You still have time to enter

It was mid-December last year when my high school film teacher approached me with the opportunity to contribute to the White House Film Festival -- a tradition they're carrying on again this year.

The title of the festival itself was pretty intimidating, but also extremely exciting. I felt compelled to participate because of the challenge it would present for me, someone devoting her life to filmmaking. Last year's prompt -- technology -- really resonated with me. Without it, I wouldn't be able to make the films I have so far, or gotten the opportunities I've received.

Right now, you -- or maybe a young person you know -- have the opportunity to do what I did. (I even got to go to the White House!) And this time around, the theme is service -- "The Impact of Giving Back." Learn more and enter a submission today.

Making my film offered me the chance to enter a world of professionalism that I knew I'd need to be comfortable in if I was to go on to be a filmmaker. It gave me the opportunity to work together with my peers, and to turn to my mentors for advice and guidance.

And here's a little advice for anyone thinking of entering: When planning out a film -- no matter how short or long -- make sure it's founded in real substance. Focus on the point you want to get across, and let the voices and opinions of others fill in the blanks for you.

I'm in college now, so I'm one year past eligible, but I highly encourage other young filmmakers to get involved. Participating in the White House Film Festival gave me opportunities that I could not have dreamed of if I hadn't taken the chance and contributed.

Enter today -- and if you're a parent, teacher, or mentor, please spread the word to the creative students you know.

It just might change their lives.

Thank you,

Shelly

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Very few people see the President prepare for a big speech.

He's energetic, but calm. He'll walk over, take a look at the space where he'll be speaking, and sit quietly as he reads through his remarks. Sometimes, he'll make small changes up until the very end.

Last night, we went behind the scenes to capture what that looks like.

Take a look and see for yourself what President Obama was thinking about just an hour and a half before he addressed the nation on immigration:

The President is acting on his own to help fix our immigration system because he knows this debate deserves something better than politics as usual.

And the plan he laid out last night addresses as much of the problem as he can: It cracks down on illegal immigration at the border; prioritizes the deportation of felons, not families; and increases accountability so that more than 4 million undocumented immigrants have the opportunity to pay taxes and play by the rules.

Learn more about that plan here.

The actions the President is taking are a first step. Congress still has to finish this job -- they could even do it before the end of this year.

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Whiteboard: Minimum wage

Bienvenidos al Sitio Web www.informanet1.com Director General: Erasmo Martínez Cano… Comentarios y sugerencias: Editor: Erasmo Martínez / Javier Tlatoa ( portal@informanet1.com ) ( erasmocano@gmail.com ) Informanet Videos

The federal minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour. And raising that wage isn't just good for the millions of workers trying to raise a family on it. It helps every single one of us. That's because when millions of Americans are earning more, they have more money to spend -- that's good for the economy as a whole. Want to learn more? We've broken it all out in our newest two-minute whiteboard explainer. This is an important issue. Take two minutes to watch the video, then add your name if you agree it's time to raise the wage so that all families can have a fair shot.

regresar/home

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"That's How We Roll"

Last week at the United Nations, President Obama laid out a forceful case that in an uncertain world, American strength and leadership is the one constant.

The United States is leading an international coalition in the fight to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to contain and combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

As the President said on Sunday night: That's how we roll.

This Thursday, speaking to Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, the President will make the case for what has always fueled America's leadership -- and that's America's economic greatness. He'll take a step back from the rush of current events to explain what we've done to recover from the Great Recession and what we need to do to ensure that more middle-class Americans feel that progress in their own lives.

Make sure you're watching. RSVP to watch the speech here -- and we'll email you on Thursday morning with an exclusive set of materials so you have the facts before the President speaks.

The fact is, the President's policies and the hard work of the American people have helped America come back farther and faster from recession than almost any other advanced nation. The economy is stronger today than it was before President Obama took office. But he didn't run for office to get us back to where we were; he ran to get us where we need to be -- to rebuild an economy that creates not only good jobs, but broad-based prosperity.

