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As he prepares to announce a new wave of Cabinet and other senior posts, President Barack Obama is aiming to put a more diverse face on his administration – an image that was missing as he filled the first round of vacancies of his second term with a parade of white men.

Obama is said to be looking at women, Latinos and openly gay candidates for top slots at the departments of Commerce, Labor and Interior, and for his own White House budget office.

The leading candidate for nomination to be secretary of commerce is Penny Pritzker, a long-time Obama ally and big-money fundraiser from Chicago, according to people familiar with the White House selection process. The top candidate to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget is Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who was a former budget, White House and treasury official in the Clinton administration and is now the president of the Wal-Mart Foundation. READ MORE

The Hon. Hilda Solis, former Secretary of Labor, will receive special recognition at the 31st National Conference of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), which will be held February 14-17, 2013, in Chicago. She will receive the Edward R. Roybal - Henry B. Gonzalez Award for Excellence in Public Service.

In making the announcement Dr. Juan Andrade, USHLI President, said "We are honored that former Labor Secretary Solis has agreed to accept this prestigious award and we consider it a privilege to present her with this well-deserved award, named in memory of two of the most respected Latino officials in history." The award will be presented at 12:15pm on Saturday, February 16, during the Latino Officials Recognition Luncheon.

Former Labor Secretary Solis was first elected to public office in 1985 as a member of the Rio Hondo Community College Board of Trustees. She served in the California State Assembly from 1992 to 1994, and in 1994 made history by becoming the first Latina elected to the California State Senate. She was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2000 and appointed Secretary of Labor in 2009 by President Barack Obama. Also in 2000, she became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her pioneering work on environmental justice issues.

The award is named in memory of two legendary pioneers who were the first Latinos elected to the U.S. Congress, inspired countless Latinos to seek election to public office, and set high standards in service for others to follow, Edward R. Roybal of California and Henry B. Gonzalez of Texas.

Over 6,000 present and future leaders representing 40 states are expected to attend our 31st National Conference. A survey of conference participants in 2012 found that over 72% were 18-34 years of age, 60% female, and 82% will have graduated or are currently attending college. For more information on our national conference, or to register to attend, please click here.

It is with great sadness that the NAHP Board of Directors shares news of the loss of a dear colleague and friend, NAHP President Ezequiel "Zeke" Montes. Mr. Montes passed away Tuesday, January 29, 2013, from complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife and business partner of more than 40 years, Rosalinda; children, Patricia, Christine, Edward, and Esteban, and many grandchildren. The NAHP family offers our sincerest condolences and prayers for the family in this difficult time.

Montes was the CEO and President of Tele Guia Inc., the holding company for three successful Spanish language publications in the greater Chicago Area: Tele Guia de Chicago, El Imparcial Newspaper, and Guia Telefonica. Started in 1985, with a Spanish language TV Guide and entertainment magazine the business grew to nine magazines covering a five-county area. In 1999, he acquired his second publication, El Imparcial, a Cicero and Berwyn based Spanish language newspaper to ensure that the Hispanic community was and continues to be well-informed about their schools and government. In 2006, Montes launched Guia Telefonica, a Spanish language yellow page directory.

Mr. Montes made it a priority in his personal and professional life to help the Latino community, organizing the Latino Book and Family Festival to promote literacy and education to the approximately 25,000 annual attendees. He also served on the Board of Directors for organizations such as the Norwegian American Hospital, the Cicero Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, the National Hispanic Media Council, and the National Hispanic Leadership Council. He also previously chaired the Outreach Committee for the American Cancer Society of Illinois, served on a Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee for Morton College, and served as a District Chair for the Chippewa District of the Boy Scouts.

