Kety Esquivel

The Unsung Heroes of Gov 2.0

2010-10-19T07:13:00.001-07:00

Thank you Alan, on all counts! Who are your Gov 2.0 unsung heroes?
About Obama Administration
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Unsung Heroes of Gov 2.0

2010-10-19T07:12:00.001-07:00

Thank you Alan, on all counts! Who are your unsung Gov 2.0 heroes?
About Obama Administration
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Latina Bloggers and Blogalicious

2010-10-13T17:36:00.001-07:00

Hear, hear! The mindset of community and sharing is truly inspiring. I am grateful to be a part of the conversation. Great to see you at Blogalicious!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Latina Bloggers and Blogalicious

2010-10-13T17:29:00.001-07:00

Melanie, You are very welcome. It was great to finally meet you in real life too! It was wonderful to have you as a part of the Latina presence at Blogalicious. Like you I am thrilled to continue to see great things happening in the Digital Latina community. As they say in Spanish, Pa'lante (onwards).
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Latina Bloggers and Blogalicious

2010-10-13T03:42:00.001-07:00

Hi Angelica, Yes we have!

It truly is that platform and what is most exciting to me is that I think we are only scratching the surface of what is possible.

You are very welcome for the recap. Thank you for taking the time to read it and for sharing your thoughts!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Tibet Wedding

2010-09-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Wow. I can hardly believe that it has been over a month since I posted to my blog. So much has happened. Since I last wrote, I've gotten married, returned to Asia after a 10 year hiatus, been consumed by a new job that I love and been completely absorbed by one speaking engagement/business trip after another. It has been quite a summer! I can hardly believe that Labor day is already here. I'll be cross posting some of my blog entries from my work blog in the coming days. I will also be posting a link to our wedding blog once it is live - we are going to be working on it this week-end from Florida. In the interim, I thought I'd leave you with some pictures from our wedding in Tibet. Enjoy! Live long and prosper. ;-)

Latinos in Social Media Texas - Coming Out Party

2010-07-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

Before Tuesday closes, I wanted to write a bit about LATISM Texas' coming out party. A few weeks ago a member of the LATISM TX founding team (@deannecuellar on Twitter) came to me with the idea of our hosting a coming out party in San Antonio, Texas. Of course, we went for it!

The event was a resounding success. They had an amazing line up of speakers, great networking and they even live streamed the event/did a twitter fiesta for those of us who were not able to fly to Texas to be there. I am sure you will be hearing more from Deanne with next steps, but as @soylamar tweets, "its great to see #latism growing and expanding."

There will also be video on the event soon, taken from the live stream but for the time being I leave you with the tweets:

KetyE

Yes!RT @LeMulatreGentil Felicidades to #LatismTX on inaugural event! Sorry I couldn't stay in town. Will the livestream be archived? #latism less than a minute ago via web
POPBASS

Free Sweb Apps 4 non profits. That's community building! #latism #latismTX - Anybody can build an app now. (via @JaimeMonzon) 16 minutes ago via txt
deannecuellar

@mendezgonzales thanx for tuning into the event :) #latismtx 19 minutes ago via Twitterrific in reply to mendezgonzales
NOWCastSA

RT @beccacolada Joined #LATISMTX: @poppistol @progresstrategy @pocharte @aztecgold @cocobrit @nowcastsa @jm_honermann @ledaswan @jaimemonzon 29 minutes ago via web
ergeekgoddess

RT @LeMulatreGentil: Felicidades to #LatismTX on inaugural event! Sorry I couldn't stay in town. Will the livestream be archived? #latism 43 minutes ago via TweetDeck
POPBASS

RT @JaimeMonzon: #latism speakers tonight http://twitpic.com/252j9p #latismtx #SATX about 1 hour ago via txt
jm_honermann

@ernestolivo "Social media will be everybody's media" gr8 meeting everyone tonite @C4workspace 4 first #latism #latismtx TY @theMJLeauge! about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck
MidyAponte

RT @ergeekgoddess: RT @SOYLAMAR: A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
theMJLeague

Social media forms like Facebook has helped keep families together. Testimonials from @ernestolivo & @newspapergirl. # Latism #LatismTX about 2 hours ago via Twitterrific
KetyE

#Latism TX panelists talking about QR Codes. Sounds like one of the folks is a developer w expertise in the subject. #LatismTX about 2 hours ago via web
vlanda

@newspaper_girl - social media more successful 4 fund raising than email #latism #latismTX about 2 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
theMJLeague

We are taking questions at the #Latism event via Twitter. Also, live streaming on our site. #LatismTX, share you experiences and questions. about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific
deannecuellar

Tricia AKA @newspaper_girl is explaining how they raised $5000 for a local girls program using facebook, Twitter, and SMS #latismtx about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
theMJLeague

We are taking questions at the #Latism event via Twitter. Also, live streaming on our site. #LatismTX, share you experiences and questions. about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific
KetyE

#LatismTX rt @RBearSAT @newspaper_girl talking about using FB for a way to promote a fundraising campaign, targeting sends #LATISM about 3 hours ago via web
MidyAponte

RT @ergeekgoddess: RT @SOYLAMAR: A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
KetyE

rt @deannecuellar Wish I was at #LatismTX but I hope everyone there has a fruitful and fun time! (via @BorderExplorer) #latism about 3 hours ago via web
deannecuellar

What are best practices for creating community w/social media? #latismtx (via @vlanda) about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
deannecuellar

Wish I was at #LatismTX but I hope everyone there has a fruitful and fun time! (via @BorderExplorer) about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
deannecuellar

Free Sweb Apps 4 non profits. That's community building! #latism #latismTX - Anybody can build an app now. (via @JaimeMonzon) about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
vlanda

Free Sweb Apps 4 non profits. That's community building! #latism #latismTX - Anybody can build an app now. about 3 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
theMJLeague

How has social media helped you to build your community? What have you been able to accomplish & contribute to social media? #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific
vlanda

Free Sweb Apps 4 non profits. That's community building! #latism #latismTX - Anybody can build an app now. about 3 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
BorderExplorer

Wish I was at #LatismTX but I hope everyone there has a fruitful and fun time! about 3 hours ago via web
deannecuellar

Listening to Magaly CEO of @swebapps #latismtx who give non profits free app development support. about 3 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
ergeekgoddess

RT @SOYLAMAR: A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
theMJLeague

Twitter and other forms of social media has helped move communities together in time of need, and time of growth #Latism #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific
KetyE

Congratulations 2 @deannecuellar 4 having the vision 2make this event happen! Thanks for your leadership! Go #LatismTX!! #Latism about 3 hours ago via web
vlanda

@c4workspace #latism #latismTX coming out party! about 3 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
KetyE

Y'all rock! rt @theMJLeague @ernestolivo @deannecuellar, @newspapergirl, Diana Lopez, & Magaly Chocano are here to talk #Latism #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

rt @theMJLeague @SOYLAMAR A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

Woo hoo indeed! Great job! rt @SOYLAMAR A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via web
sneakpeekatme

RT @SOYLAMAR: A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via HootSuite
SOYLAMAR

A shoutout to the #Latism ground breakers at #LatismTX WhoooHoooo!!!! about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
theMJLeague

@ernestolivo @deannecuellar, @newspapergirl, Diana Lopez, & Magaly Chocano are here to talk #Latism #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific
vlanda

What are best practices for creating community w/social media? #latismtx about 3 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
deannecuellar

rt @JaimeMonzon #LatismTX #latism speakers tonight http://twitpic.com/252j9p about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
theMJLeague

rt @JaimeMonzon #LatismTX #latism speakers tonight http://twitpic.com/252j9p about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
KetyE

@deannecuellar @StephTate @c4workspace @theMJLeague @newspaper_girl Can u get us closer 2speaker. Hard 2understand... #LatismTX #Latism about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

@deannecuellar @StephTate @c4workspace @theMJLeague @newspaper_girl #LatismTX coming out party #latism IS THERE A microphone? can't hear... about 3 hours ago via web
theMJLeague

Greetings to everyone here at @c4workspace! (#latismtx live at http://ustre.am/kNNe ) about 3 hours ago via Ustream
KetyE

Agree. Fab! http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 rt @ernestomedia @KetyE r u there? no, but the stream is awesome! #latismtx #latism about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

r u there? rt @ernestomedia @KetyE but in @theMJLeague defense, it totally made me smile! #latismtx #latism http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
deannecuellar

RT @KetyE: Nice to meet you @newspaper_girl ! rt @deannecuellar @KetyE That's @newspaper_girl! #latismtx #Latism http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
KetyE

#LATISM TX tweeps y'all did a great job setting up this #LatismTX coming out party/live stream/tweet up! Congrats!! http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
ernestomedia

@KetyE you left out the @theMJLeague discussion about how to use twitter :-D #LatismTX #Latism http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

Nice to meet you @newspaper_girl ! rt @deannecuellar @KetyE That's @newspaper_girl! #latismtx #Latism http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
theMJLeague

RT @KetyE: #LATISM TX coming out party! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 #LATISMTX @c4workspace @theMJleague about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
KetyE

