Thursday, September 30, 2004

Hispanics are largest minority group in 24 Tennessee counties; statewide population at 2%





"In 24 Tennessee counties, the largest minority is no longer African-American. It's Hispanic."



"In Sevier County, for example, where 97.6% of residents are white, Hispanics, at 1.5% of the population, outnumber blacks at 0.6% of the population by more than 2-1, but both minorities have a small presence."



"South of Nashville, Bedford County is home to a greater percentage of Hispanic residents than anywhere else in the state - 10% - while African-Americans are 8% of the population."



"Tennessee overall remains 2% Hispanic, 17% black and 81% white, according to Census estimates released today."



The Tennessean

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

No injunction in federal suit against driving certificates





"[Federal judge Todd] Campbell ruled against a preliminary injunction to discontinue production of the certificates and allow those with these certificates to once again apply for a Tennessee driver's license."



"Campbell wrote that the court 'is not persuaded that the injury rises to the level of a constitutional violation.'"



"'Under the amendments to the Tennessee statute, such a person is still eligible to receive a drivers' certificate, and therefore, is able to lawfully operate a motor vehicle just like those individuals who hold a drivers' license. Thus, no right is infringed,' wrote Campbell. 'The fact that the state could have made other rational decisions, for instance allowing no driving privileges at all for illegal aliens, does not make the current law irrational.'"



"'We tried to find some middle ground here and so far it is working in the state,' [Governor] Bredesen said of the new law. 'I'm pleased that a federal judge would agree that it is a reasonable compromise between the rights of individuals, albeit illegal aliens, in some cases, and the needs of our state and our nation.'"



Nashville City Paper, Tennessean

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Nashville Scene dining guide features 14 Hispanic and Tex-Mex restaurants





"Coco Loco offers a dining experience as close to perfect as anyone could ask for. 4600 Nolensville Rd. 781-9050. Open daily for dining 11 am-10 pm, with club hours until 3 am Tues.-Sat. $$-$$$"



"Birria—steam-cooked goat in a stew served with corn tortillas and hot sauce—may be an acquired taste, but it's the specialty at Las Chivas. 4021 Nolensville Pk. 831-3595. Hours: 10:30 am-10 pm Mon.-Fri.; 8 am-9:30 pm Sat.-Sun. $-$$"



"Delivered steaming-hot off the grill, Dona Rosa's pupusas resemble more a stuffed pancake than a dumpling, but don't skimp on the filling, or the tangy slaw on the side. Parked in the lot of Zack's ExpressMart, 5101 Nolensville Road. Hours: 9 am-10 pm Mon.-Thurs.; 9 am-7:30 pm Fri.; 6-10 pm Sat.; and 7 am-10 pm Sun. $"



Other restaurants reviewed: Chez Jose, El Inca, Honduras Restaurant, La Hacienda Taqueria, La Paz, Las Americas Taqueria & Pupuseria, La Terraza, Qdoba, Rosepepper Cantina & Mexican Grill, San Antonio Taco Co., Super Pollo



Nashville Scene

Monday, September 27, 2004

New Saint Thomas facility will nearly triple size of Hispanic-focused clinic





"Saint Thomas Health Services expects to break ground soon on a $3 million clinic aimed at serving Nashville's growing Hispanic community."



"The 9,000-square-foot stand-alone building is to be located at Nolensville Pike near the Harding Place intersection. Construction is to begin immediately following the ground breaking Sept. 30. Completion of the project is expected in spring 2005."



"The existing 3,500-square-foot clinic was opened in December 2001 after a thorough study by the hospital to determine the level and type of needs of Nashville's multicultural population, said Greg Pope, vice president of Saint Thomas' philanthropic foundation."



"Saint Thomas considers the facility to be an 'outreach clinic designed to meet the multiple needs of new immigrants locating in Nashville,' particularly Hispanics, said Nancy Anness, executive director of community health centers for the hospital. Patients of Hispanic ethnicity make up about 85 percent of the existing clinic's patient volume."



Nashville City Paper

Friday, September 24, 2004

Federal judge hears discrimination challenge to certificate of driving law





"An attorney representing Hispanics in Tennessee said Thursday in federal court that the state’s new driver’s license laws are discriminatory against legal and illegal aliens and should be struck down."



"'Troopers divided people because of their nationality and the way they looked and the color of their skin,' said [Attorney Jerry] Gonzalez. 'It sends chills up my back thinking how black people were treated in the 1960s.'"



"State attorney Mike Meyers said the new law 'does not target any group.' Following Sept. 11, he said the driver's license was one of the main ways terrorists were able to legally move around the United States, and Tennessee was just looking for a 'protective means to prevent abuse of licenses.'"



"'The government thinks it can run a flag up the pole, call it homeland security and everybody will bow down and nobody will know what they're doing,' Gonzalez told the judge Thursday."



