El Sol Latino | August 2022 | 18.9

August 2022

Volume 18 No. 9

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

The Puerto Rican Cultural Project Celebrating 10 Years Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

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Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month

Second Event of the Puerto Rican Cultural Project Holyoke, 2013

Puerto Rican Community Education Posters: 1947 – 1990 The exhibition was presented by the Holyoke Public Library and the Puerto Rican Cultural Project during the months of April and May 2013 with major support from the El Sol Latino, Holyoke Medical Center, Open Square, Yerbamora Productions, Gaddier Fine Arts Studio, The Cuatro Project, Lucila J. Santana and Catherine Dower Gold.

l-r, Andrew Parker, Lucila J, Santana, María Pagán, Catherine Dower-Gold, Gaddier Rosario, William Cumpiano, Myriam Fuentes, and Manuel Frau Ramos in 2013

contents

3 Portada / Front Page Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Puerto Rican Cultural Project: Part 1 - The Concerts 5 Brennan Center for Justice Launches Brennan en Español 6 UCLA Latina Leaders look toward the Future with the Launch of a Research Policy Lab 7 Moving Target in Food Assistance Across Western Massachusetts 8 Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Hosted Double Dedication Event in Holyoke Educación / Education STCC to offer Plumbing, Electrical and Pipefitting Courses 9 Maestros Realizan Investigación Biológica a través del Proyecto Biorets: Biointeractions de la UPR - Río Piedras Vanessa Martínez Receives Award from Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts 10 Recinto de Río Piedras es la sede del internado de la Universidad Old Dominion – Norfolk, Virginia

New Latino Education Institute’s Executive Director: María Juncos Gautier 11 Opinión / Opinion Organización Learn to Cope West Ayuda a Familias Afectadas por la Adicción 12 Cultura / Culture Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Selecciona Joven Puertorriqueño para Realizar Internado en el Museo UPR 13 Finanzas / Finances Staying Safe when Buying a Car…or Being Sorry Libros / Books Drops of Inclusivity: Racial Formations and Meanings in Puerto Rican Society, 1898-1965 14 PUERTO RICO 1965-1990: A Quarter Century of Highlights, Hope, Status and Stasis America’s Last Fortress: Puerto Rico’s Sovereignty, China’s Caribbean Belt and Road, and America’s National Security 15 Deportes / Sports Los Bambino’s vs Cubs

Founded in 2004

n

Volume 18, No. 9 n August 2022

Editor Manuel Frau Ramos manuelfrau@gmail.com 413-320-3826 Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau Art Director Tennessee Media Design Business Address El Sol Latino P.O Box 572 Amherst, MA 01004-0572

Editorial Policy

El Sol Latino acepta colaboraciones tanto en español como en inglés.

Nos comprometemos a examinarlas, pero no necesariamente a publicarlas. Nos reservamos el derecho de editar los textos y hacer correcciones por razones de espacio y/o estilo. Las colaboraciones pueden ser enviadas a nuestra dirección postal o a través de correo electrónico a: info@elsollatino.net.

El Sol Latino welcomes submissions in either English or Spanish.

We consider and review all submissions but reserve the right to not publish them. We reserve the right to edit texts and make corrections for reasons of space and/or style. Submissions may be sent to our postal address or via electronic mail to: info@elsollatino.net.

El Sol Latino is published monthly by Coquí Media Group.

El Sol Latino es publicado mensualmente por Coquí Media Group, P.O Box 572, Amherst, MA 01004-0572.

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Puerto Rican Cultural Project: Part 1 - The Concerts by MANUEL FRAU-RAMOS Note of the author - This is the first of a two-part art article dedicated to the history of the Puerto Rican Cultural Project (PRCP). Part 1 covers the series of concerts organized or supported by PRCP during the last ten years. Part 2 will cover other events organized by PRCP, such the Puerto Rican/Latino speaker series.

Documentary Series featured Our Cuatro: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 – The Puerto Rican Décima – From Cidra to Springfield: Miguel Gónzalez.

One decade ago, on July 31, 2012 a group of local Puerto Rican residents met in the Holyoke Public Library to organize an educational-cultural group.

The outcome of this meeting was the creation of El Proyecto Cultural Puertorriqueño / The Puerto Rican Cultural Project (PRCP).

On December 2022, PRCP organized a ground breaking bilingual cultural event, our 1st concert, From la Montaña to Main Street: The Cuatro Concert. This unprecedented concert brought together two outstanding musicians, Jeff Kust, a Chicago-native world-renowned composer and guitar player who adopted the cuatro as his signature musical instrument, and José González, guitarist, composer, and virtuoso cuatro player from Puerto Rico. The success of the concert opened the door to establishing an annual holiday concert that, along with PRCP’s speaker series, became the signature events of the organization.

María Págan, Director of the Holyoke Public Library, Miriam Fuentes (Producciones Yerbamor), William Cumpiano (El Proyecto del Cuatro), Gaddier-Rosario (Gaddier Fine Art Studio), Jeanette Rodríguez (Executive Director/ La Esperanza: The Hope of the Pioneer Valley), Waleska Santiago Centeno (independent curator), Lucila Santana (journalist) and Manuel Frau Ramos, co-founder of El Sol Latino and member of the Board of the Holyoke Public Library, became the organizers of PRCP. Shortly after, Dr. Catherine Dower, then professor of music history and literature art at Westfield State University, joined PRCP. She is the author of the book Puerto Rican Music Following The Spanish American War published in 1983.

Later on, other members joined PRCP - Charlie Berríos, a tenor and a local public school teacher, Carlos Santiago, a master santos carver, and Lucy Sánchez, a small business entrepreneur.

At this moment, PRCP is composed of the following members - GaddierRosario, María Págan, Lucila Santana, Lucy Sánchez, and Manuel Frau Ramos.

The Puerto Rican Cultural Project’s mission is to meet the cultural and educational needs of the growing Puerto Rican community of the region.

PRCP looks to promote, highlight and making visible the cultural and social contributions of Puerto Ricans in the region.

Four months after the first meeting, on November 26, 2012, PRCP became an unincorporated group of volunteers associated to the Holyoke Public Library (HPL).

PRCP’s first event was a collaborative project with the Puerto Rican Cuatro Project. During the months of October and November 2012, a series of documentaries were screened along with a pop up exhibition of posters depicting Puerto Rico’s national musical instrument, the cuatro. The film

The event was part of “Envision Depot Square Holyoke,” a collaborative project based in Holyoke and organized by the UMass-Amherst Architecture + Design Program.

Six more concerts followed. The 2nd musical event, Roulé Candela on Main Street – Afro-Caribbean and Carols Concert featuring William Cepeda, Lydia Pérez and Yoruba 2 was held on December 2013. It also featured tenor Charlie Berríos, accompanied by cuatro player and classical guitarist Lorena Garay.

