Today, the Supreme Court of the United States announced its decision on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina , undermining the Court’s long-standing support for affirmative action in higher education. Affirmative action refers to certain education, contracting, and employment policies–such as race-conscious policies that consider race as one factor in a holistic admissions process–that aim to increase the representation of racial and ethnic groups that have been historically underrepresented. These groups include Black, Latino/Latina, Native American, and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students who face systemic barriers to educational opportunity, including cultural biases in standardized test questions and far less access to college preparatory courses, that harms their competitive edge in the college admissions process. The Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44) released the following joint statement: “Today’s decision deals a needless blow to America’s promise of equal and fair opportunity. Casting aside decades of precedent, the Court’s anti-opportunity majority further undermines its own legitimacy by gutting race-conscious university admissions, which will benefit the wealthy and well-connected most. “We know that not all students are afforded equal opportunity in our education systems, and we know that diversity on college campuses benefits the entire student body by enriching their college experiences and better preparing them to enter our workforce. Holistic, race-conscious admissions policies allow all students, regardless of their race or ethnicity, to be able to tell the full story of who they are and participate in a thriving, multiracial democracy. “Importantly, though, this decision should not be viewed to impact race-conscious processes outside the scope of university admissions. “Despite this decision, the Tri-Caucus will never quit fighting alongside the unified civil and human rights community for an America where everyone can find belonging and pursue their aspirations on an equal footing. This extremist Supreme Court does not get to decide our values. We will always fight for diversity and representation in politics, business, culture, and beyond. It’s who we are as a nation and what makes us strong. “Our Members remain focused on dismantling the barriers that hinder progress and will always empower young people to chase their dreams. We will persist in securing federal funding and support for Minority Serving Institutions, conducting rigorous oversight of federal agencies that combat discrimination in education, and exerting pressure on administrators, public officials, business leaders, and community leaders to fulfill their legal and moral obligation to promote equal opportunity as well as champion diversity and racial equity.” CAPAC Chair Chu continues: “After teaching community college for decades, I have long known that students learn best and graduate more prepared when they encounter diversity in the classroom. For AANHPI communities, the end of race-conscious admissions is unlikely to change the net numbers of Asian American acceptances at elite institutions, but AANHPI students from low-income, refugee, or indigenous backgrounds will encounter more hurdles to acceptance. That’s no net positive, and it’s why the majority of AANHPIs in America have expressed support for race-conscious admissions. With over 50 ethnicities speaking over 100 languages, the AANHPI community is itself incredibly diverse, and CAPAC will not lose sight of any part of our community’s access to equal and fair opportunity in admissions.” CBC Chair Horsford continues: “Since 1978, the Supreme Court has held that race-based admissions policies in colleges and universities can be administered in keeping with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Precedents set decades ago in the landmark Bakke decision have given students – regardless of their race or ethnicity – a better chance at equal admissions to our nation’s top schools, and our country has been made better for it. By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy. “Unfortunately, we have seen backlash to progress many times throughout our nation’s history. During Reconstruction, we had a mere 12 years of Black achievement in policy, politics, the arts and sciences, and education that were followed by 70 years of state-sanctioned Jim Crow. We didn’t stop fighting for equality then and we won’t stop now because too much is at stake to allow extremists to turn back the clock on progress. “The Congressional Black Caucus is proud to stand alongside our colleagues of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to fight for equal opportunity in admissions and to push back strongly against attempts to use this as a cultural wedge issue to pit communities of color against one another because our nation’s diversity is our greatest strength.” CHC Chair Barragán continues: “Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court dismantles more than 40 years of precedent to increase representation for marginalized groups in university and college campuses, erasing decades of progress. Race-conscious admission policies that allow universities to consider race as one of several factors in the admissions process are a critical and much-needed component to address systemic inequalities and foster diversity. It benefits the entire student body by enriching college experiences and better preparing students to enter their professions. Today’s decision will only benefit the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of marginalized communities and exacerbate barriers students of color face on their path to attaining an education. In California, we saw Latino student admissions drop by half at some of the top-state universities when race-conscious admissions were barred – leading to severely disproportionate representation of the largest minority group in the state at our top schools. Now vulnerable students across the country will be subjected to similar additional hurdles. Affirmative action assures that all of our students are exposed to multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, diverse learning environments that reflect the realities of the global workforce and society that our universities are preparing them to enter. The CHC will remain committed
