CARINA 360°: CNN's Soledad O'Brien, the exclusive

It was weeks ago. I walked into classroom A-8, as always, but it was different.

“Yo Karina!” Mr. Bott was calling me. Maybe not in those exact words, but mind you I have a bad memory.

He told me Soledad O’Brien was to speak at the University of Pacific on February 3rd. And The Stagg Line had an exclusive interview with her. My heart stopped.
Soledad O’Brien? The woman from CNN? The woman I look up to?

Fast forward to that magical day and I’m shaking hands with the one and only O’Brien.

On the day of, after school I shivered with excitement. In a few hours I would be interviewing one of the best journalist in the field. But a sense of fear also ran through me body.
I have a lame habit of saying lame jokes when I’m nervous. And seeing as this was no average Jane, I was somewhat scared.

Once we arrived at UOP, minutes later we walked into the room, a mob of four. Mr. Bott, me, Lissette, and photographer Claire.

In her neat pony tail and Chanel-like black suit, it was O’Brien. All smiles as she shook each of our hands.

“Hi, Soledad.”
“Hi! Karina Ramirez.”

It was somewhat surreal. We high school teenagers from Stockton were interviewing a CNN big shot from New York.

Within the 30 treasured minutes with her, we asked a variety of questions. Ranging from diversity to her documentaries.

We asked her if she ever faced discrimination, she said yes, but not because of her gender or ethnicity. Surprisingly, It was when she was pregnant.

"I remember trying to go to the tsunami, and I had just had my twin boys, and people would say ‘You’re not going to want to travel, you’re a mom.'"

She also said to us that variety matter’s in the job market. Sometimes those skills a person has, such as being bilingual, is vital. She explained her “okay-ish” Spanish helped her when she traveled to Haiti to report on the earthquake.

“I’m ahead of the game. I’m in a country where they speak Spanish … and I can do interviews and run threw that country. We could navigate our way around”

Things will only improve saying, “As the world is more global, and becomes more interconnected to a wider range of people - that has value.”

“Latino In America,” was a documentary she made exploring how the Latino community is changing the face of America. One question we asked was when reporting, was what did she learn about the school systems.

O‘Brien found that the results are not reaching the expectations needed for a proper education.

“We are really undeserving our students in public schools.”

The Latino demographic is the fastest growing demographic than any other. O’Brien says the problem is that if the fastest growing demographic is not graduating from high school in high numbers, the outcome for the future is looking bleak.

“We’re all in this boat and if a part of the boat springs a leak - that’s big trouble.”

As a Cuban-Black-Irish-Australian in a less than diverse profession, she beat the odds and became successful. For the next generation of journalists, having passion is key, she told us. “First thing is to be really good … in anything whether it’s TV reporting or any job, … because at the end of the day that’s what you’re going to be judged on. It’s just a matter of staying in the game, simple as that.”

Being CNN enthusiast and mere seventeen year olds, I don't think anything else can top how overwhelmed and thrilled we were. How many high school teens can say they've interviewed Soledad O’Brien?

*photo credit: Claire Scheffer

CARINA 360°: Luis Ramirez murdered for being Latino

Luis Ramirez was a hard working undocumented Mexican worker living in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania.

On July 12, after going out for a walk, he was beaten to death by a group of high school teenagers.

"Go home you Mexican mother f----r!" is what Colin Walsh, 17, Brandon Piekarsky, 16, and Derrick Donchak, 18, shouted at Ramirez before ending his life.

The boys were “good kids.” So say their families. They ran track, were on the football team and grade A students.

These grade A students kicked Ramirez in the head that knocked him unconscious. Once he arrived at the hospital, his injuries were so severe that his brain was oozing out of his skull. He was in a coma for two days.

He died July 14th.

Ramirez was engaged to Crystal Dillman, a white woman. They had three children together. Now she suffers and must raise their children alone.

Like many interracial couples in Shenandoah, racial name calling seemed like the norm.

One would think the charges against these racist teenage boys would be a punishable one. I thought a life sentence would do it.

But no. That’s not what they received. Piekarsky was arrested on simple assault charges. Donchak - also simple assault and three counts of corruption of a minor.

The all white jury cleared both of ethnic intimidation charges. Piekarsky was sentenced to 6-23 months and Donchak 7-23 months in prison. If Ramirez was a white man murdered by a gang of Mexican boys, honestly, what do you think the out come would be?

Completely different, that's what.

This made me so mad. Justice was not served. Instead it feels like they were let off the hook. They kill a man, with a family, and all they got was a slap on the wrist.

Many people of Shenandoah deny this was a racist fueled crime. They suggest it was a street fight gone terribly wrong.

If so, then why do witnesses say they heard the boys call Ramirez a "spic?"

No doubt in my mind - this was a hate crime.

Sadly, hate crimes against Latinos are on the rise. Almost 600 alone in 2007. Up 40 percent from the over 400 in 2003. Racist acts of violence against Latino’s add up to eight percent of all hate crimes. Most crimes against undocumented Latinos go unreported. That is because many are not here legally, and very few have trust in the police.

Dillman strongly agrees the murder of her fiance was not an average street fight. Saying, "Truly, in my heart, I believe they beat him up because he was Latino."

