Aaron Sanchez – Página 129

eMerge Americas, Wyncode Academy, And Code Fever Announce Virtual Hackathon To Develop Applications Combating Racism

MIAMI, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — eMerge Americas, a platform which fosters innovation and investment throughout the Americas, has signed on with Wyncode Academy, a premier technical training academy to host a virtual hackathon scheduled for July 2, 2020. The hackathon, titled Unite & Fight, is in response to recent events throughout the U.S. that have reiterated the systemic racism and social injustices that have afflicted communities of color. Code Fever has signed on to be a community partner. The objective of the hackathon is to develop tech solutions to combat racism, such as apps, which will be presented at the upcoming eMerge Americas conference. City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez will hold a meeting with the final project creators.

«Leaders in the tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem have a unique vantage point to steward innovation as a tool for systemic change,» said Felice Gorordo, CEO of eMerge Americas. «eMerge Americas is committed to taking action to combat systemic racism and leveraging tech to fight social injustices.»

The hackathon will kick off with a virtual webinar highlighting the Black community’s experience encountering racial discrimination, which will inform the project creators on the problems they will solve using technology. The teams participating in the virtual hackathon will be tasked with designing and building a solution that combats racial injustice.

«The impetus for this initiative is to create a framework to learn and educate our community about racism and channel our collective brain trust for tangible solutions to dismantle systemic racism,» said Johanna Mikkola, co-founder of Wyncode Academy. «By design, we’re extending the initiative to continue after the hackathon for multiple months because we want an ongoing solution-oriented dialogue.»

Following the hackathon, project developers and designers will meet weekly to continue development on their solutions leading up to a final presentation before a panel of judges in September. The winner of those presentations will meet with Mayor Suarez prior to the eMerge Americas conference.

«We use technology to create solutions to problems, and it really can be a driving force to end systemic racism and equity issues,» said Felecia Hatcher, Founder of Code Fever. «Partnering with eMerge Americas and Wyncode creates actionable first steps that can lead to tangible solutions.»

Software developers and product designers interested in participating may register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unite-fight-hackathon-tickets-109014218462?ref=eios

For more information or to register to attend the eMerge Americas 2020 conference, visit www.emergeamericas.com.

About eMerge Americas
eMerge Americas is the premier technology event connecting the Americas held annually at the Miami Beach Convention Center. By connecting global industry leaders and investors with corporate business executives, government leaders, and entrepreneurs, eMerge Americas is transforming Miami into the tech hub of the Americas. In 2019, eMerge Americas attracted over 16,000 attendees and more than 400 participating companies from over 40 countries. eMerge Americas serves as a catalyst in order to foster innovation and investment in South Florida and Latin America. The eMerge Americas founding partners include: Medina Capital, A Rod Corporation, Greenberg Traurig, Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County, and the Miami Herald. The upcoming eMerge Americas conference is scheduled for November 4-5, 2020. For more information about eMerge Americas, please visit: www.emergeamericas.com.

About Wyncode Academy
Wyncode Academy is the premier accelerated learning provider in South Florida. Wyncode currently offers in-person and remote/online courses for Full Stack Web Development, User Experience & User Interface (UX/UI) Design, Front End Web Development, and Digital Marketing with a campus in Wynwood, Miami, Florida. Wyncode has graduated over 850 technologists and maintained a 90% job placement rate for job seeking graduates. Wyncode also has the ability to create custom cohorts and corporate training programs in addition to our newest venture Wyntalent, a consulting service for mid and senior-level dev talent. Wyncode is proud to be licensed by the Florida Department of Education, for more information visit their website.