Latino Research Center
Resource Guide for the Latinx Community of Northern Nevada The Latino Research Center has constructed this bilingual resource guide intended to assist the Northern Nevada Latinx community in finding the services and assistance all in one place, including resources on health, education, and financial aid. We update this each semester, feel free to connect us with additional resources to include! Border-Lines is an interdisciplinary and intersectional academic journal dedicated to the dissemination of research on Chicana/o-Latina/o cultural, political and social issues. Border-Lines is a refereed journal that seeks to publish scholarly articles drawn from a variety of disciplines such as anthropology, education, geography, human health, literary and cultural studies, political science, social work and sociology. You can still enjoy the first three seasons of our De Aquí y De Allá podcast on the below platforms, also available on Amazon, Google Play, Apple App Store, and iTunes. Podcast latinoresearchcenter.libsyn.com Spotifylatinoresearchcenter.libsyn.com/spotify
The Latino Research Center welcomes Patricia Guerrero
“I was born and raised in Nevada and come from immigrant parents. I am the only one in my immediate family who pursued and graduated from college. I attained my undergrad (i.e., B.S. Information Systems) and graduate degree (i.e., Master of Business Administration) from the University of Nevada, Reno. I am currently completing my Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. I enjoy spending time with my loved ones who remind me how important it is to treasure the small moments in life. My role as a Coordinator is to continue the Latino Research Center’s research and outreach efforts and identify opportunities to support and improve resources for our community. My research has primarily focused on understanding employee well-being and how diverse employees balance their work and family roles. Additionally, I study how women’s health and motherhood are affected by their work experiences. I have previously worked in technical settings by supporting different organizations with their information systems. My passion and curiosity to learn more has allowed me the opportunity to use my technical skills to conduct research intended to make a practical impact in our community. Nací y crecí en Nevada y vengo de padres inmigrantes. Soy la única en mi familia inmediata que siguió y se graduó de la universidad. Obtuve mi licenciatura (es decir, una Licenciatura en Sistemas de Información) y un título de posgrado (es decir, Maestría en Administración de Empresas) de la Universidad de Nevada, Reno. Actualmente estoy completando mi Doctorado en Administración de Empresas de la Universidad de Texas en Arlington. Disfruto pasar tiempo con mis seres queridos que me recuerdan lo importante que es atesorar los pequeños momentos de la vida. Mi funcion como coordinadora es continuar los esfuerzos de investigación y divulgación del Latino Research Center e identificar oportunidades para apoyar y mejorar los recursos para nuestra comunidad. Mi investigación se ha centrado principalmente en comprender el bienestar de los empleados y cómo los empleados diversos equilibran sus funciones laborales y familiares. Además, estudio cómo la salud y la maternidad de las mujeres se ven afectadas por sus experiencias laborales. Anteriormente trabajé en trabajos técnicos apoyando a diferentes organizaciones con sus sistemas de información. Mi pasión y curiosidad por aprender más me han brindado la oportunidad de utilizar mis habilidades técnicas para realizar investigaciones destinadas a tener un impacto práctico en nuestra comunidad.”
Rosen Successfully Pushes Administration to Fix Broadband Map, Ensures Nevada Gets More Funding for High-Speed Internet
Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that, after her successful push, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its National Broadband Map to more accurately reflect Nevada’s current broadband needs, which is critical for the allocation of funding for high-speed internet from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $42 billion Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. A previous, deeply flawed map misrepresented the high-speed internet coverage in Nevada and would have caused the state to lose out on potentially millions of dollars in BEAD funding. The new version of this map identifies nearly 27,000 new broadband serviceable locations across Nevada, in addition to nearly 7,000 new locations without access to high-speed service that were not included in the previous version. “While helping write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I made sure that states like Nevada would be able to access the funding and resources necessary to connect more households to high-speed internet,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce that thanks to my efforts, the updated version of the FCC broadband map accurately identifies additional unserved locations across Nevada, which will help bring more federal infrastructure funding to connect them to high-speed internet. I’ll continue working with the Department of Commerce to ensure Nevada gets its share of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding in June to get Nevadans access to high-speed internet.” Senator Rosen has led the fight to fix the deeply-flawed FCC Broadband Map and increase Nevadans’ access to high-speed internet. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen sent a letter to the FCC urging them to fix the deeply flawed broadband map to ensure Nevada receives its fair share of federal funding. Last year, Senator Rosen led a bipartisan letter to the FCC Chairwoman pushing the agency to fix these inaccurate broadband maps. During a Senate hearing, Senator Rosen even raised the alarm on this flawed broadband mapping and called for immediate improvements to protect broadband investments in rural Nevada.
