In recent years Barbie has drawn widespread resistance from clerics and conservative quarters in Iran, which consider it a symbol of the corrupt, immoral Western culture.

Several months ago a conservative website criticized the Iranian authorities for not taking the necessary measures to stop the use of Barbie’s image on such children’s items as schoolbags, stationery, clothes, and watches. The website claimed that the doll is “taking over the souls of the youngsters” and that the authorities need to collaborate with local manufacturers to encourage the use of Iranian and Islamic characters instead of Barbie.

Modestly dressed Iranian dolls, Dara and Sara, have not sold as well as Barbie in the country's toy stores.

The design and distribution of the dolls, a modestly-dressed brother and sister pair, was aimed to promote traditional Islamic and Iranian values and better cope with the market penetration of American dolls. It soon became clear, however, that the Iranian dolls could not capture the hearts of Iran’s children, and Barbie continued dominating the country’s toy market.

As part of the growing criticism of Barbie’s harmful influence on the consumption culture of young Iranians, the Gerdab website argued this week that the purchase of Barbie dolls triggers a psychological change in children and increases the influence of values that go against the values of Iranian-Islamic culture. The website reported that toy stores no longer sell just Barbie dolls and have also started offering harmful Chinese-made make-up for children due to the influence of the make-up wearing American dolls.

ULI students push for immigration reform at all levels of government.

The University Leadership Initiative will be hosting a citizenship drive. The event will allow eligible residents to work with immigration lawyers to fill out the N-400 application for citizenship; ULI will also provide passport photos required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and lawyers to review the application.

ULI was able to host the drive free of charge because of help from local donors, Univision, United We Dream and State Representative Eddie Rodriguez.

According to the 2007 Pew Hispanic Center, in 2005 only 52% of all eligible permanent residents actually became citizens. The percentage was even smaller (35%) for residents who were born in Mexico a key pool of potential voters in Texas.

The students believe naturalization of these individuals would dramatically change the political landscape of Texas.

“Becoming a citizen is the realization of the American Dream. Citizenship means finally becoming full participatory members of society. The power of citizenship becomes evident in the opportunity to vote and make our voices be heard, for the betterment of our communities, our society our families, and ourselves,” says Daniel Olvera, President of University Leadership Initiative.

Voting privileges are not the only benefit of becoming a citizen, one also gains diplomatic protection abroad, the right to cross the U.S border at will, the right to sponsor family members interested in citizenship, the right to run for office and many other federal benefits.

ULI conducts outreach at local, state, and national levels to address the dilemma faced by young people who were brought to the United States years ago as undocumented immigrant children and may be eligible for the DREAM Act if passed.

For more information visit ULI’s Facebook or their website.

"V for victory, Vatos," exhorts Tony Diaz organizer of the book smuggling operations.

The Tucson school district’s recent decision to confiscate and ban books from the now defunct Mexican-American Studies program has caused a backlash from Latino writers and activists.

Tony Diaz, novelist and founder of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, is organizing a caravan to take banned books back into Tucson March 12 – 17.

“Me and my fellow Libro-Traficantes will be smuggling contraband books back into Arizona this Spring Break… Arizona we’re throwing the book at you,” said Diaz on his recent Wet Books YouTube statement dedicated to the effort.

The caravan will include banned authors, as well as activists concerned about student’s First Amendment rights. It was announced that Sandra Cisneros, Dagoberto Gilb and Luis Alberto Urrea, whom all have books on the banned list, will participate at various points along the route.

Diaz plans to make stops in cities throughout Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The culminating event will be held in Tucson.

The “smuggling” operation is intended to:

1. Raise awareness of the suspension of the Mexican-American Studies program and the removal of banned books.
2. Promote banned authors and their contributions to American literature, non-fiction and poetry.
3. Celebrate diversity.

A spokesperson for the school district denied the books have been banned.

“No books have been banned. The only books that have been taken from the classroom are the seven books that were part of the curriculum of the Mexican-American Studies classes, and those have been moved to storage.” says Cara Rene, TUSD Director of Communications.

After Tucson lost its recent legal battle over HB2281, which was specifically drafted to remove its Mexican American Studies program, officials confiscated the seven books that were part of the program’s curriculum.

The books were boxed up and carried away to an off campus storage facility. The confiscation triggered a rapid backlash from the public, when there were reports of books being taken away in front of students.

