afroTANGO by Thalia Spanish Theatre (Sunnyside, Queens)

Backstage Review

Richard Gutierrez: 1st Latino president of Queens Bar Association

"It's significant for young Hispanic attorneys to see that there is a president of a mainstream bar association who is Latino because then it becomes something they can hopefully achieve if they want because someone else has achieved it.

It gives us all hope, because diversity is so important in the legal community; inclusion is important." Richard Gutierrez

 

Full Daily News Article

East Elmhurst -- 11369

"For a class assignment, I was asked to study one particular zip code. I chose the zip code just north of where I live in Jackson Heights. That zip code is 11369, which coincides with East Elmhurst. I knew nothing about it, except that it is close to where I live. But the more I looked into it, the more interesting I found it." Kristin Graves

Immigration To Open Long Island City Office

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency announced the opening of a new “one stop shop” immigration office in Long Island City early next year. The facility will reduce some of the legwork required for many immigration documents, but the expansion does not include the hiring of additional staff – a step immigrant advocates say would more significantly reduce the lengthy process of obtaining documented status.

According to a spokesperson, the 104 employees that will staff the new office located at 27-35 Jackson Avenue will be transplants from the Garden City office, which will be closed and split into two locations: one in Long Island City and the other in Holtsville.

Queens Tribune article

Lourdes Ventura Considers Bid for Queens Assembly D38

The Queens Courier reports that seven individuals are ready to compete for the open seat in the State Assembly's 38th District (Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Glendale, Maspeth, Ridgewood, Middle Village).

The seat was most recently occupied by Anthony Seminerio who resigned last month following an indictment on corruption charges.

Among those said to be considering a run is Lourdes Ventura, currently the Counsel for Latino and Immigrant Affairs for State Senator Malcolm Smith. An assistant attorney general and former prosecutor, Ventura, was recognized last year as a “Rising Star” in Queens County.

The daughter of Dominican immigrants, Ventura grew up as the oldest of three children and recalls that one of her earliest obstacles was the language barrier. “I remember being in my first-grade classroom and how difficult it was,” she says, “because I didn’t know English at all even though I was born and raised in Queens.” UB Today: Lourdes Ventura

Ventura was an associate at the Long Island-based law firm of Ahmuty, Demers, and McManus and a former president of the Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County.

She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo where she obtained her BA, MSW and JD degrees. Ventura resides in Queens with her husband and son.

Meet Alfonso Quiroz - Queens City Council Candidate, D25

Update: 6.5.09 - Alfonzo Quiroz, who had hoped that the term limit override would be ruled illegal, has pulled out of the race given that final appeals have been lost in that case.

On September 15, 2009, the people of Jackson Heights, Corona (including Lefrak City and Sherwood Village), Elmhurst, East Elmhurst and Rego Park have the chance to send a Latino to the City Council: Alfonso Quiroz.

Like Obama, Alfonso is a community organizer from the South Side of Chicago. A fourth-generation American of Mexican, German and Ukrainian descent, Alfonso grew up in a middle-class, union family; his dad was a Steelworker union member.

When he was 22, Alfonso served as a White House Intern during the Clinton Administration in the office of Hillary Clinton. In 2000, Alfonso served as a political aide in Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.

After the 2000 presidential race, Alfonso settled in Queens and learned about city government as a member of Mark Green’s 2001 mayoral campaign. He subsequently worked for MTV News and then in the office of current City Council Member Helen Sears. After leaving Sears’s staff, Alfonso took a PR assignment with ConEd.

In June 2008, Alfonso was sworn in to a second term on the Queens Community Board 3. He is also a member of the Citizens Advice Bureau, the JFK Democratic Club, the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York and is active in the Jackson Heights Beautification Group.

