Carter, consulate unite to promote education

On Friday. April I . a joint press conference at the Mexican Consulate between the Mexican Consulate. Assemblymembcr Wilmer Amina Carter. San Bernardino County Schools and CaI State San Bernardino commemorated the completion of Latino Education Advocacy Month and to continue stressing the importance of such advocacy.

"We must strengthen Latino education outcomes because our global economy will rely on the successes of our students." District 62 Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter said to approximately 60 guests. "I'd like to commend Consul Zaragoza Flores and the Mexican Government for educating our Latino community in my district."

Carter went on to discuss her bill ACR 137. which in March 2010 established Latino Education Advocacy Day (LEAD), in order to address the following issues pertinent to Latino education: communicating to parents and students that higher education is achievable, to strengthen Latino education outcomes, reduce dropout rate, improve achievement test scores, increase college completion of and increase diversity, strengthen the tax, labor, consumption, and investment pool, and increase ties with Mexico and Latin America.

The April 1 press conference follows directly behind the 2nd Annual LEAD Conference on Monday. March 28 at CaI State, which according to organizers, drew about 17 million participants via internet, radio, television and local attendees.

During the conference at the consulate. LEAD founder/executive director Enrique Murillo addressed the audience in Spanish, encouraging them to place a high value on what a quality education can do and sharing some of his own personal histoi;) about growing up with hard working parents and how education changed his life.

Consul Zaragoza expressed similar views, saying that education is the way for the Latino community to improve their standard of living

She shared information on resources that the consulate offers such as workshops on health, banking, financial and literacy programs needed to support the Latino community in becoming successful.

"There is a wide and intensive effort to promote education in our community." she said.

Dr. Gary Thomas also shared some information from a countywide perspective.

He stressed some of the successful programs the county has instituted to increase student achievement, including AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and Early Assessment Program, which are academic and college prep programs, and the Call to Action Initiative, a collaboration of businesses and organizations whose purpose is to reduce dropout rates and raise collegegoing rates.

"These are the types of opportunities we must provide to see that our Latino students, many who are first generation college-going students, are successful." Thomas said.

The common thread that ran through each of the presenters' talks was simple: promote and strengthen education as a means to remain competitive in a global economy and to improve quality of life.

This message comes not a moment too soon giving the following statistics cited in a press release from Carter's office: onehalf of all Latino students do not graduate high school, 12% of current working-age Latinos have college degrees compared with 46% of working white adults, and over the last ten years, in San Bernardino County, the Latino student population has increased by 31 percent while the white student population has decreased by 28.7 percent.

"Our students need to have positive choices and options to build a brighter future. It's never too late to receive an education," Carter concluded. "As we help our youth we can also educate ourselves. I look forward to continuing to work with Consul Zaragoza Flores and our community in nurturing the academic achievement of Latinos."

For more information about editcation programs, contact the consulate at (909) 889-9836. For more information on ACR 137. contact the office of Assemblymember Carter at (909) 820-5008.

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"We must strengthen Latino education outcomes because our global economy will rely on the successes of our students," Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter said.

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On Friday, April 1, a joint press conference at the Mexican Consulate stressed th� importance of advocating for Latino education. From left: at podium Mexican Consul Carolina Zaragoza Flores. Enrique G. Murillo Jr., professor at CaI State University San Bernardino and executive director of LEAD, Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter and San Bernardino County Schools Superintendent Dr. Gary Thomas.