Latinos at Tonight’s State of the Union

Sitting in the First Lady’s box for tonight’s 2012 State of the Union Address are exceptional Latinos moving the country forward.

Mayor Julián Castro
San Antonio, Texas

Mayor Castro was first elected mayor of San Antonio in 2009 and at 37 years old is the youngest mayor of a top 50 American city. He is a former city councilman and founder of a law firm. He graduated from Stanford University and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000. During his Administration, the Milken Institute ranked San Antonio as the best-performing city in the nation in 2011. In January 2012, Mayor Castro announced that CPS Energy, a municipally-owned utility, has entered negotiations to bring at least 800 jobs and $100 million in capital investment to San Antonio. This is expected to be one of the nation’s largest solar projects resulting in 400 megawatts of zero-emissions solar energy.

Juan Jose Redín
Attorney
North Hollywood, California

Juan Jose Redín was born in Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico before coming with his mother and younger sister to the United States at the age of 10. After enduring many challenges throughout his journey to achieve his dream of higher education, Juan benefited from California’s Assembly Bill 540 and was able to enroll, and excel, in his studies at UCLA. He received both his undergraduate (with honors) and law degrees from UCLA. Now a US citizen and a practicing attorney, Juan is as passionate as ever about ensuring educational access to all.

Mike Krieger
Co-founder Instagram
San Francisco, California

Mike Krieger is the co-founder of Instagram, the fastest growing social mobile startup in the U.S. today, with over 15 million registered users. Mike was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and moved to California in 2004 to attend Stanford University, where he studied computer science and cognitive science. In 2010, he joined up with Kevin Systrom to co-found Instagram, and now employs a talented, growing team of designers and engineers. After graduation, Mr. Krieger worked for a year on his student F-1 visa, later applying for and receiving an H-1B visa as a high-skill worker. Mr. Krieger wants to permanently stay in the U.S. and has applied for a green card.

The full list:

Six of 20 are from California! 
GUEST LIST FOR THE FIRST LADY’S BOX

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

JANUARY 24, 2012

 

First Lady Michelle Obama

Dr. Jill Biden, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President

The following individuals will be seated in the box with the First Lady and Dr. Biden at the State of the Union Address:

 

SGT Ashleigh Berg, USA

Malibu, California

SGT Ashleigh Berg is from Malibu, California, and joined the United States Army in July of 2004.  SGT Berg has been stationed in South Korea and Germany, and has served two tours of duty in Iraq.  Her husband, SGT Matthew Berg, USA is currently deployed to Afghanistan on his 3^rd combat tour.  SGT Berg is currently assigned to the 94^th Army Missile Defense Command in Fort Shafter Hawaii, and is serving a three year tour as the Commanding General’s Executive Administrative assistant.

 

Alicia Boler-Davis

Plant Manager, General Motors Orion Assembly

Detroit, Michigan

Alicia Boler-Davis lives in Detroit with her husband, Fitzgerald, and their two young sons.  She is the plant manager at General Motors Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping, and is responsible for overseeing the production of the first new small car program from General Motors to be manufactured in the United States.  Last October, Ms. Boler-Davis led President Obama and President Lee of South Korea on a tour of the General Motors Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping.  President Obama and President Lee traveled to the GM plant to highlight the free trade agreements and the resurgence of the American auto industry.

 

Debbie Bosanek

Assistant, Berkshire Hathaway

Bellevue, Nebraska

A Nebraska native, Debbie Bosanek has worked for Berkshire Hathaway for 37 years and has been Warren Buffett’s secretary for almost two decades.  Last September, the President proposed the “Buffett Rule” as part of comprehensive tax reform, and is working to build an economy that works for everyone, including Americans like Ms. Bosanek, not just a wealthy few.  Ms. Bosanek lives in Bellevue, Nebraska with her husband of 23 years and their son, and spends most of her time and energy trying to keep up with her boss.

