*Please note the change in the name of the location. Our meeting will take place at Dad’s Inn and the number is (517) 393-1650.

LAHBA BUSINESS MEETING

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Check-in: 5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Location: 
Dad’s Inn – Magnuson
6501 S Pennsylvania Ave
Lansing, MI 48911
(517) 393-1650

Hosted by:
Bank of America

Merchant Services solutions:
George Bitsicas, Merchant Services Representative

Banking Essentials for every Business Owner:
Tiberlene McPeak, Branch Manager

Services Offered to Business Owners:
Tiberlene McPeak

—

Lansing Area Hispanic Business Association
www.lahba.org 
Linked In
Facebook

The Heritage Festival enhances the official invitation by the Public Museum to move the annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration to the Museum and make it part of its annual programming. You will want to experience this inaugural celebration of Mexican cuisine, music, dance, and a short program in the Museum Grand Galleria: Thursday, May 3 – beginning at 11:30 a.m. Food tickets may be purchased upon arrival.

Hey everyone Los Vazquez Sounds just updated their site with their new song this month “Forget you” a cover song of Cee Lo Green. I’ve included the link to the original song below as well as links to their accounts on YouTube and iTunes.  Enjoy their new song this month of January, it was a long wait but it was finally released.

The song was released on Angie Vazquez 11th birthday this January 17 2012. Angie Vazquez vocalists for Los Vazquez Sounds is now 11 years old,  so happy birthday Angie.  Her brothers  Abelardo Vazquez (15 Years Old) plays the Guitar, bass and piano and  Gustavo Vazquez (13 Years Old) plays Drums.  I don’t have info on their birthdays but I’ll post them as soon as I get a chance.  I’m sure this was the song Angie picked for hers. The song is set on the beach with Angie ridding around on her bike. Its a nice video a completely different take on the Cee Lo Green version.

The song was announced on their Facebook page with a cryptic image of the three blurred out and then a revised image of a coming soon image. I liked the idea but wish they would have given us a bit more time since the song was released within a few hours of the coming soon image.

Los Vazquez Sounds fans are still waiting for a Spanish song for the trio to sing.  It’s the New Year and we still have plenty of time for the release of their new song. I guess we’ll have to wait for their next release to see who they decide to cover next, or maybe they will surprise us with a song of their own.

Original Cee Lo Green Video YouTube:

Los Vazquez Sounds Official iTunes:  http://itunes.apple.com/mx/artist/vazquez-sounds/id484671582
Video Aberaldo Vazquez inviting you to his new Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2505655614672

Abelardo Vazquez facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abelardo-V%C3%A1zquez/243748819022582
Gustavo Vazquez Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gustavo-Vazquez/294478373919153
Vazquez Sounds on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/VazquezSounds

Dear LAHBA members,
Just a friendly reminder about our LAHBA meeting on Wednesday, January 18 from 5 – 7:30pm.
Location:

Meijer Okemos Store
2055 W. Grand River Ave
Okemos, MI 48864

Please refer to the attached flyer for additional details.

Michigan Tequila Party Rally

Register on their website.
When: January 19, 2012 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Location: Heart of West Michigan United Way, 118 Commerce Ave SW # 100 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-4106

Hispanic Inclusion and Cultural Competency in West Michigan

Cultural competency education and communicating with the LEP population in a language they can understand is very important.  El Centro Translations at the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan provides interpreting and translation services and educational opportunities that will help English speakers reach out to LEP individuals. We know that companies, organizations and service providers derive a lot of business from the LEP population; and we know that the future success of businesses and organizations hinges on their ability to actively reach out to LEP individuals today.

The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Grand Rapids, wants to help you have a successful and satisfying career in the nonprofit sector. This takes a few things: learning opportunities, networking with like-minded people, recognition, and the opportunity to lead alongside colleagues. During the Third Thursday of each month YNPN hosts a Conversation Starter, a peer lead discussion about issues that impact your career and organization.  

Currently this event takes place at United Way from 8am until 9:30 am.

Language has always been a way people can easily segregate themselves from one another but religious institutions pride themselves that their faith will unite different people of all races and language. After all speaking in tongues to preach the word of God was common in biblical times to spread the gospel and was essential for the expansion of christian theology. Even today speaking in tongues is a sign of God’s holy spirit in many evangelical churches.

However its clear that the Bible Belt with some of the most fundamental christian views;  values of love thy neighbor and help those in need apply only as long as you have a visa or a citizen. If not you’re just an “alien” not welcomed.

Christians in the Bible Belt are readily willing to go against convention in believing in a literal interpretation of the bible even though it clashes with very established scientific fact. Fundamentalist Christians believe the earth is 6 million years old, that dinosaurs and humans existed during the same time period and evolution and genetics are a scientific propaganda.

The force and energy the use to defend these irrational believes and not willing to extend a compassionate hand to those who are different because of an immigration status show the hypocrisy the Bible Belt has demonstrated in their support of these immigration laws.

Passionately Conservative Christians support the recognition of an Israeli state and the rights of Israeli citizens against fear of Islamic extremist, but they look the other way when here in their own churches their own members are victimized with fear of extortion and deportation because of their legal status. The support of Israel in the middle east takes higher priority than their brethren which shares their churches.  They care more about the rights of those in another country than those that live within their own border.

In a way to protect themselves from legal prosecution, churches are beginning to start a “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy to their immigrant flocks. If they don’t ask about their immigration status they can’t be held accountable is the idea. Look the other way is the idea. It’s funny how they do this in their churches but are willing to punish employers who do the same in the work place and brand them as anti-american for hiring “alien” workers. I guess as long as the donations filter through its OK. Take but never give is the staple of modern Christianity.