William Cepeda is a Grammy-nominated artist and composer that revolutionized the field of Latin music in 1992 with his introduction of Afro-Rican Jazz, an innovative blend of world music, progressive jazz and traditional Afro-Puerto Rican roots and folk music and dance. Lydia Pérez is a performer and cultural educator/activist in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and the founder and CEO of the Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy, Inc., a non-profit organization that offer Afro-Caribbean Arts Programs based in Rhode Island.

Puerto Rican Charlie Berríos is a tenor who has performed with some of the most prestigious opera companies in Germany, Italy and France. In this concert he sang s ome of the most beloved traditional Puerto Rican villancicos (Christmas carols).

Our 3rd Concert was held on December 2014, Mambo on Main Street – A Latin Big Band, featuring Joe Vélez and his 19 piece band - Creación Big Band, accompanied by singers Casey Ortíz, Richard Zayas and Tres Cubano guitar player Orlando Zayas. Joe Vélez, a versatile musician that plays Latin piano, cuatro, classical/electric/Latin guitar and Latin percussion is considered one of the primary exponents of Latin Jazz in Western Massachusetts.

On January 2016, Puerto Rico Canta on Main Street, our 4th Concert, featured Freddy Rivera Angulo and its group Los Gigantes de la Plena.

Rivera Angulo, a local bomba and plena musician, founded Los Gigantes de la Plena with the commitment to promote Puerto Rican and Afro-Caribbean culture to a new generation.

Our 5th Concert, on December 2016, was Parranda on Main Street, featuring Los Cantores del Coquí under the direction of Roberto Piñeiro with Sharina “La Reinita que Canta” and singer Fernando González Zayas, popularly known as El Trovador Gigante de Juana Díaz. The well-known cuatrista Pedro Álvarez also participated. The program featured a special performance by a duo of tenor Charlie Berrios and Axel Gabriel Cabrera Lavozkid, better known as Axel Cabrera of “La Voz Kids.”

continued on page 4

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Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino August 2022

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Puerto Rican Cultural Project: Part 1 - The Concerts continued from page 3 On August 2019, Romantic Spanish Guitar Concert, the first of two smallscale performances, was held at the Holyoke Public Library. It featured the duo composed of Orlando L. Zayas and EliezerTorres interpreting popular, semi-classical and Brazilian music.

Eliezer’s versatility in the instrument and love for music moves him to interpret different types of music; jíbaro, jazz, pop, classical, boleros, gospel are all part of his repertoire. His fellow guitarists call him “maestro” for his proficiency, unique style, precise fast fingers, and soft touch on his guitar strings.

Zayas showed an interest in music and learned to play the guitar while still in High School. In 2013 he began to teach himself (with help of online videos) the “Cuban Tres”, an instrument that he had always found to be very versatile to play different types of music.

During the two long years of the COVID pandemic, HPL/ PRCP kept the musical agenda alive. PRCP became partner of a coalition of regional organizations (Holyoke Media, Nueva Esperanza, radioplasma, Hispanic American-Library, El Corazón de Holyoke, El Sol Latino, and City of Holyoke) to support two concerts produced by Ágora Cultural Architects, based in Boston.

The 6th Concert, on December 2017, was El Caribe on Main Street – A Concert of Caribbean Rhythms and featured José González and Banda Criolla, and guest singer tenor Charlie Berríos. Banda Criolla is considered New England’s hottest Latin music ensemble, bringing top Cuban, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, and Cuban musicians together onstage, creating “an explosive Caribbean Fiesta!” The group is composed of Ahmed González – Puerto Rican, René González - Puerto Rican, Abe Sánchez Venezuelan William Rodríguez – Cuban, and Edilio Bermúdez - Venezuelan.

Selma Berríos, Puerto Rican guest vocalist, performed with the group. This concert was dedicated to the many Puerto Rican families who had recently arrived in the Pioneer Valley after hurricanes Irma and María.

On December 2018 we held our 7th Concert, Jazz Latino on Main Street, with Dr. José Valentino. Valentino is an internationally acclaimed recording and performing artist, an EMMY® Award Winner, saxophonist, and GRAMMY® Award Winning composer. At that time he was an Assistant Professor of Music Business, Production, and Jazz at Lee University (TN).

On December 2020, the virtual concert Aguinaldo a la Banda Allá - Un Regalo de Silverio Pérez was broadcasted via social media. This online show brought together artists from Puerto Rico and Massachusetts. Among the guest artists were Fabiola Méndez, Zayra Pola, Andre Cruz, Sol y Canto, José González, Aidita Encarnación, and Charlie Berríos. The following year, on December 2021, Aguinaldo a la Banda Allá, Un Regalo de Silverio Pérez 2 was launched with a especial presentation by Brendaliz Cepeda and her group Bomba de Aquí.

Silverio Pérez is a humorist, writer, singer, musician, composer, chemical engineer and author with four decades of experience in radio and television.

He is one of the founding members of the famous group Haciendo Punto en Otro Son, along with Tony Croatto, Josy Latorre, Irvin García and Nano Cabrera. Fabiola Méndez, is a composer, music teacher, and acclaimed performer of the Puerto Rican Cuatro who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Fabiola is the first student at Berklee College that had the Cuatro as her primary musical instrument. She has collaborated with musicians such as Victoria Sanabria, Cucco Peña, Eddie Palmieri, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Danny Rivera, Edwin Colón Zayas and the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra.

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Brennan Center for Justice Launches Brennan en Español New York, NY | BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE at NYU Law | April 27, 2022

elections, and how Latino youth become engaged in our democracy through voting, volunteering and activism.

The Brennan Center for Justice today launched Brennan en español, a Spanish-language site at bren-nancenter.org/es that features research and analysis about voting, redistricting, criminal justice, and other issues particularly relevant to Spanish-language and bilingual audiences.

Brennan en español will expand on the Brennan Center’s partnerships with leaders in the Latino advocacy community, such as Hispanic Federation and LatinoJustice-PRLDEF, collaborating with them on content for the site, public education campaigns and live events in Spanish. Recently, the Brennan Center and Hispanic Federation co-hosted four virtual panels about the redistricting process in four key states – Texas, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina.

“The Brennan Center is fighting critical battles over voting, the census, redistricting, and many other issues that directly impact Latinos in the United States. We’ve built Brennan en español to ensure that Spanish speakers can access our work and put it to use,” said Mireya Navarro, editor-in-chief of Brennan en español. “Language should never be a barrier to participating in democracy.”

“Latinos have driven our country’s growth over the last decade, yet they have not received the representation in government they deserve,” said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice.

“As ideologues try to block Latinos’ participation in our democracy, it is especially important that Spanish speakers in the United States have a source of quality information and analysis.”

Brennan en español is built to be a resource for the Spanish-speaking and bilingual public, media, and organizations to help dispel misinformation about voting, elections and other issues related to our democracy and justice system. It will provide timely analysis and initiatives throughout the year, especially as the midterms approach.

