Remembering Labor Day’s Roots - SEIU and Marching for Health Insurance Reform.
September 4, 2009 by ahagelgans
Labor Day typically evokes images of backyard barbeques, freshly sharpened pencils and notebooks, and one last day of respite before the return to the 9 to 5 pace.
But at Camino PR, we’re celebrating a return to Labor Day’s roots as union members – including our clients from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — take to the streets for quality, affordable health coverage for all. On Labor Day weekend, SEIU will participate in large-scale events across the country to call for health insurance reform, including this Saturday, Sept 5, when working people will gather in Indianapolis, and on Monday, when SEIU will join with President Obama in Cincinnati.
Camino PR is proud to have clients who provide services to better the world and spark the kind of social change that will make our society more just. And here’s one example of why:
SEIU didn’t sit on the sidelines when it came to the health of our nation’s children. They won victories for millions of children and parents across the country with the groundbreaking passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Thanks to their efforts, parents will no longer have to choose to either pay the rent or buy inhalers and other medications. Now we’re all talking about health insurance reform.
It’s been a summer of vitriolic debate, but did you know…
· One in five U.S. workers are currently uninsured?
· Every day, 14,000 more people lose their insurance coverage during this economic crisis— left on their own in the private market?
· The average family of four is paying $29,000 a year for healthcare in taxes, lower wages and out-of-pocket expenses?
· In 2004, half of all people filing for bankruptcy cited medical costs as a reason. And in 2008, half of all home foreclosures were due in part to the high cost of coverage and care?
· The U.S. economy lost as much as $207 billion in 2007 as a result of the poor health and shorter life spans of the uninsured?
· Young people (18-29) and Hispanics have the highest uninsured rates?
Not just Talking the Talk- Marching by Example
The 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds are a model for providing affordable and quality health care. The Benefit Funds provide a full package of benefits — including hospital, medical, prescription, dental, vision and quality of life benefits — to 400,000 members, retirees and their families with little or no out-of-pocket expense to members. The Benefit Funds have consistently provided coverage for far less than the average cost of coverage under other plans – proving that health care can be affordable and comprehensive.
Join SEIU this Labor Day weekend and make your voice heard.
Women’s Equality Day: Barbie, Birth Control and the Media Trends that Matter
August 26, 2009 by ahagelgans
Women’s Equality Day
Barbie, Birth Control and the Media Trends that Matter
On Women’s Equality Day, Camino PR pays tribute to our clients on the forefront of dismantling sexism and bias. At our firm we only promote clients who are sparking the kind of social change that will make our society more just. It’s not the most profitable niche, but it is the best way for us to have rigorous expertise in social change communications.
It hasn’t been an easy year for women’s advocates. In domestic news reporting related to sexual health, the terms “promiscuous” and “shame” got about the same number of media mentions as the terms “dating” and “pleasure.” New author Jordan Christy has just begun her media push for a return to “feminine values,” with an etiquette book for young women with chapters titled “Keep Your Chin Up and Your Skirt Down.”
The fashion industry toasted Barbie’s 50th birthday by making her the first toy to enjoy membership in the Fashion Designers Council of America. Among the Barbie - themed products was a new lip gloss called “Huge Lips Skinny Hips,” which causes lip swelling and the absorption of an appetite suppressor into the blood stream.
That’s why, in this climate where the most vocal are often the least reasonable, we applaud our clients for their dedication to creating true equality for women and girls in the United States and around the world. Here’s a snapshot of some of our clients and the fantastic work they are doing on behalf of women:
· One in four low-income women in the United States who faces an unintended pregnancy would choose abortion but cannot because of lack of funding. Thanks NLIRH for lobbying to end federal restrictions on abortion funding for low-income women. And, a huge thanks for winning a federal court battle this year that expands access to emergency contraception for young women!
· Almost 20% of women in this country are uninsured and many more face absurdly high premiums because insurers treat pregnancy as a disease and Caesarean sections as a pre-existing condition. Thanks Planned Parenthood and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for pushing our leaders to enact real health care reform!
