LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT2. This is a live recording of the opening concert at the Las Americas Festival. This hour includes a performance by Viento de Agua, a group from Puerto Rico that celebrates Afro-Puertorican traditions of Bomba and Plena.

Guests:

Samuel Orozco, executive producer, Radio Bilingue, San Francisco, CA;

Max Baca and David Farias, Los Texmaniacs, San Antonio, TX;

Carlos Rojas, founding director and harp player, Grupo Cimarron de Colombia;

Paul Spring, Gary Spring, and Kathy Garcia, young students, visitors.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT1. This program features interviews with renowned Latin American musicians. The radio conversations took place during the opening ceremony of the Las Americas Festival at the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Guests:

Jose Uribe, director; Francisco Lujano, cuatro player and vocals; Juan Pantoja, vocals; Atalia Uribe de Roman, vocals and dancer, Grupo CUMACO, Venezuela;

Roman Ramos and Miguel Prado, co-directors, Arpex, Atwater, CA;

Tito Matos, director, and Luis Figueroa, member, Viento de Agua, San Juan, P.R.;

Juan Epifanio Bazan Rodriguez and Gladys Beatriz Bazan Garcia, Currulao percussionist and singer, Cantadoras del Pacifico, Colombia.

ROOTS MUSICIANS: LIVE FROM WASHINGTON. This live broadcast kicks off Línea Abierta’s special coverage of the Las Americas Festival, as the folklife event culminates four seasons of celebrations of Latino music as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. Hosted by Chelis López in the studios of Capitol News Connection, this roundtable features leaders of folk music groups that gather at the National Mall for a cultural dialogue. Organizers of the event talk about how music from the Latino grassroots helps bring this nation together.

Guests:

Daniel Sheehy, Director, Festival de las Americas, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC;

Juan Emilio Martinez and Noel Rosado, Viento de Agua, San Juan, PR.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT2. Joropo musicians of Grupo Cimarrón de Colombia headline again this live recording from the National Mall. They are followed by Viento de Agua, a group Puerto Rico that celebrates Bomba and Plena.

Guests:

Isabel Torres, visitor to the festival, ecuatorian living in Washington, DC;

Darwin Medina, Cuatro player, Grupo Cimarron de Colombia.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT 1. This is a live recording of the second day of concerts at the Las Americas Festival’s Folkways Salon at the National Mall. This segment includes a live performance by maestros Marcelo Rojas and Alvaro Marazzi, leading performers of the traditional Paraguayan harp. Also, Grupo Cimarron de Colombia begins a concert in this hour.

Guests:

Marcelo Rojas, harp player, Paraguay;

Alvaro Marazzi, guitar player, Washington, DC

ROOTS MUSICIANS. This is a live roundtable conversation featuring interviews with musicians and organizers of the Smithsonian Institution’s Las Americas Festival in Washington, DC.

Guests:

Ruby Oceguera, tarima dancer, Son de Madera, Veracruz, MX;

Roman Ramos and Miguel Prado, co-directors, Arpex, Merced, CA;

ALSO, SUMMIT ON IMMIGRATION REFORM. Marco Vinicio Gonzalez sends a live report from the White House, minutes after the closing of the first session on immigration reform between President Obama and congressiona leaders.

Marco Vinicio Gonzalez, News reporter, White House, Washington, DC.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT 2. This segment begins with a concert by Arpex, a group of musicians from Central California that promotes the music of Arpa Grande, a harp popular in Mexican Western state of Michoacán. It also includes a fragment of the performance by maestros Paraguayan harp maestros Marcelo Rojas and Alvaro Marazzi.

Guests:

Monico Marquez, director, Maestros del Joropo Oriental, Venezuela;

Eduardo Diaz, director, Smithsonian Latino Center, Washington, DC.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL: LIVE. PT1. Maestros del Joropo Oriental, a group of leading performers of Joropo, the national music of Venezuela, are showcased in a live concert in this special edition of Línea Abierta from Washington, DC. The concert is a production of the Smithsonian Institution.

Guest:

Monico Marquez, director, Maestros del Joropo Oriental, Venezuela.

ROOTS MUSICIANS. Legendary grassroots musicians who are gathered in Washington for the Las Americas Festival join this live roundtable to share stories about their unlikely journey from the barrios, mountains or plains around the Spanish-speaking world to the U.S. capital. In this program, members of three ensembles talk about the debate on the need to conserve or innovate musical traditions.

Guests:

Orangel "Pangue" Maestre, accordion player and director, Estrellas del Vallenato, Colombia;

Juan Pablo Garcia Ramos, singer, La India Canela, Dominican Republic;

Carlos Enrique Riascos, marimba player, Juan Epifanio Bazan, drummer, Cantadoras del Pacifico, Colombia.

ALSO, CALL FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM. Rep. Xavier Becerra and social organizer Frank Sharry comment on the naming of a group by President Obama to work with Congress on immigration reform. Reporter Marco Vinicio Gonzalez filed this report from the White House.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL. This segment includes a live concert by the Colombian ensemble Estrellas del Vallenato, and concludes with a fragment of Viento de Agua, from Puerto Rico.

Guests:

Ana Francisca Hernandez, Maria Juana Angulo, Carlina Andrade, Cantadoras del Pacifico, Colombia.

LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL. This concert recorded live at the National Mall headlines the music of traditional Afro-Venezuelan Grupo CUMACO (Cuero, Madera and Costa), a band from the Venezuelan coast region of Aragua that gets its name from a large drum that is traditional to this area. The hour culminates with Estrellas del Vallenato, maestros of the vallenato tradition from Colombia.

Guests:

Rene Lopez, academic researcher, producer and adviser, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC;

Atalia Uribe de Roman and Carmen Camacho Ferrer, Grupo CUMACO, Venezuela.

ROOTS MUSICIANS. In this pre-taped roundtable hosted by guest host Chelis López, folk musicians who headline the Latino music festival at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, comment on the impact and future of their music. This program includes an interview with Lidia María Hernández López, a.k.a., La India Canela, an accordion player from the highlands of the Dominican Republic who has gained recognition as a top performer of meringue típico. The program culminates with a conversation with Ana Veydo, singer and dancer of Grupo Cimarron, who has gained international recognition as interpreter of canto recio from the plains of Colombia.

Guests:

La India Canela, accordion player and star singer, Republica Dominicana;

Ana Veydo, singer and dancer, Grupo Cimarron, Colombia.

ECOS DE BORINQUEN – HOLIDAY SPECIAL. Narrated by guest host Chelis López, this program showcases a concert of the Grammy-nominated Puerto Rican ensemble Ecos de Borinquen. The concert was recorded this summer, at the Smithsonian Institution’s Las Americas Festival in Washington, DC. Ecos de Borinquen brings the best of today’s música jíbara, music from the mountainous regions of Puerto Rico, interpreted by six top-flight musicians from the island. Stringed instruments and sung poetic forms that date back hundreds of years to Spanish prototypes are combined with the Caribbean percussion sounds of the güiro rasp and hand drums.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

MARIACHI LOS CAMPEROS DE NATI CANO - Native of Ahuisculco, Jalisco, in Mexico, and National Heritage Fellow, Nati Cano celebrates more than forty years of directing his highly accomplished Mariachi Los Camperos of Los Angeles. In addition to preserving a rock solid "mariachi sound," Grammy-award winner Cano has been a pioneer in his musical acts, as well as in his business endeavors.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

CANTADORAS DEL PACIFICO - The marimba is a vivid legacy of African presence in Latin America. Only on the Pacific coast of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador does it keep its close ties to a strongly African culture. Hailing from small towns along the Colombian coast, the seasoned women singers of Cantadoras del Pacífico raise their voices to the accompaniment of marimba and drums, performing their distinctive musical styles known collectively as currulao.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

MARIACHI CHULA VISTA - In 2001, Mark Fogelquist founded the mariachi program at Chula Vista High School in San Diego, California. In learning to play traditional Mexican mariachi music, Fogelquist’s students have developed a sense of self, heritage, and pride. Now one of the best student mariachi groups in the country, the Chula Vista Mariachi performs in over one hundred shows a year.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

LA CHANCHONA LOS HERMANOS LOVO - A Northern Virginia spin-off of an award-winning group in their home country of El Salvador, Los Hermanos Lovo perform danceable cumbias and rancheras at family events and restaurants in the area. The seven-piece ensemble—with its two violins, two guitars, percussion, and bass—takes its name from its large bass, which resembles a chanchona, or sow.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

LOS CAMPEROS DE VALLES - A trio of Mexico's finest musicians in the son huasteco style from the northeastern Mexican cattle-herding region known as La Huasteca. Their sound is marked by hard-edged, improvised violin playing, driving guitar rhythms, and high-pitched singing with falsetto breaks. Dance forms an integral part of the son huasteco. Renowned lyricist and dancer Artemio Posadas, accompanied by Dolores García, performs with the trio.

http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

LOS TEXMANIACS - A modern spin on the traditional conjunto sound from South Texas. The quartet adds blues and rock-and-roll influences to the traditional pairing of button accordion and bajo sexto. Moreover, Los Texmaniacs explore their instruments to find new ways of interpreting the sounds of the Texas-Mexico border.
http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

ALL OUR DAUGHTERS. Up to six out of every ten women in the world experience physical or sexual violence at one time in their lives, according to the United Nations. This program, hosted by San Francisco Bay Area collaborator, Chelis Lopez, looks at some of the ways women are marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, including a community healing and arts performance entitled “They Are All Our Daughters! /¡Todas Son Nuestras Hijas!”

Guest: MamaCoAtl, Activist and artist,
San Francisco, CA, http://www.myspace.com/mamacoatl

DOBBS RESIGNS. Lou Dobbs has resigned from CNN, after more than 100,000 people joined in a nationwide effort to oust the anti-immigrant commentator. The message sent to CNN, right as they launched the special coverage Latino in America, was that Latino viewers were not going to be attracted to a network that broadcast Dobbs’ hate messages. One of the campaign’s organizers joins this edition to discuss what’s next for the civic initiative. Chelis López hosts this program from San Francisco.

