Hernandez is one of six mission specialists selected. The class also consists of two pilots and three educators.

According to NASA, Hernandez and the remaining astronauts will pay a crucial role in helping the agency reach their space exploration objectives: implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond; extend human presence across the solar system with a human return to the Moon in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations; develop the innovative technologies, knowledge and infrastructure to explore and support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and promote international and commercial participation in explorations to further U.

S. scientific, security and economic interests.

One of four children in a migrant farming family from Mexico, Hernandez, who didn’t learn English until he was 12 years old, spent much of his childhood on what he calls โ€œthe California circuit,โ€ traveling with his family from Mexico to southern California each March then working northward to the Stockton area by November picking strawberries and cucumbers at farms along the route. Then they would return to Mexico for Christmas and start the cycle all over again in the spring.

After high school Hernandez attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, where he studied electrical engineering. He was selected for a co-op position at the prestigious Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory operated by the University of California. During his college years Hernandez began his MAES career as a student member with his university chapter.

After he graduated from Pacific in 1985 with a degree in electrical engineering, Hernandez was awarded a full scholarship to the graduate program at the University of California in Santa Barbara, where he continued his engineering studies.

He finished the graduate program early and in 1987 accepted a full-time job with Lawrence Livermore testing the physical properties of various construction and fabrication materials.

During this period, Hernandez became one of the first former MAES student members to be elected to the society’s national board of directors. He served for several years, then took a sabbatical to concentrate on his career goals.

While at Lawrence Livermore, Hernandez worked on signal and image processing applications in radar imaging, computed tomography, and acoustic imaging.

Later in his career, Hernandez worked on developing quantitative x-ray film imaging analysis techniques for the x-ray laser program. Hernandez applied these techniques in the medical physics arena and co-developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. This system has proven useful for detecting breast cancer at an earlier stage than present film/screen mammography techniques. Hernandez has won recognition awards for his work on this project. He has also worked in the international arena where he represented Lawrence Livermore and the U.

S. Department of Energy on Russian nuclear non-proliferation issues.

He rejoined the MAES board in the late 1990s and continued his efforts to elevate the organization to new levels. The board elected him as vice president in 2000. In 2002, he was elected as national president of the society. The society awarded him its Medalla de Oro, the highest honor MAES can bestow upon an individual, for his accomplishments.

Today, Hernandez works in the Materials and Processes Branch of the Engineering Directorate, managing nearly 60 civil service and contractor employees who provide technical materials analysis and scientific support for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions.

Hernandez’ team plays a key role in returning the Shuttle to flight, developing repair-kit materials for the Shuttle orbiter’s thermal protection system, including wing and tile components.

โ€œI am gratified to see a young student leader come up through the ranks to the level of achievement Jose has attained,โ€ said Hernandez’ mentor and former MAES national president Richard Martinez. โ€œWhile I know that he has worked hard, I also know that this organization we are so passionate about had a small part in helping him accomplish this.

โ€

Media organizations interested in interviewing Jose Hernandez should contact Julie Burt of the Johnson Space Center Public Affairs Office at (281) 483-5111.

About MAES:

MAES was founded in 1974 to increase the number of Mexican Americans and other Hispanics in the technical and scientific fields. MAES helps to improve the perception of Mexican Americans by projecting the positive image of its members and their accomplishments. Members are able to develop their leadership, communication, management, and technical skills.

The annual International Symposium and Career Fair, next scheduled to be held in Austin, Texas, is one opportunity for them to do so. MAES currently maintains its headquarters in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area.

More information regarding MAES and its programs is available at http://www.maes-natl.org/ . Rafaela Schwan, MAES Executive Director, can answer questions about the organization at (817) 423-4332 or execdir@maes-natl.org .

NASA contributed to this story.

Max earned a Bachelor in Science degree in Business Management and Communications from Adelphi University in Garden City.

He is also a graduate of South Side High School in Rockville Centre.

Currently he serves as Special Assistant to the Hempstead Town Clerk, appointed by the Town of Hempstead’s First Hispanic Town Clerk Mark A. Bonilla. In addition, Max has held other positions in government, Assistant Director of Nassau County Office of Minority Affairs and Hempstead Village Trustee. He is also a licensed real estate sales agent associated with Garden City Properties.

In 1994, Max made history by becoming the First Hispanic Village Trustee on Long Island.

After his appointment, he was elected to a full term until 1999. Mr. Rodriguez has taken on many leadership positions to assist the community. He is a member of several respected organizations including the Hempstead Village branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Silver Life Member, the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), the Cuban American National Foundation, East Meadow Kiwanis Club, La Hermandad del Senor de los Milagros (The Brotherhood of Our Lord of Miracles), and the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.

