El Sol Latino | February 2024 | 20.3

they were in the labor force, whether they were working, and if so, whether they worked on a full-time or a parttime or a seasonal basis or whether they were unemployed February but looking for work.

2024 Of all age categories, the children group was the one that included a larger proportion of Puerto Rico’s total population living below poverty (10.2% or 334,027

outnumbered those living below the poverty focus on child poverty, and poverty among limited or decreasing autonomy to provide fo Volume 3 because of advanced age20orNo. disability, und structural and institutional reasons for povert to attitudinal or “cultural” ones.

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

CENTRO Publishes New Analysis About Poverty in Puerto Rico

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Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month Remembering our February 2010 Edition

contents

2 Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month Remembering our December 2018 Edition 3 Portada / Front Page CENTRO Publishes New Analysis About Poverty in Puerto Rico 4 Campaign to Foster Inclusion and Equity for Latina/o Children and their Families’ Wellbeing 6 Mac at 40: User experience was the innovation that launched a technology revolution 8 Educación / Education AIC Welcomes Young@Heart Chorus as Artist-inResidence 9 How to keep dual-language programs from being gentrified by English speaking families 10 Política / Politics Homar Gómez Announces Candidacy for the State Representative Seat of the 2nd Hampshire District Medios /Media NEPM’s Elizabeth Román receives promotion 11 Literatura / Literature Five Years & 100 Writers: Letras Boricuas Fellowship Expands 12 Libros / Books Catastrophic Historicism: Reading Julia de Burgos Dangerously The Afro-Latino Memoir - Race, Ethnicity, and Literary Interculturalism 13 Arte / Art Abstract Revelry: A Visual and Audio Experience Three Boricuas Among Winners of the Joan Mitchell Foundation 2024 Artists-in-Residence 15 Música / Music Mambo Kings to Bring Latin Flavor to Symphony Hall with “Havana Nights” 15 Finanzas / Finaces Tax Season: Spend your Tax Money Wisely (when buying a car)

Un podcast sobre la historia del archipiélago de Puerto Rico y el Caribe Conversaciones con expertos sobre el tema y personalidades de interés.

Con el historiador público Ramón A. González-Arango López. ¡Nuevo episodio todos los jueves! ¡Comparte y disfrútalo!

Founded in 2004 n Volume 20, No. 3 n February 2024

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.

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

SEPTEMBER 2023

PERVASIVE POVERTY Portada / Front PageIN PUERTO RICO: A CLOSER LOOK

El Sol Latino February 2024

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CENTRO Publishes New Analysis About Poverty in Puerto Rico NEW YORK, NY | CENTRO: THE CENTER FOR PUERTO RICAN STUDIES | the poverty level. Nevertheless, poverty is present in households WHY ARE THESE PUERTO RICANS POOR? below The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Hunter College of the City University of with full-time, year-round workers, with up to a quarter of some of those New York) has issued a revealing report about poverty in Puerto Rico, Thereinare a number reasons account for poverty Pervasive Poverty Puerto Rico: Aof Closer Look that (September 2023).

family households with full-time workers living below the poverty level.

children) than living The report concludes that: above the poverty level (7.9% or 259,272 children) (see Figure 2).12 In fact, from a different Poverty in Puerto Rico is deeply structural. It is, moreover, rooted in its analytical perspective, halfwhich (56%) of children political relationship with themore Unitedthan States, relegates it to a in secondtier of attention from federal policymakers, and grounded in Puerto Puerto Rico lived below the poverty level. For all otherRico’s position in the regional economy and the economy of the United States. age groups, those aboveeconomy the poverty Puerto Rico has lost groundliving in the regional as a resultlevel of expanded outnumbered living below the poverty level. Yet, multi-national freethose trade agreements negotiated by the United Statesa that have reduced or eliminated barriers to exports among to the United States for focus on child poverty, and poverty those with countries in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. Moreover, Puerto Rico has become limited or decreasing autonomy to provide themselves less attractive to investors from the United States asfor a result of changes in the federal tax code.

Consequently, Puerto Rico’s comparative because of advanced age or disability, underscorescompetitive the advantage, which had allowed it to grow tremendously in the last third of the structural and institutional reasons for poverty as opposed twentieth century, has dissipated. This reality leaves policymakers in Puerto to attitudinal or “cultural” ones.

Rico with limited choices to develop an economy that may accommodate 2

inwas Puerto Rico.byFor children, the primary many live The report produced Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Laurareason Colón-Meléndez, Jorge Soldevilla-Irizarry, Damayra Figueroa-Lazu, Jennifer Hinojosa, in poverty is that they resided in households thatand lived Yarimar Bonilla.

below the poverty level. For adults, it centered around the extent to which they participated in the labor force, and if they were in the labor force, whether they were working, and if so, whether they worked on a full-time or a parttime or a seasonal basis or whether they were unemployed but looking for work.

Of all age categories, the children group was the one that included a larger proportion of Puerto Rico’s total population living below poverty (10.2% or 334,027

million workers. Attempts by local policymakers to spur investment in Puerto Rico through exemption of local taxes (e.g., Law 20 and Law 22) have been insufficient to create meaningful employment. Poverty in Puerto Rico will be meaningfully alleviated when greater employment opportunities among the working age groups, and particularly among women, is fostered.

The report highlights some key important points: • Pervasive poverty in Puerto Rico is rooted in its loss of economic comparative advantage in the region (i.e., circum-Caribbean) and national (i.e., United States) markets as a result of congressional actions over which Puerto Rico had little input or leverage. Puerto Rico’s economy is therefore unable to produce sufficient jobs at levels of remuneration that would keep persons who are able and willing to work above the federal poverty level.

• All 78 county-equivalents (i.e., municipios) continue to exhibit levels of poverty that qualify them as counties of persistent poverty.

Over the past decades, Puerto Rico’s political economic conditions have been dependent on the actions of the U.S. Congress, in which Puerto Ricans are allowed to provide little substantive input. They have nevertheless borne an inordinate burden of the consequences. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the United States government to address these pervasive poverty conditions in its colony. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently decided that Congress can continue to treat Puerto Rico differently from a state of the union33 since it is not subject, among other things, to the Constitution’s Uniformity Clause.

But this should not imply that Congress should continue to treat Puerto Rico worse than a state. Congress can continue to treat Puerto Rico differently than a state by treating it better than a state, in order to address the devastating economic and social conditions its previous actions have wrought.

• Pervasive poverty in Puerto Rico affects women and children disproportionately. More than half the children (56%) lived level below poverty in 2021.

To download the PDF version of this report go to the following link https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/app/ uploads/2023/09/Pervasive-Poverty-PR-1.pdf

• The majority of family households with children lived below the poverty level, and the more children there are in the household, the greater the likelihood that members of such a household will live in poverty.

Founded in 1973 by a coalition of students, faculty, and activists, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO) is the largest university-based research institute, library, and archive dedicated to the Puerto Rican experience in the United States.

