Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periódico Difer spape
A Look Back: FrontFebruaryPages A Look Back: FrontFebruaryPages
Un Periódico Difer spape o Difer
Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month Pobreza en Puerto Rico 2022
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!
contents
2 Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month
Remembering our January 2013 Edition
3 First Ever Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans | Connecticut Summit
4 The Effect of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico
5 Governor Healey Pledges to Fix Transportation, Make Homes More Affordable, and Invest in Education
6 Opinión / Opinion
¿Qué fue lo que le pasó a Hawaii?
7 Education: The Gateway to Freedom
8 Disquietude about the Trump Immigration Roadmap
9 Educación / Education
American International College Achieves Hispanic Serving Institution Eligibility
10 SPHHS Doctoral Student Receives National Award to Support Dissertation Research in Puerto Rico
11 Multilingualism improves crucial cognitive functions in autistic children
12 Libros / Books
The Bad Bunny Enigma - Culture, Resistance, and Uncertainty
Making Never-Never Land - Race and Law in the Creation of Puerto Rico
13 Radical Solidarity - Ruth Reynolds, Political Allyship, and the Battle for Puerto Rico’s Independence África en Cuba: Legados de la Diáspora
14 Arte / Art
MATRIA by Michelle Falcón Fontánez Exhibition at Wistariahurst
15 Música / Music
Celebrated local singer-songwriter brings love to the stage this Valentine’s Day
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.
First Ever Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans|Connecticut Summit by
On Saturday, January 11, 2025, Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans | Connecticut - Creating a Collective Agenda took place at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building in Hartford, CT.
This ground-breaking summit was a multi-collaboration of organizations and agencies headed by the Connecticut State Legislature’s Puerto Rican and Latino Caucus, the UConn Puerto Rican Studies Initiative, El Instituto, UConn School of Social Work’s Puerto Rican/Latin@ Studies Project, the Hispanic Health Council, Connecticut Latinas in Politics (CLIP), and the Connecticut Puerto Rican Parades and Festivals. The Connecticut General Assembly funded this initiative with American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The nonpartisan event’s main goal was to provide a space for discussing policy issues and articulating community responses to develop a collective agenda to address the particular experiences of Puerto Ricans in Connecticut. The gathering brought together a diverse array of perspectives from stateside Puerto Ricans and other stakeholders in Connecticut to help shape public policies and legislation that address the inequalities experienced by Puerto Ricans and Latinos in Connecticut.
The “most recent U.S. Census data available (2022) suggests that Puerto Rican and Latino residents of Connecticut account for 18.2% of the state’s population or, by now, close to a fifth of the state’s residents. Puerto Ricans account for 8.2% of this population, while various other Latino groups make up the remaining 10%.”
In addition, UConn’s Puerto Rican Studies Initiative (PRSI) research “has documented that Puerto Ricans consistently experience the highest inequalities among all racial and ethnic groups in the state, including compared to Latinos. The goal of this summit is to retake the conversation on how to develop a Puerto Rican collective agenda for the state of Connecticut”.
Charles R. Venator-Santiago, Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Political Science and El Instituto at the University of Connecticut, organized the event. Venator-Santiago, Director of the Puerto Rican Studies Initiative (PRSI), said the summit would be the “first of many and more frequently civic engagement gatherings.”
PRSI is a research initiative that seeks to document and support Puerto Ricans’ vital economic, intellectual, and cultural contributions to Connecticut and provide research-based support for developing public policies that address the needs of Puerto Ricans in the State.
Panels’ goals included:
MANUEL FRAU-RAMOS
• Plenary Panel: Connecticut Puerto Rican and Latino Caucus
Provided an overview of what the Puerto Rican and Latino Legislative Caucus legislators are doing in Connecticut today and their priorities. What is the key legislation that affects Puerto Ricans in Connecticut? What can policies and community strategies do?
• Puerto Ricans and the State of K-12 Education in Connecticut
Examined disparities in education, issues affecting the educational pipeline, expectations about federal reform at the local level, and prospects for bilingual education.
• Housing Inequalities
Identified current issues affecting Puerto Ricans’ access to affordable housing and explained available programs.
• Health Inequalities and Community Strategies
Examined health disparities, especially in key areas such as diabetes and its relation to nutrition, asthma, mental health policies, and effective preventive community strategies. Of special interest was the enrollment of Puerto Ricans in health plans, especially Medicare and Medicaid.
• Environmental Justice in Connecticut
Explained how Puerto Ricans are impacted by environmental issues in Connecticut. Explored how Puerto Ricans in Connecticut can develop a collective agenda that incorporates approaches that promote environmental awareness and justice.