"Federal Judge Todd Campbell said he would make a ruling as early as next week."



Nashville City Paper, Williamson County Review AppealWKRN

Thursday, September 23, 2004

Doing Business with the Hispanic Market seminar October 5





"Join us for this informative seminar on doing business with the Hispanic community. Learn from local experts: understanding cultural issues, immigration opportunities with regard to hiring, and how to market correctly to this growing demographic."



"Presentor/panelists include: Jose Gonzalez, Conexion Americas; Mabel Arroyo, Stites & Harbison; Marcela Gomez, Hispanic Marketing Group; Wynne James, Stites & Harbison"



"Tuesday, October 5, 2004; 8:00 - 11:30 a.m."



"Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, 2120 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203"



Nashville Business Journal, Hispanic Nashville Calendar*

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

First Hispanic Festival of Clarksville this Saturday





"Saturday will be a celebration of Latino music, food and dance during the first Hispanic Festival of Clarksville."



"The event, at the Havana Cafe on Fort Campbell Boulevard, invites all people who enjoy cultures from Spanish-speaking countries. It also is designed as a forum for education and meeting new friends."



"The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Montgomery County has a population of 141,064 residents, with close to 8,000 residents of Hispanic or Latino origin."



"'I think it's much higher, more like 12,000,' said [Austin Peay State University Spanish professor Ramon] Magrans, who takes into account the many migrant Hispanic workers who come to Tennessee and Kentucky for service, construction and agricultural jobs."



"The Hispanic Festival will be from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday, at the Havana Cafe, 2463 Fort Campbell Blvd. (near Gate 1)"



"For information, call Angel Natal at 980-4391."



theleafchronicle.com, Hispanic Nashville Calendar*

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Yuri Cunza is elected President of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce





"The new president of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce wants its members to use their resources to help others."



"Yuri Cunza recently was elected to preside over the chamber, housed in offices at Harding Mall."



"Cunza, publisher and editor of La Noticia Spanish language newspaper, has been on the board for a year."



The Tennessean

Monday, September 20, 2004

Editorial: "Contrived" Hispanic Heritage Month fails to tell true story





"With all of this historic reality, it seems a little silly to be focusing on 'Hispanic Heritage Month,' with its contrived messages to honor all things Latin."



"A more productive plan would be to ratchet the love down a few notches and spread it more equitably and honestly through the other 10 months as well."



"The numbers have long been in and most everyone has caught on. Hispanics are the largest racial or ethnic minority with more than 38 million people and have a buying power of $540 billion."



"Look for lots of advertising that includes olive-hued girls dancing in ribbon-trimmed, folkloric dresses. Never mind few people actually wear such outfits, except on a stage."



"The full story about Latinos' presence in America is much more complicated than diatribes about legal and illegal immigration."



"There are 1.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States, hard-working people who most likely are no one's gardener or roofer."



"The majority of Latinos in the United States speak English."



"Still, the bulk of discussion about Latinos seems to revolve around those who wear the dreaded 'illegal' label."



"The most inflamed estimates put the number of people illegally living in the United States at 10 million. Not all are Hispanic, maybe only 60 percent."



"That leaves 32 million Latinos who are legally here, most of whom were born in the United States - every bit as American as those who can join the Daughters of the American Revolution."



Houston Chronicle

Saturday, September 18, 2004

Language is greater barrier to health care in the South than elsewhere





"Limited English skills and the lack of Spanish-speaking health workers have prevented many Hispanic patients from seeking appropriate medical care, according to a survey released Friday by the National Council of La Raza."



"The reluctance of Hispanics to seek or even trust the health care system in the South is similar to that in other parts of the country, experts say. But the difference in the South is that the Hispanic population has exploded so quickly that health services have yet to catch up."



"In Georgia, Hispanics were nearly 2 percent of the population in 1990 and grew to more than 5 percent by 2000. Atlanta's Hispanic population has grown 30 percent and Nashville's has grown by 21 percent during the same period, the organization said."



"The survey, which interviewed Hispanic residents and health providers in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee--the states with the largest recent growth of Hispanics--found that Hispanic communities have very limited sources of health information."



Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday, September 17, 2004

United Methodist leaders sound alarm: racial profiling is "out of control"





"A report that 32 million people have been victims of

racial profiling practices since September 2001 should move United Methodist

churches to speak out on injustices against racial and religious minorities,

according to two denomination leaders."



"The unlawful use of race in police, immigration, and airport security

procedures has expanded since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on

America, and threatens to affect an estimated 87 million people in the United

States, according to the report by Amnesty International USA. The report,

'Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security and Human Rights

in the United States,' was released at a press conference Sept. 13 at the

National Press Club."