Right after the President took office -- in the face of a global recession -- he laid out his vision for building a New Foundation for the American economy based not on the cycle of bubble-and-bust that led to the crisis, but rather on shared, durable growth that creates good, middle-class jobs. We focused on reforming our financial and health care systems, investing in education, unleashing new jobs in new industries like clean energy and high-tech manufacturing, and bringing down the deficit for future generations.

From the toughest reforms of Wall Street since the Great Depression, to the Affordable Care Act, to cutting our deficits in half, to ten million new private sector jobs over the past four and a half years, we've made significant, measurable progress on each element of this New Foundation. Today, our economy is on a stronger footing for the future.

There's no quick fix, but there are commonsense things Washington can do right now to help create jobs and raise wages. The President will detail the strategy we need to follow to ensure that this century is the American century and that the benefits of our growth are shared broadly with the middle class and all who hope to join it.

Say you'll be watching, and we'll send you an update on Thursday morning, putting the facts you need in one quick, easy-to-read place.

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President Obama speaks on airstrikes against ISIL in Syria

Last night, President Obama ordered American armed forces to begin targeted airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria. Speaking from the White House South Lawn today before heading to the United Nations General Assembly, the President made it clear that these strikes are part of the U.S. campaign to deliver one message on ISIL: They will find no safe haven. The U.S. military actions also included strikes to disrupt plotting against the U.S. and our allies by the Khorasan Group -- a cell of seasoned al Qaeda operatives in Syria. Watch President Obama speak from the South Lawn this morning. In his statement, the President made clear that the fight against these terrorists "is not America's fight alone": "The people and governments of the Middle East are rejecting ISIL, and standing up for the peace and security that the people of the world deserve. Not since the Gulf War has the United States been joined in direct military action by such a broad coalition of Arab partners. Meanwhile, we will move forward with our plan -- supported by bipartisan majorities in Congress -- to ramp up our effort to train and equip the Syrian opposition, who are the best counter-weight to ISIL and the Assad regime." President Obama also previewed his trip to the U.N. General Assembly, where he'll continue building support for the effort against ISIL: "Over the next several days, I will be meeting Prime Minister Abadi of Iraq and with friends and allies at the United Nations to continue building support for the coalition that is confronting this profound threat to peace security. This overall effort will take time. There are challenges ahead. But we’re going to do what is necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group -- for the security of our country, the region, and the entire world." President Obama speaks at the U.N. General Assembly tomorrow at 10:15 a.m. ET, where he'll talk more about these issues. Be sure to watch on WhiteHouse.gov/Live.

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President Obama spoke to them directly in an address that warrants the attention not only of those leaders, but of all Americans.

Each and every year, the world's leaders gather in New York for a session of the United Nations General Assembly. Earlier today, President Obama spoke to them directly in an address that warrants the attention not only of those leaders, but of all Americans. It was clear, candid, and compelling. The President talked about the world as it is, and the world as we all hope it can be.

The President said that, for all the hard-won progress we see in the world, there is also what he today called a "pervasive unease."

A deadly Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa, Russian aggression in Ukraine, and the group of medieval murdering terrorists known as ISIL, which, left unchecked, could pose a growing threat beyond the region -- including our homeland.

So when President Obama addressed the leaders of more than 140 nations this morning, he posed two fundamental questions that will help define both the world's future and our own: Can the major powers set aside their differences and meet their responsibilities as leaders? And can the world reject the cancer of violent extremism?

The President knows the answer is yes -- if we make it so. The way he answers these questions is an important illustration of the principles we stand for as Americans, and a window into the future we look to help build. See what he had to say.

He described the compelling need for a global response to global issues. For fighting violent extremism requires a broad coalition of nations willing to stand up for their citizens, and unite against those who seek to "divide us among fault lines of tribe or sect, race or religion."

