OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The aspirations and barriers to higher education for Latinos in South Texas and the nation will be the theme of back-to-back community forums – one in English and one in Spanish – broadcast live nationally on August 19, 2014 5-9 CDT by the Radio Bilingue (RB) National Latino Public Radio Network.  The live Linea Abierta/Open Line specials are part of RB’s series Diploma en Mano/Diploma in Hand, supported by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s initiative American Graduate – Let’s Make it Happen!

Airing from the University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA) in Edinburg, TX – third in the nation in Latinos enrolled and degrees awarded to Latinos – the forums will set Texas as the stage for a national dialogue about Latino college track issues including the growing student debt crisis nationally. The public is invited to attend and share comments with expert panelists.  Hosts will be veteran public media journalist Richard Gonzales for the English dialogue from 5-7 CDT and RB’s Linea Abierta national host Graciela “Chelis” Lopez for the Spanish segment from 7-9 CDT.

Up for discussion: How is Texas helping Latino students realize the college dream, including solutions to escalating costs that preclude many and saddle others with staggering debt?  Confirmed guest stakeholders from the South Texas college community include administrators, faculty, students, educational researchers and advocates, and community groups from Brownsville, San Marcos, San Antonio, McAllen, Edcouch and San Juan, TX.

RB is the leading producer of national journalism in Spanish in public media, with 12 owned stations and 100 affiliates in the U.S.  In Texas the forums will air live on RB’s KRZU FM 90.7 Batesville-Crystal City, TX, and on partner public stations KXJT FM 88.3 FM Rio Grande City, KMBH FM 88.9 FM Harlingen and KHID 88.1 FM McAllen.  The forums will also air on all RB stations and participating affiliates nationally and stream live at radiobilingue.org, with two hours rebroadcast on Aug. 20 at 12 noon PT on RB’s Linea Abierta/Open Line national talk show.

Forum location is the International Trade and Technology (ITT) Building of UTPA, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg, TX 78539.