Latin Times Magazine Vol 15 No 4 | Page 11

U.S. Latino News Bites U.S. Small Business Administration and Milken Institute Partner to Increase Access to Capital for Underserved Communities Initiative to increase minority lending launched in Baltimore, Los Angeles The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Milken Institute announced the Partnership for Lending in Underserved Markets (PLUM) Initiative, a groundbreaking collaboration to develop and test initiatives designed to more effectively provide capital to minority-owned businesses throughout the United States. Maria Contreras-Sweet, SBA Administrator and the voice of small business on the President’s Cabinet, said: “Increasing access to capital in underserved communities continues to be one of my highest priorities. Solving this longstanding and persistent challenge would open the door for new ideas, new visionary voices, and revolutionary business innovations from historically unexpected places. This new partnership with the Milken Institute brings together some of the brightest minds in this field with the local and national leaders and resources needed to create opportunity and transform the small business marketplace for the better.” Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of Baltimore said: “My Administration is committed to creating greater access to capital and business opportunities for Baltimore City’s small, minority, and women-owned businesses; and partnering with the Small Business Administration and Milken Institute to launch the PLUM initiative provides an opportunity to connect minority entrepreneurs and traditionally underrepresented business communities to programs that encourage their growth. We recognize that small businesses tend to hire locally and offer the greatest opportunity for inclusion. Creating resources that address capital access disparities is imperative to the growth of our local economy, which thrives when small and minority-owned businesses are successful.” Following the Great Recession, small business owners, especially those setting up shop in underserved markets, have faced a recurring problem of limited access to capital. Conventional small business credit is still only at 85 percent of its pre-recession level. Read more @ www.LatinTimesMedia.com Statement of National Alliance for Hispanic Health on FDA Regulation of Menthol and Flavorings in Tobacco Products Alliance joins in call to remove flavored tobacco products from marketplace Rockeymoore: New Census Poverty Numbers Show Need for Basic Economic Security for Kids of Color Statement from Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, President and CEO VEMOX™ Launches of Center for Global Policy Solutions, on U.S. Census Bu- on Amazon Fire TV reau 2015 Income, Poverty and "The White House can truly cel- Health Insurance Coverage and ebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Supplemental Poverty Measure Austin Powers, President of Olympusat Telecom, a marthis week by directing the FDA to issue a proposed rule to remove all The Census data released are the ket leader in the distribution flavored tobacco products, includ- latest reminder that communi- of OTT and comprehensive ing menthol products, from the ties of color are still dispropor- CLOUD solutions, officially marketplace and protect the health tionately affected by poverty. announced at the Cablefax TV Innovation Summit, that of families and children," said Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President/CEO Especially alarming are the child VEMOX™ is now available of the National Alliance for His- poverty rates—Black: 33.6 per- on Amazon Fire TV devices. panic Health, the nation's leading cent; Hispanic: 28.9 percent; Hispanic health advocacy group. Asian: 12.6 percent; White: 12.1 "We are thrilled to offer VEThe Alliance's statement supports percent—and the realization MOX, the ultimate entertainefforts announced today by the Af- that they’re likely to increase if ment experience, to the Amarican American Tobacco Control America fails to adopt an inclu- zon Fire TV customers," said Leadership Council (AATCLC) to sive poverty agenda that spe- Powers. "The app's sleek and reverse action by the White House cifically considers those who fresh design plus the quality Office of Management and Budget have been excluded historically, of its content, makes it ide(OMB) that eliminated menthol while ensuring a basic level of al for the Hispanic family." and flavors text from a proposed economic security for everyone. VEMOX's, Olympusat's cost Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "deeming rule" before it An inclusive policy agenda efficient and reliable B2B was finalized implementing the would expand and create pro- carrier-grade OTT platform, Family Smoking Prevention and grams that help families most combines technology and Tobacco Act. The eliminated affected by economic discrimi- content, making it easier for FDA text presented overwhelm- nation, drawing on data to guide consumers to watch the proing evidence, supported by com- effective, evidence-based policy. gramming they love by offering an array of live channels ments it received on the proposed rule, that menthol, candy, and Critically, it would also rec- and thousands of movies and fruit-flavored tobacco products ognize the need to strengthen series On Demand in Spanattracted children and teens to to- Social Security as one of our ish. The app offers the user bacco use and deterred quitting. nation’s most effective anti-pov- access to highly-acclaimed erty