Mr. Montes also had a long and storied leadership role with the National Association of Hispanic Publications, serving as National Board President from 1986-1989, 1999-2003, and finally from 2011-Present, having been elected President by his peers in six different elections. Montes also served in various leadership roles for the organization in between his terms as President. He also served on the Board of Directors for the NAHP partner organization, the National Hispanic Press Foundation. Mr. Montes just helped NAHP celebrate 30 Years of Excellence in Hispanic Print, and in his words at the 2012 NAHP Annual Convention and Business Expo,: "We are a family of publishers that believe in the principles of journalism, business opportunity and giving back to the community." He will be missed greatly by his publishing family across the country.

There has been an outpouring of condolences and fond memories for Mr. Montes, particularly from NAHP members.

Clara Padilla Andrews, Immediate Past President of NAHP, said, "I am very sad to hear about the death of our NAHP President, Zeke Montes. I will miss his smile, energy and his commitment to the Hispanic media industry, may he rest in Peace. My heartfelt condolences to his wife Rose, his children Christine, Edward, and Esteban and grandchildren."

NAHP Board Secretary, Norma Condreay said, "Admiraba mucho a Zeke, por su forma de ser, alegre, caballero, y con mucho tino para recibir y sobrepasar las adversidades. Mr. Montes, fue un luchador constante de que se brinde oportunidades a nuestros jóvenes para que nuestra industria continúe y sea cada vez más fuerte. Uno de los comentarios que me hizo Zeke, fue: "Norma, este año es mi ultimo año como presidente de la NAHP y mis deseos es dejar la Asociación con un gran futuro", "es tiempo de que los mas jóvenes continúen con esta labor, pero siempre seguiré apoyando a la Asociación". Admiraba mucho a mi amigos, Zeke y Rose, porque hacían una linda pareja y siempre en los eventos que logramos compartir mi esposo y Yo los admirábamos, porque aun teniendo tantos años de casados, ambos pero sobre todo Zeke demostraba lo mucho que se querían. Recordare siempre a mi amigo Zeke como un gran líder, una persona muy alegre, caballero y luchador por el éxito de nuestra industria.
Hemos perdido un gran Líder!, un gran amigo!"

And NAHP Founder Kirk Whisler said, "While others have devoted meaningful time to the NAHP and the development of Hispanic Print - Zeke devoted his life. Over the years Zeke and I traveled together to over 50 cities around the USA and Mexico to talk about the many benefits and qualities of Hispanic Print. Zeke always provided the emotions and honesty that came from his years as a publisher. He wanted the tide to raise ALL the boats, was never happy if only a few were going to succeed. Zeke was truly a WE person, not a ME person."

When information on services or how to send condolences to the family of Zeke Montes becomes available, the NAHP office will share it. Please contact the NAHP Office at ed@nahp.org to receive the information.

The best thing about Super Bowl isn't the game, it's the commercials! This Sunday, advertisers will spend an estimated $3.7 million for a 30-second Super Bowl XLVII commercial. That's $123,000 per second! Here are some of our favorite spots featuring Latinos. READ MORE

Marketers for the Tecate and Tecate Light brands have worked hard to stay in touch with their target audience—the U.S. Hispanic consumer—through a successful sports marketing program that ties to major sporting events, like its long-term sponsorship of boxing, its 12-year deal with a local California racing event and the upcoming Big Game on Feb. 3. For weeks around the events it runs national retail and off-premise events and promotions. This year’s annual program is underway through Feb. 15 with the slogan, “A Man Knows How to Choose His Team.” It plays to the core message that choosing Teacte celebrates the Hispanic man’s boldness and “cáracter” and provides chances to win tailgating products, discounts and ... of course beer.

The multi-touch promotion includes mail-in and instant rebates for savings on salty snacks and other products, a text-in sweepstakes offering branded tailgating chairs and rolling coolers, an in-store coupon booklet and plenty of in-bar fun. Felix Palau, vice president of marketing for Tecate, opens up about this year’s plans. READ MORE

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Can Red Lobster say “langosta roja?” On Jan. 14, the seafood chain best known for endless shrimp and affordable surf and turf, will launch a $3 million Spanish language TV ad campaign. It’s the restaurant’s first sustained effort to reach Hispanic customers, with ads running on Telemundo, Univision, ESPN Deportes, and other Spanish language channels through March.

