Earlier this week, NCLR Affiliates all over the country honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of service. Below are highlights from some of the events.
Monthly Archives: January 2014
Three Things to Know About Cervical Cancer
By Marcela Vargas, Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR
The New Year is here and everyone is trying to stick to their New Year’s Resolutions. I have had countless conversations with friends about their decisions to eat healthier and go to the gym more often. In fact, many New Year’s resolutions revolve around getting healthier. However, it is important that we not forget about preventive health in our quest to eat more veggies and to hit the gym.. This month is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. It is particularly important to us here at NCLR because of the impact it has on the Latina community. Latina women have the second highest rate of cervical cancer out of all racial and ethnic groups. Latinas also have the second highest death rate due to cervical cancer out of these same groups. The sad reality about these rates is that they could very easily decrease, if we took more time to worry about preventive health. With that in mind, here are three things you should know about cervical cancer:
1. All women can get cervical cancer. While all women are at risk for cervical cancer, certain factors can increase the chances of getting the disease. Having HIV or a condition that weakens the immune system puts you at higher risk for getting cervical cancer. In addition, smoking or having used birth control pills for at least five years also increase the risk. Lastly, women who have given birth to three or more children are more likely to develop cervical cancer.
2. Cervical cancer does not always cause symptoms. Many times, we do not think to go to the doctor until we are not feeling well. In the case of cervical cancer, we cannot take this risk. It often does not cause any symptoms. In the rare cases that it does, symptoms do not occur until the disease is in its advanced stages.
3. There are ways to prevent cervical cancer. There are several ways to protect yourself. Regular Pap tests help catch cervical cancer when treatment is still simple. It is also important to follow-up with your health care provider if your Pap test results come back abnormal. Not smoking and using condoms during sexual activity will also help protect you from cervical cancer.
The good news about all of this is that there are resources for women to get themselves screened. In 2014, as a result of the Affordable Care Act, Pap tests are covered by insurance companies at no cost to you. If you still do not have insurance, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides access to cervical cancer screening services. Still unsure of what a Pap test is? Next week, we’ll learn more about what it is and how it is performed. Stay tuned!
This Week in Immigration Reform – Week Ending January 17
Week Ending January 17, 2014
This week in immigration reform: in line with what other House Republicans have been saying, Rep. Doug LaMalfa calls on Congress to get something done on immigration reform; NCLR fights a proposal in the Senate that sought to deny the Child Tax Credit to families of four million U.S. citizen children; the Congress passes an Appropriations bill that funds both good and bad immigration programs; and NCLR meets with a House working group to discuss the year ahead for immigration reform. Emerging Latino Communities (ELC) grantee HOLA (Hispanas Organizadas de Lake y Ashtabula) kept the spotlight on the need for reform by gathering the community for a 20-mile pilgrimage from Lake County to Cleveland in support of staying the deportation of a married father of three children. NCLR kept the community informed as always this, with staff quoted in CNN Mexico, Terra, and VOXXI.
—California Republican comes out in support of immigration reform. Last week, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) made what he described as a “pivot” by coming out in support of immigration reform. The conservative Congressman said he changed his mind after talking to farmers who told him that their businesses couldn’t survive without immigrant labor. Echoing other House Republicans, Rep. LaMalfa said that something needs to get done, and done soon, on immigration reform.
—NCLR fights to protect Child Tax Credit for immigrant families as jobless benefits debate continues. This week NCLR fought to preserve access to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for all qualified families by strongly voicing its opposition to an amendment to the Senate jobless benefits bill that sought to eliminate the CTC for tax filers who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). This proposal, offered by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H), would have adversely affected over 4 million U.S. citizen children.
Ultimately the amendment was not brought to a vote. NCLR will continue to educate lawmakers on the importance of the CTC for eligible filers and oppose any changes that would hurt Latino families. Continue reading
Tell Your Senators to Support Maria Contreras-Sweet as Head of the Small Business Administration!
We’re thrilled about President Obama’s nomination of Maria Contreras-Sweet to lead the Small Business Administration. Click the image below to tell your Senators to support her, too!
In-State Tuition Bill for DREAMers Introduced in Congress
Today Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) introduced The Investing IN States to Achieve Tuition Equity (IN-STATE) for DREAMer Students Act. The bill would provide $750 million in need-based aid to any state that sets “equitable in-state tuition rates” or that offers financial aid to undocumented students who have graduated from American high schools.
We’ve seen similar laws passed in 18 other states, most recently in New Jersey and California. A federal law would ease the difficulty of affording higher education that many undocumented students face. All students deserve access to affordable education no matter their status. Simply put, states shouldn’t discriminate against students who came to the United States through no fault of their own.
“Undocumented students are no different than their classmates,” said Sen. Murray (D-Wash.) in a statement. “They live in the same towns, attend the same schools, and share the same dreams – and they deserve an equal chance to go to college and start successful careers in this country.”
Thank you Sen. Murray and Rep. Polis for standing by America’s DREAMers and introducing this important bill!
Read more about the proposed IN-STATE Tuition for DREAMers Act below:
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Learning from Leaders: Strategies for Teaching Math to ELL Students
Today we’re hosting a webinar on how to employ good teaching strategies for English language learner success in mathematics. Sign up here and follow or join the conversation below!
You Could Have Cervical Cancer and Never Know It. Get the Facts About Cervical Cancer!
