I love Ricky

– via Luis Clemens/NPR

Desi Arnaz, seen in 1955, was one of the first characters to speak Spanish on English-language television.

The subtleties of marketing beer to Latinos

by Elizabeth Blair/NPR

Any industry looking for major growth in the U.S. market can’t ignore Latinos, who make up 16 percent of the U.S. population. As the Latino population grows, beer marketers are trying more nuanced ways of influencing this key segment.

“They love beer,” says Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer for Crown Imports, which distributes Mexican beers including Corona and Modelo. “Hispanics are 19 percent more likely to purchase beer than the rest of U.S. consumers.” On top of that, Hispanics will make up a large portion of the legal drinking-age population in the future.

Al rescate del Español

by Luna Garcia

One day, while sitting on my uncle’s couch, I decided to pay attention to the Spanish news he was watching. As I was reflecting on how long it had been since I watched Spanish television, and how professional the reporters all sounded (compared to the Spanglish I am subjected to in Brooklyn) I heard the guy on TV talk about a certain politician that “se panickeo” while giving a speech. My heart stopped. What did he just say? That is not a word.

I know what you’re thinking: Not the Spanglish post again. I think we have already established that apparently Spanglish is the language of the future, that we should try to retain our Spanish, that language is a great part of our identity, and that our native language is influencing the local language in the same way the local language is influencing our native language. But I also believe that embracing Spanglish as our main form of communication is far below ideal.

Can American be made in America?

– via ABC News

Job creation seems to be a topic on everyone’s tongue these days. While we all wait for the 99 percent to give back to this nation, an economist turned builder has embarked on an experiment of his own. Can you build a house, using only American made materials, and still be competitive?

Alabama regresses into history on the backs of Latino children

by Maitri Pamo

On September 1,  Alabama HB 56  went into effect and is already facing legal challenges in the courts. The law is broad and draconian, containing many provisions that are problematic. On October 5, a telephone conference was convened to discuss the immediate and “chilling” effects of the law on the Latino student population. One of the provisions that has been challenged and subsequently upheld by U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn, requires that new students enrolling in Alabama public schools prove their legal status in this country. The student’s parents’ status may also be called into question and the new law has created a fast moving crisis among Latino families in the state, regardless of their documentation.