• Puerto Rico’s pervasive poverty is disproportionate to other U.S. jurisdictions, more than three times as high as that for the United States as a whole, more than twice as high as for the poorest states of the union and higher than all but one other U.S. territory.

• Poverty in Puerto Rico is correlated with employment—most family households in Puerto Rico (58%) that do not have a worker in them are

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Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino February 2024

Campaign to Foster Inclusion and Equity for Latina/o Children and their Families’ Wellbeing Miguel L. Arce and José P. Arce Latina/o children and their families in the Springfield Statistical Metropolitan Area face serious challenges and difficulties in their lives. Yet, despite their social vulnerabilities, with effective support, these families can bounce back. Fortunately, there are initiatives to help them overcome the intentional and unintentional systemic obstacles placed before them. All children and their families deserve the opportunities to thrive and as a consequence live a dignified life.

Happily, there are dedicated individuals and organizations that seek to highlight and build on the resourcefulness, strengths and courage of the Latina/o community. An active and committed partnership with those who seek the social betterment of our community is required.

To that end, Springfield College has embarked on a yearlong campaign not only to highlight the tragic disparities but also to identify solutions. In culmination of this campaign, Springfield College is honored to serve as host to a conference directed to Foster Inclusion and Equity for Latina/o Children and their Families’ Wellbeing.

The conference will be the last component of a three-part-year-long campaign drawing attention to the dreadful living circumstances experienced daily by a large segment of the population in the Springfield Statistical Metropolitan Area--which includes Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield and other communities in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The first part of the campaign was to create community awareness about segregation and poverty in our midst and the pervasive and powerful impact of social inequality on Latina/o children and their families. The second part of the campaign was community development and readiness to respond to the effects of that segregation and poverty. The third part is the conference to be held on March 13, 2024, which seeks to identify specific recommendations for policy changes and ground-breaking programmatic responses to the disheartening current state of affairs.

The Conference at Springfield College will provide a forum where a variety of prevailing needs will be outlined and where workshops will identify comprehensive and informed responses by practitioners working with this community. This “Gathering of interested men and women” is designed to facilitate public discussion and raise a nuanced awareness about the crises that resilient families must overcome. It will promote the participation of all sectors of the broader community and seek a sense of shared responsibility for the existing crises. The Conference—Foster Inclusion and Equity–is a Call to Action. The Conference is to host over 36 workshops in three areas of concern and advocacy: 1) individual and family welfare; 2) strong social fabric; and 3) just society. The workshops are designed to stimulate discussion about solutions.

Individual & Family Welfare A.03 Collaborative Case Work-Women Emphasizing Latina Women A.04

Wellbeing Laughter; Stress Relief to Lift our Spirits

A.07

Using wraparound and other innovative approaches to improve access to care in the Hispanic Community

A.09

Addressing Juvenile Violence through Residential Treatment

A.11

Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders: An Overview

A.15

Understanding Pregnancy and Infant Loss in the Latina/o Community

A.17

Awareness of Trauma Reactions Due to the Impact of Systemic Racism in the Clinical Presentation of an Outpatient Community Clinic Sample

A.18

Effective Family Engagement: From a Bio-psycho-socialspiritual Framework (BPSS)

A.20

Culturally Responsive Neurodiversity Affirming Care

B.02

Family as an Institution: Understanding Familism’s Role in Latine and Black Mental Health

B.05

The Support Network

B.06

Communication: The Importance of Understanding Latino Cultures for Appropriate Services

B.08

The Power of Rest: A Requirement and Not a Luxury

B.12

Opportunities and Challenges for Latina Social Workers Practicing with Black and Brown Communities

B.13

La Linda Manita; A Model for Early Parenting Support in a Community Health Center and Beyond

B.16

La Violencia Doméstica y Los Niños: Implications and Practice-Solutions for Latino Families

Strong Social Fabric A.01 Fostering Equity in Schools A.05

Overview of the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative

A.06

Latinos in Politics

A.08

The Forgotten Epidemic; Be a Change Agent to Speak About HIV

A.14

Using Technology to Strengthen Local Safety Net

A.19

Court Appointed Special Advocates: A Model for Positive Community Impact in the Child-Welfare System

B.01

Increasing Equity in the Public Education System

B.04

Living with Fear; The Emotional Impact on Families Living Without Documentation continued on page 5

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino February 2024

Campaign to Foster Inclusion and Equity for Latina/o Children and their Families’ Wellbeing

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continued from page 4 B.09

The Early Literacy Crisis- The Greatest Civil Rights Issue of Our Time

B.10

Not About Us Without Us

B.15

Youth Development/Leadership, and Community Engagement Workshop: Moving Towards Change and Making a Difference

Just Society A.02 System Impacts on Family & Community: Local Correctional Involvement of Latinas/os A.10

It Only Takes One Generation to Break the Cycle of Poverty

A.12

The Journey to Becoming #GOOD Educators: Cultivating Educators for Equity-Centered Academic Community and Family Engagement

A.13

Building Strong Communities: A Workshop on Individual and Family Welfare, Social Fabric, and Justice in Addressing Homelessness in Massachusetts

A.16

Empoderando y Manteniendo la Familia: Navigating Economic Mobility through Higher Ed

B.03

Pa’lante Transformative Justice: Youth Driven Community Change

B.07

Advancing Self-Determination of Latinx: Implementing the UN Convention on the Eradication of Racial Discrimination and Other Direct Non-Violent Action

B.11

Education and Empowerment: Programs that are Making a Difference in the Latina/o Community

B.14

The Overrepresentation and Disproportionality of Latinas/os in the Massachusetts Child Welfare System

A Greek Myth Interpreted for Modern Times The Myth of Sisyphus is an ancient Greek tale about a king who was punished by the gods for his trickery and for cheating death a couple of times. He was condemned for eternity to push an unwieldy boulder up a mountain, only to have it come crashing down before he reached the top. He was fated to repeat this hopeless task for eternity. A French existentialist philosopher, Albert Camus (19131960) saw the myth as a metaphor for humanity’s struggle to make sense of an existence apparently devoid of order and meaning. He suggested the way to escape the inevitable despair was to live with dignity and authenticity. (Description of the electronic book of The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, May 7, 1991)

Camus’ interpretation is relevant, but we are proposing a reinterpretation given the focus of the Conference, i.e. children and families living in distressed conditions: One man, Francisco, (our very own Sisyphus for Western Massachusetts) is fated to figure out how he and others can and should address poverty. However, as he repeatedly tried, with all his training, practical experience, genuine concern and impressive academic credentials, to push that boulder called poverty up the proverbial mountain, he constantly experienced the boulder come crashing down despite all his determined efforts.