He also serves as an officer in the Hempstead Village Republican Club (currently President), Hempstead Health Clinic Board (Board Member), Cuban Civic Club (Board Member), Republican National Hispanic Assembly (Northeast Regional Representative), the Molloy College President’s Advisory Scholarship Committee on Multicultural

Concerns (Board Member), Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Board Member), Adelphi University Alumni Scholarship Committee, and Hofstra for Hempstead-Hempstead for Hofstra President’s Scholarship Committee.

Vote for Max Rodriguez to become the next State Assemblyman for the 18th District. Despite her efforts, our current state assemblywoman has not successfully represented the District 18 in Albany. Her track record fails to display significant gains and can be described as one of the worst records of any member of the State Assembly.

This is why I am running. We need change and we need it TODAY! My proven leadership as a Hempstead Village Trustee, Assistant Director of

Nassau County Minority Affairs, and currently as Special Assistant to Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla allows me to know how government works, what the community wants, and how to best utilize this information to better serve and represent the constituents of the 18th Assembly District.

For more information on Mr. Max Rodriguez campaign for 18th Assembly District visit his online web site at www.maxrodriguez2004.com Vote for Max Rodriquez on November 2, 2004

Max earned a Bachelor in Science degree in Business Management and Communications from Adelphi University in Garden City.

He is also a graduate of South Side High School in Rockville Centre.

Currently he serves as Special Assistant to the Hempstead Town Clerk, appointed by the Town of Hempstead’s First Hispanic Town Clerk Mark A. Bonilla. In addition, Max has held other positions in government, Assistant Director of Nassau County Office of Minority Affairs and Hempstead Village Trustee. He is also a licensed real estate sales agent associated with Garden City Properties.

In 1994, Max made history by becoming the First Hispanic Village Trustee on Long Island.

After his appointment, he was elected to a full term until 1999. Mr. Rodriguez has taken on many leadership positions to assist the community. He is a member of several respected organizations including the Hempstead Village branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Silver Life Member, the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), the Cuban American National Foundation, East Meadow Kiwanis Club, La Hermandad del Senor de los Milagros (The Brotherhood of Our Lord of Miracles), and the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.

He also serves as an officer in the Hempstead Village Republican Club (currently President), Hempstead Health Clinic Board (Board Member), Cuban Civic Club (Board Member), Republican National Hispanic Assembly (Northeast Regional Representative), the Molloy College President’s Advisory Scholarship Committee on Multicultural Concerns (Board Member), Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Board Member), Adelphi University Alumni Scholarship Committee, and Hofstra for Hempstead-Hempstead for Hofstra President’s Scholarship Committee.

Max has also been the recipient of many prestigious awards which include American Red Cross-Peter Von Berg Humanitarian of the Year Award, Hofstra for Hempstead UNISPAN Award, NAACP Community Service Award, United States Postal Award, West Indian-American Chamber of Commerce Commuity Service Award, and the Town of Hempstead Hispanic Heritage Award

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact: B. Warren Brooks

(703) 946-3677

The Students of Thomas A. Edison & Robert E. Lee High Schools College Partnership Program Plans 1st African American History Program To Raise Money For Their Scholarship Fund

(Alexandria, VA, February 12, 2003)โ€ฆ Every February, we observe National African American History Month also known as โ€œBlack History Monthโ€ to celebrate and honor the many achievements and contributions made by African Americans.

Last November, a College Partnership Program student stated at a meeting that her school has never done an African American History Program and she would like to do one for 2003. Since then, the students of Thomas A. Edison and Robert E. Lee High School’s College Partnership Program (CPP) have been, Hispanic, working diligently in planning their 1st African American History Month Program. Students from both schools will host and perform in their program โ€œCelebrating Our Ownโ€. The students are part of the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) College Partnership Program, which began in 1989, to increase the academic achievement of underachieving students and to increase the number of minority students, Hispanic, who enroll and succeed in college.

Proceeds from this event will be used to support the annual College Partnership Senior Scholarship Fund for the graduating seniors at Edison and Lee High Schools.

The Edison/Lee College Partnership Program will hold its 1st African American History Program โ€œCelebrating Our Ownโ€:

Date: Sunday, February 16, 2003 (In case of inclement weather, it will be reschedule to Sunday, February 23, 2003)

Time: 4:00 p.m. โ€” 6:00 p.m.

Location: Robert E. Lee High School, 6540 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia

Admission: FREE

Confirmed sponsors are: Cox Communications, Costco, Black America’s Political Action Committee (BAMPAC), TransAfrica, Concerned Black Men of Northern Virginia, Career Properties, Inc.

