Blog

MundoFox, the new Spanish-language broadcast network, slated to launch in August, announced today that it has already secured

“It furthers our strategy of reaching Hispanic consumers while providing us with a new platform on which to share relevant content that resonates with this important group.”

L’Oréal USA, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and T-Mobile USA as major advertisers and charter sponsors for the network’s debut.

MundoFox plans to go above and beyond for its advertisers. For all three consumer product giants, L’Oréal USA, which includes Garnier and Maybelline New York, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and T-Mobile USA, MundoFox will create custom capsules, host exclusive web chats with talent, include integration around hosted movie blocks, as well as integration within primetime on such shows as, “Minuto Para Ganar.” Additionally, advertisers will benefit through the network’s digital and social media extensions.

“MundoFox wants to challenge and revolutionize the status quo by giving media buyers and advertisers more innovative options,” said Tom Maney, Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales, Fox Hispanic Media. “Smart marketers believe there is a new Latino mindset. They are asking for more choices and they will be given just that from MundoFox.”

Advertisers with MundoFox will also enjoy the benefits of cross-promotion with the other networks within the Fox Hispanic Media portfolio, such as Utilísima, Nat Geo Mundo and FOX Deportes.

“This exclusive partnership with MundoFox is extremely important for our consumer products brands,” stated Marc Speichert, Chief Marketing Officer, L’Oréal USA. “It furthers our strategy of reaching Hispanic consumers while providing us with a new platform on which to share relevant content that resonates with this important group.”

Likewise, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and T-Mobile USA seized this new opportunity to partner with a game changer like MundoFox. “The launch of MundoFox greatly expands the options for consumers to experience quality Spanish content and represents a tremendous opportunity for marketers to take part in delivering that content,” said Brett Dennis, Chief Media Communications Officer of Conill, the multicultural advertising agency representing Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and

T-Mobile USA. “Our clients compete in fiercely aggressive categories and we are constantly looking for ways to engage people that go beyond simple air-time. MundoFox's programming strategy, innovative approach to creating advertising within that content and geographic penetration at launch were the overarching factors in bringing our clients on board as charter partners."

MundoFox’s first paid spot will go to yet another of its charter sponsors - 20th Century Fox - who will air the trailer of their upcoming September release “Won't Back Down.”

To date, MundoFox has secured affiliates in over 40 DMAs, and is in advanced negotiations in an additional 10 DMAs, which collectively represent nearly 70% of U.S. Hispanic households. It is expected to exceed its original goal of securing distribution in 75 percent of U.S. Hispanic households by its August launch. READ MORE

Alberto Perez started out as a street performer and then an aerobics teacher in Colombia, making extra cash on the side teaching the wives of businessmen how to dance in nightclubs in his hometown, Cali. Today, he stands at the center of the Zumba exercise craze, having helped transform Zumba Fitness, a private company, into a rapidly growing fitness empire with heavyweight investor backing. “I’m not a businessman, but I knew this had the potential to be something special,” said Perez, who along with two Colombian associates founded the Miami-based company.

Zumba, a Latin dance-inspired aerobic workout, has exploded from a Miami gym phenomenon to infomercial and DVD smash hit into a global craze with some 12 million people taking classes every week in at least 125 countries. Zumba Fitness now boasts being the largest branded fitness program in the world. Started on a shoestring budget in a Miami garage nearly 11 years ago, Zumba Fitness now has more than 200 employees, and a pair of New York investment firms is betting the craze has staying power. What began as a company focused on fitness has evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment brand combining e-commerce, apparel and music, and a sought-after outlet for stars like hip-hop artists Pitbull and Wyclef Jean and reggaeton singer Don Omar who have turned to Zumba to promote their music. READ MORE

A Hispanic first marked the recently concluded NBA finals won by the Miami Heat: A Spanish language ad aired on an English-language broadcasting network during the finals --a move that may signal a significant change in advertising approaches toward Latinos in the United States.

The 30 second telenovela-esque Ford Motor company advertisement for the 2013 Ford Escape played twice on ABC – once during Game 4 and another time during Game 5. It was a first for the American car company, for ABC, and for the NBA.

"This is the first Spanish-language ad to air during NBA Finals at an English-language network in the U.S.," said Sharon DeLima, VP of International Communications & Marketing for the NBA. READ MORE

There are 2.9 million Latino households with a household income of $75,000 or more, according to the “Upscale Latino Consumers in the U.S.” report from Packaged Facts, accounting for a fifth of all Latino households. Latino households with an income ranging from $75,000 to $99,999 equal 10% of total Latino households, and those with an income of $100,000 or more represent 11%.