About Code Fever
Code Fever is a nonprofit committed to getting our communities up to code. The mission of Code Fever is to inspire more underserved minority students between the ages of 13 to 21 to code, build and create technology enterprises within their communities, close the gap in technology education, and become leaders in STEM fields by increasing the number of young startup founders. For more, visit www.CodeFeverMiami.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/357556/eMERGE_2016_Logo.jpg

SOURCE eMerge Americas

Blue Shield of California Health Reimagined Initiative to Transform Health Care for Individuals, Communities Throughout California

OAKLAND, California, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The newest generation of technology in physician offices, consumer-friendly digital apps to keep people healthier, a personalized approach to help patients find the services they need, and tying physician and hospital pay to quality and patient satisfaction – these are just a few offerings of Blue Shield of California’s <a target="_blank"…

The program uses the latest innovations and technologies, plus collaborations with medical providers, employers, community stakeholders and others to transform the healthcare system for individuals, families and communities.

Blue Shield, a tax-paying nonprofit health plan, has launched 20 pilot programs in four counties – Butte, Los Angeles, Monterey and Sacramento. The efforts range from a customized virtual-care system so patients can see their own doctor via smart phone, tablet or computer, to an Apple Watch-enabled virtual assistant that helps physicians create an electronic medical record with their voice, and settling all claims in real-time before the patient leaves the physician’s office or the hospital.

This «real-time claims» initiative helps determine what Blue Shield owes clinicians and facilities as well as what the patient owes, thereby dramatically reducing the administrative burden on health care providers and consumers. Blue Shield now intends to make this service, which has been tested for months, available statewide to help generate better cashflow for hospitals and doctors’ offices facing economic hardship during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

«It is time for us to reimagine health care for everyone,» said Paul Markovich, president and CEO, Blue Shield of California. «This effort addresses long-standing access, equity, cost and quality issues that have been further exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will create a health care system worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable through our Health Reimagined initiative.»

How Blue Shield is Transforming Health Care

The health plan is working closely with medical providers, local and regional stakeholders, and collaborating with technology firms to bring the best ideas and solutions to the market.

Blue Shield’s solutions cover three main categories:

Holistic health: Studies show that a person’s health and well-being are also influenced by social determinants outside the doctor’s office or the hospital. Blue Shield’s efforts include addressing a wide array of external issues such as access to healthy foods, transportation and behavioral support.
Personal care: Blue Shield believes in health care that places patients at the center. That means giving patients and their doctors tools, time and space to have meaningful medical visits and conversations so they can tackle tough health issues together.
High-tech, high-touch: Blue Shield is using modern technologies for patients and their doctors, such as a customized telemedicine system. The health plan also supports a statewide health information exchange for patient records so providers can have enhanced and efficient ways to deliver care.

In addition, Blue Shield is transforming within by reimagining how a health plan operates to create customer, member and provider experiences that are transparent and in real-time.

«With Health Reimagined initiative’s shared decision making tool, our providers are able to spend more time with their patients so they can make meaningful decisions together – with their preferences in mind – about their pregnancy care with focus on labor and delivery,» said Bruce Bob, M.D., FACOG, co-founder and administrator at Capital OB/GYN in Sacramento. «And with Blue Shield’s Community Health Advocate Program, we can now think about supporting the needs of the whole person and whole family to improve the health and wellness of our patients.»

Where Blue Shield is Transforming Health Care

Blue Shield has launched pilot programs in four regions of the state with specific demographics and collaborations in mind. They are:

In Butte County where access to care is an ongoing challenge for rural communities.

In collaboration with Paradise Medical Group, Blue Shield is making available next-generation services, including customized virtual-patient care via PMG Connect and virtual assistants for physicians via smart watches. PMG Connect has become an important tool for physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, as physicians are able to treat their patients via virtual visits.

In Sacramento County in collaboration with large, well-established medical providers.

Blue Shield is working with Dignity Health and Hill Physicians Medical Group to test a new real-time claims payment system that aims to bring a «retail experience» to providers and their patients; and to offer «community health advocates» who provide personalized, in-home and high-touch support to patients.

In Monterey County with a large employer to help address primary-care shortage.

Blue Shield is collaborating with health care providers and companies to bring access to more primary care services in the region to help support Municipalities, Colleges, Schools Insurance Group’s (MCSIG) more than 11,000 members.

In Los Angeles County to help transform care delivery in this large and diverse metropolitan region.

