LatinaLista — In 1994, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison began to keep track of the diversity in children’s literature. The cooperative didn’t just want to know how many books…
LatinaLista — Studies have long shown that assimilation is bad for the average immigrant in terms of health outcomes. The longer they spend in the United States the more they and their offspring become susceptible to bad eating habits…
LatinaLista — Last year, Dr. Viviana Hurtado and Monica “Mommy Maestra” Olivera of Latinas for Latino Lit (L4LL) broke ground by launching the first-ever online Latino children’s summer reading program. Concerned about the poor literacy rates among Latino children…
LatinaLista — One of the main reasons most often cited as to why school-age children huff and puff their way across the playground is because they’re not getting enough exercise. Experts and healthcare providers agree that this kind of behavior,…
LatinaLista — With 50 different child welfare organizations in the country, not one of the 50 is reported to be working well, according to Molly McGrath Tierney, director for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services. It is a…
LatinaLista — In 2010, a little over 5 percent of school-aged children were identified as having special needs, usually referring to mental or physical disabilities. Yet, in reality, special needs children can embody any child that requires more than…
By Alma Ramos-McDermott LatinaLista “Let’s Salsa, Bailemos Salsa” Lupe Ruiz-Flores; Illustrated by Robert Casilla 2013. Pinata Books (Arte Publico Press). This bilingual picture book tells the story of young Estela who didn’t get to spend much time with…
LatinaLista — The plight of migrant farm workers has never gotten the full attention it deserves. No matter that the only reason the nation is able to enjoy the convenience of having fruits and vegetables at our neighborhood markets…
LatinaLista — A quarter of all Latinos live in poverty. Aside from that being a sad statistic what it implies is even scarier — people at greater risk for disease. Before the Affordable Care Act, living at or below…
LatinaLista — Though the issue of immigration has sporadically dominated the headlines over the last few years, there’s still a segment of the population for whom the issue doesn’t mean a whole lot — children. Unless a child has…
LatinaLista — A person, no matter how old they are, can count on their fingers to help them add and subtract but there’s no body part that can be used to help someone read. Reading comes from recognizing letters,…
LatinaLista — Summer is only a couple of weeks away but already parts of the country are experiencing uncomfortably hot temperatures launching most kids into daydreams of flippers, sunscreen and swimming pools. For those kids who can swim, it’s…
By Katherine Leal Unmuth Latino Ed Beat The Southern Poverty Law Center has sent a complaint letter to the administrator of the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Head Start program, alleging that the organization has illegally demanded proof of U.S. citizenship…
LatinaLista — Since 1919, an official time has been set aside to celebrate children’s books. This week marks the 94th anniversary of Children’s Book Week, (May 13-17). The week is highlighted by a variety of literacy activities and readings…
LatinaLista — For many people, sugar is their very first addiction, started when they were children. Whether from eating sugar-coated cereal, licking heaping scoops of ice cream or drinking tall sweet glasses of creamy chocolate milk, children’s taste buds…
LatinaLista — Though it’s snowing and blustery this week in most parts of the country, summer is just a few weeks away and so is the end of school. That means kids will be playing, swimming and hanging outside…
LatinaLista — Honduras is a hard country to live in. It ranks as having a murder rate ten times the global average; it is the second poorest country in Central America; and gang violence rivals drug cartels. For a…
LatinaLista — Charter schools have long been seen by communities of color as the only viable options to a failing public school system. A Stanford University report published in January 2013 found that impoverished black and Latino students especially…
LatinaLista — First Lady Michelle Obama has spearheaded the national effort to get children healthier by tackling the childhood obesity problem. From making healthy eating a part of her Let’s Move! campaign to getting school cafeterias to serve up…
LatinaLista — Whether it’s an e-reader or tablet computer, it’s difficult to find a reputable brand that is under $100. For too many Latino families whose children need to read books, the cost is enough to keep many Latino students…
LatinaLista — Visit any Mexican American community or family home and chances are there is a statue or portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Catholic Mexicans. In fact, Our Lady of Guadalupe has reached such iconic…
LatinaLista — A New York Times article that was published earlier this week revealing that Latino school children, who make up nearly a quarter of the public school population across the country, are less likely to see characters like…
LatinaLista — Most educators, parents and community leaders feel their job is done when preaching to teen girls the perils of getting pregnant while still in middle and high school. Yet, little thought is given to talking to young…
LatinaLista — For most Latino families, it used to be that eating cheaply meant eating a homemade meal made from the basic Latino food groups — corn, rice and beans. Yet, thanks to a new study from the University…
LatinaLista — To paraphrase a popular saying: As the well-being of Latino children goes, so goes the nation. It’s an understatement to say that the future of the nation depends, in large part, on how well today’s Latino children…
