August 4th

In Philadelphia this week, the Republican party confirmed Texas Gov. George W. Bush as its presidential nominee. The party's national convention made a great effort to present the Republicans as a new kind of party, a friend of Latinos and other minorities. Like never before, this convention brought to the podium faces of diverse ethnic backgrounds. One of those presiding over the convention was a Latino congressman, a speech was given entirely in Spanish, and the first event attended by Gov. Bush in Philadelphia was a Latino party. The Republican party is calling this effort of inclusiveness "A New Day". Our correspondent Patricia Guadalupe has the details from Philadelphia.

Hundreds of pro-immigrant rights activists gathered this week at the border city of San Ysidro, California, to join forces in an effort to halt the violence being waged against immigrants by Arizona ranchers and other vigilante groups. The resulting coalition vowed to organize marches along the four border states and to pressure Congress to hold new hearings to launch an official investigation into border violence. Manuel Ocaño was at the meeting in San Ysidro and has this report.

Colon cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer among Latinos over fifty years of age. The recently launched campaign "Screen for Life" is designed to reduce the number of such deaths by encouraging early screening. In this report, Silvia Parra explains how some health professionals are seeking to placate the fears and combat the taboos that often keep Latinos from getting the exam that makes possible the early detection and treatment of this disease.

August 11th

Next week, for the second time in history, Los Angeles will be the host of the Democratic National Convention, where the Democrats will officially nominate their presidential and vice presidential candidates. The number of Latinos in leadership positions at the convention underscores the record number of Latino delegates expected to arrive this weekend. Another historic note is the number of Latino women, such as convention CEO Lydia Carrillo, responsible for the organization of this event. Outside the convention center, meanwhile, the city braces for the arrival of protesters skeptical of the political promises being made inside. Carli Bracutto reports from Los Angeles.

Judge and professor Cruz Reynoso was honored this week with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian distinction awarded in the United States. Cruz Reynoso was the first Latino appointed to California's Supreme Court and is currently president of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Shortly before receiving this honor, Judge Reynoso spoke with Radio Bilingüe about the work that still needs to be done in the struggle for civil rights. Hugo Ordoñez has the details.

This year's presidential elections in Mexico and in the U.S. once again have brought the issue of immigration to the forefront. Some are calling for general amnesty for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Others speak of an open border between the two countries. For actor Edward James Olmos, migrating north is a right that every Latino lacking opportunities in his homeland should have the option to exercise. Olmos expressed these sentiments in a recent interview for Linea Abierta from Hollywood. Silvia Parra prepared this report.

August 18th

In Thursday's climactic culmination of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, Vice President Al Gore accepted his party's nomination as their candidate for United States president. In his acceptance speech, Gore, identifying himself as part of the "new Democratic guard," emphasized his ambitious social agenda, promising to achieve better conditions for working families, and vowing to strengthen social security and Medicare, and to fight to achieve universal health coverage for all. Maria Eraña has the details.

While thousands of Democratic delegates convened in Los Angeles this week at the party's national convention to officially nominate Al Gore as their presidential candidate, thousands of demonstrators from all over the country gathered outside to call attention to their diverse causes. Some protested the influence of corporate money on political campaigns, while others called for amnesty for undocumented immigrants. But, as our collaborator Carli Bracutto explains, although the demonstrations received plenty of attention from the police, it is yet to be seen if their messages were heard by the presidential candidates.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin diseases (NIAMS) announced recently a strategic initiative to reduce the disproportionate incidence of some rheumatic diseases among certain ethnic groups in the United States. Part of this plan includes the promotion of studies to further examine the links between socioeconomic factors, the effects of these diseases, and access to adequate treatment. The initiative, as Alejandro Glusman explains in this report, also seeks to examine whether low wages and a lack of information among Latinos and African-Americans contribute to this disparity.

August 25th

Mexican president-elect Vicente Fox wrapped up his visit to the United States and Canada this Friday. During his four day long trip, Fox met with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and President Clinton, as well as with presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush. Among the topics he came to discuss were his proposals to fuse the North American economies into one, in the style of the European Union, and to create an open Mexico-U.S. border--both of which were met with lukewarm reactions. Maria Eraña has this report.

Nearly one thousand people gathered at Los Angeles' Olvera Park this week to witness the moment when Gov. Gray Davis officially signed a law making March 31st Cesar Chavez Day. The late union leader thus becomes the first Latino in U.S. history to have an official holiday in his honor. Our correspondent Ana Lilia Barraza has the details.

Rents in San Francisco's Mission District, home to many of the city's Latino residents, have more than tripled in the last few months. Unable to afford the rising costs of living there, many working families, artists, and cultural institutions are being forced to move away from the neighborhood considered the heart of San Francisco. This not only has been the cause of depression among those forced to leave, as Silvia Parra explains, but is also worrying public health experts.

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