Ramirez's story was featured on CNN's "Latino In America."

CARINA 360°: Laura Ling and Euna Lee, a 12 year sentence

As you probably may have heard, journalists' Laura Ling and Euna Lee, both reporters for the California-based channel Current TV, were arrested. It's been over three months, and now they are guilty and sentenced to 12 years in a labor prison for illegally crossing the North Korean border, though both women and the families have apologized.

The North Korean goverment is saying they were spying and on a mission to destroy the reputation of the communist country. Or a "smear campaign."

On June 17th, Anderson Cooper had an exclusive interview with both husbands of the women and the sister of Laura Ling, Lisa Ling. In the interview, Ling said that they are mostly worried about their mental state.

(You can also see another interview with Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling here.)

Laura Ling's husband, Iain Clayton, said, "These three months have been the worst three months of my life...The idea I would have to endure this for another 12 years is just unbearable."
Euna Lee's husband Michael Saldate has been dealing with comforting their 4-year-old daughter. He says he tell's her that mommy is at work. Since then, the only contact the families have had is writing letters.

Support for both the families is nothing short. This story has struck many with vigils taking place in Santa Monica and San Franciso to pray for the women. People holding signs saying "Liberate Laura and Euna Now." People doing anything they can to help. Lisa Ling attended the vigil in Santa Monica. Where sadly she broke down talking about her sister to those who attended.

A few weeks ago on Larry King Live, a man (whose first name I can't recall but his last name is Graham) says he thinks this is a grim situation, but that the woman knew the consequences of crossing the North Korean border, and that the real issue is the nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, he believes the women will be home by Christmas. Joy Behar, co-host of the View, responded with saying she wouldn't want them home by Christmas, she would have wanted them home yesterday.

As little as captive journalists are showed in the media, this isn't rare. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an advocacy group, reported that since December 1 2008, 28 journalists' in China, 21 in Cuba, 14 in Burma, 13 in Eritrea, 2 in Russia, 2 in Vietnam, have been jailed. And 17 killed in 2009. Which leaves me wondering why these weren't publicized. It's not as if these people are not important.

But back to Ling & Lee. Despite the claims, they should be freed. The North Korean government should have some heart and let the women return to their families. Laura Ling has a medical condition, and Euna has a daughter waiting for her. And in the eye's of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, this may have a happy ending. Clinton has high hopes in their release. Saying the trial date is a "Welcome timeframe." Also, "We believe the charges are baseless and should not have been brought and that these two young women should be released, immediately." As I'm sure what everyone wants.

*Petition's do make a significant diffrence. I signed one set up to call the release of both journalists'. It doesn't take up alot of time. I hope you sign it! Click here to sign.

CARINA 360°: Latinas more likely to become pregnant

I was on Cnn.com when I stumbled on a story by Moni Basu. In the story, a survey taken by Latinas revealed some jaw dropping answers about sex, their belief in marriage, and the answer to why so many girls are becoming pregnant.

It said:
53 percent of Latinas will get pregnant in their teens. That's more than any other minority. And 72 percent of latino teens said they wish they waited to have sex.

The survey also says that 76 percent of Latinos believe marriage comes before starting a family. So then what's to blame for this surge of Latinas becoming preggo?

Can we point the finger at the parents for not talking to their sons (yes the boys have a huge part of this too) about condoms & daughters about taking the pill?

Maybe ...

Now I'm not saying that Latino parents don't talk to their teens about sex, I just believe they are just leaving out some huge pieces of information.

Like what you ask? Contraception! Condoms! The Pill! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe parents are scared to talk about protection because they feel if they bring up the topic of protection; that's an okay have sex.

Parents like to believe their teens will wait until marriage. And that was true in the days of malt shakes and swing dancing, but thats no longer the case in 2009. Parents need to start talking because mom and dad -- regardless of what kids say -- do have an impact.

Also, movies like "Juno" and "Knocked Up" make baby bellies look cute. Celebrities Christina Aguilera and the very young Jamie Lynn Spears flaunt it and make it seem easy. Almost as if it's the new 'it' thing . I highly doubt teenage girls are purposely getting pregnant due to movies, but it does play a part. It feeds the fantasy of motherhood as something that will make them popular, liked, respected, or an adult. But these girls are 16-19 years old. They aren't adults. And don't have the wealth to support a baby like Mrs. Aguilera.

As a Latina, this just makes me sad, because I know this to be true. Teen pregnancy does exist in my family. It hurts to know that my relative was not smart enough or responsible. For her, a high school diploma is out of sight. In fact, 69 percent of teen mothers drop out of high school.

But not everyone has the same outcome. Many teen moms, like a friend of mine, are still pursuing education after high school. Yes of course a child will slow them down, but they are not the sterotypical teen moms.

In the end, it all comes down to the girl herself. Is she doing it because she loves her boyfriend? She wants to fit in? My advice to girls: Wait. Not saying to wait for marriage (although that would be a nice idea) I'm saying wait for the right guy because if the worst happens; not all the boys stay with the mothers. They either deny that they are the father or don't pay up for diapers! And most importantly: Love can wait.

And when the time comes, I highly suggest using condoms and a backup (like the pill) because they do break. As for fitting in. It shouldn't be a factor -- sex should be something special, not something rushed.