Throughout the years, and particularly during the 2020 election, the Brennan Center provided quality analysis and information about our democracy, elections, and the justice system to high-impact audi-ences, including members of the press who report in Spanish. This new initiative grows out of that successful effort, with the Brennan Center widening the scope to reach a broader

Some key content now on Brennan en español: • Combatiendo falsedades (Fighting Falsehoods,) a feature debunking disinformation on issues of voting, criminal justice and democracy.

• Los latinos y la democracia (Latinos and Democracy,) statistics and other data about the polit-ical power of Latinos and their role in democracy in the United States.

• Articles about voter suppression laws that disproportionately affect Latinos, how citizens can help protect voting rights and the fairness of

audience.

You can find Brennan en español on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram The Brennan Center for Justice is an independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization that works to reform, revitalize, and when necessary, defend our country’s systems of democracy and justice.

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Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino August 2022

UCLA Latina Leaders look toward the Future with the Launch of a Research Policy Lab LOS ANGELES, CA | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | July 7, 2022 As economic, social, political and health crises continue to plague the nation and to hit communities of color disproportionately hard, a pair of Latina scholars at UCLA are working to make sure that Latina voices are shaping our institutions and present in the halls of power — now and well into the future.

Graph showing that by the year 2050, Latinas are expected to make up 13 percent of the U.S. population compared to the 10 percent they were in 2020. Non-Hispanic white women will go from 30 percent of the U.S. population in 2020 to 24 percent in 2050.

Veronica Terriquez, director of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, and Sonja Diaz, founding director of the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute. (Jessica Wolf/UCLA)

Latinas and other women of color have borne much of the brunt of these intersecting crises, but their needs have largely been overlooked in policymakers’ responses, said Veronica Terriquez, who directs UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center, and Sonja Diaz, founding director of the Latino Policy & Politics Institute. Now the two are joining forces on the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab, a project to support research, collect and analyze data, and provide insights on the experiences of Latinas across the country and the policies that affect their lives.

Launched with a $15 million California state budget allocation championed by the California Latino Legislative Caucus, the lab will leverage the research might of UCLA to ensure that Latinas are woven into the fabric of United States and are pivotal to the nation’s law and policy debates.

In one of its first undertakings, the 2050 Lab will bring together early-career faculty and leading scholars conducting research on Latinas to produce an anthology on the state of Latinas in education, civil society and the labor market. Published by the Chicano Studies Research Center’s press, the work will help set a future-focused policy agenda for Latinas, who by 2050 are expected to make up 13% of the U.S. population, account for 11% of the labor force and have a median age 11 years younger than their nonHispanic white counterparts, according to U.S. census estimates.

“By building on the canon of our scholarly predecessors, we seek to produce cutting-edge research, elevate new voices and deepen community partnerships,” Terriquez said. “Ultimately, we aim to inform action and track progress towards achieving more equitable and inclusive institutions where Latinas can thrive.”

In sponsoring Latina scholars’ applied research and helping them advance in their academic careers, the lab intends to create a pipeline for Latina experts that leads to a feedback loop–style relationship with policymakers.

The need for such dialogue between Latina academics and politicians has become particularly urgent, Diaz said, with ongoing crises impacting everything from education to health care and COVID-19 spotlighting the immense health disparities that persist for Latino communities in the U.S. “Latinas have shouldered the heaviest burden during this pandemic, yet they have remained invisible, disposable and inconsequential at decisionmaking tables,” Diaz said. “This is not only bad for children and families, but for all Americans.”

To address these issues, the 2050 Lab will support researchers like Dr. Yohualli Balderas-Medina Anaya, an assistant clinical professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA who studies the role of Latina doctors. With the lab’s sponsorship, Anaya will expand her research, identifying policy interventions that help to diversify medical education and practice, build networks of community care, and ensure that more Latinas are represented not just in clinics and hospitals but in the boardrooms of health care providers and in local and national discussions of health policy.

And at a time when America’s schools have become ground zero for culture wars, the 2050 Lab will pay special attention to the role of Latina teachers.

Through its support for the scholarship of Lorena Guillén, an assistant professor at the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies, the lab will help strengthen teacher education programs so that educators receive the training and support to deliver culturally relevant, emotionally responsive and rigorous academic programming to students from diverse backgrounds.

The importance of expanding support for applied research that can inform current policy and investing in scholarly interventions that can anticipate the next disaster or crisis to ensure leaders are prepared cannot be overemphasized, Terriquez said. But equally important, she noted, are efforts to foster a new generation of Latina researchers, public intellectuals and systems leaders.

“As we work to build a future that centers Latina leadership, we must pay special attention to ensuring that youth voices help define the future of our public institutions and workplaces,” said Terriquez, whose own participatory action research serves to prepare young people for leadership roles in civil society.

Looking forward, in fall 2023, the lab will convene a national gathering of Latina lawyers to examine systemic barriers to inclusion and leadership in the legal profession. According to recent data, Latinas account for less than 1% of all partners in U.S. law firms and have never served on the highest court in 44 states. With recent Supreme Court decisions revoking Roe v.

Wade’s constitutional protection for abortion and rolling back worker protections, leaving immigrants in limbo, the need for Latina leadership in law and policy is acute.

“Spotlighting Latina futures is an exciting new empirical frame that will build on the important research already underway at UCLA and expand it to build out opportunities for youthful and diverse communities,” Diaz said.

“Through innovative cross-sector partnerships, the 2050 Lab will build the pipeline of academic and policy leaders for generations to come.”

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Moving Target in Food Assistance Across Western Massachusetts Hatfield, MA | The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts | July 6, 2022 Local food pantries and meal sites that form the region’s emergency food network are reporting greater numbers of residents visiting their sites for food assistance. Since March across all four counties of Western Massachusetts from Berkshire to Franklin to Hampden Counties, food insecurity has begun to rise again due to sustained inflation especially of food and gasoline, coupled with the expiration of special government assistance during the pandemic. According to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which serves as the region’s clearinghouse of emergency food assistance to its 173 local members, this trend is going in the wrong direction after a gradual decline to pre-pandemic levels.

than one million meals because we didn’t have a place to store it.”

“In the first two months of 2022, food insecurity had returned to pre-pandemic levels thanks to astounding community and government response to the pandemic,” said Andrew Morehouse, The Food Bank’s executive director.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts believes that everyone has a right to healthy food regardless of their circumstances. Serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, The Food Bank leads the region’s emergency food network, distributing nutritious food to households with lower incomes. Since 1982, they have been providing individuals facing hunger with the food they need to survive and leading communities towards long-term solutions to food insecurity by addressing its underlying causes.

They are committed to creating a Western Massachusetts where no one faces food insecurity, and everyone has access to nutritious food. For more information, visit foodbankwma.org.

A total of 81,623 individuals continued to seek food assistance in February down from its peak of 124,592 individuals in November 2020. “We can’t be satisfied with the old normal. We must do more to solve food insecurity once and for all. And, with food insecurity on the rise again, The Food Bank will continue to be there for our neighbors in need of food assistance,” said Morehouse.

Average Monthly Individuals Served by County

Food supplies are always a moving target for The Food Bank and three other regional food banks that supply food to local food pantries and meal sites throughout the entire Commonwealth. Supplies respond to the state of the economy and its impact on food insecurity. “When the economy goes south, supplies of food increase from state and federal governments,” said Shirley Del Rio, Director of Food Distribution. “In 2021, the federal Community Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and unprecedented private grants to purchase food were the direct response to the pandemic.”

Over the last nine months, however, The Food Bank provided the equivalent of two million fewer meals given the declining number of individuals seeking food assistance. The twenty percent decline was attributed mainly to the termination of CFAP “food boxes” that sourced fresh vegetables from local farmers. The other major decline in The Food Bank’s inventory was food it purchased with restricted grants, principally the now-closed Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund spearheaded by First Lady of Massachusetts Lauren Baker.

Now that food insecurity is increasing again, The Food Bank is ramping up food purchases with support from the community (foodbankwma.org).

Supplies of local vegetables are also on the rise given the start of the local growing season. Every year, The Food Bank purchases about half a million pounds of fresh vegetables from dozens of local farmers with support from the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP). Many more, collectively, donate about the same amount every year.

MEFAP and federal funds from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture account for more than half of our entire inventory. The remainder comes from local supermarkets, farmers, and other sources. Over the last several years, another challenge has been insufficient storage space at our facility in Hatfield. Del Rio added, “We’ve had to turn away the equivalent of more

In June, The Food Bank broke ground on its future food distribution center and headquarters in Chicopee, which will be twice the size of its Hatfield location. It will sell its current building and move into its new distribution center next summer.

Much like households and other businesses –non-profit like The Food Bank and for-profit – The Food Bank is facing rising operating, transportation, and food costs. “We’ve been paying 24% more for fresh vegetables from local and national suppliers,” Del Rio explained. “We expect increases of 20% moving forward for shelf stable dry goods. Freight charges alone are up 42%.”

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biingüe arte, cultura, media politics Natalia Muñoz

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Educación / Education

El Sol Latino August 2022

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Hosted Double Dedication Event in Holyoke WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA | GREATER SPRINGFIELD HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | July 18, 2022 – On Monday, July 18, the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) hosted a double in-person dedication ceremony (that aired on Facebook Live) for two Holyoke homes and two families. The event celebrated the families who will soon purchase the newly-built homes.

dangerous – has several vacant buildings, homeless people, drugs, and vehicles are frequently vandalized.

Since construction began in summer 2021, roughly 150 volunteers from local companies and school groups helped complete this project. They include City of Holyoke Department of Community Development, Holyoke Housing Authority, Holyoke Community Preservation Act Committee, Sunbelt Rentals, PeoplesBank, OMG, Anna Maria College, Meyers Brothers Kalicka; Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley, Citizens Bank, and Restoration Worship Center.

Ireydiza and her husband Juan will soon purchase the other three-bedroom GSHFH home in Holyoke. The couple has two young children. Just four years ago, the family was happy, healthy, and dreaming of buying their first home. Then tragedy struck. A workplace injury disabled Juan, the breadwinner. Ireydiza left school to be the sole breadwinner. The family is eager to move forward and out of the apartment, which in winter is cold in the living room and master bedroom.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity and partnerships created allowing us to provide more affordable housing in the City of Holyoke. We hope that this is the start of more to come,” said Aimee Giroux, GSHFH executive director.

“We’ve been trying to leave for a while. This neighborhood has a bad reputation,” said Juan. “We want something different for our kids. We want them to be able to have something where they come home and say, ‘This is our home.’”

Single mother Jennifer and her three teenage boys will move into a threebedroom Greater Springfield Habitat home currently under construction.

Since divorcing her abusive husband, Jennifer has strived for a safe and decent affordable home. Within her current apartment, her two youngest sons share a bedroom and bed and the neighborhood they live in is

Jennifer and 2 sons

“I see so much better for my children and I want to be able to provide them a forever home – a place where we will feel safe, stable, happy, and accomplished,” Jennifer said. “We want a place to create beautiful memories for many years to come.”

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped over 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 35 years.

Juan, Ireydiza, 2 children

Educación / Education STCC to offer Plumbing, Electrical and Pipefitting Courses SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE | July 20, 2022 – Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has opened registration for plumbing, electrical and pipefitting courses that start this fall and run through the spring of 2023.

For more information about the courses, visit the “certification & license preparation” section of stcc.edu/wdc. To speak with someone, contact the STCC Workforce Development Center, Building 27, Second Floor, or call (413) 755-4225. Email workforcetraining@stcc.edu.

Offered through the Workforce Development Center at STCC, the courses will be taught two nights a week on the STCC campus. Most of the courses begin Sept. 6. STCC is partnering with Gould Construction Institute to present the courses.

Springfield Technical Community College, the Commonwealth’s only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC’s highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

They include Plumbing Tier 1 through Tier 5. The introductory Plumbing Tier 1 course will teach students about materials, tools and joining methods used in plumbing; valves and devices used in plumbing and residential blueprint reading.

STCC also will offer Electrical 1 through 4, Master Electrician and Pipefitting 1 courses in the fall.

Note: All students taking courses with an in-person component and/or students who intend to be on campus for any reason are required to provide written proof of full vaccination.

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826.

Educación / Education

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Maestros Realizan Investigación Biológica a través del Proyecto Biorets: Biointeractions de la UPR - Río Piedras

Vanessa Martínez Receives Award from Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts

RÍO PIEDRAS, PR | UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO – RÍO PIEDRAS | 12 de julio de 2022 - Como parte del proyecto BIORETS: BioInteractions de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, durante este verano, ocho maestros del Departamento de Educación (DE) realizaron una investigación científica relacionada a temas como el cáncer, genética, ecología, evolución, y neurobiología.

HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | May 10, 2022 HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College anthropology professor Vanessa Martínez of Holyoke is the recipient of the 2022 Antonia Pantoja Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts.

Tras la participación de este grupo durante el pasado junio en el programa, ahora tienen la encomienda que durante el nuevo año académico -con el apoyo de los investigadores del proyecto y los científicos del recinto- el desarrollo e implantación en la sala de clase de material curricular basado en su experiencia de investigación. Para esto recibirán apoyo a través del Center for Science and Math Education Research (CSMER) de la UPR.

Proyecto BIORETS: BioInteractions de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. (UPR- RP)

Este programa de experiencia en la investigación dirigido a maestros de ciencias de escuela intermedia y superior de la isla ha sido posible tras una subvención de $600 mil de parte del Fundación Nacional de Ciencias (NSF, por sus siglas en inglés).

