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Progreso Financiero, an innovative and socially minded financial institution dedicated to the economic advancement of lower-income Hispanic families, today announced that its founder and CEO, James Gutierrez, has been named to the Consumer Advisory Council. In this role, he will represent the perspective of consumers and innovators in serving the unbanked and advise the Federal Reserve Board on issues relevant to lower-income individuals and their economic advancement.

“It is an honor to be selected to serve on the Consumer Advisory Council, and it will allow me to continue to advocate for the creation of innovative and affordable ways for America’s underserved communities to join the financial mainstream,” Gutierrez said. “With more than 23 million underbanked Hispanics in the United States, it is imperative that we encourage and facilitate investment, development and access by the financial industry in these communities.”

Through Progreso Financiero, Gutierrez has been instrumental in filling a large gap in today’s financial system by helping individuals with thin or no credit files establish credit and fulfill their banking needs. Progreso Financiero offers customers responsible and affordable small-dollar loans that can be paid back in fixed installments and that emphasize a borrower’s true capacity to afford a loan. As customers pay back their loan, they establish and build their credit history, and begin to move up the economic ladder.

The typical Progreso Financiero borrower begins with no credit history, yet after three successful small loans that each average $1,000 for 10 months, they can build to a credit score of 660. This allows them to qualify for more traditional products offered by larger lenders and financial institutions. Since its founding in 2005, the company has made more than 90,000 loans, extending $100 million in capital to underserved Hispanic families through more than 50 locations across California and Texas, and helped 87 percent of customers improve their credit scores through a Progreso loan. READ MORE

Childhood obesity and depression is more common among Hispanics and African Americans than other children, experts say, and that is due to personal habits as well as cultural and economic factors.

In a public health forum this week, Richard Carmona, the former Surgeon General, urged public health officials to work with minority communities, which have the largest number of public health problems .

About 27 percent of Hispanic boys were obese, compared with about 17 percent of White boys, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Hispanic girls have a 17 percent obesity rate, while White girls have a 14.5 percent obesity rate. READ MORE

‘Modern Family’ star Sofia Vergara has certainly made an impression on American TV and thinks it is about time.

The actress admits that she loves the fact that Americans have been so accepting of her as a “loud Latina woman acting crazy” on the show, states Hollyscoop (via Ocean Drive).

She is also happy to be representing her culture all while having an accent so strong, “I don’t understand half the things I say myself.”

And she thinks fans can expect more women like her in the near future because she really believes the U.S. is ready for more Latin culture to be mixed in. READ MORE

Last year, the head of marketing for Primm Valley resorts pitched his boss on an $85,000 entertainment act to fill the 6,500-seat arena at Buffalo Bill's, one of three budget hotels the company operates in Primm.

It seemed a princely sum to pay for a portly accordion player with Elvis-style sideburns and gaudy western wear who sings in Spanish — a man neither he nor his boss had ever heard of before.

Vice President of Marketing Stuart Richey was willing to wager that the accordionist, Ramon Ayala, would attract a sellout crowd of gamblers and help fill the company’s hotels on the California-Nevada border, 45 miles from Las Vegas.

Ayala, a star in his native Mexico, has made more than 100 albums over his nearly 50-year career playing a style of music called “norteño” for its origins in northern Mexico. Although still foreign to American ears, its polkalike beat has grown ubiquitous on U.S. radio stations and in cities large and small that are now home to the country’s swelling Mexican-American community.

The Oct. 16 Ayala concert, which drew 10,000 people to the three Primm casinos that weekend, was a landmark moment for Buffalo Bill’s — and a lesson for Nevada’s struggling casino industry.

“It was like New Year’s Eve, only busier,” said Richey, who previously ran the marketing department at Stratosphere before joining the Primm chain in 2009. “We realized there was pent-up demand for this kind of experience.” READ MORE

The Verizon iPhone is finally here, causing a lot of buzz and conversation around this expected news. For marketers targeting Latinos, this might be even bigger news, considering that currently 24 percent of all iPhones have been activated by Hispanics.

