December 15th, 2011 at 4:41 pm » Comments (0)

Great new. Today DHS Secty Napolitano terminated Joe Arpaio’s 287(g) agreement in Maricopa Cty, Arizona (the Phoenix area); this agreement was the largest ICE-local police partnership that focused on immigration enforcement. She made the announcement shortly after the Justice Dept released a report detailing a host of civil rights abuses including racial profiling and discrimination. It’s about time!

Read the article here.

December 12th, 2011 at 1:29 pm » Comments (0)

Syringe use is found among Hispanic Immigrant populations for the application of vitamins, medicines and for recreational purposes.  Concerns voiced in the Voices of Immigrants In Action Community Survey provide data that reveals that use of alcohol and recreational drugs is of concern to one in four youth (25%). Among the broader population, one in three have this concern. (33%).

Support syringe exchange access! Please support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal funds for Syringe Exchange. Negotiations related to the appropriations bill are happening today (12/12/11). Our friends at the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition request that those concerned make calls today to the President, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senator negotiators and leadership from your state, and Speaker Pelosi.

Calling the President:
Please call President Barack Obama: 202-456-1414
My name is _______.  I live in <Your City, State>.  Thank you for your past support of syringe exchange.   I support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal and local Washington DC funds for Syringe Exchange.    Please do not allow the Senate or House to change the current law in the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations negotiations.  Thank you.

Calling Senate Majority Leader Reid and Other Senators:
*Harry Reid (D-NV) Majority Leader: 202-224-3542
The Message for all of the Senators including Senator Reid is:
My name is _______.  I live in <Your City, State>.  I support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal and local Washington DC funds for Syringe Exchange.   Please do not change the current law in the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations negotiations.  Thank you.

Arkansas
Mark Pryor (D) : 202-224-2353
Louisiana
Mary Landrieu (D): 202-224-5824
Nebraska
Ben Nelson (D): 202-224-6551
North Carolina 
Kay Hagan (D): 202-224-6342
Specifically ask her to weigh in with leadership (specifically Harry Reid’s office).
Calling Speaker Pelosi:
Please call Speaker Nancy Pelosi: 202-225-0100

December 12th, 2011 at 1:22 pm » Comments (0)

VIA TREND #8

One in three Hispanic Immigrants surveyed by VIA in 2010 state that substance use is the leading concern they have for Hispanic Youth.

- Source: VIA 2011

VOICES ✺ VOCES

As a result of their emotional and economic situation, many look for refuge in alcohol [and other substances]. 34 year old Venezuelan woman, TN.

Debido a su situación emocional y económica, mucha buscan refugio en alcohol [u otros sustancias]. Mujer Venezuelana de 34 años, Tennessee.

December 9th, 2011 at 12:33 pm » Comments (0)

Our friends at the FACHC has released Farmworkers in the Southeast, an illuminating report on the working conditions, demographics, health conditions, barriers to care and challenges faced by Farmworkers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.

The report includes data obtained from a variety of sources including FACHC’s Southeastern Migrant Health Questionnaire, Impact of Immigration Laws in the Southeast Survey and 2011 Assessment of the Eastern Stream as well as the National Agricultural Workers Survey and U.S. Census of Agriculture.

The report is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding more about this vulnerable population. Download the report here.

December 1st, 2011 at 1:01 pm » Comments (0)

The Beginning of the End of AIDS Starts with You!!!

Today is World AIDS Day, a day to celebrate the victories we have achieved, remember the people who have passed on, show our support to people living with HIV and AIDS, and renew our pledge of “Getting to Zero” – this year’s theme.  In honor of World AIDS Day I’ve included some links on different activities going on and resources available for moreinformation.  Please feel free to share far and wide!!!

**Watch a video of a GALEO (Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials) member’s story:

Pride Deciding Moment: Alejandro

 **Create your own quilt panel at (2015) Quilt!

**Click through the images of Facing AIDS participants:

Facing AIDS

Farmworker Justice’s Facing AIDS Initiative

**Read more about HIV and AIDS:

Preventing HIV Through Testing, Care, and Treatment (CDC)

Kaiser Family Foundation’s HIV and AIDS Resources

A special message from our friends at Farmworker Justice

HIV and AIDS: A Global Perspective

As we head into the holiday season and the promise of a New Year, new opportunities, and new adventures, let us not overlook World AIDS Day and all that it stands for.  As we prepare our travel plans and look forward to a few days off of work, let us not forget about the people infected with HIV that are afraid to tell their families for fear of discrimination; or those that lack access to treatment and life saving drugs.  Let us also not forget the children that are left behind when their family members pass on from this devastating disease.  On this day, December 1^st, let’s take a moment to remember those who are infected or affected by HIV and AIDS and those that didn’t survive and think about what we can do, personally, to change the course of this epidemic.

The first World AIDS Day was held in 1988 and the theme was “Our Lives, Our World – Let’s Take Care of Each Other”.  Although the themes have changed year after year, the idea ofWorld AIDS Day and what it stands for has not.  This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero” and reflects our goal of reaching zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.   A hefty goal, but one worth working towards.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people to celebrate the HIV/AIDS accomplishments we’ve achieved, like increased access to treatment and better prevention services; to remember those who have passed on; and to raise awareness of the challenges still facing us.  World AIDS Day is an important day to remind our government and people that HIV hasn’t disappeared and that it is still affecting people in a very real way.  We still have a lot of work to do to combat stigma, raise money for prevention and treatment efforts, increase knowledge worldwide, and reduce discrimination and prejudice both surrounding HIV/AIDS and those who are infected.

HIV is still devastating many communities, families, and countries. In the United States as a whole, there are still 1.2 million people living with HIV infection and approximately 50,000 people infected each year. There are approximately 34 million people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide and more than two-thirds are in developing countries.  HIV is orphaning children, affecting the economic growth of counties, and leaving communities and households devastated.  The majority of HIV cases are in people under the age of 25 and in the prime of their life.

Farmworker Justice