• Puerto Rican Women and Leadership in Connecticut
Examined some of the challenges and contributions Puerto Rican women leaders face in Connecticut. Developed a collective Puerto Rican agenda that incorporates the visions, perspectives, and goals of Puerto Rican women while promoting the expansion of leadership opportunities for Puerto Rican women in Connecticut.
• Puerto Rican Day Parades and Collective Memory
Explored ways to collaborate with the various Puerto Rican Day Parades throughout the state. Discussed ways the Puerto Rican Day Parades can contribute to developing a collective agenda for Puerto Ricans in Connecticut.
• Puerto Ricans and the Media in Connecticut
Discussed how the media promotes an understanding of issues affecting Puerto Ricans and how Puerto Ricans are part of the state.
• Puerto Ricans and Higher Education, Hispanic Serving Institutions
Explained what Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in Connecticut are and how Puerto Rican students can benefit from attending one.
Assistant Majority Leader and Alderwoman of New Britain City Council Iris Sánchez and Dr. Charles R. Venator-Santiago / Credit: Iris Sánchez
Assistant Majority Leader and Alderwoman of New Britain City Council Iris Sánchez and State Representative Bobby Sánchez / Credit: Iris Sánchez
Dr. Charles R. Venator-Santiago and State Representative Minnie González
The Effect of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico by
Washington, DC | CATO INSTITUTE | April 24, 2024 - Research Briefs in Economic Policy No. 380. The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (the Jones Act) requires that maritime vessels moving goods from one US port to another be US-built, US-owned, UScrewed, and US-registered. This protectionist policy raises the cost of maritime shipping between US ports, disadvantaging US domestic trade relative to international trade. The economic burden of higher domestic trade costs falls disproportionately on residents of US islands. Our research attempts to quantify these impacts by estimating the economic costs of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico. There are two primary ways that the Jones Act can reduce Puerto Rican imports. First, Puerto Rican buyers can respond to high costs on imports from US mainland sources by purchasing foreign products instead of products made on the US mainland. Second, producers that use sea-shipped inputs in their production processes may choose to locate outside Puerto Rico, thus avoiding Jones Act costs entirely. Location decisions of this kind would reduce Puerto Rico’s demand for sea-shipped imports from all sources rather than reducing the share of imports coming from the US mainland.
Our research studies how Puerto Rico’s demand for imports depends on the transportation characteristics of each product. We used data on US imports from sources other than Mexico and Canada to calculate the following characteristics for each product: the share of the product’s imports that arrive by ship, the share that travels in containers, and the median weight-to-value ratio of each imported product. We then asked how these product characteristics affect two groups of Puerto Rico’s imports: final products that are consumed or purchased for the purpose of investment; and upstream products, which industries use as inputs to produce different products.
Our research finds that among final products, the share of Puerto Rico’s imports that is sourced from the US mainland is smaller when goods are sea-shipped, heavy, and not typically shipped in containers. To check our results, we applied our same methods to the imports of three comparison countries: the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. The patterns that we uncovered in Puerto Rico do not appear in these countries, which suggests
RUSSELL HILLBERRY and MANUEL I. JIMENEZ
they are due to the Jones Act rather than to other anomalies in USCaribbean trade.
Our results show that among upstream products, Puerto Rico’s imports exhibit a strong bias against imports of sea-shipped products from all sources, rather than a bias specifically against sea-shipped products from the US mainland. Our research estimates that Puerto Rico’s imports of sea-shipped upstream inputs are 77 percent lower than imports of air-shipped inputs. Our results do not suggest a similar bias in the imports of the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, or Jamaica. The effects that we estimated in Puerto Rico’s imports are consistent with the Jones Act shifting Puerto Rico’s industrial structure away from sectors that use sea-shipped inputs, though other policies may have contributed to this outcome.
We used others’ research on how imports respond to tariffs and other trade costs to estimate the size of tariffs that would have had equivalent effects on Puerto Rico’s imports as those that we attribute to the Jones Act. Our calculations suggest that the costs imposed by the Jones Act are equivalent to those of a 30.6 percent average tariff on final products coming from the US mainland. Using these tariff-equivalent estimates, we calculated that the Jones Act costs the Puerto Rican economy $1.4 billion annually (in 2016 dollars). Puerto Rican households bear $692 million of this burden, a figure that represents 1.1 percent of household expenditure, or $203 per citizen per year. Estimating the burden on private investment, we calculated that purchases of capital goods by the private sector cost 3 percent more than they would have if the Jones Act did not exist.
