Speaking of EDUCATION ... read what the Martinez Foundation is doing!

This just off the press - Edgar and Holli Martinez are sponsoring 15 - count 'em - 15 Masters in Teaching scholarships for students of color through the Martinez Foundation. They're helping students at three schools, University of Washington, Washington State University, and Seattle University--with 5 scholarships to be awarded for each university.

Read the story and learn about the first recipients! Congrats!

In the New Washington State University Magazine

Well, Gigi and I--along with the state's current Hispanic demographics--got a little press in the latest magazine put out by Washington State University, my alma mater.

In the summer issue of Washington State Magazine, Editor Tim Steury includes a Panoramas feature on "Mixing It Up," and there we are!

More to come ...

Latino Community Development position eliminated at WSU

Following is an appeal, on behalf of José L. García-Pabón, Ph. D. of Washington State University. Please share this information with others who might also be concerned.

Dear friends and colleagues,

I’m writing this note to you to make you aware that my department, Community and Rural Sociology, at Washington State University will be eliminated as part of the University budget cuts. The elimination of CRS, and consequently the elimination of my position as Latino Community Development specialist is very disturbing to me and my family, but beyond that it will likely have an impact on the Latino community, since once this position is gone, it will likely be permanently gone. That is, nobody at the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resources and at WSU Extension will be working with the community and building a WSU Latino program. If I am gone:

1) I won’t be able to continue conducting the trainings and institutes on strategies to better serve the Latino community that are helping WSU Extension educators and many service providers to increase their work with and services to Latinos.

2) I won’t be able to partner with WSU Extension in Franklin and other counties to support and develop programs targeting Latino families (such as the Pathways literacy program in Pasco).

3) I won’t be able to provide information and assistance to Latinos in rural areas and small towns, in particular those involved in agriculture.

4) I won’t be able to partner with nonprofit and community organizations to help them provide more and better services to the Latino community or contribute to Latino-related boards and steering committees (such as the TC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce).

5) I won’t be able to partner with other researchers (WSU and other universities) to conduct culturally appropriate research with the Latino community to better understand the community, its trends, its needs and issues in order to develop effective outreach programs.

6) I won’t be able to help decrease the misunderstandings and stereotypes about Latinos, since I have given many presentations about who we are, what we do, what our contributions are, how diverse Latinos are, etc.

7) I won’t be able to educate WSU students, through guest lectures and campus presentations about issues impacting our community but also about the Latino contribution to economic development.

8) The diversity of WSU and its efforts to reflect the demographics of our state will be reduced.

You can send your reactions or letters back to me or my departmental chair, Ray
Jussaume (rajussaume@wsu.edu) about this situation as soon as you can, due to the short window for comments. Please feel free to forward/share this situation with others.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Jose

José L. García-Pabón, Ph. D.
Latino Community Development Specialist
and
Assistant Professor in Community and Rural Sociology
Washington State University
509-372-7389

"Washington Finally Gets Diverse" in WSU Magazine

In the current online magazine from Washington State University (my alma mater!), Professor Annabel Kirschner from the school's Department of Community and Rural Sociology, shares the latest diversity numbers for Washington State.

As we've always heard, the state's counties really differ, one from another. And King County is the one that skews the rest of the state's figures. And we also learn that the state's increasing diversity overall is illustrated as the white, non-Hispanic population has dropped below 80% for the first time since the mid-19th century.

An excerpt from the site:

In 1980, whites represented 90.2 percent of Washington’s population. By 2008, that percentage had dropped to 76.2. Actual white population over that period actually increased by better than 25 percent. However, over that same period, Washington’s Hispanic population grew by nearly 200 percent.

200 PERCENT GROWTH! Take a read! The complete draft report is also available there for download as a PDF.

Strategies to Increase Latino/a Participation in Outreach Programs

The Latino community is the largest minority group in the Northwest and will continue growing rapidly in Washington and other states in our region. Agencies and institutions are increasingly challenged to reach out and work with Latino audiences.

Dr. José L. García-Pabón, Assistant Professor and Latino Community Development Specialist at Washington State University (my alma mater!) will conduct a highly interactive workshop that provides participants with various tools, skills and strategies to recruit and retain Latinos in their programs. Presentations, panel discussions, hands-on exercises, and other activities will keep you actively engaged and learning in a respectful and casual environment.