During a brief respite, it occurred to Francisco that he was thinking about his task all wrong. He was confusing a very human problem with a concept that was too far abstracted from the flesh and blood of real-life men and women and their children. His responsibility was not to push a heavy boulder up a mountain, but rather to join hands with members of the community in a march up a hill in search of solutions. Underrepresented and marginalized men and women are not an abstraction; rather they have the same needs that everyone (rich or middle class or poor. Achieved solutions to the obstacles, which marginalized men and women and their children experience daily, happen and will continue to happen when the same underrepresented people join hands with other concerned citizens who seek the mountain top. Together they can decide to march forward uphill. Some will stumble but collectively with other concerned citizens we can achieve a world where all are valued, especially our precious children. You and I may not reach the summit, but our children and their children should and from atop that mountain they will see the Shining City.

The workshops taking place at the Conference will be strength based and identify solutions that promote the enhancement of policy and practices which will permit the wellbeing of the Latina/o children and their families. To register for the conference and find information about cost and other details, visit springfield.edu/fosteringequity.

Conference Partners

Veanos@www.issuu.com/elsollatino

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Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino February 2024

Mac at 40: User experience was the innovation that launched a technology revolution

by JACOB O. WOBBROCK This article was originally published in The Conversation | January 19, 2024

about the stitching in their clothes. Instead, they would focus on how that box made them feel.

Beyond the mouse and desktop metaphor As computers go, was the Macintosh innovative? Sure. But not for any particular computing breakthrough. The Macintosh was not the first computer to have a graphical user interface or employ the desktop metaphor: icons, files, folders, windows and so on. The Macintosh was not the first personal computer meant for home, office or educational use. It was not the first computer to use a mouse.

It was not even the first computer from Apple to be or have any of these things. The Apple Lisa, released a year before, had them all.

It was not any one technical thing that the Macintosh did first. But the Macintosh brought together numerous advances that were about giving people an accessory – not for geeks or techno-hobbyists, but for home office moms and soccer dads and eighth grade students who used it to write documents, edit spreadsheets, make drawings and play games. The Macintosh revolutionized the personal computing industry and everything that was to follow because of its emphasis on providing a satisfying, simplified user experience.

The original Macintosh computer may seem quaint today, but the way users interacted with it triggered a revolution 40 years ago. Mark Mathosian/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA

Technology innovation requires solving hard technical problems, right? Well, yes. And no. As the Apple Macintosh turns 40, what began as Apple prioritizing the squishy concept of “user experience” in its 1984 flagship product is, today, clearly vindicated by its blockbuster products since.

It turns out that designing for usability, efficiency, accessibility, elegance and delight pays off. Apple’s market capitalization is now over US$2.8 trillion, and its brand is every bit associated with the term “design” as the best New York or Milan fashion houses are.

Apple turned technology into fashion, and it did it through user experience.

It began with the Macintosh.

When Apple announced the Macintosh personal computer with a Super Bowl XVIII television ad on Jan. 22, 1984, it more resembled a movie premiere than a technology release. The commercial was, in fact, directed by filmmaker Ridley Scott. That’s because founder Steve Jobs knew he was not selling just computing power, storage or a desktop publishing solution. Rather, Jobs was selling a product for human beings to use, one to be taken into their homes and integrated into This was not about computing anymore. IBM, Commodore and Tandy did computers. As a human-computer interaction scholar, I believe that the first Macintosh was about humans feeling comfortable with a new extension of themselves, not as computer hobbyists but as everyday people. All that “computer stuff” – circuits and wires and separate motherboards and monitors – were neatly packaged and hidden away within one sleek integrated box.

You weren’t supposed to dig into that box, and you didn’t need to dig into that box – not with the Macintosh. The everyday user wouldn’t think about the contents of that box any more than they thought

Where computers typically had complex input sequences in the form of typed commands (Unix, MS-DOS) or multibutton mice (Xerox STAR, Commodore 64), the Macintosh used a desktop metaphor in which the computer screen presented a representation of a physical desk surface. Users could click directly on files and folders on the desktop to open them. It also had a one-button mouse that allowed users to click, double-click and drag-and-drop icons without typing commands.

The Xerox Alto had first exhibited the concept of icons, invented in David Canfield Smith’s 1975 Ph.D. dissertation. The 1981 Xerox Star and 1983 Apple Lisa had used desktop metaphors. But these systems had been slow to operate and still cumbersome in many aspects of their interaction design.

The Macintosh simplified the interaction techniques required to operate a computer and improved functioning to reasonable speeds.

Complex keyboard commands and dedicated keys were replaced with point-and-click operations, pull-down menus, draggable windows and icons, and systemwide undo, cut, copy and paste.

Unlike with the Lisa, the Macintosh could run only one program at a time, but this simplified the user experience.

The Macintosh also provided a user interface toolbox for application developers, enabling applications to have a standard look and feel by using common interface widgets such as buttons, menus, fonts, dialog boxes and windows. With the Macintosh, the learning curve for users was flattened, allowing people to feel proficient in short order.

Computing, like clothing, was now for everyone.

A good experience Although I hesitate to use the cliches “natural” or “intuitive” when it comes to fabricated worlds on a screen – nobody is born knowing what a desktop window, pull-down menu or double-click is – the Macintosh was the first personal computer to make user experience the driver of technical achievement. It indeed was simple to operate, especially compared with command-line computers at the time. continued on page 7

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino February 2024

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Mac at 40: User experience was the innovation that launched a technology revolution continued from page 6

Whereas prior systems prioritized technical capability, the Macintosh was intended for nonspecialist users – at work, school or in the home – to experience a kind of out-of-the-box usability that today is the hallmark of not only most Apple products but an entire industry’s worth of consumer electronics, smart devices and computers of every kind.

According to Market Growth Reports, companies devoted to providing user experience tools and services were worth $548.91 million in 2023 and are expected to reach $1.36 billion by 2029.

User experience companies provide software and services to support usability testing, user research, voice-of-the-customer initiatives and user interface design, among many other user experience activities.

Rarely today do consumer products succeed in the market based on functionality alone. Consumers expect a good user experience and will pay a premium for it. The Macintosh started that obsession and demonstrated its centrality.

It is ironic that the Macintosh technology being commemorated in January 2024 was never really about technology at all. It was always about people. This is inspiration for those looking to make the next technology breakthrough, and a warning to those who would dismiss the user experience as only of secondary concern in technological innovation

JACOB O. WOBBROCK - I am a Professor of Information and, by courtesy, Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington (UW). My field is human-computer interaction (HCI) with a focus on mobile and accessible computing. I am a co-founder of the cross-campus DUB Group and the MHCI+D degree. I also direct the ACE Lab and am an Associate Director and former founding Co-Director of the CREATE research center. My Ph.D. students come from information science and computer science.

My research seeks to scientifically understand people’s interactions with and experiences of computers and information and to improve them by designing, building, and evaluating new interactive technologies. My specific research topics include input and interaction techniques, human performance measurement and modeling, HCI research and design methods, virtual reality, mobile computing, and accessible computing. I also have developed new statistical techniques and tools. Primarily, I consider myself a designer, inventor, computer scientist, and quantitative experimentalist.