, Studentjuice.org, and Eventro Inc. are sponsoring this event. Cox Communications will be videotaping the event, which will be broadcast at a later date.

The Master of Ceremony for this event will be Emcee, Comedian, and Lecturer, Preacher Moss, on his current national collegiate tour, โ€œEnd of Racismโ€. Other participants include: Dr. Judith Burton of African American Community of Gum Springs, Mr. Mwiza Munthali of TransAfrica Forum, the Bethlehem Baptist Church Praise Dancers, and the Antioch Baptist Church.

A reception will immediately follow the program, where attendees can enjoy light refreshments and the exhibit hall.

For information about this event, call 703-946-3677 or visit www.studentjuice.org.

September 17, 2003

Contact:

Tanner Marcoida

Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Inc.

Phone: 408.799.6520

dase_one@hotmail.com

www.

San Jose, CA. โ€” November 1, 2003 – The Alpha Chapter of Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Inc. at San Jose State University, in conjunction with the Mexican Heritage Corporation, announces the 1st Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival. The Festival will be held on the evening of Saturday, November 1, 2003 at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Avenue, in San Jose.

Doors open at 9:00 pm, with performances beginning at 9:30pm.

This event will be open to the public for adults 18 and over. Presale tickets will be at the Mexican Heritage Plaza Box Office for $10. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $15. Tickets will be available October 10, 2003. Refreshments will be catered by the Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Co.

El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to honor and remember loved ones who have died, and to recognize the cycle of life and death in human existence.

Dia de los Muertos is based on ancient traditions recognized throughout Latin America. The Day of the Dead festivities includes adorning the graves of loved ones, and the making of ofrendas (altars).

The purpose of the Dia de los Muertos Festival is to raise the cultural awareness of local college youth and their fellow community members. The event will feature live performances by young salsa, cumbia, and merengue bands throughout California. The event will also feature traditional interactive art activities for participants, and a galeria (art gallery) featuring Dia de los Muertos art from across the country.

Nu Alpha Kappa, founded in 1988, is a Latino-based fraternity, which strives for three fundamental goals: academic excellence, retaining our cultural histories, and cultivating brotherhood. In addition to participating in local community services, our national philanthropic partners include The National Marrow Donor Program and The Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Diego Olmstead, host of the hot television show โ€œThe Rubโ€ on the SรญTV network, is hosting the evening.

The main event will feature a special performance by the new Latin rock sensation NUVE. The reigning titleholders, Sasha Cobo, Ms Latina New York USA 2003, and Stephanie Perez, Teen Latina New York USA 2003, will share their exciting experiences of the past year, take their final bow, and crown the 2004 winners.

The Latina New York USA competition will be accepting applications from contestants through May 1, 2004. Ladies between the ages of 13 to 28 are invited to participate with the opportunity to win over $50,000 in prizes and gifts.

The competition is open to all residents of New York State that are at least 25% Hispanic descent. There is no height or weight requirement, and prior pageant experience is also not required. The goals of the competition are to increase the number of professional Latinas in the media and entertainment industries, to discover new faces and talent to represent the Latino community, and to lead the next generation of Latina media icons!

Contestants will spend three days in New York City vying for the title, while having every moment of the experience filmed for a documentary to be produced by the Ghetto Film School.

The film will serve as an additional marketing tool for Latinas interested in careers in media and entertainment to showcase their talent and potential. The cameras will capture the young women as they compete and interact with other contestants from across the state. Ideal Entertainment is currently negotiating distribution with major cable networks.

All contestants participate in four preliminary competitions: photogenic (photo), personal interview, talent, and swimsuit. During the main event, the top contenders will participate in four additional competitions: swimsuit, evening gown, and two interviews.

Latina New York USA is the official preliminary to the national Latina USA pageant and the winners will represent New York State in their respective pageants. The Ms. Latina USA pageant system is recognized as the #1 pageant system for Latinas. The pageant system awards over $100,000 in cash and prizes annually.

For the first time, the prize package includes scholarships, internships with major media organizations, and a movie role. The grand prize for the winners includes an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas to compete in the national Latina USA Pageant.

Other prizes include professional portfolios, modeling contracts, and an evening gown for the national competition.

Pageant information, contestant registration packages, and ticket sales are available by visiting www.LatinaNewYork.com. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Mildred Carrillo at 917-957-0825 or mildred@latinanewyork.com. Ideal Entertainment Company is a production company that produces major shows, performances, and content for cable television.

“It is only fitting that Zeta Phi Beta, with its 83-year legacy of public service, reaffirm its commitment to social action in the shadows of the nation’s capitol,” said Barbara C.