Links:
Star Of Queens
Gay Candidate Series: Alfonso Quiroz
Alfonso Quiroz: JFK Democratic Club City Council Candidates Night

1 Million Uninsured

A new report on poverty reveals that 1,052,611 residents of Long Island under 65 have no health insurance. Yup! That's 43% of the state's 2,471,152 uninsureds. And 1 in 6 islander under 65 lacks coverage.

Here are the numbers and percentages of the uninsured by county:

• Kings County: 335,289 - 15.9%
• Nassau County: 173,349 - 15.1%
• Queens County: 345,196 - 17.6
• Suffolk County: 198,777 - 15.2%

A few questions:

• How is it that the economically challenged Western NY counties of Erie, Monroe and Niagara have lower rates of uninsureds (11.3% - 11.9%) than wealthy LI?
• How is it that Bronx County manages an uninsured rate of 11.1%?
• How is it that 68% of the largely rural Upstate counties (27 of 40) have uninsured rates greater than 15% and as high as thirty per cent in state as rich as NY?
• Furthermore, how is it that NY spends so much while managing to leave millions uninsured?

Link: 2009 New York State Poverty Report

Meet Mel Gagarin - Queens City Council Candidate, D29

Melquiades Gagarin was born in Elmhurst, Queens to a diverse family background. His father was raised in the Philippines and moved to New York to pursue a better life. Gagarin's mother is a first generation New Yorker born to Puerto Rican parents. Mel was raised largely by his grandmother Ramona and mother Maria, a nurse at the Jack D. Weiler Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Both women emphasized the value of hard work and education.

After graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School in Jamaica, Mel took the values instilled by his family and attended The American University in Washington, D.C. Earning his degree in Political Science, it was at American where Mel developed his passion for public service, and met hisfuture wife, Aleda. After graduation, Mel served as a Board Liaison for the National Foundation for Women Legislators in Washington, a non-profit organization that helps female state legislators develop leadership skills.

LI's 20 Latino Pols = shocking under-representation

In the fall of 2005, Mel and Aleda returned to New York and moved to Kew Gardens. That same year, Mel served as the Communications Liaison to New York State Senator José Serrano in East Harlem. His work in Senator Serrano's office attracted the attention of Congressman Anthony Weiner, who hired Mel as his Community Representative.

It was in Congressman Weiner's office that Mel had the opportunity to meet with many individuals in the community. Mel became familiar with the hurdles that the average New Yorker faces in having their basic needs met by the different levels of government. Gagarin brings this same desire into his campaign to represent the 29th Council District. "Our neighborhoods need a new and vibrant vision at City Hall," says Gagarin. Our city must remain a haven of shared prosperity for New York's middle-class. Our future demands action that cannot wait."

Mel currently works as the Media Manager for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he is responsible for disseminating the organization's message of equality and justice for all Americans. Mel is a member of the New York State Young Democrats and the National Association of Black Journalists. He is also working with a group of his neighbors in Kew Gardens who areunited against irresponsible development.

Mel lives with his wife Aleda and two year old son Micah. They are expecting their second child in time for the New Year.

Source: Meet the Candidates with ChangeNYC.Org

LI's 20 Latino Pols = shocking under-representation

The roster of Latino elected officials on Long Island increased by three in the last month to a total of twenty. Hurray!

(Now we need to elect 313 to reach parity with Whites!)

The newbies are:

1) Julissa Ferreras , Queens D , NYC Council
2) Livio Tony Rosario, Village of Hempstead Board of Trustees
3) Carmen Piñeyro, Village of Freeport Board of Trustees

It's progress -- although Latinos have a long way to go to achieve anything resembling fair representation. For example, there are about 800 White elected officials across Long Island (village, town, county, city, state and federal) excluding special districts and school boards. With a population of 3.6MM, Whites are represented on a ratio of about 4500:1. That compared to the 75,000:1 for Latinos (n=1.5MM). African Americans (n=1.7MM) do better at 41,000:1.