Este primer cohorte de participantes está compuesta por Ana Paris de la Escuela Superior Tomás C. Ongay de Bayamón; Brenda Lee Esteves de la Escuela Monserrate León de Irizarry de Cabo Rojo; Delis Ortiz de la Escuela Juan Ponce de León de Guaynabo; Diana Galloza de la Escuela Dr. Carlos González de Aguada; Diana Rodríguez del Centro Residencial de Oportunidades Educativas en Mayagüez (CROEM); Edna Martínez de la Escuela Vocacional Bernardino Cordero Bernard de Ponce; Jose Díaz de la Escuela Vocacional Metropolitana Miguel Such de San Juan y Nelly Rodíguez de la Escuela Adela Rolón Fuentes de Toa Alta.

La meta principal de este proyecto es mejorar la alfabetización científica de los estudiantes de escuela intermedia y superior y las actitudes positivas hacia las ciencias, la tecnología, la ingeniería y las matemáticas. Esto se logrará mediante la inclusión de maestros en un programa de desarrollo profesional enfocado en la inmersión en la investigación biológica y el desarrollo de material curricular, basado en su experiencia de investigación.

Los maestros participarán en una amplia gama de actividades de investigación desde biología molecular hasta macro ecología.

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The award, named after the noted Puerto Rican organizer and education activist, was presented June 23 at the Latino Scholarship Fund’s 32nd annual meeting at the Log Cabin. The organization presents the award annually to an individual who has made a profound and significant contribution to education, demonstrating a dedication to the academic achievement of Latinx students.

Holyoke Community College anthropology professor Vanessa Martínez

Martínez is co-director of HCC’s Honors Program and co-founder of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit. In addition, her HCC classes frequently engage with community groups and Holyoke schools through service-learning projects.

“This is exciting for me and HCC, as HCC continues to be acknowledged in my work,” she said.

In January, she also received the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education.

Martínez was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. In 2011, she received the “Latino Teaching Excellence Award” from then governor Deval Patrick, and was selected in 2015 as a Leadership Fellow by the American Anthropological Association.

She has been teaching at HCC since 2006.

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Educación / Education

El Sol Latino August 2022

Recinto de Río Piedras es la sede del internado de la Universidad Old Dominion – Norfolk, Virginia por ÁMBAR GUTIÉRREZ BÁEZ | Oficina de Comunicaciones / UPR- Recinto de Río Piedras RÍO PIEDRAS, PR | UPR - RÍO PIEDRAS | 15 de julio de 2022 - Por primera vez, bibliotecarios de Puerto Rico y Virginia se unen para ofrecerle una oportunidad de internado a universitarios, quienes estudian a nivel graduado bibliotecología.

puertorriqueños. Estos registros formarán parte de la aportación que realiza esa unidad al Programa NACO (Name Authority Cooperative Program) de la Biblioteca del Congreso. También crearon registros electrónicos mínimos en formato MARC de recursos de las colecciones para que la comunidad universitaria pueda accederlos desde el catálogo público en línea.

Y, en la Sala Zenobia y Juan Ramón Jiménez, aprendieron técnicas para preservar documentos, libros, y otras fuentes primarias. Además, trabajaron en la Colección de Circulación y Reserva y la Biblioteca Regional del Caribe, donde colaboran con proyectos de inventario y evaluación de libros y periódicos caribeños.

Estudiantes de maestría en Bibliotecología y Estudios de la Información (Library & Information Studies) de la Universidad Old Dominion en Norfolk, Virginia. /Foto Héctor Suárez De Jesús

Así, once estudiantes que cursan una maestría en Bibliotecología y Estudios de la Información (Library & Information Studies) de la Universidad Old Dominion en Norfolk, Virginia, están realizando ahora un internado de verano en el Sistema de Bibliotecas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (SBUPR), cuya sede es el Edificio José M. Lázaro en el Recinto de Río Piedras.

“Esta es la primera vez que el Sistema de Bibliotecas colabora en una experiencia de internado con una universidad estadounidense. Los bibliotecarios del Sistema de Bibliotecas hemos aceptado el reto de ofrecerle a este grupo de estudiantes de bibliotecología una experiencia de internado de excelencia que tenga un efecto positivo en su formación como profesionales de la información”, indicó la doctora Nancy Abreu Báez, directora interina del SBUPR.

La doctora Elizabeth Burns, catedrática auxiliar y directora del Programa de Biblioteca de la Universidad Old Dominion, y quien ha sido el enlace de esta alianza para que se llevara cabo exitosamente, arribó a la isla junto al grupo de universitarias. “Las estudiantes y yo nos sentimos increíblemente bienvenidas por todos en la universidad. Esta ha sido una oportunidad única y emocionante para cada una de ellas”, sostuvo Burns.

“El internado en la UPR brinda una extraordinaria experiencia práctica con colecciones y materiales a los que de otro modo no estarían expuestos”, añadió.

Burns también destacó que “ver una institución de biblioteca pública fuera de los Estado Unidos, es muy beneficioso para nuestras estudiantes. En un corto período de tiempo, han tenido la oportunidad de hablar con muchos bibliotecarios y conocer diferentes métodos y servicios proporcionados a través de una variedad de bibliotecas especializadas. También están pasando un tiempo fabuloso explorando otros sitios históricos y culturales alrededor de Puerto Rico, que son de interés para quienes estudian el trabajo de archivo y preservación en el campo de la información y la biblioteca”.

¡Solicita

“Esta es una gran oportunidad para que estas futuras bibliotecarias se desarrollen profesionalmente en un entorno académico y cultural caribeño.

Esperamos que esta experiencia nos sirva para desarrollar otras iniciativas de internado con escuelas de bibliotecología”, añadió.

Ahora!

La Universidad Old Dominion cuenta con un programa de estudios en el extranjero que incluye los cursos de internado, por lo que los estudiantes de esta maestría necesitan llevar a cabo una experiencia de internado para completar su grado.

para Otoño 2022

Abreu Báez explicó que este año realizaron un acuerdo colaborativo con el SBUPR para ofrecerles a sus estudiantes de la Universidad Old Dominion la oportunidad de ganar experiencia profesional y cumplir con este requisito.

“El Sistema de Bibliotecas de la UPR les brinda a los estudiantes una experiencia única de trabajar en un ambiente de bibliotecas académicas y de investigación con una gran riqueza de recursos. Los estudiantes del internado se enriquecen al interactuar con una comunidad académica latinoamericana y trabajar con un cuantioso acervo bibliográfico en español”, señaló.

Esta experiencia de internado en Puerto Rico inició el 5 de julio y culminará el 15 de julio.

Durante este internado las estudiantes fueron ubicadas en distintos proyectos. Un grupo desarrolló una guía temática en inglés sobre el Manual de Estilo del Modern Language Association, novena edición que estará disponible en la página del Sistema de Bibliotecas. Hay una deseabilidad de que todos los cursos de inglés en el recinto se beneficien de esta guía.