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of Upscale Latino households more than doubled, growing three times faster than the number of non-Latino upscale households. The average household income of Upscale Latinos is around $124,000, nearly four times greater than the income of other Latino households. Upscale Latino households generate 51% of the aggregate income of Latino households, with a buying power that reached $543 billion in 2011, according to Packaged Facts estimates. This buying power is projected to reach $680 billion in 2016, representing cumulative growth of 25%. READ MORE

Vocalo acquiring Radio Arte (WRTE 90.5FM) license
to expand community programming

(June 22, 2012) Chicago Public Media (CPM) is partnering with the National Museum of Mexican
Art to expand community programming. CPM is purchasing the community signal of WRTE 90.5 FM
(Radio Arte), the Museum’s youth-driven Latino public radio station. As part of the partnership, CPM is
also pursuing options to purchase key programs from the Radio Arte line-up to expand programming of
WBEW 89.5 FM (Vocalo), sister station of WBEZ. This partnership between two youth-driven public
radio stations builds on a collaborative history and their complementary community missions.
“This is a natural partnership,” said Silvia Rivera, Vocalo’s managing director, whose career in public
media began in 1998 as a result of Radio Arte’s media training program. “Radio Arte has been a trailblazer
in representing marginalized communities and showcasing the diversity of Latino culture. We are going to
honor this legacy and pair up Radio Arte and Vocalo programming to create a format that connects
culturally diverse communities to one another. We are excited by the opportunity to partner with the
National Museum of Mexican Art as the institution continues its commitment to training young people in
media making."

“It is important to our community to be able to continue to tell our stories,” agrees Carlos Tortolero,
founder and president of the National Museum of Mexican Art. “I am pleased to partner with Vocalo and
Chicago Public Media to broaden the audience for these stories and welcome the opportunity to work with
a partner who shares our commitment to the community programming Radio Arte made possible.”
Under the partnership, the National Museum of Mexican Art will receive $450,000 in cash and in-kind
services for the purchase of the WRTE community license. This includes Chicago Public Media’s
commitment to broad media sponsorship of future Museum activities and events.
Jorge Valdivia, general manager of Radio Arte, says the partnership will continue the Radio Arte legacy,
building on the Latino media community that his program has worked to establish. “Vocalo will be able to
tap the Museum’s network of students for potential internships, continuing their media training and giving
them an expanded audience for their work through Chicago Public Media.”

"I am honored to work in partnership with National Museum of Mexican Art to preserve an important
community asset,” said Torey Malatia, Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Media. “CPM believes
strongly in the power of public media to shape and strengthen a community. In acquiring this frequency
we are taking responsibility of this asset to serve the communities currently served by Radio Arte. With
that in mind, we will develop programs inspired by the history and legacy of Radio Arte. "

Vocalo.org 89.5 FM was established in June 2007 as an initiative of Chicago Public Media to make public radio more open to the public at large. The website and radio station – committed to fostering conversation between diverse constituents – is a next-generation public media service that connects with younger, culturally diverse audiences through music and stories.

Chicago Public Media is an institution that creates award-winning content for people seeking to learn more about the issues and ideas that affect our community, our nation and our world. Chicago Public Media produces programs such as This American Life, Sound Opinions, Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell Me! (a co-production with NPR), Eight Forty- Eight, The Afternoon Shift with Steve Edwards, Worldview and Radio M. It operates WBEZ 91.5 FM, one of the country’s premiere public radio stations, along with Vocalo 89.5 FM.

The National Museum of Mexican Art showcases 3,000 years of creativity from both sides of the Mexican
border, connecting visitors to the diversity of authentic Mexican art and culture. Works from the museum’s 7,000-piece permanent collection are exhibited in four warm and welcoming bilingual galleries, and the museum’s location in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood—the nation’s third-largest Mexican community—allows for a total immersion in the richness of Mexico’s culture. Admission is always free at the National Museum of Mexican Art, the only nationally accredited Latino museum in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org. The National Museum of Mexican Art acquired its Class D radio station in 1996 from the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, and has since supported the various initiatives that catapulted Radio Arte into a national award-winning institution. Since 1997, Radio Arte has offered a comprehensive bilingual one-year media-training program to hundreds of youth, ages 15-21. Radio Arte’s public affairs programming is driven by young people who consider the airwaves a tool of empowerment for themselves and their communities.