The bias against sea-shipped inputs in Puerto Rican imports is suspiciously large, but it is difficult to attribute this finding directly to the Jones Act. There is no tendency for Puerto Rican importers to substitute away from US mainland sources in upstream products, so the methods that we used to measure the burden of the Jones Act among final products cannot be credibly applied to upstream products. However, the relative absence of sea-shipped upstream inputs in Puerto Rico’s imports suggests the presence of an important distortion that has affected the industrial structure of the island. If the Jones Act is responsible for even a small portion of these effects, it has imposed a large additional burden on Puerto Rico’s long-term development.
NOTE - This research brief is based on Russell Hillberry and Manuel I. Jimenez, “Economic Consequences of Cabotage Restrictions: The Effect of the Jones Act on Puerto Rico,” working paper, Purdue University, April 2024.
Governor Healey Pledges to Fix Transportation, Make Homes More Affordable, and Invest in Education
by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS
In her State of the Commonwealth Address on January 16, 2025, Governor Maura Healey reflected on her administration’s record of delivering results on affordability and competitiveness and pledged her commitment to fixing transportation, making homes more affordable, investing in education, and growing the economy in 2025. Among her many accomplishments during her first year in office, the Governor highlighted the signing of the first tax cuts in 20 years, improved affordable child care to help parents return to work and support their families, and the signing of the state’s most significant housing bill in history. The Affordable Homes Act will create tens of thousands of new homes – and new homeowners.
Governor Healey has been committed to fixing the T, removing slow zones across the system, and making regional transit authorities farefree. In addition, the MBTA will deliver South Coast Rail service to Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford for the first time in nearly 70 years.
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has also seen major success in its efforts to win federal funding for Massachusetts, with $9 billion won over the past two years for roads and bridges, solar power, highspeed internet, and more.
Governor Healey has also taken steps to address the unprecedented demand for Emergency Assistance family shelter due to the federal government’s inaction and a nationwide housing crisis. The administration has prioritized Massachusetts families, strengthened security, lowered costs, and will phase out hotel shelters this year. They’ve also helped over 6,000 shelter residents get work authorizations and secured thousands of job placements.
Governor Healey signed the HERO Act. The administration launched a plan to end veteran homelessness by building world-class facilities at the veterans’ homes in Chelsea and Holyoke.
2025 Priorities
The Massachusetts economy is strong, and Governor Healey pledged that her Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal would be responsible for prioritizing transportation, housing, and education while lowering costs for people and growing the economy.
Transportation - Governor Healey outlined an innovative, historic strategy to invest $8 billion into the state’s transportation infrastructure to improve roads, bridges, and public transit while stabilizing MBTA finances. This strategy, which builds on the recommendations of the Governor’s Transportation Funding Task Force, will be done without raising taxes and represents the largest state transportation investment in 20 years.
Housing - Governor Healey is committed to pushing ahead with implementing strategies to increase housing across the state to lower costs.
The Affordable Homes Act is turning underused commercial space into homes, increasing the number of people who can become homeowners, allowing in-law apartments and other Accessory Dwelling Units to be built statewide, and creating the first complete inventory of state-owned land that could be used for housing. Additionally, the MBTA Communities Law is being implemented across the state. 116 municipalities have already adopted new zoning to comply with the law, with more than 3,000 new housing units already in the pipeline, lowering housing costs for everyone.
Education - In November, voters decided that the MCAS graduation requirement was not the way forward. Governor Healey believes that a high statewide standard is important so that students, families, and employers know what a diploma earned in Massachusetts represents and to prevent negative impacts for the most vulnerable students. That’s why she will convene a Statewide Graduation Requirement Council – including teachers, colleges, employers, and students – to develop recommendations for a permanent, high standard.
Her administration will continue moving forward on programs that make sure students are trained with the skills that are in demand in today’s economy. It has expanded the Innovation Career Pathways program to 100 high schools in fields from biotechnology to clean energy. It has brought Early College programs to 9,000 students statewide so that high school students can take courses and earn free credits at local colleges.
The Governor also highlighted her administration’s commitment to increasing access to mental health care by continuing to support the 31 Community Behavioral Health Centers that helped more than 30,000 young people in just 18 months. The Governor will also propose additional resources for school-based behavioral health support in her FY2026 budget.
Health Care - To keep moving forward in improving access to highquality, affordable health care, Governor Healey this year signed a maternal health bill expanding access to midwives, doulas, birthing centers, and postpartum and breast cancer screenings. She also signed a bill capping co-pays at $25 for diabetes, asthma, and heart disease medications. Additionally, by expanding the ConnectorCare program, 60,000 Massachusetts residents got access to more affordable coverage this year.