We all know that Hispanics are very mobile and are always on the go. For these reasons, cell phones are becoming a very powerful tool for them to stay connected to their social world. The use of cellular phones alone rose 26 percent from 2006 to 2010 among Latinos, compared to 18 percent of the general population. This notable increase shows that Hispanics are catching up: cellular phone penetration among Latinos has reached 82 percent, which is almost even with 84 percent of the overall population.

This is consistent with the growing trend of Hispanics cutting landlines and switching to mobile phones as their main source of communication. Some experts attribute this to the recession. But actually, when we take a deeper look at how Latinos use their mobile phones, there are many other reasons beyond the economy that are driving this behavior.

There are three key attributes driving the mobile Hispanic:

1. Social connectivity: Mobile applications have changed the role and landscape of marketing - and Latinos are all over it.
2. Fun experience: For Latinos, mobile is not about efficiency and multitasking, but about ubiquity and expanding their experiences.
3. Open to innovation: Contrary to many marketers' beliefs, Latinos are more receptive to new ways of using their mobile phones. READ MORE

The California Supreme Court's only Democratic and Latino appointee has announced his retirement.

Justice Carlos Moreno submitted his resignation, court spokeswoman Lynn Holton revealed Thursday. His last day will be Feb. 28.

Moreno, 62, was named to the state Supreme Court in 1991 by then-Gov. Gray Davis. He was on President Barack Obama's short list for a U.S. Supreme Court opening in 2009 that was ultimately filled by Sonia Sotomayor.

In a brief statement, Moreno said after more than 24 years as a judge he plans to return to the private sector and was weighing his options, including private practice or alternative dispute resolution.

The retirement gives Gov. Jerry Brown his first opportunity to fill a seat on the state's highest court since his last gubernatorial term 25 years ago. READ MORE

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez made history when she was sworn in New Year's Day as the nation's first Latina governor.

But the rising GOP star's momentous victory for the Hispanic community earned her little recognition in the national media.

Several mainstream news outlets like the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune -- even FoxNews.com -- neglected to mention her Hispanic heritage, while others such as the New York Times failed to cover the events as she took the oath during a chilly outdoor ceremony on the Santa Fe Plaza.

The apparent oversight prompted some media analysts to question why Martinez – as well as a handful of conservative Hispanics – has been left largely out of the national news spotlight.

"The media is not paying sufficient attention to the number of Hispanic conservatives who are elected to statewide offices and to Congress, especially in the western states," said Mike Gonzalez, vice president of communication at the Heritage Foundation and a former reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

"It goes against the narrative" of the "liberal media," he said, adding that the news industry has long classified Hispanics as "another liberal group."

Martinez’s story is an impressive one. The 51-year-old former district attorney, from middle class roots in El Paso, graduated near the top of her high school class before attending the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Oklahoma College of Law. In 1996, Martinez was elected district attorney of the state’s 3rd Judicial District, which covers heavily-Democratic Doña Ana County. Touting herself as a no-nonsense prosecutor during the 2010 gubernatorial election, Martinez defeated the state’s Democratic lieutenant governor, Diane Denish.

But the Republican’s rise to statewide office garnered little attention in the national spotlight overall.

The Associated Press made note of Martinez's historic inauguration in a news wire Jan. 1, acknowledging her as the first female governor of the state, while omitting her Hispanic heritage. That story was picked up by several media outlets including the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune websites. FoxNews.com also ran the AP story that day, but Fox News Latino had covered Martinez's candidacy and victory in a series of election articles beginning in October. READ MORE

A young Latino man is being hailed as a hero who helped saved Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' life.

Daniel Hernandez Jr., 20, a political science student from the University of Arizona, was a new intern in her office. He rushed towards Giffords and the gunshots, held her hand and applied pressure to the wound. He held her head up to keep her from choking on her own blood.

"When I heard gunshots, my first instinct was to head toward the congresswoman to make sure that she was okay," Hernandez said in an interview Sunday with ABC's Christiane Amanpour. "Once I saw that she was down, and there were more than one victim, I went ahead and started doing the limited triage that I could with what I had."

Hernandez also is a member of the City of Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.

