Tuesday, September 30, 2008
In Good Health
What? You didn't know about the Latino Health Forum? It's an annual event presented by Sea Mar Community Health Centers, Public Health Seattle-King County, and the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle to coincide with Binational Health Week. The event will take place at South Seattle Community College, all day Tuesday the 7th. For more details: http://groups.google.com/group/latino-health-forum-seattle?pli=1 or call Spence Comstock at 206-788-3200 or Irma Farsch at 206-764-4700.
This is one of those significant events that would be terrific for the right sponsor...especially if you work in the healthcare industry, your organization may want to think about this kind of opportunity in your 2009 planning to reach local Latinos!
Monday, September 29, 2008
GO, COUGS!
According to the article by Michelle Dupler, multicultural students enrolled in Fall 2008 represent 15% (versus 12.6% last fall). Multicultural students at the Pullman campus are at 15.1%, although a definitely different makeup than those at Tri-Cities, a more traditionally Latino market.
Students at the Tri-Cities campus id'ing themselves as Hispanic nearly doubled from 2006 to 2008--from 75 to 141.
My favorite part of the article was the quote from Chancellor Vicky Carwein, who said the campus is making an effort to recruit not only Hispanic students, but also Hispanic faculty and staff. She said, "Studies show you do a better job of recruiting and retaining Hispanic students if you have faculty and staff that are like them."
This is what Edgar and Holli Martinez are saying, too! (see previous post)
Congrats to WSU Tri-Cities and to its new director of student affairs, Jaime Contreras, who has helped educate the educators on this significant issue.
El Supermercado
This is a Florida Latino grocery store chain that is shifting their new stores to better appeal to the second-generation Hispanic while attempting to retain the first-generation shopper. This includes changes in decor (high ceilings, new colors) as well as product line (more prepared Hispanic foods as well as general-market products). It really shows where the market's going (in some geographic areas, anyway) when a Latino chain shifts its focus like that.
Here in the Northwest, for the most part we're still working on the first-generation customer with our local retail. I remember Cost Cutters up in Everett, which underwent a complete makeover about four years ago. It had been a mainstream grocery store with some Latino customers, until the store manager got the brilliant idea that he could better serve his Latino customers' needs with more Latin American products and a festive ambience. Of course, that also included hiring more bilingual checkers and other staff to serve the customers he was expecting to shop at the new Cost Cutters.
Once he made the switch he was amazed, because not only did it appear that all area Hispanics were now shopping at his store, but that their shopping carts averaged 30% higher receipts! This was likely due to the generally larger households in the Latino community and the focus this group puts on food and home cooking. The manager mentioned that, while he did lose some of his regulars who were not Latino, he gained loyalty among the Latino community almost instantly, and word of mouth helped business boom in a way that surpassed prior sales. He was content with the shift.
The (Mixed) Race Card
This article was likely spurred by Obama's run for president and the subsequent new focus on race. They say he'll be "the first black U.S. president," which is interesting, because he's actually mixed race. Somehow the minority race trumps Caucasian, and not just with Obama.
This is my opportunity to gently remind readers that "Hispanic" is not a race. Nor is "Latino." They are both terms describing culture. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race, or mixed race. Oddly, in government forms "Hispanic/Latino" actually trumps race. "White, non-Hispanic," "Black, non-Hispanic," "Hispanic."
Interesante, ¿verdad? Some call Hispanics/Latinos "brown." There are books dealing with the "brown" race.
Reading this reminded me of something that happened not too long ago with a Latina friend. We were looking at her family photos, and I noticed that several members of her family were black. I said with surprise, "You're a black woman!" And she laughed at me, because she thought I realized that all along.
But I hadn't. I always identified with this friend as a Latina--not white, nor black, nor anything else. Hispanic, Latina, Venezuelan. So even in my own mind, apparently, being Latina trumped her race, which is mixed.
I welcome any similar stories or lessons you might have. And I wish you a fabulously productive week!
Friday, September 26, 2008
We Heart Edgar
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Día de la Familia at Pacific Science Center - THIS SATURDAY
Discount coupons ($25 for a family of four) are available at the Plaza Bank Kent Station branch and were also inserted in the current La Raza del Noroeste newspapers.
Could event be a fun event for young students of Spanish! If you go, please offer your comments on the event, attendance, etc + photos if you've got 'em right here on my blog!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Local Hispanic Marketer makes good!
Check out the story:
http://www.marketingymedios.com/marketingymedios/noticias/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003853165
Oh, and this is one of those lessons--lest you assume Mark Stockdale is a gringo, please note that he hails from D.F., aka Mexico City!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Jaime Méndez moving to Bustos Media?
More to come! Enjoy the weekend.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
CALL FOR LATINO MENTORS
OK so I just discovered a really cool program within the Seattle School District. Maybe you can help me spread the word?
Guillermo Carvajal is launching the Latino Achievers Club, whose motto is Preparing Latino Boys for the Future. It's a school-based Latino project designed to give boys enhanced social and academic development, and will take place at three elementary schools in south seattle that show a high number of Latino students.
Guillermo is creating seminars and workshops designed to:
- Enhance Imagination and create independent learners
- Inspire a passion for science and math
- Encourage Career Exploration
- Teach Team Building
To get this off the ground, he needs leads for the following:
- Facilitators for Public Speaking
- Skilled trainers on time management who want to try a hand at working with Latino boys
- Money Management and kids
- Diet
- Dress for Success
- The Power of Words
- Latino Identity: Re-affirmation of Cultural Identity
- Latino mentors (male)
- Latino motivational speakers
- Self-Discipline
- Also looking for trainers / facilitators that would do creative projects such as
Model Rocket Building - Robotics
- Other creative (with a math and science base) ideas.
If you or someone you know speaks Spanish and would like to lend your talents to this terrific cause, please contact Lead Coordinator Guillermo Carvajal at 206-252-0993 or gcarvajal@seattleschools.org.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Happy Independence Day to Mexico ... And a nod to Nordstrom
Monday, September 15, 2008
Fiestas Patrias in our own backyard
At the end of the parade, there was food and aguas frescas for sale, to benefit SeaMar. The horchata rocked! Jorge Madrazo of SeaMar took the stage and we also heard from Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Congressman Jim McDermott, Senator Margarita Prentice, Rep. Bob Hasegawa, and others. Then those beautiful horses showed off more of their fancy footwork!