Henry Cisneros
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Henry Cisneros Urban Innovator Co-chair of the Bipartisan Center's Immigration Task Force, former HUD secretary, and housing innovator Henry Cisneros is a testament to American leadership, diversity, and community building. His vision of a strong, resilient society starts with fair housing and stretches beyond race and class. One of the first Hispanic Americans to run a major city, Cisneros came to national prominence when he was elected Mayor of San Antonio in 1981. During his four terms, Cisneros rebuilt the city’s economy by increasing tourism, attracting high-technology firms, and creating tens of thousands of jobs. The American Mayor named him one of the nation’s 15 best mayors of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the BPC’s Immigration Task Force, along with co-chairs former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Governors Haley Barbour and Ed Rendell, Cisneros considers all aspects of immigration reform and encourages dialogue among interest groups and decision makers. In 1992, President Bill Clinton appointed Cisneros as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Cisneros initiated the revitalization of many of the nation's public housing developments, renovating 250 of the worst public housing units and demolishing another 43,000 vacant ones for reconstruction. Cisneros founded CityView in 2000, focusing on urban real estate, in-city housing, and metropolitan infrastructure. As Executive Chairman, Cisneros is committed to innovative urban solutions, efficient land use, and housing affordability, investing in 45 communities across 13 states. The recipient of the Penn IUR Urban Leadership Award and the Habitat for Humanity Visionary Award, Cisneros has been inducted into the National Association of Homebuilders' "Builders Hall of Fame." Cisneros' books include Interwoven Destinies; Our Communities, Our Homes; Latinos and the Nation’s Future; and 2012's Independent for Life. He co-wrote Opportunity and Progress with former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp. The former President and COO of Spanish-language channel Univision, Cisneros serves on the advisory boards of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the National Hispanic University, and is the co-founder of the Latino Donor Collaborative. He has a PhD in Public Administration from The George Washington University and served as the President of the National League of cities. He has appeared on Fox, The Charlie Rose Show, and CNBC. Henry Cisneros, in the clearest and most focused way, set the agenda for all of us in the future. The National Association of State Boards of Education Royce Carlton. Inc.866 United Nations Piaza New York NY 10017-1880 1.800. LECTURE 212.355.7700 fax 212.888.8659. email:[email protected] website: www.roycecarlton.com Henry Cisneros Suggested Topics Our Cities: Fueling America’s Destiny A metropolitan nation, sixty-five percent of American's live in just the 100 largest metropolitan areas, which produce seventy-five percent of the gross domestic product. Key functions of national prosperity occur in metropolitan areas, including the shipping of goods at ports and airports that support global trade and the research at urban universities that generate technological and medical breakthroughs. Given today’s economic and social climate, the nation's future depends on recalibrating urban and metropolitan strategies to focus investments in infrastructure and human capital. American Latinos and the Nation’s Future American Latinos are the nation's fastest growing segment of the population, the largest minority group, the youngest segment of the population, and the most rapidly increasing proportion of the middle class. The Latino trajectory of progress is vital to the nation's future. The difference between Latinos as a marginalized population or Latinos as full contributors to the workforce and to economic prosperity will be a critical determinant of America's competitiveness and social stability. It is essential to act now on strategies to fully integrate Latinos into the mainstream of American life. Immigrants: An Essential Ingredient for A Strong America In today’s world, immigrants represent a higher proportion of the nation's population than any time since the early 1900’s. Their contributions are not only substantial, but they are essential to a strong American future. Immigrants contribute prodigious intellectual assets, youthful workforce skills, and the raw energies of determined people. The United States must reform its dysfunctional immigration framework, but go beyond that to formulate national initiatives to fully integrate immigrants so that the nation can have the immense benefit of their talents. Smart Growth: Developing the Economy, Infrastructure, and a Sustainable Future The engine propelling the American economy, the strategic development of infrastructure and metropolitan areas fosters research breakthroughs and entrepreneurial energies and can help address environmental and energy challenges. Thoughtful innovations in the applications of technology, building materials, land use planning, mass transit and community design can make the country more efficient, livable, and sustainable. Applying smart growth strategies to will usher in a new global economy making the country more attractive and socially cohesive enhancing the population’s quality of life. Royce Carlton. Inc.866 United Nations Piaza New York NY 10017-1880 1.800. LECTURE 212.355.7700 fax 212.888.8659. email:[email protected] website: www.roycecarlton.com Henry Cisneros Books and Other Works Interwoven Destinies: Cities and the Nation In this book of thirteen original essays edited by Cisneros, contributors assess the challenges of U.S. cities' shrinking employment base, rising minority populations, and decreaing share of federal and state aid. They then suggest practical ideas to reinvent urban government, rebuild infrastructure and housing, revitalize communities, reinvest in amenities, and reorganize urban justice, education and health care systems. Latinos and the Nation's Future Published 2009 Whether the predominant ethnic group in baseball, the ''swing vote'' in various elections, or the people who introduced one of the country's most popular condiments, salsa, it is clear that the influence of Latinos is widespread and growing each year. The Census Bureau estimates that Latinos will grow by 63 million people or a stunning 48% of total growth to make up 25% of the United States population by 2050. Editor Henry G. Cisneros, the first Hispanic mayor of a major U.S. city and former HUD Secretary, says these numbers are not reversible by closing borders, they ''are the simple demographic trajectory of people already living in the U.S.'' In his chapter that opens this landmark collection of essays about the future of the U.S., Cisneros asserts that the country cannot continue its historic path of growth, progress, and greatness without substantial improvements in the Latino community s economic and educational status. The fate of the nation is inextricably linked to that of the Hispanic community not only because of its size, but also because of its relative youthfulness as other populations grow older and leave the workforce. There is absolutely no doubt that the success and well-being of Latinos or lack thereof will impact the country as a whole. The outgrowth of a conference involving Latino leaders and exploring the impact of the dynamic growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S., Latinos and the Nation's Future contains essays by leading scholars, civil rights leaders and other professionals on issues impacting the advancement of Latino citizens and therefore, all U.S. citizens. Although the future is never certain, it is inevitable that the Latino community is destined to shape the future of the United States, and Cisneros contends, it is imperative that Americans accept this fact and work to harness its growth, develop its educational potential, engage its community-building energies, and transform it into the next middle class. Royce Carlton. Inc.866 United Nations Piaza New York NY 10017-1880 1.800. LECTURE 212.355.7700 fax 212.888.8659. email:[email protected] website: www.roycecarlton.com Henry Cisneros Independent for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods for an Aging America Published 2012 In Independent for Life, former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and a team of experts on aging, architecture, construction, health, finance, and politics assess the current state of housing and present new possibilities that realistically address the interrelated issues of housing, communities, services, and financial concerns. Independent for Life covers a wide range of smart solutions, including remodeling current housing and building new homes for accessibility and safety, retrofitting existing neighborhoods to connect needed services and amenities, and planning new communities that work well for people of all ages. Case studies show how the proposals can be implemented. The authors offer action plans for working with policy makers at local, state, and national levels to address the larger issues of aging in place, including family financial security, real estate markets, and the limitations of public support. Lists of essential resources, including a detailed "to do" list of aging in place priorities and an individual home assessment, complete the volume. Our Communities, Our Homes: Pathways to Housing and Homeownership in America's Cities and States Published 2007 From the authors of Opportunity and Progress: a Bipartisan