· Latinas make up less than 2% of lawyers, and an even smaller fraction of judges in this country. Thanks Planned Parenthood and NLIRH for supporting Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination!
· One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease. When professors at Georgia State University came under fire by state elected officials for teaching about sexuality, the National Sexuality Resource Center sprang into action and created a national outpouring of support. Thanks NSRC for the awesome leadership!
· Nine out of 10 LGBT students report being harassed at school. Research also shows that many of the students that witness acts of harassment experience feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, and develop poor coping and problem-solving skills. Thanks Ford Foundation for being part of the solution by supporting research that explores sexuality education as it relates to issues of class, race, gender, and sexual orientation!
Camino is proud to be working with such committed organizations that reflect our values and strive daily to achieve equal footing for women.
For additional information contact Andrea Hagelgans at ahagelgans@caminopr.com
Camino PR Creative Director Featured in the Arizona Daily Star for Media Arts Work on Social Justice Campaigns
August 13, 2009 by ahagelgans
Camino PR’s creative director, Pablo Toledo, is profiled in today’s Arizona Daily Star for his creative media arts and storytelling on behalf of social justice issues. Pablo founded Project Libertdad, which brings together homeless youth from Mexico and teaches them how to use film and creative media to tell their personal stories. Later this year, Pablo will travel to Mexico to establish a media center and help area youth learn storytelling, drawing and video. Project Libertdad coincides with the upcoming production of his second feature film, Libertdad, a story about a Mexican-American detective who returns to Mexico after his brother is accused of murder. It follows the success of “Runnin’ at Midnight,” a film about inner city teens who shoot hoops at midnight in Tucson. Through digital and graphic arts, Pablo is able to capture the essence of their struggles and connect their needs with a larger audience. Let Camino PR and Pablo tell your story and advance your issues!
Camino PR client, NLIRH, featured in Sotomayor confirmation media coverage
August 10, 2009 by Admin
Hispanosphere, the prominent Latino current events and politics blog for The Orlando Sentinel, covered NLIRH in its round-up of national expert commentary on Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. Featured alongside Tim Kaine of the Democratic National Committee, Congresswoman Karen L. Thurman, Florida Democratic Party Chair, SEIU, the National Partnership for Women & Families, National Council of La Raza, among others, the nation’s leading Latina voice for reproductive health and rights was quoted as saying, “The Senate confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor heralds a new era of diversity in our courts. Judge Sotomayor offers inspiration for Latinas as her confirmation has challenged stereotypes and demonstrated the growing political power of the Latino community,” said Silvia Henriquez, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH). Judge Sotomayor will play a pivotal role in promoting the dignity and well being of our families and our communities. Her confirmation signals hope for not only expanded legal access to abortion but also for expanded social access to the full range of reproductive health care, such as health care funding for poor women. Judge Sotomayor’s body of work and judicial philosophy reveals a sophisticated analysis of social issues and the important role of the court in safeguarding human dignities.”
And, in more exciting news, on the week that Judge Sotomayor begins her new role as Supreme Court Justice, NLIRH will host a national ‘Quinceañera’ gala to celebrate the coming-of-age of a new era of Latina empowerment. NLIRH was founded fifteen years after the first Latina was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and fifteen years later we are ready to toast the first Latina to sit on the nation’s highest court. Camino PR is proud to celebrate this tremendous achievement with NLIRH.
Camino PR client NLIRH makes the Wall Street Journal today!
July 21, 2009 by Admin
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) announcement of its support for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor got picked up in the Wall Street Journal Washington Wire. NLIRH is the only latina reproductive health and justice advocacy group to date to be quoted in any national news outlets on the nomination. We expect Silvia Henriquez and her team to stay in the spotlight as Judge Sotomayor moves closer to making history on the Supreme Court. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect - NLIRH celebrates its 15th anniversary at a major Washington DC gala just as the new Supreme Court begins their work in October. The “Quincineara” celebration for NLIRH marks a new coming-of-age for the Latino/a civil rights movement, and seeing Judge Sotomayor starting her new job will be a fitting tribute to NLIRH’s 15 years of leadership. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/07/21/after-waiting-weeks-abortion-rights-group-backs-sotomayor/
Reaching diverse audiences: CPR connects non profits with ethnic media
July 16, 2009 by Admin
Did you know– According to New American Media, ethnic media is the “fastest growing sector of American journalism”? With more than 51 million adult followers, and 3,000 ethic media outlets, are you maximizing your organization’s voice with these audiences? This week at Planned Parenthood’s national conference, Elizabeth Toledo, president of Camino Public Relations and a leader in strategic ethnic media communications, will train community organizers, communications specialists, activists and advocates from across the country on how to connect and reach diverse audiences as part of their social justice campaigns. To learn more about this and other forms of the media, visit CPR at http://caminopr.com.