Guest: Roberto Lovato, Co-founder, Presente.org, New York, NY. http://www.presente.org/

LOS CAMPEROS DE VALLES – HOLIDAY SPECIAL. A trio of Mexico's finest musicians in the son huasteco style from the northeastern Mexican cattle-herding region known as La Huasteca. Their sound is marked by hard-edged, improvised violin playing, driving guitar rhythms, and high-pitched singing with falsetto breaks. Dance forms an integral part of the son huasteco. Renowned lyricist and dancer Artemio Posadas, accompanied by Dolores García, performs with the trio. This concert was originally recorded at the Las Américas Festival, the Latino music component of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which took place in Washington, D.C.

http://festivalnuestramusica.com

LA CHANCHONA LOS HERMANOS LOVO - A Northern Virginia spin-off of an award-winning group in their home country of El Salvador, Los Hermanos Lovo perform danceable cumbias and rancheras at family events and restaurants in the area. The seven-piece ensemble—with its two violins, two guitars, percussion, and bass—takes its name from its large bass, which resembles a chanchona, or sow. This concert was originally recorded at the Las Américas Festival, the Latino music component of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which took place in Washington, D.C.

http://festivalnuestramusica.com

MAMMOGRAMS AT 50. A health panel recently recommended that women wait until age 50 to begin getting mammograms. The controversial recommendations come at a time when many healthcare workers have reported seeing more cases of breast cancer among young women, particularly Latinas. This edition is hosted by Chelis López in San Francisco.

Guests: Maria Rubio, Program Coordinator, Latina Breast Cancer Agency, San Francisco, CA, www.latinabca.org ; Brenda Salgado, Former program manager, Breast Cancer Action, Oakland, CA, www.bcaction.org ; Dr. Ana Maria López, Oncologist, Arizona Cancer Center, www.azcc.arizona.edu , Researcher, National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov, Phoenix, AZ.

LOS TEXMANIACS - A modern spin on the traditional conjunto sound from South Texas. The quartet adds blues and rock-and-roll influences to the traditional pairing of button accordion and bajo sexto. Moreover, Los Texmaniacs explore their instruments to find new ways of interpreting the sounds of the Texas-Mexico border. This program was originally recorded at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

CANTADORAS DEL PACIFICO - The marimba is a vivid legacy of African presence in Latin America. Only on the Pacific coast of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador does it keep its close ties to a strongly African culture. Hailing from small towns along the Colombian coast, the seasoned women singers of Cantadoras del Pacífico raise their voices to the accompaniment of marimba and drums, performing their distinctive musical styles known collectively as currulao. This program was originally recorded at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival., http://festivalnuestramusica.com/

COUNTING ON LATINOS. Latinos are now the largest ethnic minority in the United States, but they remain undercounted by the Census. Officials say they hope to do a better job during this year’s population count, yet the bureau has already been criticized for poor translation and lack of effective outreach. A better count could make the difference for community clinics that receive federal subsidies. Graciela “Chelis” López hosts this edition from San Francisco.

Guests: Raul Cisneros, Spokesperson, 2010 Census, Washington, D.C. http://2010.census.gov/ ; Brenda Storey, Executive Director, Mission Neighborhood Health Center, San Francisco, CA, http://www.mnhc.org/

HEART HEALTHY LATINAS. Latinas have high rates of diabetes and are more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white women. Yet Latinas have lower rates of heart disease and stroke, and they live longer than non-Hispanic white women. This is one of the findings included in Dr. Jane Delgado’s Latina Guide to Health, which offers health facts and advice for Latinas. Chelis Lopez hosts this edition from San Francisco.

Guest: Dr. Jane Delgado, Director, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Washington, D.C., www.hispanichealth.org , http://www.newmarketpress.com/title.asp?id=906

"RACE TO THE TOP." More than 40 states have applied for about five billion dollars in funding for President Obama’s plan to overhaul the public education system. Under the plan, schools are required to close the student achievement gap and send more kids to college. Critics complain about the support for more charter schools and the stricter demands on teachers' performance. Chelis Lopez hosts this edition from San Francisco.

Guest: Santiago V. Wood, Executive Director; National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), Washington DC, http://www.nabe.org/

ALSO, JUAREZ FAMILIES SEEK ASYLUM. After 16 teenagers were killed at a birthday party in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, family members crossed the border into El Paso, Texas to ask for asylum. This is the latest chapter in a saga of Mexican nationals fleeing from drug-trafficking violence in the region. Chelis Lopez hosts this edition from San Francisco.

Guest: Carlos Spector, Immigration Attorney, El Paso, TX

REDUCE TOXICS, SAVE MONEY. A new report shows that Americans would be healthier and would save money if they had less exposure to toxic chemicals. Environmental activists are advocating for a reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act, which they say would save the U.S. five billion dollars a year in healthcare costs. Chelis Lopez hosts this edition from San Francisco.

Guests: Martha Arguello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles Chapter, Los Angeles, CA, http://www.psr.org/ ; Juan Parras, Executive Director, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, Houston, TX, http://www.tejasbarrios.org ; Rosario, Mother of boy with leukemia, Manchester, TX.

FARMWORKER PROTECTIONS REINSTATED. U.S. Secretary of labor Hilda Solis announced new rules for temporary, foreign farm workers, which would reinstate these workers the right to minimum wage and would require stricter government oversight of employers. These rules had been eliminated in the last days of the Bush administration. Farmworker organizations hail the changes, while growers say they are too costly.

Guests: Erik Nicholson, Pacific Northwest Regional Director, United Farm Workers, Tacoma, WA, www.ufw.org ; Baldemar Velasquez, President, Farm Labor Organizing Committee, Toledo, OH, www.floc.com

ALSO, HARVEST OF LONELINESS. The Bracero Program brought hundreds of thousands of men from Mexico to work in the fields of the United States between 1942 and 1964. A new documentary, “Harvest of Loneliness,” brings to light the conditions under which these guest workers lived, using testimonials with survivors of that massive contracting program.

CREDIT CARD LAW. A new credit card law attempts to protect consumers from rate increases and other punitive practices. Consumer advocates call for cardholders to read the fine print in their agreements. The law would also impact college students, since credit card companies will be prohibited from getting a card to consumers younger than 21 unless they have an income to pay the bills.

Guests: Diana Farrell, Deputy Director, National Economic Council of the White House, Washington, D.C., http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nec ; Vicky García, Vice President of Operations, Latino Community Credit Union, Durham, NC, www.latinoccu.org/en

ALSO, FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE. Parents who want their children to attend university this fall have to fill out a federal form for financial aid. The deadlines, which vary by state, are just around the corner.

Guest: Uvaldo Calderón, Financial Advisor, UC Merced, Merced, CA, www.fafsa.ed.gov, www.pin.ed.gov

LOCKED OUT: CHILDREN AND FORECLOSURE. More than 1 million Latino families are expected to lose their homes between 2009 and 2012. A new report shows Latino children and families that have lost their homes to foreclosure suffer long-term psychological and social trauma.

Guests: Roberto Quercia, Director of Center for Community Capital, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, http://www.planning.unc.edu ; Valeria Fernández, Correspondent, Phoenix, Arizona, Andrea Risotto, Spokesperson, Treasury Department, Washington, D.C. www.makinghomeaffordable.gov

OBESITY WITHOUT BORDERS. Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic both in the U.S. and in Mexico. Legislators on both sides of the border are struggling to find ways to increase children’s access to healthy food and beverages and their daily exercise. This is a simultaneous broadcast with the three-station network of the Sistema Jalisciense de Radio y Televisión in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Guests: Sen. Ernesto Saro Boardman, President of Health Commission, Senate of Mexico, Mexico City; Sen. Alex Padilla, Chair of the Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes, California Legislature, Sacramento, CA; Luz Elvia Vera Becerra, Nutritionist, UC Davis, Davis, CA.

TOXIC SCHOOLS. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that half of the students who attend public schools in the U.S. may be exposed to polluted air, lead, asbestos, pesticides, and other toxins. A recent investigation by the AP showed a large number of the nation’s schools also have polluted drinking water. This edition explores what people are doing to green their schools.

Guests: Guillermo Gómez, Chicago Director, Healthy Schools Campaign, Chicago, IL, www.healthyschoolscampaign.org

MASSIVE ACTION FOR EDUCATION. In an unprecedented day of demonstrations, students, teachers, parents, and workers take to the streets to protest budget cuts and layoffs affecting public education all over the country. The organizers pledge to continue actions demanding that more money for education could come from taxing big companies and reducing prison and war spending.

Guests: Antonio Ginatta, Advisor to the Governor of the State of Washington, Former Executive Director of State Commission of Hispanic Affairs, Olympia, WA;

Gaby Madriz, National Field Associate, United States Student Association, Washington, D.C. www.usstudents.org;

Francisco Rodriguez, Vice President, California Fedration of Teachers, Watsonville, CA, www.cft.org

DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL. The Obama administration is proposing to do away with legislation that bars people who are openly gay or lesbian from military service. The current law prohibits the military from investigating members’ sexual orientation unless they reveal it themselves. According to some estimates, around 1000 men and women are thrown out of the military every year for being gay.

Guests: Omar Lopez, Former soldier thrown out of Army for being gay, Austin, TX; Louis Caldera, Former Secretary of U.S. Army, Center for American Progress, Washington, D.C. www.americanprogress.org

CENSUS LAUNCH. 2010 Census forms will be arriving at 120 million households across the nation this week. For the first time ever, the Census Bureau is also sending 13 million bilingual questionnaires in English and Spanish. Meanwhile, community groups call for a suspension on immigration raids to encourage immigrant households to return their census forms.

Guests: Armando Mendoza, Area Manager (Los Angeles), Census Bureau Los Angeles, CA. http://www.census.gov/ ; Araceli Barcelo, Area Manager (Fresno), Census Bureau Fresno, CA. http://www.census.gov/ ; Erica Bernal, Program Director, National Association of Latino Elected Officials, Los Angeles, CA. www.naleo.org/ ; Arnoldo Garcia Program Director, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Oakland, CA. www.nnirr.org

DONATING ORGANS: MYTH VERSUS FACT. Organ donation can save lives, but there are still not enough donors to meet the demand. Latino donors are even harder to find. Promoters of organ donation say many Latinos are dissuaded from organ donation because they believe the Catholic Church doesn’t support organ donation or they believe organs are harvested from people before they are pronounced brain dead. This program is in collaboration with the series Health Dialogues of KQED, San Francisco's public radio.

Guests: Esther Padilla, Donor After Care Services Coordinator, California Transplant Donor Network, Fresno, CA, www.ctdn.org ; German Amezcua, Father of 9-year-old organ donor Sebastián Amezcua, Fresno, CA; Nick Razo, Liver transplant recipient, Berkeley, CA.

TAX BREAKS. The deadline for filing taxes fast approaches. New and increased tax benefits for 2009 include college tax benefits for parents and students, credits for homeowners who install solar hot water heaters or other energy-saving devices, and tax breaks for home buyers and car buyers. This program also explores how the Earned Income Tax Credit can help families that are hit by job losses during this recession.