Red Lobster, which has about 700 stores, estimates that roughly 10 percent of its consumers are Hispanic, in line with the average in the casual dining industry. The group represents about 16 percent of the U.S. population, however, and is expected to grow to 30 percent of the population by 2050. Darden hopes to increase its business from Hispanic consumers in tandem with this trend. READ MORE

Over 315 million people and counting! That is the approximate population of the United States, which has increased by nearly 100 million people in the past 30 years. And while this comes with little surprise, there is no denying the demographics of our population are on the move.
Again, this should come as no surprise. We know the US population is changing. Caucasians will become the minorities, baby boomers are reaching retirement age, and the definition of a traditional family is undergoing revision. The same trends are also visible in the Canadian population.
But what does that mean for business? How will these trends affect your business planning and strategy? The implications are rather straight forward, but a closer look at the numbers might make for a more compelling case. Today’s topic is the US Hispanic market. READ MORE

Mexicans and Mexican Americans have been weighing in about the performance of Mexican superstar rock band Maná at an inaugural ball for President Obama.

The consensus so far? It was a good night for rock en español -- and a smart political move as well.

In numerous tweets, Mexican Americans and other Latinos expressed their feelings of pride in witnessing the band playing for the Oval Office occupant. "Makes you proud to be hispanic!" wrote a young woman with the Twitter name "anais."

"I think it was madd legit to see Mana perform at the presidential inaugural ball," wrote another.

The band had kind words for the president as well. Lead singer Fher was quoted in the Mexico City newspaper El Universal as saying (in Spanish) that Obama represented "a new dawn for this country, a new American, a new American citizen... READ MORE

As we learned in the recent presidential election, it’s always a good idea to connect with Hispanic Americans. In many parts of the country, this is as true in business as it is in politics. But for some reason, many businesses seem hesitant to try to appeal to this big and important demographic.

At my boutique advertising agency in Austin, Tex., I see lots of opportunities for businesses to set themselves apart and pick up some market share by reaching out. But I am often puzzled by the number of retail and professional service businesses that pass up these opportunities. When we have broached incorporating Hispanic outreach with retailers, we have explained why outreach makes business sense and how subtle shifts in their marketing programs might appeal to Latino consumers. The initial reaction has been one of surprise, intrigue and excitement — followed by little or no action.

Here’s what we know about the size of this large and growing market: According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth, Hispanics control $1 trillion in annual buying power in the United States. By 2015, Selig projects that power to grow to $1.5 trillion, basically the size of the economy of Mexico. So why does this large and desirable population continue to be overlooked by many businesses? READ MORE

Cecilia Soto-Loftus, co-founder of a Malibu party services company, was new to presidential politics when she started raising money for President Obama's reelection bid last year.

After pulling in more than $400,000, she is getting the red carpet treatment at this weekend's inaugural festivities, with invitations to a strategy briefing for top fundraisers, a VIP candlelight reception and the official inaugural ball. READ MORE

Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s choice of Supreme Court justice to swear him into office — Justice Sonia Sotomayor — has fueled rumors of a 2016 presidential run, as analysts guess he was subtly courting the Hispanic vote.
The crowd cheered at Mr. Biden selection; Justice Sotomayor is the first Hispanic in the nation to issue the oath. But on top of that, Mr. Biden made a surprise appearance at the Latino Inaugural Gala on Sunday evening.
“One thing that happened this election,” Mr. Biden said at the gala, according to ABC, “you spoke. You spoke in a way that the world — and I mean the world as well as the United States — could not fail to hear. The fact that the Hispanic and Latino community in this country was such a decisive voice in turning out in this election was noticed by the whole hemisphere. I think you underestimate your power.” READ MORE

As the world becomes more culturally diverse and globally connected, the need for versatile business leaders with knowledge and insight into U.S. and global multicultural markets continues to grow. To help meet this demand, The National Hispanic University (NHU) is introducing an online Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program, offering students a broad base of technical managerial skills and real-world insight into growing businesses and the emerging U.S. Hispanic and diverse global markets. READ MORE

Mario Lara stood in front of the humming tortilla press. Each time it rose, he used his fingertips to snatch a paper-thin flour tortilla from its hot surface, and threw another lump of dough onto the griddle just before the machine thumped shut again.