Include school boards and special districts and the White representation ratio drops below 2,000:1. Add in appointees on government commissions, nonprofit boards and business associations and the racial/ethnic representation gap grows exponentially.

This is not to advocate racial or ethnic proportional representation. There are wonderful examples of politicians very ably representing diverse constituencies. And then there are 'machine' politicians of all shades that are more interested in serving themselves and their political bosses.

Nonetheless, it is not healthy in a multi-ethnic community for one group to have so small a voice into the affairs and policies of government. A glaring example of the problems under-representation creates can be seen in the dismissive attitudes of Suffolk County officials to hate crimes against African Americans and Latinos. Another example--which no one talks about--is the distribution of government funding and philanthropic grants.

Long Island's 20 Latino elected officials:

Anthony Jimenez, City of Glen Cove Council
Carmen Piñeyro, Village of Freeport Board of Trustees
David Mejias, Nassau County Legislature
Diana Reyna, Brooklyn, City Council
Felix Ortiz, Brooklyn, NY Assembly
Hiram Monserrate, NY Senate
Jorge A. Martinez, Village of Freeport Board of Trustees
José R. Peralta, Queens, NY Assembly
Julissa Ferreras, Queens, NYC Council
Livio Tony Rosario, Village of Hempstead Trustee
Maria-Christina Poons, Town of North Hempstead Council
Mark A. Bonilla, Town of Hempstead, Town Clerk
Martin Malavé Dilan, Brooklyn, NY Senate
Nydia Velázquez, Brooklyn-Queens, U.S. Congress
Phil Ramos, Suffolk, NY Assembly
Ricardo Montano, Suffolk County Legislature
Sara M. Gonzalez, Brooklyn, NYC Council
Tony Martinez, Town of Babylon Council
Vito J. Lopez, Brooklyn, NY Assembly
Vivian Viloria Fisher, Suffolk County Legislature

Alonzo's House 4 Sale

He hasn't played in Queens since 2000 but former New York Mets--and most recently, LIDucks--player, Edgardo Alonzo, is still trying to sell his grandiose grand 14,000 square foot home in Little Neck. Like so many others in a bad market and in need of moving on, Alonzo put his house on the selling block back in '06.

Asking price? $8 million greenbacks! Not bad since Alonzo is said to have paid $900,000 in 1999.

A real estate bust coupled with the challenges of selling an overbuilt house, Alonzo's expanded mansion didn't sell -- even after a price drop in 2005 to the $5 million range.

With a new gig to play for Japan's Yomiuri Giants, Alonzo has switched brokers and dropped the asking price further to $4.3 million--a 46% drop from the original price.

Know anyone looking for a big house on the North Shore of Queens? Call me.

Corona Latinos

One and a half million in the four counties which comprise Long Island are of Latino heritage -- that's 1 in 5 residents, or 20%, and growing!

While Latinos reside in every community across Long Island, the heaviest concentrations are seen in immigrant-friendly locales, including Brentwood, Hempstead, Bushwick, Jackson Heights, Sunset Park, among others.

The community of Corona in Queens is also on that growing list. A one-time Italian enclave with a Little Harlem section, Corona is now home to a diverse population but dominated by people from throughout Latin America.

Shoehorned between the LIE and Flushing Meadow Park, Corona is now 71% Latino, 11% Asian, with the remainder comprised of nonLatino Blacks and Whites. Two-thirds of the residents are foreign-born, and there is wide diversity among the Latino population, the most populous being Dominicans, Mexicans, Ecuadoreans and Colombians.

Omar Minaya (Dominican), General Manager of the New York Mets, and movie actor and comedian John Leguizamo (Puerto Rican/Colombian), hail from Corona. Famous nonLatinos that lived in Corona include: Estée Lauder, Louis Armstrong, Dizzie Gillespie, Martin Scorcese and Madonna.

