Last month, four young immigrants started walking 1,500 miles, from Miami to Washington, D.C, to demand solutions to our country's failed immigration system and to urge support for the DREAM Act.  I am asking you to let these young people know that we stand behind them, admire their courage, and pray for their safety.

 USHLI will again give special recognition to some truly outstanding members of the Latino leadership community.  Receiving our George Meany Latino Leadership Award will be Eliseo Medina who has been described by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the most successful labor organizers in the country" and named one of the "Top 50 Most Powerful Latino Leaders" in Poder Magazine.  Called a "quietly charismatic leader" by the Sacramento Bee, Medina's career as a labor activist began in 1965 when, as a 19-year-old grape-picker, he participated in the historic United Farm Workers' strike in Delano, CA.  Over the next 13 years, he worked alongside labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. Medina has served as international executive vice president of the SEIU since 1996, when he made history by becoming the first Mexican American elected to a top post at the 2.2 million-member SEIU.

USHLI will again give special recognition to some truly outstanding members of the Latino leadership community.  Receiving our Hank Lacayo Lifetime Achievement Award will be the Hon. Frances J. Garcia, who just recently completed her 25th year of service as an elected official.  When Frances was elected Mayor of Hutchinson, KS in 1985, she became the first Latina to be elected mayor in the Midwest.  She later was elected to the Kansas State Senate, where again she became the first Latina elected to that chamber.  Frances presently serves as a County Commissioner in Reno County (KS).  She has received numerous awards for distinguished service and continues to serve as a role model for Latino youth everywhere.

A Candidate Training and Campaign Management School will be offered during the USHLI National Conference for persons interested in or thinking about seeking election to public office or learning how to manage a political campaign.  The training elements will include organizing a team, fundraising, the recruitment and deployment of volunteers, targeting, issues research, and media, to name a few.

Students from the Omaha Public Schools and the University of Nebraska-Omaha completed USHLI's 10-week Grassroots Leadership Development Program (GLDP).   Through the program students learn about how city, county and school governments work.  Participants spend three weeks meeting with elected and appointed representatives of each governmental entity.  The 10th session, on financial literacy, will be completed at our national conference.  Officials educate participants on how government works and participants educate officials on how to better serve the community.

On December 9 President Barack Obama nominated Mari Carmen Aponte to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador.

DIAGEO's proposed move from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Virgin Islands will disrupt the Puerto Rican Economy, displace hundreds of workers and their families, and DIAGEO will receive a 50% U.S. subsidy paid by U.S. tax payers.  Please do not consume DIAGEO products during the current holiday season through El Dia de Los Reyes.

The President Nominates Raul Yzaguirre Ambassador to Dominican Republic

The entire Andrade family and the USHLI family would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of kind words, comforting thoughts, beautiful floral arrangements, prayers and condolences, and donations to the Joaquin Amado Andrade Memorial Fund, following the passing of our son.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census recently announced its new Web site for national partners. The site contains several features that will enable us to better educate others on the importance of the 2010 Census. Among the features are