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By Sharmaine Jones

Last night (October 5) on the 36th floor conference room of New York's Mandarin Oriental Luxury Hotel, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) held their Alumni Hall of Fame Gala and we were in attendance.

The Hall of Fame Gala celebrated and acknowledged the achievements of outstanding HSF alumni recipients who personify the power of higher education. Keeping the program moving along was this years master of ceremonies: CNBC's personal finance expert Carmen Wong Ulrich. Ulrich did an excellent job using witty, lighthearted humor to keep the audience engaged. And boy did we need a few laughs throughout the ceremony because there was a short video shown for each inductee giving a brief description of their family's struggles and explaining the impact HSF had on their ability to go to college. These videos – what we like to describe as – “Messages of Hope” showed touching stories of survival, perseverance, sacrifice and strong family values. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. This years alumni inductees – all the first in their family to go to college – include:

Altruista, Yesmi Rios, English Language Learner Coordinator, Clark County School District, NV
Brillante, Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Food
and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Inspirador, Roger Cepeda, Associate General Counsel, CT, GE Healthcare
Optimista, Edgar Martinez, D.O., F.A.C.P.S., Medical Director, Dr. Edgar Martinez Medical Center

CNN's Anderson Cooper was in attendance to present the Corporate Honoree award to Time Warner. Chairman and CEO Jeff L. Bewkes accepted the award on the company's behalf.

Giving one of the most touching speeches of the night was Honorary Inductee: “Triunfador” Cesar Conde, President, Univision Networks. He spoke about how HSF afforded him the opportunity to compete with tools of education and emphasized that in the Latino community “High School dropout rate is too high and college matriculation is too low.” He also shared his motivational mantra: “Dream big, work hard and stay humble”.

During the event we had the pleasure of dining with HSF scholarship recipient Sergio F. Serratto. Mr. Serratto spoke with us about how he volunteered to help out with the event as his way of “giving back”. He now attends NYU Stern and will be a part of the Finance and International Business class of 2011.

Serratto is another example of HSF's importance and success. Celebrating 35 years of excellence, HSF is the nation's leading Hispanic scholarship organization, providing the Hispanic community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. Designed to be a relief valve for students ready to enter college, as well as their families, HSF has successfully created a national movement awarding over $300 million, resulting in close to 100,000 scholarships to students in need.

What's so amazing about this program is that it's not only designed to send Latinos to college, they also educate their families about the important role parents play in the process. To accomplish this, “Your Words Today” – launched April 27, 2010 – is a multi-media, bilingual PSA campaign aimed to reinforce among Hispanic parents that their involvement is crucial and their encouragement is vital.

Attending the event was such an honor and being in the presence of such prominent successful Latinos gave us an overwhelming sense of pride and hope. Kudos to HSF for not only addressing a Hispanic issue, but an American issue.

For more information about how to apply for scholarships or donate to the cause, visit www.HSF.net.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Anderson Cooper, Carmen Wong Ulrich, CNBC, CNN, Edgar Martinez, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Lisa Pino, Roger Cepeda, Time Warner, Yesmi Rios

By Michael Lopez

Welcome to a whole new way to be charitable. Back in the day, groups of stars would get involved with causes via telethons, auctions, or whatever. But now Eva Longoria Parker has taken giving into the modern age, with the first ever celebrity Twitter auction. And get this, so far she’s raised over $540,000!

Image: WireImage

This particular charity is to help aid children and those continuing to struggle in Haiti. By donating a set amount of dollars, you can not only make a difference, but get your favorite celebs to Tweet you a personalized message! And you can even get them follow you in the Twitterverse.

With over 750,000 Followers, it’s clear Eva’s a master of all things Twitter. Obviously, she would have been our first choice for a personalized message, but if you preferred another A-lister, you could’ve hooked up with Mario Lopez, Nicole Richie, or Lala Vasquez, all of whom were involved.

It’s clear Eva was very touched by overwhelming response, Tweeting,

“Thanks again to all of U that bid & won auctions @ http://TwitChange.com -our team is working hard behind the scenes for each of you all! Xo”

And remember, it’s not too late to donate. If you’re interested in helping those less fortunate in Haiti, please visit TwitChange.com.

Which celebs would you to have follow you on Twitter? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Celebrities, Charity, Eva Longoria Parker, Haiti, Health, TwitChange, twitter

by Wendaline Perez

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Tr3s is hooking up a group of Latino youth with seed funding for their philanthropic efforts. Sponsored by Ashoka’s Youth Venture, in partnership with City Year and the Inter-American Development Bank, Tr3s selected three winners from across the nation who are serving their community, by dedicating their time and effort, in order to make a positive difference. The three winners will be recognized as official Tr3s Agentes de Cambio leaders and will be receiving funds to take their social efforts to the next level.