Through Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan and our collaboration with local providers and well-known community-based organizations, we’re addressing the needs of under-represented and under-resourced communities.
Blue Shield Promise Health Plan is collaborating with L.A. Care Health Plan to build a network of community resource centers that will be a hub for promoting individual and community health.

In addition, in Washington D.C. and Sacramento, Calif., Blue Shield is promoting health reform and policy innovations that allow for healthcare transformations in the marketplace.

«Blue Shield is putting people at the center and designing better ways for them to receive access to care,» said Terry Gilliland, executive vice president, Blue Shield’s Healthcare Quality and Affordability. «These pilot programs are just the beginning. Our goal is to take the best solutions and quickly scale them across the state. By taking a comprehensive approach, together with all our stakeholders, we believe we can reimagine health care.»

For more information about Blue Shield’s Health Reimagined initiative, go to blueshieldca.com/HealthReimagined.

About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with over 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 to have an impact on California communities.

For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com.

Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

CONTACT:
Matthew Yi
Blue Shield of California
510-607-2359
media@blueshieldca.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/810201/blue_jpg_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Blue Shield of California

A Greener Caribbean: Distributed Resilient Energy Spurs Economic Opportunities

BOULDER, Colorado, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) latest report describes four core principles of stimulus and recovery….

BOULDER, Colorado, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) latest report describes four core principles of stimulus and recovery. Together, the principles lay a framework for decision makers, regional agencies, and financial institutions that demonstrate how the Caribbean region can build back better and advance their economies for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future.

«I’ve partnered with many Caribbean island stakeholders seeking to effectively transition to distributed, resilient energy for both the immediate and long-term benefits they offer. It’s critical to consider what the most suitable option is for each unique island and what leads to economic development at the local level,» said Kaitlyn Bunker, principal at RMI.

The four core principles for a Caribbean green stimulus and recovery are:

The Power of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): Incorporating DERs into island energy systems to create jobs now, and support a diversified economy.
Near Term—Focus on Jobs: Highlighting opportunities across the solar photovoltaic, wind, vehicle electrification, and energy efficiency sectors.
Long Term—Focus on Increased Resilience and Economic Diversification: Examining undergrounding and critical facilities as ways to build local resilience, and clean energy to support upcoming sectors such as agriculture.
Immediate Stimulus Recommendations: Outlining next steps for decision makers.

«Having worked as a leader of the Anguilla utility for over a decade, I’m extremely passionate about the growth and development of island states. I view the opportunity to create a clean energy job hub across the region as a differentiator. This is how the Caribbean can build back better and be viewed globally as an example of resilience,» said David Gumbs, senior consultant at RMI.

To download the Green Stimulus in the Caribbean paper, visit https://rmi.org/insight/green-stimulus-in-the-caribbean-resilient-distributed-energy-resources-can-support-job-creation-and-economic-diversification

Media Inquiries please contact:
Nick Steel, Media Relations Manager, T: +1 347-574-0887, E: nsteel@rmi.org

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
RMI transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future.
For more information, visit www.rmi.org or follow us on Twitter @RockyMtnInst.

Read RMI’s Stimulus Series

SOURCE Rocky Mountain Institute

The Nation’s Largest Food Drive Re-emerges This Week in Novel Fashion

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — As summer approaches, local food banks and church shelves around the country normally would be well-stocked, benefiting from the 70 million-plus pounds of food recently received from the Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, held in May for the past 27 years.

<img id="prnejpg5745left" title="National Association of Letter Carriers." border="0"…

The food drive’s timing is key, because winter holiday donations have dwindled from food pantries and homeless shelters, and school meal programs are not available in summer. The coronavirus pandemic, however, forced the postponement of the scheduled May 9 drive for safety reasons—even as the pandemic-related economic shutdown has worsened food insecurity.

To deal with this urgent situation, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) has developed a new plan to address the problem of hunger that affects one in eight Americans, including millions of children, elderly and military veterans.

Starting this week, millions of generous Americans who normally leave food by their mailbox on the second Saturday in May for letter carriers to collect, as well as the legions of community volunteers who help sort and transport the food, can accomplish the same thing via different means.