Guests: Deborah Guajardo, Spokesperson, IRS, Long Beach, CA, www.irs.gov ; Dairo Romero, Community Organizing and Advocacy Program, Mission Economic Development Agency, San Francisco, CA, www.medasf.org

MASSIVE RALLY IN WASHINGTON. Immigrants and immigrant-rights organizations in communities around the country get ready for a rally on the National Mall on March 21 to pressure President Obama and Congress to take leadership in passing immigration reform legislation.

Guests: Mary Moreno, Spokesperson, March for America, Washington, D.C. http://reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/march-index/ ; Tania Unzueta, Reporter, Radio Arte, Chicago, IL. Wrte.org ; Kendra Anderson, Organizer, One America, Seattle, WA. www.weareoneamerica.org ; Jorge-Mario Cabrera, Spokesperson, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Los Angeles, CA. www.chirla.org ; Cristina Sanchez, Housewife, Detroit, Michigan

MARCH FOR AMERICA. Linea Abierta broadcasts live from the “March for America,” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Thousands of protesters descend on Washington to demand comprehensive immigration reform. In this hour, Graciela "Chelis" López, host of Línea Abierta, and Rosalba Piña, attorney specializing in immigration and host of Linea Abierta’s Immigration Edition, interview protesters from California, Michigan, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

MARCH FOR AMERICA – SECOND HOUR. As dozens of thousands of immigrants and immigrant rights activists fill the National Mall to demand immigration reform, Graciela “Chelis” López and Rosalba Piña interview protesters, activists, columnists, and civil rights leaders from around the country.

MARCH FOR AMERICA: THIRD HOUR. More than 200,000 immigrant rights activists fill the National Mall to demand action on immigration reform. Several Latino congresspeople speak, and a surprise video appearance from President Obama tops off the historic rally. Graciela “Chelis” López and Rosalba Piña co-host this edition from Washington, D.C.

MARCH FOR AMERICA. More than 200,000 immigrant rights activists fill the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to demand action on immigration reform. A surprise video appearance from President Obama and speeches from several congresspeople top off the historic rally. Graciela “Chelis” López and Rosalba Piña co-host this edition from Washington, D.C. This program is a repeat of one hour taped live at the march.

HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM. President Obama has signed a health reform bill into law that has been described as the biggest change to the medical system since Medicare was created in 1965. This is a roundtable discussion taped at Clínica del Pueblo, a bilingual health center that provides free care to Latinos in D.C. on what will change for community clinics in low-income barrios and for the millions of uninsured Latinos.

Guests: Azucena Camarillo, House cleaner, Patient of La Clínica del Pueblo, Hyattsville, MD; Alicia Wilson, Executive Director, La Clínica del Pueblo, Washington, D.C., www.lcdp.org ; Juan Carlos Ruiz, Advocacy Director, Latino Federation of Greater Washington, Washington, DC, www.latinofederation.org ; Héctor Sánchez, Director of Policy & Research, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Washington, DC, www.lclaa.org ; Dr. Leonel Flores, Health Program Manager, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, http://medschool.umaryland.edu

HISTORIC IMMIGRATION RALLY. More than 200,000 immigrants and immigrant rights activists filled the National Mall on March 21 to urge for immigration reform. In this segment, originally recorded live from the stage of the rally, Graciela “Chelis” López and Rosalba Piña interview protesters, activists, columnists, and renowned civil rights leaders from around the country.

THE INS AND OUTS OF HEALTHCARE REFORM. After months of debate, the United States has a historic healthcare reform law. Among other benefits, the law requires insurance companies to cover children with pre-existing conditions and prohibits companies from cancelling insurance after a person gets sick. Other portions of the law, such as subsidies for the uninsured to buy health insurance, won’t go into effect for several years.

Guests: Rubén Cantú, Program Director, California Pan-ethnic Health Network, Oakland, CA, www.cpehn.org ; Dra. Annette Ramirez de Arellano, Vice President, Latinos for National Health Insurance, Washington D.C., www.latinosnhi.org ; Cecilia Muñoz, Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Washington D.C., http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/iga

COUNTING THE YOUTH. Community organizations are pushing to promote the census among Latino youth, giving away free downloads of songs on the internet in exchange for pledges to participate in the census, and organizing live concerts. Organizers hope that the youth will not only count themselves in the Census, but that they will also encourage parents and other family members to participate.

Guests: Jesús Malverde, Project Manager, Voto Latino, Los Ángeles, CA, www.votolatino.org ; Victoria López, Civic participation director, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Los Angeles, CA, www.carecen-la.org ; Jackie Amparo, Academic Coordinator, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Los Angeles, CA, www.chirla.org

HELP FOR UNDERWATER HOMES. The federal government is looking into helping homeowners modify their principal amount owed, and not just interest rates and monthly payment amounts. If such a plan is put into place, it could help unemployed homeowners, and those whose houses are now worth less than when they began to make payments.

Guests: Andrea Risotto, Spokesperson, U.S. Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C. www.ustreas.gov ; Valeria Fernández, Correspondent, Radio Bilingüe, Phoenix, AZ; Roberto Quercia, Director, Center for Community Capital, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. http://www.planning.unc.edu ; Cristina Miranda, Representative, Fannie Mae, Washington, D.C. www.fanniemae.com

STUDENT LOAN OVERHAUL. Approximately two-thirds of college students use loans to help finance their education, incurring an average of around $20,000 of debt. A new reform signed into law by President Obama will put the department of education directly in charge of distributing loans, lower payments for low-income borrowers, and allow loans to be forgiven in a shorter period of time. In addition, the new law will expand the federal Pell grant program, and increase funding for minority-serving institutions.

Guests: Gaby Madriz, National Field Associate, United States Student Association, Washington, D.C. http://www.usstudents.org/ ; Laura Maristany, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities, Washington, D.C. http://www.hacu.net

CLEANING THE AIR IN A RECESSION. California’s historic greenhouse gas emissions law is being fought tooth-and-nail by businesses, which are funding a ballot initiative to delay the law until the state cuts its unemployment rate in half. Even so, the law, known as AB 32, has created a snowball effect nationwide, sparking emissions regulations in other states and national rulings to lower ozone standards.

Guests: Javier Sierra, Columnist and Spokesperson, Sierra Club, Arlington, VA. www.sierraclub.org ; Veronica Rodriguez, Spokesperson, California High Speed Rail Authority, Sacramento, CA. www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov ; Nidia Bautista, Policy Director, Coalition for Clean Air, Sacramento, CA. http://www.coalitionforcleanair.org ; Lisa Hoyos, Coordinator, Apollo Alliance, San Francisco, CA. apolloalliance.org

LATINOS TAKE A STAND ON CLIMATE CHANGE. Studies show that an overwhelming majority of Latino voters consider global warming a serious problem, and Latino communities are among the most likely to be affected by air pollution. Yet Latino groups say they are underrepresented in the public debate on climate change and global warming. This edition, to commemorate Earth Day, takes a look at how Latino communities will be affected by possible changes to emissions laws, and what some Latinos are doing to stand out in the climate change debate.

Guests: Manuel Pastor, Director, Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. http://college.usc.edu/pere/home/ ; Rafael Fantauzzi, Chair, National Latino Coalition on Climate Change, Washington, D.C. http://latinocoalitiononclimatechange.org

IOWA PLANT OFFICIALLY CLOSES. The John Morrell meatpacking plant in Sioux City, IA officially closed its doors this month, leaving nearly 1500 workers to fend for themselves. What will the workers do now? Is help available for them? And how will this closure affect the rest of the community?

Guests: Tony Gómez, Commissioner, Dakota County, South Sioux City, NE. http://www.dakotacountyne.org/ ; Verónica Jiménez, José Luis Arreola, Gabriel and Blanca Azpeitia, Former workers, John Morrell Plant, Sioux City, IA.

REPUBLICAN “CENSUS DOCUMENT” SPARKS COMPLAINTS. The Republican National Committee is reportedly sending out a fundraising mailer that identifies itself as a “census document”, then asks for people to answer questions on political views and send in donations. Democrats in Congress say the mailer could reduce the response rate for the actual Census, which begins its door-to-door count this week.

Guests: Ricardo A. Ramírez, Regional Press Secretary, Democratic National Committee, Washington, D.C. www.democrats.org ; Efren Salinas, Media Specialist, Census Office, South Texas, McAllen, TX. www.census.gov ; Nancy Agosto, National Census Director, Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund (MALDEF), Los Angeles, CA. http://www.maldef.org/ ; Lupita Figuereido, Spokesperson, Census Office, Northern California, Oakland, CA. www.census.gov

MOTHERS INDEX. The United States scored in 28th place worldwide on a list of the best countries for mothers, in part because it has one of the shortest and least well-paid maternity leaves, and women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than in most other developed countries. Meanwhile, in several Latin American countries, such as Bolivia and Honduras, midwives are helping to drastically reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Guests: Christopher Behr, Associate Director, Latin America & Caribbean Operations, Save the Children, Washington, D.C., www.savethechildren.org ; Elisa Batista, Founding member, MomsRising, Berkeley, CA. www.momsrising.org ; Miriam Pérez, Founder, Radical Doula, Washington, D.C., www.radicaldoula.com

OIL SPILL IN LOUISIANA. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to surpass the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill and become the largest disaster of its kind in history. The spill is wrecking havoc on Louisiana’s wetlands and fishing industry, and raising concerns over workplace safety, as well as sparking renewed debate over the safety and sustainability of oil and calls for more efficient fuel economy.

Guests: Dolores Bernal, Reporter, New Orleans, LA; Claudio Martínez, Clean Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists, Chicago, IL, www.ucsusa.org ; Darlene Kattan, Executive Director, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, Nuevo Orleans, LA, www.hccl.biz ; Dean Wilson, Executive Director, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, Baton Rouge, LA, http://basinkeeper.org ; John Curry, Spokesman, British Petroleum, Houston, TX, www.bp.com

GIVING KIDS A CHANCE. Latino children are at higher risk for living in poverty, lacking health insurance, dropping out of high school, and being incarcerated. Studies show that a good preschool education can improve high school graduation and university admissions rates, yet the economic recession is threatening many public preschool programs, especially in states with high Latino populations. National organizations are calling for urgent policy changes to give Latino kids a better chance at becoming successful adults.

Guests: Dr. Patricia Foxen, Associate Director of Research, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Washington, D.C., www.nclr.org ; Gloria Corral, Deputy Director, First Five San Francisco, www.first5sf.org

COUNTING ALL COMMUNITIES. The 2000 Census was one of the best population counts, but it still left out thousands of Latinos, immigrants, and poor communities. This program takes a look at what the Census Bureau is doing in 2010 to count all segments of the population, and how the census can help us understand the nation’s social problems from a historical viewpoint.