Lara, 32, then tossed the pressed tortillas onto a rotating burner, where they were heated, flipped and ejected by a conveyor belt, directly into the hands of Manuel Ruiz.

Ruiz, 47, is the owner of Tortilleria La Roca in Carbondale, a tortilla factory and Mexican restaurant, 780 Highway 133.

On a recent day, he was in charge of bagging. As he sealed sack after clear plastic sack of piping hot tortillas with twist ties, his 67-year-old father, Jerardo Ruiz, stood across the room stirring a deep fryer full of homemade corn chips. READ MORE

AUSTIN, Texas – January 8, 2013 – Las Comadres Para Las Americas, headquartered in Austin, is proud to announce today the launch of the Spanish-language version of their book, Count On Me: Tales of Sisterhoods and Fierce Friendships. The original English-language version made its worldwide debut on September 4, 2012. The new release, titled Cuenta Conmigo: Conmovedoras historias de hermandad y amistades incondicionales, is published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.

In twelve creative nonfiction narratives, mostly by women, the authors reflect on the importance of “comadres” in their lives. The authors include Carolina De Robertis, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Reyna Grande, Michelle Herrera Mulligan, Dr. Lorraine Lopez, Daisy Martinez, Dr. Ana Nogales, Sofia Quintero, Teresa Rodriguez, Esmeralda Santiago, Fabiola Santiago, and Luis Alberto Urrea.

Although the number of English-speaking Latinos in the United States is growing as more generations are born and raised here, a majority of the population is still either Spanish-dominant or bilingual. According to a study by the Pew Hispanic Center in April of 2012, for 38% of all Hispanics in the U.S., Spanish is still the primary language. Another 38% of Hispanics claim bilingualism, and for the remaining 24%, English is the primary language.

“There are many comadres, along with others, who want to read in Spanish,” says Nora de Hoyos Comstock, national founder of Las Comadres Para Las Americas and visionary for the book, Count On Me. “For some, it is easier than reading in English, and for others, the practice of reading in Spanish keeps us current in the language and closer to our heritage.”

Count On Me, edited by acclaimed author and editor Adriana V. Lopez, is the first literary work produced by Las Comadres, the nation’s largest Latina organization. For twelve years, the non-profit has grown into an extensive network of comadres spanning the globe who come from all walks of life but are united in their love of culture, literacy, and education.

The word “comadre” is a unique term with intimate connotations. According to a literal translation, a comadre is a “godmother,” but in the Latino culture, it goes far beyond that. Through exclusive interviews with the contributing authors of the book, a similar theme comes up in conversation – a comadre is more than a friend and more than a sister. She is both.

Comadres can be family members, mentors, co-workers, or neighbors. In essence, comadres are like the godmothers of our fairy tales – they are there to take care of us and support us in our best and worst moments. What readers learn in the book Count On Me is concept of “comadreship” manifesting itself in various ways throughout a woman’s life.

The book is available for sale at local bookstores (hard copy ISBN # 9781451699715) and online (eBook ISBN # 9781451662962). For more information about the book, or to order a copy, please visit the official website www.CountOnMeBook.com.

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About Las Comadres Para Las Americas

Las Comadres is a nationally known Latina organization empowering women to be actively engaged in the growing Latino/Hispanic communities through online and face to face networks. Their mission is connecting and empowering Latinas everywhere through community building/networking, culture, learning, and technology.

U.S. Hispanics are not valued enough by America’s corporations, government and mainstream media. In particular, brand marketers do not take Hispanic consumers seriously enough, especially their buying power or trend setting influence. Although the proportion of U.S. Hispanics is scaling upwards rapidly, corporations and advertisers continue to underestimate the importance of Hispanics as an economic and business development engine.