Reggaeton superstar, Daddy Yankee surprised one of our three Agentes de Cambio winners, Dons Net Café, at Santa Barbara High School last week acknowledging the work they’ve done in their community. Dons Net Café is a student-run social entrepreneurial business program at Santa Barbara High School funded by the Regional Occupational Program. Students volunteer after-school, nights and weekends to help local community members complete their tax returns and obtain Individual Tax Identification Numbers for those who are interested in gaining citizenship. The group also does environmental work through street clean-ups, graffiti removal and recycling projects. Their mission is to educate and empower both youth and community to create change that is both beneficial to society and to the environment while running a profitable student run social entrepreneurial business. The Tr3s Agentes de Cambio award is a fitting tribute to all the wonderful things the members of Dons Net Café have accomplished.

El Cangri is no stranger to giving back to the community as well. In 2007 he launched, Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization that helps provide quality education and promote non-violent lifestyles for young girls and boys. He also received a Cassandra Award in 2009 from the Association of Latin Entertainment for his funding for a children’s center in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, the capital city of Dominican Republic.

Check out the video of Daddy Yankee's visit to Dons Net Café:

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Daddy Yankee, pro-social

by Wendaline Perez

The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA) hosted their annual awards ceremony, Noche de Gala at the Renaissance Mayflower hotel in Washington DC last week celebrating the organization’s 13th year of existence. Actors Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales and Sonia Braga, along with attorney Felix Sanchez, created the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts in 1997 to advance the presence of Latinos in the media, telecommunications and entertainment industries. Today, NHFA offers graduate scholarships to Hispanic students at eight colleges and universities across the United States and expands career opportunities for existing talent in all aspects of entertainment and the performing arts.

Photo via Photo-op, Inc.

NHFA’s Noche de Gala was definitely a star-studded affair, among the celebrities in attendance were Television Icon Cristina Saralegui, who was named the NHFA’s recipient of the 2010 Raul Julia Award for Excellence, Puerto Rican Actor Jimmy Smits, who is one of the founding members of the NHFA, and Mexican-Brazilian Actress, Giselle Itié, who was an honoree of the NHFA’s Horizon Award. Other celebrity guests included Tony Plana (Ugly Betty); Benito Martinez (Shield, 24, CSI, Lie to Me); Jesse Garcia (Bajo la Misma Luna); Aimee Garcia (George Lopez Show; Trauma); Jeremy Ray Martinez (La Mission)

Tr3s caught up with actor and co-founder of the National Foundation for the Art’s, Jimmy Smits, to find out more about his passion for philanthropy and his thoughts about Latinos in the media today:

"I always want us to be able to do more, but when I look at the young people who are going to Harvard, NYU… I realize that begging corporate sponsors to give a helping hand does pays off…that’s what we started 10-15 years ago with Rock the Vote, we came together to figure out how to do things so that its not just a photo-op and you really do see some kind of results.

What you realize is that the common denominator is education because if you have that springboard people who are in positions of power cant say 'well there's no real talented writer or performers who are trained.' They are out there, like yourself, so it's just about using education as a tool and having that confirmation from the outside, while believing in your talent and networking, that makes a well rounded individual which goes a long, long way.”

Jimmy Smits on the Immigration front:

"The whole immigration issue deals with the economic issue that confronts our country. Because its always been the country's policy to be lenient with immigration when there’s a necessity for a workforce, but times are tough now and people are feeling it, so they kind of displace and this is an easy way to displace but you go to every major urban area around the country and then places that are not-so urban and there are Latinos doing jobs that nobody else really wants to do, so you know I take all of that with a grain of salt but that doesn’t conclude me from saying that there are laws in this country that need to be followed and if there are set of rules that are established and people have to follow a path to citizenship, then we should. I think that most of the people are down with that."

We also caught up with actor Jesse Garcia who gave us some words of advice to share with you:

"Dream big, dream bigger than big, whatever you want just reach for it. I came from a small town in Wyoming I grew up in a town with 700 people and I’m living my dream and my dream is still bigger and I’m still achieving that."

What do you think about the NHFA's mission?  Do you think we need more Latinos representing in the media?  Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags 2010 Raul Julia Award for Excellence, Agentes De Cambio, Benito Martinez, cristina, Cristina Saralegui, entrevista, Esai Morales, Giselle Itie, Immigration, Jesse Garcia, Jimmy Smits, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, NHFA, Noche de Gala, Rock the Vote, Tony Plana

By Michael Lopez

Still dreading the start of the new school year? Leave it to Juanes to make back-to-school a cheery event! What could be cooler than taking notes on charitable paper? That’s right, amongst all the other charitable events he's responsible for, the Colombian rocker also has an artistic line of notebooks designed to benefit his charitable foundation.