Guests: Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor, Los Angeles, CA; Robert Ross, President, The California Endowment; Angelo Falcón, Member, U.S. Census Bureau's Hispanic Advisory Committee, New York, NY, http://www.census.gov/cac/race_ethnic_advisory_committees/hispanic_advis... ; Rogelio Saenz, Profesor de Sociología, Universidad de Texas A&M, College Station, TX, http://sociweb.tamu.edu/

COUNTING ON YOUTH. Efforts around the country are focusing on trying to get youth counted in the Census. Some young people involved say this is a way to get more involved in government to push for the changes they want to see, in terms of civil rights, immigration reform, and education, among other issues.

Guests: Maria Teresa Kumar, Co-founder and Executive Director, Voto Latino, Washington, D.C., www.votolatino.org ; Jesus Orrantia, Specialist, Hispanic Community, Census Bureau's Denver Regional, Office, Denver, CO, Laura Gonzalez, Journalism Student, California State University in Northridge Los Angeles, CA, www.elnuevosol.net ; Maria Delgado, Student, South Gate High School, Los Angeles, CA, http://www.southgatehs.org/

SENIORS ON THE EDGE. Around 90 percent of Latino and African-American seniors live on the edge of financial collapse, according to a new study. The economic recession is making it even harder for these elders, already struggling with high costs of housing and healthcare and inadequate pensions.

Guests: Andrés Castillo, Project Manager for Financial Security, Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP), Washington, D.C., http://www.aarp.org ; Leticia Miranda, Associate Director of Economic and Employment Policy, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Washington D.C. www.nclr.org ; Antonia Corona, Gregorio Baeza, and Guillermina Jiménez, Senior citizens, Oakland, CA.

SOWING JUSTICE. At 78, Cruz Reynoso has been fighting for five decades for justice for all and an end to discrimination. A new film, “Cruz Reynoso: Sowing the Seeds of Justice” follows his life from his childhood in a family of farmworkers to his work as a lawyer and law professor, his appointment as the first Latino justice to serve on the California Supreme Court, and his leadership role in the investigation of voting rights abuses in the 2000 election in Florida.

Guests: Cruz Reynoso, Former California Supreme Court Justice, Professor Emeritus of Law, University of California, Davis, CA, http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/; Ken Schneider, Filmmaker and editor, Patchworksfilms, San Francisco, CA, www.patchworksfilms.net

JAZZING UP MARIACHI MUSIC. In the 1940s and ‘50s, Miguel Martínez changed mariachi music forever, from folk music that mostly highlighted string instruments to a music marked first by a single trumpet and later by a trumpet duet. Maestro Martínez was the main individual responsible for this, beginning in the early 1940s. His trumpet is featured on several thousand recordings now considered classics, by artists such as Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, Lola Beltrán, Amalia Mendoza, Miguel Aceves Mejía, José Alfredo Jiménez and Los Panchos, among many others.

RED FLAGS FOR THE CENSUS. Even though the 2010 Census is expected to be the most accurate population count ever in the United States, there are communities still lagging behind. While rural counties in the upper Midwest have had the highest response rates, some counties in the Southwest, such as Zapata County in South Texas, only returned ¼ of their census forms. What do census takers need to do to count everyone in Zapata and other red-flag communities?

Guests: Raul Cisneros, Spokesperson, 2010 Census, Washington, D.C., www.census.gov ; Ramona Casas, Community Organizer, A Resource in Serving Equality (ARISE), Alamo, TX, http://www.arisesotex.org/ARISEHome.asp ; Anna Frachou, Assistant Director, Puentes New Orleans, Inc. New Orleans, LA, www.puentesno.org ; Sandra Isabel Moya, Coordinator, SCO Queens Single Stop Program, Corona, New York, http://www.singlestopusa.org

APPEAL TO STAKEHOLDERS OF OIL GIANT. At least four people were arrested today during a mass protest outside a meeting of Chevron shareholders in Houston, Texas. The oil-giant is the largest corporation in California and the third-largest corporation in the nation. In the face of global warming and the present oil spill crisis, scientists and environmentalists urge to move away from oil as an energy resource, yet oil-giant Chevron had a 25% increase in revenues last year. Protesters say Chevron's extraction practices have provoked gross human rights abuses, wars, pollution, and economic injustice.

CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. California is said to be key to closing the digital divide, with tens of thousands of square miles without internet connection, and millions of urban poor and disadvantaged communities lacking the computers and affordable connections to the Internet. Radio listeners are encouraged to call in and share their needs and challenges they face to getting online.

Guest: Luis Arteaga, Director of Emerging Markets, California Emerging Technology Fund, San Francisco, CA. www.cetfund.org

A MARIACHI PIONEER. Don Miguel Martínez, known as the “Father of the mariachi trumpet,” has written his autobiography, “My life, my travels, my experiences: Seven decades in mariachi music,” still unpublished, including anecdotes all the way back to the first time he held a trumpet in his hands. This edition of Linea Abierta offers an up-close and personal conversation with Don Miguel about his life.

Guests: Miguel Martínez, Mariachi trumpet pioneer from Mexico City, Oakland, CA; Jonathan Clark, Mariachi musician, historian and editor of Miguel Martinez' autobiography, Livingston, CA.

CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS PRIMER. The state of California has eight positions elected by voters. A large number of Latinos this year are running for some of those positions, including Superintendent of Education, Attorney General, Deputy Governor, and Insurance Commissioner. This is a roundtable discussion about the candidates and the propositions on the state ballot, which could affect car insurance, power diversification, and public funds for campaigns of candidates who run for political office, among other issues. Guest analysts explore how to read the ballot and discuss issues of interest to the nation.

Guests: Araceli Martínez, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, Sacramento, CA, Gabriel Lerner, State Editor, Diario La Opinión, www.impre.com/laopinion/ ; Jesús Malverde, Youth Outreach Coordinator, Voto Latino, Los Ángeles, CA. www.votolatino.org

FINANCIAL REFORM. After months of negotiation, the two houses of Congress are now negotiating to come up with a final financial reform bill, that proponents say will regulate Wall Street and help protect consumers from abuse in credit cards, home loans, car loans, student loans and remittances that migrants send back home. Will the bill be able to rein on the sharks of Wall Street? What does it mean for U.S. families and consumers?

Guests: José Dante Parra, Spokesperson, Office of the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, Washington, D.C., Dr. Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, Researcher, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, Adolfo A. Franco, Vice President for Global Regulatory Affairs, Direct Selling Association, Washington, D.C. http://www.dsa.org ; Louis Caldera, Senior Fellow, American Center for Progress, Washington, D.C. http://www.americanprogress.org

SPARKS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. President Obama meets with Arizona governor Jan Brewer to discuss state law SB 1070. Following the passage of this, the harshest anti-immigrant law ever, in Arizona, dozens of students, immigrants, and activists in cities across the country have been arrested in acts of civil disobedience to stop SB 1070 and push for immigration reform. Also, the Dream Act Five, the five young leaders arrested in Tucson, travel around the nation targeting undecided lawmakers. And thousands of protesters are expected to travel in buses from Los Angeles to Arizona. These and other stories are discussed in this update on Arizona's anti-immigrant laws.

Guests: Cecilia Muñoz, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, White House, Washington, D.C.; Tania Unzueta, Founding member, Immigrant Youth Justice League, Chicago, IL, http://www.iyjl.org/ ; Jose Luis Zacatelco, Student on hunger strike, Nueva York, NY; Nancy Meza, Student, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

CENSUS PRISONERS. The Census counts incarcerated people in the place where they are imprisoned rather than their hometowns. Opponents of this practice say it paints an inaccurate picture of the demographics and growth of both places, as well as skewing the number of political representatives assigned to each community and affecting the way funds are allocated to different populations.

Guests: Araceli Martínez, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, Sacramento, CA; Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk, Maryland State Delegate, Anápolis, MD, www.msa.md.gov ; Cesar Perales, President, Latino Justice Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, Washington, D.C.; Ramón Velasquéz, Volunteer NYC Aids Housing Network, New York, NY, www.nycahn.org

CALIFORNIA PRIMARY: A POSTSCRIPT. The day after California's primary election, this program provides the latest news on the results in the races for key state positions and controversial initiatives in the ballot. Analysts also examine early reports on the Latino voter turnout and discuss the signs these results send for upcoming primaries in other states and the midterm elections. Latinos represent an important voting bloc that could swing key races such as the election of governor in California, as well as senators in Nevada and Florida. A recent survey of registered Latino voters in 14 states, including Florida, New York, California and Nevada, showed that candidates' failure to move on immigration reform could turn Latinos away from the polls.

RULING THE WEB. The Federal Communications Commission wants to regulate high-speed internet lines. This is part of a federal plan, which also proposed to expand high-speed internet access in rural areas. But some citizen media groups say the government is focusing too much on taxing or bribing the large companies that control most internet access, and is not doing enough to encourage small companies to compete. This is a primer on the debate.

Guests: Keyla Hernández-Ulloa, Outreach and Policy Advisor, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C. www.fcc.gov ; Steven Renderos, Media Justice Organizer, Main Street Project, Minneapolis, MN. www.mainstreetproject.org ; Kristofer Ríos, Trainer and Policy, Program Associate, People’s Production House, New York, NY. http://www.peoplesproductionhouse.org ; José Luis Rodríguez, Founder and CEO, Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, New York, NY. http://www.hitn.org

HOME HELP. Though the number of foreclosures appears to be leveling off nationwide, many families are still struggling to save their homes. Meanwhile, the banks responsible for many of the subprime loans that instigated those home losses are still in business. What is being done to hold those banks, and their successors, accountable? And what can families do to negotiate their loans or refinance their homes?

Guests: Julio Artiga, Corporate Relations and Housing Outreach Manager Freddie Mac, McClain, Virginia, www.freddiemac.com ; Lez Trujillo, National Deputy Director, Affordable Housing Centers of America, Chicago, IL, www.ahcoa.org ; Jose Vega, Real Estate Agent, Kropa Realty, Pittsburgh, CA, Nimia Ramos, Foreclosure Counselor, Unity Council, Oakland, CA, http://www.unitycouncil.org

TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE. Transportation funding is most often geared to serve suburban communities, making highways faster for cars, instead of focusing on low-income communities of color that could greatly benefit from safer streets and more walkable neighborhoods. This roundtable discussion explores plans to invest in high speed trains, build bike lanes, regulate diesel trucks, and develop public transit and bus shelters, and how those policies might help combat public health issues, such as obesity due to lack of exercise, and asthma aggravated by diesel emissions.

MINORITY MAJORITY. The latest Census figures show that by next year, the majority of babies born in the U.S. will be African American, Asian, American Indian, Latino, and from other communities of color. As the Latino population grows in the South and Midwest, researchers say more equal access to education is needed in order to avoid an unskilled workforce and a majority without political power.

