ANGELO GETS MUSHY

Dear Lucas,

Angelo Falcon BW Listen, I don't want to get too mushy, but as I think about how I am fast plunging into the twilight of my life, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas holiday season before it is too late! This past year many of you came forth and provided financial and other support for the work of the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP). On behalf of all of us at NiLP I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. After all, the work we do is a little abstract and its impact sometimes hard to pin down. But, by the support we have gotten this past year, it is clear that many of you think it is important, which we appreciate.

This coming year is going to be a tough one for our community. We continue to bear the brunt of the economic problems facing the country, but many continue to see us as foreigners or second-class US citizens no matter what our legal status. Hate speech and violence against Latinos continues to be a problem. And in this context, the country will be putting the final touches on a highly flawed health insurance bill and starting a debate on immigration reform. And, the controversial issue of the future political status of Puerto Rico will be coming up as well in 2010.

But despite all of these problems and issues, the more than 50 million Latinos in the United States continue to find ways to flourish and contribute to this society. Through talent and brawn, Latinos and our immigrants contribute to strengthen the American economy. Latino elected and appointed officials, and political activists, continue to make the political and legal system relevant and vital. Latino businesspeople and leaders keep the corporate and small business sectors vibrant. Then there are the many talented creative people who as Latinos keep transforming and giving vitality to the culture of the United States. But finally, there are the many young people who make up the Latino community who represent the future of this country in so many critical ways. These are all things that, by making sure that our people fully participate in the 2010 Census, we can document for everyone to see.

So, we at NiLP still have a lot of work before us this coming year. If you haven't had a chance yet to make a contribution to support our work, you can still do so this year. This way we can not only keep our engines running, but in ways that assure our ability to remain independent.

You can make a donation in two ways. The easiest is online, which you can do my clicking here . Using your credit card, you can either make a one-time donation or contribute in monthly installments.

You can also mail a check or money order payable to the "National Institute for Latino Policy" to:

National Institute for Latino Policy

101 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 313

New York, NY 10013

Attn: Angelo Falcon

Once again, please have a happy holiday. And be sure to get a lot of rest, because we have a lot of work to do this New Year!

Felicidades

Angelo Falcon
National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP)