FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY / May 11, 2010 – Latino America Unida, Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity, Inc., (LAU) in recent weeks has held internal conversations with its membership surrounding the Senate Bill 1070 and its impact on our organization, our families, and the community we serve.  Since its enactment on April 23rd, 2010, Senate Bill 1070 has generated enormous amounts of negative uproar throughout the media, causing several manifestations of protest around the country.  Senate Bill 1070 will become law on July 28th, 2010 and as a national Latino-based organization, LAU joins many other national organizations in the protest against the passing of this bill.

It is unfortunate that during a time where the advantages of globalization and exchange between nations are being decorated and highly celebrated, the state of Arizona fails to recognize the positive effect brought about by immigrants in the economic development of the United States; Arizona’s failure to visualize this outcome has made the state’s legislature sponsor a bill that further strains immigrants which now have to live with and react to a law that promotes discrimination and racial profiling.  LAU currently does not have any entities in the state of Arizona; however, members of the organization have family, relatives and acquaintances that will be unequivocally impacted by the passing of Senate Bill 1070.  This bill creates a precedent that could potentially affect Latinos and all immigrants nationwide.  As a Latino-oriented, but not Latino-exclusive organization, LAU feels that Senate Bill 1070 works directly against one of our seven goals: “To enrich our community with Latino pride and spirit”.

As part of our protest, LAU, which is composed of many different ethnic backgrounds, is calling for a national boycott of corporations headquartered in Arizona by encouraging everyone to abstain from using and buying products and services produced and/or manufactured by businesses headquartered in Arizona.  It is our hope that the negative impact of this action distresses the bottom line of these companies, which would force them to act against Arizona’s Senate Bill which has a tremendous negative impact on Latinos and all immigrants across the country. 

We have identified the following companies headquartered in Arizona:

Allied Waste Industries                 Cold Stone Creamery
The Dial Corporation                    Discount Tire Company
General Dynamics Systems           Go Daddy Group, Inc
P.F. Chang's China Bistro              Taser International
Kahala-Cold Stone                       U-haul
US Airways                                  Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
Grand Canyon                             Mesa Air Group
Pet Smart                                   Sky Mall
2011 MLB All-Star Game               Apollo Group (University of Phoenix)
Arizona Diamondbacks                 Avnet
Freeport-McMoRan                       Insight Enterprises
Republic Services                         Pinnacle West Capital Corporation
Amkor Technology                       ON Semiconductor
RSC Holdings                              Snell & Wilmer
Lewis and Roca                            Fennemore Craig

LAU stands against Senate Bill 1070 and joins other organizations that have manifested their opposition in contradiction of this boisterous act.  Let this serve as a call for action to other organizations to join and unite to the national efforts to protest and boycott companies that contribute to the financial success of Arizona.  Together, we can make a larger impact and fight this injustice towards our Latino brothers and sisters.  In addition, we invite every individual identified with the cause to contact his or her congressional representative and express your displeasure over this bill.

For more information about Senate Bill 1070, visit:

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/summary/s.1070pshs.doc.htm 

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The mission of Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity is to be a network of professionals that promotes brotherhood, scholarship and service to the community.

The fraternity promotes brotherhood by providing its members personal and professional support on an undergraduate and alumni level. Our members pursue scholarship not only for professional advancement, but to attain personal growth.

The brotherhood serves the community by sponsoring events which aide people in need, promoting cultural awareness and enriching the collegiate environment. Every member must continue to uphold the mission and goals of the fraternity, as they are the common values that distinguish us as Hermanos of Lambda Alpha Upsilon.

Please visit our web site www.LAMBDAS.com for more information.