Otras se destacaron en la Biblioteca y Hemeroteca Puertorriqueña, y colaboran con la organización y visibilización de colecciones de periódicos locales y revistas extranjeras relevantes para la investigación sobre el tema puertorriqueño. Mientras, en la Sección de Catalogación, las pasantes configuraron registros de autoridades onomásticas de artistas plásticos

stcc.edu/apply Tu Programa: Donde Quiera y a Cualquier Hora ¡Mezcla y Combina Clases en Línea y en el Campus!

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Contáctanos al: Teléfono: (413) 755-3333 Email: admissions@stcc.edu Chat: stcc.edu/chat 7/22/22 El Sol Latino 1/4 page: 4.75” x 5.75” Manuel Frau Ramos: manuelfrau@gmail.com Due: 5 days prior to the run month Runs: August 2022

Opinión / Opinion

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Organización Learn to Cope West Ayuda a Familias Afectadas por la Adicción MAGDA COLÓN } Gerente Regional de Learn to Cope West Hola amigos: y amigas La adicción a las drogas o al alcohol es un problema de proporciones epidémicas en nuestras comunidades que puede afectar la vida de cada uno de nosotros en cualquier momento. Las familias de los afectados por esta enfermedad se encuentran entre los más que sufren y se ven obligados a vivir con la devastación causada por la adicción de un ser querido.

Investigación continúa, abogacía y otros esfuerzos han creado oportunidades de más acceso a tratamientos y otros servicios para ayudar a mitigar esta devastación. A pesar de todo estos esfuerzos, el número de personas y familias que siguen padeciendo de forma aislada los síntomas de esta enfermedad sigue aumentando. Esto es especialmente cierto para las comunidades hispanas y negras. Entiendo que la historia y la construcción social del trastorno por uso de sustancias no es simple. Que la historia de discrimen, intolerancia y fanatismo han colocado a algunos de nosotros socialmente en un lugar donde la culpa, la vergüenza y el miedo son más fuertes que la necesidad de encontrar recuperación. Sigue existiendo mucho por hacer para llegar a un lugar de unidad y equidad. Sin embargo, no estoy demasiado ciega para ver algún progreso con relación a la concientización, la educación y el compromiso de mejorar la prestación de servicios y apoyo de una manera que sea útil y efectiva para todas las comunidades.

Como muchos de nosotros podemos atestiguar, el trastorno por uso de sustancias es un asunto complicado que involucra al individuo, la familia, los amigos y la comunidad. De la misma manera, la búsqueda de la recuperación es un asunto complicado que no cabe en un enfoque “one size fits all”… hoy en día existen nuevas modalidades que brindan a la persona que está lista, múltiples medios de tratamiento y apoyo que son inclusivos en cuanto a el diagnóstico dual (co-ocurrencia), idioma, género y otras preferencias, estos servicios a menudo son dirigidos por personas con experiencia vivida. La participación de la comunidad la búsqueda de recuperación ha aumentado. Las modalidades de intervención como la reducción de daños, que incluye servicios como programas de acceso a jeringas y clínicas comunitarias que ofrecen tratamientos con asistencia médica son más accesibles. Además, algunos servicios también están disponibles de manera móvil y virtual, algo no imaginado hace tan solo unos pocos años atrás.

llevó a escribir este artículo tiene que ver con el papel de la familia y los seres queridos.

Como parte de la familia, ser querido o amigo, nos encontramos en una posición particularmente dolorosa, devastadora y difícil, que también es extremadamente solitaria. usualmente las intervenciones son orientadas a apoyar a las personas con adicción y no necesariamente a quienes las aman. Y sí, entiendo que existen más acceso a servicios, estos continúan limitados especialmente para aquellas comunidades cuyo primer idioma no es el inglés.

Por eso, quiero que conozcan sobre Learn to Cope. Learn to Cope es una organización de apoyo gratuita y confidencial dirigida por familias para familias afectadas por la adicción de un ser querido donde las familias pueden obtener ayuda, apoyo, educación y recursos. Learn to Cope se ha comprometido con la comunidad hispana/latina a brindar servicios en español dirigidos por personal latino/hispano. El grupo es consistente y comprometido.

Me gustaría pedir su ayuda, correr la voz sobre Learn to Cope en Español y nuestro nuevo local, Learn to Cope West en el edificio Eastworks en Easthampton. Donde podemos ayudar para que las familias no sufran en aislamiento; Podemos ayudar a los seres queridos a aprender de las experiencias de los demás; Podemos ayudar a descubrir que existe esperanza. ¡Gracias, mantente fuerte!

Magda Colón - Gerente Regional mcolon@learn2cope.org (508) 404-3539. www.learn2cope.org Calle Agradable 116 Suite 142 Easthampton, MA

Hasta este punto, creo que he tocado levemente, muy levemente, algunas de las limitaciones y oportunidades que existen para ayudar a un individuo y una comunidad a alcanzar la recuperación. El otro aspecto del proceso de recuperación que siento es a menudo desestimado, y la inspiración que me

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Cultura / Culture

El Sol Latino August 2022

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Selecciona Joven Puertorriqueño para Realizar Internado en el Museo UPR RÍO PIEDRAS, PR | UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO - RECINTO DE RÍO PIEDRAS | 7 de de julio de 2022 - Finalmente, luego de una forzada pausa por la pandemia, se reanuda el internado de verano del Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, junto al Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, con la selección del joven Rodolfo Enrique López como participante en el 2022 Young Ambassador Program (YAP).

Este internado les permite a los estudiantes de intereses y trasfondos variados -quienes estuvieran cursando cuarto año de escuela superior este pasado semestre-, la oportunidad de desarrollarse como líderes en una experiencia de verano, que incluye una semana de preparación en Washington D.C. y un mes de internado en el Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte (MHAA) de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras.

Así, el MHAA se convierte en uno de los centros que recibe a estos estudiantes del YAP, por ser parte de una red de 18 museos aliados con el programa y el Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino en Washington D. C. El internado provee una experiencia de trabajo en diferentes áreas, apoyando los componentes de educación, archivo, administración y las colecciones, incluyendo tareas relacionadas a la galería y visitas del público.

Además, ayuda a preparar los materiales de los talleres y asiste a los recursos.

“Es un deleite recibir a los Young Ambassadors, pues siempre traen “chispa”, ideas y apasionamiento al museo. Al convertirnos en una de las 18 instituciones afiliadas a nivel de Estados Unidos al programa Young Ambassadors del Smithsonian Institution Latino Center, nos alegra mucho poder impactar a futuros universitarios al ser parte de esa transición entre escuela secundaria y la universidad”, indicó Lisa Ortega Pol, educadora del MHAA y coordinadora del YAP con el Smithsonian.

“El Museo de la IUPI ha sido, por décadas, una incubadora de profesionales de museos. Las experiencias de trabajo adquiridas por estudiantes universitarios con nosotros les abren puertas a programas académicos y a otras oportunidades de empleo”, añadió.