Defeating this extremism means defeating its false promise, instead embracing the real promise we see in the Middle East: investing in civil society and in the groups and people who are rejecting hate and division in favor of peace and tolerance.

In the past 20 months, I've traveled more than 550,000 miles through 55 countries. I have touched down in Iraq and Jeddah to focus on defeating the threat that ISIL poses. I've flown to Kiev and stood in the Maidan to reaffirm our commitment to supporting Ukraine's efforts to shape their own future and make their democracy a success. I've worked with the leaders of Afghanistan to help secure the gains for which so many Americans have sacrificed so much over the past 13 years.

From Kabul to Cairo and Beijing to Juba, here's what I can tell you: The world's nations have more in common than sometimes we realize -- particularly at a time when every turn seems to present a new danger. Everywhere I’ve gone, no matter how precarious the society or volatile the situation, I have seen the "longing for positive change" that our President spoke of today.

The United States, he said, "will never shy away from the promise of this institution, and its Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- the notion that peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of a better life."

Nearly six years into his presidency, President Barack Obama is as committed as ever to the potential of that promise to light the world. And he’s right. And that is precisely why we are taking action against immediate threats wherever they threaten our security at the same time we work towards a world in which those threats will one day be replaced by opportunity.

This is a speech you need to hear from the President himself. Watch the whole thing below, and please make sure you pass it along to someone else who needs to see it.

Onwards,

John

Secretary John Kerry
Department of State
@JohnKerry

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What the President said today

Earlier today, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convened a Climate Summit, where President Obama and other world leaders gathered to discuss their actions and commitments to tackle the growing problem of climate change.

In his address at today's summit, the President made one thing very clear:

No nation -- including ours -- is immune to climate change.

He's right. We're already feeling the effects -- the past decade has been America's hottest on record. In the west, the wildfire season starts earlier in the spring, lasts later into the fall, and burns more acreage. And California is experiencing record drought.

But the worst part: Carbon emissions across the globe are still rising, and that will make the effects of climate change even more damaging over time.

Find out how President Obama is taking action -- then take the next step and stand with him.

Last year, President Obama put forward a Climate Action Plan that will cut carbon pollution, prepare the U.S. for the effects of climate change, and lead international efforts to fight climate change across the globe.

And we're making progress. In 2009, the President pledged that we would cut our carbon emissions in the range of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. We're on pace to meet that target.

Just last week, the Administration announced new actions to cut carbon pollution by almost 300 million metric tons through 2030. That's the equivalent of taking more than 60 million cars off the road for a year, at the same time saving American consumers $10 billion on their energy bills.

These are tangible, important steps. Yet even though we're making ambitious reductions in our carbon emissions while making critical new investments in clean energy, the reality is that climate change is worsening faster than our efforts to address it. As the President made clear today, all the world's major economies have to step up for us to successfully protect our planet.

We also know that most people get it. Just this past Sunday, nearly 400,000 people -- including the U.N. Secretary-General -- marched in the streets of New York to show their support for action against climate change. And similar events were held on the same day in more than 160 other countries.

Fighting climate change isn't an option -- it's an obligation. We may not see the full fruit of our efforts in our lifetimes, but we owe it to our children and our grandchildren to leave this world a better place.

See the current state of our climate, and learn more about the President's plan to protect our planet.

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I'm proud to work for our President every day. But that's especially true today.

"To the survivors who are leading the fight against sexual assault on campuses, your efforts have helped to start a movement. I know that ... there are times where the fight feels lonely, and it feels as if you're dredging up stuff that you'd rather put behind you. But we're here to say, today, it's not on you. This is not your fight alone. It's on all of us -- every one of us -- to fight campus sexual assault. You are not alone, and we have your back."

That's what President Obama said in the East Room this morning, when he announced the launch of "It's On Us" -- a new effort to fundamentally change the way we think about sexual assault as a country, by inspiring everyone to see it as their responsibility to do something.

