Archive for February, 2008

Celebrated Americans, Including Rosario Dawson, Adrian Grenier, Sean Kingston, Hayden Panettiere, and Alice Walker, Write Original Essays. America Ferrera Signed on as Editor and Spokesperson for the Book

HarperCollins Publishers will join forces with Declare Yourself, the national nonpartisan, nonprofit youth voter initiative aimed at empowering and encouraging America’s youth to register and vote in the 2008 primaries and general election, to publish Declare Yourself: Speak. Connect. Vote. 50 Celebrated Americans Tell You Why (on sale: May 20, 2008) — a book to inspire, educate, entertain, and engage teens in the political process.

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ROSARIO DAWSON is leading a campaign to encourage Hispanic Americans to vote in the forthcoming presidential election.

The actress is proud of her Afro Cuban/Puerto Rican/American Indian Irish heritage, but frustrated that fewer than one third of the U.S. vast Hispanic population votes.
She has co-founded a group called Voto Latino, which seeks to help those eligible to vote make it to polls on voting day.

She tells Glamour magazine, “This is such an important election. We’re trying to tell people, ‘Listen, you have rights.’” Dawson, 28, isn’t a stranger to campaigning – she marched with her mother as a small child in New York.

She adds, “My mom was politically active. We walked in Al Sharpton parades back when he still wore sweatpants.”

Source: PR Inside

When Latino celebrities glide down the red carpet, we are thrilled. And when they step off to become active in social issues, we are absolutely star struck. That’s because young people open their ears to the people they idolize. That appeal is what Latina celebrities like Rosario Dawson are banking on to get young adults to cast ballots today, and beyond.

As a co-founder of Voto Latino, native New Yorker Dawson has been rallying young people to step up and vote. Voto Latino has incorporated the technology and gadgets that are second nature to the Sidekick and reggaeton generation to promote voter registration. And with the slogan of “It`s your country…represent,” actors like Wilmer Valderrama of “That `70s show,” “Ugly Betty” actress Ana Ortiz, and Hip Hop artist Fat Joe are among the list of celebrities driving home the importance of civic participation.

But Voto Latino has been more than reminding young people to cast a ballot. Last week, Voto Latino joined forces with Russell Simmons’ Hip Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) to present a united front to Latino and African American kids and help them recognize their growing clout. Hispanic and African American youth are 33 percent of the total youth vote in the country.

As one HSAN representative stated, the goal of the partnership is to rise above boundaries and recognize the commonalities of both communities. That’s a strong message, and a strong example for our kids.

We applaud the activism of Dawson, who has also been supportive of Latina teenagers in the Lower East Side, and of other celebrities who use their stardom to help empower youths. With the challenges before Latinos, we could use a lot more of that glitz.

Source: El Diario