Some of my notable projects are the ability-based design approach to accessible technology design, the $-family gesture recognizers, the end-user elicitation design method, the Slide Rule design for accessible touchscreen gestures, ARTool for conducting nonparametric statistical analyses, the Pointing Magnifier assistive pointing and visual aid, and the versatile EdgeWrite text entry system.

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Educación / Education

El Sol Latino February 2024

AIC Welcomes Young@Heart Chorus as Artist-in-Residence SPRINGFIELD, MA | AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE | January 22, 2023 – American International College (AIC) is delighted to announce a new partnership with the globally acclaimed Young@ Heart Chorus, based in Northampton, MA, to serve as the College’s new artist-in-residence. The chorus, with an average age of eightysix, performs contemporary music with its own band. The group will have a permanent presence on campus throughout 2024, rehearsing weekly in AIC’s Esther B. Griswold Theatre for the Performing Arts, and presenting three on-campus performances this year. AIC students will also have the unique opportunity to collaborate with the chorus as interns.

While Young@Heart has made its home in Northampton since its inception in 1982, its members live throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Eighty-eight-year-old John Rinehart of Springfield remarked that he lives so close to AIC that he can now walk from his home to rehearsals. He’s also well acquainted with the campus, as his niece attended and graduated from the College.

The Griswold Theatre, which opened on the AIC campus in 1984, is a state-of-the-art performance and rehearsal space that is at once both expansive and intimate. The 500-seat theater area is fully wheelchair accessible and air-conditioned and is equipped with a proscenium stage, computerized lighting and sound equipment, and quality acoustics.

The chorus transcends generations, with the recent inclusion of seventy-one-year-old Medford Rodney Boston of Northampton. He patiently awaited the opportunity to join until he reached the appropriate age, and now sings in the ensemble alongside his mother – ninety-four-year-old Helen Boston. “I love it, the camaraderie,” he expressed. “It’s either this or sitting at home watching reruns of Judge Judy.”

AIC Assistant Dean of Student Support and Experiential Learning Frank Borrelli is enthusiastic about having an artist-in-residence rehearsing and performing in what is a cherished space on campus.

“Young@Heart is an inspiring chorus of individuals with considerable experience and wisdom. Their performances are inspiring and thoroughly entertaining. The chorus has performed all over the world including for the King and Queen of Norway.”

Borrelli adds that the partnership will have a positive impact on the College, providing the campus community with access to rehearsals and opportunities for student engagement. The music”This partnership is a direct reflection of the College’s dedication to the arts and community engagement. The chorus will welcome an AIC student intern each semester. In addition to weekly rehearsals on campus, there are plans for future public, ticketed performances.”

Rinehart shared that being a member of the chorus has allowed him to travel extensively since he joined thirteen years ago. “I’ve been to Belgium, Holland, Norway, Singapore, New Zealand, and Japan twice,” Rinehart said. “The chorus keeps me young. It keeps my mind active.”

Medford Rodney Boston, who worked with children as a mental health aide before retirement, said he looks forward to contributing what he can to the campus community. “Being here at the College, being around young people, I like to do that. If I can help them in any way, I’m happy.”

About Young@Heart Chorus: What started in 1982 at a Western Massachusetts elderly housing project to joyfully pass the time instead of passing before your time has developed into the stereotype-defying, generation-crossing musical extravaganza better known as the Young@Heart Chorus. From The New York Times to TIME, The Ellen Show to The Daily Show and stars of the hit Fox Searchlight documentary, Young@Heart, a group of seniors ranging in age from 75-94, has performed from Northampton to New Zealand, Europe to Japan, on over 55 tours around the world proving it’s “possible to grow old without growing boring.”

Young@Heart Director Bob Cilman expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, “Young@Heart is thrilled to be in residence at AIC. The theater is lovely, and it allows us to rehearse in a space that’s similar to the stages where we will eventually perform.

Being at AIC also provides us with the opportunity to be seen and heard by a diverse community of college students as well as recruit elder members from the surrounding community where a couple of our current members live.”

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Educación / Education

El Sol Latino February 2024

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How to keep dual-language programs from being gentrified by English speaking families

by SARAH CARR • December 19, 2023 This story about dual-language programs was produced by the Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.

He had a meltdown when asked to go with an unfamiliar instructor, acquiescing only when allowed to “test” from his mother’s lap. The boy was admitted, though, and is now in seventh grade; Searle believes he received a wonderful education at school No. 12. “I just wish it were more accessible,” she said.

In some communities across the country, dual-language programs — one of the best means of ensuring equity for underserved groups, especially English learners — have taken an elitist turn. And with the Biden administration eager to help districts expand such programs, questions about who they help — and who gets left out — are becoming more urgent.

For parents applying to the dual-language program at Rochester, New York’s public school No. 12, where students learn in both English and Spanish, the process can be both bureaucratic and baffling. After listing the program as a top choice, parents must schedule a testing appointment at the central office, where an instructor gauges such skills as whether each incoming kindergartener can hold a book properly and turn its pages, identify that a sentence is made up of words and spaces, use words to describe the scene in a picture, identify sounds in a word, and other pre-reading skills.

Families never receive a “score” on the test, which is available in both English or Spanish, or any information about how it is used in the admissions process — just word on whether their child made it in. (The district communications office did not respond to multiple queries about the process.)

After her 5-year-old son took the test several years ago, Rochester parent Llerena Searle was convinced that the news wouldn’t be good.

In too many places, admissions processes send a message that dual-language learning is not for everyone (when research shows that actually it is). In Mamaroneck, New York, for instance, the local dual-language school at one point published information asking families to consider whether their child’s native language is developing within “normal” limits when deciding whether to apply.

(After this article published, school officials reached out to say that has not been their practice for some time, and the program is open to all interested families.) In Boston, the dual-language programs significantly under-enroll students with disabilities, partly out of a misconception that learning in two languages isn’t appropriate for many students with special education needs.

SARAH CARR has reported and edited for Hechinger since 2011.

Currently, she covers early childhood education and manages the eight-newsroom Education Reporting Collaborative. She has written for The Washington Post, The Atlantic and Slate, winning several national awards. Carr served as the Ottaway Visiting Professor of Journalism at SUNY New Paltz, and for five years she led Columbia Journalism School’s Teacher Project fellowship, spearheading collaborations with more than 30 editorial partners.

Associate Director of Development and Marketing LifePath, Inc. a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the well-being of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers. www.lifepathma.org We are hiring a full-time Associate Director of Development and Marketing. In this hybrid role based in Greenfield, you’ll lead fundraising efforts and marketing plans, contributing to our mission of empowering individuals to maintain their quality of life, dignity, and independence.

If you are mission focused, have 5+ years of nonprofit or healthcare fundraising experience, and strong leadership and excellent written/verbal communication skills, we want you!

Additional qualifications: Experience with event management, media inquiries, press releases, donor databases and social media tools. Ability to be forward-facing with donors, identify prospective donors, and skilled at making “an ask.” Developed organizational, time management, and project management skills. Bachelor’s degree, and CFRE certification preferred but not required.