Set up through Juanes’ Mi Sangre project, the new notebooks feature guitar imagery, doves, and lyrics from his most famous songs. And better yet, every time you purchase one, part of the profits will be donated to aid victims of Colombian land mines.

"The foundation hopes the product will increase visibility of the conflict and open the hearts of young people to messages of peace, love, and reconciliation", said Jaunes. “The notebooks have slogans including, ‘We have a right to live in peace’, ‘I beg you for one second of peace’ and ‘Change hate for love.’"

They’re also really unique and a heck of a lot more interesting than those Mead binders we’re all used to. Even if you’re done and graduated, the notebooks still make great tools for sketching, journaling, or coming up with lyrics we can send to Juanes for his next big hit!  We know we're dying to get our hands on one!

Source:[Colombia Reports]

Would you buy a Juanes notebook? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Back To School, Charity, Health, Juanes, Mi Sangria Foundation

By Michael Lopez

There’s nothing like a notable cause to bring top celebs together. Whether it’s to help fight cancer, or encourage Latinos to join the National Marrow Donor Program, it’s great to see big stars lend their talents to do good. This past Tuesday (September 7), brought even more unity with the premiere event for the “La Gota De La Vida” charity single.

Featuring an all-star cast like Enrique Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, and Sofia Vergara (yes she can sing), the track translates to “The Drop Of Life”. What does that mean exactly? Produced in conjunction with City Of Hope, it encourages the Latino community to become donors and help save others stricken with cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses.

Obviously with a cast this big and a message this strong, a YouTube video premiere just wouldn’t cut it. That’s why the producers of the single decided to debut it with a massive event at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

Featuring a glamorous red carpet, live performances, and speeches from leading City Of Hope physicians, it was an affair that was both entertaining and enlightening. Three-time boxing champ Roberto “The Ghost” Guerrero took the stage with his wife Casey who, as a leukemia survivor, had some very inspiring words for the crowd.

L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also got up to stress the importance of being a donor and supporting the fight against life-threatening diseases. His speech was followed by a gorgeous live ballad from up-and-coming novela star Sandra Echeverria.

But of course, the showstopping moment was the introduction of the video. Presented by surprise guest (and fellow “Gota” singer) Placido Domingo, it conveyed a powerful message and featured no less than 46 major Latin artists. Plus it’s a VERY catchy tune.

Before it was all over, guests were treated to gift bags complete with information on how to get involved with City Of Hope. To find out more about their National Marrow Donor Program (and get info on the single), make sure to visit their website today.

Are you excited to watch “La Gota De La Vida”? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Antonio Villaraigosa, Charities, City of Hope, La Gota De La Vida, Placido Domingo, Roberto Guerrero, Sandra Echeverria

By Michael Lopez

You know if a program is scheduled to run simultaneously on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and tons of high-profile cable channels it’s got to be pretty important. “Stand Up To Cancer” is more than a television special, it’s an event, designed to inspire, educate, and tackle one of the deadliest diseases in our world today. And now it looks like several Latino celebs are joining the fight.

Sofia Vergara, Aubrey Plaza, Naya Rivera and more are all scheduled to partake in the event which hopes to raise money for research, support, and cutting-edge technologies geared towards fighting the deadly disease. Now in its third year, the show features real celebs manning the phones and accepting donations.

And who exactly could be taking your calls? How about George Clooney or Will Smith? Past high-profile Latinas on phone duty have included both Salma Hayek Pinault and America Ferrera. Will they be on the line this year? We'll have to wait and see...

But outside the glam and glitz of the stars, the heart of the foundation is to give people a forum to stay educated, share their stories, and learn about what’s being done to tackle the "Big C".

According to SUTC stats, 1500 Americans die from cancer every day. And one out of two men and one out of three women will be diagnosed at one point in their lifetime. Pretty heavy numbers, but there’s plenty of good news to go along with that too.

100% of all of the funds received from the special will go towards cancer research. Specifically, to a “Dream Team” (as they put it) of researchers from top institutions who are undertaking groundbreaking disease-combative projects at this very moment. Not only that, SUTC is a full partner with the American Association for Cancer Research.

Even a slight contribution can make a massive difference, if enough people donate (the 2008 special raised over $100M). And who knows, you could wind up making your pledge to Vanessa Hudgens or Zac Efron. So start cracking open those piggy banks because the SUTC special starts at 8pm on September 10!

Has anyone in your family been affected by cancer? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags AACR, Agentes De Cambio, America Ferrera, Aubrey Plaza, Cancer, Celebrities, Charity, George Clooney, Naya Rivera, sofia vergara, Stand Up To Cancer, Vanessa Hudgens

In our latest installment of Deep Thoughts, Blogamole contributor Michael Lopez reminds you that taking care of yourself, your family, and your planet doesn't automatically make you a hippie.