In 2025, the Healey-Driscoll Administration will be focused on primary care. The Governor committed to shifting more resources to primary care and supporting workforce development for primary care providers so that patients can get appointments when needed and care is more affordable.
Economic Development - The Healey-Driscoll Administration has been focused on making Massachusetts’ economy more competitive and supporting business growth. Governor Healey called for her economic team to review all business and licensing regulations in the first three months of this year.
The Governor’s Mass Leads economic development bill that she signed this year delivers an infusion of resources to the state’s booming life sciences and climate tech industries while also staking a claim on Artificial Intelligence. With $100 million for an AI Hub, Massachusetts is poised to support the scientists and startups whose breakthroughs will define this era, including through a new green-powered data center in Holyoke that can power cutting-edge research and business applications across industries.
Clean Energy - Governor Healey also committed to moving forward on energy independence, implementing the new climate law to speed up permitting and building infrastructure more quickly to get energy to homes and businesses.
¿Qué
fue lo que le pasó a Hawaii?
por JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA
El patetismo de la política en Puerto Rico es tal que un cantante que no canta se ha convertido en el portavoz del sentimiento nacionalista de la isla a través del mundo entero diciendo que Puerto Rico se tiene que avispar para evitar lo que le pasó a Hawaii.
Esa consigna se ha tornado en mantra y hasta un obispo en Mayagüez la repitió como un papagallo en la misa de juramentación del alcalde de Aguadilla. Ese momento fue memorializado en Facebook sin que nadie se preguntara qué pito tiene que tocar la iglesia en la política municipal de un pueblo cuando se supone que Puerto Rico sea un país donde la Constitución manda la separación de la iglesia y el estado. Pero esa es otra historia.
¿Qué es lo que propone Bad Bunny cuando dice que hay que evitar lo que le pasó a Hawaii? De la historia de más de 500 años de ese estado norteamericano, ¿qué es lo que hay que evitar? Veamos.
En el siglo 19, misioneros Protestantes norteamericanos introdujeron el cristianismo en el archipiélago y luego, bajo la influencia de misioneros católicos y mormones, se expandió el culto cristiano. Prácticas culturales autóctonas cosideradas pecaminosas fueron eventualmente eliminadas. El sistema Kapu, es decir, las prácticas y reglamentaciones sociales sagradas de los Hawaiianos fueron desplazadas por el cristianismo. Si eso es lo que Puerto Rico debe evitar, ya es un poco tarde. En todo caso, a quien habría que pedirle cuentas sería a España.
A finales del siglo 19, empresarios y abogados blancos implantaron a la fuerza una Constitución que anuló el poder de la monarquía Hawaiiana y le quitó sus derechos políticos a la mayoría Hawaiiana a favor de las élites blancas. ¿Cuál es el riesgo que confronta Puerto Rico al respecto? Ninguno. En la isla el poder de la monarquía española terminó al instaurarse la primera república en el 1873 y la Constitución de Puerto Rico fue adoptada libremente por la mayoría de los puertorriqueños en el 1952 sin que ello representara la pérdida de sus derechos ciudadanos; al contrario, con esa constitución la ciudadanía terminó ampliada. Es cierto que el derecho constitucional en Puerto Rico no protege a todos por igual pero eso no es razón para evitar esa parte de la forma de gobierno republicana. En el 2010, solo 156,000 residentes declararon tener raíces ancestrales Hawaiianas y 371,000 declararon tener ancestraje Hawaiiano mixto. Esas cifras representan el 11 y el 27% del total de 1.4 millones, respectivamente. En el censo de 2020, solo el 10.8% de los residentes del estado declaró ser nativo Hawaiiano. ¿Es eso lo que Puerto Rico tiene que evitar? Es decir, ¿que los puertorriqueños se conviertan en una minoría en su propia tierra? Eso podría pasar dicen algunos y a renglón seguido sugieren que es necesario contrarrestar las fuerzas que amenazan la existencia de los puertorriqueños.
El miedo a la desaparición es real pero la probabilidad de la desaparición es nula. En Puerto Rico hay gente que por décadas viene gritando que por ahí viene ese lobo y el lobo no acaba de llegar. Al contrario, los puertorriqueños se resisten a desaparecer y aunque la tasa de fertilidad en la isla es una de las más bajas del mundo, estando hoy día por debajo de la tasa de reemplazo, esto no tiene nada que ver con lo que le pasó a Hawaii. Se trata más bien de un problema asociado con la migración y la educación: a mayor
socialización urbana como producto de la migración del campo a la ciudad y mayor nivel de escolaridad, menos fertilidad. Aun así, la población puertorriqueña sigue creciendo aunque ello ocurra menos en el territorio nacional y más en la diáspora.
