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Our Mission:
To prepare future Hispanic and Latino leaders for public service
To provide unique resources to government executives and public managers
To advance the goals of an ethical profession
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The value of affinity organizations
Veronica Briseño Lara, President of IHN
Director of Small & Minority Business Resources Department, City of Austin, TX
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Veronica Briseño Lara,
IHN President
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In October IHN and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) signed an affiliation agreement between the two organizations. I attended their board meeting in Austin so that their president, Bruce Moore and I could ceremonially sign the agreement. Having an agreement in effect solidifies a relationship that has been in existence for years, and will lead to our organizations collaborating even more on future endeavors. The reality is our organizations have many similar goals and I look forward to working with NFBPA to jointly accomplish those goals. Establishing an agreement between the two organizations is a personal privilege of mine because for many of my years on the IHN board this is something I wanted to accomplish.
I have been a member of IHN and Austin Hispanic Network (AHN) for many years. Additionally, in Austin, a co-worker and I created Woman to Woman (W2W), an affinity group for women city employees. These groups have been integral to my professional development, establishing essential networks and career advancement. There is no doubt I value the importance of affinity groups and throughout my career I have been drawn to them. I have always felt at ease when participating in events with the organizations and interacting with their many talented members. But it was not until I attended the NFBPA board meeting for the signing of the agreement that the importance of these organizations hit me - the importance of being in a room with people who have similar goals and interests and who look like you. Unfortunately in the cities we work for, it is not often that you interact with so many people who look like you if you are a minority as you do when you participate in affinity organizations. There are studies that support this including the recent ICMA report on Women Leading Government that found that only 13% of city managers are women, a statistic that was the same 30 years ago. This report led to #13percent efforts throughout the country to increase awareness about the issue. In 2014, IHN commissioned Dr. Abraham Benavides at the University of North Texas to conduct similar research regarding Latinos in the profession. His research found that there are 107 Latino city managers in the U.S., 22 of the 107 are Latina. With these disparities, it is not surprising that minorities would seek out each other and create affinity organizations. I was the minority at the NFBPA Board meeting, but I did not feel uncomfortable or unwelcome by any means. I was extremely welcomed, and felt honored to be invited to join the meeting. What immediately occurred to me was how rare it is to have so many African-American local government executives in one room - and how wonderful it was to experience that. It made me realize what I had not pinpointed about my own attraction to IHN and W2W - how much I value being in the same room with people who look like me and have careers like mine. That is the value of affinity groups. Providing support, networks and development in ways that make people know that there are more people out there who share your ethnicity, gender, or whatever trait it is that make you unique. I gained a deeper appreciation for my compadres and comadres I work with in IHN and I value the comfort I feel when we meet. The relationship between NFPBA and IHN will only continue to grow and I know we will do great things together. I encourage you to consider the value these organizations can bring to your professional life and take advantage of it by joining, participating and being an active member in them. |
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Community Feature: Austin, Texas
Each October, the Austin Hispanic Network hosts a celebration for City of Austin employees to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The City's Hispanic/Latino employee population represents a vibrant and thriving part of our diverse workforce and community. This year's theme, "Sabor de Austin," reminded us of all the ways the Hispanic Community has enriched our lives with music, literature, food and the local heroes that shaped our spirit - from those with roots that trace back generations to those who have just set out in pursuit of the promise of America. The gathering focused on recognizing the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanic-Latino Americans to the City and to celebrate their heritage and culture. Fiesta Gardens served as the backdrop for this event with its Latin flair and open-air plaza filled with music and laughter, and reminded us of our century-old traditions and our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural family we belong to. For a video highlight of the event, please go to: http://austintx.swagit.com/play/11062015-564/1/ |
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IHN renews its affiliate agreement
with ICMA
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IHN Announces Civic Engagement Recognition Program
The International Hispanic Network is initiating a program to recognize individuals and organizations that demonstrate insightful and sustained change in their communities through inclusive civic engagement practices. The goal is to identify best practices for civic engagement in local governments, non-profits and through private sector partnerships, and showcase civic engagement best practices through recognition at events, written media, video, and conference sessions. A byproduct will be a database of best practices with contacts to assist local governments in adapting best practice programs in other communities.