By Michael Lopez

Smell that beautiful fresh air. Wait a minute, just how fresh is it? Well, if you’re like most of us living in major metropolitan areas, it may be time to break out the gas masks. In traffic-heavy New York, Latinos account for the highest adult asthma rate of any ethnic group. And in California's farmworker communities, pesticide exposure is a regular occurrence, leading to increased lymphoma and cancer risks.

Yes, environmental health threats are a major issue within the American Latino community, which many of us aren’t even aware of. The National Resources Defense Council produced an entire report on these concerns, which range from poor drinking water to lead poisoning threats to contaminated foods.

photo credit: National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC)

In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Baldwin Hills, activist Irma Munoz decided to form her own Latin-themed green organization, Mujeres de la Tierra after seeing lifelong friends succumb to cancers from environmental hazards.

Her work to bring Latino eco-education to the forefront even got the attention of Newsweek, which published a major story on her cause.

“Latinos in many urban areas are the new mainstream, but unfortunately that does not translate in the equitable distribution of resources-especially in the ‘green world’.” She told them. “A lot of power plants and factories are traditionally put in minority neighborhood, and we suffer as a result of that. What we want are all the things that are necessary to good community health in any urban area: trees and clean air quality.”

California did seem to listen, as evidenced by new laws that now put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, particularly those from industrial plants. Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez spoke up about the residents who don’t often get a big enough voice in environmental activism.

“For a long time, the image of an environmentalist…was a stereotypical brie-eating, chardonnay-sipping,…elite.” Nunez was quoted as saying. “But there were other issues that affected people wouldn’t commonly be known as environmentalists.”

So what else can be done to ensure Latino communities protect themselves from ecological dangers?

The NRDC’s report addressed many vital points including making data more available, accessible Spanish-language information on protecting against health risks, and the need for stricter laws against harmful emissions and contaminants.

Obviously none of this can be done overnight, but acknowledgment is a step in the right direction. It never hurts to stay active with your local government and voice your opinions on eco-hazards you think need to be corrected. Follow the NLCCC on Facebook and find out about events in your area.

And if all else fails, find a nice little garden and plant a tree.

Source: [NRDC]

Do you have environmental concerns about your community? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Cultura, Deep Thoughts, Ecology, Environmentalism, Mujeres de la Tierra

By Michael Lopez

"Now, stepping up to the plate at Baltimore’s Oriole Park, First Lady Michelle Obama!" Not the first name you’d expect to hear a baseball announcer say at a MLB stadium, but that’s exactly what the crowd heard!

Last week, Michelle Obama made a public appearance to spread awareness for the “Let’s Move” campaign, geared towards fighting childhood obesity. In fact, her participation marked the start of major partnership with Major League Baseball that will include top Latino sluggers as spokesmen!

Carlos Gonzalez from the Colorado Rockies, the Anaheim Angels’ Joel Pineiro, Matt Garza from the Tampa Bay Rays and more will be featured in PSAs spreading the word about healthier eating and outdoor exercise.

When speaking to participants in the stands, Michelle said, "We've got to get you guys focused and moving. When these players were kids they found a sport that they loved. They practiced and practiced and practiced until they were better at it than anybody else. We want you guys to do the same thing."

“Let’s Move” is a relatively new program (it was launched back in February in cooperation with the USDA) and inspires kids to engage in physical activities and enjoy a healthier diet of nutritious foods. And seeing how beautiful the summer weather is, we couldn’t think of a better message to spread to right now. So put down that Xbox, go outside, and have some fun!

Find out more about “Let’s Move!’ at http://www.letsmove.gov/.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, childhood obesity, Health, Latino, Let’s Move, Michelle Obama, Sports, Tr3s

By Michael Lopez

We always love hearing about young Latino stars taking the time to give back. Think about it… You’re in the prime of your life, making millions of dollars, and working constantly on film and TV projects. Do you really think there would be time time to lead workshops across the country and counsel young people on the importance of education? Wilmer Valderrama is proof that it's possible!

The actor and activist has quietly donated dozens of hours to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) and was recently honored for his work with their Ready To Lead (R2L) program.

As the nation’s premier Hispanic non-profit leadership development organization, CHCI works to groom the next generation of influential Latinos by promoting higher education and improved graduation rates. Wilmer has made a major impact, via his numerous R2L sessions and PSAs.

As he puts it, "This has been some of the most rewarding work I have ever done. It is crucial that we embrace the youth of today for the future of America. When I tell them they can, that's all they need."

With all of his success and a high-profile image, it’s no surprise that CHCI announced that they’re extending Wilmer’s partnership through 2012. Keep up the good work amigo, because we all know a little inspiration can go a long way!

For more info about CHCI, check out http://www.chci.org/.

Source: [CHCI]

What causes would you like to get the most involved with? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Agentes De Cambio, Awards, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, leadership, Ready To Lead, Wilmer Valderrama