STATEMENT OF COOPERATION
Alburquerque Hispano Chamber of
Commerce
Alburquerque Technical-Vocational
Institute
City
of Alburquerque
County
of Bernalillo
Hispano
Cultural Center
Hispano
Culture Foundation
Hispano
Round Table
Sandía
National Laboratories
US
Department of Energy
University
of New Mexico
Public
Service Company of New Mexico
Los
Alamos National Laboratory
New
Mexico MESA
Barelas
Community Development Corp.
I. BACKGROUND
The signatories of this Statement of Cooperation recognize that there are both challenges and opportunities facing Hispanos. Our Hispano drop out rate is significant, our youth education programs in science and technology are lacking, employment opportunities must be identified and communicated, Hispano business opportunities must be recognized and nurtured, and Hispano culture must be lived and celebrated.
The US Department of Energy's Hispano Outreach Initiative report, "Partnering for the Future," offers insightful data on Hispanos. For example, the report states, Hispanos are the fastest-growing minority population in the United States. Estimates are that Hispanos comprise more than 12% of the US population. Projections for the year 2000 census indicate Hispanos will comprise more than 13% of the U.S. population, making Hispanos the largest minority group in the country.
According to the report, the US Census Bureau indicates that between 1982 and 1987 the number of Hispano-owned businesses increased more than 70%. There are currently about 422,000 Hispano-owned businesses, but projections are there will be more than 720,000 by the turn of the century. Encouraging as these figures may seem, they indicate that Hispano-owned businesses will continue to grow at a pace well behind those owned by non-Hispanos.
Hispano employment and compensation are not keeping up, either, the report indicates. Hispanos comprise over 12% of the national civilian work force, but less than six percent of the permanent federal workforce. Hispano unemployment is high (9.9%) and a majority of those Hispanos with jobs find themselves in semi-skilled and lower paying jobs. The Census Bureau reports that Hispano men and women earn substantially less per week than their European-American counterparts. For Hispano teenagers, the unemployment rate is more than 24%.
The Hispano community comprises over 12% of the total US student population, but has one of the lowest levels of educational achievement of major US minority groups. Current high school dropout rates are 12% for European-Americans, 16% for African-Americans, and 33% for Hispanos. And while dropout rates have stabilized for these other populations, Hispano dropout rates are still increasing.
This nationally bleak picture is mirrored and even intensified in New Mexico. In
1996, New Mexico became only the second "majority minority" state in the nation
(along with Hawaii, whose minority population is 68%), according to official data
from the US Population Reference Bureau. New Mexico now has a minority population of about 54%. Hispanos account for 42% of the state's population; Native Americans comprise 8.5%; and Asians, African Americans and others make up about 4%.
The Alburquerque Journal (4/10/97) reported that Alburquerque public high schools with the highest percentages of Hispano students also had the highest drop out rates.
This Statement of Cooperation supports and implements the goals and objectives of the Hispano Outreach Initiative, "Partnering for the Future."
The signatories of this Statement of Cooperation share a recognition of these problems among Hispanos, and are especially aware of these issues in New Mexico, where there is a major Hispano population. Further, they recognize the value of working interdependently toward identifying and implementing change that will address these issues.
Given the depth and complexity of the challenges facing Hispanos in 1) education, 2) employment, 3) business, and 4) cultural celebration, the signatories to this Statement of Cooperation commit to communicate and work interdependently to help resolve these problems and face these issues. This interdependent approach uses cooperation and collaboration as the basis for effective action in the community.
Signatories will widely communicate the elements of this Statement of Cooperation at local, state and national conferences and meetings.
III.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
The signatories to this Statement of Cooperation have identified the following opportunities for cooperation and collaboration throughout the State of New Mexico. All will work interdependently in these areas to the extent permitted by budgets and business priorities.
Education
In education, cooperating member institutions will
work together to identify Hispano students to participate in mentoring
programs, in after-school work study programs, and in summer employment and
enrichment programs at each cooperating institution. Additionally, identify and
monitor an inventory of educational support programs and their
interdependencies to assure that there is a supported pipeline of Hispano
students at all levels. The overall
goal in this area is to reduce the Hispano drop-out rate to a level equal to
the general population in New Mexico and to improve national test scores of
Hispanos to a level equal to the general population in New Mexico.