Using the experience, contacts, presence in every zip code in the country and universal network that have made the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive the country’s largest single-day food collection, the NALC reached out to our numerous regional/state food coordinators, who in turn contacted our 1,900 branches in every corner of the country about finding a new approach for the times. The branches then spoke with food banks and pantries in their communities, and we identified ones those that are willing and able to take part in this effort.

The result: A novel donor drive approach to fit the current circumstances. Americans in big cities and suburbs, in small towns and rural areas, can go to a website set up just for this, select a food bank close to them, and donate funds to help the pantry purchase food. This has been set up in a manner that allows every dollar raised to go directly to purchasing food for the hungry.

To find a local food bank in your state, please go to www.nalc.org/food

As always, the food procured will stay in the community to help residents in need. And again, our wonderful national partners—the U.S. Postal Service, United Way Worldwide, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), Kellogg Co., National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, CVS Health, Valpak, AFL-CIO and Valassis—will be vital to its success.

This isn’t our normal food drive, of course, but these aren’t normal times.

«As letter carriers in every neighborhood in the country six and seven days a week, we see the need and we cannot wait while food banks struggle, demand grows and people remain hungry,» NALC President Fredric Rolando said. «Once it is safe, we will return to the traditional food drive.»

For the meantime, there may be a silver lining to this approach born of necessity. Rather than a one-day event, this effort will continue as needed. And, food banks can purchase more food than a resident could buy and donate with the same resources.

To be sure, this approach is different than before. But for individuals and families across the United States able to have a meal because of the generosity of others, the nourishment—and gratitude—will be exactly the same as before.

To find a local food bank in your state, please go to www.nalc.org/food

********

The 290,000-member National Association of Letter Carriers represents letter carriers across the country employed by the U.S. Postal Service, along with retired letter carriers. Founded by Civil War veterans in 1889, the NALC is among the country’s oldest labor unions.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/353615/national_association_of_letter_carriers_logo.jpg

SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers

Lexus Reveals ‘Lexus AR Play’ App to Launch New 2021 IS

PLANO, Texas, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — To virtually unveil the new 2021 IS, Lexus has launched Lexus AR Play, an immersive augmented reality app designed to allow users to explore the vehicle through their smart phone or tablet – the first app of its kind for Lexus. With social distancing the new normal across the globe, Lexus was inspired to develop the technology to showcase the newest design and performance features of this luxury sports sedan, a category favorite…

The Lexus AR Play app allows users to preview the vehicle in an interactive way, enabling users to:

Virtually walk around the vehicle for up-close 360-degree exterior and interior views.
Engage the gamification function to virtually drive the IS in augmented reality like a remote-control car.
Personalize the vehicle exterior with eight custom color offerings for the 2021 IS.
Open and close the doors and trunk.
Explore the vehicle’s design, performance, and safety features with high-level audio narration.
View 3D cutaways of key technical features, the engine and chassis.
Capture photos for sharing with friends or on your favorite social media channels.

«This app is a modern day expression of a longstanding Lexus core value: ‘genchi genbutsu’ or ‘go & see’- a practice employed by Lexus engineers to go on-site to ensure a true understanding of a situation by experiencing it firsthand,» said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of marketing at Lexus. «Now our guests can experience the next best thing to genchi genbutsu with the new IS 350, seeing it for themselves in a way previously unavailable, and long before the vehicles arrive in showrooms in late fall. «

The Lexus AR Play app is now available for download for iOS and Android devices in the App Store and Google Play. Additional information about the 2021 IS can be found here.

Lexus’ passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its guests. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 242 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With six models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers eight F SPORT models and two F performance models. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.

www.facebook.com/lexus
www.twitter.com/lexus
www.youtube.com/LexusVehicles
www.instagram.com/lexususa

Note to Editors: Lexus product information and images are available online via our news media web site http://LexusNewsroom.com.

Media Contact:
Alissa Moceri
(424) 488-9117
alissa.moceri@lexus.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1190988/Lexus_AR_Play.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/626836/Lexus_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Lexus

Pew Supports 10 Latin American Scientists Advancing Biomedical Discovery

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Pew Charitable Trusts today announced the 2020 class members of the Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences.