In a state where Latinos and immigrants have faced a barrage of attacks from the anti-immigration law SB1070 to plans to end Mexican-American studies programs, it's good news to see a Latino celebrated for his heroic act.

Can you imagine the outrage had the shooter not been a white male but a Latino immigrant? READ MORE

When the personal computer revolution began decades ago, Latinos and blacks were much less likely to use one of the marvelous new machines. Then, when the Internet began to change life as we know it, these groups had less access to the Web and slower online connections — placing them on the wrong side of the "digital divide."
Today, as mobile technology puts computers in our pockets, Latinos and blacks are more likely than the general population to access the Web by cellular phones, and they use their phones more often to do more things.

But now some see a new "digital divide" emerging — with Latinos and blacks being challenged by more, not less, access to technology. It's tough to fill out a job application on a cellphone, for example. Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment.

Fifty-one percent of Hispanics and 46% of blacks use their phones to access the Internet, compared with 33% of whites, according to a July 2010 Pew poll. Forty-seven percent of Latinos and 41% of blacks use their phones for e-mail, compared with 30% of whites. The figures for using social media like Facebook via phone were 36% for Latinos, 33% for blacks and 19% for whites.

A greater percentage of whites than blacks and Latinos still have broadband access at home, but laptop ownership is now about even for all these groups, after black laptop ownership jumped from 34% in 2009 to 51% in 2010, according to Pew. READ MORE

Telemundo Chicago, the fastest growing Spanish Language station among Adults 18-34, welcomes Meteorologist Maricela Vazquez, Reporter Yolanda Vasquez and Political Editor Alejandro Escalona as contributors to its 5pm and 10pm newscast. Telemundo Chicago is fortifying its award winning news team with individuals adding vast experience, tenure and news savvy.

Maricela Vazquez, an Emmy Ward Winner in 2005, is the first Latina Meteorologist in Chicago. Ms. Vazquez’s resume extends to general assignment reporter, covering politics, crime, education, immigration and other stories. Ms. Vazquez has covered President Bush’s visit to Chicago in 2006 and Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s visit in 2008. Ms. Vazquez has presented weekly women’s segment, “Para Ti Mujer” from 2003-2010. Presented two-part special series on tornadoes in Chicago (July, 2008). Ms. Vazquez will be the Meteorologist M-F at 5pm and 10pm news.

Yolanda Vasquez, comes to Chicago by way of New York, NY where she held the position of News Producer and reporter for Telemundo, N.Y. In her tenure Vasquez has held various international and national positions, including Press Advisor, Correspondent, News Producer and Anchor. Notable accomplishments include coverage of the death of Pope John Paul, the death Celia Cruz and The Staton Island Ferry Crash in 2010, Ms. Vazquez was a back fill for national correspondence. Yolanda will focus her reporting on M-F at 5pm and 10pm news.

Also joining Telemundo Chicago as Consulting Political Editor, is veteran Chicago journalist Alejandro Escalona. Mr. Escalona is the Latino Affairs Columnist for the Chicago Suntimes, where he writes a weekly column focused on the Latino Community in Chicago. Mr. Escalona will be providing in depth analysis in the political arena, specifically the Chicago Mayor Candidates and their election platforms. Escalona is the former editor of Hoy Chicago, the Tribune Company’s Spanish language daily. During his tenure the publication won numerous awards for coverage and design. During his distinguished career, Mr. Escalona has interviewed numerous leaders, including Mexican President Vicente Fox, Cuban President Fidel Castro, Chilean President Patricio Alwyn and Nobel Peace laureate Rigoberta Menchu. His articles and interviews have been published in leading publications and has consistently appeared on Television as a political news commentator.

All members join Telemundo Chicago at a time of major accomplishments for the station. . “Noticiero Telemundo Chicago at 5pm” continued a steady growth trend in the November Sweeps 2010. The newscast achieved a +46% increase from September 2010 among Adults18-34 and +42% among Adults18-49. In addition, Telemundo Chicago increased the share of Spanish Prime time viewer ship to 25% in the November Sweeps 2010, an increase of 8% compared year over year.