@theMJLeague FYI- we could hear y'all talking about whether/not u should do the introduction now :-) #LatismTX #Latism http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
ernestomedia

#latismTX next event needs to hit Houston and Austin! #latism about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

The space is beautiful. Love the colors rt @ deannecuellar Welcome newcomers and old friends #latismtx #latism Lots of mixing and mingling! about 3 hours ago via web
deannecuellar

@KetyE That's @newspaper_girl! #latismtx about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to KetyE
ernestomedia

#latism get online, gente, to catch the #latismTX party live stream http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 about 3 hours ago via web
KetyE

@theMJLeague Hey there! Is some1 going to introduce the event while we wait for it to start? #LATISM TX coming out party #LatismTX about 3 hours ago via web in reply to theMJLeague
theMJLeague

Welcome newcomers and old friends #latismtx #latism Lots of mixing and mingling! about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
deannecuellar

RT @KetyE: #LATISM TX coming out party! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 #LATISMTX @c4workspace @theMJleague about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
theMJLeague

RT @KetyE: #LATISM TX coming out party! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 #LATISMTX @c4workspace @theMJleague about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
deannecuellar

RT @ernestomedia: #latism stylish glasses so far at #latismTX about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck
ernestomedia

#latism stylish glasses so far at #latismTX about 3 hours ago via web
theMJLeague

Hello everyone (#latismtx live at http://ustre.am/kNNe ) about 3 hours ago via Ustream
ernestomedia

Latinos in Social Media Tejas coming out party streamed live tonight at mediajusticeleague.org #latism #latismTX. about 4 hours ago via web
nykcsa

RT @KetyE: #LATISM TX coming out party! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 #LATISMTX @c4workspace @theMJleague about 4 hours ago via web
KetyE

15 minutes away from #LatismTX coming out party. If u r not in #TX watch it here: http://mediajusticeleague.org Please RT #Latism about 4 hours ago via web
TONISMALLS

RT @KetyE #LATISM TX coming out party 25 minutes away. If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://mediajusticeleague.org #LATISMTX about 4 hours ago via UberTwitter
KetyE

15 minutes away from #LatismTX coming out party. If u r not in #TX watch it here: http://mediajusticeleague.org Please RT #Latism about 4 hours ago via web
KetyE

15 minutes away from #LatismTX coming out party. If u r not in #TX watch it here: http://mediajusticeleague.org Please RT #Latism about 4 hours ago via web
KetyE

15 minutes away from #LatismTX coming out party. If u r not in #TX watch it here: http://mediajusticeleague.org Please RT #Latism about 4 hours ago via web
ernestolivo

RT @KetyE: #LATISM TX coming out party 25 minutes away. V excited! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://bit.ly/dnYmT6 #LATISMTX about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck
KetyE

#LATISM TX coming out party 25 minutes away. V excited! If ur not in #SATX watch the live stream: http://mediajusticeleague.org #LATISMTX about 4 hours ago via web
theMJLeague

m (#latismtx live at http://ustre.am/kNNe ) about 7 hours ago via Ustream
theMJLeague

RT @deannecuellar 1st #SATX #LATISMTX event start time changed to 7p TONITE @C4Workspace #LATISMTX http://bit.ly/921k3g about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
POPBASS

RT @deannecuellar 1st #SATX #LATISMTX event start time changed to 7p TONITE @C4Workspace #LATISMTX http://bit.ly/921k3g about 8 hours ago via txt
local782

RT @deannecuellar 1st #SATX #LATISMTX event start time changed to 7p TONITE @C4Workspace #LATISMTX http://bit.ly/921k3g about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
theMJLeague

RT @deannecuellar 1st #SATX #LATISMTX event start time changed to 7p TONITE @C4Workspace #LATISMTX http://bit.ly/921k3g about 8 hours ago via TweetDeck
jm_honermann

Vamos! RT @deannecuellar 1st #SATX #LATISMTX event start time changed to 7p TONITE @C4Workspace #LATISMTX http://bit.ly/921k3g about 15 hours ago via TweetDeck

Coming Up for Air

2010-07-12T02:53:00.000-07:00

Last week I started a new job and am only now coming up for air. New beginnings are tremendously exciting and incredibly full of activity. Only a few days into the job and there is so much for me to do. I wish the days had more hours so that in addition to all that I need to do with the new job, I still had time for my writing here. I've been trying to keep up with Twitter, particularly with everything that I can find on word of mouth and up until yesterday the World Cup, but during these first few days juggling all of it has been tough. I am determined that this second week on the new job will be the week that I come up for air and share more of my thoughts with you here. Happy Monday!

The President, Immigration and Missed Opportunities

2010-07-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

In an ironic twist, today the President will be talking about immigration reform with "representatives from online media outlets examining several angles of the immigration issue." However, to the best of my knowledge, perhaps one of the most important segments from the online community (particularly given the topic and its impact on the community) will be absent: Latina/Latino bloggers.

I have been trying to probe and ask folks in the beltway who seem to be in the know who will be there and so far there does not seem to be representation from the Latina/Latino blogosphere. Putting it mildly, given all of the work that this segment of the online community has done on this topic, this seems like a missed opportunity.

Many are left asking themselves whether this conversation will be substantive, intended to drive immigration reform inclusive of the Dream Act forward or just more rhetoric designed to influence the Latino community's participation in electoral politics.

I remain open minded but deeply troubled that years after my participation in this topic the Latina/Latino blogosphere remains without a seat at the table at such an important juncture. When discussing other issues like Health Care reform, other communities were invited to sit at the table with the president, i.e., when discussing Health Care reform female bloggers were invited to the table. Why is that not the case on this issue?

More information from the White House on today's events below:

Today, President Obama will deliver remarks on the need to fix our broken immigration system through comprehensive immigration reform at the American Univeristy School of International Service. The speech will be streamed live at WhiteHouse.gov at 10:45AM EDT (www.whitehouse.gov/live). If you miss it, at 1:00 PM EST you can still join Cecilia Muñoz, one of the President’s closest advisors on this issue, who will be taking questions from Americans all over the country in a unique online roundtable. Or join Administration officials for a conference call at 4pm EST to discuss the President’s speech.

The White House Blog

The President's Speech, and a Chat, on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Posted by Jesse Lee on June 30, 2010 at 01:52 PM EDT

Speaking to 24 American service members as they became citizens of our nation in April, the President was passionate about the need to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform:

Over the years, many have attempted to confront this challenge, but passions are great and disagreements run deep. Yet surely we can all agree that when 11 million people in our country are living here illegally, outside the system, that’s unacceptable. The American people demand and deserve a solution. And they deserve common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability.

As he explained, and as his record shows, the government has a responsibility to enforce the law. But as he also explained, the only way to truly fix our broken immigration system is with a comprehensive federal approach.

Tomorrow , Tuesday July 1st, the President will make clear that this is a top priority and call on Congress to tackle it in a major speech at American University at 10:45AM EDT.

Watch the President’s speech at 10:45 here at WhiteHouse.gov/live

After the speech, we will also host a unique online engagement event – what we’re calling an “Open for Questions Roundtable” – with Cecilia Muñoz, one of the President’s closest advisors on the issue. Representatives from online media outlets examining several angles of the immigration issue will be there posing the questions on the minds of their readers -- Forbes, which focuses on business and economic issues; the Examiner.com network which has citizen reporters in every state including more than 50 border state communities; CNET which focuses on the tech community; and Univision.com, which has covered the immigration debate as closely as anybody for years. And as we always do, we’ll be taking some of your questions live via Facebook as well.

Join the “Open for Questions Roundtable” at 1:00 via Facebook

Watch the chat and submit question at 1:00 via WhiteHouse.gov/live

Latinas in Social Media, Somersaults and Familia

2010-06-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight an amazing Latina in Social Media (@JulieDiazAsper) is hosting a little pre-wedding get together for me and some other social media powerhouses. I am thankful for her and her generosity, her friendship and hospitality. I am thankful too to have been able to meet them all and now call them my sisters as a result of this new world of Social Media. I feel truly blessed - talk about abundance!

It's great having this online - sometimes off line familia.

Earlier today I was feeling very nervous.

The wedding is only five weeks away and my tummy is doing somersaults.

So, I decided to tweet about it and see what my online family had to say. In a tweet I compared my feelings leading up to the wedding to the feelings I have whenever I am about to do a public speaking engagement. I LOVE public speaking, but I always get butterflies in my stomach right before I speak. That's what is happening to me now a few weeks before the wedding. I am very excited about it. I am clear I am a very, very lucky woman to be marrying such a wonderful man and I am humbled and honored that we will be joined by friends and family in such an exotic location. Everything is exactly as I had always dreamed it to be and I am nervous. As I tweeted to another friend my feet are very warm and the butterflies are having a field day in my stomach.

Someone else tweeted wisely, "Los nervios make it more exciting!!" As much as I resisted her words by way of twitter, I think she speaks with much wisdom. The nervios (nerves) really do make it more exciting; and being able to share all of it with my online family all across the country is an amazing blessing.

