of the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and president of the Tennessee Hotel & Lodging Association."



"Negri said he was waiting to see the fine print of the Bush proposal, but that it may be a solution to labor shortages in the area."



"'Whenever people talk about illegal aliens, people think Hispanic or Latino. But illegal aliens comprise many countries around the world, and that includes people from countries on our terrorist watch list,' said Donna Locke of Tennesseans for Immigration Reform.'"



"David Lubell, director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said the new proposal might actually be good for national security."



"'Instead of being subjected to nothing, which is what undocumented immigrants are, they will be subject to background checks and brought out into the light.'"



Full text of Bush's remarks about immigration policy

Wednesday, January 7, 2004

Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce adds board members





"The Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has announced the addition of these elected members to its board:"



"Cristina O. Allen is president and owner of Caliente Consulting, a multicultural marketing company that specializes in Hispanic marketing/sales and special event/sponsorship marketing."



"Diana C. Holland is president and owner of Hispanic Link Inc., a company that specializes in public relations, marketing and cross-cultural consulting."



"Jay Lowenthal is president of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors for 2004. Lowenthal, an affiliate broker with Shirley Zeitlin & Co., is a board member of the Tennessee Association of Realtors and a member of the delegate body of the National Association of Realtors."



"Other offices for 2004 are:"



"Richard Exton, president-elect; Manier & Exton."



"Christie Wilson, secretary/treasurer; The Wilson Group."



"Jim Terrell, vice president; The Pilkerton Co."



"Richard Courtney, vice president; Fridrich & Clark Realty."



"Elected as new directors to rotating 3-year terms through 2005 were Nancy Malone, Prudential Woodmont Realty Group; Jim McCord, French, Christianson, Patterson & Associates; Mandy Wachtler, The Pilkerton Co.; Pat Brakefield with The Charles Hawkins Co. as commercial director and Connie Clifton with Terry Bone Real Estate as the Dickson Chapter Representative."

Franklin explores academic rezoning to spread out English Language Learners





"Liberty Elementary has seen its Hispanic population increase dramatically over the last several years. Liberty is also the district's largest elementary school in terms of overall student numbers. On the other hand, Franklin Elementary has slowly seen its low-income population increase. By spreading those students out a bit more through rezoning, Snowden said, everyone in the district can benefit from the diversity while also not placing any undue burden on certain schools."



"'[A] larger population of non–English-speaking students at one school creates more challenges for the teachers as well as a school as a whole.'"



"'The problem that we have is, we have put a strain on one of our schools and it is our duty to do a lot of things and one of them is to education all the children as best we can and provide an equal education for all,' said school board chairman John Schroer. 'Because most (of the English Language Learners students) are concentrated in the Liberty zone, it has had an impact.'"



"The same goes for schools that have a high concentration of students from low-income families."

Tuesday, January 6, 2004

Spanish-speaking students needed at college journalism departments





U.S. Spanish-language media boom fuels need for more Spanish-speaking journalists.

English-speaking Hispanics favor Internet for instant messaging and music downloads





December 2003 Pew Internet & American Life Project says "English-speaking Hispanic users report high levels of instant messaging and downloading music compared to African-Americans and whites."

Senator Frist visits heads of state in Colombia and Mexico





"U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) will hold high level discussions with the leaders of Colombia and Mexico this week to discuss trade, regional economic development, migration issues, and assistance in the war on terror during a four-day trip to the two nations this week."



"The Senate Majority Leader arrived in Cartagena, Colombia, on Sunday, January 4, where he met with President Alvaro Uribe to discuss methods of combating illegal drugs, terrorism, economic development, and various trade issues. While in Cartagena he also met with regional representatives of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency."



"Senator Frist will meet with Mexican President Vicente Fox on Wednesday at Los Pinos. He is scheduled to spend the day in talks with Mexican government officials, including the Secretary of Gobernacion Santiago Creel, on the war on terror, regional trade proposals, and immigration issues. He will return to Washington on Thursday, January 8."

City Paper Letter to the Editor applauds editorial position against drivers licenses for illegal residents





"The City Paper deserves credit for the editorial 'Driving should be reserved for legal residents' (Dec. 30, p. 3) in opposition to Tennessee's pandering driver's license law. "



"The state could provide no data to support the bogus claim that our roads are any safer, and we now know that the real intent was to give legitimacy to the hoards of illegal aliens who showed up here."



"Tennesseans have the right to remain who we are, and politicians of both parties should get the message that we demand protection of our communities, roads, schools, language, jobs and culture from foreign interests."