The NYTimes Real Estate section has a nice write-up on this most dynamic and ever changing community. Here's the link: Living In Corona, Queens: Where Every Day Is Moving Day

Links:
Corona, Queens - Wikipedia
City Living: Corona, Queens
Forgotten NY Neighborhoods: Corona
The Crown of Queens, Corona, New York - Right Off the Beaten Path
Changing Face of Corona - video
Corona: A Neighborhood Transformed - photos/audio

Julissa Ferreras vs Francisco Moya in Queens D21 Special Election

Corona, Queens is represented in state legislature by newly elected Senator Hiram Monserrate and Assemblyman José R. Peralta. The vacancy in the New York City Council created by the elevation of Monserrate will be filled in a special edlection next week, February 24th, 2009. Vying to fill the seat by two Latinos: Julissa Ferreras (endorsed by 1199SEIU) and Francisco Moya (endorsed by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez).

In addition to Corona, the district (21) includes East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights -- all communities with high concentrations of Latinos.

Related:
Corona candidate steps up to plate
Council Candidates Both Cite Early Service
Francisco Moya Endorsed by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez
Council Candidate Moya Gets the Obama Crowd

Growing Opposition To Bloomberg Power Grab

A growing number of voters, civic groups (e.g., LatinoGreens) and elected officials are alarmed by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attempt to continue in office beyond the two terms presently allowed by law.

They are joining Nydia Velazquez (U.S.Rep-Brooklyn/Queens), Anthony Weiner U.S.Rep-Brooklyn), NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson (Brooklyn), Bill de Blasio (NYC Council-Brooklyn), Letitia James (NYC Council - Brooklyn), John Liu (NYC Council - Queens), Annabel Palma (NYC Council - Bronx) and Mark Green (former Public Advocate) in opposing what they view as an undemocratic scheme: using the current Wall Street crisis as cover to deep-six the mayoral term limits law New Yorkers fought so hard to enact.

Stop Mike Bloomberg's power grab - Daily News
Term limit power grab would mar Mayor Mike Bloomberg's legacy - Daily News
Bloomberg Makes Power Grab - Amsterdam News
Bloomberg Expected to Seek Third Term as Mayor - NYTimes
Early Opposition to Bloomberg Power Grab - Village Voice
Bloomy: I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough and Doggone It, People Like Me So Much They'll Let Me Overturn Our Democracy - Room8
Bloomberg Archives: Was a Lauder Deal even legal?; Anatomy of a deception; Unanswered questions, dark suspicions; Bloomberg's saddest moment- SpinCycle
Bloomberg once called change to term limits a 'disgrace' - Newsday
U.S. Rep. Velázquez: Changing Term Limits for Bloomberg Violates Voting Rights - Latino LI

Additionally, people like Velazquez are concerned that such a ploy by a sitting incumbent, a billionaire able to use his personal wealth and the power of the public purse, to "persuade" willing council members, is both a corruption of the democratic process and undermines people's voting rights--especially of minority voters.

What follows is an Open Letter To all N.Y.C. Residents To Act To STOP Bloomberg High jack of City Hall by concerned citizens:

In the midst of the Global financial crisis, Mayor Bloomberg has decided to remain as the Mayor of New York in spite of the existing term limits.

Preying on the fear felt and the uncertainty faced by New Yorkers, Bloomberg has decided that he is the only one able to lead in these dark times ahead. In order to bypass the term limit laws put in place by the New York City electorate on two occasions Bloomberg has resorted to attempting to override the law via his back room dealings with many self serving Council people.

Together they are working to push a bill in the City Council that will, if they prevail, give Bloomberg a third illegal term. This scheme is one that if successful can be repeated again and again as long as people are facing the uncertainty of the world-wide financial crisis.

IF TERM LIMITS LAWS ARE TO BE ELIMINATED OR MODIFIED IT MUST ONLY BE DONE BY THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT INSTITUTED THEM: A REFERENDUM.