I am thankful, a bit nervous, smiling and in pre-wedding bliss.

Now it's time for me to figure out where I am going for tonight's gathering and for those of you that are curious, I will be posting pictures!

SXSW Panel Picker open until 7/9/11

2010-06-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of the folks who responded to my call regarding prospective panels at SXSW!

The first step for us to get these panels through is for us to place them on the Panel picker interface. The deadline for panel submissions is July 9, 2011. Once you place your panel on the interface, let me know. If you are interested in my being on your panel or in my helping you find other panelists, I am happy to help- just tweet me: @KetyE.

More on the panel submission below:

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ANNOUNCES

PANELPICKER™ INTERFACE NOW OPEN FOR 2011

Proposals Sought for Music, Film and Interactive Events

June 15, 2010 - Austin, TX– South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals kick off the 2011 season today, as the popular PanelPicker™ interface opens to accept programming proposals for the next event. The PanelPicker™ interface is an innovative online tool that allows the SXSW community to have a significant voice in programming Music, Film, and Interactive conference activities (panels, presentations, discussions, etc.) through an open proposal and voting process. For the first time last season, the SXSW Music and Film conferences joined SXSW Interactive in using the PanelPicker™ interface to accept ideas, resulting in over 2,800 submissions. The move was a resounding success for SXSW, continuing its efforts to build on the unique intersection of creative and professional minds throughout the three events.

PanelPicker™ is a two-step online system. Step One encourages the community to submit proposals for programming at SXSW through the PanelPicker™ interface at http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ beginning Tuesday, June 15, 2010 through Friday, July 9, 2010. Additional information including categories, presentation formats, and the new user-generated tags feature built in to PanelPicker™ can be found at http://sxsw.com/panelpicker_faq. Step Two allows the community to browse all of these ideas -- and rate which of these proposals they think are the best fit for the March 2011 event. Community voting begins Monday, August 9, 2010 and will continue through Friday, August 27, 2010.

“Integrating the PanelPicker interface process into all three events proved to be a great success in 2010,” says Roland Swenson, SXSW’s Managing Director. “We look forward to continuing to engage directly with the SXSW community, so we can shape the most dynamic and forward-thinking event possible for 2011.”

For 2011, SXSW Interactive is seeking proposals for solo and advanced level presentations. SXSW Film is most interested in proposals geared towards creating, marketing, and finding audiences for films in this new digital age, as well as hands-on workshop ideas. SXSW Music welcomes all ideas that bring new voices, perspectives and energy to the music conference.

The PanelPicker™ interface is accessible to the public, whether past attendees or engaged consumers. Participants will have the opportunity to propose and vote on ideas for any or all three SXSW events. Votes from the community, along with feedback from SXSW Advisory Boards and the SXSW staff, will help determine programming for the 2011 event.

Adding Diversity to the Conference Circuit: Starting with SXSWi

2010-06-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

For the last two years I have had the distinct honor and priviledge to be a panelist at SXSWi. Unfortunately, I have been one of the only Latino panelists and potentially the only Latina panelist.

This is more often than not my experience on the conference circuit and one of the reasons that I joined with Ana Roca Castro and Louis Pagan in September of 2009, the original leaders of Latinos in Social Media to try and create a structure through which we could remedy this challenge.

On the conference circuit, the response that I get often for this dearth of Latino and Latina panelists is: we don't have any other Latino/Latina panelists because there is no one else out there. My experience has been that many of the conference organizers blame the digital divide.

However, although the digital divide is a very real problem that faces a certain part of our community the reality is that the Hispanic community is diverse and multi-faceted; and we have had some experts in technology, social media and new media for decades. The opportunity is making sure that these folks are getting the exposure that they deserve.

As it relates to SXSWi I first raised the issue with the conference organizers when I participated in their conference two years ago. In response, last year we organized the first ever Latinos in Tech panel at SXSWi which we hope to do again in 2011. This year, however, my objective is much more ambitious and I am partnering with the conference organizers at SXSW to make it real. Given the fact that SXSW is in Texas which is heavily populated by Hispanics, our hope is to bring to the table dozens of panels enfused with Hispanics, Tejanos, Latinos, Mexican-Americans, Boricuas, Chapinos, Ticos, Guanacos, Pinoleros, Catrachos, etc. This project has been two years in the works and I believe that now is the time for us to make it reality.

To date, more than a dozen folks have responded to my call to bring more Hispanic/Latino panelists to SXSWi. If you are interested in joining us or helping out, tweet me: @KetyE.

Transitions and New Beginnings

2010-06-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, you saw the announcement made by Latinos in Social Media (LATISM) on its newly formed board and my role as the organization's interim Executive Director. Over the course of the last few months, I dedicated significant time to help form the LATISM board, draft LATISM's bylaws for incorporation, obtain its first contract and organize local efforts in several states including local chapters and conferences. My goal in doing all of this was to help in the initial phase of the new LATISM start up.

Now, nearly six months after my leaving my job with National Council of La Raza (NCLR) to join LATISM, I have been offered the position of Vice President Digital Strategy for Ogilvy Public Relations WorldWide. I am stepping down from my role with LATISM in order to take this position and look forward to continuing to contribute to LATISM as a volunteer and a member moving forward.

Upwards and onwards!

"To the Moon and Beyond" Team USA: World Cup 2010

2010-06-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

My first recollection of a World Cup was when it was held in Mexico in 1986. I won't date myself by revealing my age, but I will say that I was old enough remember my grandfather and step-grandmother having these really cool containers with the Mexican flag on it and the World Cup logo. Both of them lived in Mexico but they came to visit us in upstate New York and brought the containers. At least, that's how I remember the story. Back then there was little if any interest in futbol (soccer) in the U.S.A. My father loved it and played it recreationally in a league but beyond that and hearing it on the TV at home, I'm afraid we all had little exposure to soccer outside of our home, since it wasn't a big thing in the U.S.

A lot has changed since 1986. In the last 24 years (my goodness it really has been 24 years!) soccer has become mainstream. Soccer moms are a political staple and the U.S. has become a world class team. So begins the story of why I am rooting for the U.S.A. In a previous post, I simplified my allegiance by saying that I was rooting for team U.S.A. because I was born here. That is true. However, it goes a bit deeper than that. When I say that I am rooting for the team because I was born here, what I am really saying is that I am rooting for the team because:

1- As a second generation, I am thrilled to see soccer become mainstream in the U.S. My fiance grew up watching football at home and so loves football. I grew up watching futbol at home and so love futbol (soccer). Back in the day, I was often alone and misunderstood in this love. It is gratifying now to see the throngs of U.S. fans packing the pubs in this country to watch team U.S.A. play. It is great to be able to share with my U.S. compatriots my love of the game and to celebrate with them.

2- My parents, who emigrated from Guatemala and Mexico instilled in me a strong pride and love for this country. They believe in and feel that they lived the "American dream" and have imparted to their daughters a deep honor of this idea- the idea that this is a country where people can fulfill on a life that they dream of as possible. Sociopolitically I know that the reality is much more complex. However, at a visceral level I still believe profoundly in the singularity of this nation as it relates to that ideal that we call the American dream. I am proud of being an American (a daughter from the Americas in general and from the U.S. in particular) and as such I am proud of the team that represents the U.S. on the World Cup field. As Univision's commercial so aptly puts it, while each of us root for our countries of origin/our ancestors countries of origin, we Latin American immigrants and the children of said immigrants all root for the U.S.A.

3- This year's team embodies many of the characteristics I most value in the U.S. culture. They are like Woody in Toy Story 3. **spoiler alert** Like some of the other characters say, "The thing that makes Woody special is he'll never give up on you, ever." Team U.S.A. doesn't give up on eachother, ever. They play with heart and soul and never give up. They persevere in the face of adversity, and despite being a very young team they have the spunk to go for and achieve phenomenal results.

4- The team is excellent. We have amazing players and though we have some clear stars, it is a team of gifted athletes. If anyone had any questions about the level of the U.S. team's skill, I think that after Wednesday's game those questions have been put to rest. As I said before, the team is excellent.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I am rooting for team U.S.A. and why I will be glued to the television on Saturday, crossing my fingers, praying, lighting velitas, tweeting and hoping that we advance. Like Buzz Lightyear says, "To the moon and beyond!" If Buzz Lightyear can dream (in English and Spanish) why not, team U.S.A.!

Oh What a Night! Blog Posts, Weddings, Conferences - Oh My!

2010-06-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

I have decided to stay up late tonight. I am in the middle of drafting some blog posts, getting ready for my wedding (I can't believe it's only 6 weeks away!) and preparing for several upcoming conferences. It's going to be a late night. Thankful to green tea and espresso!