Compensation and Benefits: Hiring pay range: $60-65K commensurate with experience. We offer an excellent benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k, generous paid time off, and 6% compensation differential for bilingual staff.

Send your cover letter and resume to hr@lifepathma.org with “Marketing & Development” noted in the subject line. Bilingual persons, minorities, women, and candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE

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Política / Politics

El Sol Latino February 2024

Homar Gómez Announces Candidacy for the State Representative Seat of the 2nd Hampshire District EASTHAMPTON, MA | PRESS RELEASE | January 24, 2024 — Homar Gómez, a dedicated community advocate and the current president of Easthampton’s City Council, is excited to announce his candidacy for the position of State Representative for the 2nd Hampshire District.

With a deep-rooted commitment to public service and a genuine desire to make a positive difference in the lives of constituents.

Gomez is prepared to advocate on behalf of the diverse needs and interests of constituents in the 2nd Hampshire District which represents Granby Precinct 2, Hadley, South Hadley, and Easthampton.

Building upon his extensive experience on the Easthampton City Council. Homar is confident in his ability to effectively advocate for the issues that matter most to the residents of the district. As the Easthampton City Council president, he has a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families in the 2nd Hampshire district.

Throughout his career, Homar has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, integrity, and a relentless dedication to community development. This unique perspective will enable Homar to craft innovative and effective solutions to address the pressing issues impacting the community.

In his role as State Representative, Homar Gomez will prioritize: 1. Economic Growth and Job Creation: Homar recognizes the importance of fostering a thriving economy that provides opportunities for all. He will work diligently to attract new businesses, promote entrepreneurship, and advocate for policies that support job creation and sustainable economic growth.

Medios /Media

2. Education and Youth Development: Homar firmly believes that investing in education is an investment in the future. Homar will fight for increased fundng for schools, access to quality education, and innovative programs that empower students to reach their full potential.

3. Healthcare Accessibility and Affordabilty: Homar understands the significance of accessible and affordable healthcare for all residents.

He will champoin policies that expand healthcare coverage, reduce costs, and improve the overall wellbeing of the community.

4. Environmental Stewardship: Homar is committed to protecting the environment and ensuring a sustainable future for generaions to come. Recognizing the unique role that agriculture plays in the 2nd Hampshite District, Homar is committed to protecting and promoting the local farms that supply food to residents as farmers face firsthand the challenges of climate change. He will advocate for initiatives that will address climate change and creat resiliency, promote clean energy alternatives, and preserve natural resources.

Homar Gomez is eager to engage with the residents of the 2nd Hampshire District, listening to their concerns, and collaborating on effective solutions. He believes in the power of community engagement and will actively seek input from constituents through city abd town hall meetings, neighborhood gatherings, and various online platforms.

To learn more about Homar gomez and his vision for the 2nd Hampshire District, please email infogomezstaterep@gmail.com

NEPM’s Elizabeth Román receives promotion SPRINGFIELD, MA | NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA | January 25, 2024 - New England Public Media’s Elizabeth Román has been promoted to the role of managing editor – daily and digital news.

Although her title did not dramatically change, her responsibilities have evolved and Román will now be taking the lead on delivering daily news programming on the radio, NEPM website and social media channels.

“As a lifelong Springfield resident and western Massachusetts native,” Román said, “I’m excited to continue working with our skilled news department to bring you even more stories that highlight the needs, concerns and successes of the people living and working in this community.”

Among those needs, Román is continuing to focus on expanding the diversity of sources in news coverage and opportunities to create more Spanish-language news content. As the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who migrated to Massachusetts more than 40 years ago, Román has intended throughout her career as a journalist to provide accurate representation of communities of color in western Massachusetts. She has felt empowered to do this at NEPM and in this new role, with the addition of supervisory responsibilities, said she looks forward to sharing her expertise with other journalists.

Elizabeth is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to working at NEPM, she was a reporter at the Springfield Republican for almost two decades, edited El Pueblo Latino, co-founded Colectivo de Medios Latinos, and appeared as a panelist on NEPM’s “The Short List” and “Connecting Point”.

Román joined NEPM in 2022, and while she is a newer member of the team, colleagues say she has had a remarkable impact, delivering outstanding news programming to listeners.

“I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since Elizabeth joined the NEPM news team,” said Sam Hudzik, NEPM news director. “She is a joy to work with and brought with her a high level of regional knowledge, local connections and journalistic skill that’s helped NEPM fulfill its role as an essential news source for western Mass. I’m so excited she’s moving into this new position, where she can further put her stamp on stories in NEPM’s newscasts and on our website.”

Literatura / Literature

El Sol Latino February 2024

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Five Years & 100 Writers: Letras Boricuas Fellowship Expands On January 23, 2024, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund announced a three-year continuation of the Letras Boricuas Fellowship. With three new cohorts added, the Fellowship is projected to support 100 writers over five years, awarding over $2.5 million in total.

to support all facets of the arts community, including literature, a part of the artistic sector that is often ignored or left behind. This renewed commitment from the Mellon Foundation is proof of the great work both organizations have done and the positive impact the fellowship has had in the Boricua literary sector.”

“This renewal of the Fellowship for an additional three years reinforces Mellon’s commitment to the vast multiplicity of Puerto Rico’s literary tradition and to the brilliant writers who continue to lead it,” said Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Mellon Foundation. “We are pleased to join the Flamboyan Foundation again in honoring the discipline, artistry, and craft of writers in the archipelago and diaspora, and we look forward to the powerful work that these fellows will create.”

Established in 2021, the fellowship aims to identify, elevate, and amplify the voices of emerging and established Puerto Rican writers across literary genres, including fiction, creative nonfiction, children’s literature, poetry (including spoken word), and the newly added category of playwriting. Individuals interested in applying visit www. letrasboricuas.org for more information; applications will open on March 15, 2024, at 8 am EDT/9 pm AST. Writers selected to receive a fellowship will be awarded an unrestricted grant of $25,000 each to further their literary practice.

The continuation of the Letras Boricuas program underscores the enduring commitment of the Mellon and Flamboyan Foundations to empower and uplift Puerto Rican writers and to bolster the dynamic and diverse literary heritage on the archipelago and across the U.S. diaspora. In its first two years, Letras Boricuas awarded a total of $1 million to forty writers, many of whom have persevered in their craft despite significant challenges, including natural disasters, political unrest, and limited funding opportunities.

“The Letras Boricuas fellowship gave me hope, strengthened my relationship with my fellow authors on the island, and connected me to a community of Boricua writers that transcend the geographical boundaries of Puerto Rico,” said Carlos Vázquez Cruz, Letras Boricuas Fellow.”