Mejor Juntos: Together we Heal Documentary
Last May, 19 children and two teachers were murdered at Robb Elementary School. The shooting left the small town of Uvalde, TX in disbelief, despair, and grief. After something so traumatic, it’s difficult to know how to move forward. How to heal. Just a few blocks from the school, CPLC operates a Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Center that has been serving Uvalde for more than 20 years. Some of our former students were among the victims. Many of our students and staff had family in the school during the tragedy. Our small team at this center committed themselves to doing what they could to help their community heal during this impossible time. We have shared meals and tears together. We have checked in and supported where we could. We have shown up. We have made space. Today, we would like to share their story with you. Will you care to listen?
Teachers are our silent heroes
They spend so much time with our children guiding them and shaping them into better people. And we don’t give them enough credit. So last week, we took the moment to honor and celebrate the hard work and dedication of four outstanding Latino teachers in our community: Mrs. Perla Apodaca, Mrs. Alicia Isabel Wong, Mrs. Carmen Theresa Villaverde, and Mr. Michael Dominguez. Thanks to our presenting sponsors Cox and SRP, we were able to surprise them in their classrooms and invite them to the PERA Club last Tuesday to celebrate their achievements with other members of the community. Thanks to your support, we awarded each teacher $5,000 and donated an additional $2,500 to their schools. This is just one small way we wanted to give back for all they do—and they do so much! When she received her award, Mrs. Perla Apodaca shared that beyond teaching long division or reading, her goal is to create a safe space where students feel comfortable enough to be themselves. A space that ultimately encourages confident learners, regardless of their current level of academic proficiency. Teachers—like Home Economics teacher Mrs. Carmen Theresa Villaverde or Mariachi and Marching Band Director Mr. Michael Dominguez—are devoted to their students, their wellbeing, and their success. They help their students gain valuable skills that they can transfer to college, a career, their own business, and their life. They are empowering students and helping them realize they have what it takes. At one point, Mrs. Alicia Isabel Wong said that if students leave her classroom speaking Spanish, she has done her job. But if they leave her classroom being kinder, more tolerant, and more respectful, then she has accomplished her goal. Our teachers are providing the support system our children need, which is especially important as we recover from COVID’s lasting effects on our children’s mental health. Teachers are showing our children how to be kinder, more tolerant people as our nation becomes increasingly divided. And Latino teachers are serving as role models to Latino youth. So these students see that there are other people who look like them, who speak like them, who think like them. Teachers who understand their cultural background and can help their students navigate the unique obstacles they face and learn to be proud of where they come from. Mrs. Apodaca, Mrs. Villaverde, Mr. Dominguez, and Mrs. Wong are our silent heroes. We invite you to learn more about them here.
