---Job and Economic Outlook---
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the new national job numbers, which showed that despite the fact that 308,000 new jobs were created in March, the unemployment rate increased to 5.7 percent: "The announcement of 308,000 new jobs is welcome news. But the fact is that we are still experiencing a huge jobs deficit, with 2.6 million private sector jobs lost since President Bush took office. Even with today's good news, President Bush is still on track for the worst economic record since the Great Depression. Unemployment increased in March to 5.7 percent -- well above the level of 4.2 percent when President Bush took office. Workers' wages aren't keeping up with inflation, median household income is down, and we now have the largest federal deficit in history."

---Despite small gains on national employment, Blacks/Latinos continue to struggle--The Hispanic unemployment rate remained alarmingly high last month at 7.4 percent, according to a government report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Latino unemployment rate is 28 percent higher than when President Bush took office -- and is significantly higher than the national average, which went up to 5.7 percent in March. "Since the beginning of the Bush Administration, 2.6 million private- sector jobs have been lost," Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said. "Particularly troubling is that the African American unemployment rose to 10.2 percent, and Hispanic unemployment is still very high at 7.4 percent," Pelosi added. The African American unemployment rate rose last month to 10.2 percent, according to a government report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Black unemployment rate is 20 percent higher than when President Bush took office - and is significantly higher than the national average, which went up to 5.7 percent in March. From late December through the end of March, an estimated 1.1 million jobless workers have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits without receiving additional aid. This has a devastating effect on the 1.4 million unemployed Latinos who are still looking for work. This is the largest number of "exhaustees" in over 30 years, and this figure will only continue to grow as 80,000 jobless workers exhaust their regular benefits each week.

---The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials---
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) announced that The Coca-Cola Company, Pfizer, State Farm, Univision and Washington Mutual, among other companies, will be major sponsors at the organization's 21st Annual Conference to be held in Washington D.C. from June 24-26, 2004.As the number of Latinos of voting age soared to more than 22 million from 1990 to 2000, Blue Chip companies are increasing their efforts to support Latinos becoming empowered in the American political process. Recognized as the official Latino Political Convention, NALEO's Annual Conference will provide a platform to President George W. Bush and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry to address the nation's Latino leaders and acknowledge the significance of the Latino vote in the 2004 presidential election. "Corporations are waking up to the reality of this market and are investing millions of dollars to support the leadership that represents a significant portion of voting America," said Arturo Vargas, NALEO's Executive Director. "The U.S. Latino community's ability to influence the course of our nation can no longer be ignored. With these partnerships we will be able to raise Latino issues from obscurity to the forefront for discussion. "While the national non-Latino electorate has decreased in its voter participation from 1992 to 2000 by 4%, Latino voters have become a growing force, increasing their voter participation by 40%, from 3.7 million voters in 1992, to 5.9 million in 2000. NALEO hopes to continue accelerating that number and empower Latinos to vote and play a decisive role in the upcoming presidential election. "Not only are Latinos proving pivotal in the voting booth, but they are also revitalizing the U.S. consumer market as never before, flexing their purchasing power muscle by controlling more than $650 billion in spending power," said Rudy Beserra, Vice President, Corporate Latin Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company.

---Bishop T.D. Jakes to host Mega Fest 2004 in Atlanta: June 23 - 26, 2004---
Mega Fest, one of the largest religious gatherings ever, is expected to draw men, women, and youth from around the world to Atlanta's top venues the Georgia Dome, Philips Arena, World Congress Center, and International Park. Hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes, called "America's Best Preacher" by TIME magazine and the 2004 recipient of the NAACP President's Award, Mega Fest incorporates numerous special events and workshops for the entire family, as well as three major conferences in one city on one weekend for the first time. Woman, Thou Art Loosed, which set national attendance records of more than 85,000 women in Atlanta, GA in 1999. ManPower, which drew more than 44,000 men to Atlanta in 2003. There will also be the Youth 3D Experience. Bridging the gaps between gender, generations, denominations, races, and ethnicities, Mega Fest is an enormous event power-packed with high energy events and dynamic messages of hope for the whole family. Mega Fest special events include: Magic Johnson Celebrity Basketball Exhibition, The UniverSoul Circus, The Family Expo and Music concerts with world-renowned artists, including Patty LaBelle, India Arie, Mary Mary, and Kirk Franklin. There will be a satellite broadcast of the entire event to general audiences and prisoners in more than 190 countries around the world. Bishop T. D. Jakes is the founder and senior pastor of the Dallas-based Potter's House, where he leads a nondenominational congregation of more than 28,000 members. Pre-registration preferred seating for the Mega Fest conference is $30 for adults, $25 per person for groups of 10 or more. Youth registration is $30 (ages 13-21), $25 (ages 5-12). General admission seating is free. For more information, call 877-TDJ-MEGA or visit www.megafest.com.

---Washington, D.C.: National Museum of the American Indian---
The first new museum to join the Smithsonian complex in 17 years will open its doors this coming September along Washington's National Mall. The museum's founding director, Rick West, is a member of the Cherokee tribe from the Plains state of Oklahoma. Like thousands of Native Americans, Rick West's ancestors were driven from their lands in Colorado and Wyoming and relocated to what was then called Indian Territory, on windswept plains north of Texas. West, who became a prominent Washington lawyer and lobbyist for Indian rights.

---On PBS: Love & Diane airs on Wednesday, April 21, at 9 p.m.---
Diane Hazzard was a loving mother, but like other young, inner-city African-Americans in the 1980s, she was swept up in the crack cocaine epidemic. Inevitably, her parenting suffered with her addiction, until her own daughter, Love, only eight years old, told a teacher that she and her five siblings were often left home alone and hungry. As revealed in Love & Diane, a remarkable documentary feature having its national broadcast premiere on public television's P.O.V. series, Love's action set in motion the often unforgiving machinery of the child welfare system. It also brought a legacy of abandonment, hurt and shame that haunts mother and daughter to this day - and which, most chillingly, threatens Love's relationship with her own baby boy, Donyaeh. Jennifer Dworkin's Love & Diane airs on PBS on Wednesday, April 21, at 9 p.m., in a special 2004 spring edition of public television's groundbreaking P.O.V. series, American television's most-watched independent documentary showcase. (Check local listings.)

--- Jewel Diamond Taylor host Bahama cruise---
Motivator Jewel Diamond Taylor will host her third Mother~ Daughter~ Sisterfriends Cruise to the Bahamas. Call Academy Travel to reserve your cabin 305-628-1420 or 1-800-845-9101, e-mail Robertadreams@aol.com.

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