Mr. Fernando Mateo

A hard-working and prosperous businessman, Mr. Mateo is a well-regarded community activist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. In a classic “rags-to-riches” story, Mr. Mateo built a small carpet business into a multi-million dollar operation. Eager to repay society for his good fortune, he established an effective job training and placement program for drug-free prison inmates nicknamed “M.I.T.” (The Mateo Institute of Training). Concerned about community violence, he then launched the overwhelmingly successful gun swap program “Toys for Guns”, which received national and international attention from all sectors; including government, press and private business.

Mr. Mateo has championed other causes, such as the "Goods for Guns" program, which gradually has helped remove guns off the streets, while lowering the incidence of crime and violence throughout our communities. As President of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, Mr. Mateo has sought to continuously improve upon passenger and driver safety through the use of cameras, partitions and global positioning systems, as well as by encouraging safety training courses of Federation members and non-members alike. In response to the myriad of problems facing the Federation, Mr. Mateo joined the NYSFTD in November of 1998 in order to explore advanced and innovative ways of reducing the high rate of violent assaults, injuries and murders, and in broader terms, to find ways of improving the relationship between the local and state authorities and the Federation.

As president of the NYSFTD, Fernando Mateo has lobbied successfully to secure changes in law on behalf of the livery cab population.As a result, State legislature increased punishments on criminals who perpetrate attacks upon taxi drivers from three to five years above current sentence limits. Also through these efforts, the New York State Police Department deployed an additional 300 police officers specifically for the protection of taxi drivers.

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HAA encorages all to cheer for Alex Rodriguezl.

Hispanics Across America and its president Fernando Mateo is encouraging all
Yankee fans to get behind A Rod in a show of support that demonstrates to
him that we appreciate who he is, and what he stands for as a Yankee and as
a great Latin American Ballplayer.

HAA looking to get Roberto Clemente's number retired throughout Major League Baseball.

Hispanics Across America President Fernando Mateo has launched a national campaign aimed at getting Roberto Clemente’s number 21 retired in the same manner which baseball has retired Jackie Robinson’s number. Clemente who is looked upon as a pioneer for all Hispanic baseball players and an ambassador by all Latinos around the world, has all the credentials to be given this honor statistically as a Hall of Famer and as a Humanitarian. A web site has been created to help garner the support of all fans around the world in our quest to get this great honor accomplished. You can log on to www.retireclemente21.com to register your support to this cause.

Community
Fairness Gap, Goods for Guns, Licensing Undocumented Drivers ...

Health
HAA calls on MLB to protect Hispanic Players, Rat Attack, ...

PDF Files
HAA ACTION Program, Exposing the Fairness Gap, Proposal for Licensing Undocumented Drivers in NY ...