“The Letras Boricuas fellowship recognizes the work of writers representing the different voices that, through various literary genres, encompass the spectrum of the Puerto Rican experience,” said Carlos Rodríguez Silvestre, Executive Director of Flamboyan Foundation Puerto Rico. “The Flamboyan Arts Fund works tirelessly

The Letras Boricuas Fellowship further reinforces the Foundations’ commitment to investing in the archipelago’s cultural infrastructure and ensuring that the ideas and creative visions of Puerto Ricans today have the opportunity to reach a wider audience. Since 2018, the Mellon Foundation has invested over $60 million in a multi-year initiative aimed at rectifying past underfunding on the archipelago and within the U.S. diaspora. The initiative addresses pressing needs and establishes enduring artistic, educational, intellectual, cultural, and archival resources for the future.

The Flamboyan Foundation has worked through its Flamboyan Arts Fund initiative to preserve, amplify and strengthen the arts in Puerto Rico. In the past three years, the Fund has disbursed over $12 million and has provided critical support to over 600 artists and 100 arts organizations. In 2020, the two foundations worked together in immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic to establish a $1 million Emergency Relief Fund to help alleviate the devastating impact of the pandemic on the arts and culture sector in Puerto Rico, providing crucial support to 89 art organizations and 600 individual artists.

To be eligible for consideration for the Letras Boricuas Fellowship, writers must be 21 years or older at the time of application, current residents of Puerto Rico or the United States, and self-identify as Puerto Rican. Fellows will be chosen through a two-step nomination and selection process by committee members, including experienced writers and literary experts selected by the Mellon Foundation and the Flamboyan Arts Fund.

Applicants for the Fellowship’s third cohort can submit applications at www.letrasboricuas.org starting on March 15, 2024, at 8 am EDT/9 pm AST through April 30, 2024, at 4 pm EDT/5 pm AST, and fellows will be announced in fall 2024.

For more information, visit: https://flamboyanfoundation.org/ beca-letras-boricuas/

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Libros / Books

El Sol Latino February 2024

Catastrophic Historicism: Reading Julia de Burgos Dangerously

by RONALD MENDOZA-DE JESÚS • NEW YORK CITY, NY | FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS | January 2, 2024 | 272 pages Overview: Catastrophic Historicism unsettles the historicist constitution of Julia de Burgos (1914–53), Puerto Rico’s most iconic writer―a critical task that necessitates redefining the concept of historicism. Through readings of Aristotle, Walter Benjamin, Jacques Derrida, Werner Hamacher, and Frank Ankersmit, Mendoza-de Jesús shows that historicism grounds historical objectivity in the historian’s capacity to compose totalizing narratives that domesticate the contingency of the past. While critiques of historicism as a realism leave untouched the sovereignty of the historian, the book insists that reading the text of history requires an attunement to danger—a modality that interrupts historicism by infusing the past with a contingency that evades total appropriation.

After desedimenting the monumental tradition that has reduced de Burgos to a totemic figure, Catastrophic Historicism reads the poet’s first collection, Poema en 20 surcos (1938). Mendoza-de Jesús argues that the historicity of Poema crystallizes in the lyrical speaker’s self-institution as an embodied ipseity, which requires producing racialized/gendered allegorical figures―the bearers of an abject flesh―that lack any ontological resistance to modern alienation. Rather than treating de Burgos’s poetics of selfhood as the ideal image of Puerto Rican sovereignty, Mendoza-de Jesús endangers this idealization by drawing attention to the abjection that sustains our attachments to ipseity as the form of a truly sovereign life. In this way, Catastrophic Historicism not only resets the terms of

ongoing critiques of historicism in the humanities―it also intervenes in Puerto Rican historicity for the sake of its transformation.

Review: The book makes Puerto Rican literary history tremble. By desedimenting the metaphysical ground of historicism’s cosmo-poietics, openings emerge for rereading the canonical poet Julia de Burgos. I can think of nothing more difficult and faithful―as a scholar―than the reading procedure of danger, which confronts incalculable vulnerability.---Ren Ellis Neyra, Wesleyan University Moving with passionate fluency between close reading, historical desedimentation, and conceptual articulation, Catastrophic Historicism recovers beneath the legend of Julia de Burgos the problem she inscribed in her own verse: that of the proper name itself. This brilliant work of literary theory shows us how deeply we need to think in order to grasp anew the dangerous sense of all the names of literary history.--Nathan Brown, Concordia University RONALD MENDOZA-DE JESÚS is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California.

Before accepting this position, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at the University of Southern California. He is working on a book project, Reading Danger: Literary History After Historicism. Ronald’s essays have appeared in several edited volumes published internationally and in peer-reviewed journals such as Mosaic, Oxford Literary Review, CENTRO Journal, Revista Iberoamericana, New Centennial Review, Política Común, Revista Pléyade, and Transmodernity.

The Afro-Latino Memoir - Race, Ethnicity, and Literary Interculturalism

by TRENT MASIKI • Chapel Hill, NC | THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS | August 2023 | 252 pages Description: Despite their literary and cultural significance, Afro-Latino memoirs have been marginalized in both Latino and African American studies. Trent Masiki remedies this problem by bringing critical attention to the understudied African American influences in Afro-Latino memoirs published after the advent of the Black Arts movement. Masiki argues that these memoirs expand on the meaning of racial identity for both Latinos and African Americans. Using interpretive strategies and historical methods from literary and cultural studies, Masiki shows how Afro-Latino memoir writers often turn to the African American experience as a model for articulating their Afro-Latinidad. African American literary production, expressive culture, political ideology, and religiosity shaped Afro-Latino subjectivity more profoundly than typically imagined between the post-war and post-soul eras. Masiki recovers this neglected history by exploring how and why Black nationalism shaped Afro-Latinidad in the United States.

This book opens the border between the canons of Latino and African American literature, encouraging greater intercultural solidarities between Latinos and African Americans in the era of Black Lives Matt Editorial Reviews “Trent Masiki raises questions of canonicity and categories of racial and national identity that require intense interrogation while making a strong case for the preeminence of the memoir in the Afro-Latinx canon. His book provides a much-needed consideration of work that has conjoined

African American and Latinx literatures and cultures.”—John Wharton Lowe, author of Calypso Magnolia “By examining Afro-Latinx memoirs and the influence of African American culture on these works, Masiki’s highly enjoyable and pathbreaking book makes an important contribution to a myriad of established and emerging academic disciplines.”—Vanessa Pérez-Rosario, Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York About the author TRENT MASIKI is an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His research focuses on the social, historical, and intercultural ties that bind African Americans to other communities of African descent in the US, Africa, and the African diaspora. Masiki’s scholarly articles appear in the journals Latino Studies, MELUS, African American Review, and College Language Association, among others. He was a co-guest editor of “Post-Soul Afro-Latinidades,” a special issue of The Black Scholar 52.1. The Afro-Latino Memoir: Race, Ethnicity, and Literary Interculturalism (UNC Press 2023), Masiki’s first book, examines African American cultural, political, and literary influences in Afro-Latino memoirs published after the advent of the Black Arts Movement.