World Cup 2010 and Growing Up Latina

2010-06-23T15:52:00.001-07:00

I am guessing you did not watch today's game. If you did I think any question surrounding the excellence of the US team's skill would be null. The team is excellent. They play with heart and are often underdogs. I will be writing another post on why I love the US soccer team soon, but those are some of the reasons. In addition to that the fact that they are from the US is indeed one of the other reasons that I love them. For me they represent some of what is best in the US character - how we play with heart and soul and never give up, how we persevere in the face of adversity and how, despite being a very young nation we have the spunk to go for and often achieve better results than countries much older than our own. Two other reasons that I love this team are as follows:

#1- I have seen in my life the evolution of this sport in the US and I am thrilled with what I see.

#2- As Univision so aptly put it in one of its commercials: cuando juega Estados Unidos - todos estamos Unidos. In other words - when the US plays we are all united. The US being the diverse nation that it is often rallies many of us who also cheer for other teams given our heritage. Many times the Americans that you see cheering are the kids of Mexicans, Uruguayans, Argentines, Koreans, etc.
About China
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Pictures from Latinos in Information Science and Technology Association (LISTA) Event

2010-06-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Pictures from yesterday's LISTA event below.

(Thank you LISTA for the pictures!)

World Cup 2010 and Growing Up Latina

2010-06-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

(Posted on the Huffington Post yesterday)

How many of you have been watching the World Cup? I have surprised myself with the recent realization that I am a World Cup fanatic. I love futbol (soccer)!

The other day I was eating my soup and salad combo at the Olive Garden when I overheard a group of guys next to me talking about the World Cup. There was only one self-identified Latino and the rest of the guys seemed to defer to him and his soccer expertise, even though he candidly admitted that he was more of a baseball guy himself, being Dominican. Yet, the others were very interested in his opinion as a Latino; and as he spoke I realized that I knew as much, if not more than him, about each of the teams and the players. That's when I came to terms with the fact that I am an undisputed World Cup fanatic.

This might have something to do with my upbringing as a second generation American. Every weekend I took comfort in the fantastic sound of "Gooooooooooooooal" emerging from the TV without fail. Like an old friend I counted on the announcers pronouncement and now as an adult I remember it with a certain nostalgia- with it come memories of my mom's home cooked meals and games shared with my dad.

My love for soccer might also have something to do with the fact that everywhere I've lived, my life has been touched by the sport. When I lived in Mexico for six months as a ten year old, it was the sport of choice. When I lived in Brasil as a teenager, everyone talked nonstop about soccer. And when I lived in China in the nineties, I remember after a few months of hearing no Spanish, a bit of English and mostly Chinese, being woken up one morning by the sound of Ricky Martin's Copa de la Vida.

I love the sport. I find it beautiful, graceful, exciting and fun. Though my number one pick this year is the USA, since I was born in said country, I am also rooting for Mexico, the country of my father's birth; France, another one of my ancestral countries; Brasil, the country where I left my heart as a fifteen year old; and Italy because I love how they play.

Now I have to run. The Mexico vs Uruguay game is about to start.

Web 2.0, Social Media, Advocacy and Being Latino: My Panel at the LISTA 3rd Annual Tech Latino Legislative Briefing

2010-06-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

This afternoon from 1-3pm I will be presenting a Workshop at LISTA's third Annual Tech Latino Legislative Briefing. My fellow panelists include Lance Rios, President and CEO of Being Latino and Raul Danny Vargas, President and CEO of VarCom. The topic of our panel is Web 2.0, Social Media, Advocacy and Being Latino. More on the panel below:

The Latino culture is all about family, friends, and close communities. Latinos that make the United States their home as well as those who are second or third generation Latinos maintain that strong sense of socialization.While the media sings the praises of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, LISTA is concerned with what web 2.0 tools can do for people in the non-profit community in order to develop a strategy for their outreach, advocacy and recruitment of volunteers.LISTA has always set up partnership of like-minded organizations who share our preoccupation.

See the full agenda.

Holdin Out for a Hero Blog

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I had the great honor of being featured in Laura Tellado's Holdin Out for a Hero blog. I am humbled and thankful to all of the amazing folks that I have met over the last decade online that have made this work possible. Also, by way of clarification the founder of LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) was Ana Roca Castro. She and Louis Pagan were really two of the most influential people to birth LATISM. I came along as the third member of their team/board as they began the efforts to formalize the organization. Together, the three of us recruited the other members of the now seven member strong LATISM board and subsequently I had the distinct privilege to step into the role of the organization's first ED. Below is an excpert from Laura's post.

Day 295 Kety Esquivel (of LATISM)

Lately I’ve had the the frequent impulse to write about people who are moving others to do positive things on a large scale. I truly believe social media will play an even bigger role in the near future in getting people connected to one another, and it will be a new chapter in corporate and philanthropy books alike.

One woman who is doing her part in changing the way that people communicate and spread the word about important issues is Kety Esquivel...of Latinos in Social Media (LATISM).

A trailblazer Latina, Esquivel has founded, co-founded and sat on the board of numerous non-profits.

According to the official Web site, LATISM is the largest organization of social media professionals of Hispanic origin.” The brains behind the operation is Ms. Esquivel, who previously worked as the New Media Manager for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

Esquivel also co-founded the Institute of Progressive Christianity and the Sanctuary and, according to The Huffington Post (which she contributes to), she has “over fifteen years of experience in the non-profit, private and political sectors.”

Additionally, she founded CrossLeft.org, a Web site for progressive-minded Christians who want to speak out on some of our world’s most pressing issues.

I had only heard of the LATISM hashtag on Twitter, #latism. I learned of Kety and her fabulous work in moving Hispanics forward along with the changing technology when my friend, Christian Henríquez, interviewed her for his show, One Voice Radio. Since then, I’ve participated in a few LATISM “tweeting parties” online, and have become part of the bigger community Kety is fostering on the Web.

Read the rest of the post.

My Interview on Women in Social Media with Ananda Leeke

2010-06-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the honor and priviledge to be interviewed by Ananda Leeke from Sisterhood, the Blog Radio for her series on Women in Social Media. Unfortunately, my Sprint Overdrive device started acting up and the reception from AARP (where I had gone for a Digital Capital Week event) was spotty at best. However, Ananda did a great job of sheperding me through a phenomenal interview. I plan on posting the transcript from our talk in the coming days. Check out the interview.

Keys to Twitter: Second in a Series of Trainings on New Media

2010-06-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

In May of this year, I hosted a two hour training on New Media. Many of the folks who attended that session asked me to do a series of trainings, including a session on Twitter.

Based on popular demand, on Monday the 28th of June I will be hosting a two hour training. The topic for this month's session will be Twitter.

Per the participants request, this is the second in a series of trainings on new media. I am hoping to schedule at least one training per month. If you have participated in any one of my trainings, you will save $20 on the cost of enrollment.

Click here to RSVP.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

My Q&A with Nilki Benitez from Condor Book Tours

2010-06-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

My interview with Nilki Benitez from Condor Book Tours is now live! Check it out. Here's a preview.

You have so many incredible projects going on--how do you keep yourself on track, organized and coherent so that your energy is well-directed and productive?

Thank you Nilki! I try to contribute my grain of sand. I was raised by a phenomenal mother who did it all. By trade she was a school teacher. When she came to this country she worked her way up from the mail room to the purchasing department in a Fortune 100 company; and then when she came home each night she took care of her two daughters and her very traditional though ideologically progressive Latino man. Folks always wondered where she got all the energy to do everything she did. I guess I'm lucky in that I've taken after her in that way. What keeps me on track, organized and coherent so that my energy is well-directed and productive is keeping my eye on the prize and not sweating the small stuff. Whenever I find myself going off track, I just remember why I do the work I do and then it all seems to fall into place, almost magically. I recently came across the following quote by Thomas Jefferson and it rings pretty true to me, "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." I work hard and try and work smart.

Read the rest of the interview here.

Sleepless in the Beltway: A Tale of Twitter, Facebook, Earthquakes and Insomnia

2010-06-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I could not sleep for the life of me. So, I decided to be productive and work on a few blog posts as well as check in with my tweeps on Twitter and my friends on Facebook. Being in the beltway I was unaffected by last night's SoCal earthquake, however, a few other problems stood in my way.

#1- Twitter was acting up. Tweets and DMs would not go through. The whale was up and down and up and down. All of my old tweets disappeared, leaving only a message for my followers to nudge me to tweet. (How ironic is that?) And although purportedly the tweets were not posting, in reality tweets were being posted multiple times (I woke up this morning with several repeats of the same tweet.)

#2- Facebook was acting up as well. Although I did not experience the brunt of it, I saw others post stories of their suffering.

#3- To top it all off, my Sprint overdrive device was acting up and not working for the second time in the last few days.

NYCityMama tweeted:

Facebook is out of whack and Twitter keeps crashing. Kiss and hug your loved ones y'all. The world is ending.

When the news of the SoCal earthquake came in by way of FB of course I put it all in perspective. Although there have been no injuries from the earthquake reported to date, a 5.9 earthquake is much more serious than a Twitter fail whale. However, it was obvious to everyone myself included how inextricably our life, social circles and consumption of information news and otherwise are tied to these new technologies. The exercise is no longer hypothetical.

