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AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced eight Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants to support career and technical education (CTE) training by six North Texas-area educational institutions. Presented by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the combined $3,511,598 in grants will help the schools purchase and install equipment to initially train 1,164 students for high-demand occupations.

“Texas continues to support our next generation of highly-skilled workers and boost our state’s growing economy through career training grants,” said Governor Abbott. “These grants will provide schools in North Texas the opportunity to purchase and install equipment that will train over a thousand students for good-paying careers in farm equipment mechanics, nursing, electrical engineering, HVAC, and more. I thank the Texas Workforce Commission for their collaboration with these schools as we help North Texas students prepare to join our workforce in these high-demand industries.”

“The Jobs and Education Texas grants provide opportunities for schools across the state to create training for high demand jobs in their area,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “Six North Texas-area colleges have made the step to train more than a thousand students in the region to support local employers and bolster the economy.”

Earlier today, TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III presented the awards at a ceremony that included state and local officials, school staff, and CTE students at Collin College Technical Campus.

The eight JET grants include:

• Collin College: a $332,365 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 140 students in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) program, with additional students to be trained in the future
• Commerce Independent School District (ISD): a $301,544 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 126 students in farm equipment mechanics in partnership with Collin County Community College District
• Farmersville ISD: two grants:
  • $702,240 for equipment to train an initial 132 students as marketing managers in partnership with Collin College
  • $746,743 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 230 students in agricultural engineering with Collin College
• Grayson College: a $349,999 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 80 students in industrial machinery mechanics
• Lovejoy ISD: a $446,763 grant to purchase and install equipment to initially train 200 students as electronics engineers in partnership with Collin College
• North Central Texas College: two grants:
  • $331,827 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 130 students in nursing
  • $300,117 to purchase and install equipment to initially train 126 students in welding careers

Through funding provided by the Texas Legislature each biennium, TWC uses JET grants to defray start-up costs to develop career and technical education programs for the public community, state and technical colleges, school districts, and charter schools. Equipment funded through JET grants must be used to train students for jobs in high-demand occupations.

Learn more about TWC’s JET grant program.

Our friends at the Embassy of Spain invite young professional leaders to apply to this unique international intercultural experience.

The deadline is June 11, 2023 at 11:59 CST.

The Hispanic Leaders Program of the United States was born in 1998 at the initiative of the Government of Spain with the objective, on one hand, of making the reality of the country known to young Americans of Hispanic origin and, on the other, of creating a network of contacts among prominent professionals in the political, cultural, business and academic spheres from both sides of the Atlantic.

Since then, it has facilitated the identification of opportunities for collaboration between the two countries, contributing to the empowerment of the US Hispanic community and ultimately having an impact on strengthening bilateral relations between Spain and the United States.

The US Hispanic Leaders Program has the support of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

Apply Here

Decades before Selena was crowned the Queen of Tejano Music, there was Lydia Mendoza. Today at TAD, we are celebrating the first iconic female Tejano singer, La Alondra de La Frontera. Lydia Mendoza was born in Houston in 1916 to a musical family. Her parents had immigrated to Texas in order to escape the Mexican Revolution. Her father was a railroad worker, so her family would travel with him and together would entertain the farmers and laborers along the Tex-Mex border. Lydia would spend a great deal of her early career performing with her family, and even as a solo artist, they would accompany and open for her concerts. 

When Lydia was a teenager, she caught the attention of Spanish radio personality, Manuel J. Cortez. He signed her onto Bluebird Records in 1937 and she recorded her first well-known song “Mal Hombre”. Mendoza’s song was a hit across the US-Mexico border, and she became a symbol of pride for the Tejano population, as well as other Mexican Americans.

Carlos Santana is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured his melodic, blues-based lines set against Latin American and African rhythms played on percussion instruments not generally heard in rock, such as timbales and congas. He experienced a resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990 and in 2015, Rolling Stone magazine listed him at No. 20 on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists. He has won 10 Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, was inducted along with his namesake band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

Beyond music, in the lifestyle and entertainment realm, River Of Colors (ROC) has enjoyed tremendous success with the Carlos by Carlos Santana and Unity by Carlos Santana brand names. Founded in 1997, ROC is dedicated to bringing products to market that embody the passion and integrity of Carlos Santana and that are true to his distinctive style and taste. The arc of Santana’s performing and recording career is complemented by a lifelong devotion to social activism and humanitarian causes. The Milagro Foundation, originally established by Carlos Santana and his family in 1998, has granted more than eight million dollars to non-profit programs supporting under-resourced children and youth in the areas of arts, education and health. Milagro means “miracle,” and the image of children as divine miracles of light and hope-gifts to our lives is the inspiration behind its name.

Santana continues to spread his music today at his residency in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

We can’t celebrate the Hispanic impact on American culture without celebrating the “Queen of Tejano music” herself, Selena! Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. Billboard magazine named her the greatest female Latin artist of all time and she is credited for catapulting a music genre into the mainstream market.

Selena released Entre a Mi Mundo (1992), which peaked at number one on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight consecutive months. The album’s commercial success led music critics to call it the “breakthrough” recording of her musical career. One of its singles, “Como la Flor”, became one of her most popular signature songs. Live! (1993) won Best Mexican/American Album at the 1994 Grammy Awards, becoming the first recording by a female Tejano artist to do so.

Unfortunately, on March 31, 1995, Selena’s life ended when she was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar, her friend and the former manager of her Selena Etc. boutiques. Two weeks later, George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas, declared April 16 as Selena Day in Texas. Her posthumous crossover album, Dreaming of You (1995), debuted atop the Billboard 200, making Selena the first Latin artist to accomplish this feat. In 1997, Warner Bros. released Selena, a film about her life and career, which starred a then-unknown Jennifer Lopez as Selena, catapulting Lopez into fame. In 2020, Netflix released Selena: The Series starring Christian Serratos. Selena has sold around 18 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music.

Gen. Richard E Cavazos was born in Kingsville, Texas in 1929. He graduated from Texas Tech University and began his military career during the Korean War. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic actions not just leading his company into battle, but for his rescue of 5 wounded men from the field. He received another of this award during the Vietnam War for his extreme acts of heroism on the field yielding a victory in battle. 

Gen. Cavazos remains an important fixture as he is the first Hispanic to become a four-star general.

Today we are celebrating Mexican American singer, Vikki Carr! She was born in El Paso, Texas, and has been actively making music for over 60 years! Vikki Carr was born Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona before changing to her stage name in 1962 when she signed on with Liberty Records. Carr is known for pushing to record in her native Spanish, something that wasn’t done for American markets. However, she found great success as she brought mainstream music to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Vikki has accumulated many awards throughout her singing career, including three Grammys, a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement award, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Medallion of Excellence Award in 2011, and the President’s Award from Vietnam Veterans of America in 2010, among many more. She’s one of the most awarded and well-regarded Latin singers of all time.

Carmen Crenshaw was born in Lima, Peru, and came to America as an immigrant to pursue the American dream. She moved to Houston working with Oil and Gas companies as an accountant. After several years in the USA, she met and married Jim Crenshaw and moved back to South America for his work. In South America, she started working with local charities, orphanages, and other faith-based organizations, which provided her the opportunity to work with Presidents, Ambassadors, and Leaders of Industry in fundraising efforts.

After many years in South America, the family moved back to the USA. Several years later her stepson; Dan Crenshaw, ran for US Congress, and Carmen decided to get involved with the Republican Party as she saw how critical it was that we reach our Hispanic community with a positive and truthful message about the greatness of America.

She served as the Chairwoman for the RNHA (Republican National Hispanic Assembly) Texas Chapter for the last two years, where she worked tirelessly to engage the Texas Hispanic voters. Carmen is presently serving on the advisory board of “Beta Academy” a south Houston Charter school, and with the “Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women” board as Chair of Public Relations.

Carmen is passionate about her role with the Hispanic Leadership Alliance and committed to our great nation. She is an example of how those who immigrate to the USA properly and for the right reasons, can become a building block for our Countries future. Carmen’s drive and perseverance are now focused on giving back to the country she calls home.

Oscar Rosa was born and raised in the Valley, from an early age Oscar worked for his father at the family’s small tire shop to help make ends meet and to earn enough money for college.

When he entered the University of Houston, Oscar couldn’t even afford textbooks, but he worked hard, and fought through every challenge. After completing his education, Oscar opened his own pharmacy to provide jobs and healthcare for his community.

Oscar is a man of deep Christian faith with a generous heart for his community. As a pharmacist, Oscar made it a store policy that no person should go without critical medication and gave away prescriptions for free to those who could not pay.

For 16 years, Oscar has taught adult confirmation classes for those seeking to become members of the Catholic Church. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in McAllen.

Oscar decided to run for office because he is tired of seeing poverty and crime hold back the people of the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. Oscar believes it is time to end these cycles and work for prosperity and growth in our communities. South Texas should be a place where people want to come, not a place people want to leave.

As our next state representative Oscar will focus on common-sense, pro-growth, anti-crime policies to keep our families safe and allow the Valley to prosper.

Oscar and his wife Cynthia have been married for 27 years and have been blessed to have five children—Lauren, Matthew, Kayla, Joaquin, and Regina.

Cami Canales was born and raised in South Texas.  She grew up hunting on her family’s ranch with her father, Gus T. Canales and her younger brother, Marc A.R. Canales (now deceased).  She attended school at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M Kingsville) and San Antonio Community College.  Then she entered the world of travel, where she worked for almost 20 years;  finishing her travel career at American Express.  She has lived in San Antonio, Texas for over 37 years, she learned about the San Antonio’s colorful history and beautiful culture from her aunts:  Bebe Canales Inkley and Mary Canales Jary. 

Cami feels that she learned about hard work from her mother, Pat Canales, who patiently raised 5 children.  She is very proud of her three sisters:  Dawn Canales, Carla Canales and Wendy Canales who are all teachers in Houston, Texas.  Cami has been happily married to her husband, Travis McLeod, a mechanical engineer for 21 years.  She is in currently charge of the human resources and the social philanthropy at Travis’ engineering firm, Silber & Associates of San Antonio.  Previously Cami was on the Parent Teacher League at her children’s school when they were in grade school.  She served four years on the executive board, two years as vice president and two years as president.  Cami is currently serving as a member of ImactSA, which is a women’s nonprofit organization that uses a collective giving model to make significant grants to nonprofit organizations serving the Greater San Antonio area.

Cami and Travis are the proud parents of two teenagers:  Brock McLeod and Kristin McLeod, who attend a STEM high school in San Antonio.  They are members of Concordia Lutheran Church of San Antonio.  They enjoy spending time with her extended family at the family ranch in South Texas.  Cami’s hobbies include: hunting, cooking, wine tasting, yoga, and travel.