The 10 postdoctoral fellows from seven Latin American countries—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru—will…

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Pew Charitable Trusts today announced the 2020 class members of the Pew Latin American Fellows Program in the Biomedical Sciences.

The 10 postdoctoral fellows from seven Latin American countries—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru—will receive two years of funding to conduct research in laboratories across the United States, where they will work under the mentorship of prominent biomedical scientists, including members of the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research.

«The pursuit of scientific discovery calls for diverse perspectives from around the world,» said Rebecca W. Rimel, Pew’s president and CEO. «Pew is thrilled to welcome these promising Latin American fellows to our global network of researchers as they explore new frontiers in biomedical science.»

Fellows who choose to return to Latin America to launch their own research labs will receive additional funding from Pew. Approximately 70 percent of participants have pursued this path, to contribute to the development of a more robust biomedical research community in Latin America.

Research interests in the 2020 class include how leukemia stem cells evade detection by the immune system, how the influenza virus can increase susceptibility to secondary bacterial pneumonia, and how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can hide quietly inside host cells.

«The 2020 class of fellows brings a global perspective that will help advance biomedical discovery,» said Eva Nogales, Ph.D., professor in the department of biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and chair of the Pew program’s national advisory committee. «By collaborating with investigators in the United States and Latin America, these rising talents benefit scientific progress in both regions.»

The 2020 Pew Latin American fellows and their U.S. mentors are:

Juan Carlos Balandrán, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Paul Frenette, M.D.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Dr. Balandrán will explore how leukemia stem cells evade detection by the immune system.

Gabriel Lozano Betancourt, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Seth Rakoff-Nahoum, M.D., Ph.D., 2018 Pew biomedical scholar
Boston Children’s Hospital
Dr. Betancourt will explore the mechanisms that allow an animal host to monitor the quality of its diet and the function of its microbiome.

Eunice Domínguez Martín, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Richard Youle, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health
Dr. Domínguez Martín will investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between mitochondria and the body’s innate immune response.

Fabián Morales Polanco, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Judith Frydman, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Dr. Morales Polanco will explore whether proteins assemble into multiprotein complexes as they are being synthesized.

Luisa Maria Nieto Ramirez, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Tim van Opijnen, Ph.D.
Boston College
Dr. Nieto Ramirez will examine how the immune system recognizes and eliminates the pneumonia-causing microbe Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Luciana Pádua Tavares, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Bruce Levy, M.D.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University
Dr. Tavares will probe how infection with the influenza virus can increase susceptibility to secondary bacterial pneumonia.

Jeffrey Roberto Reina Garciasalas, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Tony Hunter, Ph.D.
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Dr. Reina Garciasalas will explore whether breast cancers show altered patterns of histidine phosphorylation.

Estefanía Sánchez Vásquez, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Ph.D.
California Institute of Technology
Dr. Sánchez Vásquez will investigate the fate of cells harboring abnormal chromosomes and how they interact with normal cells during early mammalian development.

Gustavo Vasen, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Leor Weinberger, Ph.D., 2008 Pew biomedical scholar
Gladstone Institutes
Dr. Vasen will investigate how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can hide quietly inside host cells, emerging when conditions are most favorable.

Miguel Villavicencio Camarillo, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Charles Zuker, Ph.D., 1988 Pew biomedical scholar
Columbia University
Dr. Villavicencio will identify the brain circuits underlying our insatiable appetite for sugar.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Learn more at pewtrusts.org.

Erin Davis, 202-540-6677, edavis@pewtrusts.org

SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts

ETS Introduces HiSET® Exam at Home High School Equivalency Testing Solution

PRINCETON, New Jersey, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — ETS, a global leader in educational measurement and learning solutions, announced today the introduction of the HiSET ^® Exam at Home, a remote testing solution for test takers who are interested in taking the next step to complete their high school equivalency credential. The HiSET Exam at Home improves access for all test takers by providing them with another way to complete their educational goals in addition to regular…

The at home solution will be conducted through the use of human remote proctoring serviced by ProctorU^®, the leading proctoring solution for online testing. The solution is identical to HiSET exams taken in physical test centers in terms of content, format, on-screen experience and scoring. Every test delivery feature that test takers experience in test centers — such as the ability to preview, skip questions, review and change answers — will still be available. For additional information visit https://www.ets.org/s/cv/hiset/at-home/.

