by Mario H. Lopez, president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund

The web of environmental, energy and infrastructure issues taking center stage in President Biden’s domestic agenda is an opportunity for commonsense commitment to the health of our planet, as well as a chance to celebrate mankind’s victories in safeguarding its future. These issues take on an added dimension for underserved communities because those populations have benefited especially from an energy revolution that created jobs, helped to lift millions out of poverty, and provided a path for responsible environmental stewardship.

Tackling environmental issues is a shared challenge that spans racial, … Read More >>

Last week, National Association of Hispanic Publications Media (NAHP) Chairman Ricardo Hurtado sent a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland expressing his opposition to the Biden administration’s federal leasing ban.

Hurtado commended the President and Department of Interior for its efforts to combat climate change, and noted that federal leasing is actually BENEFICIAL to the environment. “As a result of the United States moving away from coal, our country has made the most progress of any major economy in reducing its carbon footprint, according to the United Nations Emissions Gap Report 2020,” he said. “President Biden’s federal … Read More >>

Working together for a cleaner economy

By Mike Ferrufino and  Sofia Aguilar

As the Biden administration commits to aggressively tackle the climate crisis and set ambitious goals to achieve a net zero economy by 2050, Americans need to work together to make sure that this transition to a cleaner economy is responsible, inclusive, equitable and participatory. Meeting the challenges of a sustainable economy must be marked by bold and intentional action centered around economic inclusion.  Not only are thousands of jobs at stake, but all of us, including the sustainability sector have an opportunity and a responsibility to address the … Read More >>

Ernie C’de Baca, President & CEO of the Albuquerque Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

When President Biden came into office, one of his first agenda items was implementing a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters through executive order. The impact of the President’s action is widespread across several states, one of the hardest hit being right here in New Mexico.

An unintended adverse impact of the leasing ban will be its effect on 134,000 good paying jobs and tax revenue for education in New Mexico. As President & CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber … Read More >>

By Ricardo Sánchez Silva, @RicardoLoDice, NAHP Media Correspondent

In the midst of the pandemic the COVID-19 Solution Seekers platform was created by STEM Careers Coalition upon learning about professionals in the field with useful skills and tools that could meet the needs of the population in a global crisis like the one the world is currently experiencing.  The STEM Careers Coalition is the first-of-its-kind national STEM initiative powered by corporate leaders and anchored in schools by Discovery Education. Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources and professional learning for K-12 classrooms.

And so it happened, without wasting … Read More >>

By Jose L. Perez, President & CEO, Hispanics In Energy

Recent reports show America’s oil and gas industry supports roughly 10.3 million people in great-paying jobs across the country.

Hispanics, America’s largest minority group with 60 million people, are already 25 percent of K-12 students. Those young people will soon become of working age, whereby the energy sector could be a very attractive opportunity.

Hispanics have the highest labor force participation rate in America, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Hispanics will work in vocational-technical occupations such as welders, pipefitters, truckers, and laborers. They will also go on … Read More >>

The recent historic winter storm that plagued Texas has reinvigorated a discussion around the need for diversification of energy sources as well as ensuring reliability to the power grid. While the debate continues about how to prevent massive widespread blackouts from occurring again in the future, here is what experts have agreed upon:

• Access to reliable, affordable energy is essential to diverse communities and their quality of life across the country.
• The widespread blackout events in Texas and this past summer in California showcase the need for a diverse energy supply and better planning to support U.S. power grids during

… Read More >>

Two of Louisiana’s historically black colleges have recently joined forces with the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association (LMOGA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) to launch a new educational partnership in support of workforce development and diversity.

Both LMOGA and API’s Minority Serving Institution (MSI) are now working with Louisiana-based Southern and Grambling State Universities in their ongoing effort to increase access to the oil and gas industry’s best-in-class standards and better prepare the incoming industry workforce. The partnership with these two historical universities is just one example of industry making strides to diversify and lead the pack in preparing the future … Read More >>

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia

The Discovery Education STEM Careers Coalition is celebrating Black History Month by offering resources that shine a spotlight on today’s African American leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The Coalition, a dynamic collaboration of diverse partners, will host a Black Leaders in STEM Professional Development event at 6 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Feb. 16.

(https://stemcareerscoalition.org/news/news-updates/stem-resources-celebrate-black-leaders)

Chevron, Boeing, the American Petroleum Institute (API), Microsoft, and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) will display how they are using their STEM skills to make a difference and … Read More >>