Obama Won't Consider Vice Presidency
"You don't run for second. I don't believe in that," said Sen. Barack Obama to David Letterman on his CBS show, "Late Night with David Letterman." Letterman had asked Obama, who is in a battle with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, if he would consider being Clinton's vice presidential candidate. "That would be a powerful ticket," Letterman said. Obama said they were both in the race to win the Democratic presidential nomination. "What we're doing is trying out for quarterback," said Obama, according to CNN.com.
First Edwards, Now Obama, Clinton Sidestep FOX Debate
Besides agreeing that they're not campaigning for each other's vice-presidential post, Clinton and Obama also have agreed not to participate in FOX News Channel's Democratic presidential debates. Former Sen. John Edwards, another Democratic presidential contender, also said he would not participate in the FOX-sponsored debate. The debate is to take place Sept. 23 and also was sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Obama, Clinton and Edwards are the Democratic frontrunners for their party's presidential nomination. Both Clinton and Obama said they'd participate in debates sanctioned by their party. Obama, a member of the CBC, intends to participate in a debate cosponsored by the CBC Institute and CNN. "CNN seemed like a more appropriate host," Obama spokesperson Bill Burton said, reports The Associated Press.
Salma Hayek, MGM to Form Film Co. Together
Salma Hayek and MGM are forming a film company, Ventanazul, which will be a partnership between the Hollywood film and television studio and Hayek, Oscar nominated for her movie "Frida" and producer of the hit TV show "Ugly Betty." Ventanazul plans to make or acquire two to four independent films a year that draw on Latin themes, featuring Latinos and appealing to mainstream audiences. Hayek will serve as president and chief executive officer of Ventanazul, and her producing partner, Jose Tamez, will be president of production. "We want these movies to appeal to everyone, but we also hope to make Latino audiences proud," Hayek said, told Yahoonews.com.
PBS to Release Response to Latino Exclusion From WWII Doc
"THE WAR," a 14-hour documentary by Ken Burns about World War II scheduled to air on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) in September during Hispanic Heritage month, doesn't feature stories about Latinos, which has angered many educational leaders in the community. Their anger has become a nationwide protest called the Defend the Honor Campaign, which demanded that Burns re-edit his documentary to include Latino stories before it airs on PBS. While at first PBS's brass ignored their request, the national response is forcing the network to listen, and Defend the Honor is "cautiously optimistic about PBS's response," expected to be made later this week. Read more.
Universities Open Once-Black Scholarships to Whites
Numerous colleges and universities nationwide have chosen to open scholarships once designated for black students to white students in an effort to avoid lawsuits. For example, a scholarship created to boost black-student enrollment at Northeastern University will be open to white students, one of several policy changes the university has taken to avoid becoming the target of an anti-affirmative-action lawsuit. Such capitulation only serves to close opportunity for successful black students who use scholarships to help fund their college education. For more on the battle over affirmative action, read the April issue of DiversityInc magazine. Read more.
No More Black-and-White Proms
De facto segregation has been the tradition at Turner County High in Georgia with black and white students planning their own proms separate from each other. However, this year's four class officers, two black and two white, decided to enter the 21st century and break away from that segregationist tradition. But not everyone wants to. Only 80 of the 160 senior students have bought tickets to the integrated prom. "It's time for a change," responds James Hall, a 17-year-old black student who is the senior class president. Read more.
An Immigrant Bill of Rights
Hightstown, N.J., a borough of 5,300 residents that has seen an influx of at least 1,300 Latin Americans in recent years, unanimously approved what amounts to an immigrant bill of rights, following a federal raid in 2004 that scared many undocumented workers into seclusion. The bill of rights includes services such as free computer classes for undocumented immigrants. Now, with their rights spelled out, undocumented immigrants report crime, use the system to help overcome addictions such as alcoholism, and no longer live in the shadows. Read more.
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