 

Jackie Bray  

Process Operator at the Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub

King’s Mountain, North Carolina

Jackie Bray is a single mother from King’s Mountain, North Carolina.  Last January she was laid off from her job as a high speed packaging mechanic.  That is when she enrolled in Central Piedmont Community College to prepare for Siemens pre-hiring test.  After finishing the course and passing the test, Ms. Bray was hired by Siemens in August of 2011. This type of partnership between businesses and community colleges is exactly what President Obama hopes to strengthen to maximize workforce development strategies, job training programs, and job placements.  Ms. Bray now works as a process operator, combining her machinist background with new skills she has been trained on since working at Siemens: laser training, robotics training, penetrant inspection training, and product orientation.

 

Bruce Cochrane

President and CEO of Lincolnton Furniture

Lincolnton, North Carolina

Bruce Cochrane comes from a family that has manufactured furniture in North Carolina for decades, but when Cochrane Furniture was sold in  1997,  the new owners moved manufacturing to China. Two years ago, Mr. Cochrane decided the time had come to start his own furniture company back in his home state. In January 2012, production began at Lincolnton Furniture in the same plant his family once ran. Lincolnton Furniture is expected to add 130 new jobs to the area.  Mr. Cochrane attended President Obama’s Insourcing American Jobs Forum earlier this month.

 

Sara Ferguson

Teacher, Columbus Elementary 
Parkside, Pennsylvania

Sara Ferguson teaches literacy and math at Columbus Elementary, and has worked for the Chester Upland School District for 20 years.  She is a third generation educator in Chester Upland, and a proud product of that district.  When the Chester Upland School District faced bankruptcy earlier this year in light of severe state budget cuts, Ms. Ferguson vowed to continue teaching even without being paid, saying “we are adults; we will make a way. The students don’t have any contingency plan. They need to be educated, so we intend to be on the job.”

 

Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita

Founder, President and CEO Quality Electrodynamics

Cleveland, Ohio

Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita is founder, president and chief executive officer of Quality Electrodynamics (QED), in Cleveland, Ohio. Coming to America from Japan in 1988 and after receiving his Ph.D. in physics from Case Western Reserve University in 1998, Dr. Fujita chose to continue his professional training in America.  In 2006 he started his own company, QED, which is a developer and manufacturer of highly proprietary state-of-the-art MRI radiofrequency antennas. QED is now one of the world’s largest suppliers of these products and ships throughout the globe.  In 2010, Dr. Fujita founded his second company, eQED, a solar energy-related electronics development and manufacturing company.  With the founding of both QED and eQED, today Dr. Fujita is creating high tech, advanced manufacturing jobs in the healthcare and energy sectors in the United States.

 

Mahala Greer

Student

Denver, Colorado

Mahala Greer grew up in Paonia, a small town in rural Colorado.  She is currently a student at the University of Colorado Denver majoring in Spanish, and has just been accepted into Teach for America as a Bilingual Education Corps Member.  In May she will graduate with more than $35,000 in student loans. Last October, Ms. Greer introduced President Obama when he spoke to students at CU Denver about how his Administration is working to make college more affordable and reduce student loan debt.

 

Adrienne Howard

San Diego, California

Adrienne Howard is a military spouse from Lynchburg, Virginia, and currently lives in San Diego, California with her three children.  Her husband, Commander Colby Howard, USN, is currently on a seven month deployment. Mrs. Howard has moved 14 times during her husband’s career, and their oldest child has attended 9 different schools along the way.  For nearly 20 years, she has been heavily involved as a volunteer in family readiness groups and Navy spouse organizations.  This past September, Mrs. Howard was inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative to reach out to her community, and the response was overwhelming.  Mrs. Howard shared her story of rallying her community to ‘adopt’ a Sailor on the Joining Forces Blog.

 

Captain Mark Kelly, USN, Ret.

Mark Kelly is an American astronaut, retired US Navy Captain, best-selling author, and an experienced naval aviator who flew combat missions during the Gulf War. The winner of many awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Defense Superior Service Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Kelly was selected as an astronaut in 1996. He flew his first of four missions in 2001 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, the same space shuttle that he commanded on its final flight in May 2011. He has also commanded Space Shuttle Discovery and is one of only two individuals who have visited the International Space Station on four different occasions.