Igual pasa con la identidad puertorriqueña. Ya van siglos durante los cuales la mayoría de los residentes de la isla y sus territorios adyacentes se han definido como puertorriqueños. El famoso escritor José Luis González, hijo de padre puertorriqueño y madre dominicana, se definía como puertorriqueño y su ejemplo es más que anécdotico: los hijos de matrimonios mixtos que se crían en la isla suelen definirse como nativos del país. Incluso los hijos de puertorriqueños nacidos y criados en Estados Unidos, incluyendo los que no hablan español, se definen como puertorriqueños y ¿quién quiere revivir el prejuicio de los nacionalistas de los años de 1970 que le negaban la identidad nacional a los nuyoricans porque no hablaban español? La cultura aborigen de Hawaii es polinesia. Hoy día esa cultura existe como vestigio ancestral. Eso sí hay que evitarlo en Puerto Rico. Pero ¿qué exactamente es lo que hay que preservar? La propuesta de Bad Bunny sugiere que la esencia cultural puertorriqueña es, en una extraña mezcla, la ruralía, el aislamiento que es típico del campo, la mata de plátano en el patio, con sillas de plástico para sentarse a escuchar reguetón y salsa, los quesitos, el español y el pago en efectivo. En esa visión, el inglés, el quesito vegano, y el pago con tarjeta deben ir ¡Pa’fuera, pa’la calle!, como dice la canción interpretada por El Gran Combo; aunque la propuesta es ambigua pues concede que a pesar del inglés, de la desaparición de las relaciones comerciales informales que permiten pagar después pues uno conoce al dueño del negocio, y del pago con tarjeta, “seguimos aquí”, como en Hawaii donde la música Hawaiiana, por ejemplo, persiste como una mezcla de influencias que la hacen distintiva. Si la cultura ancestral de Hawaii persiste como un vestigio, ¿cuál es la causa? ¿La estadidad o la diversidad demográfica, la diversidad racial, la inmigración, o la globalizacion? ¿Cuál de esos fenómenos sociales debe o puede Puerto Rico evitar? ¿Debería ponerle freno al influjo de norteamericanos y si es así, por qué parar ahí y no evitar la inmigración de cubanos, venezolanos y dominicanos?
Hawaii es uno de los estados más ricos de la unión norteamericana. Sus residentes tienen la expectativa de vida más alta de todos los estados. Desde el 1978, el Hawaiiano es el segundo idioma oficial del archipiélago. El 92% de los residentes tienen seguro de salud y las compañías de seguros están altamente reglamentadas. El énfasis en la medicina preventiva hace que los Hawaiianos requieran menos hospitalizaciones que los residentes del resto de los Estados Unidos. El modelo Hawaiiano de salud pública es usado con frecuencia como ejemplo a seguir por aquellos que abogan por planes universales de salud pública. En el Congreso norteamericano, Hawaii tiene dos senadores y dos representantes. ¿Todo eso es lo que Puerto Rico debe evitar? Fíjense que en el Congreso esos cuatro políticos representan con voz y voto a 1.4 millones de habitantes; Puerto Rico tiene un Comisionado Residente representando a 3.4 millones de puertorriqueños sin derecho al voto.
La cosas malas que le han pasado a Hawaii Puerto Rico no las puede evitar porque ya le han pasado: daño ecológico causado por el militarismo y el turismo; un sistema oligarquico en el que la mayoría de los recursos están controlados por una minoría. Bad continued on page 7
Opinión
Education: The Gateway to Freedom
Black History Month is a time to reflect, celebrate, and honor the journey of those who came before us. It is also a time to think deeply about the role education has played in shaping that journey - how it has served as a beacon of hope and a pathway to freedom.
by Dr. SONIA E. DINNALL • Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools
Our ancestors understood the power of education. Even when they were denied the right to learn, they found ways to teach themselves and each other. They knew that education was not just about reading, writing and arithmetic; it was about claiming their humanity, their dignity, and their right to dream of a better life.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are a testament to that belief in the transformative power of education. HBCUs were born out of necessity, at a time when Black students were shut out of other institutions, and an unrelenting desire for equal access to higher learning. These schools became more than just places to earn degrees; they became communities that nurtured leaders, innovators, and visionaries.
I think about this legacy often as I engage with our precious students. Education is still the key that unlocks doors, builds confidence, and helps our children see the endless possibilities in their futures.