Cortez Masto y sus colegas reintroducen legislación para brindar seguridad a los beneficiarios de TPS
Washington, D.C. – La senadora Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) se unió a los senadores Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) y Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) para reintroducir el proyecto de ley de Ambiente Seguro de Países Bajo Represión y en Emergencia (SECURE por sus siglas en ingles), que permitiría a los beneficiarios calificados de TPS solicitar la residencia legal permanente. “Me he reunido con docenas de familias con TPS que han huido de desastres y están contribuyendo a nuestras comunidades en Nevada”, dijo la senadora Cortez Masto. “Mi legislación creará un camino hacia la residencia legal permanente para los beneficiarios de TPS y sus familias, y seguiré trabajando para fortalecer nuestra seguridad fronteriza y reparar nuestro sistema de inmigración roto”. Actualmente, hay aproximadamente 670,000 personas con TPS en los EE.UU., incluidos alrededor de 6,300 titulares de TPS en Nevada, donde forman roles importantes en nuestras economías locales y contribuyen con miles de millones de dólares cada año en impuestos. El TPS para El Salvador, Nicaragua, Nepal y Honduras está en peligro debido a las acciones de la administración Trump a las que la senadora Cortez Masto se opuso firmemente. Bajo este proyecto de ley, todos los beneficiarios de TPS que calificaron bajo la designación de TPS más reciente y que han estado continuamente presentes en los EE.UU. durante al menos tres años serían elegibles para solicitar la residencia permanente legal. Además, la legislación: Además de los senadores Cortez Masto, Van Hollen, Cardin y Feinstein, esta legislación es copatrocinada por los senadores Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal ( D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) , Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif .), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner ( D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) y Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Esta legislación cuenta con el respaldo de la Unión Internacional de Trabajadores de América del Norte (LIUNA), CASA, United Workers Party, TPS Alliance y Working Families United. Puede encontrar el texto del proyecto de ley AQUÍ. La primera y única senadora latina, la senadora Cortez Masto ha apoyado consistentemente a las comunidades inmigrantes en Nevada, instando a la administración que tome medidas para proteger a los beneficiarios de TPS y otros inmigrantes, así como encabezar legislación sensata para arreglar nuestro sistema de inmigración que no funciona. Ha trabajado para aprobar una reforma migratoria significativa que equilibre las medidas críticas de seguridad fronteriza con un camino hacia la ciudadanía para los Dreamers, los beneficiarios de TPS y los trabajadores esenciales, y ha impulsado la legislación para permitir que los Dreamers y los beneficiarios de TPS trabajen en el Congreso.
Cortez Masto Leads Legislation to Increase Solar Manufacturing in the U.S.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) re-introduced the Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act to expand the solar manufacturing supply chain in the U.S. and enhance our global competitiveness. This legislation also supports good-paying union jobs by requiring solar manufacturing facilities to have strong labor protections to be eligible for this funding. “Nevada’s solar economy is booming, and I’m pushing legislation to ensure we are manufacturing more solar panels and components in the U.S.,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Right now, the demand for solar is outpacing our domestic supply. My bill would make critical investments to grow that supply chain and create good-paying union jobs right here at home.” “The Chinese government will do anything to undermine American manufacturing, and would like nothing more than to kill the American solar manufacturing industry before it takes off,” said Senator Brown. “This investment, along with investments in the Inflation Reduction Act, allows us to fight back. When we support Ohio solar manufacturers, we help create the good-paying manufacturing jobs that will drive our economy for decades to come.” “Investing in Made in America solar manufacturing will create good paying jobs, move us toward a renewable energy future, and help provide low-cost clean energy for American families,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to support this legislation because American manufacturers, businesses, and workers should be building our clean energy economy.” The Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act would provide $3 billion in grants and loans over the next 5 years to fund the construction of new U.S. solar facilities, or to retool, retrofit, or expand existing solar manufacturing facilities. The legislation is supported by the Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). Cortez Masto has led efforts to support the solar industry and the clean energy jobs it creates. She secured vital extensions of the investment tax credit and the residential renewable energy tax credit in 2020 to boost of solar energy and then expanded these tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. She successfully pushed the Biden administration to suspend solar tariffs that could have hurt American jobs and increased solar project costs.