Arte / Art

El Sol Latino February 2024

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Abstract Revelry: A Visual and Audio Experience HOLYOKE, MA | WISTARIAHURST MUSEUM |January 22, 2024 – Stop by Wistariahurst Museum throughout February to experience Erika Slocumb’s newest exhibit, Abstract Revelry. This art exhibit is the first of its kind to be presented in our gallery, with each artwork being accompanied by pieces of music that inspired each piece. Borne from a discussion about the need for interactive exhibits that can engage multiple senses, while also making sure to program this exhibit in a way that people with disabilities can also enjoy the full experience. Erika’s artwork is intricate and multidimensional, making it a unique perspective on how art comes in many forms You will hear artists such as Rihanna and Public Enemy, with QR Codes available to link you to a playlist that you can listen to while viewing the exhibit. Abstract Revelry: A Visual and Audio Experience hopes to inspire visitors to think differently about art and how it can be experienced.

Whether you’re an art or music lover, the Abstract Revelry exhibit will provide a special and inspiring experience that cannot be missed!

“When I see the paintings, they usually invoke a playlist in my mind based on what I was listening to when I created them. Some of my paintings were influenced by music and I created them based on the sounds I was hearing,” Erika Slocumb explains. “I love this experience and I want to share it with everyone!”

Wistariahurst is an educational and cultural center owned and operated by the City of Holyoke and supported by The Wistariahurst Foundation.

Wistariahurst is dedicated to preserving Holyoke’s history and inspiring an appreciation of history and culture through educational programs, exhibits and special events. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Wistariahurst is the former home of William Skinner, a prominent silk manufacturer and was built in 1874.

Open hours for the exhibit will be on Mondays (from 10 am-2 pm) and Tuesdays (from 4:30 pm-6:30 pm) from February 6th-27th, 2024.

Admission to Abstract Revelry is free and open to the public so that all can view this amazing exhibit experience.

For Exhibit Content Questions: Erika Slocumb, Exhibit Curator and Scholar, blackholyoke@gmail.com

Three Boricuas Among Winners of the Joan Mitchell Foundation 2024 Artists-in-Residence NEW ORLEANS, LA | JOAN MITCHELL FOUNDATION | On January 17, 2024, the diverse and distinguished group of artists that will participate in the 2024 Artists-in-Residence program at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans were announced. This year’s cohort of 37 individuals includes 16 artists from across the United States participating alongside 21 artists local to New Orleans. The 2024 residency program is divided into three sessions, in the Spring, Summer, and Fall, and will provide these artists with the space and support needed to develop new work—while also offering an immersive experience in the heart of one of America’s most culturally rich cities.

The list of participants for 2024 is: Rogelio Báez Vega, San Juan, PR; Rina Banerjee, Brooklyn, NY; Sophia Belkin, Baltimore, MD; Alcide Breaux, New Orleans, LA; Ellen Bull, New Orleans, LA; Virginia Candler, New Orleans, LA; Elisabeth Condon, New York, NY; Cicely Cottingham, West Orange, NJ; Lauren dela Roche, Edwardsville, IL; Paige DeVries, New Orleans, LA; Dara Engler, Trumansburg, NY; James Flynn, New Orleans, LA; Thomas Friel, New Orleans, LA; Augustus Hoffman, New Orleans, LA; Emily Holt, Nashville, TN; Sarah House, New Orleans, LA; Salvador Jiménez-Flores, Chicago, IL; Ryan Leitner, New Orleans, LA; Maggie Michael, Washington DC; Joshua Mintz, New Orleans, LA;Love Nguyen, Santa Barbara, CA; Saigon, Vietnam; Lilliam Nieves, Bayamón, PR; Cora Nimtz, New Orleans, LA; Ebony G. Patterson, Chicago, IL; Kingston, Jamaica (deferred from 2023), Angel Perdomo, New Orleans; LA, Teneille Prosper, New Orleans, LA; Sadie Sheldon, New Orleans, LA; Garvin Sierra, San Juan, PR. “The 2024 Artists-in-Residence embody the spirit of creativity and exploration that Joan Mitchell championed throughout her life,” said Christa Blatchford, Executive Director of the Joan Mitchell Foundation.

“Their diverse practices and perspectives continue the Foundation’s legacy of supporting artists in their creative process, as Mitchell’s will

directed. We are thrilled to be able to provide them with the time, space, and resources to focus, and we look forward to the dynamic energy they will bring to the Joan Mitchell Center.”

Established in 2015, the Joan Mitchell Center’s residency program supports individual artistic growth while also fostering community, enabling artists to engage deeply with and learn from their peers. Over the years, the Center has welcomed over 300 artists, including a significant number of notable artists who are local to New Orleans. Past residents have often cited their experience at the Center as an important moment in their artistic journey, driven in part by the unique mix of artists working on site.

Residencies at the Joan Mitchell Center are open to two groups of visual artists at all points in their careers. Artists who have previously received a Joan Mitchell Foundation grant, but who have not previously participated in the residency, are invited to apply. New Orleans-based artists can apply through a free open-call application, even if they do not have a prior affiliation with the Foundation. The applications from both groups are then reviewed by a rotating jury of national and New Orleans-based artists and arts professionals invited by Center staff. This independent panel selects the group of artists who have demonstrated that the residency program would support a pivotal moment in their career.

The Center’s annual residencies range in length from six to fourteen weeks. Artists participating in residencies are provided with private studio space on the Center’s campus, support from onsite studio assistants, a $150 weekly stipend, and prepared meals. Residents are also offered networking and professional development opportunities throughout their residencies, including studio visits, workshops, individual consultations, and informal gatherings. Campus lodging and financial support to transport materials and artworks are also provided to those artists traveling from other parts of the country. Questions about the resident program can be directed to program@joanmitchellcenter.org.

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Música/ Music

El Sol Latino February 2024

Mambo Kings to Bring Latin Flavor to Symphony Hall with “Havana Nights” Springfield, MA | SPRINGFIELD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | January 22, 2024 —The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will host Havana Nights at Springfield Symphony Hall on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., featuring renowned Latin jazz and AfroCuban ensemble The Mambo Kings and soloist Camille Zamora, who made her debut with the SSO at the 2022 Holiday Pops.

The concert is largely being sponsored by Golden Years Homecare Services and the family of Cesar Ruiz, owner of Golden Years and a business and community activist.

Havana Nights, which will be led by Guest Conductor Nick Palmer, marks the first Latin-themed concert hosted by the SSO and will feature a range of Latin music, from a tango such as Por Una Cabeza

by John Williams, to the music of Santana.

According to Paul Lambert, President and CEO of the SSO, “We are thrilled to offer this concert with a distinct Latin theme, as we continue to diversify our musical offerings in attracting new audiences to Symphony Hall. Havana Nights will merge Afro-Cuban flair with our classical musicians, creating something truly unique and that opens a new way to connect with our community musically.

We are particularly gratified that Cesar Ruiz, his family and the company that he created and leads, is serving as Community Leader Sponsor in helping to underwrite this important musical offering to the Latin Community and the community at large.”