###

Contact: Rob. Walton/Beth Silverman
The Silverman Group, Inc.
312.932.9950
rob@silvermangroupchicago.com

Michelle Damico
Marj Halperin Consulting

312.423.6627
michelle@marjhalperin.com

Millward Brown, in conjunction with BrandAnalytics and WPP, today announce the inaugural BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Latin American Brands.

The value of the BrandZ Latam Top 50 is dominated by retail, financial, communication, beer and energy brands.

Petrobras, the Brazilian energy giant, topped the ranking with a brand value of $10.6 billion. The remainder of the Top 5 consists of brands from the financial and communications categories.

Brazil, the world's sixth largest economy, is the most dominant country in the rankings, accounting for one third of the $136 billion total value. However, it's not all about Brazil. Mexican brands are in close pursuit and together are worth $37 billion - 27 percent of the total value of the BrandZ Latam Top 50. Brands from Chile, Colombia and Argentina also made it into the ranking and together constitute almost 40 percent of the total value.

Going global

The BrandZ Latam Top 50 brands are not only leaders in their own countries; many also have a regional presence across South America. The Chilean retailer Falabella operates stores throughout South America, and the Mexican telecom company, America Móvil, serves much of Latin America through its Claro brand. Of the brands in the BrandZ Latam Top 50 ranking, eight also ranked in the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2012 in the following categories: energy, communication, retail, beer and personal care.

Many of the BrandZ Latam Top 50 brands have a global footprint including Petrobras, Cemex, which is a global supplier of building materials, Sadia and Perdigão - both Brazilian food processors that export worldwide. When Chile's LAN Airlines completes it merger with Brazil's TAM Airlines, it will become one of the world's largest carriers.

The importance of brand

Despite being hit by the slowdown in the Latin American economy, the value of the BrandZ Latam Portfolio has outperformed the MSCI Emerging Market Latin America Index by over 7 percent over the last 12 months. This demonstrates that a strong brand not only maximizes the potential of a business when times are good, but also helps to minimize the impact of poor economic conditions on a business.

Fabian Hernandez, Latin American CEO, Millward Brown, says: "The BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Latin American Brands ranking corroborates the increasing importance of emerging markets in the world. It is fascinating to know in which industries the Latin American brands are competing with the global brands; Financial Institutions, Communications, and Retail." READ MORE

The Castilla-La Mancha US Tour will stop in San Francisco, San Diego, and Seattle in July
Featuring Tasting Seminars and a Walk-Around Grand Tasting in Each City

New York, June 21, 2012 – After a well-received tour through Atlanta, Chicago and New York in May, the wineries of Castilla-La Mancha look forward to bringing their distinctive wines to the West Coast during the week of July 9th. Just as local ‘celebrity’, Don Quixote, traveled through his region seeking adventure and noble experiences, guests at the Castilla-La Mancha US tastings will do the same as they discover the wines of 26 participating producers. Each of these events will offer opportunities to experience the wines, foods, music and traditions of this distinctive region. The events will welcome members of US wine and food trade and press.

Castilla-La Mancha is the most expansive wine-producing region in the world. It is a land of fascinating foods and cultural traditions and, naturally, a wide variety of wines. The land, composed of limestone clay and a great variety of subsoils, makes the region ideal for growing grape vines. Within the Castilla-La Mancha area, there are nine appellations of origin, four estates with their own appellations and many ‘Geographical Indication Wines’.

“After years of focus and investment in quality wine production and a very successful reception of our wines by industry professionals on the East Coast this past spring, we are excited to bring our distinctive traditions to new consumers along the West Coast and throughout the US. There is much for the US trade to discover about the quality and diversity of our wines and we hope to begin sharing our history and tradition through these tastings,” said Paloma Juncos of the Foreign Trade Institute of Castilla-La Mancha, which is organizing the US program.

Each event will commence with a seminar conducted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. MacNeil will share the winemaking history of the region of Castilla-La Mancha, the technical qualities of its wines, and the sales opportunity for these wines in the US market with the trade and press. Each seminar will be followed by an afternoon walk-around tasting enhanced by regional foods and live entertainment.

The participating wineries include Bodegas Alcardet, Bodegas del Saz, Bodegas Villavid, Viña Cerrón, Aurum Red, Vinícola de Castilla, Bodegas Centro Españolas, Manuel Manzaneque, Castillo de Consuegra, Finca Los Alijares, Dominio de Baco, Bodegas Soledad, Bodegas Vitivinos, Vinos & Bodegas, Bodegas la Tercia, Encomienda de Cervera, Bodegas Finca La Estacada, Cooperativa Virgen de las Nieves, Bodegas Romero de Ávila, Vinícola de Tomelloso, Bodegas Piqueras, Dominio de Punctum, Finca Los Aljibes, Finca El Refugio, Altolandon, and Arrayán.