Andrea Hagelgans joins the Camino PR family
July 6, 2009 by Admin
Andrea Hagelgans has joined the Camino PR family as the new Director of Media Relations. Andrea is a national communications strategist who has worked on some of the nation’s toughest and cutting-edge issues, such as reproductive health and justice, public defense and the death penalty, and climate change. In addition to developing and implementing strategic communications plans, Andrea focuses on building organizational capacity through trainings on emerging new media, crisis communications and messaging.
When not sprinting to the phone to answer reporter calls, Andrea can be found training for her next marathon in Central Park. She’s run seven marathons, including a Boston Marathon PR of 3:21! She lives in New York with her Chef husband (hence, the running) and her Brittany Spaniel dog.
CPR Welcomes “Baby Boy Guidera” To The World!
June 3, 2009 by Admin
CPR’s visual artist extraordinaire, Mary Guidera Fason, gave birth on Monday to “Baby Boy Guidera”, a beautiful and healthy boy who weighed in at a sturdy 7 1/2 lbs. Congratulations Mary and welcome to the world of social justice, Baby Boy G!
Camino PR helps put Latina health needs in the news!
May 13, 2009 by Admin
The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and Planned Parenthood Federation of America were the focus of a Chronicle of Philanthropy article about President Obama’s budget proposals. Cecile Richards and Silvia Henriquez had eloquent quotes about the need to put public health care needs ahead of politics. Click here for the original article, the full text below:
May 08, 2009
2010 Federal Budget
Two Women’s Health Groups Criticize President’s Budget
Officials from two women’s health and family planning groups have released statements expressing concern and disappointment over President Obama’s 2010 budget, released yesterday.
Officials from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health– said in new releases that they were discouraged that the Obama administration did not seek to strike restrictions on government financing of abortions.
“We are disappointed that the budget did not remove restrictions on women’s ability to access the full range of reproductive heath-care services, said Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood’s president. “Placing onerous restrictions on women is not effective public policy.” She added that her group plans to encourage the president and Congress to remove the restrictions.
Officials at National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health said Hispanic women make up almost 25 percent of women who are of reproductive age and who rely on Medicaid. Silvia Henriquez, the organization’s director said the decision to retain such restrictions, especially in a time of financial crisis for many people, “perpetuates a two-tier system in the U.S.: women with private health insurance or private funds can access abortion, but poor women cannot.”
Ms. Richards, of Planned Parenthood, said while such restrictions were disappointing, other requests in the budget were “a step in the right direction.” Among them: efforts to fight pregnancy among teenagers.
Ms. Richards also said a $10-million increase in the Title X family planning program, bringing support for the program up to $317-million, while “modest” was good news, but that more needed to be done for the program so it could keep up with inflation and demand.
PR Exec Joins Camino!
March 23, 2009 by Elizabeth Toledo
Monica Contreras (and her two beautiful Daschunds) have joined the Camino PR family! Monica is one of the nation’s leading communications executives in the areas of social marketing, research-based communications, emerging market development, and corporate/media/non profit promotional strategies. She is widely recognized as a young emerging superstar in the global public relations profession.
Monica truly loves her dogs. She successfully pitched Otto, the youngest one, to become the cover model of a lifestyle magazine (see below). Monica has a huge heart, sharp communications insight, and a fierce determination to make the world a better place. She is located in CPR’s New York office. Camino PR is grateful and energized to have Monica’s talents.