This workshop is offered in conjunction with the "15th Annual Northwest Parenting and Family Education Conference" March 25-27 in Lynnwood, WA. Only 15 seats are available for non-conference participants.

WHEN: March 25, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Edmonds Community College, 20000 68th Avenue West, Lynnwood, WA 98036

COST: $75

REGISTRATION


For more information, please contact:
Dr. José García-Pabón
509-372-7389
garciajl@wsu.edu

In case you missed Sunday's Seattle Times article on Latino Students

Last Sunday there was a front-page article in the Times on Latinos and education. Its basic premise was that the Washington Latinos in K-12 are increasing at a greater rate than non-Latinos--but that those numbers are not represented at the university level.

I was especially interested in this data:

In the two decades ending in 2007, the number of white, non-Hispanic K-12 students grew by 6 percent, while the number of Hispanic students soared by 372 percent. By 2030, Latinos are projected to become the first minority group in Washington to top 1 million residents.

So that's at the elementary/middle/high school levels. But at the university level, the average statewide K-12 Hispanic density of about 13% is more like 5% (UW), 5.5% (WSU), and 7.2% CWU. The article goes on to herald Eastern Washington University as a forward-looking university, partially due to its Latino leadership.

So...state colleges are doing more to inform local Latinos about their educational opportunities and hopefully also doing more to recruit Latino instructors. Latino students are further inspired when their professors are also Latino!

In related news: Read this article on Hispanic MPR for data regarding how U.S.-born Hispanics compare to immigrant Hispanics. It's not good news, and we need to react quickly.

More Ag News! (free farm ed!)

Another discovery today in the world of Washington State Agriculture: business resources for the Spanish-speaking farmer! The Washington State Department of Agriculture has produced a five-disc set of audio CDs - (10) 30-minute segments on business and financial planning, marketing, crop insurance, good farm practices, safe use of pesticides, food safety, alternative energy, and state and federal farm projects.

These were produced with assistance from Washington State University (previously known as Washington College of Agriculture, if I recall correctly!).

The set, called Risk Management Strategies for Farm Businesses: Information for Latino Farmers in Washington State, can be ordered FREE by contacting Patrice Barrentine at smallfarms@agr.wa.gov or by phone at (360) 902-2057. Also try Malaquias Flores, Latino outreach coordinator for the WSU Small Farms Project, at (866) 978-9165.

Bilingual Agriculture Education Program

OK - I just learned about a really cool program offered through Wenatchee Valley College. The Bilingual Agriculture Education Program offers a variety of courses for Spanish-speaking orchard employees, including an introduction to horticulture, advanced horitculture, IPM technician, farm management, and introduction of viticulture. Also offered are pesticide license and forklift certification workshops and other continued education.

About 700 students have gone through the program since it began 16 years ago!

What's more, Wenatchee Valley College has an agreement with Washington State University which enables students to put credits toward a Bachelor's degree. This is just a fantastic way for our state's Latinos to further their careers and their opportunities. Kudos to Wenatchee Valley College!

Man, that was a great Hispanic Chamber Gala!

Saturday night's gala was a great event, well attended with lots of good networking, an inspiring address from our Governor as well as one from the Republican gubernatorial candidate, some well-deserving people getting awards (no one at my table was sure how one becomes eligible for this honor), the food was phenomenal, and on and on.

I thought it was super-cool that Cris Guillen was recognized for the commitment he's shown to the Chamber and to pulling all the Washington State Hispanic Chambers together as one association. He literally quit his job to take on that task and his accomplishment was celebrated at the Gala.

But it became really obvious that this event was (with the exception of Chris Gregoire) all about men!

Everybody on the new Association of Washington State Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Board of Directors and all regional Chamber leaders--men, all of them!

All three award winners? Men.

The MC? a man.

That was more than a little disheartening, especially since I have personally chatted with many successful businesswomen (Latina and otherwise) not only at that event, but throughout the year at King County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce events. Are we not leaders? What's going on?

I invite your comments.

GO, COUGS!

Hey, reading the Tri-City Herald I just learned that my alma mater, Washington State University, is doing a terrific job recruiting Latino students *and* staff for its Tri-Cities campus!

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.