Any city, county, non-profit, student organization and/or private sector partners may submit for this recognition. IHN is looking for organizations that demonstrate sustained civic engagement best practices. The process is open to IHN members and non-members. Submittals should include your "engagement story" and how it has had sustained impact on your community. Your relevant "learning experiences" are an important component of the submittal. These may include best practices that came from the process, adjustments that were necessary to keep the program on track, and advice for other communities that may want to adopt a similar program.
The timeline for submittals is as follows:
- January: call for submittals.
- May 1: deadline for submission.
- June: Selection Committee review of submittals; recommendations to the IHN Board of Directors.
- July: Notify organizations selected for award(s).
- September/October: Recognize organizations at the IHN dinner, the ICMA Conference and at IHN national conferences. Although IHN does not host annual national conferences, a national conference will be held in Austin, Texas November 3-5, 2016.
More information will be sent to members before the end of January.
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Honorary IHN Member: Joan McCallan
The IHN Board of Directors approved honorary membership for Joan McCallan, the former President and CEO of ICMA-RC, to thank her for her ongoing support of the International Hispanic Network. The award was presented at the ICMA conference in Seattle in September 2015.
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IHN's Padrinos/Madrinas Program
Sponsored by the International Hispanic Network (IHN), the Padrinos/Madrinas Coaching Program builds on the Padrinos/Madrinas tradition in Hispanic/Latino culture. Padrinos and Madrinas are an extension of family and provide a strong support system for family members. Extending this concept to the professional realm, the IHN Padrinos/Madrinas Program creates the same support system for Hispanic/Latino emerging leaders working in local government.
The IHN Padrinos and Madrinas are seasoned Latino leaders in local government who are committed to assisting emerging leaders who serve diverse populations. These one-on-one coaches are available without charge in order to offer career advancement strategies, assist in addressing local challenges when serving Hispanic/Latino communities, and/or share their experience and expertise on specific issues.
To access a Padrino or Madrina, simply:
1. GO to the IHN Website at www.ihnonline.org
2. REVIEW the Coaches Profiles located on the Padrinos/Madrinas Coaching Program Button or under the Resources drop-down menu
3. SELECT 1, 2 or 3 coaches
4. CONTACT a Padrino or Madrina by email or phone
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Featured Padrino: Manuel Esquibel
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| | Manuel Esquibel, City Manager for the City of Brighton, CO |
Manuel Esquibel, City Manager for the City of Brighton, Colorado has over 44 years of experience in local government. Mr. Esquibel has served as City Administrator and City Manager in three states, Colorado, Kansas and California. All positions held by Mr. Esquibel provided a balanced understanding of public policy and finance in the
operation and management of local government. He was recognized by the International City/County Management Association for his 40 years of service to local government.
Mr. Esquibel graduated from the University of Southern Colorado with a BS degree in Behavior Science and attended Public Administration graduate school at the University of California Santa Barbara. (email: mesquibel@brightonco.gov)
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Career Compass is a frequent column from ICMA focused on career issues and development for local government professional staff. All IHN members have access to the articles.
Recent articles have included Leading by Letting Go, My Team is Overwhelmed (and so am I), and Rookie Mistakes of a First-Time Department Head. For a full list of articles, go to http://icma.org/careercompass.
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Strategies for Retirement Preparedness
As you get closer to retirement, it's a great time to assess your progress toward reaching your nest egg goal, make the most of extra opportunities to save, and add up your sources of retirement income.
Starting in the year you turn age 50, you can contribute an extra $1,000 to your IRA and an extra $6,000 to your 457 plan (or you may be able to double your 457 contributions with the pre-retirement catch-up if you're within three years of the normal retirement age specified in your plan). If your kids are grown, consider shifting some of the money you used to support them to save for your own retirement.