«The HiSET Exam at Home will provide more people than ever before with the life-changing opportunity to obtain their high school equivalency credential. We are proud to be able to provide HiSET test takers with a timely, flexible and reliable solution,» said Jason Carter, Executive Director of the HiSET Program at ETS. «ETS is dedicated to supporting equity and access to education and the HiSET Exam at Home creates another pathway for adult learners to take the next steps in their educational journey to reach their dreams.»

ETS is taking every precaution to ensure that the HiSET Exam at Home meets the highest standards for validity, security and reliability. The at home solution employs multiple best-in-class security measures including real-time human monitoring and artificial intelligence technology. These measures allow for the recognition and remediation of the hardest-to-detect security incidents.

ETS is committed to serving test takers with disabilities and health-related needs by providing services and reasonable accommodations that are appropriate given the purpose of the test. These accommodations include extended time, extra breaks, screen magnification and selectable colors. Many other accommodations can be requested through ETS Disability Services, provided that the test taker can supply the approved device, such as an IntelliKeys^®keyboard or diabetic instruments.

To register for HiSET Exam at Home, test takers can sign in or create an ETS account by visiting: https://www.ets.org/cv/hiset/at-home. Once logged in, test takers can select and pay for their test, and upon doing so will receive an email from ProctorU with instructions on how to schedule their test date and time.

For a full overview of the registration process, visit: https://www.ets.org/cv/hiset/at-home.

About ETS
At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL^® and TOEIC^® tests, the GRE^® tests and The Praxis Series^® assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/562926/Educational_Testing_Service_Logo.jpg

SOURCE ETS

Homeful Foundation Brings RV Shelters To California Homeless Facing COVID-19 Exposure

LAGUNA HILLS, California, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The homeless population in California faces a grim challenge in the face of COVID-19. Deprived of easy access to hand washing options and social distancing protections, this group is especially susceptible to the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

Homeful Foundation an innovative not for profit organization that partners with homeowners to eliminate homelessness, is helping address this…

Homeful Foundation an innovative not for profit organization that partners with homeowners to eliminate homelessness, is helping address this pressing and critical need of homeless families needing to isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing RV trailers for homeless families in three counties throughout California. Through a $500,000 donation from an Anonymous donor, Homeful has purchased 28 RV trailers to date.

In a major expansion of this initiative, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is donating $250,000 to purchase 12 additional trailers.

Homeful is coordinating its efforts with the State of California, the Governor’s Office and the Office of Housing, Homelessness, Transportation, Infrastructure, CHP, High Speed Rail, DMV and Autonomous Vehicles with the latter agency choosing the most appropriate locations for the trailers. Presently, the RVs are housing families in Northern and Southern California towns including Salinas, San Bernardino and Santa Cruz.

«We’re grateful to The Pfizer Foundation for helping us grow this effort which will provide some homeless families with shelter and privacy while, we hope, helping them elude exposure to the novel coronavirus,» said Jeff Roos, Homeful’s board president.

When medical experts widely acknowledge that the spread of COVID-19 is under control statewide, Roos envisions the trailers continuing as a potential transitional housing option. «We didn’t envision this RV campaign as a stop gap measure; however, given the immediacy of the coronavirus threat, we sought an expedient approach that could be implemented quickly.»

«Amid this global health crisis, we understand the need for immediate and significant philanthropic and private sector contributions to help sustain local partners who are working on the front lines to save lives,» said Caroline Roan, President, The Pfizer Foundation and Vice President, Global Health & Patient Access, Pfizer Inc. «We believe it is our responsibility to help protect the most vulnerable from this disease and are putting the full weight of our resources behind our comprehensive COVID-19 response.»