Guests: Merarys Ríos, Demographer, US Census Bureau, Suitland, MD. www.census.gov ; Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, PhD, Political Science Professor, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. http://www.northwestern.edu ; Antonio González, President, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, San Antonio, TX. www.svrep.org ; Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Attorney, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, San Antonio, TX. www.maldef.org

TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE. A REPEAT. Transportation funding is most often geared to serve suburban communities, making highways faster for cars, instead of focusing on low-income communities of color that could greatly benefit from safer streets and more walkable neighborhoods. This roundtable discussion explores plans to invest in high speed trains, build bike lanes, regulate diesel trucks, and develop public transit and bus shelters, and how those policies might help combat public health issues, such as obesity due to lack of exercise, and asthma aggravated by diesel emissions.

MAKING THE MOST OF FOOD STAMPS. As the economic recession hits low-income communities, more and more people are using food stamps for their basic needs. Still, many of those eligible don’t use the benefit, particularly among the elderly and among Latinos, of whom only a little over half of those eligible participate. This edition takes a look at what the current administration is doing to try to bridge those gaps, and what civic groups around the country are doing to make it easier for food stamp recipients to use them to buy healthy, local fruits and vegetables.

Guests: Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Washington, DC, http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/ ; Melissa Boteach, Manager, Half and Ten Campaign, Center for American Progress, Washington, DC, www.americanprogress.org ; Gina Bell, Manager, Forest Grove Farmers Market, Adelante Mujeres, Forest Grove, OR. http://www.adelantemujeres.org

TIPS FOR GETTING ONLINE. What are the first steps to using a computer to get connected to the world-wide-web? How can listeners use the internet to access information about employment, research news, or communicate with others? Digital literacy instructors join the show to give rural and urban listeners’ advice on how to use the internet to their advantage.

Guests: Steven Renderos, Media Justice Organizer, Main Street Project, Minneapolis, MN; Álvaro Sanabria, Third Floor Manager, General Collections and Humanities, San Francisco Main Public Library, San Francisco, CA.

MEXICO AT THE SMITHSONIAN: DAY ONE. Radio Bilingüe provides special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, which this year commemorates Mexico’s Independence Bicentennial and Revolution Centennial. The festival celebrates the diversity of cultures and living traditions of some of the first Mexican nations. Musicians join the conversation, as well as corn husk artisans who express the importance of corn, not just for their art, but also for healthy food.

Guests: Olivia Cadaval, Co-curator, México at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC, www.festival.si.edu ; Daniel Sheehy, Director and Curator, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Washington, DC, www.si.edu ; Ramón Gutiérrez, Son jarocho musician, Son de Madera, Veracruz, México; Amalia Salas and Rosalinda Rosas Salas, Corn husk artisans, Xochimilco, México.

VOICES OF THE FIRST MEXICANS. In the second program of the special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, Radio Bilingüe holds conversations with artists from many of the diverse indigenous cultures of Mexico. Among those who are highlighted in this program is a musician from the rock group Hamac Caziim from Sonora, which uses music in Seri language to attract youth back to their culture.

Guests: Rodolfo Palma Rojo, Director of Dissemination, Instituto Nacional de Arte e Historia (INAH), Co-curator, México en el Festival el Foklore del Smithsonian; Israel Robles, Musician in rock group Hamac Caziim, Puna Chueca, Sonora; Marcelina López, President, Consejo Consultivo de la Radio Difusora Cultural Indigena; Dr. Jose Rafael Medina; Felipe Serio Chino, Secretary, Unión Wixarika / Centros Ceremoniales.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE CONCERT: CARDENCHEROS. On this, the third day of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, Radio Bilingüe broadcasts four hours of musical concerts recorded live at the National Mall. This first hour highlights Los Cardencheros de Sapioriz, who are keeping alive a dramatic and powerful musical tradition known as canción cardenche, sung a capella by farmworkers in only one city in the northern Comarca Lagunera region. Even in Mexico, few people know about canción cardenche, now broadcast nationwide by Radio Bilingüe.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE CONCERT: HAMAAC CAZÍIM. The second concert broadcast as part of Radio Bilingüe’s special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, presents the group Hamaac Cazíim, from the Comcáac community on the Gulf of California in Sonora, who perform rock music with traditional lyrics sung in the Seri language. The goal is to engage members of the younger generation in the history and culture of their own people.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE CONCERT: ENCUENTRO DEL SON. This third hour of concerts broadcast from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, is a celebration of three different tradition of son in Mexico, harp ensemble music from the flat hotlands of Tierra Caliente in Michoacán, and son de Jalisco, played by Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán, and son jarocho from Veracruz, played by Son de Madera Trio.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE CONCERT: LOS TÍOS. This fourth concert in Radio Bilingüe’s special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, presents the Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos from El Manguito, a remote community in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of Jalisco, who boast a son repertoire distinctive to this region where mariachi music has flourished for more than 150 years.

MEXICO AT THE SMITHSONIAN: MANY VOICES, ONE NATION. Radio Bilingüe continues its special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, which this year highlights a wide range of indigenous cultures from Mexico. Radio Bilingüe’s coverage also celebrates the 30th anniversary of its public broadcast service. This round table discussion includes traditional farmers and candy makers from Xochimilco, the musical group Grupo de Fandango de Artesa Los Quilamos, masters of the Oaxacan genres of sones and chilenas; and craftsmakers from the Comcaac community in Sonora.

HELP FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. Unemployment fell in June, but not enough to signify true economic recovery. More than 130,000 jobs are needed every month, just to keep up with the growing labor force. The House of Representatives recently passed a bill to extend federal benefits for the unemployed. So far, Republicans have blocked such a measure in the Senate. This edition brings together the voices of the unemployed and experts in the field.

Guests: Hilda Solís, Secretary of Labor, Department of Labor, Washington, DC, www.dol.gov ; Eric Griego, State Senator, New Mexico Legislature, Albuquerque, NM, http://legis.state.nm.us ; Catherine Singley; Policy Analyst, Economic and Employment Policy Project, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Washington, D.C., www.nclr.org

MEXICO AT THE SMITHSONIAN: MUSICIANS FROM THE HOTLANDS. A continuation of Radio Bilingüe’s special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, this edition includes a conversation with Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán, an ensemble of big harp music from the hotlands of Tierra Caliente, Michoacán. This program also offers interviews with artisans and indigenous leaders from other regions of Mexico.

Guests: Don Ricardo Gutiérrez, Manuel Pérez, Isidoro Morfín and Leonel Mendoza, Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán, Michoacán, Mexico; Felipe Serio Chino, Secretary, Francisco González, Treasurer, and Eleuterio de la Cruz, President, Unión de Centros Ceremoniales, Wixarika Community in Jalisco, Durango and Nayarit, México; Lucio Ramón Aranda and Rogaciano Clemente García, Musicians, Chinelos de Atlatlahuacan, Morelos, Mexico.

FINANCIAL REFORM. A bill awaiting a vote in the Senate is meant to overhaul the nation’s financial regulatory system and give consumers more protection against abusive loans and other fraudulent practices. What are the possibilities for this bill to pass? What’s at stake for Latino credit cardholders, loan recipients and consumers?

Guests: Diana Tejada, Spokesperson, Office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Washington, D.C. http://reid.senate.gov/ ; Aracely Panameño, Director, Latino Affairs, Center for Responsible Lending, Washington, D.C. www.responsiblelending.org/ ; Graciela Aponte, Legislative Analyst, National Council of La Raza, Washington, D.C. http://www.nclr.org/

VACANT HOMES. As the door-to-door counting stage of the census draws to a close, census officials announce that 5 million homes were found to be vacant nationwide. Linea Abierta puts the spotlight on one of the hot spots of foreclosures, El Centro, California, where more than half of homeowners owe more on their homes than what they are worth, to discuss with foreclosure experts, homeowners, and census officials how the census will count those who lost their homes.

Guests: Arturo Vargas, Executive Director, National Association of Elected Officials, Washington, D.C. www.naleo.org ; Juanita Zamora, Unemployed, Brawley, CA; Leticia Grosh, Community Liaison, Campesinos Unidos, El Centro, CA. www.brawleycui.com ; Eric Reyes, Executive Director, Institute for Socio-Economic Justice, Brawley, CA. www.sociojustice.org ; Amalia De Aztlan, Spokesperson, Census Bureau, Palm Springs, CA. www.census.gov

ARIZONA CASTS SHADOW OVER CENSUS. Just as census takers began knocking on doors in cities all over the country to count those who didn’t mail in their forms, Arizona passed its immigration law SB 1070, which makes it a crime to be undocumented. Census workers and local government officials expressed concern that the law would raise fears and make it harder to count everyone in the 2010 Census. This edition takes a look at the latest participation rates both in Arizona and across the border in California’s Imperial Valley, to see how SB 1070 might have affected the count. Also, as major operations of the Census wind down in July, Latino groups are encouraging those who have not responded to call into a multilingual toll-free hotline through this month.

ACTING ON IMMIGRANT DREAMS. Thousands of immigrant youth descend on Washington, D.C. this week to push for the DREAM Act, the bill that would allow undocumented youth who graduated from high school in the United States a path toward permanent residency and citizenship. At the same time, same-sex couples push for a bill that would allow gay and lesbian citizens to apply for residency for their partners. And, government workers in Utah are accused of publishing a list of names of alleged undocumented immigrants in the state.

Guests: Tania Unzueta, Member, Immigrant Youth Justice League, Chicago, IL. http://www.iyjl.org/ ; Luz Robles, Senator, Utah State Legislature, Salt Lake City, UT. http://www.le.state.ut.us/ ; Tony Yapias, Director, Utah Latinos proyect, Salt Lake City, UT. http://www.utahlatinos.com ; Julie Kruse, Policy Director, Immigration Equality Action Fund, Washington, D.C. www.immigrationequalityactionfund.org

CREATING YOUR OWN WEBPAGE. In an age where people turn to the internet for entertainment, news, to pay their bills and do their shopping, even small businesses and independent contractors, domestic workers and gardeners need their own webpages. This program includes interviews with workers who have created their own webpages and the people who are helping them design the sites. This is part of our ongoing series “Conéctate”, to help reduce the digital divide and increase high speed internet connections for all.