Here in Springfield Public Schools, we believe in our students, their families, and the power of education to change lives. Every day, we work to ensure that all our students, no matter where they come from, have the tools, support, and encouragement they need to thrive.
This Black History Month, I invite you to reflect on what it means to Believe—in ourselves, in our children, and in the bright future we can build together through education.
Versión en español
La educación: La puerta a la libertad
El Mes de la Historia Negra es un momento para reflexionar, celebrar y honrar la trayectoria de quienes nos precedieron. También es el momento de reflexionar profundamente sobre el papel que ha desempeñado la educación en la configuración de ese viaje: cómo ha servido de faro de esperanza y de camino hacia la libertad. Nuestros antepasados comprendieron el poder de la educación. Incluso cuando se les negaba el derecho a aprender, encontraban formas de enseñarse a sí mismos y a los demás. Sabían que la educación no consistía sólo en leer, escribir y calcular, sino en reivindicar su humanidad, su dignidad y su derecho a soñar con una vida mejor.
Los Colegios y Universidades Históricamente Negros (HBCU) son un testimonio de esa creencia en el poder transformador de la educación. Las HBCU nacieron de la necesidad, en un momento en que los estudiantes negros estaban excluidos de otras instituciones, y de un deseo implacable de igualdad de acceso a la enseñanza superior. Estas escuelas se convirtieron en algo más que lugares donde obtener títulos: se convirtieron en comunidades que formaron líderes, innovadores y visionarios.
Pienso a menudo en este legado cuando trato con nuestros valiosos estudiantes. La educación sigue siendo la llave que abre puertas, genera confianza y ayuda a nuestros niños a ver las infinitas posibilidades de su futuro.
Aquí, en las Escuelas Públicas de Springfield, creemos en nuestros estudiantes, en sus familias y en el poder de la educación para cambiar vidas. Cada día, trabajamos para asegurar que todos nuestros estudiantes, sin importar de donde vengan, tengan las herramientas, el apoyo y el ánimo que necesitan para prosperar.
En este Mes de la Historia Negra, les invito a reflexionar sobre lo que significa creer: en nosotros mismos, en nuestros hijos y en el brillante futuro que podemos construir juntos a través de la educación.
¿Qué fue lo que le pasó a Hawaii? continued from page 6
Bunny sugiere que para evitar lo que le pasó a Hawaii hay que amar a Puerto Rico y defender su cultura y tradiciones. Por favor. Como si hubiese alguien en Puerto Rico que necesitara acordarse de eso. La defensa de la cultura y las tradiciones puertorriqueñas se viene dando en la isla de manera ininterrumpida desde antes de que Bad Bunny naciera y lo que él ve es una amenaza donde no la hay. Al español, la bomba y la plena, no hay quien los destruya en Puerto Rico. Según El Nuevo Día, más de cien mil personas se aparecieron en las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián en su día de apertura el 16 de enero de este año. En marzo de este año se celebrará la edición 41 del día nacional de la salsa. Los organizadores ansían que Bad Bunny se presente pues eso de seguro atraerá una audiencia joven récord. Esa será una contribución que se le podrá adjudicar a Bad Bunny aunque sea como producto de una popularidad basada en una visión nacionalista de kindergarten
Mientras el puertorriqueño común y corriente se hala los pelos por los apagones, la corrupción política, el desempleo, el crimen, la
violencia contra las mujeres, y el capitalismo salvaje, él puede aislarse de todo eso mientras rueda su próxima película Dios sabe dónde, rodeado de gente chic de la farándula internacional. Bad Bunny se puede quedar con el Puerto Rico rural de mata de plátano que niega todo lo positivo de la modernidad mientras él vive la modernidad cosmopolita vacua pero altamente pecuniaria de las redes sociales, los talk shows insípidos, y las películas estúpidas de Adam Sandler. Pero, atiéndanme bien: la crítica al mensajero no debe opacar la crítica al mensaje. Perdónenme si creen que no lo evité.
JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA (cruzjose5319@gmail.com) es natural de San Juan y criado en El Fanguito y Barrio Obrero en Santurce, Puerto Rico. Es profesor emérito de ciencias políticas en la Universidad del Estado de Nueva York en Albany.
JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA
Dr. SONIA E. DINNALL, Springfield Public Schools
Disquietude about the Trump Immigration Roadmap
Even before he was in office, the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, had detailed plans promoting right-wing policies to reorganize the federal government. The conservative policies aim to reshape the principles of the United States government and to consolidate Trumps’ executive powers. Project 2025, which has become the foundation of Trump’s political and social agenda, envisions the administration making alterations to the federal government of the United States. The Heritage Foundation, key architects of Project 2025, has what has been identified as a conservative Christian agenda. This conservative policy program is comprised of 30 chapters, in total, approximately a 900-page document. CNN has reported that there were at least 140 prior Trump appointees who helped to craft the document (Fact Check.Org., September 20, 2024).