CALL, FAX AND E-MAIL THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU WILL REWARD THEM FOR THEIR LOYALTY; OR PUNISH THEM FOR THEIR BETRAYAL. THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY WILL BE WATCHING HOW THEY VOTE.

Brooklyn City Council Members

Charles Barron
718 Pennsylvania Ave.
Brooklyn, New York 11207
718-649-9495/9496 tel.
718-649-3111 fax

Bill de Blasio
2907 Fort Hamilton Pkwy
Brooklyn, New York 11218
718-854-9791
718-854-1146

Erik Martin Dilan
387 Arlington Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11208
718-642-8664 tel.
718-642-8639 fax

Mathieu Eugene
123 Linden Boulevard
Brooklyn, New York 11226
718-287-8762 tel
718-287-8917 fax

Simcha Felder
4424 16th Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11204
718-853-2704 tel.
718-853-3858 fax

Lewis A. Fidler
1402 East 64th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11234
718-241-9330 tel.
718-241-9316 fax

Vincent J. Gentile
8703 3rd Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11209
718-748-5200 tel.
718-748-5222 fax

Sara M. Gonzalez
5601 5th Ave S-2
Brooklyn, NY 11220
718-439-9012 tel.
718-439-9042 fax

Letitia James
67 Hanson Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-260-9191 tel.
718-260-9099 fax

Darlene Mealy
1757 Union Street, 2nd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11213
718-953-3097 tel.
718-953-3276 fax

Michael C. Nelson
3810-A Nostrand Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11235
718-368-9176 tel.
718-368-9160 fax

Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.
445 Neptune Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11224
718-373-9673 tel.
718-373-0195 fax

Diana Reyna
444 South 5th St.
Brooklyn, New York 11211
718-963-3141 tel.
718-963-4527 fax

Kendall Stewart
1694 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11210
718-951-8177 tel.
718-951-8191 fax

Albert Vann
613-619 Throop Ave.
Brooklyn, New York 11216
718-919-0740 tel.
718-919-0744 fax

David Yassky
114 Court Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201
718-875-5200 tel.
718-643-6620 fax

Queens City Council Members

Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
159-53 102 Street
Howard Beach, New York 11414
718-738-1111 tel.
718-322-5760 fax

Tony Avella
38-50 Bell Blvd., Suite C
Bayside, New York 11361
718-747-2137 tel.
718-747-3105 fax

Anthony Como
78-25 Metropolitan Avenue
Middle Village, NY 11379
718-366-3900 tel.
718-326-3549 fax

Leroy G. Comrie, Jr.
113-43 Farmers Boulevard
St. Albans, NY 11412
718-776-3700 tel.
718-776-3798 fax

James F. Gennaro
185-10 Union Turnpike
Fresh Meadows, New York 11366
718-217-4969 tel.
718-217-4968 fax

Eric N. Gioia
47-01 Queens Boulevard
Suite 205
Sunnyside, New York 11104
718-383-9566 tel.
718-383-9076 fax

Melinda R. Katz
104-01 Metropolitan Ave.
Forest Hills, New York 11375
718-544-8800 tel.
718-544-4452 fax

John C. Liu
135-27 38th Avenue
Suite 388
Flushing, New York 11354
718-888-8747 tel.
718-888-0331 fax

Hiram Monserrate
32-37 Junction Boulevard
East Elmhurst, New York 11369
718-205-3881 tel.
718-205-4145 fax

James Sanders, Jr.
226-18 Merrick Blvd.
Laurelton, New York 11413
718-527-4356 tel.
718-527-4402 fax

Helen Sears
37-32 75th St.
Jackson Heights, New York 11372
718-803-6373 tel.
718-803-9832 fax

Peter F. Vallone, Jr.
22-45 31st Street.
Astoria, New York 11105
718-274-4500 tel.
718-726-0357 fax

David I. Weprin
205-07 Hillside Ave.
Suite 16
Hollis, New York 11423
718-465-8202 tel.
718-776-2302 fax

Thomas White, Jr.
145- 40 Rockaway Blvd
South Ozone Park, New York 11436
718-843-0792 tel.
718-845-0817 fax

Consulate Opens in Queens to be Closer to the 100,000+ Ecuadorean Community

Today, the Ecuadorean Consulate opens a branch office on the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 67th Street in Woodside, Queens.