Assess your sources of retirement income. If your employer offers a pension, find out how much you'll receive each month at different retirement ages. Also check your Social Security benefits by setting up a my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov. A personalized online statement will show your earnings history and projected benefit at age 62, your full retirement age (between 66 and 67 depending on when you were born), and age 70. You can also calculate how your benefits may be affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision, which can reduce benefits for some public sector employees who earn a pension from an employer who didn't withhold Social Security taxes (use the calculator at www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep.html).
Know when you can tap your retirement accounts. There are very different rules for withdrawals depending on the type of account. You can withdraw money from your 457 without a penalty at any age after you leave your job, but you will generally have to pay a 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty if you tap an IRA before age 59½ (although you can withdraw contributions to a Roth IRA at any age without penalty or taxes). Similarly, after you leave your job, you may withdraw money from your 401(a) at any time, but withdrawals prior to age 59½ are subject to a 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty unless you qualify for an exemption. A new exemption for public safety employees takes effect in January 2016.
Check on your progress. Use the retirement savings calculator at RealizeRetirement® (www.icmarc.org/ontrack) to assess whether you're on track to reach your goals, based on your current savings and expected contributions. If you're falling short, the calculator shows you how adjusting your desired retirement age, income goal or contribution rate can change the results.
While ICMA-RC believes the external websites listed above are reputable, ICMA-RC neither endorses them, nor can vouch for the complete accuracy of their content.
This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not to be construed or relied upon as investment advice. Except as expressly permitted by ICMA-RC, reproduction or redistribution of this content in its entirety or any portion thereof, is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of ICMA-RC. For more information, contact ICMA-RC at 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4240. 800-669-7400. Copyright © 2015 ICMA-RC. All rights reserved.
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The International Hispanic Network provides a listing of current open local government positions by email every Friday. The IHN job board may also be accessed on the IHN website under the
Resources tab http://ihnonline.org/jobs/. In addition to the list of openings, job seekers may also access the listings in map view, a feature that has recently been added to the site.
Any company or local government can use the IHN job board to post an open position. Membership in IHN is not required. Listings are $75 for 30 days. Postings are complimentary for IHN local government members. IHN will provide a discount code to allow local government members to post openings at no charge. New features to the site include the ability of employers and recruiters to create a profile for the company/jurisdiction advertising the position, and to create and edit the job posting.
Employers and recruiters must register to use the job board.
Once registered and logged in, the screen for posting the job will appear.
Complete the information about the open position. Select standard listing for $75 and be directed to PayPal or enter your discount code. You will also be able to preview your listing from this page.
For more information on posting job openings with IHN, contact the IHN business office at 513-861-5400.
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Seeking Noticias
Articles
IHN would like to have members submit articles for future issues of Noticias. If you have an article that showcases activities in your city organization or community please submit them to kdavis@ihnonline.org. The timelines for the next two issues is:
Issue #26:
Articles due March 11, newsletter to go out April 1
Issue #27:
Articles due June 10, newsletter to go out July 1
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IHN Board of Directors
Veronica Briseño Lara
President
Manuel Esquibel
President-Elect
Magda Gonzalez
Immediate
Past President
Rolando Fernandez
Vice President
for Membership
Maria Hurtado
Vice President
for Programs
At Large Directors:
Carlos Baia
Tommy Gonzalez
Raymond Gonzales
Claudia Lujan
Daro Mott
Yocelyn Galiano Gomez
Ramiro Inguanzo
Patricia E. Martel
Past ICMA
Board Member
___________
Robert (Bob) Harrison
ICMA Executive Board Liaison
Rod Alcázar
ICMA-RC Liaison
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IHN Corporate Partners Program
Sponsors
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Fund Development
Magda Gonzalez, Chair
Ray Gonzalez
Bob Harrison
Membership Committee
Rolando Fernandez, Chair
Yocelyn Galiano Gomez
Claudia Lujan
Carlos Baia
Daro Mott
Ray Gonzales
David Castaneda
Communications Committee
Ray Gonzales, Co-chair
Angelita Marchante, Co-chair
Programs & Conference Planning Committee
Maria Hurtado, Chair
Nominating Committee
Jane Bais-DiSessa, Co-chair
Magda Gonzalez, Co-chair
Bob Harrison
Ruth Osuna
Tony Ojeda
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