Project 2025, at its core, overhauls and draws on conservative principles, such as tax cuts. Dismantling federal bureaucracy is one of the key proposals in Project 2025. The plan seeks efficiency through: privatization of several federal agencies (e.g., Transportation Security Administration); elimination of others (e.g., Department of Education); wholesale overhauls of others (e.g., Housing and Urban Department, Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security) and dismantling of still others (e.g., National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration). However, with such a smug, self-certain efficiency, we need to question whether such governmental “efficiency” secures the political rights and economic opportunities of the average American citizen. We are skeptical that their conservative political program will benefit our neighbors in small and underrepresented communities. Keep in mind, an Executive Order is a formal, written mandate issued unilaterally by the President that has the force of law. On the first day of Trump’s Presidency, 26 Executive Orders were signed by Trump. A sitting President has this authority vested to him by the Constitution. Trump’s sweeping executive orders have drawn comparisons to Project 2025, (i.e., the aforementioned Heritage Foundation conservative policy blueprint) which appears largely to guide his goal to radically alter the federal government over the span of four-years.
Immigration
Both Project 2025 and Trump’s Executive Orders increase deportations and raids targeting immigrant communities, revoke birthright citizenship, and dismantle the nation’s asylum system. Trump signed orders declaring illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency. Also he signed an Executive Order targeting automatic citizenship for USborn children of illegal immigrants. If it is allowed to stand, the children born after February 19, 2025 would be rendered stateless and thus, they are able to be legally deported. It includes expanded powers for immigration and custom enforcement to deport swiftly certain undocumented migrants from anywhere in the United States.
Raids targeting immigrant communities
President Donald Trump ran on a promise of mass deportations and the enactment and enforcement of tougher measures at the southwest border. Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations may come to fruition over the coming weeks as immigrant communities prepare for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Despite the predicted large-scale raids in Chicago and New York City this week, smaller operations took place instead. However, there is no doubt he is strengthening the support for his shocking plans for mass deportation
MIGUEL L. ARCE and JOSÉ P. ARCE
and is creating a bureaucracy to streamline the expulsion of untold numbers of illegal immigrants.
Immigration agents will also be allowed to enter schools, hospitals and churches to make arrests. In a poll undertaken by Newsweek (January 24, 2024) most Americans do not support those locations to be targeted for mass arrests of undocumented migrants and immigrants. Fewer people support the separation of families. However, sadly 34% support it. A New York Times poll, conducted on January 2, 2025 among 2,128 adults, found that 63 percent of Americans support deporting undocumented migrants who have entered the U.S. in the past four years. However, the same poll also found that 55 percent of Americans do not support efforts to end birthright citizenship. On the other hand, 41 percent support those efforts.
Birthrights
President Trump is expected to kick-start the process to revoke birthright citizenship after years of proposing the constitutional change as a way to reduce undocumented immigration. Birthright citizenship, meaning that someone born within the United States or its territories is automatically a U.S. citizen, is currently protected by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Pew Research Center estimated that 1.3 million U.S.-born adults are children of unauthorized immigrants, according to gathered data in 2022, (the latest available). Trump’s Executive Order does not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents without legal status. However an executive order alone cannot eliminate birthright citizenship as described in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Dismantling the nation’s asylum system
The administration has constructed, layer by layer, a series of impediments in Central America, at the U.S.-Mexico Border, in detention centers, and in the immigration courts, which have made obtaining asylum nearly impossible. Trump’s administration wants to send migrants back to Mexico or Central American countries. Previously, asylum seekers would have to get in front of an immigration judge. Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations may come to fruition over the coming weeks as immigrant communities prepare for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Trump has massively expanded the detention of asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers in the United States have been met with fierce rhetoric from right-wing, anti-immigration commentators and the government. They believe that we can’t let everyone in who wants to come here. Their rhetoric propounds that the United States is being “invaded”. The right-wing asserts that refugees are a burden on the economy and have no desire to work.
The reality is that refugees don’t migrate by choice. They are fleeing impossible circumstances. More importantly, they contribute to our society and work in jobs which would, otherwise, be left unfilled. They contribute to the community by paying taxes and starting businesses. Asylum seekers want to work and so actively seek employment. Most importantly, refugees should be supported based on their need for protection from the violence that is directed at them and the lack of opportunities condemning them to impoverished lives in their own countries.