The Mambo Kings have been together since 1995 and have become one of the most prominent Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz ensembles in the country. The quintet made their orchestral debut in 1997 with the Rochester Philharmonic and have since appeared with orchestras around the country, along with performing at concerts and festivals.

They have released three self-produced recordings, “Nostalgia,” “Live!” and “Marinera,” and their music continues to receive radio airplay throughout North America and Puerto Rico.

The Mambo Kings consist of Musical Director and jazz pianist Richard DeLaney, who has written and performed music for film, television, the stage and the concert hall; Percussionist Wilfredo (Freddy) Colón (drums, timbales, bongos), who has performed with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Soneros Del Barrio and Johnny Rivera; Saxophonist John Viavattine, an accomplished woodwind specialist who has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and performed with The Temptations, Ray

Charles and others; Percussionist Tony Padilla (congas), who has been performing professionally since the age of 14 and played with such artists as Paquito De Rivera, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine and Arturo Sandoval; and Bassist Hector Diaz, who has been playing with bands in the Western New York area since the age of thirteen and has performed with Ismael Miranda, Hector Tricoche, “El Cano” Estremera, Paquito Acosta, Zafra Negra, Luisito Rosario, Wendell Rivera and Johnny Rivera.

Soprano soloist Camille Zamora is performing with the SSO for the second time, making her debut with the Springfield Symphony at the 2022 Holiday Pops. Her performances of Spanish repertoire have been heard on five continents, in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Zimbabwe’s Harare International Festival, and in live broadcasts on NPR, BBC, Deutsche Radio, and Sirius XM. Zamora has performed Tango Caliente and Sueños de España – her signature concerts of zarzuela arias, boleros, and more arranged for her by Grammy® Award winner Jeff Tyzik, with orchestras around the country, including Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and more. She has performed at the Kennedy Center and at the U.S. Capitol with Yo-Yo Ma. Guest Conductor Nick Palmer has been a frequent Pops conductor for the SSO in past seasons, and also serves as Music Director of the North Charleston Pops in South Carolina, the Altoona Symphony in Pennsylvania, and the Evening Under the Stars Festival in Hingham, MA. Tickets are on sale, starting at $35, at SpringfieldSymphony.org, or by calling the Box Office at (413) 733-2291.

Salud / Health

El Sol Latino February 2024

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Tax Season: Spend your Tax Money Wisely (when buying a car) by MILAGROS S. JOHNSON It’s tax season, and many consumers are eagerly waiting for their tax returns to purchase a new car or replace an older one that needs costly repairs. At the same time, dealers are anticipating their busiest time of the year, and are already stocking their lots with many shiny cars, hoping to lure those exact car shoppers.

But here’s the catch. Consumers are shopping in a rush or in the dark, caving to pressure, and not doing their due diligence before making their car purchase. When shopping for a car, remember that, “Not everything that shines is in good working order.”

Buying a car takes time. Buying a car is our second biggest purchase, whether you are spending $5,000 or $50,000 for a car. Buying a car is an investment so we should invest our money and finances carefully.

The first thing you must do is ask the dealer to provide a CarFax or car history free of charge. Do not rely solely on the word of the seller.

Also, be sure to ask the dealer to show you the title and look at the front and back of it. Even if you are financing the vehicle, you are entitled to review it.

Second, research the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the internet. You’re going to be surprised to discover that the vehicle was previously in major accident and declared salvaged by the insurance company.

Also take the vehicle for a long test drive, even if it means you have to dig into your own personal pocket to put in a few dollars of gas to drive the further distance. I’ve said it before, “Listen to the car talk to you.” Be sure to pay attention to the transmission, engine knocks and rattling. While most older cars may make some noises, you want to avoid the ones that are going to cost you more bang to the buck!

It’s also important that you have your personal mechanic do a pre-inspection on the vehicle.

Be sure to ask your mechanic to put the car on a lift to check underneath corrosion. This is going to be a deal maker or breaker.

Rely on the advice of your mechanic, not the seller.

Finally, be sure that YOU take your vehicle for a state-mandated inspection within seven days of purchase. If your vehicle does not pass inspection, you need to follow the necessary steps under the Massachusetts Lemon Laws (www.mass.gov/topics/lemon-laws) to have protection for a refund or repairs.

To learn more about avoiding buying a lemon, listen to our podcast, The Consumer Toolbox on your favorite platform. Visit our website www.springfield-ma.gov/cos/moci for more details and information.

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.

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El Sol Latino February 2024

Fine Arts Center

TEMPORADA DEL 2023-2024 Eventos de Febrero y Marzo 2024

Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary Celebration starring The Blue Note Quintet

con la participación de Gerald Clayton, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Kendrick Scott, y Matt Brewer

Jueves, 22 de febrero | 7:30 PM | Bowker Auditorium Asientos Reservados $35 y $30 – Jóvenes menores de 17 y estudiantes de los Five College $10 El grupo que Blue Note ha reunido para tocar su fiesta de cumpleaños itinerante cuenta con cinco exponentes absolutamente estelares de la mejor forma musical de Estados Unidos. No podíamos perder la oportunidad de presentar este quinteto.

No podemos esperar a ver qué sucederá cuando se presenten en nuestro escenario. Y sabemos que usted también querrá estar aquí para verlo.

Dirigida por el pianista Gerald Clayton, seis veces nominado al Grammy, la banda cuenta con el vibrafonista Joel Ross, el saxofonista Immanuel Wilkins, el baterista Kendrick Scott y el bajista Matt Brewer. .

The Simon & Garfunkel Story

Viernes, 1 de marzo | 8:00 PM | 5 Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall Asientos Reservados $80, 65, $45 y $40 – Jóvenes menores de 17 y estudiantes de los Five College $30, $25, $20 y $15

The Simon & Garfunkel Story es un espectáculo teatral inmersivo estilo concierto que narra el increíble viaje del dúo de folk-rock Paul Simon y Art Garfunkel.

El espectáculo utiliza enormes proyecciones de fotografías y metraje de película original y presenta una banda completa en vivo interpretando todos los éxitos, incluido “Mrs. Robinson”, “Cecilia”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “Homeward Bound” y muchas más.

Cuenta la historia completa del dúo, desde sus humildes comienzos como Tom & Jerry hasta su increíble éxito como uno de los grupos musicales más vendidos de la década de 1960 y su dramática separación en 1970. Culmina con la famosa reunión del Concierto en Central Park en 1981 con más de medio millón de aficionados presentes.

Simon & Garfunkel han vendido 100 millones de álbumes y han ganado diez premios Grammy a lo largo de los años. Fueron incluidos en el Salón de la Fama del Rock & Roll en 1990. En 2003, Simon & Garfunkel recibieron un premio Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Y al año siguiente, su canción “The Sound of Silence” ganó un premio Grammy del Salón de la Fama

Para nuestra programación de la temporada completa o boletos de entrada llamar al: 413-545-2511 ó al 800-999-UMAS ó en línea fineartscenter.com