Guests: Alma Rodriguez, Coordinator, Caminos, San Francisco, CA. www.caminossf.org/ ; Diana Medina, Owner, Diju Jewelry, San Francisco, CA; Erica Castillo, Student and instructor, Caminos, San Francisco, CA. www.caminossf.org

THE RIGHT TO CONNECT. One-third of U.S. households have no internet access, and another third has slow internet at home. Latinos are less likely to have fast internet connections than any other ethnic group. In light of this digital divide, it has become more and more important that schools and libraries have high speed internet. A group of Latino activists is pushing for the government to subsidize internet access for libraries in poor neighborhoods and communities of color. Meanwhile, some cities, such as Seattle, Washington, are trying to offer their own high speed internet connections to compete with the large telecommunications companies. This edition is part of our ongoing series “Conéctate”, to help reduce the digital divide and increase high speed internet connections for all.

BUDGET BATTLES. The economic crisis is putting many cities and states in a bind as to how to balance their budgets. In California, the governor is proposing to cut numerous social programs that would affect Latinos statewide. Republicans support these measures, while some Democrats are pushing to raise taxes on oil companies to improve revenue. This edition includes a debate between representatives of both parties on how to pass a budget that won’t hurt residents.

Guests: Araceli Martínez, Reporter, Sacramento, CA; Denise Moreno Ducheny, State Senator, California State Senate, Sacramento, CA, http://dist40.casen.govoffice.com ; Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Leader of the Republican Caucus, California State Assembly, Sacramento, CA, www.martingarrick.com ; Vanessa Cajina, Policy Advisor, California Immigrant Policy Center, Sacramento, CA, www.caimmigrant.org

SB 1070: BLOCKED. After a federal judge blocked the most controversial aspects of Arizona’s controversial immigration law SB 1070, today some measures of the law do go into effect, including the ones that make it a crime to transport or give shelter to undocumented immigrants, prohibit impeding traffic when picking up day laborers for work, and allow residents sue local police if they believe they are interfering with federal immigration laws. Immigrant rights activists organize mass protests of the law. Meanwhile, state governor, Jan Brewer, promises to appeal the decision to block parts of the law.

Guests: Rubén Tapia, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, Phoenix, AZ; Luz Ibarra, Protester, Phoenix, AZ; Rey Torres, Member, Arizona Latino Republican Association (ALRA), Phoenix, AZ, http://latinogop.org/ ; Tony Estrada, Sheriff, Santa Cruz County, Nogales, AZ, www.co.santa-cruz.az.us ; Edmundo Hidalgo, President, Chicanos por la Causa, Phoenix, AZ, www.cplc.org

PROTECTION FOR FARMWORKERS. At least fifteen farm workers have died from heat-related causes in California in recent years, and the state is investigating the deaths of several more. As the summer heat rolls into the triple digits, farmworkers push for more protection. Meanwhile, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation is pushing to approve methyl iodide as a new pesticide for strawberries, despite multiple scientists’ testimony that the pesticide is dangerous to human health.

Guests: Francisco Castillo, Spokesman, Office of the Governor of California, Sacramento, CA; Armando Elenes, Vice President, United Farm Workers, Delano, CA, http://www.ufw.org ; Kathryn Gilje, Executive Director, Pesticide Action Network of North America, San Francisco, CA, www.panna.org ; Paula Placencia, Assistant Coordinator for Working Conditions, Líderes Campesinas, Salinas, CA, www.liderescampesinas.org ; Teresa Serrano y Antonio Vargas, farmworkers, Sacramento, CA.

SONGS FOR ARIZONA. Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 pushed people not only to protest in the streets, but to raise their voices in song. Corridos, Chicano soul, rap, and hip-hop are just some of the genres used by singer-songwriters to express themselves against the law. One Texas couple called for entries to a song contest “against racism and bigotry and encouraging progressive action against Arizona’s anti-immigration law” and received more than 150 entries, including from children, nuns, and doctors.

Guests: Dr. Paul Ruíz, Senior advisor and Cofounder, Education Trust, Co-organizer, “Sing for Hope and Justice” Contest, San Antonio, TX; Eugene Rodríguez, Founder, Los Cenzontles, San Pablo, CA, www.loscenzontles.com ; Francisco Herrera, Musician, San Francisco, CA, http://franciscoherreramusic.com

GREAT DEPRESSION. As the economic crisis takes its toll on the nation’s pocketbooks, the stress of unemployment, foreclosures, and less buying power is putting more and more people at risk of depression. This edition brings together counselors and mental health experts, as well as survivors of the economic crisis who say they are finding a way out.

Guests: Angela Londoño-McConnell, Public education coordinator, Georgia Psychological Association; Jose Vega, Former Homeowner, Pittsburgh, CA; Nancy Benavides, Operations Director, San Antonio Neighborhood Housing Services, San Antonio, TX, www.nhsofsa.org ; Jose Davila, Immigrant, Los Angeles, CA; Dagoberto Reyes, Director, Casa de la Cultura de El Salvador, Los Angeles, CA.

WIKILEAKS: WAR SECRETS REVEALED. The website Wikileaks recently published more than 90,000 classified documents about the war in Afghanistan, detailing hundreds of unreported deaths of civilians killed by Coalition forces, increases in Taliban attacks, and hunts for Taliban leaders for “kill or capture” without trial. The leak is controversial, but it’s underscoring a deeper question: how is the internet revolutionizing what records can be kept secret? This program is part of our series “Conéctate,” on the internet and the digital divide.

Guests: Axel Caballero, Spokesperson, Brave New Foundation, Culver City, CA. www.bravenewfoundation.org ; Eric Rojo, Retired Colonel, Washington, D.C; Patricio Espinoza, Fellow, Knight Digital Media Center, San Antonio, TX. www.knightdigitalmediacenter.org

CLOSING THE GAP TO FIGHT AIDS. African American and Latino men and women are more likely to be infected with HIV and more likely to die early from AIDS than Whites. For the first time ever, the White House recently released a national strategy on HIV/AIDS in the U.S., which calls to reduce these disparities and others that affect gay and bisexual men, as well as decreasing new HIV infections and connecting more people to care sooner after they test positive.

Guests: Dr. José Vargas Bidot, Director, Iniciativa Comunitaria, San Juan, Puerto Rico, www.iniciativacomunitaria.org ; James Albino, Senior Program Manager, White House Office of National AIDS Policy, Washington, D.C. http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/onap ; Daniel Leyva, Director, Prevention Services, Latino Commission on AIDS, New York, NY. www.latinoaids.org ; Julie Turkewitz, Advocacy Communications Associate Housing Works, New York, NY. http://www.housingworks.org

HOMEBUYERS WITHOUT HELP. The new housing market offers low prices and low interest rates. Yet Latino and African-American families are not getting the loans they need to buy homes. Homeowner advocates are urging the Federal Reserve to overhaul the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, to immediately disclose current loan data by region, race, and ethnicity, in order to hold banks accountable when few loans are provided to people of color and to prevent more foreclosures. What can prospective homebuyers do to compete with investors in the new housing market?

Guests: Orson Aguilar, Executive Director, The Greenlining Institute, Berkeley, CA, www.greenlining.org ; Lez Trujillo, National Deputy Director, Affordable Housing Centers of America, Chicago, IL, www.ahcoa.org

FLIP-FLOPPING FOR THE LATINO VOTE. The Republican candidate for governor in California, Meg Whitman, is aggressively courting Latino voters, with Spanish-language billboards and TV announcements, announcing she opposes the anti-immigrant law SB 1070 in Arizona and would have opposed the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 in California. Yet, in English, she has campaigned with former Governor Pete Wilson, who signed Prop 187, and she’s said she thinks the Arizona law should remain in place. Meanwhile, Democrat Jerry Brown is running a low-profile campaign criticized for its lack of ads and campaign events.

WHOOPING COUGH EPIDEMIC. There have been more than seven thousand cases of whooping cough in the U.S. this year, the worst season for the disease in the past 50 years. The problem is worst in California, where seven infants have died. The disease is hitting Latino infants more than others. This edition takes a look at why.

Guests: Gilberto Chavez, Chief, Center for Infectious Diseases, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA, http://www.cdph.ca.gov ; Jane Delgado, President, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Washington, DC, http://www.hispanichealth.org/ ; Félix Aguilar, Medical Director, South Central family Health Center, Los Angeles, CA; María Gutiérrez, Immunization Coordinator, Clinica Sierra Vista, Fresno, CA, www.clinicasierravista.org

WHO CONTROLS THE NET? The Internet is founded in the concept of network neutrality, which guarantees that all information posted on the internet is treated equally and is available to everyone. Yet cable and phone companies that provide broadband service are attempting to be able to buy and sell the privilege to make some online content available more quickly than the rest. What does this mean for Latino internet users who already face the challenge of the digital divide? This program is part of our series “Conéctate,” on the internet and the digital divide.

WORKERS TURNED OWNERS. As more and more jobs are being lost in the United States, worker-owned cooperatives are growing, many following the model of Mondragón Internacional, a co-op founded in the Basque region 50 years ago with a small technical school, credit union and a small workshop manufacturing kerosene stoves. In rural areas of the U.S., cooperatives are becoming an alternative for some farm workers turned farmers. In more urban settings, unions such as t he United Steelworkers, are seeking to create jobs by setting up sustainable businesses, owned by workers.

JUSTICE IN THE SUPREME COURT. Mexico’s Supreme Court made international history when it decided that same-sex marriage is constitutional, as is to allow same-sex couples to adopt children. In California, same-sex marriage has also been declared legal, although the decision is being appealed and could reach the U.S. Supreme Court. What other cases might reach the Supreme Court, which now includes Elena Kagan, as the fourth woman to sit on the highest court of the land.

BREASTFEEDING THE NEXT GENERATION. If 90% of U.S. women breastfed their babies for the first six months of life, hundreds of babies' lives and billions of dollars would be saved, according to research. Although many Latina mothers begin breastfeeding, a high percentage also feed their babies formula. The longer their families have been in the U.S., the more likely it is that Latina mothers will opt for formula. In honor of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, this edition takes a look at what's needed to help more Latinas breastfeed, for both stay-at-home mothers and those who work outside the home.

HEALTH REFORM: STEP BY STEP. Now that Health Reform is law, what does it mean for real-life uninsured people? Some changes will begin in September of this year, to expand coverage to young adults, and to require new insurance plans to cover more preventive services at no charge. Other provisions, such as the elimination of discrimination for pre-existing health conditions, won't go into effect until 2014. Analysts discuss and break down the benefits of the new health reform law, and what it will mean for the uninsured, taking into account specific real-life cases.

BASEBALL PROTESTERS TAKE THE FIELD. Baseball fans continue to hold demonstrations and storm the field at Major League Baseball games, to try to move the All-Stars Game from Phoenix, in protest of Arizona's new immigration law. Although Commissioner Bud Selig has said he will not move the game, some columnists say the players themselves could make him change his mind. This edition is a trip to the stadium, with a look at the protests over the All-Stars Game, the history of race and baseball, and an interview with the oldest living ballplayer.