Por su parte, Oneida Matos Adorno, supervisora del internado YAP y coordinadora de Actividades Extracurriculares del MHAA, explicó que el National Museum of the American Latino del Smithsonian Institution, a través de su programa Young Ambassadors, “nos da la oportunidad de

conectar con jóvenes recién graduados de escuela superior, que se han destacado por sus destrezas de liderazgo; ofreciéndoles el espacio para una experiencia académica formativa en el área laboral de los museos que les permita -de forma general- aprender cómo funcionan estas instituciones y desde ahí profundizar en la gestión y disfrute de nuestro patrimonio”.

Matos Adorno apuntó, además que, el museo es un centro interdisciplinario que goza de contar con un personal comprometido con el desarrollo de experiencias de aprendizaje para audiencias de todas las edades. “Sin duda es un honor y un privilegio que, gracias a este programa, el museo pueda seguir llevando a cabo su misión cultural y educativa de la mano de jóvenes talentosos de nuestro país”, manifestó.

Mientras, ‘el nuevo YAPer’ Rodolfo Enrique, quien se acaba de graduar del Taller de Ilustración y Animación, de la Escuela Especializada Central de Artes Visuales, no puede contener su alegría y emoción de iniciar su internado. “Me encantan los museos, mis recuerdos de las visitas son todas experiencias de gratitud. Pero el museo de la IUPI es muy especial para mí, porque voy desde pequeño, lo visitaba y participaba de sus talleres de arte, así que, poder trabajar en este museo será una experiencia sin igual”, expresó el futuro universitario, que en agosto iniciará estudios en el Programa de Animación de California College of the Arts (CCA) en San Francisco.

Rodolfo Enrique tuvo la oportunidad de compartir con los otros 14 ‘YAPers’, provenientes de diversos lugares como Florida, Texas, Illinois, California, Ohio y Maryland, entre otros estados. En esta ocasión solo fueron 15 estudiantes seleccionados a través de todo Estados Unidos.

Desde el 2016, el MHAA en alianza con el Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino desarrolla el Young Ambassador Program. La generación puertorriqueña de ‘YAPers’ ha contado con la participación de Krystal Marrero (YAP 2016), Génesis Ferrer (YAP 2017), Amanda Robles (YAP 2018) y Claudia León (YAP 2019).

La convocatoria del YAP suele lanzarse, anualmente, a través de la página web y las redes sociales del Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino durante abril. El Young Ambassador Program (YAP) selecciona una veintena de jóvenes de diversos estados y territorios de EE. UU. en un proceso competitivo, bajo los lineamientos de un comité que observa récord académico, excelencia en disciplinas de especialidad, dominio del inglés, admisión a la universidad para otoño de 2022, experiencia en liderazgo, compromiso con la educación y el servicio comunitario, entre otros requisitos y criterios de evaluación.

Para más información sobre el programa Young Ambassador Program (YAP), que es auspiciado por Ford Motor Company Fund, puede acceder a: http://latino.si.edu/YAP.

Rodolfo Enrique López (Foto por Héctor Suárez De Jesús/Oficina de Comunicaciones UPR-Río Piedras)

Finanzas / Finances

El Sol Latino August 2022

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Staying Safe when Buying a Car…or Being Sorry by MILAGROS S. JOHNSON A car is something most of us cannot live without. Basically, a car is a necessity when it’s our only means of transportation to and from our daily commute to work. No car, no gain (money, that is), might I say.

But here’s the problem. More often than we like, we may find ourselves in need of a car but not have enough cash to buy one. Then there’s the issue of not having our credit in good standing when we need to finance a car.

Combine that with the low inventory of cars on the market. And, let’s not forget the high cost of cars these days, for reasons most do not agree with.

Along comes an ad that reads, “Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!” Is this your answer to your problem? It may or may not be, especially if you’re quick to get behind the wheel and drive off too fast.

In short, the lower your credit score, the higher the interest rate on the car loan. This is yet another way for the dealer to make a profit. While they are helping you get into a car, it’s only a high price. On top of that, they tend to add an expensive extended warranty or service contract, which adds another couple of thousands of dollars to the financing. So before you sign, make sure to make an informed decision on what you’re buying.

Each year our office handles a large number of auto-sales related complaints. In fact, they are our leading complaint year after year despite the education we provide in workshops throughout our community and via social media, our website and podcast. We believe that, “Education is the best prevention” from having to face a complaint about a lemon you purchase. Let me give you the most important tips on how you can avoid buying a lemon, but follow these steps before you buy the car:

Libros / Books

Drops of Inclusivity Racial Formations and Meanings in Puerto Rican Society, 1898-1965

by MILAGROS DENIS-ROSARIO HERNDON, VA | SUNY PRESS | July, 2022 | 240 pages Description Drops of Inclusivity examines race and racism on the island of Puerto Rico by combining a wide-angle historical narrative with the individual stories of Black Puerto Ricans. While some of these Afro-Boricuas, such as Roberto Clemente and Ruth Fernández, are well known, others, such as Cecilia Orta and Juan Falú Zarzuela, have been largely forgotten, if remembered at all.

Individually and collectively, their words and lives speak to the persistent power of racial hierarchies and responses to them across periods, from the SpanishAmerican War at the turn of the twentieth century to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s visit to the island in the early 1960s.

Drawing on rich archival research, Milagros Denis-Rosario shows how Afro-Boricuas denounced, navigated, and negotiated racism in the fields of education, law enforcement, literature, music, the military, performance, politics, and more. Each instance of selfdetermination marks a gain in inclusivity—gota a gota, or drop by drop, as the saying goes in Puerto Rico. This study pays homage to them.

1. Don’t rush the deal, or give into pressure 2. Bring a mechanic with you to the dealer 3. Take the car for a long test drive, even if it means you have to stop to pay for a few dollars-worth of gas.

4. Keep the radio off so you can listen to the car tell you a story (with its noises) 5. Check to make sure the car has a catalytic converter, a high-theft component on cars these days. You’d be surprised at the number of used cars being sold without them 6. Ask to see the title as it will tell you a history (salvaged, reconstructed, odometer discrepancy) 7. Check the history on the car by doing a Google search of the VIN#.

Never rely solely on the dealer’s word 8. In MA, a dealer cannot sell a car in an “As Is” condition, or without a warranty 9. If your mechanic cannot join you for the test drive, bring the car to his establishment and pay to have the car placed on a lift for a thorough pre-inspection 10. The car must pass the state-mandate inspection within seven days of purchase In short, when buying a car, “It’s always better to be safe (in a car) than sorry.”

Stay safe, be well…and stay informed.

For more information, or to speak with a Consumer Specialist, call (413) 787-6437 or email us at moci@springfieldcityhall.com.