To register for the events please visit:

San Diego, Monday, July 9th, 2012
http://castillalamanchasandiego.eventbrite.com/

San Francisco, Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
http://castillalamanchasanfrancisco.eventbrite.com/

Seattle, Thursday, July 12th, 2012
http://castillalamanchaseattle.eventbrite.com/

If you are unable to attend, but would like to receive samples of Castilla-La Mancha wines with US distribution, please contact: Alice Franceschi (afranceschi@colangelopr.com).

Contact:
Erica Nonni
Colangelo & Partners Public Relations
646.624.2885 ext. 112
enonni@colangelopr.com

Alice Franceschi
Colangelo & Partners PR
646.624.2885 ext. 107
afranceschi@colangelopr.com

The rise in the influence of the Hispanic business community has not gone unnoticed in the tourism industry.

Latinos are gaining footholds in a variety of industries in Southern Nevada, and airlines are creating connections to the south to help foster those growing business relationships.

While the population centers of Mexico have always been fertile ground for direct flights, big plans are on the horizon to reach into Central and South America with connecting service that should open new markets.

Since May 2011, the number of seats from Mexican markets has grown 38 percent to 4,838 a week — and that’s with a decrease in seats from AeroMexico, the nation’s major air carrier.

AeroMexico flies nonstop between Las Vegas and Mexico City and Monterrey. Discounter VivaAerobus links Las Vegas with Monterrey. And upstart discounter, Volaris, which has a partnership with Southwest Airlines, flies to Mexico City and Guadalajara.

Southwest and Volaris have hinted at a desire to grow the partnership, and Southwest has even said it eventually plans to fly its own planes to Mexico, although that won’t likely happen any time soon from McCarran International Airport. READ MORE

The Houston piñata controversy started with a few signs.

At parks in the northwestern reaches of Houston's Harris County, alongside the "Leash law will be enforced" and "No littering" warnings, authorities have posted signs saying, "No piñatas allowed" and "No confetti eggs."

Recently, Latino activists took issue with the signs, which they insist unfairly target Mexican Americans, because piñatas and confetti eggs, or cascarones, are popular Mexican party favors.

" ‘Piñatas prohibited' is not a synonym for ‘Do not litter’; it’s a synonym for ‘No Mexicans allowed,’ " Tony Diaz, founder of Houston-based El Librotraficante, told KHOU-TV News. "It’s almost as if all the signs that talk about the speed limit were to say ‘20 mph for your low-riders.’"

"If you condone this, it’s condoning a lot of negative stereotypes about Mexican Americans," Diaz said.

The county adopted the piñata policy six years ago, and officials noted that it covers a wide variety of party accessories. It reads: "All party favors containing paper, confetti, rice, silly string, glitter, or other filling which is designed to pop/break/shatter or otherwise burst and litter our parks are prohibited. This shall include but is not limited to: poppers, piñatas, confetti eggs, and silly string."

The policy only applies to Precinct 4, the largest precinct in the county -- one that includes more than two dozen parks and is at least 26% Latino. READ MORE

The importance of the Hispanic vote to President Barack Obama’s re-election chances is practically impossible to overstate. Yet the significance of the Hispanic vote to the long-term prospects of the Republican Party is arguably greater still.

A Latino Decisions poll of 5 swing states released June 17 revealed that Obama’s executive action to ease the pressure on young illegal immigrants, enabling them to avoid deportation and apply for work permits, has resonated with Hispanic voters.

A previous Latino Decisions poll had found widespread discontentment with Obama’s record 1 million deportations; in January, 41 percent of Hispanic voters said they had grown less enthusiastic about the president as a result. In the swing state poll released Sunday, however, 49 percent of Hispanics surveyed in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Virginia said the president’s halt on youth deportations would make them more enthusiastic about Obama, with only 14 percent saying it would make them less so.

If a rise in “enthusiasm” leads to a rise in Hispanic turnout to close to 2008 levels, it could make the difference for Obama in some or all of those five states -- and possibly others besides -- in November. Colorado, for example, has 455,000 eligible Hispanic voters. In 2010, Democrat Michael Bennet won a U.S. Senate seat there by a margin of about 29,000 votes. READ MORE

President Obama has new campaign ads on health care, and they're in Spanish.