Moore, International President.

“Black and Latino communities face significant challenges related to disease prevention, health care access, and educational opportunities. With this new legislative agenda, I am challenging our members to work with our elected officials at every level to effect change in these critical areas,” Moore added.

Zeta Phi Beta’s legislative priorities for the 108th Congress include: addressing healthcare disparities, increased vigilance in monitoring HIV/AIDS in the US, support for diabetes research and treatment, stronger domestic violence laws, full funding for Head Start programs, and increased prenatal care funding.

Armed with position papers outlining each of the legislative priorities and wearing the sorority’s signature royal blue and white, Zeta women representing 25 states crisscrossed Senate and House office buildings in inclement weather to discuss issues that impacted their communities.

“We were greeted warmly, and believe that our concerns were received well,” said Dr. Rosalind P. Hale, speaking of her visit with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and her deputy legislative director. Hale and Dr.

Constance Hendricks, Co-Chair of Zeta Phi Beta’s ZHOPE International Service Initiative, met with the Louisiana legislator to address a number of educational reform measures and health care funding.

According to Krysta Jones, National Director of Social Action, the visits were an important milestone for Zeta Phi Beta. “The Zeta Day on Capitol Hill allows our members to gain some critical insight into the legislative process,” Jones said. “The decisions made on Capitol Hill, in state legislatures, and in city council chambers are the issues a progressive organization, such as Zeta Phi Beta, should be monitoring.

Our actions on the ‘Hill’, and what we plan to do across the country, will further position the sorority as a constituency of influence,” she added. “When candidates come looking for votes, we want them to ask about Zeta Phi Beta’s position on an issue,” said Jones.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was founded on January 16, 1920 in Washington, D.C., on the belief that the social nature of sorority life should not overshadow the real mission for progressive organizationsโ€”to address societal mores, ills, prejudices, poverty, and health concerns of the day.

The international organization’s over 100,000 initiated members have given millions of voluntary hours to educate the public, provide scholarships, support organized charities and promote legislation for social and civic change.

On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let’s face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya.

He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant.

But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place; America which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression.

The day after Pearl Harbor he signed up for duty, joined Patton’s army and marched across Europe. Back home, my grandmother raised their baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA, and moved west in search of opportunity.

And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation.

They would give me an African name, Barack, or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren’t rich, because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.

I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents’ dreams live on in my precious daughters.

I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody’s son.

That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted — or at least, most of the time.

This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans — Democrats, Republicans, Independents — I say to you tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that’s moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour.

More to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn’t have the money to go to college.

Don’t get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don’t expect government to solve all their problems.

They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don’t want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can’t teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can’t achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white.

No, people don’t expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.

In this election, we offer that choice. Our party has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. That man is John Kerry. John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and sacrifice, because they’ve defined his life.

From his heroic service in Vietnam to his years as prosecutor and lieutenant governor, through two decades in the United States Senate, he has devoted himself to this country. Again and again, we’ve seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. His values and his record affirm what is best in us.

John Kerry believes in an America where hard work is rewarded. So instead of offering tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas, he’ll offer them to companies creating jobs here at home.

John Kerry believes in an America where all Americans can afford the same health coverage our politicians in Washington have for themselves. John Kerry believes in energy independence, so we aren’t held hostage to the profits of oil companies or the sabotage of foreign oil fields. John Kerry believes in the constitutional freedoms that have made our country the envy of the world, and he will never sacrifice our basic liberties nor use faith as a wedge to divide us. And John Kerry believes that in a dangerous world, war must be an option, but it should never be the first option.

A while back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East Moline, Illinois. He was a good-looking kid, six-two or six-three, clear eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he’d joined the Marines and was heading to Iraq the following week. As I listened to him explain why he’d enlisted, his absolute faith in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us? I thought of more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns.

I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a loved one’s full income, or whose loved ones had returned with a limb missing or with nerves shattered, but who still lacked long-term health benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women into harm’s way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they’re going, to care for their families while they’re gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.

Now let me be clear. We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated. John Kerry knows this. And just as Lieutenant Kerry did not hesitate to risk his life to protect the men who served with him in Vietnam, President Kerry will not hesitate one moment to use our military might to keep America safe and secure. John Kerry believes in America. And he knows it’s not enough for just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there’s another ingredient in the American saga.

A belief that we are connected as one people. If there’s a child on the south side of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandmother. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It’s that fundamental belief — I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sisters’ keeper — that makes this country work.

It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one.

Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America — there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.

The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I’m not talking about blind optimism here — the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.

The audacity of hope!