Already a celebrated American, Kelly became the center of international attention after the January 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. In their best-selling memoir, Gabby, the couple shares their story of hope and resilience with the world.

 

Lorelei Kilker

Analytical Chemist

Brighton, Colorado 

Lorelei Kilker is an analytical chemist for an environmental laboratory, and lives in Brighton, Colorado with her domestic partner and their two children.  In October of 2011, Ms. Kilker was one of a class of women who benefitted from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) investigation of alleged systematic sex discrimination at her former employer that resulted in the award of back wages and significant remedial relief, arrangements that were achieved through a cooperative process between the employer and EEOC.  Since the creation of the President’s Equal Pay Task Force in January 2010, EEOC obtained almost $50 million in monetary relief through administrative enforcement for victims of sex-based wage discrimination, obtained changes to workplace practices that benefit over one quarter of a million workers, and filed five cases including sex-based wage discrimination claims.

 

Admiral William McRaven, USN

Admiral McRaven assumed command of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) on June 13, 2008. Prior to assuming command, he served from June 2006 to March 2008 as commander, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR). In addition to his duties as COMSOCEUR, he was designated as the first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination Centre (NSCC), where he was charged with enhancing the capabilities and inter-operability of all NATO Special Operations Forces.
Adm. McRaven has commanded at every level within the special operations community, including assignments as deputy commanding general for operations at JSOC, commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, commander of SEAL Team 3, task group commander in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, task unit commander during Desert Storm and Desert Shield, squadron commander at Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and SEAL platoon commander at Underwater Demolition Team 21/SEAL Team 4.

Adm. McRaven’s diverse staff and interagency experience includes assignments as the director for Strategic Planning in the Office of Combating Terrorism on the National Security Council Staff, assessment director at U.S. Special Operations Command, on the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and the chief of staff at Naval Special Warfare Group 1.

Adm. McRaven’s professional education includes assignment to the Naval Postgraduate School, where he helped establish and was the first graduate from the Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict curriculum.

 

Joan Milligan

Orlando, Florida

As deep rooted Orlando, Florida, residents, Joan Milligan and her husband Bill share a strong commitment to their community and volunteering.  Faced with losing their home, President Obama’s Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) allowed Joan and her husband to refinance their existing loan when other means of refinancing were not open to them. As Mrs. Milligan has said, “I can’t believe how easy the process was.  The bank bent over backwards to accommodate us”.  The Milligans will celebrate 50 years of marriage in October 2012.

 

Amber Morris

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Amber Morris, a Virginia Beach resident, responded to the White House’s call in December asking Americans “What does 40 mean to you?” saying, “Forty dollars a pay check means that I’ll be able to pay my bills, but most months it’ll be a tight squeeze.  It means that I’ll have no spending money which means I can’t do my part in encouraging my local economy.  Forty dollars a paycheck may not seem a lot, but it could mean a steady job for me and my coworkers or unemployment.”  Ms. Morris graduated from Northeastern Law School in 2008 and found herself unable to find a job in her field.  She was working for a non-profit in Boston, but after they lost funding she found herself unemployed in 2009 and forced to move back home with her parents. She’s since found work as a waitress in a local restaurant and although it’s less than ideal, she feels “lucky to have paycheck” to help pay student loans and help save up for the Virginia bar exam.

 

Laurene Powell Jobs

Founder and Chair of Emerson Collective

Palo Alto, California

Ms. Laurene Powell Jobs is founder and chair of Emerson Collective, an organization focused on harnessing the potential of individuals from underserved communities to help them build a better life.
Ms. Powell Jobs also serves as president of the board of College Track, an after-school program she founded in 1997 to prepare underserved high school students for success in college.  Started in East Palo Alto, College Track has expanded to serve students in Oakland, San Francisco, New Orleans and Aurora, Colorado.  The program’s intensive academic and extracurricular program is designed to ensure admittance to and graduation from college.  All of the program’s graduates have completed their secondary education and gone on to college.