The RV shelter initiative is a scalable approach that can grow in breadth as additional funding arrives from other potential partners.

Past and ongoing Homeful activities are subsidized by a California-based home builder that designates a percentage of funds from each constructed home to the non-profit. Since 2016, that percentage, culled from approximately 40,000 new homes, has earmarked more than $10 million to homeless initiatives through Homeful.

About Homeful Foundation

Homeful is a visionary non-profit dedicated to solving homelessness once and for all. Through an innovative partnership between homebuilders and homeowners, Homeful has created a unique, ongoing and expansive source of giving that is transforming the fight against homelessness.

For more information, visit www.homefulfoundation.org.

About The Pfizer Foundation

The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. It is a separate legal entity from Pfizer Inc. with distinct legal restrictions

CONTACT:	Eric Lindbom/Anonymous LLC
	323-497-0151 / elindbom@sbcglobal.net

SOURCE Homeful Foundation

Katy Perry and Black Eyed Peas to Co-Headline Star-Studded Rock the Vote #DemocracySummer2020 Kick-Off Concert on June 18th

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — A powerhouse lineup of artists, activists, influencers and elected officials will kick off Democracy Summer 2020, the effort led by Rock the Vote in partnership with Voto Latino Foundation, When We All Vote, March For Our Lives and many more, to register and mobilize 200,000 new voters over the summer, at a virtual event on Thursday, June 18th.

In a mix of performances and messages, Katy…

In a mix of performances and messages, Katy Perry and Black Eyed Peas will co-headline the kickoff alongside Big Freedia, Lucy Hale, Ne-Yo, Saweetie, Amara La Negra, MAX, Dove Cameron, Leslie Grace, Skylar Astin, Sofia Carson, Michael K. Williams, Rich Brian and Alex Wolff. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Cory Booker and Sec. Julian Castro will make appearances as will activists including Little Miss Flint, Dominic Dupont, Greg Jackson, Kyra Stephenson-Valley, Tylik McMillan and others.

Actors Rosario Dawson and Logan Browning will co-host with special guests Rapper Chuck D (of Public Enemy) and Eve to anchor the evening special, which will stream live at http://www.DemocracySummer.org beginning at 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT.

«This is no ordinary year,» said Carolyn DeWitt, president of Rock the Vote. «Rock the Vote was built to support young people and in this moment when young people are showing their power and demanding action, we are honored to launch Democracy Summer. Artists, influencers, elected officials and activists are joining together to help sustain the fire lit by America’s youth and build a movement to the polls to elect leaders who will take action.»

The Democracy Summer 2020 kickoff comes in the midst of young people taking to the streets in support of Black Lives Matter following the murder of George Floyd. The event will highlight the importance of supporting Black Lives and young people’s incredible power to organize and create change. More than 4-million young people turn 18 this year and will be eligible to vote for the first time.

During the livestream funds will be raised for Black-led and focused organizations like the National Action Network, Community Justice Action Fund, and others.

88 Rising, The Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values, APIA Vote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Brady Community Justice Action Fund, Drag Out the Vote, Emerge America, Fair Fight Action, Generation Progress, Get Lit, IGNITE, The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, Mississippi Votes, Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Action Network, National Coalition Black Civic Participation, National Congress of American Indians, and People For the American Way are joining the vast Democracy Summer 2020 coalition, which in addition to Rock the Vote, Voto Latino Foundation, When We All Vote and March For Our Lives also includes; ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, American Constitution Society, The Andrew Goodman Foundation, CIRCLE, Generation Citizen, Music Forward Foundation, National Disability Rights Network, Students Learn Students Vote and Student PIRGS.

Media and promotional partners include Facebook, YouTube, Tixr Play, FaZe Clan, Epic Records, iHeartMedia, Influential and Participant, who will be airing an exclusive clip from their upcoming film featuring Congressman John Lewis ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble’.

A special thanks to partners like Influential, The Krim Group, and the Silver Linings Group who have made this event possible.