MILAGROS S. JOHNSON is the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Consumer Information in Springfield, a Local Consumer Program funded by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

Chapters of the Books Introduction: The Illusion of Living in a Non-Racist Racist Society 1. A Revised Account of the New “Colored” Possession: 1898–1920 2. Reshaping Education, Race, and Citizenship: 1920–1930 3. The Twisted Evolution of National Identity: 1930–1940 4. Intersecting Race and Modernization: 1940–1950 5. Strategizing Modernity: 1950–1965 6. The Liga Opened Pandora’s “Black” Box: 1950–1965 Epilogue: Drop by Drop Reviews “Drops of Inclusivity crucially underscores the agency of Black Puerto Ricans across different time periods and socioeconomic classes, including everyday people who filed lawsuits for discrimination, wrote letters to institutions, and navigated the education system. Their stories show how commonplace and systemic antiblack racism has always been despite depictions of Puerto Rico as a racial democracy. Most importantly, this book centers the varied ways Black Puerto Ricans have negotiated their position within Puerto Rican society, and organized around racial issues.” — Petra R. Rivera-Rideau, author of Remixing Reggaetón: The Cultural Politics of Race in Puerto.

Author MILAGROS DENIS-ROSARIO is an associate professor of history. She earned her doctorate in Latin America and Caribbean history from Howard University and her master’s in Africana studies from Cornell University. She has been published in the Journal of Pan-African Studies, The Delaware Review of Latin American Studies, Centro Journal, journal Memorias and Latino Studies.

She finished revising her book manuscript entitled, Drops of Inclusivity: Racial Formation and Meanings in Puerto Rican Society, 1898-1960.

Dr. Denis-Rosario regularly participates in the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), the Puerto Rican Studies Association (PRSA) and other international conferences. Her research interests include Afro-Latinos, African diaspora in Latin America, Latinos, gender, Puerto Ricans, Afro-diasporic coalitions and politics of cultural representation.

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Libros / Books

El Sol Latino August 2022

PUERTO RICO 1965-1990: A Quarter Century of Highlights, Hope, Status and Stasis

by ROBERT FRIEDMAN • CHARLESTON, SC | PALMETTO PUBLISHING | May 12 2022 | 206 pages Through his own newspaper articles and recollections of the time, Robert Friedman shows readers in this vivid and nostalgic memoir what it was like living in Puerto Rico from the mid-1960s through the 1970s and 1980s, the years he spent there as a journalist for the San Juan Star.

a letter that he purposely killed eight of his patients because of his disgust with the “natives.” In the novel, Pablo Camino, the doctor’s fictional son, a well-known, but troubled Puerto Rican artist, goes on a search for the truth of his father’s possibly murderous past, and about himself.

The book is far from an encompassing history, but rather a personal timeline of the era, a journalist’s-eye view of life in the U.S. quasi-colony, whose island-born residents are U.S. citizens but who do not have all the rights of fellow citizens living in the States. Friedman gives readers an understanding of the humane, colorful, and difficult life lived by the island’s residents, as it was when he was there, and which, from all accounts, remains the same today.

“The Defining Sea,” book two, was also sparked by U.S.Puerto Rico history. Its plot is derived from the U.S, Navy’s decades-long live-fire and bombing exercises on the inhabited Puerto Rico island of Vieques, which caused death and serious illness. After his girlfriend is killed by police during a protest against the Navy’s maneuvers, Richie Perez, a 20-year-old University of Puerto Rico student, delivers drugs between the island and the states to raise money for a scholarship in her name and, along the way, learns hard truths about life, love and loss.

Readers interested in history and the Latin-American-U.S. relations that bring Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics to the U.S. mainland in search of a better life, are sure to enjoy this memoir, as will the more than 5 million U.S. mainland residents of Puerto Rican descent and the 3.2 million living on the island.

About the Author Journalist-turned-novelist Robert Friedman was born and bred in the Bronx and lived in Puerto Rico for over 20 years, working as a reporter, editor and columnist for the San Juan Star. He also reported from the island for the New York Daily News as the tabloid’s man in and around San Juan. He moved to the nation’s capital in the 1990’s to cover politics for the Star until the paper folded in 2008. His journalistic work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and the Miami Herald among other publications.

He is the author of six published novels: three of which have just been released as “The Puerto Rico Trilogy.” The three books offer a captivating, colorful view into the lives of individuals caught up in the island’s colonial politics. The novels explore with suspense, compassion and dark humor what it has been like for the island-born, the stateside ex-pats and the Cuban exiles living, loving, working and plotting on an island where the political and the personal just about always interconnect.

“The Odyssey of Pablo Camino,” the first book, was inspired by a real-life incident when a stateside doctor, sent to the island for research, claimed in

“Ulysess in San Juan, the concluding novel, relates the relationship between Wolf, a Polish-Jewish concentration camp survivor, who has come to Puerto Rico to try to build his life again, and Carmen. a drug addict. The novel. set in 1980, takes the reader on a trip into the San Juan underworld, as well to other island sites to meet crooked and upright and deeply human characters. (It should be mentioned that “Odyssey” and “Sea” are rewrites of “Shadow of the Fathers” and “The Surrounding Sea,” two earlier published Friedman novels.)

His other novels include “Caribbean Dreams,” a satirical crime novel set on the fictitious island island of Colon, a location very similar to Puerto Rico.

Colon is also the scene of “Under a Dark Sun,” a tale of corruption, crime and colonialism. In “Island Wildlife: Exiles, Expats and Exotic Others,” the off-kilter denizens of a beachfront guest house struggle to keep their humanity in the Puerto Rico of 1987.

Friedman lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. He has two grown daughters who were born in Puerto Rico.

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America’s Last Fortress: Puerto Rico’s Sovereignty, China’s Caribbean Belt and Road, and America’s National Security VOL. XXXIV, NO. 1, SPRING 2022 Editores invitados / Guest Editors: Charles R. Venator-Santiago and José Javier Colón Morera The year 2022 marks the centennial of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Balzac v. People of Porto Rico, one of the most consequential Supreme Court rulings that shaped the status of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans within the US empire.

Balzac affirmed the federal government’s power to rule Puerto Rico and its residents separately and unequally within the US polity. This special issue of CENTRO Journal collects several articles about this monumentally important judicial precedent and its continuous presence in the most important and populated colony remaining in the world.

The articles presented help us understand the enduring continuities and discontinuities of the application of the doctrine of territorial non-incorporation to Puerto Rico, a possession inhabited by US citizens. The collection examines different dimensions of the legacy and continued impact of Balzac and it captures many of the complexities of this century of colonialism by judicial decree.

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Hay tantas cosas que ocurren gracias a STEM. Disponemos de todo lo que pueda imaginar bajo un mismo techo: el Laboratorio Spark!, nuestro renovado planetario, la nueva galería de la Estación Espacial.

Además, puede jugar mientras aprende los básicos de STEM. STEM está construyendo nuestro futuro. Usted es nuestro futuro. Traiga a su familia y amigos e imaginen juntos miles de posibilidades fantásticas para el futuro. ¡Todos son bienvenidos!

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