“What a wonderful world I live in. Tony Diaz and gang of Libro-traficantes are starting to heat up the interstate highways with contraband books,” said Gerardo Parra Jr., director at Counterpart Films, on a recent Facebook posting of the event.
 

Visit librotraficante.com for more information.

Google is one many tech companies that are involved in the SOPA blackout.

No it’s not Spanish for soup.

The Stop Online Piracy Act proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as copyright holders, to seek court orders against websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement. Depending on who makes the request, the court order could include barring online advertising networks and payment facilitators from doing business with the allegedly infringing website, barring search engines from linking to such sites, and requiring Internet service providers to block access to such sites.

The bill would make unauthorized streaming of copyrighted content a crime, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison for ten such infringements within six months. The bill also gives immunity to Internet services that voluntarily take action against websites dedicated to infringement, while making liable for damages any copyright holder who knowingly misrepresents that a website is dedicated to infringement.

Protecting proptery

Proponents of the bill say it protects the intellectual property market and corresponding industry, jobs and revenue, and is necessary to bolster enforcement of copyright laws, especially against foreign websites. They cite examples such as Google’s $500 million settlement with the Department of Justice for its role in a scheme to target U.S. consumers with ads to illegally import prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies. MarkMonitor a brand protection firm, says websites that steal intellectual property cost legitimate businesses $130 billion annually.

Traditional media companies that have had trouble navigating the industry’s transition to the net are the biggest backers of the bills, as they have seen their movie and music content pirated at an exponential rate.

To much control

Opponents say that it violates the First Amendment, is Internet censorship, will cripple the Internet, and will threaten whistle-blowing and other free speech actions. Opponents have initiated a number of protest actions, including petition drives, boycotts of companies that support the legislation, and planned service blackouts by English Wikipedia and major Internet companies scheduled to coincide with the next Congressional hearing on the matter. Many companies are concerned that the bill would keep web traffic from flowing into offending website. This would be dire for companies that rely on a steady stream of internet visitors to make the bulk of their revenue.

Google has blacked out its logo on its homepage to protest SOPA and PROTECT-IP Act (PIPA). Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, has begun redirecting traffic from its main Mozilla.org and Mozilla.com English websites for 12 hours to a black page with a call-to-action message to make visitors aware of the problems posed by PIPA/SOPA. Wikipedia has blacked out its service for the day.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch of News Corp. began taking shots at Google on twitter for its public opposition to the bills. He said Google was a “piracy leader”, but his comments didn’t stop there. He then aimed his sights on bloggers stating that they were “terrorizing” the politicans who were on board with the SOPA and PIPA acts.

You can still access Wikipedia by following these steps from PCWorld.

Congressman Luis Gutierrez has inspired many, but some feel that a politican is unable to lead a social justice movement.

A great deal of buzz surrounding the Congressman’s recent involvement in immigration rallies and protests at major U.S. cities has been circulating since 2010 when Frank Sharry, director of advocacy group America’s Voice, made the following controversial statement: “He’s as close as the Latino community has to a Martin Luther King figure.”

Fox News analyst Juan Williams included the statement in a blog for website The Hill in December of last year praising Gutierrez as his “Congressman of the Year” for using his voice to “speak for millions of immigrants in America.”

Although Rep. Gutierrez carries the torch as one of the leading voices for immigration reform, Douglas Rivlin, Gutierrez’s Director of Communications, says in response to Sharry’s comment, “It is very flattering…the Congressman found it flattering. It’s a lot to live up to. Martin Luther King was a member of the clergy and a scholar though; he wasn’t a member of Congress. The movements are different.”

Included in Williams’ blog was another similarity the Congressman has with Dr. King—his involvement in Birmingham, Alabama. In October, Gutierrez led a delegation of House members to a protest of the new Alabama immigration laws. The protest took place in front of the church where four black schoolgirls were killed in a fire during the Civil Rights movement when King’s leadership played a vital role.

Rivlin adds, “By going to Alabama we are prioritizing serious criminals, and deprioritizing families, DREAM Act students and others with deep roots in the U.S. who are assets to this country.”

Just as King was arrested for his involvement in protests, two of Gutierrez’s four arrests have been in non-violent protests for immigration reform. The controversy immigration reform is causing in the U.S. bears close resemblance to the controversy the Civil Rights struggle caused during King’s time.