The new spots, featuring Hispanic television host Cristina Saralegui, are airing in three states where the Latino could make the difference for Obama's re-election: Florida, Colorado and Nevada.

"President Obama's new health care law guarantees that by 2014 the vast majority of Hispanics will have access to quality, affordable health insurance," Saralegui says in the new ads.

That assumes, of course, that the Supreme Court doesn't strike down the law that Obama signed in 2010.

The justices are expected to issue their ruling sometime over the next 10 days.

The new Spanish-language ads come less than a week after Obama announced a new plan to stop deportations of the children of illegal immigrants and offer them a chance to obtain work permits.

Later this week, Obama and Republican opponent Mitt Romney have separate speeches to a convention of Hispanic lawmakers. READ MORE

For all the latinas who dreamed of starring in a telenovela, Suave Professionals® set out to make one lucky winner's wishes come true! Creating a "first-ever" landmark in TV sponsorship Unilever and Univision Network have taken their creative partnership to the next level. Suave Professionals®, as the official hair care sponsor of "El Talisman," offered one lucky fan the opportunity to win a walk-on role, setting a new standard and making history in the U.S. Hispanic marketing industry.

"For 50 years Suave® has made beautiful hair accessible to all women, by providing salon-quality products and benefits at a reasonable price. Our partnership with Univision and 'El Talisman' takes that promise another step further, making TV stardom possible for one lucky consumer," said David Rubin, U.S. Haircare Marketing Director for Unilever. "We provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity to bring Latinas closer to their favorite novela stars and for the first time put a fan on the show."

The "Estrena Tu Transformacion" (Reveal Your Transformation) contest tasked consumers with sharing their most dramatic hair transformations on Suave's Spanish-language Facebook® page, Belleza Suave, for the chance to make their grand debut on the telenovela, receive a make-over by Suave Professionals® celebrity stylist Leonardo Rocco, and win a five thousand dollar cash prize. Suave Professionals® is proud to announce Mayra Mendoza as our lucky grand prize winner.

Taking the integration a step further, a dedicated section on NovelasySeries.com featured Talisman-inspired hairstyle how-to videos, recreated by Leonardo Rocco. Throughout the telenovela, the Suave Professionals® Keratin Infusion™ range was integrated into three pivotal moments of the ever-dramatic story. One of these moments included a crucial wedding scene where the contest grand prize winner, Mendoza, starred in. READ MORE

These are not the tired, poor, huddled masses of your grandparents’ generation.

They are the most educated and wealthiest immigrants in U.S. history, happier than the general public with their lives and more optimistic about the direction of the country.

And now, Asian Americans are the fastest-growing wave of immigrants in the United States, surpassing Hispanics, according to a survey released today by the Pew Research Center.

"It has happened somewhat under the radar screen," Paul Taylor, executive vice president of the think tank, said from his office in Washington, D.C.

In 2010, 36 percent of new immigrants to the U.S. were Asian and 31 percent were Hispanic, according to Pew.

That’s a reversal from the beginning of the decade in 2000, when 59 percent of new immigrants to the U.S. were Hispanic and 19 percent were Asian. READ MORE

MiTu Network https://www.youtube.com/mitu which successfully launched on April 30, reported today that the new digital video network on YouTube, exclusively dedicated to Latin lifestyle content for today's Hispanic women, is quickly garnering an impressive critical mass. To date, the network has 83 dedicated Latino lifestyle channels, compiled over 11,000 videos, 780,000 network subscribers, over 260 million total network views, and more than 20 million monthly network views. Furthermore, Beatriz Acevedo, MiTu's President, officially announced today that Machinima CEO, Allen DeBevoise, has joined The MiTu Network as an advisor and investor in the company.

"I was drawn to MiTu for many of the same reasons why I started Machinima - both networks target and appeal to loyal, passionate and under-served (though rapidly growing) audiences, who have a deep emotional connection to the content they seek and the tightly knit digital communities they're a part of. I am incredibly excited by the opportunity and programming potential I see in MiTu and its team," stated Allen DeBevoise, Chairman and CEO of Machinima.

"Hispanics represent the fastest growing consumer segment in the U.S. and this is reflected in both traditional and digital platforms. Our launch numbers reflect an enthusiastic Latina audience with a healthy appetite for digital content focused on lifestyle programming," stated Roy Burstin, MiTu's CEO. READ MORE

Daddy Yankee was at a Verizon store located at Brickyard Mall on June 13 to promote the "My Fabulous Quince" composition contest.

