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Marketers trying to reach Hispanic Millennials should not discount the influence of the older generation, says Monica Gil, Nielsen’s senior vice president and general manager, multicultural growth and strategy.

Hispanics over age 50 are a growing group in an increasingly younger multicultural society, according to Nielsen’s Hispanic Consumer Report. The report examines trends including content consumption, purchasing power and media engagement.

There are 11 million Hispanics over the age of 50 and this number is expected to grow to 17 million in the next 10 years and 42 million by the year 2050. READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

The strength of America’s education system is undoubtedly connected to the academic success of Latinos. With the shift in demographics taking place in our nation’s schools, securing an adequate and equal education for all students, including Latinos, should be a priority not just for the federal government but for every person in this country.

Last year, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics launched a Year of Action, and with it a national call for Commitments to Action in honor of its 25th anniversary. The Initiative, Chaired by the Department of Education and led by Executive Director Alejandra Ceja, is housed within the U.S. Department of Education. In the spirit of what President Obama calls a “shared responsibility,” the Initiative challenged the public and private sectors to make meaningful and quantifiable contributions to expand and support educational outcomes and opportunities for the Latino community. Today, on the culmination of the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Month, the President is announcing nearly 150 Commitments to Action with a collective investment of over $335 million which will build on and accelerate federal, state, and local investments in high-quality education, from cradle-to-career, for students across the country.

Major Commitments to Action in Response to the Initiative’s Call to Action: READ MORE AT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

A leader with a good network can catapult a business forward. Anyone can become a good networker, says Andy Lopata, and it’s easier than you may think.

Mr Lopata is a networking strategist who has worked with major businesses and organisations for the past 17 years. He says amateur networkers often fall down before they have even arrived at an event. Networking events are too often seen as opportunities to pitch and sell, he explains. “If everyone goes into networking trying to sell, then there will be no one there to buy,” he says. “You need to have the view that you are going to help people. If everyone takes this altruistic approach then everyone will win.” READ MORE AT THE TELEGRAPH

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize the nation's ever-so important growing demographic by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of these leaders for their worldwide achievements.

One way to do so is through the Global Diaspora Week which perfectly coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, thus creating a great opportunity to highlight diverse innovators from one of the nation's largest groups, the Hispanic Diaspora.

Another is by admiring the great role models in international affairs such as: Hon. Ariel Pablos-Mendez, Amb. Arnold Chacon, Amb. Carmen Lomellin, Amb. Carolyn Curiel, Deputy Secretary Jaime Areizaga Soto, Amb. Julissa Reynoso, Amb. Lino Gutierrez, Hon. Maria Echaveste, Hon. Maria Otero, Dr. Rebecca Chavez, Amb. Tony Garza and Amb. Vilma Martinez to name a few. They have paved the way for the current generation of rising stars who must now take the mantle and open doors for others because today there are still too few Hispanics in the U.S. Government, and even less in international affairs and intelligence agencies. READ MORE AT THE HUFFINGTON POST

A new bilingual website sensitive to Hispanic/Latino cultural needs increased those individuals’ knowledge about living kidney donation and transplantation beyond education provided by transplant hospitals, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.

Informate.org was launched to help Hispanics/Latinos with kidney failure and their families learn about the options, risks and benefits of living and deceased donor kidney transplants and make informed decisions about what is best for them. The website was developed to address the apparent lack of information about living kidney donation among Hispanics/Latinos.

“Many Hispanics do not pursue living donation because they don’t know it’s a possibility,” said lead author Elisa Gordon, associate professor of surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We created Infórmate.org to help Hispanic/Latino patients and their families learn what their options are.”

The site also debunks any misinformation people might have and explains that living donors can have children, exercise, work and have a normal sex life after donating a kidney. READ MORE AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY WEBSITE

One of my first tasks in the new job search is confronting the fear of networking. We know how important it is in the job search process, critical really. Still, I tend to be introverted so the idea of talking with strangers with the intention of asking for a job doesn't sit well with me. Networking is even more important in my search because I am new to Chicagoland and don't really know anyone professionally.

So what to do? I have compiled some tips I have used in the past. The underlying theme for most of these is changing your frame of mind to take the fear factor out of networking. Hopefully these tips will help those of you like me who feel intimidated by the thought of networking during the job search and help make it something you want to do.