The Latino civil rights organization The National Council of La Raza’s Director of Immigration and National Campaigns Clarissa Martinez says about the Congressman, “He represents the soul of the Latino community in the nation. He honors the legacy of Martin Luther King.”

Local activists have also worked with Gutierrez on his efforts to advance immigration reform.

Cesar Espinosa, Executive Director of Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha, admits that he is hoping Gutierrez makes a presidential run and would like to help with the campaign.

Espinosa has hosted the congressman at immigration events here in Houston and has worked with Gutierrez several times on civil rights campaigns.

Though Gutierrez is popular among activists, he is relatively unknown to the general Latino community.

“I only learned about Luis Gutierrez two months ago while in class, and I admire his work. He’s just not close to being the same transformational figure Dr. King was. While Gutierrez has definitely made an impact, he hasn’t altered the conscience of the nation like Martin Luther King. The majority of my friends haven’t heard of him. ” said Nohemy Balboa, a San Jacinto Community College student who hopes to minor in Mexican-American studies when she transfers to a university.

While comparisons between the historic civil rights leader and Gutierrez maybe premature, Martin Luther King Jr.’s words “I have dream” still ring true for thousands of illegal immigrants in the U.S., and the congressman is working for that dream to become a reality.

“Uncertainty and fear and ignorance about immigrants, about people who are different, has a history as old as our Nation,” said Gutierrez as he advocated for immigration reform in congress.

In an unprecedented collaboration the Department of Health and Human Services, the White House Office of Science and Technology and  the Office of the Vice President challenged technology developers to create smartphone apps that would prevent violence and abuse from occuring via the Apps Against Abuse Challenge.

The challenge is aimed squarely at college students to give them the ability to prevent dating violence and sexual assault among their friends.

Recently Ashley Billasano, 18,  of Rosenberg’s BF Terry High School  committed suicide. Billasano claimed she was molested and forced into prostitution.  She informed police, but a grand jury declined to issue an indictment for lack of evidence. Billasno felt that authorities, including Child Protective Services did not believe her account.

After sending scores of tweets to leave a public record of her story, she took her own life by suffocation.

Billasno is not alone.  Nearly nineteen percent of women report experiencing sexual assault while in college.  The attacker is often an acquaintance or friend that waits for the woman to put herself in vulnerable circumstances.

According to Apps Against Abuse, dating violence also disproportionately affects young women as well. Sixty percent of college students who have been in an abusive relationship say no one helped them.

The winners of the challenge,  “Circle of 6” and “On Watch”, were announced in the beginning of November seek to change these sobering stats through mobile technology.

They beat out 30 other apps that were submitted to the challenge.  Both apps help keep young people connected to trusted friends and critical resources.

Circle of 6

This iPhone app makes it easy for students to reach a circle of friends and let them know where you are and what you need in real time.

It only takes two touches to request help.  The app uses text messaging technology to communicate with your friends, GPS to locate your position when needed, connects with domestic violence organizations and sends a requests for friends to take a Facebook pledge to stop violence.

 
On Watch

Another iPhone app that allows the user to send important information to a support network on social media, phone, email or text.

Again, only two touches are needed to connect with friends, campus police or 911.

This app allows for a timer to be set when a certain activity is being performed and alerts friends if the activity does not go according to plan.

If you have class at night, you can set the timer for ten minutes, the time it takes to walk to your car, and if it takes longer, the app will alert your circle of friends that you could be in a risky situation.

To see a complete list of the winner or for more information:

http://appsagainstabuse.challenge.gov/

Roland Hernandez is your average working- class American.  He works full time, six days a week, sometimes up to 12 hours a day.

As a repair man, he is comfortable speaking to people of all educational backgrounds and has traveled through several Houston neighborhoods- the rich, the poor and those in between.

It was in through his line of work that he discovered a need for social change.  Through conversations with disabled war veterans and the elderly, he came up with an idea to save social security and better assist returning veterans, something he says Republicans would favor.

“The problem is the federal government is broke,” said Hernandez.  “There is no money, so I found a solution.”

An immigration reform is the solution, he said.

“I created an immigration reform bill that is going to create a lot of money for the nation, so much money that we can help provide for the needs of the elderly and disabled war veterans,” Hernandez  said.