In addition to her work with the Emerson Collective and College Track, she serves on the boards of directors of NewSchools Venture Fund, New America Foundation and Conservation International. She also serves as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ms. Powell Jobs holds a BA and a BSE from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.  Earlier in her career, she spent several years working in investment banking and later co-founded a natural foods company in California.

 

Adam Rapp

Fall Creek Township, Illinois

Adam Rapp lives in Fall Creek Township, Illinois, and is the only child of Stephen and Lisa Rapp.  On his 23^rdbirthday, he was diagnosed with cancer, and without the Affordable Care Act he would have lost health insurance coverage the same day.  Adam’s mother wrote President Obama a letter last May thanking him for passing the health reform law so that her son could remain on their health insurance policy. After undergoing treatment, Mr. Rapp is now cancer-free and engaged to be married to Adrienne Mast of Quincy, Illinois.

 

Bryan Ritterby

Lab Technician

Holland, Michigan

Bryan Ritterby had been in the furniture manufacturing industry for more than 25 years working on the manufacturing floor, in the quality department and as a field service representative, but was laid off in February of 2009.  Mr. Ritterby then went through the Grand Rapids Community College Composite Technician Training Program in conjunction with a new start-up company, Energetx Composites.  Upon completion of the program, Mr. Ritterby was hired by Energetx Composites as a composite technician in April of 2010.  Today, Mr. Ritterby is a Lab Technician for Energetx Composites conducting material tests in the company’s laboratory verifying materials to be used in wind turbine blades, as well as working on blade validation tests for all of the community scale wind blades Energetx is manufacturing.

 

Colonel Ginger Wallace, USAF

McLean, Virginia

Colonel Ginger Wallace is an Air Force intelligence officer who has led airlift and intelligence operations during Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, PROVIDE RELIEF, UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, ALLIED FORCE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. She currently lives in McLean, Virginia with her partner of over a decade, Kathy Knopf.  In December, Ms. Knopf attended Col. Wallace’s promotion ceremony and participated in the “pinning on” of Col. Wallace’s rank, marking the first such event reported following the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  Col. Wallace is currently training to deploy to Afghanistan in the Spring 2012 through the Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands program.

 

Will East L.A. Have a Chance at Cityhood?

Originally aired on 01.22.12 on “Knowledge is Power” on KPWR Los Angeles.

Considered by many as the cultural, social, and political focal point of the Mexican-American community in the United States, the 140,000 residents of unincorporated East Los Angeles are ready for Cityhood.

Joining me on Knowledge is Power is Kristie Hernandez, a lifelong resident of East Los Angeles, a member of the East Los Angeles Residents Association and one of a handful of young people leading the efforts to make East Los Angeles into its own city.

At 9a.m. on Wednesday, January 25^th, East LA residents and supporters will attend a public meeting at the Kenneth Hall of Administration building in Downtown Los Angeles to demand that more time be given for the cityhood process. Click HERE for more details.

Four years in the making, the cityhood campaign has gained the support of community leaders, residents, business associations, and elected officials. The East Los Angeles Residents Association have collected over 16,000 signatures and raised thousands of dollars with car washes, menudo breakfasts’ and door knocking for a report on the feasibility of incorporating East L.A. as a city.

After more than $200,000 in processing fees to analyze the fiscal liabilities of East L.A., it is still undetermined where local tax dollars are being spent.

The group is calling for fair representation and accountability. If East Los Angeles were to become its own city, the group feels residents would be better represented by a local government who understand the immediate needs of the community and could be held accountable for improving the quality of life for residents.

Right now, East L.A. is served by County Supervisor Gloria Molina, whose County District represents 2 million other residents.

Listen to interview:

Republicans Block Maria del Carmen Aponte as Ambassador to El Salvador

 Last year, I wrote about how excited I was about the appointment of Maria Del Carmen Aponte as Ambassador to El Salvador. For the past year, she has served as interim Ambassador since Republicans blocked her nomination and President Obama had to by passed the block by appointing her during the recess. UGH. Frustrating. Voices of El Salvadorhas the scoop.