Cortez Masto Announces FCC’s New Broadband Funding Map She Created, Highlights Continued Push for Expanded Broadband Accessibility
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rolled out its new interactive Broadband Funding Map. Senator Cortez Masto worked with Republican Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) to create this tool in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and pushed the Administration to implement it to ensure that federal broadband funding is being distributed efficiently and is targeted to underserved areas that need it most, including rural areas in Nevada. “Since hearing from Nevadans in underserved areas about their challenges accessing broadband, I’ve made sure that Nevada is getting more resources to connect to the internet, and that federal funds are being spent effectively,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This tool helps build on my work to bring greater transparency to the programs intended to ensure every Nevadan has access to critical resources that internet connectivity provides.” This tool is part of Cortez Masto’s comprehensive push for government accountability and oversight of federal broadband resources. Just last week the Department of Commerce’s NTIA released a new dashboard and reports required as part of bipartisan legislation that Cortez Masto passed into law to foster the development and growth of broadband funding to rural communities. You can access the Broadband Funding Map HERE. As part of her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led in the Senate to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. Most recently, she advocated for accurate federal broadband access data to ensure Nevada gets the funding needed to connect all Nevadans, as well as helped secure more than $11 million for Nevada tribes, $27 million for Lovelock, NV and $7.3 million for Elko County residents. In 2020, she passed her bipartisan ACCESS BROADBAND Act to ensure Nevadans in underserved urban and rural communities have easier access to federal broadband programs through improved access and transparency of federal broadband.
Cortez Masto y Risch renuevan esfuerzo bipartidista para ayudar a proteger a las pequeñas empresas de los ataques cibernéticos
Washington, D.C. – Hoy, los senadores estadounidenses Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) y James Risch (R-Idaho) están renovando su esfuerzo bipartidista para ayudar a proteger a los pequeños negocios de costosas filtraciones de datos y ataques cibernéticos al presentar la legislación bipartidista de Pequeños Negocios Seguros. Específicamente, esta legislación sensata crearía una cooperativa en la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA) para ayudar a los pequeños negocios a acceder información sobre las mejores prácticas de protección de datos y poder comprar productos de ciberseguridad juntos a precios más bajos. “Después de escuchar directamente de las empresas de Nevada sobre sus preocupaciones de seguridad cibernética, estoy impulsando una legislación bipartidista para ayudarlos a acceder a los recursos que necesitan para continuar haciendo crecer sus negocios y mantener seguros los datos de sus clientes”, dijo la senadora Cortez Masto. “Seguiré trabajando con ambos partidos para combatir el aumento de amenazas cibernéticas como el ransomware y el phishing que enfrentan los pequeños negocios en todo el país”. “Los ataques cibernéticos van en aumento en todo el país y Idaho no es inmune. Desafortunadamente, muchas pequeñas empresas no pueden pagar el costoso equipo de seguridad cibernética necesario para mantener seguros sus datos y clientes”, dijo el senador Risch. “La Ley de Pequeños Negocios Seguros permitiría que estas empresas se unan para obtener acceso a los recursos de protección de datos y la tecnología de ciberseguridad asequible necesaria para protegerlos de los ataques cibernéticos”. En todo el país, los ataques cibernéticos de delincuentes y gobiernos extranjeros hostiles han aumentado drásticamente en los últimos años. Según un estudio reciente, el 61 % de las víctimas de filtración de datos son pequeñas empresas y la filtración le cuesta al propietario de una pequeña empresa entre $84 000 y $148 000. Esto hace que el 60% de los pequeños negocios que son víctimas cierren sus operaciones a los seis meses. Esta creciente amenaza impone serios costos a nuestra salud económica y seguridad nacional. El proyecto de ley bipartidista de Pequeños Negocios Seguros ayudaría a las empresas a tener acceso a los productos, servicios y seguros de ciberseguridad que necesitan para mantenerse seguros al: Esta legislación bipartidista cuenta con el respaldo de la Asociación para la Tecnología de Manufactura, CompTIA, la Fundación de Innovación y Tecnología de la Información, Main Street Alliance y Small Business Majority. Puede encontrar el texto de la legislación AQUÍ. La senadora Cortez Masto ha sido una firme defensora de las pequeñas empresas. Ha encabezado la legislación bipartidista para promover el desarrollo profesional en el espíritu empresarial de los estudiantes desatendidos, facilitar el crecimiento y la puesta en marcha de un negocio, y ayudar a los pequeños negocios cuyas operaciones se ven perjudicadas por el humo de los incendios forestales. El año pasado, la administración respondió a su llamado para extender el período de aplazamiento para que los pequeños negocios paguen los préstamos del programa de Préstamo por Daños Económicos por Desastre (EIDL), y ella ha encabezado la legislación para simplificar el programa EIDL y combatir el fraude.