"'During our research, we collected testimony from Native Americans who were

profiled going to and from religious ceremonies, Hispanics who were profiled

while in the sanctity of their homes, African Americans who were profiled

walking down the street, and a Boy Scout, who happens to be Muslim,

constantly being subjected to airport searches,' said Benjamin Todd Jealous,

director of Amnesty International USA's Domestic Human Rights Program."



"The Rev. Chester Jones, top staff executive of the United Methodist

Commission on Religion and Race, said the sheer number of people reporting

that they've been racially profiled 'is out of control for any nation.'"



"'The church should weep over the national use of racial profiling against

such a large population of the nation,' Jones said."



United Methodist News Service

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Toast to Mexican Independence Day tonight at La Terraza





"Join the brand new Board of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NAHCC) as they kick off Hispanic Heritage Month."



"Thursday, September 16, 5:30pm - 7:30 pm, La Terraza Mexican Restaurant, 5751 Nolensville Road, Nashville, 37211, 615-835-0106"



"Free for NAHCC members, $5 for non-members"



Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Latin American foreign policy and Latino communication styles: topics at Vanderbilt during Hispanic Heritage Month





"Terrorizing the Poor: U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America"

Father Roy Bourgeois, political activist

School of the Americas Watch

Thursday, 30 September 2004 

Benton Chapel, 7:00 p.m.

Sponsors:  Divinity School and Office of the University Chaplain and Affiliated Ministries



"Te Conozco Bacalao: Differences in Communication Styles Between Latinos and European Americans"

William Cruz, President, TCB Consulting

Tuesday, 5 October 2004

4:30 p.m.

Principal Sponsor:  Vanderbilt Association of Hispanic Students



Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, Vanderbilt Association of Hispanic Students

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Belcourt hosts compelling cross-border drama Maria Full of Grace





"In an Entertainment Weekly interview, director Joshua Marston said that in making Maria Full of Grace, his intention was 'to confront stereotypes.' And the film does that, in a fashion. But this portrayal of a Colombian teenager who becomes a drug mule is exhilarating for being so much more than that. The film doesn't have a pedagogic feel; it doesn't seem to be teaching A Lesson About the Real Face of the Colombian People."



"Those subtexts are probably there, all right, but they stay buried. The focus of the film is entirely on the title character: a pregnant teen who leaves her job in a rose factory after a dispute with her boss. From there, she begins a harrowing journey to the streets of New York's Colombian section, where she is expected to deliver a swallowed cache of narcotics. But things go wrong with Maria's ability to keep the rubber-coated drug pellets inside her. The film works as a drug-smuggling procedural as her situation worsens."



"Catalina Sandino Moreno is perfect, a word I don't use casually, as Maria. It's hard to describe what's so good about her because it's like trying to pin down someone's breathing. She's a bit like Scarlett Johansson in that her greatest virtue is her assurance, her ability to just 'be' on camera - convincing you that she's being caught in the act, rather than Acting. The other performances in Maria Full of Grace are also small naturalistic gems, particularly Patricia Rae as Carla, the woman whose family hosts Maria for a time once she reaches New York (and who serves as a possible image of Maria's future)."



"Maria Full of Grace was honored with the Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and two awards at the 54th Berlin International Film Festival: Catalina Sandino Moreno shared the Silver Bear for Best Actress with Charlize Theron of Monster, and the film won the Alfred Bauer Prize for Best First Feature for director Joshua Marston."



Nashville Scene, The Belcourt Theatre

Monday, September 13, 2004

Nashville churches diversify, multiply by teaching English





"The Wednesday-night English-as-a-second-language lessons at West End Church of Christ are among a growing number of such classes - called 'language missions' by many churches - that are drawing more and more recent immigrants into church basements and meeting rooms across Nashville."



"Hickory Grove Presbyterian pastor Mike Graham said he hoped the classes would be a way for his small congregation of 80-90 to expand and include more of the area's Hispanic community."



"'We're not a picture of all tribes, tongues and nations working together. We don't want to be just an Anglo church.'"



"More than half of all immigrants ages 5 and older in Middle Tennessee speak little or no English, according to the U.S. Census. Those immigrants have fueled a growing demand for English classes. More than 6,000 students enrolled in Metro adult ESL classes last year alone."



"More than two dozen new Southern Baptist 'language congregations' - non-English-speaking churches - open in Tennessee each year, and some start as offshoots of ESL programs, said Tim Hill of the Tennessee Baptist Convention."



"More than 100 churches responded to Hill's last survey of ESL programs, and Hill estimates there are twice that many Tennessee Southern Baptist churches offering some kind of regular English lessons to immigrants."



The Tennessean

Friday, September 10, 2004

Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 - October 15, 2004





"In 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim a week in September as National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15-Oct. 15). During this month, America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively."



"The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2003, is 39.9 million, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest race or ethnic minority. Hispanics constitute 13.7 percent of the nation’s total population. (This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.)"