Fourth Annual Community Spirit Award Dinner Thursday, March 29, 2012

Tickets are on sale on the eventbrite website $50 per person, $500 for a table of 10. For additional information about the CSA Dinner, please contact Erica at (616) 451-9140 or erica@lincrev.org

LINC Community Revitalization Inc. will be hosting our 2012 Community Spirit Awards on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at the Goei Center in downtown Grand Rapids. LINC founded the Community Spirit Awards to recognize the commitment and support of community members who choose to go above and beyond, devoting their time, energy and skills to revitalizing their neighborhoods.

Last year over 300 people attended the event to recognize 9 incredible organizations and individuals for their tireless work.  This year the need is just as great as our organization continues to grow.  Our story has just begun.

Our approach to holistic neighborhood revitalization is founded on four pillars: Economic Development, Real Estate Development, Neighborhood Services and Resident Services. LINC continues to expand its efforts through strategic alignment of local and national resources, collaborating with numerous organizations and stakeholders in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

LINC is a community revitalization organization that understands what it takes to help our communities exceed.  The Community Spirit Award recipients epitomize that spirit. It is a pleasure to salute these individuals for their innovation and commitment to community. Through their significant investments and efforts, they are strengthening our neighborhoods and ensuring that this is a great place to live.

2011 CSA Winners

Cornerstone Award: United Methodist House

Collaboration Award: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

Innovation Award: Revolution Christian Ministries

Enterprise Award: Kellogg Foundation

Youth Spirit: Tera Dentmond

Community Spirit: Joe Jones

Independent Spirit: Eddie Grover

Non-Profit of the Year: Kroc Center

Visionary Award: James Jones

Please take a moment to consider making a nomination for one or several of these categories.  Make a nomination!

For additional information about the CSA Dinner, please contact Erica at (616) 451-9140 or erica@lincrev.org

*Sponsorship opportunities available.

via LINC Community Spirit Award Dinner – Eventbrite.

Spend lunchtime with …
Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins
& Elvis Presley

(As portrayed by some of the most talented artists you may have ever seen!)

Website: http://www.maldef.org/  Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the “law firm of the Latino community”, MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access.

Recent News:
Court finds the State’s current system unconstitutional and requires funding to be based on actual costs of providing a thorough and uniform system of public education

DENVER, CO – Recently a state district court in Denver, Colorado ruled in favor of plaintiffs in the State’s first adequacycase, Lobato v. Colorado, a lawsuit in which MALDEF represented Colorado parents as plaintiff-intervenors seeking adequate funding for at-risk and English Language Learner (“ELL”) students in the Colorado school finance system.

In a 189-page, scathing decision following a five-week trial in August of 2011, the court held that “the Colorado public school finance system is not rationally related to the mandate to establish and maintain a thorough and uniform system of free public schools. On the contrary, the public school finance system is irrational, arbitrary, and severely underfunded.”

With this ruling, the court enjoined the current finance system and requires the General Assembly to adopt a system that “fulfills the qualitative mandate of the Education Clause and the rights guaranteed to the Plaintiffs thereunder and that is in full compliance with the requirements of the Local Control Clause.” The injunction is stayed until the end of the 2012 legislative session.

Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF President and General Counsel, stated, “Latino students in Colorado and nationwide are essential to our nation’s future continued success and prosperity. The court’s decision is one critical step toward ensuring that we invest adequately and fairly in our national future by ensuring that all public school students receive the right educational tools to contribute to their full potential.”

David Hinojosa, MALDEF Southwest Regional Counsel and lead counsel for plaintiff-intervenors in the case, added, “The court’s courageous decision is the first step in fixing a broken educational system that disproportionately harms at-risk and ELL students. We hope the General Assembly will see this as a wake-up call and live up to its responsibility under the Colorado Constitution by fully and fairly funding educational opportunity for all school children, including Colorado’s most vulnerable.”

The Lobato plaintiffs originally filed the lawsuit in Denver District Court in 2005 on behalf of parents and school districts, arguing that the State of Colorado had failed to adequately fund their education. MALDEF’s intervention in February 2010 focused on the inadequate funding for at-risk students and ELL students. MALDEF also sought a declaration that funding for facilities in property-poor school districts is insufficient and that such communities have been stripped of local control over their educational programs.

In its ruling, the court stated, “there is not enough money in the system to permit school districts across the State to properly implement standards-based education and to meet the requirements of state law and regulation. This is true for districts of every description – rural, suburban, urban and those with small or large student populations. There is not one school district that is sufficiently funded. This is an obvious hallmark of an irrational system.”

The court went on to state that “The problem has been compounded by the fact that during this same time Colorado and virtually every school district have experienced significant demographic changes, particularly in the number and concentrations of English language learners, ethnic minorities, and children of poverty.”

Among the courts findings relative to the plaintiff-intervenor claims, the court agreed with MALDEF that the two-year limitation for state ELL funding is arbitrary and irrational and that the total ELL funding is insufficient. The court also agreed that the amount of funding for at-risk students is inadequate and the failure to include students on the reduced-priced lunch program for at-risk funding is arbitrary. Further, the court agreed that preschool and full-day kindergarten programs benefit especially at-risk and ELL students and the State’s failure to fully fund quality programs is irrational. The court further held that many low wealth school districts in the state were not adequately funded to meet their school facility needs.

MALDEF counsel included staff attorneys Marisa Bono and Rebecca Couto. Local counsel included Henry Solano from Dewey LeBoeuf LLP and Steven Perfrement from Holme, Roberts & Owen LLP.