1. Get out there. READ MORE AT CHICAGONOW

The world is turning a corner, and we are fortunate enough to witness a chosen few making strides to make it a better place. During September and October, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

As a country, we take the time to honor those in the hispanic community who are worth emulating. Ranging from entertainment and politics to entrepreneurship and sports, we take a deeper look at the individuals who are redefining their positions and providing us with great examples.

Today, I’d like to shine the spotlight on five hispanic figures who have played a huge role in inspiring us all. Some will be familiar, while others will be new, but they have all left their mark on Millennials. READ MORE AT ELITE DAILY

With the recent arrival of Hispanic Heritage Month, a spotlight on Hispanic celebrities is to be expected. The Sofia Vergara’s and J. Lo’s of the world are going to be on everyone's lips from now until October. However, there are other Latin stars who are making all the difference in this very digital world nowadays. Below are some of the most influential Latinos on social media.

Of the other Latin superstars who found success on the Internet, beauty vlogger Dulce Candy Tejeda Ruiz is the only one to give a dashing makeover on her YouTube channel, Dulce Candy. Make-up video tutorials, DIY guides for crafts and accessories and product reviews have turned her into a lead influencer in women’s fashion and lifestyle. READ MORE AT MASHABLE

A college career services expert explains how to make connections that will pay off after you graduate.

Let’s start with defining networking. Susan Brennan, Executive Director of Career Services at Bentley University, thinks students need to redefine the term. Yes, networking is all about building relationship with like-minded people in the same or similar professional field as you, but you should try to focus on building quality contacts over having a lot of acquaintances. Find the influencers, get to know them, and – most importantly – stay in touch with them.

Start slowly: Upperclassmen before alumni, maybe. And step away from the screen: Network in person. READ MORE AT MONEY/TIME

Florida ranks sixth in the nation for its ability to assimilate Hispanics into the population, and is the best for economic opportunities according to a report released by WalletHub.

Each state was measured using 14 metrics, which fit into three sub-categories of assimilation: cultural and civic, educational and economic. Each state’s rankings in the three categories determined its overall composite ranking.

Hispanic people composed 17.4 percent of the 2014 U.S. population, making the group an important focal point of research, according to U.S. Census data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that by 2060, the Hispanic population will represent 31 percent of the U.S. population. READ MORE AT WUFT PUBLIC MEDIA

We are in the middle of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor heritage and culture and celebration of the contributions of Hispanics and Latinos in the United States.

In the Valley, business has been booming for these groups.

There are nearly 100,000 Hispanics in Virginia, according to the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The commonwealth ranks at number nine in the nation when it comes to highest percentage of Hispanic-owned businesses.

These companies are growing 20 percent faster than the national average.

Rosy Hernandez has owned Hernandez Fashions in Harrisonburg for 14 years. She calls her store one of the oldest Hispanic-run businesses in the city. Over the years, she has noticed the increase of immigrants in Harrisonburg. READ MORE AT WHSV.COM

CNET's Spanish-language sister site, CNET en Español, has assembled its annual list of 20 Latinos working in technology. As in 2014, this year's list includes a group of men and women leading teams in high-profile companies in and beyond Silicon Valley.

The task has not been easy. It's already difficult to find Latinos in senior positions in large corporations -- and finding them in the field of science and technology is even harder. As we said last year, the expression of finding a needle in a haystack could be rewritten to say that something is "more difficult than finding a Hispanic in the tech industry."

Of course none of this detracts from the enormous talent, commitment and creativity of all the professionals who are part of this list -- quite the opposite. READ MORE AT CNET

Hispanic Heritage Month, or “Mes de la Herencia Hispana,” begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It continues through October 15, and during that month, Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days.

Let’s take this opportunity to highlight five of the most remarkable women who represent the Latin world in the U.S., and celebrate them for their strength, values, cultural heritage, and the passion they bring to their work.