"Forty percent (40%) of the Hispanic population was foreign-born in 2002. Among the foreign-born Hispanic population that year, 52 percent entered the United States between 1990 and 2002."



"The number of Latino veterans of the U.S. armed forces numbers 1.1 million. About 63,000 Hispanic-origin people were on active duty in 2002 in the United States."



U.S. Census Bureau

Thursday, September 9, 2004

Hispanic children are more likely to be overweight than their non-Hispanic peers





"Another new study on obesity in young people points to the fact that daily physical education in schools should be mandatory."



"Government figures show that about 15 percent of students in our nation's schools are overweight."



"The American Heart Association has found that 11.9 percent of Caucasian boys and 12 percent of Caucasian girls ages 6-11 are overweight. The figures are worse for blacks, where 17.6 percent of boys and 22.1 percent of girls are overweight in that age group. And the statistics are even worse for Hispanic children, with 27.3 percent of boys and 19.6 percent of girls overweight."



Nashville City Paper

Wednesday, September 8, 2004

State universities struggle to meet court-ordered diversity goals





"Actions taken to increase diversity among institutions of higher education in Tennessee as ordered under the Geier Consent Decree may need more time to bear fruit."



"Signed in 2001, the consent decree prescribes a five-year plan to integrate the state’s colleges and universities as well as increase overall enrollment."



"A committee of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) heard reports Tuesday that said much progress has been made in instigating more racial balance among its colleges and universities, but that undergraduate enrollment numbers are slow to reflect the efforts."



"'I think you will find this is one of the most important and pressing issues of the board at this time,' Geier Committee Chair Buddy Bowers said."



"[Atlanta attorney and] Geier court monitor Carlos Gonzalez urged them to remember the values of Geier when searching for a new TSU president."



"'It is essential that you find a president who is committed to …the outreach for non-traditional students,' Gonzalez said. 'Diversity benefits everyone.'"



Nashville City Paper

Tuesday, September 7, 2004

Mercy Children's Clinic treats Hispanic children without health insurance





"When 2-year-old Mariana Garcia got a hacking cough, mother Ana Cruz knew where she could take her and it wouldn't matter that they are uninsured and don't speak English - Mercy Children's Clinic."



"The faith-based pediatric healthcare ministry treats children from birth to 18 years of age and encourages care for those without insurance or who are enrolled in TennCare. It's treated more than 4,500 children with help in great part to runners and walkers each year at the Franklin Classic."



"'It's very important because the children get treatment,' Cruz said with the help of Veronica Cropper, the clinic's Hispanic Patient Advocate."



The Tennessean

Friday, September 3, 2004

Hispanic AIDS charity benefits from controversial Frist fundraiser in NYC





"Senate Republican leader Bill Frist turned over six $500,000 checks to organizations battling AIDS on Wednesday and defended his fund-raising efforts that resulted in the $3 million."



"'The supporters (who donated money) got absolutely nothing but the satisfaction of knowing they save lives, now and in the future,' he said."



"The six charities receiving the $500,000 checks [include] Esperanza USA: Pledge of Hope, described in World of Hope materials as an anti-AIDS initiative established by 'one of the largest Hispanic faith-based community development corporations.'"



"Wednesday night Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., was able to raise unlimited money from undisclosed sources by staging an outdoor concert at Rockefeller Center as a charity fund-raiser for the fight against AIDS."



"Some of the major AIDS activists disapprove, even though a percentage of proceeds will go to AIDS charities."



"Salih Booker, executive director of Africa Action, an organization dedicated to improving social conditions in Africa, said such events were 'a way of giving tax deductions to people who are simply trying to buy access to power.'"



Scripps Howard News Service, ABCNews.com

Thursday, September 2, 2004

Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce strengthens network in Clarksville





"The Clarksville Chamber of Commerce is forming a partnership with the Tennessee Hispanic Chamber."



"Last week, the Hispanic Chamber announced plans to expand into Montgomery County."



"'This is going to be very good, not only for our existing members, but also for the growth of our local business community,' says Christy Batts, executive director of the Clarksville chamber. 'Our focus is to help this organization hit the ground running. We have made a proposal that would initially create a Hispanic chamber as a division of our own chamber.'"



Nashville Business Journal

Wednesday, September 1, 2004

East Tennessee nonprofits release Hispanic resource directory





"Knoxville's Promise and Alianza Del Pueblo, a nonprofit, grassroots organization, have created a free, bilingual resource directory for members of East Tennessee's Hispanic community."



"Directorio Bilingue de Recursos Para la Comunidad Hispana del Este de Tennessee is designed to help Spanish-speaking people find child-care, educational, senior services, immigration information, health-care and other organizations."



"Copies also can be obtained from Knoxville's Promise, 865-523-2775, or Alianza Del Pueblo, 865-573-2254."



KnoxNews
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