March 3rd

Every year, thousands of immigrants are recruited in California,Texas, and northern Mexico to work in the meat packing plants of the Midwest, particularly in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. What many of these workers don't know is that the increase of the pace of the of the production lines over the last twenty years has multiplied the number of accidents and illnesses associated with long term repetitive movements. Our collaborator Enriqueta Cisneros, from Brownsville, Texas, relates her experience working for National Beef, a plant in Liberal, Kansas.

Thousands of people have suffered heart attacks without ever realizing it. According to cardiologist Ismael Nuño, this is due to the fact that there exist many different types of heart attacks. A Latina who lived through this experience tells Citlali Saenz how she discovered she had heart problems and what she has learned from it.

Upon hearing the music of Senegalese artist Vieux Diop, the group Chuchumbe, from the Mexican state of Veracruz, in the Gulf of Mexico, decided to revisit the African origin of their musical roots. The musical synergy between these musicians from distant regions flowed naturally, as our correspondent in Mexico, Raul Silva, explains in this report.

March 10th

White House hopefuls will have to address issues dear to Latinos, and the Latino vote will become a key battleground in November's presidential race. Analysts comment after the presidential primary vote in California, and Citlali Saenz has the story.

The current prosperity in New York's Bronx area handily delivered a victory to Vice President Al Gore in this week's primaries. Voters credited the Clinton administration's policies for the good times. Correspondent Patricia Guadalupe was in New York for the Super Tuesday primary and files this report.

Mexican women ask to have their voices heard through the First National Forum on Women's Rights, a national symbolic consultation held throughout Mexico. Silvia Parra reports from San Cristobal de las Casas,in the state of Chiapas.

March 24th

This week, high ranking Clinton Administration officials met with
Mexican presidential contender Vicente Fox, candidate of conservative
opposition party National Action (PAN). Analysts see the fact that Fox is
the only opposition candidate ever received at the White House as a sign
that some in Washington consider him to have a good chance of winning next
July's presidential elections. Our correspondent in Washington, Patricia
Guadalupe, has this report.

In the 1990 census, an alarming number of children went uncounted.
This oversight resulted in a significant shortage of schools and hospitals
in Latino communities. For this reason, census officials and community
organizations in Florida are visiting schools and daycare centers all over
the state. Hirania Luzardo was at a daycare in Miami where one of these
visits took place and brings us this report.

The sounds of mariachi music are well-known in almost every corner of
the United States thanks to the efforts of the many musicians and mariachi
organizations that promote it throughout the country. Mariachi maestro Nati
Cano, an ambassador of this musical tradition, says that one of the reasons
mariachi music is gaining ground in the U.S. is its presentation in a
widening range of venues. One of the longest-running settings is Radio
Bilingüe's 18th Annual Viva el Mariachi Festival, which takes place this
weekend Citlali Saenz has the details.

March 31st

Physicians of color barely account for 5% of all health care professionals in the state of California. As a result of the shortage of doctors who speak their language and understand their cultural needs, many Latinos are left without proper medical attention. Health researchers offer some hope with programs designed to even the doctor to patient ratio in California. Our correspondent in Washington, Patricia Guadalupe, has this report.

In Florida, a plan enacted by Gov. Jeb Bush that effectively eliminated affirmative action programs has drawn large public demonstrations by those who say it discriminates against minorities. However, many people believe the governor's "One Florida" plan should be given a chance to be put to the test. Hirania Luzardo brings us this report from Miami.

Residents of rural communities in Acapulco, in the Mexican state of Guerrero, are complaining about the contamination emanating from the city dump. As the problems with garbage pick-up grow in this resort city, the dispute has taken on international dimensions with the recent lawsuit against the Mexican government by an American sanitation company contracted to clean up. Kent Patterson has the details.

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