1. Dolores Huerta, activist

Dolores Huerta, who is of Mexican descent, was born in 1930 in New Mexico, but grew up in Stockton, in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley, where much of the U.S.’s produce is grown. Shocked by seeing farm workers exhausted by backbreaking labor, she became a powerful advocate for those farm workers, organizing the fight for fair pay and for better working conditions. In 1962 she and Cesar Chavez co-founded the United Farm Workers, a farm workers’ union that continues standing up for workers’ rights today. READ MORE AT CARE2

As you walk into the crowd of hundreds of students and employers at the career fair, you can feel your heart pounding, the blood rushing to your face and your suit trapping all the sweat from your forehead all the way to the tips of your fingers holding on to your portfolio.

It’s not that your résumé isn’t up to par. It’s not that you are under-dressed.

It’s the fact that you are there to network. READ MORE AT IOWA STATE DAILY

The growth in Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States is outstripping that of companies in general and the fastest growth has been in Midwest states, according to a study released Sept. 21.

The number of Hispanic-owned businesses grew by 30 percent in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Nationally, between 2012 and 2015, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses has grown at an annual rate of 7.5 percent, 15 times faster than the 0.5 percent growth rate for all companies, according to the study by the consulting firm Geoscape and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. READ MORE AT INSURANCE JOURNAL

Networking can feel a bit like going to the dentist: You know it's important to your overall career health, but it can be so painful. So it’s understandable that you might want to take a no-nonsense approach to these events. Your time is in short supply, and really, we’d all rather spend whatever’s leftover from a 4060-plus hour workweek at happy hour with friends, not chatting it up with random strangers. Yet, as tempting as it might be to get straight to the point with your laser-focused career questions, that tactic might not be serving you well in the long run. READ MORE AT REFINERY 29

A half-century ago this week, Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers voted to join Larry Itliong and Filipino farmworkers’ in commencing the Delano Grape Strike. Their fight for justice would serve as a catalyst for the Latino civil rights movement and mark the beginning of more widespread acknowledgement of Latinas as movement leaders. But Dolores Huerta was not the first to lead Latinos towards justice, she was simply part of the next generation of Latina leaders in a long lineage of freedom fighters committed to empowering our communities.

Similarly, far from the fields of Delano, CA but rooted just as firmly in the heart of the Latino community, we find Dr. Ana Yáñez-Correa, a national social justice leader who has been fighting to reform the criminal justice system in Texas- a state whose tough on crime rhetoric has given it one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation.

 READ MORE AT DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE

Save for International Women’s Day, it's rare to hear or read anything about the ways in which Latinas have impacted women’s lives both in the U.S. and worldwide. Why is that? Was it decided somewhere along the way that women of color had their own sheroes -- heroines who fought for some odd form of equality that is not, in fact, “for all” but just for them? It sometimes feels like that’s the case.

Yet while Latinas have benefited from all of the hard work and advocacy demonstrated by non-Latina feminists, civil rights leaders and authors, all Americans have benefited greatly from the advocacy and general badassery demonstrated by Latinas in America. READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST

Latinas in the U.S. are reaching higher than their male counterparts, surpassing them in higher education and working their way to higher level jobs according to statistics by the PEW Research Center and Améredia, a multi-cultural marketing firm. This success is despite the fact that teen pregnancy and poverty continue to pose a problem for the Latino community as a whole.

“In general, I think women are at the forefront of the things that are happening in the Hispanic community,” said Catalina Steckbauer, owner and founder of the Community Wellness Center in Pocatello. “I think now the young Hispanic women are taking advantage of educational opportunities. I could be wrong, but what I see is the young women leading the way.”

This trend of educational attainment isn’t new for women as a whole. In 1975, women officially outnumbered men on college campuses in the U.S., and since then, the gap has only grown. In 2015, women made up 75 percent of college students in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics. READ MORE AT IDAHO STATE JOURNAL

Hispanic business leaders from across the country have convened at a Houston hotel for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 2015 National Convention, which will run through Tuesday.

In addition to networking, it’s an opportunity to hear from prominent CEOs, including Tom Greco at Frito-Lay North America and Manolo Sánchez at BBVA Compass, and politicians including presidential hopeful Jeb Bush. About 6,000 people are expected to attend.

In advance of the convention, chamber CEO and President Javier Palomarez talked with the Houston Chronicle. Excerpts, condensed and edited for clarity, follow:

Q: What are the major issues facing Hispanic business owners?

A: Probably the major issue facing all small businesses is access to credit and capital. All American small businesses want to continue to grow. READ MORE AT SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS