Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA) Annual Report 2007 Ruth Ann Minner Governor Wanda Lopez Executive Director Jorge Luis Camacho Chair Table of Contents Message to the Governor..............................................................................................................................2 Members of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs ....................................................3 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................4 Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................5 GACHA Initiatives.........................................................................................................................................6 • Education Committee.............................................................................................................................6 • Social Justice Committee......................................................................................................................11 • Health Committee.................................................................................................................................14 • Economic Development Committee.................................................................................................15 • Community Outreach………………………………………………………….......................18 • National Outreach...…………………………………………………………….....................19 Community Leadership—GACHA Members.........................................................................................20 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................24 State of Delaware Executive Order ..........................................................................................................25 Message to the Governor Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs 1901 North Dupont Highway Charles Debnam Building Delaware Health & Social Services Campus New Castle, DE 19720 Ruth Ann Minner Vincent P. Meconi, Secretary Governor Delaware Health and Social Services The Honorable Ruth Ann Minner, Governor: The members of the Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA) are pleased to present to you this 2007 Annual Report. As in past years, this report demonstrates our continued commitment to serving your administration and Hispanic Delawareans. It presents the accomplishments of our four subcommittees, which represent areas of critical importance to the Hispanic community: • Education • Social Justice • Health • Economic Development Through the many partnerships we have formed and the many initiatives we have undertaken, we strive to continue improving the quality of life for Hispanic Delawareans—and by doing so, improve the quality of life for all Delawareans. Every Council member pledges to continue our work to create a brighter future for all. We are all honored to have the opportunity to serve on this Council and wish to express our gratitude for your consistent support. GACHA Executive Director GACHA Chair Members of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs Eloy Acosta, Health Committee Maria Matos, Co-Chair, Education Committee; Nancy Bastidas-Lopez, Economic Development Committee Executive Committee Maria D. Cabrera, Economic Development Committee Chair Representative Joseph Miro, Education Committee Jorge Camacho, Chair, GACHA; Social Justice Committee Danny Perez, Economic Development Committee Edith Prado, Social Justice Committee Cherisse Carlisle, Economic Development Committee Eli Ramos, Education Committee Milton Delgado, Health Committee Chair Margaret Reyes, Social Justice Committee Chair Michelle Jewel, Social Justice Committee Carmen Rivera, Education Committee Pastor Israel Figueroa, Social Justice Committee Harry J. Sanchez, Education Committee Wanda Lopez, GACHA Executive Director Yvette Santiago, Co-Chair, Education Committee; Executive Committee County Chairs: GACHA support: New Castle County Chair: Yvette Santiago Keyla Rivero-Rodriguez Sussex County Chair: Margaret Reyes Dennis Savage Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs 1901 North Dupont Highway Charles Debnam Building Delaware Health & Social Service Campus New Castle, DE 19720 (302) 255-9743 (302) 255-4463 fax Introduction Mission Statement The Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA), formed by an Executive Order signed by Governor Michael Castle in 1985 and reissued by Governor Thomas R. Carper in 1995 (included at the end of this report), has the critical role of advising the Governor of Delaware on issues having an impact on Hispanic Delawareans, as well as linking Hispanic Delawareans with their state government. The mission of the Council is to serve as a representative voice on issues and concerns pertaining to health, education, social services, civil and human rights, legal and legislative matters, employment, finance, and any other areas that may impact the equality, service, and treatment of Delaware’s Hispanic community. We serve the Governor and the people of Delaware by fostering the progress of communication and delivery of services to Delaware’s Hispanic community. GACHA’s three objectives are focused on service, commitment, and dedication. The Council considers its responsibilities to include the following: • Staying aware of and informed about all aspects of Hispanic life in Delaware, by fact-finding, gathering data, requesting reports from state agencies, and commissioning studies. • Becoming experts on the services provided by the state to Hispanic Delawareans, including life skills, translation services, and advocacy. • Keeping the Governor abreast of issues affecting the Hispanic community in the state, and advising the Governor and her cabinet on Hispanic issues. • Educating the Administration in the areas of cultural sensitivity and barriers to service. • Communicating with the Hispanic community—and the community at large—regarding issues unique to Hispanic Delawareans, through public hearings and other channels. • Proposing legislation and policy changes, as appropriate. Through the work we do and the issues we address, GACHA serves the Governor, her administration, and the State as a whole. The Council is also grateful for the support it receives from the Delaware General Assembly, and pledges to remain mindful of the General Assembly’s vision for the people of Delaware. Service, Commitment, Determination Executive Summary As outlined in the 2006 GACHA Annual Report, Council members placed great emphasis on the need to collaborate with state agencies—to be present when issues of importance to Hispanic Delawareans are discussed among state agencies, to be called on as a resource by the heads of all state departments, and to be included in task forces and in recommendations made so as to reflect the population being served. We also asked that the Governor and her staff continue to encourage this collaboration and cooperation so that GACHA could better carry out the responsibilities with which it has been charged. The Council is pleased to present this report of its accomplishments in 2007—and its plans for future work—because it clearly demonstrates that this collaborative approach is having a significant and positive impact on the progress the Council and its committees are making. By forming partnerships, building relationships, and working together with individuals, teams, and organizations throughout the state, GACHA has been able to make a difference in many areas of awareness and policy, as outlined in the following initiatives undertaken by the Council. GACHA Initiatives Education Committee Maria Matos and Yvette Santiago, Co-Chairs Eli Ramos, Committee Member During 2007, the Education Committee worked to become more focused and strategic in its planning around ultimately achieving its goal of increasing the Hispanic student graduation rate in Delaware. During the annual GACHA retreat in November 2006, the Education Committee outlined a number of targeted objectives through 2012 that would support the committee’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives. Key to this work is continued collaboration with the strategic partners we have engaged and continued strengthening of the strategic relationships we have built with state agencies and teams. Mission The committee’s mission is To serve as a catalyst for educational access, opportunity, and success for Hispanic students in Delaware. Vision The committee’s vision is To improve access to equal education and eliminate educational disparities and the achievement gap among Delaware Hispanic students. It was important for the committee to establish its mission and vision and strategy in an effort to begin working on the framework for its success. The committee understands the specific needs and issues that are impacting the success of Delaware Hispanic students. It was equally important to ensure not just our vision, but also the vision of those we are working with, primarily the Department of Education. Through our collaborative meetings and discussions, we achieved a balance between successfully achieving our short term goals, meeting the stated objectives, and mapping a path forward to ultimately increase the graduation rate for all Delaware students, specifically Hispanic students. The Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Education has assigned a member of its leadership team to serve as a liaison to the Education Committee. This has enabled both GACHA and DOE to establish consistent two-way communications about issues that are not only impacting Hispanic students, but also resolutions and plans for addressing those particular issues. Meetings have occurred on a quarterly basis and the plan is to continue that path forward. GACHA participated in the 2007 Leadership Summit by providing information about the Council as well as published documents on the status of Hispanics in Education and methods for improving educational outcomes for Hispanic children. DOE has also been instrumental in communicating our partnership and collaboration plans to its Connections to Learning Team and has invited committee members to participate in those planning meetings. In addition, we have been invited to join the Connections Partner Advisory Council. This collaboration and partnership has enabled GACHA to move forward strategically toward meeting its goals and to be a voice for educational issues impacting Delaware Hispanic students. Goals • Collaborate with DOE on a statewide campaign to increase the graduation rate among Delaware students -”Yes YOU Can!” Public Awareness Campaign. As part of the Reaching Higher for Student Success initiative, DOE launched a major communications campaign in April 2007 called “Yes YOU Can!” The campaign was developed with input from students, parents, teachers, college professors, and employers. It features an interactive website (www.yesyoucande.com), shown below, providing information and resources on careers and colleges — including help with career goals, resumes, and links to jobs in Delaware, as well as guidance on high school courses and tests that will prepare students for college or the workforce. It includes links to Delaware colleges, on-line admissions, scholarship and financial aid, and resources for parents. The campaign will also use variety of innovative and engaging communication tools to motivate students to be in charge of their future and take responsibility for their educational choices. Grassroots outreach efforts will engage parents, teachers, educators, and the business community in the effort. The focus of the campaign is to create a shared commitment among students, educators, parents, and the community that all high school students will graduate ready for college, work, and citizenship. This campaign will be available in Spanish. • Increase participation in the Hispanic Student Recognition Program (HSRP). Since 1986, GACHA has collaborated with the Latin American Community Center (LACC) in Wilmington to offer the Hispanic Student Recognition Program to recognize and acknowledge high achieving Hispanic high and middle school students. The goal of the program is to enable Hispanic students to pursue greater opportunities, instill pride in our people and our heritage, motivate students to work hard, and motivate their families to support them. The program is now in its 21st year and enjoys strong school, community, and private sector support throughout the state. DOE has been instrumental in communicating and disseminating information about HSRP to all schools statewide. Students from all counties were nominated and represented at the 2007 HSRP Award Ceremony. • Decrease the Hispanic student achievement gap. • Establish 2006 as the baseline year for the Delaware SEED scholarship program. In 2006, 32 students participated in the Delaware Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) scholarship program. Of those 32 students, 4.3% were self-identified as Hispanic. • Establish 2007 as a baseline year for zero tolerance for incidents related to hate crimes and bullying. In 2007, the General Assembly established the School Bullying Prevention Act to provide a safer learning environment for students attending public schools, including charter schools, in the State of Delaware and for the staff members of those institutions. This law requires each school district and charter school to establish a policy on bullying prevention with certain minimal requirements including— but not limited to—developing a bullying prevention program and reporting bullying to the Delaware Department of Education. This law must also be included in all student handbooks and Codes of Conduct. • Collaborate with DOE to ensure that comprehensive cultural competency training occurs on an ongoing basis among Delaware educators. (In progress) According to DOE, ongoing cultural competency training is a requirement and it must be embedded in the planning of all school district initiatives, instruction, and leadership training. A checklist of embedded concepts for respect and diversity has been established through DOE. • Encourage and increase parental involvement in education and improve family literacy. (In progress) The Education Committee will work with DOE and the Parent Leadership Institute to help recruit Hispanic Parent Ambassadors. DOE has implemented the Advanced Placement Incentive Program, which has a training component specifically for parents. The training provides parents with information about Advanced Placement programs and the importance of their children’s participation in such programs as well as specific strategies to help their children enroll in Advanced Placement programs. This information is available on the DOE website www.doe.state.de.us in English and Spanish, as shown below: • Support and enable schools to develop school-specific English Language Learner (ELL) engagement and student success plans. Objectives–Year 1: 2007 • (In progress) Establish an ongoing dialogue with DOE to discuss issues regarding teacher retention and recruitment, unit count, holistic approaches to parent and student engagement and other holistic approaches to promote student success. • (In progress) Collaborate with DOE to support schools to show demonstrated efforts and activities that will increase academic achievement, student success and parent and student engagement. • Delaware School Counselor Association (DSCA) – provide training on the Delaware SEED scholarship program at the DSCA annual training event (completed in June 2007). Subsequently, measure the number of Hispanic students participating in the SEED program. • Increase the number of school districts participating and the number of students being nominated for the Hispanic Student Recognition Program (HSRP). The following charts illustrate the growth of participation by district. Objectives–Year 3: 2010 • Youth Council identified in at least one district per county that is representative of the ELL population • Zero tolerance policy on student-to-student hate crimes is adopted (2007 School Bullying Prevention Act passed as described above compare data for implications of incidences by all of the subgroups of NCLB) • Increase in the number of alternative programs to increase graduation rates among Hispanic students • Increased enrollment of Hispanic students in institutions of higher education • Decreased Hispanic student achievement gap • Increased Hispanic student graduation rates Objectives–Year 5: 2012 • Increase in Hispanic graduation rates • Increase in Hispanic student enrollment in higher education • Increase in number of Hispanic students involved in the Delaware SEED scholarship program • Decrease in Hispanic student achievement gap The baseline year for these objectives is 2007. Targets through 2012 have not been determined. Data needs to be collected and reviewed in the areas of graduation rates, HSRP involvement, Delaware SEED participation, achievement gap, enrollment in institutions of higher education and bullying incidents to properly determine targets for each area. Recommendations from the 2006 GACHA Annual Report continue to be a driving factor in the committee’s planning and are embodied in the stated objectives and goals above. The committee continues to focus and advocate for attention and consideration in the following areas as strategies to increase graduation rates among Delaware Hispanic students: • Teacher recruitment and retention • Innovative strategies to engage Hispanic students and families • Early childhood education and postsecondary education • Parental involvement and family literacy • Cultural competency, diversity, and celebrating differences • Safe learning environments • Increase and obtain adequate funding for ELL population and schools in areas of high poverty • Youth Leadership Councils representative of the ELL population The Education Committee is committed to collaborating with key partners to bring about change to the evidence that plagues us today— underachievement of our youth, primarily Hispanic. Although these challenges are not new, the perspective and approach to combating this societal problem is. Education is now being viewed and discussed more globally. The question now is “How can we prepare our students to compete in a global economy?” Before attempting to answer this, we must first and foremost prepare our students to succeed in their existing environment, then globalize from there. The thinking has shifted, therefore the strategies to promote and attain successful outcomes must change as well. Resources are absolutely essential to providing quality education to all students. Resources are and will continue to be an impediment and remain obscure without the support of our elected and public officials. “We can only do what we are enabled to do.” Collectively as communities, leaders, and elected officials, we have to turn the tide for our children’s sake. GACHA 2007 Annual Report Social Justice Committee Committee Chair: Margaret Reyes The Social Justice Committee was formed in 2004 to tackle a variety of issues of importance to Hispanic Delawareans related to inequality and disparity between Hispanics and other populations. As in previous years, the Social Justice Committee evaluated how it could assist the State of Delaware to achieve cultural competence. Two ongoing issues continued to surface in 2007 as a result of this work: • The ongoing immigration debate at the Federal level and how this will affect the State of Delaware and the social as well as fiscal impact on the infrastructure of state government. • Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Compliance. This is a Federal mandate written into the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI, as well as being substantiated further by Executive Order 13166. Immigration Reform In 2007, there has been continued failure on the part of the U.S. Congress to pass immigration reform law, leaving millions of people to contend with living and working in the shadows of American society. American business owners have to deal with unpicked harvests and a lack of workers in the agricultural, construction, and healthcare industries. These industries are falling short of workers and the current visa programs are not generous enough in their quota of temporary workers to sustain the demand for foreign workers. In 2007 alone, there were at least 1,562 pieces of legislation introduced among the 50 state legislatures that dealt with immigration- and immigrant-related issues, covering health, education, IDs and driver’s licenses, employment, and public benefits. Of these, 244 became law in 46 states; 11 were vetoed by governors; and two are pending governor’s review. Delaware is suffering from this failure. What is happening on the national level touches us here in Delaware. Our industrial and economic survival in many areas is dependent on the visa programs. Immigrant workers are vital to Delaware’s economic health and development, as evidenced by the explosive growth in Hispanic-owned businesses. Unfortunately, many towns and municipalities around the nation are not cognizant of this. They prefer to focus on anti-immigrant legislation and ordinances, blatantly ignoring the Doctrine of Pre-emption and the exclusive right of the federal government to legislate immigration reform. Each and every time there has been a local immigration reform ordinance, it has been struck down by the Supreme Court, reaffirming that immigration control needs to remain the strict purview of the federal government. To date, most localities in Delaware have remained out of the fray; however, at least two municipalities have flirted with the idea of proposing such ordinances. Those have been shelved. With the defeat of the Hazelton, Pa. ordinance, which targeted renting housing to and hiring of non-citizens, it seems that many towns are unwilling to take on the exorbitant costs of drafting, then defending, a law or ordinance that will be shown to be unconstitutional. We believe that the State’s course of remaining out of this battle and allowing the federal government to do what its mandate requires is the correct course of action for the State as well as the Administration, now and into the uncertain future of this issue. Also on the immigration front still stands the issue of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. This was recently reintroduced by Senator Durbin, D-Illinois, and attached to the Defense Appropriations Bill. Surprisingly, there are groups that oppose this bill and seek to call it “amnesty.” It is this lobby that succeeded in having the DREAM Act removed from the Defense Appropriations Bill. However, Speaker of the House, Senator Reid, D-Nebraska, revisited this issue in November 2007, where it was defeated by a narrow margin. Although this is a federal proposal, there is currently something that the State can do right now to assist these children in their quest for an education. Currently, those undocumented graduates from high school cannot see the benefit of higher education because they cannot physically get there legally, especially in some of the more rural areas. Not being eligible to get a driver’s license, they see their dreams of college slipping away and perceive that they have no future. They, in effect, are being punished for the acts of their parents, even when they themselves are innocent—and even if they are high achievers. We ask that the State of Delaware grant driver’s licenses to these children that meet the standards of the SEED program. The State of New York recently considered passing legislation to grant driver’s licenses to all undocumented immigrants living in the state of New York, which would have enabled greater tracking of personnel. It would also have allowed those people (many of whom are driving anyway) to properly insure and register their vehicles. Legislation like this would also benefit the entire State of Delaware, although we realize that the battle would be uphill. Along with meeting the needs of the law enforcement community, it would also lower the liability issue if drivers on the road could obtain licenses, thereby allowing them to register and insure their vehicles. Limited English Compliance Delaware State Police Since 2006, we have progressed in some areas but lost ground in others. There have been two Hispanic new hires in the Delaware State Police cadet program and one new Hispanic in the current recruit class. The Delaware State Police has lost its Spanish-speaking Victims Services worker, although it is currently recruiting to fill this position. Delaware State Police also had two Hispanic applicants fly in from Puerto Rico in response to advertisements placed in the media there. Although ultimately these candidates were unsuccessful, it shows that outreach is worth pursuing. While the recruitment effort is slow and painstaking, there have been greater strides in community outreach as well as a stronger presence in community events, both in the northern and the southern parts of the state. Tragically, Hispanics have been targeted for violent crimes such as robbery and assault, which resulted in the death of one Hispanic victim in Georgetown. Nonetheless, the outreach to the communities using the Hispanic media, as well as a bi-lingual message, has come a long way. The Delaware State Police has used bi-lingual Hispanic media more in the past year than in previous years, both to educate the community about crimes targeting them as well as giving advice on how to protect themselves. They have also used the Hispanic media as a way to recruit new officers. The collaboration has been a great service to the community as well as to the State Police. For example, El Tiempo Hispano, a bi-lingual weekly newspaper, does the translations free of charge when an article comes in solely in one language from the State Police. Looking back to April 2006, when we started this project, collaboration of this sort was not always the case. Over the course of nearly two years, GACHA and the Delaware State Police have formed a working partnership and both groups have striven to ensure that equal service is provided to the Hispanic community regardless of status. In New Castle County, the first Citizen’s Police Academy, hosted by the Latin American Community Center, will soon be held. In the south, Captain Yeomans, the Troop Commander of Troop 7, has established a Citizen’s Advisory Council. The Council is comprised of various community members, including representatives from the Hispanic community. Delaware State Police While progress was initially slow, in March 2007, GACHA’s Social Justice Committee and the Delaware State Police started a project to write and implement a Limited English Proficiency Policy, in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI. The timeline established was aggressive. The policy was presented to Executive Staff in November 2007 and will be given to the Legal Department for review. If all goes as expected, the LEP policy may be in effect in early 2008. GACHA provided many hours of research and documentation to give DSP a foundation on which to build their policy. In return, DSP provided personnel and expertise in writing the policy. While obviously serving the Spanish-speaking population, this policy will also impact, in a positive way, speakers of languages other then English and bring Delaware State Police into full compliance with federal law on this issue. We strongly applaud the Delaware State Police’s efforts, and feel that the Delaware State Police has been aggressive and timely with regards to the Limited English Compliance Policy. GACHA has been glad to assist the Delaware State Police in ensuring that their mission “to enhance the quality of life for all Delaware citizens and visitors by providing professional, competent, and compassionate law enforcement services” continues to be met. By doing so, we feel that and the non-English speakers in the First State will not be left behind. Paramedic and Fire Services To date, there have been great strides in the area of paramedic services as well. In New Castle County, their first Spanish-speaking paramedic finished training and is now working in the field, providing life-saving care in two languages. In Sussex County, the people involved in providing paramedic services have gone to great lengths to serve the Spanish-speaking population, going so far as to sponsor a paramedic from Columbia who completed his training in the United States but had to return to Columbia after the tragic events of 9-11. The employee sponsorship has taken 4 years to complete and the paramedic service is glad to report that the final hurdle has