REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN DEFEND DETENTION AND DEPORTATION BILLS – Republicans in the House of Representatives began to vote on four immigration reform bills that give power to state and local governments to enforce federal immigration laws and prosecute undocumented immigrants. The bills, which also include more border control, are an attempt at counterbalancing the bill that is about to come out of the Senate. José López Zamorano reports from the Capitol.
DREAMERS IN NEW YORK PRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID – A group of young “dreamers” in New York are calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to work with the state senate to pass the New York Dream Act. The bill, which was already passed in the state assembly, would allow undocumented students to receive financial aid in New York. The students decided not to wait for the outcome of the immigration reform debate in Washington. Marco Vinicio González spoke with the youth and they tell us why.
WOMEN INCORPORATE OTHER CALIFORNIA RHYTHMS INTO TAIKO – The sound of Taiko drums has been heard for thousands of years in festivals and temples of Japan. During the last few decades, the popularity of this art has grown in the United States. And here, taiko has become an artform carried out mostly by women. In some cases, it also incorporates other rhythms present in this country. Our reporter Farida Jhabvala Romero visited the women’s group Maze Daiko in Alameda, California, which incorporates Brazilian and Cuban rhythms and sounds into taiko. This feature story is part of our series Raíces: Stories About Grassroots Artists.