Hernandez plans to ask Congress for a one-year grace period where immigrants will be granted a temporary work visa.  The revenue will come straight from the work visas, which is a selling point for both major political parties.

“It’s not going to come out of the federal government’s pocket; it’s not going to come out of the tax payers’ pocket; the immigrant is going to pay for it,” he said.
Local state governments, he said, would benefit with creation of new jobs, if such visa were every allowed for temporary citizenship. The economy would experience a boost and perhaps raise enough money to pay for the national debt, he said.

The pricing of the work visas, according to Hernandez, would depend on age and marital status.  He said buying work visas are a safer alternative to “coyotes,” smugglers who warrant no guarantees.  His focus is to inform the public of his idea.  He says the only way to pass his proposal would be by unifying supporters.

To unite Americans politically, Hernandez is growing a grassroots movement – one, he says, that  can create social change through the power of numerous supporters.
“It’s going to take the people to stand up and take our country back.  We can’t rely on the politicians and the parties,” he said.  “As Americans we have to rise up as one man; a corporate body.”

Hernandez speaks to anyone who will listen.  He says both parties have shown an interest in his proposal and actively rallies volunteers to propel the movement.
“I’d hate to use the word bipartisan, because it’s got a bad rep now,” he said.  “What I want to call it is a bill for the American people and for America.”

The College Board recently released statistics that indicate that minorities are taking the SAT test at an unprecedented rate.

Since 2006, the overall number of students taking the SAT test has grown by 21.6 percent.  More notably, however, are the statistics for specific minority groups: Hispanics have seen the largest amount of growth at 57.7 percent with African-Americans as a  close second at 43.4 percent.

The 2011 SAT takers represented the largest and most diverse class in the history of the test.  These figures indicate that more high school students, minorities in particular, see college as a possibility and are preparing for a collegiate future by taking the SAT.

The Texas Education Agency claims that 54 percent of the graduating class of 2011, approximately 147,960 students from Texas public schools took the SAT, placing Texas as the eighteenth state nationwide in public school participation.

“There is clearly an increase in the college-going culture in this state. Whether it’s elementary schools decorated with college pennants, new high-tech science and technology programs or expanding dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses, there is a synergy in Texas that is causing more students to consider going to college,” said Robert Scott, Texas commissioner of education.

Texan minority students generally did better in mathematics than their counterparts nationwide; African-Americans in 2011 increased their mean math score by two points to 438, compared to the nationwide average of 425.

However, according to the College Board, minorities are not as well prepared for collegiate success; to test for preparedness, the College Board came up with the SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark.

“The SAT Benchmark score of 1550 (critical reading, mathematics and writing score combined) indicates a 65 percent likelihood of achieving a B- average or higher during the first year of college, which in turn is indicative of a high likelihood of college success and completion,” said the College Board in their report.  “…students who meet or exceed the SAT Benchmark have a substantially higher college retention rate than those students who do not attain the SAT Benchmark.”

59 percent of Asian students met the benchmark and 53 percent of white students met the benchmark; however, only 23 percent of Hispanics and 15 percent of African-Americans met the SAT benchmark.

While officials are encouraged that more minority students are taking the SAT and seeing college as a destination, there is clearly much more work to be done.
“In today’s knowledge-based global economy, it’s more critical than ever that American students are adequately prepared to pursue advanced degrees and compete for the jobs of the future,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education.

“Growing participation in the SAT is an encouraging sign that more students are taking the necessary steps toward enrolling in higher education. But the overall preparedness rate from these SAT results reinforces the need to invest in reforms that prepare more students for success in college.”

Locally, growing SAT participation has led to increase in enrollment around the city.  The University of Houston saw a record enrollment nearing 40,000 students and Lone Star College in North Houston saw a record 75,000 students in their community college district.

“I don’t think an increase in SAT participation that continually results in substandard scores bodes well for minority communities.  A lot of my friends took the SAT, only to drop out their freshman year.” said Eve Guzman, a finance major at UHCL.

Co-Director of Kinder Institute for Urban Research Dr. Stephen Klineberg welcomes the audience by introducing the guest speakers at the Rice Memorial Center Ballroom. Photo by: Carolyn Alvarez

The American Jewish Committee and the Kinder Institute at Rice University hosted an immigration summit at Rice on Tuesday, to address the cost savings of implementing immigration reform in Texas.