When I was in college, I met so many courageous students and friends who had been victims of sexual assault. Their stories, and countless stories of people just like them, touched me deeply and personally. They made me feel angry, sad, outraged, and -- often times -- powerless.

I decided to do absolutely everything that I could to make a change, and keep it from happening to anyone else. So I organized with our campus gender relations center. We conducted bystander intervention trainings for students across campus, and worked to get out the word about sexual assault: how people couple help step up to stop it, and how survivors could get the resources they needed to heal.

I believe, just like so many others working to end sexual assault, that it's on every one of us to step up, take a stand, and make a difference where we can.

Right now, I'm asking you to take a stand, too -- join the President and Americans across the country by making a personal commitment to help keep men and women safe from sexual assault. Visit ItsOnUs.org, and take the pledge.

Today, it's estimated that one in five women on college campuses has been sexually assaulted. Just 12 percent of those assaults are reported.

It's on all of us to change that.

So when you take a stand, you're recognizing that non-consensual sex is sexual assault.

You're saying you'll identify situations in which sexual assault may occur, and you're saying you'll intervene when it does.

You're committing to help create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and in which its survivors are supported.

Because we'll only move forward as a country when every single one of us fully understands and owns the stake we have in this fight.

Add your name, join the fight, and let's move forward together.

It's on us.

Jordan

Jordan Brooks
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Office of the First Lady
The White House

Mm

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Last week, I met Brittany

She's a hardworking student at West Georgia Technical College who is now just months away from being certified as a nursing assistant, but there was a point when she didn't think she'd be here. In high school, Brittany became pregnant and her future suddenly became uncertain. Her high school counselor suggested she apply for the 12 for Life program, a local program that offers students who have fallen behind in high school the opportunity to attend class, work, and get back on their feet.

As I talked with Brittany and her fellow students -- many of whom were the first in their family to graduate high school -- they spoke powerfully and tearfully of the program's success, and how it had given them hope for the future.

Brittany's inspiring story is just one of many I heard last week during the Department of Education's annual back-to-school bus tour. This year's tour took us to Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, and provided my team and me with the opportunity to see innovations in education and to discuss progress, promise, and results.

I wish I could see every innovative program -- every initiative creating promise for our children -- happening across the country, but even after visiting all 50 states and more than 350 schools during my time as Secretary, I can't visit every school. So that's where you come in.

What cutting-edge programs are your local schools undertaking? Or, if you don't know of any, what would you like to see them do?

We'll share some of your stories and suggestions on the White House blog.

Brittany tells me about her positive experience in the 12 for Life Program during a stop on my back-to-school bus tour in Carrolton, Ga. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education by Joshua Hoover)

This was my fifth back-to-school bus tour, and with each tour, I become increasingly optimistic about our country's ability to elevate and strengthen education. High school graduation rates are at an all-time high, college enrollment has hit record levels, dropout rates are dramatically down, and principals, teachers, parents, and students are taking the lead on improving education for all students.

But during the bus tour and around the country, I also hear a lot of people worried that our children won't inherit a better America than we did. That's why we have such an important shared mission: to make sure that every student, everywhere, gets an effective education. It's a mission that we can all agree on, and it's one that matters immensely.

The best ideas in education will never come from Washington, which is why the Obama administration is working hard to help states and communities strengthen schools -- in particular, through supports for great teaching, and higher standards. It's inspiring to see states and local communities stepping up to expand access to high-quality early education, transition to college- and career-ready standards, and support innovation in education.

So I want to know what's happening in your community. Share the innovative things the schools in your area are doing -- or what you'd like to see happen.

We should celebrate the gains we've made these past couple years, but we can't be fully satisfied. There's still more to do to support all students so they may reach their full potential. So, in this new school year, let's get to work.