Guests: Gustavo Andrade, Organizing Director, Casa de Maryland, Langley Park, MD, http://www.casademaryland.org/ ; Pepe Lozano, Writer and Blogger, People’s World, Chicago, IL, www.peoplesworld.org ; Emilio Navarro, Former professional baseball player, Negro League Baseball, Ponce, PR, http://www.negroleaguebaseball.com/

READY FOR THE NEXT EMERGENCY? Five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, children’s rights activists say most states have not implemented basic protections for children during a natural disaster. They say thousands of children in Louisiana and Mississippi were separated from their parents for months, and tens of thousands missed school, or were diagnosed with clinical depression. Also, reports show that even in Los Angeles, CA, emergency-response providers lack the resources to prepare limited-English speakers for disasters.

Guests: Gabriel Nehrbass, Specialist, Domestic Emergency Program, Save the Children, Bay Saint Louis, MS, www.savethechildren.org ; Lucas Díaz, Director, Puentes New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, http://www.puentesno.org/ ; Dr. Harry Pachon, President, Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, Los Angeles, CA www.trpi.org

YOUTH VOICES ON THE WEB. It’s not often that you read or hear Latino youth voices in mainstream media. Two different projects, in El Paso, Texas, and Chicago, IL, empower Latino teens to write their own stories and put them on the web. In El Paso, Latinitas is the first digital magazine made for and by Latina youth. In Chicago, a group of Latino immigrant youth are creating theater productions and radionovelas that they upload to the internet to help their communities make better health decisions.

Guests: Marisol Guzmán, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, Latinitas, El Paso, TX, www.latinitasmagazine.org ; Eliana Grijalva, Reporter, Latinitas, El Paso, TX, www.latinitasmagazine.org ; Ireri Unzueta, Member, Salud: Healing Through the Arts, Chicago, IL, newroutes.org/projects/salud ; Adriana Velásquez, Member, Salud: Healing Through the Arts, Chicago, IL, newroutes.org/projects/salud

PRIVATE SECURITY FORCES TAKE OVER IN IRAQ. All combat troops have withdrawn from Iraq, fulfilling President Obama’s deadline of August 31. Meanwhile, t he State Department has asked Congress to approve funds to more than double the number of private security contractors in Iraq. Private contractors have been denounced by some civil organizations for human rights violations. What does this shift in security mean for Iraqis and for soldiers coming home?

Guests: Micheal Hammer, Spokesman, White House National Security Council, Washington, D.C., www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc ; Francisco Ibarra, Former National Commander, American GI Forum, Seattle, WA, www.agifusa.org ; Rick Reyes, Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran, Los Angeles, CA, http://rethinkafganistan.com/veterans/

UNDOCUMENTED PARENTS FACE CUSTODY BATTLES. Cirila Baltazar, an indigenous Chatino-speaking immigrant from Oaxaca, was separated from her daughter, Ruby, for a year after the baby was born. Baltazar, who has now been reunited with her baby, is now suing Mississippi officials for conspiring to take her baby so she could be adopted by a white couple. Advocates say this is a nationwide problem, with other undocumented parents losing custody of their U.S. citizen children when they are deported.

Guests: Cirila Baltazar, Mother, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico; Michelle Lapointe, Civil rights attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, www.splcenter.org ; Yolanda Cruz, Chatino-Spanish interpreter, Los Angeles, CA; Marcia Zug, Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina School of Law, Columbia, SC.

DOMESTIC WORKERS’ VICTORY. For the first time ever in the United States, New York has approved a law that guarantees paid leave, overtime, and protection from discrimination for nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers. This special Labor Day Edition includes an interview with a domestic worker organizer in New York, and others in California who are pushing for similar labor protections.

Guests: Priscilla Gonzalez, Director, Domestic Workers United, New York, NY, www.domesticworkesunited.org ; Andrea Cristina Mercado, Lead Organizer, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, San Francisco, CA, www.mujeresunidas.net ; Maria Distancia and Martha Collazo, Domestic workers, San Francisco, CA.

BACK TO SCHOOL BUDGET CUTS. State and local budget cuts are affecting elementary through high school education across the country. Students in California have bigger class sizes, fewer teachers, and limited access to school libraries and computer labs, and their classrooms have fewer basic supplies, placing the burden on parents to buy pencils, paper, books, and other supplies.

Guests: Dr. Santiago Wood, Executive Director, National Association for Bilingual Education, Miami, FL. www.nabe.org ; Sara Echeverria, Director, Grievance Department, Chicago Teachers Union, Chicago, IL. www.ctunet.com ; Maria Casillas, President, Families in Schools, Los Angeles, CA. www.familiesinschools.org

MOSQUE AT GROUND ZERO. On the anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, a minister plans to burn the Koran, and groups rally to stop the construction of a mosque and Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. Others defend the construction of the mosque, to protect the civil rights and religious freedom that the United States stands for.

Guests: Dr. Luis Barrios, Reverend, St Mary’s Church, East Harlem, NY; Farhanahz Ellis, Spokesperson, Islamic Society of North America, Washington, D.C., www.isna.net ; Isabel Encalada, Former cleanup worker Ground Zero, New York, NY.

OBAMA’S NEW STIMULUS PLAN. Under pressure to improve the economy, President Obama announced a plan to allow businesses to write off new equipment immediately, make a tax credit for research and development permanent, and allocate 50 billion dollars for building new roads, train rails, and airport runways. Will this plan help those most affected by the economic crisis?

Guests: José Dante Parra, Spokesperson, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Washington, D.C. ; Manuel Rosales, Deputy Director of Coalitions, Republican National Committee, Washington, D.C.; Xavier Briggs, Associate Director for General Government Programs, Office of Management and Budget, White House, Washington, D.C., www.whitehouse.gov/omb ; Paul Quiroz, Business Development Specialist, Latin Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas, NV, www.lvlcc.com

ONLINE HEALTH TOOLS. The Internet is revolutionizing healthcare, with doctors using mobile applications to make diagnoses and patients finding health information online. This edition of the ongoing series “Conéctate” takes a look at tools to find health information online to prevent and treat diseases, including a new Spanish-language tool that aims to help Latinos cut their risk of heart disease and stroke, and a page that details how to find medical coverage under the new health reform law, among others.

Guests: Dr. Ileana Piña, Spokesperson, American Heart Association, Cleveland, OH, http://marcando7pasos.heart.org/ ; Leonardo Sosa, Community Impact Officer, One Economy Corporation, San Francisco, CA, www.one-economy.com , http://www.thebeehive.org/es/health ; José Morán, Project Manager, Conéctate, Radio Bilingüe, Fresno, CA, www.radiobilingue.org

FORGOTTEN HEROES. On the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s war of independence, this edition brings together the stories of some of the unsung heroes of that war, including indigenous soldiers, African-Mexican leaders, and women who fought behind the scenes or supported the rebellion to found Mexico as a nation. This program includes interviews with Mexican authors and historians.

Guests: Antonio García de León, Historian, Mexico City, Mexico; Alejandra Atala, Writer, Mexico City, Mexico; Juana Zacarías Candelario, Indigenous Teacher, Veracruz, Mexico; Narcisa Negrete, Indigenous Teacher, Veracruz, Mexico.

200 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE. Two hundred years ago, in 1810, Mexico began its war of independence from Spain. Today, the Mexican government has lavish plans for the party, including the construction of an enormous tower, highlighting historic routes, and various celebrations throughout the country. Some critics say these celebrations will do little to honor the true spirit of the heroes of Mexico’s Independence and are instead advocating open conversations in public plazas, schools, and markets, to discuss the meaning of the lives of the people who fought during the past 200 years for independence and justice in Mexico.

Guests: Gilberto P. Miranda, political analyst and chairman of the editorial board, Revista Deliberación, Monterrey, Mexico, http://www.deliberacion.org/ ; Jorge Saldaña, journalist, ABC Radio, Xalapa, Mexico, http://www.oem.com.mx/abcradio/

200 YEARS OF MEXICAN MUSIC. Two hundred years ago, Mexico began its war of independence from Spain. From the first years of Mexico as a nation to today, music has been an integral part of Mexico’s folk culture. This edition explores the music from Mexico’s first years, from the perspective of a composer and multimedia artist

Guests: Guillermo Galindo, Composer, San Francisco, CA, www.galindog.com

ALSO, A TALK WITH ORQUESTA ARAGON. A conversation with the director of Orquesta Aragon, the legend ensemble celebrating 70 years of performing the traditional Cuban son.

Guest: Rafael Lay, Director, Orquesta Aragon, Havana, Cuba.

ALSO, MARATHON OF CALLS FOR THE DREAM ACT. One day before a critical vote in the Senate for the DREAM Act, which would establish a path toward legalization for students without immigration documents, activists call for a barrage of calls to senators.

Guest: Juan Gómez, Student, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

BUDGET HANG-UP. California’s state legislators have now been haggling over the budget for the longest amount of time in history. While Governor Schwarzenegger and Republican lawmakers advocate cutting $12 billion dollars in social services, including childcare and a state welfare-to-work program, Democrats are hoping to include delays in corporate tax breaks and increases in some income tax and vehicle registration fees.

Guests: Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor, California; Araceli Martinez, Reporter, Radio Bilingüe, Sacramento, CA; Alberto Torrico, California State Assembly Majority Leader, Sacramento, CA, www.asmdc.org

LOST IN THE SYSTEM. Families and advocates have long complained that it can be a long and arduous process to find someone detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A new Internet tool is designed to help family members and attorneys in locating detainees. How efficient is this tool? This edition is part of our ongoing series Conéctate, seeking to reduce the digital divide.

Guests: Jazmin Segura, Federal policy Advocate, Services Immigrant Rights and Education Network, San Jose, CA; Margarita Manduley, Immigration Attorney, North Hollywood, CA; Ivan Ortiz-Delgado, Spokesperson, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

MEXICO AT THE SMITHSONIAN: SHARING CULTURES. This repeat edition of Radio Bilingüe’s special coverage of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, includes conversations with makers of traditional textiles of Oaxaca, a dancer and a bead artisan from the state of Morelos, and afamily of tequila-makers from Amatitán, Jalisco.

Guests: María Sosa, Joel Vicente y Marcelina Vicente, Textile artisants, Teotitlán de Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico; Alma Delia Reyes, Dancer, Atlatlahucan, Morelos, Mexico; Edmundo Saul Jahen, artesano que trabaja la chaquira, Chinelos de Morelos, Mexico; Javier Jiménez, Claudio Jiménez, and Javier Jiménez Jr., family of tequila-makers, “El Caballito Cerrero”, Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico.

