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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Suzanne Dawkins — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:22:04 -0400

Hispanic Heritage Month honors the diverse people of Spanish-speaking backgrounds in the United States. From September 15 to October 15, a multitude of special programs, events, exhibits and Web sites celebrate the heritage, culture, spirit and extraordinary contributions of Hispanic Americans.

Latin Jazz Stamp Brightens Up Hispanic Heritage Month

Louise Fenner — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:52:42 -0400

The U.S. Postal Service has issued more than 50 commemorative stamps celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. They are often issued to complement National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Mexican-American Olympic Wrestler Wins Gold

Paul Levitan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:37:38 -0400

Mexican-American Henry Cejudo won Olympic gold in wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After overcoming a disadvantaged background, supported by his mother, he said winning the gold is “living the American dream.”

U.S. Minorities Will Be the Majority by 2042, Census Bureau Says

Louise Fenner — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:05:36 -0400

By the middle of the century, the population of the United States will be larger and more racially and ethnic diverse than earlier projections suggested, with much of the increase due to immigration. By 2042, minorities, collectively, are projected to make up more than 50 percent of the U.S. population, the Census Bureau says in a new report.

Religious Groups Offer Wide-Ranging Services to New Immigrants

Ralph Dannheisser — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:33:50 -0400

Religious congregations, determined to meet new immigrants’ needs, provide a range of social and religious services to new members of U.S. society. This includes English classes, access to health care and legal aid. Some churches even recruit clergy from overseas.

Guide for New U.S. Immigrants Comes in 13 Languages

Louise Fenner — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:54:47 -0400

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated a free booklet Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants, adding Polish and Urdu to the other languages in which it is available: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese.

U.S. Minority Population Continues to Grow

David Minckler — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:05:18 -0400

More than one-third of the population of the United States claims “minority” racial or ethnic heritage, 11 percent more than in 2000. Hispanics and Asians continue to be the two fastest-growing minority groups.

Cinco de Mayo Shows the Americanization of a Mexican Holiday

Lauren Monsen — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:08:58 -0400

The Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) holiday, which honors the Mexican heritage of a growing number of U.S. citizens, is now observed in communities all across the United States. As a celebration of all things Mexican, the holiday has become a vibrant annual event that recognizes the contributions of Mexican Americans in a variety of fields.

Spanglish: Speaking la Lengua Loca

Susan Doner — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:11:40 -0400

In the United States, Spanish and English have mixed to form a hybrid language. The author explains how and why Spanish and English have mixed with each other in the United States to create Spanglish, a hybid language increasingly used not only in spoken but also in written form.

Dominican-American Author Junot Diaz Wins Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Lauren Monsen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:48:15 -0400

The 2008 Pulitzer Prize for fiction secures the reputation of Dominican-born writer Junot Diaz as a singular talent with an original literary voice. The award for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao crowns Diaz's lifetime fascination with literature and underscores growing Latino prominence in U.S. arts and letters, critics say.

Hispanic Americans Honored in Washington Ceremony

Jaroslaw Anders — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:43:56 -0400

Hispanic Americans are the fastest-growing U.S. population group, contributing to the country’s traditional diversity and enriching its political, cultural and community life. Their achievements were honored by President Bush at the White House during the Hispanic Heritage Month 2007 celebration.

Immigrants Infuse English Language with Dynamism

Carolee Walker — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:18:26 -0400

English is a living, dynamic language that is invigorated by new speakers, including foreign students, tourists and immigrants, says cultural critic Ilan Stavans. In a multiethnic society, teachers should introduce students, even beginners, to the wide array of possibilities of a language, he says.

Spanglish Offers Stepping-Stone to English, Professor Says

Jeffrey Thomas — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:40:20 -0400

Spanglish, a hybrid form of English and Spanish, is one of the most striking ways two of the world’s most widely used languages are evolving in response to immigration and globalization. Spanglish is “a very creative, jazzy way of being Latino in the U.S. today,” says Ilan Stavans of Amherst College.

Hispanic Americans Contributing to the American Mosaic

Eric Green — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:55:58 -0400

Hispanics, the largest minority group in the United States, are changing American society and culture. As more and more Hispanic Americans are making their presence felt in their chosen fields, the 21st century likely will witness even greater Hispanic contributions to U.S. society and culture.

Reggaeton Making Inroads in U.S. Music Market

Anita N. Wadhwani — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 10:08:47 -0400

It has been called hip-hop spiced with Spanish flavor and it has swept over the United States, especially in Latin communities. A mix of dancehall reggae, hip-hop, salsa, merengue, cumbia and other Caribbean beats fused together and known as reggaeton it is the newest music-genre to hit the West.