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Five things you need to know about ISIL

President Obama spoke to service men and women at MacDill Air Force Base yesterday about the U.S. strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL -- a terrorist organization that is killing innocent, unarmed civilians in both Iraq and Syria. ISIL, also known as ISIS or the Islamic State, is also responsible for the brutal murders of American journalists Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Here are the key points the President made yesterday regarding ISIL and our strategy to defeat their forces:

1. ISIL is threatening America and our allies.

Our intelligence community has not yet detected specific plots from ISIL against our homeland, but they have repeatedly threatened our core interests, including our personnel, our embassies, our consulates, and our facilities in Iraq, Syria, and in the broader Middle East. "If left unchecked, they could pose a growing threat to the United States," he said.

2. The U.S. continues to conduct targeted airstrikes against ISIL.

The U.S. Air Force has conducted more than 160 airstrikes against ISIL, successfully protecting our personnel and facilities, killing ISIL fighters, and giving space for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim key territory. “They’ve helped our partners on the ground break ISIL sieges; helped rescue civilians cornered on a mountain; helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children,” the President said.

3. American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission.

"As your Commander-in-Chief, I will not commit you, and the rest of our Armed Forces, to fighting another ground war in Iraq," the President told servicemembers. Along with our airstrikes, U.S. forces will train, equip, advise, and assist local partners on the ground "so that they can secure their own countries’ futures."

4. This is not and will not be America's fight alone.

The U.S. will lead a broad coalition of countries who have a stake in this fight. France and the UK are already flying with us over Iraq, and other countries have committed to join this effort. Saudi Arabia has agreed to host American efforts to train and equip Syrian opposition forces. Australia and Canada are going to send military advisors to Iraq, while Germany is sending paratroopers to help offer training. Arab nations have agreed to strengthen their support for Iraq’s new government, a key ally in our strategy to defeat ISIL.

International partners will help us cut off ISIL funding, gather intelligence, and prevent foreign fighters from entering -- or leaving -- the Middle East. And nearly 30 nations have joined American humanitarian relief to help civilians, including Sunni, Shia, Christian, Yezidi, or other religious minorities, that ISIL has driven from their homes.

5. Congress should provide the authorities and resources the U.S. military needs to succeed.

The President has called on Congress to support our military with the necessary resources to train and equip Syrian opposition fighters. As he has said, America’s leadership position is strongest when the President and Congress work together and show a united front.

"Sending our servicemembers into harm’s way is not a decision I ever take lightly," the President said. "It is the hardest decision I make as President. Nothing else comes close."

But this strategy will require the best military force in the world:

Frankly, there just aren’t a lot of other folks who can perform in the same ways -- in fact, there are none. And there are some things only we can do. There are some capabilities only we have. That’s because of you -- your dedication, your skill, your work, your families supporting you, your training, your command structure. Our Armed Forces are unparalleled and unique. And so when we’ve got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders. And sometimes that’s tough. But that’s what sets us apart. That’s why we’re America. That’s what the stars and stripes are all about.

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Update on the Situation in Iraq

On Saturday morning, President Obama delivered an update on the situation in Iraq from the South Lawn of the White House. The President detailed the progress of current American operations in Iraq, and spoke about what the operations mean for our country.

Last week, U.S. forces began conducting targeted airstrikes against terrorist forces who were advancing on the city of Erbil, in addition to conducting humanitarian airdrops to Iraqi men, women, and children stranded in northern Iraq. Our forces have already delivered thousands of meals and gallons of water, and will continue to protect American personnel in Iraq.

Watch President Obama's full statement.

Learn more about the current situation in Iraq:

• Read an explainer from Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes.
• See President Obama's statement from earlier today on the latest political developments in Iraq.

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Hey, how you doing?"

President Obama traveled to Kansas City, Missouri last week -- where he grabbed some BBQ with Americans who had written him letters, and delivered a speech about how he's working to get things done for hardworking Americans even as Congress chooses not to act to move this country forward.

And before he left, the President took a walk down Main Street (literally), spending time with store owners, touring an antique watch shop, and chatting with customers at a local coffee shop.

We got it all on video, and we think you'll want to see it -- watch, then pass it on:

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