ASYLUM FOR JOURNALIST. A Mexican journalist who was the target of death threats while covering drug trafficking news has received asylum in the U.S., in what is considered the first case of its kind. Attorneys say the decision could set precedent for other reporters from Mexico who have fled the country to save their lives.

Guest: Jorge Luis Aguirre, Editor, La Polaka, El Paso, TX. www.lapolaka.com

HEALTHY LUNCHES, HEALTHY KIDS. A child nutrition bill passed in the Senate and set to be voted on in the House could make school lunches healthier and expand the number of low-income children who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The bill passed in the Senate slashed food stamps and other social programs. It remains to be seen if the House will make similar cuts. This is part of the debate to reauthorize funds for the Child Nutrition Act.

CLOSE RACE FOR THE SENATE. Republican candidates are making Democrats sweat in at least six senate races this year. One of the closest races is in California, where longtime Senator Barbara Boxer is facing a tough challenge from Republican Carly Fiorina. This edition takes the pulse of Latino voters, before a debate between the candidates.

Guests: Araceli Martinez, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, Sacramento, CA; Antonio González, Executive Director, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Los Angeles, CA. www.svrep.org ; Araceli Ruano, Vice President, Center for American Progress, Los Angeles, CA. www.americanprogress.org

CALLING HOME FROM A CAFE. Internet cafes are cropping up along the sidewalks of immigrant neighborhoods, becoming popular places for newcomers to go to keep in touch with loved ones in their hometowns, via instant message and video-phone calls with web cams. This edition is broadcast from a lively internet café in San Francisco’s Mission District, where clients have been known to reserve hours to virtually participate in events in home countries, like a daughter’s quinceañera or a father’s funeral. This edition is part of our Conéctate series, seeking to reduce the digital divide.

Guests: Altagracia Leibowitz, Co-owner, The Network Store, San Francisco, CA; Francisco Barradas, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, San Francisco, CA; Abel Ávalos, Kyeh Galeana, and Israel Martínez, Clients, The Network Store, San Francisco, CA.

DEBATE IN THE HEART OF FARMWORKER COUNTRY. The candidates for governor in California face off in Fresno, in the heart of California’s farm country. This race exemplifies the importance of the Latino vote nationwide. Republicans have long counted the Central Valley among their strongest bastions of support, but Democrats are gaining ground with Latino voters in the region. This edition offers analysis and reactions to the debate. Part of our series Hacia el Voto 2010, it airs from the studios of KSJV, Radio Bilingüe’s parent station in Fresno, CA.

Guests: Araceli Martínez, Reporter, Noticiero Latino, Fresno, CA; Richard Loa, Chairman, Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Latinos for Meg Whitman, Palmdale, CA, www.rnha.org ; Martha Escutia, Former California State Senator, Latinos for Jerry Brown, Los Angeles, CA.

LATINO BUSINESS UPSWING. New census data show that the number of Latino businesses grew at more than double the national rate, between 2002 and 2007. Other new census data show that the number of Latinos living in poverty grew at double the rate of others in recent years. What accounts for this entrepreneurial boom and at the same time this increase in Latino poverty?

Guests: Raul Cisneros, Spokesperson, 2010 Census, Washington, DC, www.census.gov ; Dr. Jesus Martínez Saldaña, Researcher, Clovis, CA; Javier Palomarez, President, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C., www.ushcc.com

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE. As the major political parties vie for control of Congress, the entire House of Representatives is up for grabs. Both Democrats and Republicans need to work hard to win the crucial Latino vote, which could make the difference in a growing number of congressional districts. Political analysts give an overview on the battle for districts where Latinos have a significant presence and Latino voting power is rapidly increasing. This edition is part of our series Hacia el Voto 2010.

Guests: Maribel Hastings, Columnist, America's Voice, Miami, FL, http://americasvoiceonline.org ; Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Political Science Professor, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, http://www.northwestern.edu ; Mark Hugo López, Associate Director, Pew Hispanic Center, Washington, D.C., http://pewhispanic.org/

ARIZONA: THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE. Anti-immigration laws in Arizona have helped shape polarized political campaigns around the country, making this a top issue for Latino voters, along with jobs and the economy. Public figures on both sides have been invited to debate the issue. Part of our series Hacia el Voto 2010, this is a live broadcast from Phoenix, in collaboration with the team of “Contacto Total”, a weekday call-in program produced out of KNUV 1190 AM Phoenix.

Guests: Anna Gaines, Founder and President, American Citizens United, Phoenix, AZ, http://americancitizensunited.cloverpad.org/ ; Roberto Reveles, Chairman of Board of Directors, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, http://acluaz.org/

ARIZONA: THE LATINO VOTE. Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 and has made this controversial immigration law a keystone of her campaign, while opponents call it a violation of civil and human rights. Will this top issue for Latinos bring out the Latino vote in force? Civic leaders and get-out-the-vote promoters give an account of the challenges and potential of the Latino vote in Arizona. Part of our series Hacia el Voto 2010, this is a live broadcast in conjunction with “Contacto Total,” of KNUV 1190 AM Phoenix.

Guests: Francisco Heredia, State Director, Mi Familia Vota, Phoenix, AZ, mifamiliavota.net ; Luis Valentan, Unemployed construction worker, single father and volunteer, Promise Arizona, Phoenix, AZ; Emily Ángeles, Voter registration volunteer, Promise Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, http://promiseaz.org/

SONGS FOR ARIZONA: A REPEAT. Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 pushed people not only to protest in the streets, but to raise their voices in song. Corridos, Chicano soul, rap, and hip-hop are just some of the genres used by singer-songwriters to express themselves against the law. One Texas couple called for entries to a song contest “against racism and bigotry and encouraging progressive action against Arizona’s anti-immigration law” and received more than 150 entries, including from children, nuns, and doctors.

Guests: Dr. Paul Ruíz, Senior advisor and Cofounder, Education Trust, Co-organizer, “Sing for Hope and Justice” Contest, San Antonio, TX; Eugene Rodríguez, Founder, Los Cenzontles, San Pablo, CA, www.loscenzontles.com ; Francisco Herrera, Musician, San Francisco, CA, http://franciscoherreramusic.com

INCLUDING LATINOS IN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION. A coalition of state lawmakers push for investment in digital literacy and creative solutions to connect more Latinos to high-speed internet. They also highlight the potential of broadband in reducing health disparities and increasing energy efficiency. This edition is part of our Conéctate series, seeking to reduce the digital divide.

Guests: Eduardo Bhatia, State Senator, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, www.eduardobhatia.com; Fabiola Carrion, Broadband and Green Jobs Specialist, Progressive States Network, New York, NY, www.progressivestates.org; Juan M. Pichardo, State Senator, Rhode Island, Providence, RI, www.rillin.state.ri.us/pichardo

PROPOSITION 23 AND GLOBAL WARMING. Calling California’s landmark global warming law a job killer, proponents of Proposition 23 on the California ballot seek to repeal AB 32. Opponents fight back, calling the campaign a dirty-energy initiative funded by out-of-state oil companies. This edition is part of Radio Bilingüe’s Hacia el Voto 2010 series on the midterm elections.

Guests: Manuel Pastor, Director, Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, http://college.usc.edu/pere/home/ ; Luis Cabrales, Deputy Director of Campaigns, Coalition for Clean Air, Los Angeles, CA, www.coalitionforcleanair.org ; Luis Alvarado, Spokesperson, California Republican Party, Los Angeles, CA, www.cagop.org

WOMEN’S HEALTH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER. Mexican immigrant women generally have better health than the U.S. born population, but are much more likely to lack health insurance and tend to receive less healthcare when they need it. Mexican immigrant women tend to suffer disproportionately from some ailments, such as diabetes, peptic ulcers, and obesity. How is the state of women’s health on the other side of the border and how does it compare?

Guests: Xóchitl Castañeda, Director, Health Initiative of the Americas, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, http://hia.berkeley.edu

REDISTRICTING. As new population numbers emerge from the 2010 Census, congressional district lines will begin to be redrawn. Latino population growth could give new congressional seats to Texas, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, and Utah, among others. What role are communities of color playing in the redistricting process, which will define political representation for the decade to come? This edition, from our series Hacia el Voto 2010, also discusses propositions in California and Florida that could change the way districts are drawn.

Guests: Lydia Camarillo, Vice President, Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, San Antonio, TX, www.svrep.org ; Astrid García, Redistricting and State Policy Manager, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Los Angeles, CA, www.naleo.org

JOBS AND THE ECONOMY. Latinos are among the hardest hit by unemployment and the recession. Jobs and the economy are high in the mind of Latino voters in this midterm election. What are the expectations of the current stimulus plans? This roundtable with Latino workers, students, and organizers includes a discussion on the different plans to create jobs and fuel the economy. This program, part of Hacia el Voto 2010, is aired live and taped the previous day at host station KBBF in Santa Rosa, California.

BALLOT BLOGGING. The internet is becoming a creative tool to get out information to voters on state initiatives, local candidates, and the how-to’s of early voting, voting by mail, or finding a polling place. This edition takes a look at some creative techniques to get out the vote and explain ballot information to voters through the worldwide web through popular social network media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blog sites. This edition is part of our Conéctate series www.conectate.radiobilingue.org/ , seeking to reduce the digital divide.

Guests: Axel Caballero, Co-Creator, Cuéntame, Los Angeles, CA, http://dontbeacabron.com ; Eduardo Morales, National Field Director, Voto Latino, Washington, DC, http://www.votolatino.org/vote4me/ ; Rebeca Logan, Co-director, Los Blogueros, Washington, DC, www.losblogueros.net , http://twitter.com/labloguera.

POLLING PLACES CLOSED. In Fresno, CA, half of all polling places were closed. Civic organizations have raised alarm, estimating that the changes will primarily affect African-American, Latino, and low-income precincts. This is an interview with a spokesperson from the County Registrar of Voters.

Guest: Juan Witrago, Systems and Procedures Manager, Fresno County Registrar of Voters, Fresno, CA, www.co.fresno.ca.us/elections/

ALSO, MAKING YOUR VOTE COUNT. What can Latino voters do to make sure their votes count, avoid common mistakes, and exercise their rights? This townhall discussion, part of www.haciaelvoto.org Hacia el Voto 2010, airs from the studios of sister station KHDC-FM in Salinas, CA.

HEALTH CARE REFORM. President Obama has been announcing the new healthcare reform law as the most important patients’ bill of rights in our history. In contrast, Republicans are campaigning to repeal it, warning about health insurance costs and federal deficits. This edition offers a debate on the issue, and a forum with voters to discuss their views on health reform and how that will influence their votes. This www.haciaelvoto.org Hacia el Voto 2010 program airs from the studios of sister station KHDC-FM in Salinas, CA.