been cleared and hopefully this paramedic will be serving the community in 2008. Recently, through GACHA’s efforts, several young bi-lingual Hispanics were involved in an informative meeting designed to recruit Hispanics into the paramedic services. The Sussex County Paramedic Program was fully outlined to them, and the opportunity to apply and work through the process was discussed. As a result, there will be a more diverse pool of applicants this year, several of whom are bi-lingual. Much work is still needed, however, in the area of firefighting services. This is difficult because there is no centralized command structure. Individual companies understand that the need is great to have Spanish-speakers, but because so many diverse fire companies are spread out over such a large area, each with their own recruitment efforts and chain of command, this project would require a dedicated office and staff. GACHA has assisted where possible and we look forward to working with the Delaware Volunteer Fireman’s Association in the future. Miscellaneous GACHA has also assisted other state agencies in reaching out to the Hispanic community with various messages. Most recently, we assisted the Office of Highway Safety with its CHECKPOINT STRIKEFORCE DUI campaign. The flyers and posters the office previously distributed were not in colloquial Spanish and as a result, Hispanics were not receiving an accurately expressed message. This was brought to their attention last year. This year, when the order went out for new materials to distribute, the Office of Highway Safety contacted GACHA personnel to ensure that the translation into Spanish was appropriate and that the message would be clear. We thank the Office of Highway Safety for the opportunity to participate in this important program. We have also had several complaints regarding discrimination with many different agencies, some federal, some state, and some municipal. However, all agencies have cooperated and have been open and engaged in dialogue with GACHA. With this open dialogue, we feel that much ground can be covered and issues resolved. In closing, the Social Justice Committee is committed in staying focused on ways that the State can improve the quality of life for the Hispanic population and to assist the State in whatever way necessary to ensure that this happens. Health Committee Chair: Milton Delgado Delaware Hispanics and Obesity Delaware’s adult obesity rate is 22.8 percent, ranking it the 29th heaviest in the nation, according to a new report by The Trust for America's Health (TFAH). The 2006 report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, finds that government policy efforts have consistently failed to provide viable solutions to the growing obesity crisis. Weight and physical activity are closely related factors in health According to a study conducted by the Rural Health Research Center at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health, Delaware ranks 8th when it comes to having the highest proportion of overweight children and 6th with the highest proportion of children who fail to meet physical activity recommendations. Hispanics and their children have been particularly affected by the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity. In 2005, at least one in four Hispanic adults living in the U.S. was obese (having a Body Mass Index of 30 or more). More than one in six (16.8%) Hispanic high school students are overweight. Hispanics’ rates of overweight are significantly higher than whites (11.8%) and about the same as blacks (16.0%) of the same age. An additional 16.7% of Hispanic high school youth are at risk of becoming overweight. This trend continues among even younger Hispanics. Childhood obesity in the Hispanic community has reached epidemic proportions. Hispanic children are less active, consume more fat and sugar sweetened beverages, and eat fewer healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables. The chronic disease conditions directly associated with poor nutrition and inactivity, such as diabetes, health disease, stroke, certain cancers, and high blood pressure, are also on the rise. On average, Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age. Mexican-Americans, the largest Hispanic subgroup, are more than twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002). In an effort to reduce the barriers to Hispanic Delawareans’ access to health information and services, the Delaware Helpline, Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA), and Nemours Health and Prevention Services teamed up to create ethnically and linguistically appropriate Hispanic health resource tools. As a result, they provided a Spanish version of the Delaware Helpline and a companion health resource information card, called the GACHA Uno Card. Information about organizations listed with the Delaware Helpline that provide assistance in Spanish have been translated and made available on a website, www.DelawareHelpline.org, or by calling one of their Spanish speaking information referral specialists at 1-800-464HELP. The Uno Card is a handy resource for those without ready access to the Internet. The pocket-sized card lists the telephone numbers of the most common Spanish-language health and social service providers in Delaware. A total of 75,000 cards have been distributed throughout the state in community centers, doctor’s offices, child care facilities, and at cultural events. Based on the fact that Delaware Hispanics have limited access to healthy food and health-related information, this committee will continue to advocate for increased access to health-related information, fresh fruits and vegetables, and safe places to engage in physical activities for all Delaware Hispanics. Economic Development Committee Committee co-chairs: Maria D. Cabrera and Nancy Lopez Committee members: Pastor Israel Figueroa and Eli Ramos Objectives and Timelines The Economic Development Committee (EDC) has been focusing on the issue of financial literacy on two levels—micro (financial literacy for individual citizens) and mezzo (professional/educational development for Hispanic small business owners). Financial Literacy for Individuals The EDC has identified and collaborated with an already established financial literacy program that is Hispanic-friendly in the hopes of not having to “re-invent the wheel.” The committee has advertised its financial literacy events to the Hispanic community in all three counties. The committee will continue to work with and build closer ties with these established programs on audience development, and ensure these programs are also made available in Spanish as a whole or with use of a translator. Important factors in deciding what is the most appropriate program include: • The program has educational material already • The material is available in Spanish-language format • The program has the ability to be culturally competent (for example, the presentation can be given in Spanish) • The program should discuss the following topics: › Obtaining and managing money, savings, investments, and the nature of credit › Home buying education › Foreclosure prevention › Identity theft and predatory lending Hispanic Business Development Objective: Identify programs that offer resources to entrepreneurs who want to start a business and to already established businesses. Action Steps Taken/Underway and Timelines • Hispanic Small Business Development: GACHA’s EDC chairs are founding and key members of the steering committee of the newly formed Hispanic Business Association of Delaware (HBA). The mission of this new organization works hand in hand with the mission of the EDC: Building economic wealth, creating opportunities, and providing accessibility for Hispanic Business Owners and Professionals. The goals of the Hispanic Business Association of Delaware are to unite Hispanic businesses and to work collaboratively with the private and public sector to achieve mutual benefits. The organization will serve as advocates for Hispanic businesses in Delaware and educate business owners/professionals by partnering with existing organizations that provide business resources. Most importantly, the association will provide networking opportunities every month to further unite and form a cohesive relationship with all sectors of the business community. The HBA will serve both Hispanic and non-Hispanic business owners and professionals, in order to encourage greater participation as well as business-to-business opportunities. • delawarehispanic.com Yellow Pages: Since 2005, delawareHispanic.com has compiled a statewide directory of Hispanic-owned businesses. This data has been utilized to create the delawarehispanic.com Yellow Pages, a hard copy business directory, which is also available online. The directory has been distributed throughout Delaware to homes, businesses, community centers, agencies, medical facilities, government offices and retail stores. This comprehensive directory has helped the overall community become familiar with the Hispanic owned business, and encouraged Hispanics to do business with each other. This has helped to create and keep economic wealth within the community. Through this research, delawarehispanic.com Yellow Pages has been able to provide this data to government agencies that needed access in order to extend their services to the Hispanic business community of Delaware. • Home Ownership, Foreclosure Prevention, Predatory Lending, and Credit Knowledge: The EDC has been collaborating with the State of Delaware Office of the