“We wanted to be where our people are,” Ecuador’s consul, María Eugenia Avilés.

Opened Saturday through Wednesday, the office processes passports and identity cards, registers births and weddings, and provides authorizations for children traveling on their own.

For Ecuadorean immigrants, Queens has been a major destination point with over 100,000 residents, according to 2006 census estimates. Of the 600,000 Latinos in Queens County, Ecuadoreans are the largest group.

(BTW: There are a total of 1.5 million Latinos on Long Island - Long Island City to Montauk.)

Link

Photo: Ecuadoreans came out in force Sunday Aug. 3 2008 for their Independence Day Parade in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Papo Vázquez & the Pirate Troubadours: Latin Jazz at Flushing Town Hall 9/20

" ...Papo Vázquez is central to the development of Latin jazz ...." (Ezra Gale, Miami News Times.)

"... Papo Vázquez and his Pirate Troubadours go back to Afro-Rican roots ... to taking it to the year 2050, with the most ... forward-looking harmonies .... Pirate Troubadours is ... moving toward a new sound, a new sonority ...." (Introduction by DJ Felipito Palacio at 5/6/06 Papo Vázquez Pirate Troubadours concert at the Boulton Centre.)

There's plenty more where that came from, as a computer search and Papo's own web site (http://www.papovazquez.com/) will confirm. But what does that matter, when you have an opportunity to hear for yourself the incredible excitement generated by Papo and his world-class sidekicks ... this time with a band double the size of the usual Pirate Troubadours retinue!

Papo shares his musical genuis in a concert Saturday, September 20, 8 PM, at Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Boulevard. Tickets are obtainable via phone (718-463-7700 x222) and web site (http://www.flushingtownhall.org/).

Hope to see you there ... let's show Papo that we appreciate and support great artistry.

Napolean Barragan's Advice for Thriving In a Down Economy

HispanicBusiness.com asked 5 top Latino CEOs for their advice for thriving during a cold economy. Here's what Long Island City's Napolean Barragan, CEO, 1-800-MATTRESS, had to share:

Just because the economy is in a lull, doesn't mean one of the world's leading mattress companies is taking a rest.

Napolean Barragan, who founded 1-800-MATTRESS in 1976 as a direct marketing mattress store in Queens, New York, now has a simple strategy to keep his international business strong in the current economic climate – refocus on customer service.

That means encouraging customers to take 30-minute naps in their retail stores, so potential buyers actually fall asleep and get a true feel for the mattress they are considering purchasing.

"We are constantly introducing new ways to more efficiently present the customer with all they need to make the proper buying decision," Barragan said in an e-mail.

In the often less personal world of online sales, 1-800-MATTRESS is adding a personal touch by connecting customers with live online customer service agents.

The company has shifted its delivery hours too, taking cues from their customers.

"Most people really dislike deliveries coming between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.," Barragan said, "so we deliver when the customer wants it."

Napoleón Barragán Gives Back

A diminutive, handsome man whose graying hair is combed neatly back from his forehead, Napoleón Barragán, the founder, owner and CEO of 1-800-Mattress.com, imparts some of his creative approach to business — along with instruction on a range of business skills — to students of Newcomers High School in Long Island City and of Queens College, who participate in an internship program he has developed.

From February to June, students come to the corporate headquarters of 1-800-Mattress.com, the largest retailer of bedding by phone in the U.S., where they work in departments including marketing, sales, human resources, customer service and legal operations.

"They get the chance to learn how to manage a business, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," says Barragán.