In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.

America!

Tonight, if you feel the same energy I do, the same urgency I do, the same passion I do, the same hopefulness I do — if we do what we must do, then I have no doubt that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from Washington to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come.

Thank you and God bless you.

_____________________________

Source: Democratic National Convention Committee

For more information on the Democratic National Convention, speakers and events, the Democratic Platform, and the Democratic Party, visit:http://www.dems2004.org/

The Hispanic Women’s Association (HWC) is hosting the 19th Civic Hispanic Women’s Appointment in Phoenix, Ariz. on Oct. 15-16, 2004 at the Phoenix Civic Plaza featuring Mexico’s First Lady Senora Marta Sahagun de Fox.
The two-day appointment is the better acquisition of Latinas in the country and will accommodate administration and able development to over 2,000 participants while adopting money for academy scholarships to account adolescent Latinas.

There is aswell a Adolescence Administration basic to the conference.

โ€œLatinas accept a able articulation in today’s association and we wish our bulletin to be heard,โ€ says Sonja Mazon-Rubalcava, administrator of this year’s conference. โ€œLatina Powerโ€ is this year’s affair with an accent on empowerment in demography allegation of your life, says Rubalcava. The appointment will highlight affecting Latinas who will allotment their belief of success, an adviser pavilion to advance articles and services.

There will aswell be a alternation of workshops and presenters on education, banking planning, parenting, aborigine outreach, careers, abstract and more.

Mexico’s First Lady Senora Marta Sahagun de Fox has been arrive to allege at the accumulated bologna on Friday, October 15, the additional day of the conference. During this luncheon, Janet Murguia, controlling administrator and COO of the Civic Council of La Raza will aswell be presented a appropriate acceptance award.

The appointment bliss off with a Adolescence Administration Appointment targeting about 300 breadth academy students.

Letters were broadcast statewide to baddest top schools with an allurement for Latina acceptance to appear the conference. According to Rebeca Ronstadt, adolescence appointment coordinator, โ€œwe accept accustomed an absurd acknowledgment this year and we are searching advanced to accouterment our adolescent Latinas with the accoutrement and assets they charge to apprentice about academy scholarship opportunities, banking planning and career outlook.

Linda Mazon Gutierrez, admiral of the Hispanic Women’s Association is one of the co-founders of the appointment and has apparent it developed into one of the nation’s better Latina gathering.

โ€œWe are captivated that his appointment has accustomed civic exposure, because Latinas reside in about every above city-limits in this country and we are a above contributor to the economy.
We are politicians, professionals, laborers, wives, mothers, daughters, in abbreviate we are CEO’s of our households and above corporations and we apperceive how to get things done.โ€ This year’s appointment celebrates the huge accomplish we accept fabricated as Latinas. โ€œWe’ve appear a continued way, baby,โ€ says Mazon Gutierrez โ€œand we still accept a means to go.

โ€

In accession to confined a career development opportunity, the appointment aswell raises money for scholarships to account adolescent Latinas This year, over twenty scholarships will be awarded to acceptance alignment from $1,000 to $3,000 to appear Arizona accompaniment universities. Freshmen who administer for the scholarships accept to accept a 3.0 brand point average. Sophomores, juniors and seniors or appointment acceptance aswell accept to accept a accumulative 3.0 average. This year’s scholarship winners will focus on bloom and sciences and will be accustomed during Friday’s accumulated luncheon.

The appointment will aswell host artistic Latina authors in a annular table altercation alleged Latina Voices in Literature. Other workshops include: banking management, education, political empowerment, business and administration skills, ambition setting, ambitious opportunities, parenting, and time management. There is even a salsa workshop!

The Hispanic Women’s Appointment attracts over 2,000 attendees from about the country. Key sponsors for the appointment include: Allstate, Arvizu Advertising & Promotion, Arizona Department of Bloom Services, APS, General Motors, Maricopa Association Colleges, Qwest, SRP, Accompaniment Farm Insurance Co.

, and Wells Fargo.

A columnist appointment will be captivated on Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Phoenix Civic Plaza at 10:15 a.m. and will affection Linda Mazon Gutierrez, admiral of HWC and Sonja Mazon-Rubalcava, armchair of 2004 Conference.

The Hispanic Women’s Association was founded in 1981 and is a archetypal organization, accustomed as a 501 ยฉ (3) non-profit association apperceive for getting a proactive baton in the development of Hispanic women. HWC empowers women through its charge to the ability by announcement college education, association involvement, able advance and administration development for the advance of Latinas’ cultural superior of life.

For added advice on HWC or to annals for the conference, amuse appointment www.hispanicwomen.org.