Bank Commissioner (OBC) on its public awareness campaign, helped to promote the initiatives and events of the OBC to the Hispanic community, and get the word out about the topics of foreclosure prevention, identity theft, predatory lending, and credit knowledge. The importance of reviewing credit reports and understanding how credit works are the topics covered in the numerous workshops held by the OBC. Working with the Hispanic Business Association of Delaware (HBA), Hispanic churches and community agencies, the EDC has assisted in promoting these statewide workshops as well as an upcoming two-day statewide conference. The OBC has been consulting with our members on how to effectively perform community outreach to Hispanics statewide. The OBC’s materials are all available in Spanish and advertising has also taken place on Digital 900 AM, in El Tiempo Hispano, and in Hoy en Delaware. The first workshop Hispanic outreach workshop was held on June 27, 2007, with La Iglesia de Jesucristo es el Señor in New Castle. Approximately 80 people were in attendance. The first conference also took place in June 2007 at the Chase Riverfront Center. The OBC has been featured at two HBA events, one in Sussex County in April 2007, and the other in New Castle County in February 2007. Due to the state of the economy, foreclosures have escalated at an alarming rate. It has risen to emergency status and together with all the agencies that assist the community the EDC has joined forces to make public awareness on this matter a priority. Along with HBA, the EDC will continue to work with Deputy Bank Commissioner of Consumer Affairs Gerald Kelly on Hispanic outreach. • Collaboration on Financial Literacy: The EDC has conducted research on the following agencies and organizations that offer financial literary services to the community and will participate in GACHA’s financial literacy efforts: › Maria D. Cabrera is the chair and one of the founding members of the Hispanic Business Association of Delaware. Along with co-founding member and membership committee chair, Nancy Lopez, the HBA will continue to work with small businesses and entrepreneurs on fulfilling the mission and initiatives set forth by the association that complement the initiatives of the Economic Development Committee. Together both organizations will work on reaching their goals. › The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), also a member of the HBA, has recently hired a statewide bilingual counselor, Jose Somalo, who is also the chair of the HBA Sussex County adjunct committee. Mr. Somalo will be working with business owners and entrepreneurs on starting and growing their businesses. Since he is the publisher of Hoy en Delaware, we can count on these initiatives being publicized to the general public. › The Delaware State University Center for Enterprise Development offers training courses, workshops, counseling, and coaching, and works with SCORE and the SBDC. Evening classes are available at no cost to business owners and individuals on financial literacy. › The State of Delaware Office of the Bank Commissioner (OBC), which has a public awareness campaign. › The Delaware Community Reinvestment Council, also a member and collaborator of the HBA, provides information via workshops and seminars to the community in both Spanish and English. The Council has two bilingual counselors and offers all its information in Spanish. › The YWCA Department for Economic Development has bilingual housing and business counselors who offer bilingual workshops on numerous financial literacy topics, both for individuals and business owners. They have a Business Incubator available at low-cost rent to assist business owners ready to leave home but not ready for a big office. They have hired a business development counselor in Sussex County and will soon be opening an office there in 2008. › The Small Business Administration offers statewide programs and will work with the HBA on using Spanish-speaking translators for their workshops. Upon request they will offer a workshop targeting a certain topic/audience. › The Delaware Economic Development Office participated in the first HBA gathering where Director Judy McKinney Cherry spoke to the business owners on how important Hispanic business is to the state. The 890 Hispanic-owned businesses they have registered contributed $137.5 million to Delaware’s tax base in 2006. › The Delaware Center for Financial Literacy (The Money School), is a member of HBA, and along with numerous financial institutions offer year-long programs, seminars, and a variety of financial services to assist minorities in general, as well as the overall community. The Hispanic workshops and seminars are now available on their website and more active recruitment of volunteers to present Spanish language workshops is taking place working hand-in-hand with the HBA. › First State Community Loan has accessible capital at low interest rates. The HBA will be partnering with their staff on workshops and making sure members know of their low interest business loans. › Interfaith Housing offers workshops on financial literacy including homeownership and foreclosure assistance. They have bilingual counselors and collaborate with organizations that serve the Hispanic community. › First State Community Action Agency, whose mission is to work towards the elimination of the root causes of poverty and to make less severe the effects of poverty on low-income people by providing a range of services, including homeownership counseling and an Entrepreneur Resource Center. This organization is one we will be working closer with in 2007-2008 as our economic development initiatives continue to grow. › West End Neighborhood House offers homeownership and foreclosure counseling as well as affordable housing opportunities with several major properties available through its real estate arm, Corner Stone West. They also offer bilingual workshops for small businesses; however they only target a certain geographical sector within the city of Wilmington. Research on Business Financial Literacy President of delawarehispanic.com Internet Magazine & Yellow Pages, Nancy Lopez, and Maria D. Cabrera, Chairperson of the HBA, have been gathering data about Hispanic businesses and their needs via an ongoing survey. As of June 30, 2007, we have received 87 survey responses. We found that the majority of Hispanic-owned businesses did not apply for business loans when opening their businesses; utilizing only personal resources. They are not aware of additional financial services offered by banks, are in need of money management and accounting services, and do not have a budget. They do not carry health insurance or offer health insurance to their employees. In addition, they are not knowledgeable on tax incentives and corporation laws. Access to capital is the greatest need as well as knowledge on cash flow and investing. In Sussex County, Hispanic business owners need education on the bid process for general contractors and those in the construction industry. Both New Castle County and Sussex County show a large growth of Hispanic businesses in this industry but many are not doing well and are just getting by because of the lack of knowledge on getting certified with state and local government as minority businesses, fair market value for their services, and collaboration on big projects. We also found that folks are not educated about the process to do business with government or larger developers. Continued Action Steps The Economic Development Committee will continue to: • Support and collaborate with the Hispanic Business Association of Delaware on statewide networking events and education workshops and seminars. These events will target Hispanics and provide information about the financial resources that are available and, in many cases, are free of charge. The needs identified in the survey will be a focus of both committees and addressed in order of priority according to need. • Gain more insight as to the financial literacy of Hispanic businesses with the ongoing survey conducted by the Hispanic Business Association of Delaware. • Support and collaborate with the State of Delaware Office of the Bank Commissioner (OBC) on its public awareness campaign. • Work with and identify community leaders and organizations that the financial institutions can continuously reach with financial literacy services—connecting the provider with the user and vice versa. • Promote and educate the community about these resources through our network of partners and outreach, and hope that there will be continuous use and word-of-mouth promotion. • Ensure that we assist organizers in securing translators and volunteers for their events. They have already extended this in the past and want to continue, as well as select keynote speakers/workshop leaders who are of Hispanic descent. Outcomes In November 2006, when GACHA conducted its yearly retreat, the Economic Development Committee established 1-year, 3-year, and 5year goals. Assisting with the formation of a business association where Hispanic businesses can access information that is vital to their growth, become knowledgeable about how to start/expand their businesses, and most importantly economically develop their community by doing business with each other was part of the 1 year goal. We are happy to report that this has been accomplished, although more work is still ahead of us. Establishing relationships and collaborating with the already existing financial organizations in order to bring financial