For example the cooperating member institutions will work to identify Hispano students for placement in internship summer programs and other education outreach activities.
An example of an existing program that would benefit from collaborative efforts by cooperating member institutions is an innovative hands-on science and math education program called MANOS. This program offers education programs to mostly Hispano and Native American middle school students at feeder schools to Rio Grande High School and West Mesa High School. MANOS offers five workshops-in math, physics, electronics, computers and flavor of science-at either Rio Grande or West Mesa high schools.
UNM and TVI will work with the other signatories to identify and meet the educational and training needs of Hispanos seeking employment with the cooperating member institutions.
All signatories will work to identify opportunities to provide technical support to New Mexico schools and universities with curriculum development, instruction, and alignment with future technology employment needs.
Cooperating member institutions will support New Mexico schools and universities with loaned equipment and staff to collaboratively improve the effectiveness and relevance of technical education.
Employment
In employment, the cooperating member institutions will work together to identify Hispano candidates for referral to employment opportunities at cooperating member institutions. Cooperating members will collaborate in creating a pool of Hispano applicants that can fill present and future positions at cooperating institutions and in the community at-large.
For example, cooperating member institutions will collaborate to help identify and recruit Hispano job applicants by building and maintaining a database of qualified candidates. Cooperating member institutions can provide copies of annual staffing plans to other cooperating members. Cooperating members will meet regularly to advertise employment opportunities at each institution and to seek methods for continuous improvement in the process of hiring Hispano candidates in an effort to align employment demographics with the Hispano population of New Mexico. This means cooperating members commit to be at least 46% Hispano by 2008 (or 2008 estimated New Mexico Hispano population).
For specialized areas like engineering, accounting, etc, the goal is to mirror the New Mexico Department of Labor Hispano availability. For example, if 25% of New Mexico’s engineers are Hispano, the signatories engineering department should be at least 25% Hispano. For other positions like grounds maintenance, secretaries, etc, the goal should be at least 46% Hispano. The overall employment goal is for the organization to reach the overall 46% Hispano percentage.
Employment outreach will be achieved through a number of outreach efforts including but not limited to: Conferences, job fairs, school and university campus visits, networking with Hispano organizations and businesses & etc.
Business
In business, the cooperating member institutions will cooperate and collaborate to identify and promote Hispano individuals and businesses, within the cooperating member institutions and in the community at-large. This group agrees to expand the business base of contracts awarded to Hispano owned businesses in number of contracts and dollar amount. The goal for each signer is to award 25 new contracts with New Mexico-based, Hispano owned businesses per year.
For example, cooperating member institutions may:
· support the Hispano Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee to make presentations on requests for quotation process to Hispano Chamber of Commerce members.
· collaborate with the HCC to register members in supplier databases
(PRO-NET, SWISS).
· work with the Small Business Development Committee of the HCC to help Chamber members market their products/services.
· participate in the HCC Mercados to meet HCC's members and distribute information on procurement opportunities at cooperating member institutions.
· ensure that all HCC members are invited to participate in trade fair conferences.
Cooperating member institutions may provide to other Hispano and minority businesses: 1) technical assistance to participating institutions for business and economic development to ensure Hispano participation; 2) decision-making processes for business planning and networking; and 3) contracting and procurement opportunities for Hispano and minority suppliers with cooperating member institutions.
Cultural Celebration
In the area of cultural awareness, the cooperating member institutions will work
together to increase appreciation for and awareness of the diverse cultures in New
Mexico, especially Hispano culture.
Cooperating member institutions may:
· expand their Hispano cultural celebrations to include more community-based cultural activities, and to include broader segments of the Hispano community.
· collaborate with the Hispano Culture Foundation to provide resources for the construction and operation of the International Hispano Cultural Center.
· actively support conferences and cultural observances regarding Hispano traditions, values, artisans, literature, language, history, music, poetry & etc.
· collaborate to institutionalize shared Hispano cultural values in the workplace and other aspects of daily life – For example annual observations and sponsorship of National Hispano month celebrations and ceremonies.
IV. Quarterly
Planning and Annual Review
The cooperating member institutions agree to meet at least quarterly to review substantive progress and plan tactical collaborations. Additionally, they will annually review, and enhance this Statement of Cooperation to increase its impact and effectiveness.