The AJC’s Bridging America Project provides communities with programs and public education to achieve local support for immigration reform. The summit was led by a panel of five local leaders who collaborated on the importance of having a movement for the state’s undocumented residents that will benefit every Texan.

“Immigration reform without question is a politically-charged issue,” said Greater Houston Partnership Chairman, Larry Kellner.

Although the business community tends to shy away from politically-charged issues, businesses are advocating for immigration reform, Kellner said. He believes we need everyone who is working to contributing to the tax system.  “A strong business community makes for a strong Houston.”

Changes to Public Policy

Beto Cardenas of Vinson & Elkins addressed public policy through public safety and law enforcement, and how cost savings can be achieved by implementing immigration reform.

One change that needs to be considered, with respect to state legislation, is one that allows a current immigrant of illegal status to obtain a driver privilege card that allows them to receive auto insurance and vehicle registration, said Cardenas.

“The highest priority of law enforcement is to protect all residents in the community,” Cardenas said.

He discussed how local residents with questionable legal status must be able to identify themselves as crime victims or witnesses without the fear of deportation. “Crime is neither prevented or solved under these conditions,” Cardenas said, “and that is a cost to us in dollars.”

Providing Health Care

President and CEO of Harris County Hospital District, David S. Lopez told the audience that his staff believes in immigration reform and will not turn down undocumented residents if they need basic healthcare.

“We are taking care of basic needs in our community,” Lopez said.

The cost for treating a patient with basic outpatient healthcare is less than treating a patient with a severe condition that went untreated and needs to be hospitalized, he said. Turning people away for not being legal residents is not a part of the Harris County Hospital District policy.

“People have a dire need for healthcare, and providing an environment free of fear of deportation is very important to us,” he said.

Importance of Education

Houston’s public schools have a policy of not turning students away due to their status.

“There is nothing more important to our states future than having an highly educated workforce,” said Juliet Stipeche, HISD Board of Education Trustee, District VIII.

An educated population improves the state’s economy, is more productive, more socially responsible and civically engaged, Stipeche said.  She considers education a matter of life and death, as she discussed how a high school dropout is 47 times more likely to be jailed than a college graduate and has a mortality rate that is three times higher than a person who has more than a high school education.

Students’ legal statuses and educational opportunity are intertwined, she adds, which is why federal law prohibits the questioning children’s statuses in grades K through 12.

But what are undocumented students faced with once they have graduated from college? How can these students achieve the American dream without the combination of years of hard work and dedication ending with citizenship? Stipeche said that current case in law creates hope without opportunity, and the passage of the DREAM Act and other laws and legislation will help Texas build our community to meet the needs of today.

“We are an immigrant nation, each wave of immigrants that comes seems to forget that a little bit more,” said Deacon Joe Rubio.

Latino Giving Houston, a philanthropic organization, promotes a culture of philanthropy within the Latino community. Foundation giving to Latinos continues to stagnate. Photo Courtesy: Mario Salinas

Over the past decade, U.S. foundation support for programs benefiting Hispanics and Latinos has held steady at approximately 1 percent of overall foundation funding, even as the Hispanic population in the country has grown significantly, a new report from the Foundation Center finds.

According to Foundation Funding for Hispanics/Latinos in the United States and for Latin America, total grant funding targeting Latinos in the United States between 2007 and 2009 averaged about $206 million a year, while funding for Latin America averaged roughly $350 million annually. Human services (27 percent) and health (26 percent) captured the largest share of grant dollars awarded for Latinos in the U.S., while Mexico and Brazil did the same for grants targeting Latin America.

The report, the product of a collaboration between the Foundation Center and Hispanics in Philanthropy, found that the top ten funders awarding grants for Latinos in the U.S. from 2007 to 2009 accounted for nearly 40 percent of grant dollars, and that recipients in the West received the largest share (42 percent) of foundation funds intended to benefit Hispanics, with 80 percent of that funding going to California-based organizations.

Among U.S. metropolitan areas, the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area received the largest share of grant dollars (17 percent) and number of grants (13 percent). Over the three year period, this metropolitan area received more than 1,000 grants totaling $107.3 million.

The report also found that roughly half the funding for Latin America went directly to organizations in Latin American nations, while the other half was awarded through U.S.-based international programs, and that the largest share of grant dollars was awarded in the area of the environment (33 percent), followed by international affairs (20 percent).