Outside of Thursday’s launch, Democracy Summer 2020 will be holding several other activations throughout the summer to mobilize young people to organize their friends and family.

For more information on this effort, text ‘SUMMER’ to 788-683 or visit http://www.DemocracySummer.org.

SOURCE Rock the Vote

Mastercard Partners with Facebook to Enable Brazilians to Send and Receive Money Using WhatsApp

MIAMI, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today, Mastercard announced the extension of its partnership with Facebook to offer a new and innovative way for Brazilians to send and receive money from friends and family on the WhatsApp application. Mastercard cardholders banking with Nubank and Sicredi are among the first in Brazil to experience payments on WhatsApp. Additional banking partners are expected to join the program soon.

<div…

Leveraging Mastercard Send™, millions of WhatsApp users can now use their phones to simply and easily transfer money instantly (24 hours a day, 7 days per week)¹ . As social distancing measures propel consumers to seek alternative, touch-free payment methods, consumers can use WhatsApp to transfer money and make and receive payments seamlessly, securely and in a contact-free way.

Paying friends and family just got easier

Person-to-person payments (P2P) are experiencing significant growth across the world, driven by technologies and mobile platforms that consumers enjoy using at little-to-no cost to them. Globally, domestic P2P transfers are expected to reach more than $2.07 trillion in volume by 2022².

Until now, the P2P user-experience in Brazil was cumbersome and time consuming. Consumers had to identify money transfer services and provide bank account information for recipients, who could wait days to receive funds. With the enablement of P2P payments on WhatsApp, Brazilians will be able to send and receive money conveniently and securely by registering their debit card through the most popular instant messaging app in the country, eliminating the risks and inefficiencies associated with other payment methods including cash.

The new solution responds to the needs of Brazilians who are increasingly looking for quick and safe ways to send and receive money, whether it is to reimburse a friend for a meal, to pay a roommate for rent, or simply lend money to a family member.

The inclusion of small businesses in electronic payments

In addition to making transfers, WhatsApp users can also pay small businesses through the WhatsApp Business Application. This allows for instant digital payments of goods and services to millions of small businesses in Brazil. Mastercard cardholders can register their credit or debit card to make their purchases securely. According to a recent study³, 60% of Brazilian consumers already use WhatsApp to interact with small businesses, be it to order products, negotiate prices or schedule appointments. Enabling payments through WhatsApp will now allow consumers to complete the shopping journey with their favorite businesses without leaving the application.

«Adding a payment functionality to WhatsApp is a logical evolution to answer the needs of both consumers and small businesses in Brazil. The possibility to make purchases from small merchants through WhatsApp will support millions of local businesses which have been heavily impacted by the recent crisis as well as meet the demands for Brazilian of users who are looking to send payments to their friends and family each day,» said Kiki Del Valle, Senior Vice President, Digital Partnerships, Mastercard Latin America and Caribbean.

«We are very excited to bring payments on WhatsApp to our users across Brazil. Making it easier to send and receive money could not be more important than at a time like this,» said Matt Idema, WhatsApp’s Chief Operating Officer. «Small businesses are the backbone of the country. The ability to easily make sales right within WhatsApp will help business owners adapt to the digital economy and to support growth and financial recovery.»

Security in every WhatsApp payment transactions

Linking their preferred credit or debit card within the app is highly secure thanks to the use of Mastercard’s state-of-the-art tokenization solution. The tokenization technology protects cardholder information by replacing the original 16-digit card number with a unique alternative number, or «token,» which is associated with each WhatsApp user’s individual account and not functional elsewhere. Once the token has been created, consumers will need to input their security PIN each time they want to perform a transaction.

Click on the link to learn how to use this new service: www.whatsapp.com/payments/br

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

¹ Actual posting times for approved transactions will depend on the receiving financial institution
² Juniper Research, 2018, Digital Money Transfer & Remittances
³WhatsApp Economic Impact Report-final.pdf
⁴ Mastercard, 2019, P2P Payments Research

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1190607/Mastercard_Partners_with_Facebook.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1162156/mc_symbol_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Mastercard Latin America & the Caribbean