How to Grow and Mobilize Your Social Media Followers: My Bridge Conference Presentation

2010-06-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

I've been invited to do a presentation at the Bridge conference next month. The presentation title is, "How to Grow and Mobilize Your Social Media Followers." I am sitting on a panel with three other great women. It promises to be a fantastic event.

Today I was in the middle of organizing my slides for our upcoming discussion when it dawned on me... I should go out into the social media universe and ask my friends, followers and readers for their advice. What are your thoughts?

What do you find particularly useful when working on growing and mobilizing your Social Media followers? What have you seen others do that you think has been the most effective/helpful? What are some of the worst examples that you have seen? What about the best examples? Thanks in advance for any thoughts that you care to share!

Further details on our Bridge conference session below. I hope that you will join us! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Presentation Title: How to Grow and Mobilize Your Social Media Followers

Presentation Description:

So, you’re tweeting and have fans. But you wish you had larger growth or engagement on your social media sites. Are there tools, techniques, or strategies you should be employing? This panel of online marketing experts will share what’s working for their organizations and audiences. And you’ll hear valuable findings from a new study – Nonprofit Social Media Benchmarks Study – that will help you create your own social media benchmarks and strategy.

Attendee will learn:

1. Best practices for what to do and NOT to do to grow your social media base

2. How to engage corporations and other organizations to help you

3. How to target Latinos and other special audiences in the social media world

Speakers Name/Title: Amy Ganderson, Digital Marketing Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Email: aganderson@tnc.org

Speakers Name/Title: Kety Esquivel, Executive Director and CEO, Latinos in Social Media

Email: kety.esquivel@gmail.com

Speakers Name/Title: Arielle Holland, Consultant, M+R Strategic Services

Email: aholland@mrss.com

Speakers Name/Title: Catherine Algeri, Senior Account Executive, InfoGroup Nonprofit (Moderator)

Email: Catherine.Algeri@tdmc.com

Tuesday, July 27, 2:00-3:15 (75 minutes)

Latinos, Technology and the Environment: Digital Week Session on Climate Justice

2010-06-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC
June 10, 2010

Latinos, Technology and the Environment

(Washington, D.C.) - As intergovernmental negotiators in Bonn are yet again, finding it impossible to reach a mutual agreement on Climate Change, digital savvy Latino-environmentalists are using technological innovation within and across borders to unite new and legacy media through organizing for climate justice. Join us for our panel during Digital Capital Week in Washington, D.C., on June 13th from 3 to 5pm, at the Energy Action Coalition to find out more. The panel 'Latinos, Technology and the Environment,' examines the opportunity presented by the digital sphere as it relates to Latinos and the environment. We will discuss our participation in the recent World's People Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia and explore the role of technology in organizing the grassroots movement for the next annual meeting of intergovernmental climate negotiators in Cancun scheduled for November.

At 49.7million, Latinos are the fastest growing and largest 'minority' population in the United States. In a recent poll commissioned by the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), 66 percent of Hispanics (Latinos) said tackling climate change should be a “high” or “very high” priority with 41 percent supporting the regulation of carbon emissions.” The National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC) and the Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change (CEAACC), conducted a joint study in swing States across the U.S. that backs these findings. An overwhelming majority of Latino voters in Florida (80%), Nevada (67%) and Colorado (58%) say they are more likely to vote for a U.S. Senate candidate that supports proposals for fighting global warming.

The concern for climate action amongst Latinos in the United States is directly linked to the fact that they live or work in the most environmentally degraded areas, are amongst the most climate vulnerable in the United States and come from countries across Latin America where climate change has already wreaked havoc and caused hardship for their families and friends. Mainstream environmental organizations have yet to engage the Latino community online although, their presence as a group within social media networks is more engaged across the board than non-Latinos. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) reports that 59.5% of Latinos are online, while a March 2010 report by Forester shows them growing most in the creator, critic and collector spectrum of the “Social Technographics Ladder.”

The few mainstream organizations that have taken the leap, such as the NRDC with Voces Verdes, the Earth Action Network, and the Sierra Club are yet to channel mobilizing online with face to face creative space. Greater opportunities to explore the roots US Latinos have to Latin America for environmental action are only beginning to get cultivated by grassroots organizations. Conferences such as the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Bolivia, Digital Capital Week coming up in Washington, D.C., and the US Social Forum in Detroit, do away with the bureaucracy and ego of traditional conferences and create the space to organically grow common visions in a big way.

The integration of Web 2.0 technology into these creative spaces has facilitated diverse environmental and social justice groups to stay connected and develop common strategies that sustain time and cross sectors as well as, borders. Angela Adrar, an environmental new media communicator and Latino activist says that “Latinos in the US are growing weary of organizations that do not respond to their needs. They are sharing their experiences using bilingual communication and community muscle to change the narrative of power through social media and succeeding.” The rise of the digital activist has been a long time coming but the effectiveness, tools and ability to create real world impact is exponentially increasing as more communities of color come of age online enabling them to generate their own stories and offer their own solutions.

Kety Esquivel, Interim Executive Director of Latism, the largest organization of Latinos in Social Media and Angela Adrar, Environmental Communicator with La Trenza Leadership Eco-Hermanas will be spearheading the panel.

Kety Esquivel (410) 500-8340

kety.esquivel@gmail.com

Twitter: @KetyE

Blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kety-esquivel

Angela Adrar (202) 439-7724

dancingsparrow@gmail.com

Twitter: @DancingSparrow

Blog: http://citizeninspired.blogspot.com/2010/01/protest-poetry-and-power-of-voice.html

Latinos, Technology and the Environment - This Sunday

2010-06-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I will be co-facilitating a session at Digital Capital Week from 3-5pm. The session is graciously hosted by the Energy Action Coalition. The topic is Latinos, technology and the environment. If you are in DC for Digital Capital Week or in the beltway for any other reason this week-end, please join us! Remember to RSVP, as space is limited.

Sunday, June 13
3:00pm - 5:00pm	N	Latinos, Technology and the Environment << less at Energy Action Coalition 1850 M St NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20036
Click here About According to a Sierra Club National Survey, 66% of Latino(a)s in the United States, work and live close to toxic sites, add to that, the African Americans and Asians that live in highly polluted urban neighborhoods, the farmer migrants that are exposed to pesticides when picking US food and the Indigenous peoples that are having their lands mined and degraded and we have a big hot mess that makes the US majority generally and environmentally disadvantaged. This panel will examine the opportunity presented by the digital sphere as it relates to Latinos and the environment. We will discuss our participation in the recent World's People Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia as well as the next annual meeting of environmental ministers in Cancun in November. Speaker/Artist(s) Angela Adrar Kety Esquivel Host Organization(s) Energy Action Coalition Limited Capacity Max. 30 attendees Audience Technologists, Govies, Entrepreneurs, Communicators

Race, The Prince of Persia, CNN and Trevor

2010-06-03T14:57:00.001-07:00

Soulhangout,

Thank you for your comment. I agree with you, it is shocking to see how people perceive race in the 21st Century. Particularly shocking/troubling for me is the fact that those in question in the CNN interviews were youth. Some of the clips were heartbreaking on so many levels...

I too have high hopes for the Millennials.

And, I have high hopes that if we are diligent as a community, families, parents and leaders can communicate with our children in such a way to combat the societal stereotypes that they are absorbing and modeling.

These children are so small and innocent and they are looking to us to discover the world and the way it works. Let's teach them well. Earlier in the day I posted the following tweet:

"Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States."
– W.E.B. DuBois

Let's make sure we continue to work towards the former.

Thank you for reposting. A big hug to you too!
About CNN
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Race, The Prince of Persia, CNN and Trevor

2010-06-03T14:18:00.001-07:00

Thank you Martin! Hacemos lo posible- we do what we can.

That's great that this post has inspired you to chat with your 12 year old more in depth about the different races and cultures in your family. You have such a rich diversity in th mix! I'm sure those will be a great series of conversations.

We did not have our 13 year old this week-end or we would have chatted with him about it as well (He had a friend's birthday party to go to). Hopefully we'll be able to see the videos from CNN's study and discuss with him the next time we have him.

Thanks for reading and commenting!
About CNN
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Race, The Prince of Persia, CNN and Trevor

2010-06-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day week-end our youngest asked us to go see the Prince of Persia. He loves the Prince of Persia Legos his father bought him (He says they look just like Indiana Jones)...

It was right about at that point in the conversation (when he was explaining how the Prince of Persia looked exactly the same as Indiana Jones) when I requested that we have a conversation about race since:

#1- The Prince of Persia is Persian.
(Though in the movie the role is played by Jake Gyllenhaal who is a descendant of the Swedish noble Gyllenhaal family on his father's side and of a Jewish New York family on his mother's side.)
#2- It seems kind of strange that Indiana Jones and the Prince of Persia are interchangeable in Lego land since the Prince of Persia is from Persia and Indiana Jones is well, not.
#3- Earlier in the month I had seen clips of CNN's study on race and what I had seen had shocked me.

Another clip from the study, "Why do you want that skin color?"

Parts two and three of the study's findings continued here.