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Source: Nielsen Media Research - Chicago NSI Live +3 data

Linda Alvarado personifies the American Dream. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a poor immigrant family, she was able to go to college and found a successful construction company that went from pouring concrete sidewalks to building multi-million dollar airports, convention centers and stadiums.

“The American dream is also the Hispanic American dream,” says Alvarado. “America is a country that has a lot of diversity and it enables people in ways that perhaps in other countries may not be as easy.”

Alvarado, who is Mexican American, calls her veer into construction “one of those great unplanned careers.” She was attending Pomona College in Claremont, California on an academic scholarship, majoring in economics, and needed a job, she says. “I didn’t want to work in the library or food service, so I got a referral to work grounds-keeping.”

Her soon-to-be-boss tried to dissuade her, telling her she’d have to do heavy lifting and wouldn’t be able to wear nice shoes. But something about the experience really spoke to Alvarado. “I said to myself, ‘Let me get this right. I don’t have to go the gym, I will get a tan and will work with all this single men—and you’ll pay me to do this,’” she jokes. That job was followed by one at a development company where, Alvarado says, “I dreamed of getting into construction and building high rises.”

“Sometimes, while people plan on what they are doing, opportunities may come our way,” she says. “We need to be careful that we don’t eliminate ourselves and run when in fact there are opportunities even in very non-traditional careers.” READ MORE

In August, 60 years after the University of Texas admitted its first black student, the school welcomed the first freshman class in which white students were in the minority.

White students, who accounted for 51 percent of U.T.’s freshman class in 2009, made up 48 percent in 2010. Black and Hispanic students represented about 5 percent and 23 percent, respectively, with Asians and other races making up the rest.

The state’s flagship university passed the demographic milestone earlier than some had anticipated, reflecting a similar shift that is rapidly taking place at other top-level educational institutions across the country.

Although the changing demographics of college campuses may be grabbing the headlines, the more compelling issue is how the growing number of minority students presents serious social and academic challenges for financially strapped universities, even as the schools are under pressure to boost graduation rates.

Nationally, 52 percent of Hispanic students and 58 percent of black students are unable to earn a bachelor’s degree in six years, compared with 40 percent of white students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. READ MORE

A coalition of New Mexico Hispanic groups is demanding Gov. Bill Richardson not speak on behalf of the Hispanic community, saying he failed to follow through on promises and was abusive toward Hispanics in his eight years in office.

The Hispano Round Table of New Mexico, which represents more than 50 groups around the state, unanimously passed a resolution saying the Democratic governor was contemptuous and deceptive toward the Hispanic community.

The resolution also says he failed to create a state Department of Hispano Affairs as promised and misled prominent Hispanic groups with that promise.

Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos says Richardson will not lower himself to respond to such a ridiculous assertion. READ MORE

The electorate that will soon choose the successor to Mayor Richard M. Daley looks a lot different than the voters who first put him in office more than two decades ago.

An analysis of recently released United States Census Bureau estimates by the Chicago News Cooperative shows how racial and ethnic communities have continued to shift dramatically during the past decade in a city long known for its kaleidoscopic population and segregated neighborhoods.

As the mayoral candidates campaign ahead of the Feb. 22 election, campaign strategists determining where they will focus their efforts will have to be mindful of three trends:

The city’s black population fell by about 11 percent between 2000 and 2009, a pattern reflected in many neighborhoods across the South and West Sides. Twenty-four of the 25 city-designated community areas with the largest black populations in 2000 saw declines, according to the analysis of the five-year population estimates for 2005-9.

There was a marked rise in the white population in some of the city’s priciest neighborhoods in and near downtown. In the Near South Side community, the number of whites more than tripled in nine years.

Estimates of the city’s overall white population increased only modestly because of large declines in their numbers on the Northwest and Southwest Sides. Meanwhile, Hispanics continued to supplant whites in the bungalow belt.

When the federal government releases its official 2010 census data in the coming months, it will confirm that every racial and ethnic group in the city is a minority –no single group will make up a majority of Chicago’s roughly 2.85 million residents.

Given Chicago’s election system, which requires the new mayor to garner an outright majority of the vote, the winner will need support from many voters of other races, forcing candidates to seek backing throughout the city. READ MORE