The United States and Cuba officially reestablished diplomatic relations this week with the official opening of each country’s embassies in Washington and Havana. The openings, marked by a ceremonial flag-raising at each location, represent the culmination of diplomatic work that was first announced in December 2014 by President Obama at the White House. Cuban Foreign Minister […]
Comentarios from Maria: Republicans are in Big Trouble
July 20, 2015 By
If elections are about the future, then the GOP is in big trouble. The historic Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage in all 50 states, the aftermath of the Charleston tragedy, and the public’s reaction to a racist rant by a GOP presidential candidate display a country ready to leap forward to a future of […]
Democrats Take Aim at Trump, GOP Field; Clinton Offers Economic Agenda
July 14, 2015 By
In two major speeches this week, one at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation’s largest Hispanic advocacy group, and the other at The New College in New York City, Hillary Clinton laid out her clearest vision yet on her economic agenda for 2016 and took aim at […]
Comentarios from Maria: Climate Change, the Challenge that Implicates Us All
July 13, 2015 By
Last week I had the enormous privilege of joining the environmental group, Moms Clean Air Force (MCAF), and Voces Verdes to express our grave concern for the alarming changes in climate that put the health of our children at risk. Each year some 6,600 children die prematurely and an additional 150,000 suffer from asthma attacks […]
The Growing Political Power of Dominican-Americans in the Northeast
July 13, 2015 By
By Adrian D. Pantoja and Manny Matos During the 2012 presidential election, Latino voters were finally recognized as being decisive in shaping national politics. No doubt the 2016 presidential contest will once again provide a national spotlight for Latino political power. Despite the hype surrounding the power of the “Latino vote,” it is important to […]
Martin O’Malley to Keynote NCLR’s Annual Conference
July 10, 2015 By
Democratic presidential candidate former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley is set to give the keynote address to the nation’s largest Latino advocacy organization in the country next week at the National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. O’Malley has made issues important to the nation’s Latino community central in his quest […]
Chef José Andrés Backs out of Restaurant Deal at Trump Hotel
July 9, 2015 By
On the heels of Donald Trump’s inflammatory comments deriding Mexican immigrants, D.C.-based chef José Andrés announced that he will withdraw from opening his flagship restaurant in the forthcoming Trump hotel – a $200 million redevelopment project at the historic Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Republican presidential candidate and business magnate responded with […]
Comentarios from Maria: A Week of Big Victories
July 6, 2015 By
We’ve just lived through a great week in history! It was a triumphant week not only for the Obama Administration, but also for the civil rights of all Americans. We saw the Supreme Court of the United States decide the constitutional future of the Fair Housing Act, the Healthcare Law, also known as Obamacare, and […]
U.S. and Cuba Agree to Reopen Embassies, Restore Full Diplomatic Relations
July 1, 2015 By
Washington D.C. and Havana, Cuba will each open the doors at two new embassies on July 20 after over a half-century of diplomatic isolation, President Obama announced in the Rose Garden on Wednesday. The move comes following a wave of dramatically warming relations between the two Cold War foes, marking the most palpable sign of progress […]
Puerto Rico Calls for Bankruptcy, Asks Creditors to Postpone Debt Payments
June 30, 2015 By
Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla asked that his commonwealth be allowed to restructure its $73 billion in public debt under U.S. bankruptcy code, saying the island will soon run out of cash and will likely have an effect on the roughly 5 million people of Puerto Rican descent living in the mainland United States. Puerto Rico […]
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