Dear Friends:

Phase II of The Hispanic Institute’s Nevada 2010 Project is well underway and the results speak for themselves. In the month of August alone we have registered 1,384 Clark County voters. The previous record for one month was 1,124 applications.

During Phase I and II we have knocked on 129,264 and spoken with 54,405 Clark county residents at their homes and have registered 8,370 voters. With 33 days to the voter registration deadline of October 2, 2010 we are very close to reaching our goal of 10,000 registrations. We have achieved this by walking door to door in the Latino community of Las Vegas. Our 20 hardworking and determined staffers dressed in their yellow shirts represent the organization and are armed with information on how, when and where to vote.

This month we have expanded our efforts to include site registrations along with the Spanish language radio DJ Piolin’s mobile team and continue to increase the number of new Hispanic registrations. We are continuing our daily presence at local supermarkets in the community as well.

The Project has received welcomed media coverage in both the majority and minority outlets, recently being featured on Channel News 8, Univision , Telemundo and in El Tiempo and El Mundo. We have also conducted radio interviews with Entravision radio stations including Tri-Color 105.1, Maria 92.7 , and the local 1340 AM Hispanic program Hispano Concilio. You can visit and become a fan of The Hispanic Institute on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/The-Hispanic-institute/14058316931246

Our mission at The Hispanic Institute is to provide an effective education forum for an informed and empowered Hispanic America. To effectively fulfill that mission we have instituted weekly Electoral Education classes at our offices every TUESDAY. We define the voting procedure from registration through ballot explanation.

We have also begun a voter pledge program. We ask each person that registers to commit, in writing, to either vote early, vote by mail or vote on election day. The purpose is to build a direct relationship with voters and we send the signed pledge card back to them as a reminder that they made a commitment to vote.

Finally, we are excited to announce that plans for our Latino Vote Early Day have been finalized. A major event at the East Las Vegas Senior Community Center has been set for Saturday, October 23rd. We will be working with our media partners, community organizations and leaders to help spread the word to all voters.

We look forward to an exciting month of final voter registrations, voter education classes and commitments to vote in this year’s election. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more updates.

XiNomara Velazquez YeHuda
Chief of Staff
The Hispanic Institute
906 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
202. 544.8284
301.728.6840 cell

Overview

As the U.S. develops a national broadband strategy, much is at stake for American consumers, our country’s economy, as well as future innovation and its many social benefits. Complex issues from infrastructure deployment to digital literacy to consumer-friendly tax reform all play into U.S. efforts to close the digital divide and usher in a new era of innovation and opportunity. Equally important to ensuring these benefits are shared throughout our society is a deeper understanding of the unique needs, challenges and connected behavior of diverse Americans.

Read the Full Report [pdf] 

  -- by Debra Berlyn, for The Hispanic Institute: 

According to the US Census, in 2005 Hispanics comprised 14% of the entire US population and by 2050, it is estimated that the Hispanic population will reach 29% -- that’s a third of the entire population of America. And as the population grows, Hispanics have become increasingly more agile and demanding consumers, using the Internet to achieve economic growth, access education, health care services, and engage in civic and community involvement.