I have been in Trevor's life for the last three years. Since I have been dating his father we have:

#1- talked about Thanksgiving and what happened with the Native Americans that were here before us;
#2- talked about immigration and the DREAM Act and taken him and his brother to detention centers and immigration marches;
#3- talked about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Park;
#4- talked about the struggles that the Irish have gone through historically both in this country and in Great Britain.

So this week-end we talked about the Prince of Persia and CNN's video clips on race. Trevor's response when he saw the clips?

"They don't know anything."

We asked him, "What don't they know anything about Trevor?"

His response, "They don't know anything about anything. All people are the same. It doesn't matter what color they are on the outside."

We proceeded to have a great conversation about what this means for him in school as a young blond haired white male, as well as the child of a multi-racial family (his cousins are mixed, African-American fathers and a white mother as well as one cousin whose mother is Latina and whose father is white). Moreover, I spoke to him about privilege and structural inequalities and explained to him that if someday his father and I had a child that his brother or sister may look like me, much tanner than either he or his brother. I am happy to report that little Trevor was quite engaged in the conversation, asked many questions, offered up his thoughts and overall his main concern seemed to be that we not have the child too soon, since right now he's our little baby.

I was thankful that we were able to have the talk that we did with our six year old, especially in light of the CNN study which says that children's views on race are informed by the conversations that they have/do not have with their parents. Moreover, I was thankful that Rich has done such a phenomenal job raising the children the way that he has and I was thankful that I was there to be a part of the conversation with this brilliant little being as he continues to grow up.

For more on the importance of talking about race with children, regardless of their race, read this post from Modern Familia.

Al and Tipper Gore - Musings from a New Bride

2010-06-02T18:04:00.001-07:00

Thanks Doni!

I had heard that divorce after 40 years was extremely unusual. TIME even did a piece on it because of the Al and Tipper split.

Congratulations on the 23 years of marriage and 30 years of togetherness!

Good to know that being empty nesters might even bring us closer.

:-)

"Get married and fear not" - I love that.

That will be my mantra on my way to Tibet! ;-)
About Marriage
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Al and Tipper Gore - Musings from a New Bride

2010-06-02T17:51:00.001-07:00

Hola Humanatek!

We might have to make a trip out to California sooner rather than later so that we can both enroll in that "You're always right honey" training. :-)

Thank you for the congratulations!

Looking forward to meeting you and your wife in person soon! Great Peruvian food sounds delicious!
About Marriage
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Al and Tipper Gore - Musings from a New Bride

2010-06-02T17:28:00.001-07:00

Hey there Prerna! I can only speak for myself, but I cared about Al and Tipper's marriage because for me they were role models. In what seemed like a crazy D.C. world these two seemed to have a solid, loving, romantic marriage.

The stats on marriage and divorce are not pretty. To see role models who seem to have it together is inspiring. At least, that was the case for me.

Necessary? Perhaps not. But definitely nice to see/nice to have.
About Marriage
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Al and Tipper Gore - Musings from a New Bride

2010-06-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my beloved sent me a text asking me if I had seen the news on twitter - Al and Tipper Gore were getting a divorce.

Folks mused,

"Who gets the internet?"

"Who would have thought that Bill and Hillary would last longer."

"I am so upset."

As someone who is just entering this bond called marriage for the first time in her life and as an abashed fan of the Al and Tipper romance, I too was sent reeling by the news.

A few takeaways for me were as follows:

1- No one ever knows what is truly going on between a couple except for the couple.

2- Marriage is not a cake walk - even after, or perhaps especially not after 40 years.

3- Anything can happen along the journey, no matter who you are.

I don't know why Al and Tipper decided to call it quits after forty years.

I do know that for many of us the news was particularly devastating because in this modern age where few marriages last theirs "seemed" like one that was working despite of their great political success and that gave the rest of us hope.

Now we are left to our own devices and left to fend for our partnerships on our own.

I still plan on getting married overseas in a few months.

I am doing so with eyes wide open. I happen to be marrying a great man who is kind, generous, patient and incredibly loving but even so we still have our ups and our downs. (We are after all human.) I am hopeful that our marriage will last more than forty years, to the end of our lives where we both get to swing on the porch as old people holding hands; and though anything can happen along that journey, no matter who we choose to be I am hopeful that we are able to make it through, despite the odds, unscathed.

Marriage is not a cake walk- that we both know well but I am hopeful that we are able to make it through as a couple.

As for Al and Tipper, I wish them all the best and much happiness. Thank you for being a role model for us for so many years and thank you for having the courage to do what you both thought was best.

Converging Worlds? New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications, Marketing

2010-05-28T06:39:00.001-07:00

Thank you for your kind props! What an interesting trajectory you have had. What inspired you to make all of those changes?

You write, " I think it is imperative for the survival of all dying mediums that they adapt and adopt to the changing ways world citizens receive their news, entertainment and information." I couldn't agree with you more!

How do you think the adapting/adopting is going?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Converging Worlds? New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications, Marketing

2010-05-27T15:20:00.001-07:00

Thank you Debbie for your kind words! I am glad that you find my enthusiasm about social media/new media contagious/viral! Honestly, I can't help it. I love what I do. These are very exciting times indeed! Its great to see how legacy journalism is covering different aspects of new media-- blending of worlds indeed. What do you love most about this space?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Converging Worlds? New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications, Marketing

2010-05-27T15:10:00.001-07:00

Humanatek (H. Martin de'Campo), Thank you! Great to hear about our similar trajectories! Truth be told though my path intersected the North, South, East and West coast - TX, CA, NY, FL, MD, DC, etc.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Converging Worlds? New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications, Marketing

2010-05-26T16:41:00.001-07:00

On a slightly different, though related note, I am still looking for feedback from others in the Fifth Estate for the Poynter Institute and the Ford Foundation's meeting of the Fourth and Fifth Estates.

(Earlier this week, I had the great honor of receiving an invitation from the Poynter Institute and the Ford Foundation to participate in a meeting of "Influential thought leaders in the Fourth and Fifth Estates" and I am opening it up to virtual participation by my social network through the Blogosphere, Twitterverse and Facebook. The topic - the values and practices in the evolution of news: http://bit.ly/aDTYEx)

Interestingly enough, so far I have received some great feedback through Facebook but not a peep through Twitter.

I thought I'd pose the question again here.

Thoughts?

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Converging Worlds?: New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications, Marketing

2010-05-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I caught up with an old school mate of mine. She is a brand manager at P&G. As we talked about the work that each of us is doing these days she said to me, "You are coming into my world!"

We laughed a little.

I have had an interesting trajectory since my days at Cornell. For the last fifteen years, I have moved in between the private sector, the nonprofit sector and the government sector. Moving in between these sectors has always felt very natural to me. I am clear that each opportunity I have had has built on the other and they have all fit together in the broader story of my own brand and what I am hoping to do through my career.

Since the beginning of the last decade, I have been working in one form or another in New Media.

I love it. I am an evangelist. I have trained hundreds of people in it. I have seen the power of what it can do for brands, campaigns, individuals, businesses, governments and nonprofits. I believe it is the future. I have worked in the intersection of New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications and Marketing as these worlds have begun to converge and I am honored to be playing in this space at such a critical time. I think the possibilities of what we can build are endless and the journey is only beginning.

So yes. Perhaps my friend is right. After all of these years I am coming into her world. But perhaps another way of looking at it is that as the lines between New Media, Social Media, Journalism, Communications and Marketing continue to evolve, her world is converging with mine. We are in effect "coming into each other's worlds" and I for one am very excited about the possibilities that this convergence presents for the future.

How about you?

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-26T10:19:00.001-07:00

"So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." -FDR

I love FDR.

It is this quote that motivated me to write my post. I had some trepidation putting my personal story, my parents story out there for public consumption, especially given the heated nature of this topic and the fact that the commentary is not always respectful. However, after much thought I did put this out there for public consumption because I believe that despite fear we must act. Fear can not keep us paralyzed nor must we allow it to stop us from converting retreat into advance. I wrote this because despite my fear I need to stand up to this unjust law. Despite my fear, like FDR and his wife Eleanor I must fight for a better U.S. Moreover, I end with a call to action, "Our responsibility to fight for civil rights hasn't ended, and will not end as long as we allow fear and hatred to tear us apart. We need to celebrate the immigrants among us as well as our national values of diversity and inclusion. We must have faith in the goodness of our people, and encourage each other to be the best we can be. We must be brave. Let us be the U.S. that so many have come to this shore to find."
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Invitation from the Poynter Institute and the Ford Foundation: the Fourth and Fifth Estates

2010-05-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I had the great honor of receiving an invitation from the Poynter Institute and the Ford Foundation to participate in a meeting of "Influential thought leaders in the Fourth and Fifth Estates."

The conversation will include influential voices in journalism - both new media and legacy media. The topic: the values and practices in the evolution of news.

The meeting is by invitation only. However, I thought why not open it up to others in the Fifth Estate (by way of this blog, FB, Twitter, etc.) and ask all of you what your thoughts are on the matter?