Ronal Serpas bests Waco Police Chief Alberto Melis to become Nashville's next chief of police





"Mayor Bill Purcell chose Serpas over two other finalists, outgoing Chattanooga Police Chief Jimmie L. Dotson and Waco Police Chief Alberto Melis."



"As to the decision to hire a white man to succeed the department's first African-American chief, Emmett Turner, Purcell said leadership in the department is well diversified with women and minorities."



Serpas leaves his position as Chief of the Washington State Patrol to accept the Nashville post.

Monday, January 5, 2004

The Community Foundation funds crisis counseling to Spanish speakers





The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee gave out 96 grants totaling $152,454 to charities in Middle Tennessee in 2003, including $4,368 to the Crisis Intervention Center "to provide crisis counseling, support and information-referral services to Spanish speaking residents."

Sunday, January 4, 2004

Increase in Hispanic families at Nashville Safe Haven Family Shelter





"'Before last year we didn't see any, but Latinos have picked up quite a bit. We've definitely seen an increase in our Latino families coming in. It seems that the immigrant population are, generally speaking, working entry-level jobs. If you're making $8 an hour, you're bringing home $250, and if you look at rents in Nashville, that's a killer. We don't have translators, so we have to rely on the 12-year-old daughters (for example) to translate.'



— Bob Casey, assistant director, Nashville Safe Haven Family Shelter, a 20-year-old homeless shelter for families in Nashville."

Saturday, January 3, 2004

Nashville churches, businesses to celebrate Hispanic "Three Kings Day" holiday





"El Dia De Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day, falls on Jan. 6. For immigrants from Mexico, in particular, this is the holiday that children race out of bed to open gifts and family cooks prepare lavish holiday spreads.



"Also known as Epiphany, the day commemorates the biblical story of the Magi, or wise men, who arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the newly born Jesus."



"At St. William Catholic Community Church in Shelbyville, the sermon's message will be 'what gift can we bring this year to the Christ child,' said the Rev. Paul Portland, the priest leading the Mass."



"Portland expects 250 to 300 people at the Spanish-language service he will conduct tomorrow, about the same turnout as every Sunday in the small church that seats 150. There are chairs in the hallways and a big screen television to broadcast the sermon to those unable to fit in the sanctuary."



"Jan. 6 is the busiest day of the year for bakeries catering to the Hispanic population, said Patricia Paiva, owner of Aurora Bakery on Nolensville Pike."



Nashville City Paper article here

Hispanic baby is Nashville's first in 2004





"Her parents, who do not speak English and spoke through an interpreter, said they first learned they had the first baby of 2004 from a nurse and later from a relative who called them."



"Asked if their goal was to have the first baby of the new year, the parents laughed and said their baby had been born 11 days early."



"'It's very special to have the first baby, but we didn't try to do that,' Nancy Perez said."



"The father, Jesus Jiminez, said he was just happy that the baby, their first child, was healthy. Jiminez, a restaurant worker, moved to Nashville from Mexico about four years ago, and Perez, a homemaker, moved here about three years ago."

Friday, January 2, 2004

Immigrant-fueled residential home boom caused controversy in 2003





"Heroes of the daily stories that happened this year in Southeast Davidson County speak many languages, come from a multitude of countries and have many different colors of skin."



"There are those like Luz Moralez, a single mom of a 5-year-old girl, who celebrated Christmas in her first home in Providence Park subdivision. She, along with hundreds of others, many of whom are immigrants, got a shot at pursuing their American dreams."



"Take the Antioch cluster of schools, for example. Parents and Metro school officials met to talk about short- and long-term solutions to the serious problem of public schools unable to accommodate the volume of students."



"All but one school in that cluster — Lakeview Elementary — are overcrowded, by an average of 100 students each. All but the one are surrounded by portable classrooms, forcing students and teachers to commute to restrooms and libraries."



Article also mentions five October resignations from board of "Hispanic Chamber of Commerce" without specifying Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce or Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Thursday, January 1, 2004

2004 babies will grow up in more diverse Tennessee





"By 2025, the white population in the state is expected to grow by 22%, the African-American population by 43%, the Native American population by 50%, the Asian population by 113% and the Hispanic population by 125%."



"That's different from the Tennessee you were born into today, in which 80% are white, 16% are African-American, Asians are less than 1%, and Hispanic residents are about 2%."



"Along with newcomers like yourself, there are 97,000 new foreign-born immigrants who will be your neighbors by 2025, along with 845,000 people moving here from other states."
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