November 13, 2006
By JOHNNY DIAZ

The title character of the series "Ugly Betty" (8 p.m. Thursdays, Channel 6) is a smart, ambitious, endearing Latina who doesn't give up easily despite working at a fashion magazine packed with superficial, backstabbing beauties. At home in Queens, she speaks English and Spanish, takes care of her father, sister, and nephew, and talks about her quinceanera, or sweet 15th birthday celebration.

In this ugly-duckling character, some Latinas see a positive role model ? and a little of themselves reflected on the TV screen.

Betty Suarez may not be a looker with her braces, curves, bushy hair and Guadalajara poncho, but she shines through her humble integrity. She also breaks the mold of the stereotypical Latina hoochie,...

November 11, 2006
By David Colker

When the saints go marching down the production line at Richard Alceda's factory in Pomona, they're filled with hot wax and a white wick.

The Bright Glow Candle Co. plant daily turns out 80,000 glass-encased prayer candles, the vast majority carrying labels showing Roman Catholic saints and other religious figures. Commonly referred to as novena candles, they are sometimes used when praying for special favors.

Indeed, they have been the answer to the prayers of Alceda, 57, who had several marginal enterprises before starting Bright Glow in his garage 24 years ago.

?It's a wonderful business,? he said, watching as a machine filled 80 glasses with liquefied wax every 10 seconds.

In addition to the Pomona...

November 11, 2006
By Carlos Munoz Jr.

On this Veterans Day, let's honor the many Latinos who have served in our armed forces. One such person is Meregildo "Mike" Carrillo.

Carrillo is 82 years old and lives in San Angelo, Texas, where he was born to poor Mexican working-class parents. Few people outside of his family and close friends know that he is one of the most decorated Latino World War II veterans. He has never received public recognition for his combat heroism. His city's public officials have never honored him on July 4 or Veterans Day.

Carrillo joined the U.S. Army in 1943. He vividly remembers that he and other Mexicans were not allowed to stay in the city hotel that temporarily accommodated Army recruits pending their being shipped out...

November 10, 2006
By Marisa Treviño

With another election completed, one has to wonder whether the much-hyped strength of the Latino vote is a reality or simply a spin on the classic fairy tale The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Exit poll results from Tuesday's elections show an increase in Hispanic voting from 2002. Those results appear to confirm a pre-election report by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), which predicted that Latinos would make up about 6% of the vote. That's at least one percentage point up from 2002, but hardly enough to get excited about.

A Pew Hispanic Center fact sheet titled "Hispanics and the 2006 Election" provides some interesting perspectives on why Hispanics might, in fact, be a powerful...