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-26T06:44:00.001-07:00

Let me be very clear. I wrote this post because I am very concerned about the new Arizona immigration law. My concern comes as a daughter of the U.S., as a U.S. citizen, as someone born in the U.S. with U.S. parents. I am very, very concerned about my civil and human rights being placed into jeopardy by this law.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-26T06:23:00.001-07:00

As the author of this post, I will reiterate that what I am concerned about is the racial profiling that will come from SB1070. Police Chief Gascón says something similar here: http://bit.ly/9ATgsk.

My thoughts from the original post:

"I do not live in Arizona, the home of a new law that makes it a crime to be without your immigration paperwork if police choose to question your citizenship status, and yet I feel its impact all these miles away. Now, for the first time in my life, there is a level of fear for me attached with being--and looking--Latina. A few times now I have returned home during the day after realizing that I didn't have my U.S. passport on me. Despite being a U.S. citizen, born in this country, I am fearful of having any issues if stopped. This is not the U.S. that I left China for."
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Kety at Netroots Nation 2010

2010-05-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

I just agreed to be on a panel at Netroots Nation 2010. The topic? "What Real-Life Ethnic Advertising Can Teach You About Political Communication." More details to follow but for now hold the date - Friday, July 23rd. Looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T11:50:00.001-07:00

Don Quixote, Thank you. I will keep your mom and the rest of your family in my thoughts. I too am disillusioned that we have to fight for the most basic rights and yet if not us who? There is much work to do and like Cervantes' Don Quixote, despite it all, I still believe that a better world is possible and that there are good folks out there to help make it so.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

Wrong. Again what I have written is being misrepresented.

The Arizona law is unjust as it profiles against the Latino community.

As it relates to immigration reform, that is a federal issue that has to be taken on at the federal level. The system is broken and it must be fixed.

This is not about how this law would target, "Communists, socialists, trade unionists, Jews and me."

You are taking the quote out of context. The quote was intended to illustrate how we are on a slippery slope - how the erosion of civil rights and human rights of one people eventually become the erosion of civil rights and human rights of all.

Martin Niemoeller's words in the aftermath of World War II were speaking to this in the context of his period of time. His words are true today in our context.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T10:54:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have any doubts about the racial profiling involved or who think that having "papers" on one as a U.S. citizen will excuse Latinos/Latinas from any harassment, please think again. This recent case of a Puerto Rican who was threatened with deportation to Mexico, despite being a U.S. citizen by birth says it all. The U.S. citizen was kept in jail for three days while the government determined his status, despite having his "papers" http://bit.ly/9K0VTF. Given this can you seriously say that we have nothing to fear from the recent AZ legislation?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T09:08:00.001-07:00

The fact that the immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed at the federal level does not mean that an unjust law is acceptable.

#1- The immigration system is broken. It needs to be fixed at the federal level. We need to hold our politicians accountable until they fix it.

#2- The Arizona law is unjust and as such it is unacceptable.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T08:50:00.001-07:00

Voyager48, You are misrepresenting what I have written. I do think that people from all over the world are deserving of consideration.

This article is about the Arizona law which is intended to racially profile against people who are Latino.

Moreover, tragically, the hate crimes against Latinos have not been about martyrdom but rather murders that have resulted from prejudice and fear-mongering.

I agree that the immigration system is broken and that it needs to be reformed immediately. I agree that the federal government has looked the other way and that we need to hold our politicians accountable for this.

This article, however, is about the unjust law in Arizona.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T08:24:00.001-07:00

Petey131, You write "I am Mexican-American. I was born in the USA. I am proud and will not let fear dominate me." I agree with your sentiments. The fact that the emotion of fear comes up for me given the racial profiling that this law engenders and the fact that bigotry and racism still occur in this country will not in anyway dominate me. In this article I am simply writing about what's so. As a proud U.S. born citizen and daughter of immigrants who came to this country in search of the American dream, I will not let fear dominate me either. That it is exists in me as an emotion - that is undeniable. Acknowledging that I now get to choose what I will do with it. And what I will do with it is choose to believe in the words of Ambrose Redmoon, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear," and the words of Margaret Mead, "...that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." It is out of those emotions that I have written this piece and chosen to share my story and that of my parents with the world.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-25T07:54:00.001-07:00

Romulus, I responded to your question yesterday, but will respond again today. Those are two different things. In the first place, if a law is unjust, unfair and even unconstitutional, it must be condemned, i.e., when the abolitionists condemned slavery they did so on this basis -- so too did those that condemned the Japanese Internment camps during World War II, the trail of tears, Jim Crow and the Chinese Exclusion Act. There is a long history of folks condemning unjust laws in this great nation. That argument is separate from the argument of coming up with solutions. The purpose of this blog post was to condemn this unjust law. I am working on another blog post which will speak to my specific recommendations as it relates to immigration reform. However, once again that is a different topic for a different post.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-24T16:48:00.001-07:00

#1- No human being is illegal. #2- We are not talking about aliens here because last time I checked Hispanics were human beings and not from another planet. #3- If you want to know where to look for Hispanics, you will have to look among the white, black and Asian populations because Hispanic is not a race. If you are looking for Hispanics some of us are brown, some are black, some are white, some are Asian. Due to the history of colonization in the Americas we are mixed and to not realize that is of great folly.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-24T16:42:00.001-07:00

Mr. Alexander, one of my concerns in this piece is civil rights. Specifically, as a U.S. citizen I am concerned about my own civil rights and the civil rights of other Hispanics like me who will be profiled under this bill. I am not talking about the Middle East in this post. I am talking about the United States of America and my concern about my civil rights in the U.S.A. as a U.S. citizen. If you read the entry for civil rights under the Merriam-Webster online dictionary you will see exactly what I am talking about.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil+rights

Main Entry: civil rights
Function: noun plural
Date: 1658

: the nonpolitical rights of a citizen; especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-24T16:18:00.001-07:00

Those are two different things that you are talking about Romulus. In the first place, if a law is unjust, unfair and even unconstitutional, it must be condemned, i.e., when the abolitionists condemned slavery they did so on this basis -- so too did those that condemned the Japanese Internment camps during World War II, the trail of tears, Jim Crow. There is a long history of folks condemning unjust laws in this great nation. That argument is separate from the argument of coming up with solutions.
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-24T16:06:00.001-07:00

Your statement begs the question did the steady drumbeat of "Bad, Racist Nazi Germany!" become quite tiresome as well?
About Civil Rights
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Responding to Arizona's Immigration Law

2010-05-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

My second piece is now live on Yes Magazine.
Here's the teaser:

Arizona's new immigration law offers a choice between standing up for human rights or looking away while they're eroded. Which side will you be on?

http://bit.ly/atXUY1

The 21st Century Civil Rights Movement

2010-05-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my very long post on the recent Arizona law, I've decided to do two shorter, crisper pieces for Yes Magazine.

You can read the first one here.

The next one will follow shortly.

Here's the teaser:

Arizona's new immigration law has awakened a sleeping giant, with hundreds of thousands of people finding creative ways to stand in solidarity with Arizona's Latino community.

http://bit.ly/c3L3Sn

June New Media Seminar

2010-05-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

I had such a wonderful time during this month's new media seminar and such a phenomenal response from the participants who have asked me to do more (a series). I have decided to follow their advice and begin a series of new media seminars. Stay tuned for more details regarding June's New Media Seminar.

Populist Tidal Waves, Hope, Fear and What is Possible: Arizona, Immigration and the Future of the Nation

2010-05-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

In the US we are struggling between the vision of what is possible and a history of prejudice and fear. With a striking increase in numbers, the growth of the Latino community in the US has led to two tidal waves forcing the resistant hand of politicians on immigration reform. These tidal waves feed off of each other. On the one hand we have the growing voice of the Latino community stepping into its economic and political power. On the other we have the hateful voice of nativists who fear this growing community and who are doing everything they can to try and subvert it. Like so many movements before it i.e., that of the Suffragists, the Abolitionists, and those of the Civil Rights era, this movement is driven by people who believe that a better world is possible and folks who are willing to put skin in the game to make it so.

Earlier this month, hundreds of thousands of folks took to the streets across the nation to protest on behalf of immigration reform. It was the fourth in a series of yearly marches that started in earnest in May of 2006 to protest anti-immigrant legislation. In parallel to that a few days earlier in Arizona a heinous law was proposed which experts agree will lead to racial profiling. Many experts have said that what we are seeing in Arizona and other states which are following suit including PA and TX with copy cat laws is at least in part caused by the broken immigration system and the unwillingness of the federal government to get serious about immigration reform.

The Arizona law definitely caused there to be a distinctly different flavor to the May 1st marches this year. People decided to take to the streets in record numbers in solidarity with the Hispanics in Arizona and against this law. Moreover, unlike earlier marches this year, where marchers listened patiently to the platitudes of politicians like president Obama, this time folks were not interested in hearing empty promises from politicians but in actions exemplified by the peaceful civil disobedience of prominent leaders. Once ardent Obama supporter, Representative Gutierrez was arrested with a group of other leaders from in front of the White House while folks chanted "Obama show your face."

