Two Houston Non-Profits Receive U.S. Department of Commerce Grant
for Support of Development of the Latino Technology Network

Houston, Texas - (October 1, 2001) -Technology For All (TFA) announces a relationship with the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) toward the accomplishment TFA's national initiative to bring technology to underserved communities. Through an $850,000 grant from the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) of the U. S. Department of Commerce, the Latino Technology Network (LTN) will connect twelve diverse Community-Based Organizations across the nation. Community Technology Centers (CTC) will be established within eleven of the organizations for educational and technology training. Community Technology Centers are a places in many underserved communities where students can utilize computers and take advantage of online content provided by TFA. AAMA will help develop the LTN, and TFA will provide CTC participants with access to the complete suite of SmartForce e-Learning courses, which includes everything from basic technology skills to several certification tracks. SmartForce courses are offered in English and Spanish. CTCs will work with at-risk, inner-city Hispanic high school students to train them in advanced web-based applications and maintenance of the national network. Students taking SmartForce courses will gain skills necessary for competing successfully for higher-wage technology employment upon their graduation from high school.

The United States Hispanic population is increasing dramatically-from 35.5 million or 12.5% of the total population recorded in the 2000 census to a projected 98 million in 2050. The LTN project will provide CTCs with a network for collaboration and sharing as well as affordable access top high-speed internet connectivity and technical support that the CTCs otherwise would not be able to support. The project makes a concerted effort to reach out to at-risk youth.

TFA provides affiliated CTCs with access to the TFA "eSource Room"â, a private, password protected web space that provides access to application software and educational content. Through the "eSource Room"â, students will be able to access online content focused on their individual learning needs.

"This new relationship with AAMA will encourage collaborative relationships between several Latino organizations and community technology centers in underserved communities", said Technology For All President and CEO Will Reed. "We are pleased that students and families with limited means will now have some of the same educational opportunities that others take for granted."

AAMA is considered one of the most successful Hispanic non-profits in the United States, celebrating thirty years of service to Texans. At its Sanchez Charter High School AAMA has pioneered the Advanced Technology Computing Center, a working model for training "at-risk" youth and placing them in jobs with Fortune 1000 corporations.

TFA and AAMA provide the Latino Technology Network with needed expertise, skills and infrastructure. Other project partners include the National Puerto Rican Coalition, the National Association for Bilingual Education, the National Puerto Rican Forum, the Cuban American National Council, Student Alternatives Program, Inc., the Center for Training and Careers, Chicanos por la Causa, Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee, Multicultural Area Health Education Center, and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

About Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA)
Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) is the larges Hispanic community-based organization in the state of Texas. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the agency is one of the premier non-profit organizations in the U. S. AAMA's mission is the advancement of at-risk and disadvantaged Latino youth and families through an array of innovative programs of excellence, which provide alternative education, social services and community development. Contact AAMA at 6001 Gulf Freeway, B-1, Building B-1, Houston, Texas 77023. Phone: 713.926.4756

About Technology For All
Technology For All (TFA) is a national nonprofit initiative focused on bringing technology to underserved communities. Using a network model to bridge the digital divide, TFA is creating educational, economic and personal opportunities for America's underserved. Corporate sponsors include SmartForce, FYI-Net, Shell, and BP. Program partners include HUD's Neighborhood Network Initiative, the America Connects Consortium, the LINCT Coalition, local TFA initiatives and individual CTCs across the US. Local TFA initiatives or supportive CTC relationships exist in fifteen US cities. TFA offices are located at 109 North Post Oak Lane, Suite 425, Houston, Texas, 77024. Phone: 713.316.5764.
Web site: www.techforall.org

Technology For All and the Technology For All logo are trademarks of Technology For All. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.