Today, Republicans in the Senate blocked her nomination, largely led by Tea Party Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C)because he feels Aponte is leading a “gay agenda” in El Salvador based on an op-ed she wrote on June 28 in La Presna Grafica – a Salvadoran based newspaper. In the op-ed Aponte praises El Salvador’s equal rights movement and better treatment of the gay population.

Gay agenda? Last time I checked, that was also known as advocating for human rights.

Here he is (video):

According to Roll Call: “Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also opposes the nomination — and those of Roberta Jacobson to be assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs and Adam Namm to be ambassador to the Republic of Ecuador — over a disagreement with the Obama administration’s policies regarding Cuba and Nicaragua.”

I don’t understand how Republicans plan on targeting Latino voters with this kind of nonsense.

In addition, Democrats couldn’t rally the 60 votes needed to move past the filibuster. Is there a reason they couldn’t rally the votes? What’s going on here?!

Here’s a note from the White House and Julie Rodriguez, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement:

Dear Friends,

This evening we were very disappointed to see a partisan vote in the United States Senate blocking Mari Carmen Aponte’s nomination to continue serving as our Ambassador to El Salvador. Please see the statement from Press Secretary Jay Carney below:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2011
Today a partisan group of Republicans in the Senate blocked our Ambassador to El Salvador from returning to her job, choosing instead to play politics with America’s national interests.

Ambassador Aponte has served our nation with distinction over the past year, accumulating an impressive list of accomplishments that included negotiating a Partnership for Growth between the United States and El Salvador that is critical to our economic and national security interests in the region. Ambassador Aponte’s leadership on behalf of the United States has earned her the respect of all sides in El Salvador, and the trust of leaders in the United States from across the political spectrum and diverse communities.

Today’s filibuster is one more example of the type of political posturing and partisanship the American people are tired of seeing in Washington. Now is not the time for playing politics, it’s time for Congress to do the right thing for the American people. Whether it’s allowing up or down votes on our representatives to the Western Hemisphere, allowing consumers to have someone looking out for their interests, or extending and expanding the payroll tax cut for the middle class, Republicans in Congress need to stop thinking about the next election and start putting the best interests of the American people first.

###

3 Days without Power in Highland Park

I sent the below email to my colleagues,  followed by this amazing tweet to our Mayor and awesome Dept. of Water and Power

@WendyCarrillo: What am I suppose to do w/ warm vodka@villaraigosa @LADWP, when will my lights be back up? #HighlandPark =(

 

 

 

Hi team,

Just FYI, I have been w/out power since the wind storm, so 3 days now.

I have no way to power up my phones, laptop, etc. I’m told the Dept. of Water and Power is “working as fast as possible” to get things working again.

Whew, that’s a relief, how fast is fast anyways?

The street lights don’t work, the lamp posts don’t work, and off course, all my food has now gone bad. YEY!

I can’t even make myself a drink because my vodka is now warm. And who wants warm vodka?

It’s like the freaking wild wild west.

I feel a little like Will Smith in that one movie about being the last man on earth.

It’s just me, my cats, and the darkness. No zombies. Yet. 

Have a great weekend!

- Wendy 

Causes from the Heart: Education Scholarship Fundraiser!

Want  to have a laugh, a good time and also give back? Tonight, Causes from the Heart is hosting a scholarship fundraiser!

THIS SATURDAY, JULY 2nd: Causes From The Heart presents Stand-Up 4 Education: An evening of Comedy & Social Fun Creating Scholarships for Deserving Students!

Access to a quality education is so important for our community, not only is it important to get into college, but finding ways to pay for an education is often the most crucial aspect. Here’s an opportunity to give back!

Tickets for the comedy show and event are only $20, starts at 8pm.

Check out the interview below:

Interview with Matt Mora, E.D of Causes from the Heart

 

Common Accused of Being A Gangster!

I don’t even know where to begin!!!

But this tweet from Fox News dude Sean Hannity totally made my day, in the, this is the most ridiculous thing ever kinda made my day.

Check out the story below, it’s still brewing and Sean Hannity will have on Dr. James Peterson, (Africana Studies, Hip Hop Culture, Popular Culture, Media, African American Literature and Sociolinguistics ) of Bucknell University today to continue dissecting the lyrics of Common – because he’s such a gangster. AY DIOS MIO!

