We at NAHF wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. Mothers play a vital role in the family, and we honor the countless hours they spend nurturing, teaching, and supporting.
As we celebrate Mothers and the entire Hispanic family, NAHF leaders continue to be a resource to policymakers on issues affecting families and the Hispanic community.
Hispanic Research Work Group Meeting
Several members of NAHF participated this week in the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) Hispanic Research Work Group Meeting in Washington, DC (Dr. Blanca Enriquez, Dr. Alicia La Hoz, Dr. Luis Torres-Hostos, and Dr. Luis Zayas). Participation in the meeting was part of the ongoing efforts of NAHF to promote research that addresses the social and economic experiences of low-income Hispanics in the U.S. while incorporating Hispanic culture and relevance.
Dr. Luis Torres-Hostos, assistant professor at the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work, presented research commissioned by NAHF on the deficiencies of evidence-based programs. He said these programs generally lead to improved outcomes, but requiring all programs to incorporate only interventions proven effective from an empirical review as a condition for funding may shortchange Hispanics and other communities of color. These communities are frequently under-represented in research studies that seek to find evidence of an intervention’s success, he said
Alliance members have participated in previous ACF research meetings, and will continue to act as a resource to the group while presenting ideas and suggestions on how its research efforts can be used to engage and serve the Hispanic community.
YOU’RE NEXT Workshops
Three grant-writing workshops sponsored by ACF and co-hosted by NAHF and other local groups have been praised by participants in San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
“Of all the grant-writing seminars I have attended thus far, this was the best one, especially because you took the time to share great techniques on how to win a federal grant for our organization and program(s),” one participant wrote.
Among other things, the two-day workshops focus on collaborating with multiple organizations to write a grant, writing SMART objectives, and developing competitive budgets. Two final workshops are scheduled for Miami this weekend, and New York City, June 6-7. (Details and registration on left column.)
White House Agenda and the Hispanic Community
NAHF has tirelessly worked to educate and raise awareness within the Obama Administration of the challenges and opportunities in serving the Hispanic community. We are pleased to report that this week, President Obama released his plan for engaging the Hispanic community in a document entitled Winning the Future: President Obama’s Agenda And The Hispanic Community. In the 34-page document, Obama outlines issues he plans to address which are of vital importance to the Latino community, including immigration reform, improved educational opportunities for Hispanic children and improving the lives of Latino workers and their families.
The White House also launched a new website targeting Hispanics: www.whitehouse.gov/hispanic. A copy of the President’s Agenda for Hispanics can be downloaded from the site.
Image credit: http://earlyrecovery.wordpress.com