Verizon offers to pay all the party expenses, a higher education scholarship, and the presence of famous urban singer Daddy Yankee at the winner's cotillion party. The young women may send compositions until July 31, 2012 online at www.myfabulousquince.com

In 1972, Raul Soto immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, expecting to work for only a few years before returning to his home country.

Forty years later, the 69-year-old former fruit picker is growing old in America.

"I still think about going back to Mexico, but I have never returned," said Soto, now a U.S. citizen. "I never thought I would stay in this country, but I did."

In Washington state, the number of older Hispanic or Latino people now tops 20,000 — twice the number in 2000, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The large numbers are driven in part by migrant workers who came to the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 made American citizenship a possibility for those who entered the U.S. before 1982, encouraging many — like Soto — to stay.

"My dad's generation — they came here to work for a few years then go back," said the Rev. Felipe Puleto, a Catholic priest at Saint Joseph's Parish in Yakima. "But once they were here, and the kids were growing up and learning the language and culture, Mexico seemed to get farther and farther away."

That older population now presents a unique challenge for medical, social and housing organizations. READ MORE

Jobita Hernandez has been looking forward to today for a long time.

This morning, with a salsa band providing festive and fitting music, the businesswoman will snip a ribbon commemorating her business's most recent expansion, this time to a cavernous space in Bluffton's Sheridan Park.

Seemingly more like an airplane hangar than a store, the 22,000-square-foot El Super International dwarfs neighbors such as Sonic and KFC in a symbolic affirmation of the ascension of local, Hispanic-owned businesses in southern Beaufort County.

Their proliferation is itself emblematic of a Hispanic population that's not just booming, but becoming better assimilated into the business community.

'BETTER EVERY DAY'

Hernandez, who was born in Houston but raised in Mexico, says she can't remember ever wanting to be anything but a businesswoman.

"My mother was in business, and I think that's where I get it from," she says. "For me, business is everything."

She smiles, but it's clear she isn't kidding. READ MORE

The number of Latino children and youth under 20 years of age diagnosed with diabetes is growing at an alarming rate -- the fastest of any ethnic group in the U.S.

It might be hard to tell a chubby-cheeked gordito that he can have only one helping of flan after dinner, but doctors say a healthy diet and good exercise habits are the key to fixing one of the Latino community's scariest health problems.

A new study released by research affiliates with the American Diabetes Association found that the number of Latino children and youth under 20 years of age diagnosed with diabetes is growing at an alarming rate -- the fastest of any ethnic group in the U.S.

While Type 1 diabetes is growing at an annual rate of about 3 percent, with a 23 percent increase in 8 years, in children and young adults, about 33 percent of Americans under 20 years of age now have Type 2 diabetes, a 21 percent jump in eight years, according to data collected between 2001 and 2009 by the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. But the trend has affected Latinos the worst, according to researchers. READ MORE

Anna Maria Chávez took over as the country’s chief Girl Scout last November. She's the first Latina to head the 3.2 million member organization.

Chávez grew up in the tiny town of Eloy, Ariz., between Phoenix and Tucson. And, of course, she was in a troop.

“I went away for the first time to go camping without my family. That was a huge thing," she recalled during a recent visit to San Diego. "And since that point it really charged me up to think about boundaries outside of Eloy.”

Chávez went to law school and later worked in the administration of former Arizona governor, Janet Napolitano, now U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

Chávez said Girl Scouts of the USA is making a major effort to stay relevant to an increasingly diverse population of girls and their parents. They can still go camping, if they want, but the options for activities and learning have greatly diversified as girls have changed, she said.

“You know, nowadays girls are into technology. They’re figuring out how to be global citizens. They’re wondering how can they start their business at 10 years old,” she said.

Faced with lagging membership, the organization has also made a major effort to recruit more Latina girls and get their parents to volunteer. READ MORE

The story of population growth in the United States is a story about Latinos reshaping our landscape. Over the past decade, they have accounted for 56% of America’s growth, now reaching 16% of the population, or more than 50 million citizens, even surpassing African-Americans to become the country’s biggest minority group. Latinos are certainly making their voices and preferences heard.

Such a phenomenon can also be seen in the showbiz world, as we’re finally starting to see a positive shift in the portrayal of Latinos in Hollywood. Cultural stereotypes are giving way to cultural authenticity. As a result, New Generation Latinos, also known as NGLs, are making waves and changing the conversation. They’re influencing traditional media and making Latinos the biggest and fastest growing users of online and interactive technology, mobile devices, and social media. READ MORE