The culture of inaction that we have been living in has caused the murders of Latinos, the profiling of Latinos and could lead to the next iteration of segregation. We can not be naive. We can not forget our history as a nation. We have much to be proud of as Americans but also much in our history to cause alarm, i.e. the internment camps that Japanese Americans were put in during WWII, the Trail of Tears and let us not forget Jim Crow and the lynchings. As David Neiwert shows in his excellent post on the great popularity of the interment of Japanese Americans during World War II the, "Polls on Arizona immigration law remind us of a historic truth: Discarding the civil rights of others is always a popular idea."

What happened in Arizona with this law, what is happening in Arizona with ethnic studies and the re-assigning of teachers who have accents, what happened earlier this year in Texas with the school curriculum these are all a part of a slippery slope and the erosion of human rights beginning at the state level which has national implications.

Dr. Warren Stewart says, "You have awakened the 21st century civil rights movement." He has it right. They have awakened the sleeping giant. Latinos have had enough. Americans have had enough. And we are standing up against these unjust measures. We are sick and tired of the empty promises of politicians and with our allies, we are ready to step into our economic and political power to demand reform.

We are calling on our leaders to help us build a better future to live into. It is time for national organizations to lead. It is time for politicians like president Obama to make good on the campaign promises that they made to the Latino community. On the campaign trail, while asking for our vote, president Obama promised to take us to the promised land. We are waiting for him to help us bend the arc of the universe towards justice as he promised.

OR we will do it for ourselves.

In truth we already are doing it for ourselves.

Last week Latinos in Social Media the largest collective of Latinos in social media in the US launched the Latino2 campaign encouraging Latinos and everyone who stands for human rights to stand in solidarity with the Latinos in Arizona and against the unjust law and proudly declare I am Latino2. The major league baseball players union came out against the legislation, individual baseball players have come out against the law, there are conversations about moving the All Star game from Arizona as a result of this and in Illinois there is a campaign encouraging the Chicago Cubs to move their spring training from Arizona to Florida. The Phoenix Suns basketball franchise had players wearing "Los Suns" jerseys in Game 2 of its playoff series. Robert Sarver registered Republican and Spurs team owner was quoted saying that "...the result of passing this law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question." The Sherrif of Pima, AZ has said he will refuse to enforce this law. Mexico's government has issued a travel advisory advising folks to not travel to Arizona. Folks are talking about filing law suits against AZ. In Arizona, the Tucson and Flagstaff city councils voted to sue AZ over this law, becoming "the first municipalities in Arizona to approve legal challenges." In Austin, Texas the City Council passed a resolution to stop doing business with AZ, as has San Francisco, Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Oakland in CA, Milwaukee in WI, Boston in MA, St. Paul in MN, New York in NY, Boulder in CO and Washington, DC. Moreover, in DC the city council, "sponsored a bill forbidding the police chief from sharing arrest data with federal immigration officials." CNN today announced that a Phoenix Official has said that this law could cost the city 90 million. Stars like Shakira, Ricky Martin and even Schwarzenager have spoken out strongly against the AZ law. Political PACs like Presente.org and MoveOn have come out with a new campaign targeting AZ. And in the words of Sam Stein at HuffPo, the AFL-CIO has "written a stern letter to Secretary Janet Napolitano demanding that the Department of Homeland Security cut programmatic ties with law enforcement officials in Arizona or be complicit in the state's controversial immigration law."

In 2000 after living nearly four years in China, I left to the US. When people asked me why I was returning to the US to start again from scratch, I told them that I was returning because there was no where in the world like this country -- this was a nation of immigrants which drew on the strength of its diversity. I was proud of being American, a daughter of immigrants from Latin America who could stand with her fellow Americans in that joint identity while still celebrating the culture of my parents and their ancestors. Now, for the first time there is a level of fear for me attached with being Latina and how I look. A few times now I have had to return home because I realize that I don't have my passport on me and I am fearful of having any issues if stopped.

That is not the US that I left China for. That is not the US that I came back for. I am multilingual. I have worked in countries all over the world. I have lived in seven states in the North, South, East and West of this nation. I was born and bred in upstate New York and went to an Ivy League University. I am a published author, a public speaker and have been a talking head on major news outlets. If I feel fear as a Latina daughter of immigrants I can only imagine how my brothers and sisters feel who do not have the same privilege and opportunities that I have. In effect these laws will create an isolated, dependent and fearful citizenry versus an expansive, inclusive and generous one. As an American, I long for the latter. Instead of making our kids fearful of the other, we should be getting all of our kids to know one another and celebrate in the diversity that makes this nation as great as it is.

My father came from Mexico to Fordham University to pursue his PhD in theology and philosophy. He became a social worker in upstate NY. He spoke English with a very heavy accent but his connection with the kids was powerful. I remember walking down the street with him in upstate NY and having people stop him and tell him, "Mr. Esquivel you changed my life." At one point in his career he almost lost his job as a social worker because folks said his accent was too thick and it made him ineffective. Then they surveyed the kids. He was the highest rated social worker despite his heavy accent. He was connecting with them, contributing to them and their life in a way that no one else was. Imagine if he had been taken out of that position which he served in with commitment for over thirty years of his life because of his accent -- How many kids lives would have remained untouched, unchanged?

His story is not unique.

There are many immigrants making powerful contributions to society despite their accents and their countries of origin and we are lucky to have men and women like him, Schwarzenegger, Madeline Albright and the countless others who pick our fruits and vegetables, mow our lawns and like Albert Einstein develop the theory of relativity. Immigration reform must happen this year and the immigration measures passed can not be draconian - they must not be draconian. They must reflect our history and our legacy as a nation of immigrants. The Statue of Liberty and her inspiring words, Cesar Chavez's words: Yes We Can, the churches' words about taking care of the least of these, these are our better angels. These are the angels that we Americans need to be listening to.

We need to step forward bravely as a nation as we have before in the days of the suffragists, the abolitionists, the civil rights movement. The struggles of human rights and civil rights are not new to us. As a nation and as a people we continue to build towards the dream of what we can be.

There is fear. There is hate. But there is also love and hope. I believe that coupled with our voices and with our leadership, the leadership of the grass roots, the people, the collective power of love and hope will win. We will vote with our feet, with our money and with our electoral power. And if our leaders do not lead us, we will step up to lead them to the promised land. The Arc of the moral universe bends towards justice as Martin Luther King Jr. said but like President Obama said when he was running for office, it only bends that way if we place our hand on it and bend it. We are bending it towards justice - the question now is who among our elected officials will partner with us in the coming days, weeks and years. We are watching and we will remember and our electoral and financial voice and muscle will only continue to get stronger. Sooner or later, it will be felt and heard.

Love, Marriage and Choice

2010-05-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Soon I will be a married woman. I am engaged to the most wonderful man, as they say in Spanish mi media naranja and I feel incredibly blessed. In him I have found a partnership like no other. He compliments my weaknesses and affirms my strengths. Over the time that we have dated he has forgiven my human imperfections and the fobiles of my character and by his side I have grown immensely as a human being, a world citizen, a woman and even as an American. He is my life partner and I look forward to living out the remaining years of my life at his side.

As he so often says, we have passed the porch test. I am humbled that he has asked me to marry him. I look forward to growing old with him by my side and to sitting on a porch some day, somewhere watching the sunrise and/or the sunset. He brings with him the two most amazing little human beings. I am honored to welcome them into my life as a step mom and to have the chance to help to raise them. I would have never imaginged this life as possible. I would have never dreamed that I would feel as happy, safe and secure as I do or as at peace and confident in our future personally and professionally, together and interdependently. I am grateful beyond words to him for who he is, who he has chosen to be and who he is choosing to be and to the universe, to Yaweh for bringing us together.

5/17 2 Hour New Media Training - In Real Life

2010-05-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your overwhelming positive response! Given the feedback that I have received to date, I will be conducting a New Media training in real life on 5/17 from 12-2pm (in Washington DC). To RSVP for this training email me: kety.esquivel@gmail.com or DM me on twitter @KetyE.

Learn the Keys to New Media

Learn the keys of how to engage New Media for your cause or organization in this participatory New Media workshop in which you will:

1. learn to think through a new media and social media strategy,

2. develop an understanding about how social media fits into broader strategy and how it can lead to results/success/ROI,

3. get practical advice on tactics/methods,

4. find out about jobs in social media

Led by: Kety Esquivel

Kety Esquivel is a New Media Entrepreneur with over fifteen years of experience in the non‐profit, private and political sectors. She directed Latino outreach for the Clark Presidential Campaign. Her work has taken her to China and Ethiopia with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. She worked as the New Media Manager for NCLR (the National Council of La Raza). She is the Vice Chair of Membership for LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) and the Interim Executive Director. Her commentary has been featured and quoted in stories for the Wall St. Journal Online, HITN, PBS, XM radio, CNN, Televisa, Univision and Democracy Now. She is a published author and a serial entrepreneur. She blogs here and on the Huffington Post.

For more information you can reach Kety by email at: Kety.Esquivel@gmail.com or on Twitter: @KetyE.