To see an example of the economic impact Latinos can have, one need look no further than their local grocery store aisle, where tortillas, taco kits and salsa outperform hamburgers, hot dog buns and ketchup sales, according to Reportlinker.com’s new market research report, Hispanic Foods and Beverages in the U.S. READ MORE

If you had to guess where most of the TV programming for Latinos is being produced these days, where would you guess? L.A., New York, Texas? How about Miami? A recent deal has solidified Miami as a major television hub.

Ana Sagastegui was born in Peru. She has worked in the Miami TV industry for 20 years. Sagastegui remembers how different Miami was then. Just a few broadcast studios but plenty of open space.

"The first office that we had, right behind the office was greenery, big field and when we used to leave the office at the end of the day, we would start hearing cows. Cows! Mooing."

Today, those cows have been replaced by commercial centers and suburban homes and Sagastegui still runs her company, Big Miami. She relocated here to start the business.

Clients from Mexico to Argentina kept telling her they preferred to do deals in Miami. Sagastegui felt the city had the potential to become a major production center for Spanish language shows. READ MORE

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will leave the Obama administration by the end of March, a departure that means that the president's cabinet may be left without any Latino members.

Salazar, a fifth-generation Coloradoan and former senator, plans to return to his home state. The interior secretary was one of two Latinos serving in President Obama's cabinet; the other being Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who resigned her post last week. Upon Salazar's departure at the end of March, no Latinos will be left in Obama's cabinet unless he appoints one in the interim.

"I want to thank Ken for his hard work and leadership on behalf of the American people. As the Secretary of the Interior, Ken has helped usher in a new era of conservation for our nation's land, water, and wildlife," Obama said in a statement.

Obama has come under fire in recent days for an apparent lack of racial and gender diversity in his recent cabinet picks for his second term as president. Nominees to fill high-profile positions at the departments of Treasury, State and Defense have all been white males. The Department of State was headed by Hillary Clinton during Obama's first term. READ MORE

President Barack Obama’s press conference Monday was dominated by questions about the “debt ceiling” and gun control, but he was also quizzed about diversity on his second term cabinet.

It was the last question of the press conference and Obama was asked about the diversity in his picks for the new cabinet.

Obama said critics should wait until the cabinet is complete, and he pointed to his record.

“So if you think about my first four years, the person who probably had the most influence on my foreign policy was a woman," he said.

His answer was focused on gender diversity – the "binders of women" issue - but dodged the issue of racial diversity. And Latinos are noticing.

“It’s a question of optics," said Allert Brown-Gort of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame. He said Latino voters care about something more substantial.

“What is really going to show much more whether Obama has the interest of the Latino community in heart and in mind is really has to do much more with how much more political capital gets put into immigration reform," he said. READ MORE

It's true that working women earn far less than their male counterparts: roughly 77 cents on the dollar. But try being a working Latina. Their situation is even more dire.

Latina women in the United States make just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, and only 60 cents for every dollar paid to men overall, according to an analysis of Census data by the National Partnership for Women and Families. The left-leaning advocacy group came to these findings by examining the 20 states with the most full-time working Latinas.

Talking in mere cents can sound abstract, but the money adds up over time. Compare a working Latina to a working man in Florida, for example. Latinas in the Sunshine State are relatively lucky. They earn 68 cents for every dollar paid to men, the highest of any of the states surveyed. But over the course of a year, they still end up earning about $13,000 less than men. READ MORE

Many women don’t know that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and many Latinas don’t know that they are especially at risk.

According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association, Hispanics have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than Caucasians and are less aware of their cardiovascular risk factors. Among Mexican Americans 20 and older, 77.5 percent of men and 75.1 percent of women are overweight or obese. A staggering 30.7 percent of Mexican American women have cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, the medical director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute says,“the higher rate of death is more related to healthcare access and coverage.”

She also believes language barriers, lack of education, and income are significant factors. “The more educated and the more affluent, the better their health,” she says. READ MORE