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According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, Maryland has the lowest Latino unemployment rate – hovering around 8.8%. Still high but much lower than the 12+% national average.

Newsweek’s cover story on the plight of white males during the “great recession” is creating a lot of buzz on blogs and social media. Quite ironic when you consider the plight of minorities during the same period – not rosy either.

Some bloggers have run the numbers to add some perspective to the topic including the plight of Latinos and other minorities. 

(Photo: Fedrik Broden for Newsweek.)

Here are two interesting and very different perspectives in regards to recruitment and social media: one from a social media perspective (Beyond Offers) via Chris Brogan and another from a legal/HR perspective  (What’s Worrying Recruiters about Social Media) via an ERE podcast.

Shared without comment. : )

Great post by Giovannie Rodriguez at New Generation Latino Consortium (NGLC) regarding multiple communication streams and social media. It seems social media has changed the way we should think about “reaching” groups or demographics. More importantly, the words or terms we use in this respect have also changed – from mainstream to multicultural – from melting pot to ethnic identity.

But therein lies the opportunity for Latinos or any other group vying for power on the new social web.  We are living in a time where the mainstream has been supplanted by multiple streams, the metaphor of choice, by the way, of social networking companies that trade in conversation.  The dream for Latinos may no longer be the crossover dream – i.e., the dream of entering the mainstream — but instead to create the dream stream, the one that everyone is watching, the one that most contributes to other streams, even the ones that pass for mainstream today.

These paradigm shifts have significant implications to communicating with Latinos, particularly in a work environment. How can an organization assure its message is reaching the intended internal audience, but more importantly, if it is – is it making sense?

Unemployment rate in U.S. fell to 8.8%. Hispanic unemployment rate came in at 11.3% – down from 11.9% in January and 12.5 in March, 2010.

Review the details via the BLS website.

Diversity Inc. shares its Top 10 Companies for Latinos. I’m usually not a big fan of “lists” (school rankings or otherwise) since the criteria is always somewhat narrow. However, there are some hints that some companies are making inroads in the representation of Latinos in the organization and in the boardroom. According to Diversity Inc, the Top 10 Companies for Latinos include the following:

• Their workforces are on par with U.S. census percentage of Latinos (about 13 percent), but they have 7.5 percent of managers who are Latino, compared with 6.8 percent nationally. Even more important, 9 percent of management promotions on average went to Latinos at these companies
• Their boards of directors are 10.3 percent Latino, compared with 3.1 percent nationally (Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility)
• On average, 9.4 percent of their employees are members of their Latino or Hispanic employee-resource groups

A few good articles regarding the importance of Latino entrepreneurship in the United States over the weekend. In the two days I was visiting Madison, WI for temporary housing, I was astonished to see the number of small Latino markets springing up around the community - including panaderías! Two days is certainly not enough time to “take in” a city like Madison, but I was able to see the positive impact Latino workers make on local business establishments and rural farming communities.

A great discussion regarding women in the workforce via NPR (Diane Rehm Show). Topics range from pay equity, impact of the recession, research, and leadership development.  Startling data regarding how the recovery has negatively impacted women – even during the slight recovery we’ve been seeing over the last few months.

While one article does not a fact make – this article coincides with the findings of my doctoral studies regarding the “general mood” of Latinos. A good read and report (via the Washington Post):

A new Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation-Harvard University poll has found that despite being hit harder by the recession, African Americans and Hispanics are more optimistic than white about their economic futures.

Here’s a thought:  invest in under-served Latino communities in order to benefit the larger economy. Sounds easy but not necessarily done – until now.

Plaza Adelante is a collaborative, innovative community resource for low- and moderate-income Latino families throughout San Francisco. Case Adelante  provides social and economic services for the Latino community. But while housing these types of services under one roof is not new, bringing together resources that are focused on wealth creation and financial literacy for immigrant Latinos certainly is new. They’re truly innovative.  Learn more about them via their website and listen to the podcast via Marketplace Money here (starts at about the 30:00 minute mark). Text to the podcast and pictures here.