Having immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador in 1968 at age 27, Barragán feels an obligation to give back, particularly to other Latinos trying to make it in the U.S.

"I'm grateful to this country but I don't forget where I came from," he says. "I say [to the students], 'If I can achieve something, you can do better, because you are better prepared.' "

More

Related:
Napoleón Barragán, fundador de 1-800-Matress recibió la Condecoración Nacional al Mérito en Nueva York

Napoléon Barragán de 1-800-Mattress

1-800-Mattress: Founded by Napoleon Barragan with $2,000

Because a Guy from Ecuador Can Sell Soda Off the Back of a Donkey, Then Come Here and Build a $120 Million Business—All It Takes Is a Few Mattresses and an 800 Number

Queens Democrats Endorse Hiram Monserrate for State Senate - District 13

Queens Democratic Party officials endorsed City Councilman Hiram Monserrate for the State Senate from the 13th District (Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Woodside).

In choosing Monserrate, party leaders issued a "no confidence" vote incumbent State Senator John D. Sabini, a former party chairman and 6 year incumbent. Two years agao, Monserrate came within 250 votes of beating Sabitini for the nomination.

Eight years ago, the population of the district was about 56% Latino, 20% Asian, 12% White/NonLatino and 9% African American. The district's Latino population has since grown much larger.

If elected Monserrate becomes NYS Senate's 1st Latino Queens County member. Long Island's only Latino State Senator is Brooklyn's Martin Malave.

Queens Democrats Won’t Endorse Senator for Re-election
Queens Dems Dump Sabini, Officially

Queens Congressman Joseph Crowley Honored by Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

An organization of Latino-serving institutions of higher learning recently honored Congressmember Joseph Crowley for his efforts in Congress to boost math and science programs at those schools.

One of the reasons for the honor was Crowley's sponsorship of a key provision in a law which will advance this nation's high-tech economy and ensure American innovation for years to come. The provision allows the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a merit-based grant program that would increase math and science educational opportunities for students who attend Latino-serving institutions where they constitute at least a quarter of full-time enrollment.

Upon receiving the honor from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) at its 2008 Capitol Forum, Crowley (D- Queens) stated: "A strong education in science and math provides a wealth of opportunities for students of all backgrounds and ultimately helps the U.S. retain its global competitiveness. That is why it was so important to help colleges and universities with significant Latino student enrollment enhance their science and math curriculum, hire qualified professors and instructors, and improve resources for all students."

Dr. Anthony Flores, HACU president and chief executive officer, lauding Crowley for his extraordinary commitment, commended the Elmhurst lawmaker for his "leadership and genuine interest in strengthening Latino-serving institutions and increasing the under representation of Latinos and other minorities".

The Crowley provision in the aforementioned America Competes Act has the potential of reaching many New York City and national educational institutions, including Lehman College, Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College in The Bronx, LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Jackson Heights, the College of Mt. Saint Vincent, Boricua College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City College of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and New York City College of Technology.

According to Crowley in his 7th Congressional District there are approximately 10,000 students who attend Latino-serving institutions offering degrees in math and science.

Ricardo Montano (D-Central Islip) & David Weprin (D-Queens)

Suffolk County Legislator Ricardo Montano (D-Central Islip), Chair, Suffolk County Legislature’s Budget & Finance Committee was a guest of New York City Councilman David I. Weprin (D-Queens), Chair, New York City Committee on Finance, yesterday and attended the Council’s Finance Committee Meeting. Councilman Weprin will be a guest at the Suffolk County Legislature’s Budget & Finance Committee in the future.

Legislator Montano and Councilman Weprin met at a conference in Puerto Rico when they hatched the idea to invite each other to their respective Budget meetings and exchange institutional knowledge.

Interestingly, David I. Weprin’s father Saul Weprin (D-Queens), served in the New York State Assembly with Legislator Montano’s father Armando Montano (D-Bronx).