Glad Russell Simmons was quick to respond, but I think Sean Hannity totally wants to be like Snoop Dogg! You know what they say, everybody’s got they cups but they aint chipped in!

Papi Chulo... aka Common!

- Wendy

PICKET: Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons slams FNC’s Hannity over rapper criticism

By Kerry Picket

Conservatives including Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Alaska Republican governor Sarah Palin were critical of the White House for inviting the rapper Common to perform at the White House on Wednesday.

“Common is a pretty peaceful loving poet. A poet’s job is to say things people think, even if you don’t like it. That’s their job,” said  Def Jams Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons,” when I interviewed him on Tuesday about his recent meeting with Donald Trump.

Mr. Simmons defended not only Common but other rappers in the music community, like Snoop Doggy Dogg. The hip hop mogul noted he sent rappers from his Def Poetry Jam to the White House during the last Bush administration saying, “They didn’t say nothing when I sent the Def Poetry Jam during George Bush’s administration.” He added, “There’s nothing that Common could say that was more critical of the U.S. government than all the poets of my Broadway show. It won a Tony.”

“Every rapper that’s famous is less gangster, less homophobic, less racist, and less sexist than Sean Hannity. I like him [Hannity], but that’s what I’m saying about the rappers I know,” said  Mr. Simmons.  ”Snoop Dogg is less sexist than [Hannity]. Snoop Dogg is less racist than him. Snoop Dogg is less homophobic than him and Snoop Dogg is a lot less gangster than him. So Sean Hannity has to handle his own business. He’s got his own issues.” Mr. Simmons said.(AUDIO HERE)

He added,  ”All that is are songs that talk about police brutality in a kind of poetic way and say mean things. They promote dialogue. Poets always create controversy by saying what people think.They’re less sexist. They’re less homophobic. They’re less racist and they’re certainly less gangster than Sean Hannity…all of them rappers. So I ain’t thinking about him.”

Mr. Simmons took back his “racist” accusation of the Fox News host later telling me, ”I shouldn’t have been so mean. I really do like Sean Hannity. He’s a nice guy, but he’s more gangster, more homophobic, more racist…I shouldn’t say racist. He has more race issues.” He continued,  ”He’s more homophobic ,for sure. And he’s more sexist and he’s more gangster than Snoop Dog.” (AUDIO HERE)

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama found themselves embroiled in a controversy involving the rapper “Common” (AKA Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.)  who is scheduled to entertain the White House on poetry night Wednesday. The Daily Caller reported:

First Lady Michelle Obama has scheduled a poetry evening for Wednesday, and she’s invited several poets, including a successful Chicago poet and rapper, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., AKA “Common.” However, Lynn is quite controversial, in part because his poetry includes threats to shoot police and at least one passage calling for the “burn[ing]” of then-President George W. Bush.

Back in 2003, First Lady Laura Bush held a poetry evening, and she invited several poets to reprise the work of Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman. Although none of those poets had urged violence against a president, Bush canceled the event after left-of-center poets protested and threatened to disrupt the event.

“Commmon’s a really sweet guy and we sent the Def Poetry Jam poets to the poetry show for the White House before and a lot of those people were more critical of government and foreign policy and other things and that’s the American thing,” Mr. Simmons explained.  ”That’s what poets are there for. Poets are supposed to say what people are thinking. Sometimes it’s just everything from George Bush don’t like white people or black people to whatever. It’s just a poetic thing. It’s what people are thinking.”

Mr. Simmons met with (h/t Global Grind) New York City real estate leader Donald Trump recently. The Def Jams executive described the meeting, which also included Rabbi Marc Schneier and New York’s Islamic Cultural Center’s Imam Shamsi Ali.

“We went to Donald’s office, because the rabbi wanted to and Donald’s very accommodating. We had a good time, and they learned a lot. Hopefully we can get [Trump] to be a big voice for tolerance.” Mr. Simmons stressed he remains a “big fan” of President Obama. “I’m going to break my neck to get him elected. He’s done a lot of good work in a short period of time