literacy to individuals’ members, families, entrepreneurs, and business owners was another goal. We feel we have achieved this goal by opening these doors and working diligently to promote awareness and ensure members of the Hispanic community utilize the services available to them. As the fastest growing group of people in the United States and in Delaware, we must insist that Hispanics in Delaware are financially literate and are contributing members of this society. Many have relocated to Delaware in search of their dreams, so the committee believes that providing accessibility and the tools for achieving success and fulfilling their dreams is the least we can do. Ongoing studies and promoting financial literacy programs will be a continuous effort of this Committee as we hope to increase economic development among the Hispanic community of the State of Delaware. Community Outreach – ASPIRA of Delaware Wanda Lopez For the last three years GACHA has volunteered time with ASPIRA of Delaware. ASPIRA of Delaware has been working with Hispanic students from the greater New Castle County. In 2005 they initiated a pilot program, ASPIRA Saturday Academies, working with 22 Hispanic New Castle County high school students who were interested in attending college. Eighteen students completed the program and are attending college, many with scholarships and tuition assistance. Given the success of that pilot ASPIRA solicited the assistance of the two major school districts and obtained the names of rising juniors and began a recruitment process in the summer of 2006. An orientation program was developed and presented to students and their parents. Approximately 32 students were recruited for the 2006-07 academic year with a completion success rate of 84%. In 2006-07, eight of our students gained admission into the University of Delaware, which is the premier institution in Delaware and ranks among the top 100 colleges to attend according to Business Week. For the last two years several of our students competed and were awarded local scholarships and three of them were awarded top academic honors, along with others who were awarded honors in music and art. The academy program focuses on providing high school senior and graduates with a firm understanding of the overall admissions process and the requirements necessary to gain admission. Coaches work with each student individually to gain an understanding of his or her strengths and abilities. ASPIRA provides a series of workshops, career presentations, college visits along with a writing laboratory to assist the students in the completion of essays both for college admission and scholarship consideration. They also have been most successful in engaging parents, helping them become savvier with the overall college and financial aid process. The coaches (advisors) include Hispanic Delawareans with a passion for education and a commitment to the educational and leadership needs of Hispanic students and parents. ASPIRA volunteers are physicians, educators, attorneys, government officials, businesspersons, parents, and community volunteers with a strong history of leadership and community involvement. Aspira is currently working with 24 students and expects to place all of them in colleges or universities. The board members and coaches are planning for the new recruitment cycle for the academic year 2008-09. ASPIRA students have gained admission to the University of Delaware, Drexel University, University of Alabama, and Delaware Technical Community College. Most of the students have financial constraints and have a preference to remain in Delaware. National Outreach - USHLI Wanda Lopez In December 2007 GACHA hosted the first statewide meeting in collaboration with the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI). Dr Juan Andrade, USHLI president, joined GACHA council and community members for Delaware’s 2007 Opportunity Summit where we began a dialogue to create a strategic plan for expanding Latino civic participation, advocacy, and empowerment through leadership development programs and candidate trainings. GACHA, and other Hispanic state council members and commissioners nationwide, will sign a memorandum of commitment during the 2008 USHLI annual conference. The U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute and the Hispanic state councils/commissions agree to establish strategic and legislative direction to advise, improve, and/or bring awareness of the social issues and public affairs that universally affect Latino communities in the United States. The collaboration recognizes the importance of sharing best practices in organizational development, civic engagement, and legislative policy in each state that will improve the quality and socio-economic structure for Latinos and the communities where they work and live. Furthermore, the purpose of the memorandum of commitment is to expand impact and awareness of the growing Latino community nationwide. This will be accomplished by establishing a regularly functioning collaboration between the councils/commissions in order to maintain mutual contacts, share and exchange of information and policy agendas aimed to develop and promote effective and equitable laws and policies. Community Leadership—GACHA Members . Eloy Acosta is a retired Assistant Research Scientist from the State University of New York at Downstate Medical Health Center, College of Medicine, in Brooklyn New York. A Certified Laboratory Technician with a specialty in immunopathological investigation, he was the Chief Technical Assistant in research. His name appeared in the Journal of Medical Association under the investigation of Infections and Immunity, (Nov.77;Vol.18 No.2); Adjuvant Effect of Vit. A and Analysis on cell Mediated Immunity ( JnCL, Vol.67 No. 5- Nov. 88). Mr. Acosta has been very involved with the English and Hispanics Religious and Medical Affairs, spanning more than forty years of dedicated service; he chairs, coordinates, organizes, and leads many programs as well. He was Chairman of Hispanic Communications in the Diocesan Advisory Board for the Hispanics and English Speaking for the Apostolate. He co-founded the Puerto Rican Catholic Organization, which accomplished the naming of four Hispanic bishops. He was chairman of the Political Responsibility Forum hosted at Madison Square Garden where Rosalind Carter was the guest speaker. He currently chairs and serves as Past District Governors of Lions Club International, a non-profit World-wide Organization. Major accomplishments are address to the Blind, the Poor, the Handicap, the Elderly, and Education. Major contributions given to countries like, Paraguay, El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and many others. As a member of GACHA, Mr. Acosta is looking forward to become part of the Social Justice Committee, which will bring awareness to and enlighten legislation on behalf of all the Hispanics and communities at large. . Nancy Bastidas-Lopez is President/CEO of DelawareHispanic.com internet magazine (www.delawarehispanic.com). She is also the publisher of the first Hispanic yellow pages in the state. The DelawareHispanic.com Yellow Pages is a hard copy bilingual business directory; the third edition is underway. Ms. Lopez is also Founder of the Delaware Hispanic Historical Society. She is a Producer/Reporter for 1450AM WILM News Radio. Nancy is a board member of the Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council and The National Association for Women Business Owners. She is an alumni of the Leadership Program of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. Nancy was a professional cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles. Ms. Lopez recently was featured in Delaware Today (2007) magazine as a “Latina to Watch”. She is the recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Minority Champion Award in 2007. . Maria D. Cabrera is President of her own business, Los Angeles, Inc. (LAINC), a communications, event planning, and community outreach company that she started in March 2002. The company specializes in bilingual marketing, multilingual translations, television productions, and focus groups. LAINC has been involved with launching Spanish language publications and currently facilitates media buys in the region with some of the most prominent Hispanic/non-Hispanic media. She has taken on a more avid role as a Hispanic advertising consultant, and is conducting and facilitating focus groups and homeownership seminars. Prior to this, Ms. Cabrera worked with the Grand Opera House as Director of Education and Community Relations for three years and for the City of Wilmington’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs as the City’s Event Coordinator for six years. Ms. Cabrera has served on 10 boards and numerous committees through the span of her career as a professional volunteer. Currently she chairs the Economic Development Committee of GACHA. Her focus is to assist Hispanics in Delaware become economically empowered and educated, and to have equal access to the attainment of wealth. Most recently she has been involved as one of the founders of the Hispanic Business Association of DE, and was recruited in January of 2007 to chair the association. Forming such a group was an initiative proposed by the economic development committee in 2006. The HBA has an aggressive agenda on educating and assisting entrepreneurs and Hispanic businesses grow by having access to capitol as well as procurement and supplier diversity opportunities. Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic businesses and professionals are welcomed to participate. . Jorge (George) Luis Camacho is a retired United States Air Force Master Sergeant who became a skilled C-5 aircraft mechanic during his 16 years of honorable service. Mr. Camacho is currently a Delaware State Police Trooper assigned to the Human Resources Department. While serving as State Trooper, he has been assigned to the Patrol Unit, Community Policing Unit, Undercover Drug Unit, Youth Aid Unit (as a School Resource Officer in a Middle School), and currently holds the position of a full time Recruiter. He is currently finishing his undergraduate degree in Human Resources Management through Wilmington College. Mr. Camacho is also a member of the Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA). His goals are to continue to improve his services to the community, to make a difference in the Hispanic community, and to directly and indirectly improve the quality of life of Delawareans. . Cherisse Carlisle de la Cruz is an experienced Hispanic marketing and public relations professional and currently manages OnSite Marketing for Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase Bank. She also participates in the JP Morgan Chase Literacy Volunteer program. . Milton Delgado is a retired U.S. Navy veteran, former instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, and presently works for Nemours Health and Prevention Services as a Program and Policy Analyst. He helps community leaders build an infrastructure that will sustain community-based, long-term educational programs focused on healthy eating and physical activity. Mr. Delgado sits on the Board of Directors of the Appoquinamink Boys & Girls Club, Westside Health, and chairs the Health Committee for GACHA. Mr. Delgado has a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, a Master of Science degree in business administration, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Wilmington University. Additionally, he is a co-owner, along with his life partner of 16 years, of DelCor Home Interiors, a design center in Middletown, Delaware. Mr. Delgado’s has also been owner of Main Street Antiques in Newark, Delaware; member of the Philadelphia’s Los Cuatro Gatos Theater Company; member of Newark’s Chapel Street Players; co-host of “The Antique Guys”; director of the Ms. Latina Delaware USA Pageant; and CEO of Today’s Latino Magazine. . Pastor Israel Figueroa worked for six years in the Worldwide Missionary Movement, Inc. where he did missionary work in Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, and his native island of Puerto Rico. Pastor Figueoroa obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Puerto Rico. After holding several banking positions, he became the External Studies Director of the Chesapeake Bible College in Maryland. Since 1998 he has been the Pastor of the Iglesia de Dios Maranatha Church of God in Seaford, Delaware. . Wanda Lopez is married to Eli Oriol and is the mother of two children, Jared and Eliana. She has 20 years of professional experience in the financial industry. She worked for 17 years as a financial consultant in New York City and completed her tenure in Delaware working for Fidelity Investments. Mrs. Lopez is a Licensed General Securities Registered Representative and certified Insurance Agent. She began working for GACHA in 2003, where she got involved in various community projects. She was a member of Delaware’s Infant Mortality Task Force (2005) and VISION 2015 (2006). Mrs. Lopez is currently a graduate student at the University of Delaware, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, studying for a Master’s degree in Public Administration. In that capacity, she is a research assistant for the GEAR UP program, working with the underserved population to increase higher education. She is a recent graduate of the Rodel Delaware Parent Leadership Institute (2007). Wanda is now serving on the Vision 2015 Expert Panel on Family and Community Engagement in education, whose major objectives will be to clearly define effective family and community engagement and develop a long-term, statewide strategy to increase the meaningful involvement of family and community members in education. Mrs. Lopez is a volunteer coach for ASPIRA of Delaware, a non-profit organization devoted to the education and leadership development of Latino youth. . Maria Matos has been the executive director of the Latin American Community Center in Wilmington for the past 12 years. Major accomplishments for this past year include the selection of the Latin American Community Center by National Council of La Raza as the regional affiliate of the year for the last two years; the development of a high school re-entry program at the LACC to reduce the number of high school dropout among Hispanic youth; and the designation as a supplementary education provider for the state of Delaware.. Elected by the northeast affiliates of the National Council of La Raza to serve as their representative to the National Affiliate Council, Ms. Matos serves on the national community advisory board for JPMorganchase Bank, providing a Hispanic perspective. She sees GACHA as an intricate partner in the governor’s strategic planning process for the state. . Joseph Miro spent 31 years as a teacher for the Christina School District/Wilmington School District and served as chair of the World Language Department. After retiring, he became President/Consultant of Miro Diversified Services. He serves in many leadership roles, including State Representative, 22nd District, Chair-Business/Corporations/Commerce Committee, Chair-Homeland Security, Vice Chair- Health and Human Development Committee, Member-Education Committee, Bond Bill Committee (Alternate), Joint Finance Committee (Alternate), and Appropriations Committee (Alternate). He previously served as Councilman, New Castle County Council, 3rd District. Mr. Miro holds a bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University, a master’s degree from West Chester University, and has done post-graduate work at the University of Delaware. . Eli Ramos was born in Puerto Rico. He migrated to the U.S in 1950 and grew up in New York City. He received a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science degree in Education from the City University of New York. He worked as a New York City teacher for 30 years, then retired to Delaware, where he reentered the teaching field, and is now actively promoting Hispanic youth development. Mr. Ramos founded the Hispanic-American Student Organization. He has served on the diversity committee, achievement gap committee, and is the Hispanic affairs liaison for the Cape Henlopen School District. Mr. Ramos served as president of the Hispanic Lions Club. He serves on the education committee for GACHA. He also serves on the Citizens Corps as a CERT member. Presently, he is working for a Sussex County health coalition. Mr. Ramos is concerned with issues affecting the Hispanic community in Sussex County. His goal is to work with the Hispanic community and assist them in developing greater community participation and recognition. His personal interests include Hispanic culture (music, literature, and cuisine). . Margaret Reyes is retired from the Department of Fire and Rescue Services in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she was a firefighter, emergency medical technician, and instructor in specialist rescue training, including Trench Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, High-Angle Rescue, and Rope Rescue. Ms. Reyes is also a Nationally Certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician Instructor and Hazmat Specialist. She was activated by FEMA as a member of USAR MD TF-1 to several natural and man-made disasters, including the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and received a meritorious Service Medal from President Clinton for her service there. Ms. Reyes retired from the Fire Service in 1997 and moved to Lewes, Delaware, with her family in 2000. A love of teaching brought her into ELL instruction, where she is currently the ELL Coordinator for the Indian River School District, Georgetown Campus. Ms. Reyes served on the Board of Directors for La Esperanza Community Center in Georgetown, a Community Center dedicated to assisting immigrants in Sussex County. Having life experience as both an immigrant and emigree, Margaret’s goals are to assist that population with issues that affect them. Ms. Reyes is a dual national with both Irish and American citizenship. . Carmen Rivera was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and immigrated to the US in 1957 with her parents and three siblings. Mrs. Rivera lived in the Bronx until 1972 and attended New York City public schools. She attended Springfield College graduating magna cum laude. While working full time at the LACC she worked with middle and high school students in the Red Clay School District providing drug and alcohol prevention classes. Carmen created an educational consulting company that provided services to students in the Christina and Red Clay School Districts. Mrs. Rivera is currently a second year graduate student in the Masters of Social program at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Carmen served as volunteer State Director for ASPIRA of Delaware, Inc; Board of New Castle County Head Start; the Delaware Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers Statewide Advisory Committee; the Hispanic Student Recognition Program; the State Office of Volunteerism Selection Committee. Carmen’ is currently is doing an internship with SOAR, Inc., an organization specializing in providing mental health services to victims of sexual abuse. . Harry J. Sanchez is a 20-year veteran with the United States Air Force. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science and a Master’s degree in Social Work. Presently, he is employed at Delaware State University, College of Health and Public Policy, Department of Social Work, as Project Coordinator for the Domestic Violence Initiative, a Field Practice Student Supervisor, and an instructor for several Department of Social Work courses. Mr. Sanchez also serves as a board member to two human service agencies, People’s Place II, and for Kent and Sussex County Alcohol and Drug Counseling Inc. Additionally, he sits on the RD&C oversight committee. He has been a member or currently is a member of the following professional organizations: National Association of Social Workers, American Counseling Association, Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, National Association of Puerto Rican/ Hispanic Social Workers, Latino Social Workers Organization, and The Puerto Rican Association for Community Affairs. Mr. Sanchez resides in Kent County with his family. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Leida, affectionately known as Cookie, and his three children Melanie, Angie, and Justin. . Yvette Santiago is a Senior Manager of the Department of Community Relations for Nemours Health & Prevention Services. She is involved in many projects related to community and government relations, Hispanic advocacy, and educational issues impacting Hispanic students in Delaware. Ms. Santiago is the Co-Chair for GACHA’s Education Committee, board member for the Latin American Community Center, school board member with the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District, and a member of the Wilmington’s Hope Commission Community Services Subcommittee. She has been a trailblazer for Latinas in the State of Delaware by being the first Hispanic woman to serve as Juvenile Probation Officer, the first Hispanic female leader/supervisor at Ferris School for Boys, the first Hispanic female serving as a district-level administrator in the state’s largest school district, and the first Hispanic female senior leader at Nemours Health & Prevention Services. Through her various positions, she has been instrumental in developing programs and services for the Hispanic population. ”My vision for GACHA,” says Ms. Santiago, “is that through our work, action, and due diligence, we become a powerful voice for issues impacting Hispanic Delawareans! I will continue to do whatever I can to promote the advancement of Hispanics in Delaware.” GACHA Support . Keyla Rivero-Rodriguez currently serves as Governor Minner’s Constituent Relations Hispanic Affairs Liaison. She is a freelance journalist who has a weekly column in El Tiempo Hispano called “A Matter of View.” For more than seven years she co-produced and hosted for Comcast Cable an all Spanish TV show “Con Sabor Hispano.” She is member of the Board of Directors of The Modern Maturity Center, FAA Certified Flight Attendant, and a proud mother of two wonderful teenagers, Edward and Rebekah. In 2005, she was appointed to the Delaware Arts Council; in 2003, she was inducted to the O.A.A.S.I.S. Hall of Fame; in 2002, she was nominated to the Hispanic Media Awards for an article written on Cuba and meeting with President Fidel Castro; in 2001, she was the recipient of NAACP-Kent County Chapter Award for Community Outreach; in 2000, she was awarded the William P. Frank Scholarship of Journalism. “My vision for GACHA is to keep bridging the Governor’s Office with the concerns, issues, and projects that GACHA brings forth from the Hispanic community.” . Dennis J. Savage serves as Director of the Office of Community Services (OCS), where he is responsible for the administration of approximately $20 million in state and federal funds for services that are carried out contractually through a statewide network of private, non-profit organizations. He also is responsible for the administration of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), the federal Community Food and Nutrition Program (CFNP), and oversees the activities of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA). Prior to his state government service, Mr. Savage served in the field of education as a teacher in Chester, Pennsylvania, and in the former Wilmington School District. In Delaware, he was a teacher/coordinator of Project 70001, a pilot vocational education, training, and employment program. From this, a new corporation was formed and Mr. Savage became the Vice President of 70001 Ltd. He is currently a member of the Delaware Advisory Council on Career and Vocational Education and a past member of the Christina School District Board of Education. He was once a Presidential appointee to the Advisory Council to the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE). Mr. Savage also served on the former Delaware Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title IV Advisory Council, the Governor’s Advisory Council on the Future of Education, the Advisory Council to Project Challenge of Delaware Technical and Community College, Jobs for Delaware Graduates, and a host of other advisory committees and council memberships. Currently, his State Board Committee assignments include the Budget Subcommittee, and the HJR-Early Childhood Task Force in 2003-2004. He was re-appointed to the State Board of Education in 2003 for a second six-year term. He is a single parent with a pre-teen son, Dennis Jr. Acknowledgements Special thanks to Kerry L. Bennett of Kerry Bennett Consulting for writing this report. Thank you to Cindy Rule for her never-ending support with all the GACHA fiscal documentation requirements. Some photos donated by www.eltiempohispano.com editor Gabriel Pilonieta. Artwork – provided by Elvio Diaz, Aspirante and GEAR UP student. Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs State of Delaware Executive Department Dover Whereas, the State of Delaware wants to assure that the diverse interests and unique concerns of its Hispanic population are well served; and Whereas, through input from and communication with the Hispanic community, the various agencies of State government can improve the delivery of services to the Hispanic population and foster greater integration of Delaware’s Spanish-speaking population into the English-speaking mainstream; and Whereas, the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic population contributes to Delaware’s diversity which we proudly celebrate. Now, therefore, I, Thomas R. Carper, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby declare and order the following: 1. The Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs is hereby established to perform such duties and functions as are described herein. The Council shall consist of no fewer than 15 members but no more than 25 members who shall be broadly representative of the Hispanic community in Delaware. 2. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the Governor from among the members and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The other officers shall be elected by the Council from among its members. 3. The terms of the members of the Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs shall be three years. If any member fails to attend four successive meetings of the Council, his or her position may be deemed vacant and, upon recommendation of the Chairperson, the Governor may appoint a replacement. Any appointment to replace a member whose position becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the term shall be filled only for the remainder of the term. 4. The Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs shall be comprised of standing committees on Human and Civil Rights; Health and Social Services; Legal and Legislative Affairs; Economic Development, Employment and Finance; Housing; Education; and Historical and Cultural Affairs and the Arts. Other as hoc committees shall, with the approval of a majority of the members of the Council, be formed as the need arises. 5. The duties and functions of the Council shall be: a. To advise the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Social Services on means to improve the delivery of services to the Hispanic community in Delaware; and b. To coordinate its efforts with other advisory councils, community agencies, and other groups whose work affects the Hispanic community; and c. To address through its committees, the Hispanic community’s concerns in the areas of education, social services, housing, health, culture, history, the arts, civil and human rights, legal and legislative matters, employment, finance, and economic development; and d. To conduct forums and hold public hearings and/or discussion groups to identify and consider matters of concern to Delaware’s Hispanic community, including migrant farmworkers: and e. To issue recommendations to the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Social Services concerning legislation pending in the General Assembly which is of particular interest to the Hispanic population; and f. To prepare an annual report of its activities for the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Social Services; and To perform such other functions and duties as assigned to it by the Governor or imposed upon it by law. Artwork by Elvio Diaz, Aspirante and GEAR UP student.