Educación / Education
American International College Achieves Hispanic Serving Institution Eligibility
SPRINGFIELD, MA | AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE |
January 7, 2025– American International College (AIC), a cornerstone of the Western Massachusetts community with a longstanding commitment to supporting and fostering diversity, is pleased to announce that it has reached the enrollment threshold for Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation. Official recognition of HSI status, granted by the U.S. Department of Education to not-forprofit, degree-granting institutions with at least 25% of their full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate enrollment identifying as Hispanic, is expected within the next two years.
Since its establishment in 1885, AIC has provided access to higher education for underserved populations. This mission was bolstered by the 2022 launch of AIC Reimagined, a five-year strategic plan that prioritized achieving HSI designation. As of Fall 2024, Hispanic/ Latino students represent more than 27% of AIC’s undergraduate enrollment, a landmark achievement for the institution.
“This milestone is a testament to AIC’s long-standing commitment to serving students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and to our mission of access and opportunity for all,” said Interim President Nicolle Cestero. “Achieving this designation will allow us to strengthen our support for Hispanic and Latino/Latina students while further fostering the inclusive campus environment where every student can thrive.”
While the growth in Hispanic and Latino/Latina student enrollment has positioned AIC to pursue this designation, the College remains committed to cultivating a vibrant community that serves students from all backgrounds. HSI status will provide access to federal and foundation grants, expanding resources to benefit the entire student body.
Campus leaders engaged in the work toward HSI designation were encouraged by the news of reaching the enrollment benchmark.
Among them was Carmaris Denson, co-chair of the College’s HSI Committee and assistant director of the AIC Core Education Program (ACE), which provides support for first-generation college students. Denson highlighted the critical role of service in achieving the HSI designation. “The most crucial part of HSI is the ‘S’—serving. Our goal is to intentionally streamline access to education, resources, and support in a culturally responsive way, ensuring that our Hispanic/ Latino/Latina students feel welcome and develop a stronger sense of belonging at AIC. By doing so, we can create a service model that benefits all students,” said Denson.
AIC’s journey to HSI status began in 2015 when the College was first recognized as an Emerging Hispanic Serving Institution. This new milestone mirrors the growth of the Hispanic population in the Springfield area, where 47.8% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina, according to the latest census data. Between 2010 and 2020, the Hispanic or Latino population in Springfield grew by 19%, aligning with statewide trends.
According to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, there were a total of 600 Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation and Puerto Rico in the 2022-23 academic year, the most recent listing available. Of these, 180 were private, non-profit, fouryear institutions. In Western Massachusetts, however, no traditional, private, four-year institution held this designation.
Educación / Education
SPHHS Doctoral Student Receives National Award to Support Dissertation Research in Puerto Rico
by PATRICK FREEMAN • Director of Marketing and Communications
This article originally appeared on the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences website.
AMHERST, MA | UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS – AMHERST |
January 7, 2025 - Ada López González, a doctoral candidate in speech, language and hearing sciences, has been awarded a twoyear, $98,000 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in HealthRelated Research (F31-Diversity) from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will support her dissertation research, which focuses on developing caregiverimplemented early language interventions for Spanish-speaking families in Puerto Rico. López González will conduct all her research in Puerto Rico, beginning this spring.
The F31-Diversity award supports research training for predoctoral students from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups in the biomedical, behavioral or clinical research workforce. The fellowship experience is designed to enhance the trainee’s potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist.
“Ada’s work is at the forefront of priorities in our field related to health equity, and she is the ideal scholar to conduct this work,” notes Megan Gross, an assistant professor of speech, language and hearing sciences, who serves as López González’s faculty mentor and directs the Bilingual Language Development Lab. “This has been Ada’s passion project since she started as a doctoral student in 2021, fueled by her own experiences growing up and working in Puerto Rico. Ada excels in setting goals and taking the necessary steps to achieve them – learning new research skills, connecting with mentors across the country who have relevant expertise, and building trusting relationships with community partners. This fellowship will help to launch not only her career, but also those of the many students Ada will mentor as a future independent researcher.”
In addition to her F31 grant, López González has received two other awards in support of her dissertation research: a $2,000 2024 Student Research Grant in Early Childhood Language Development from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, intended to support studies that focus on children at the preschool or earliest school developmental level; and a $6,638 Dissertation Fieldwork Grant from the UMass Amherst Graduate School, which is designed to support expenses only related to the project’s data collection.
“The F31 fellowship will be essential to facilitate training and gain knowledge from experts in diverse research domains,” López González says. “With this funding, I will have the opportunity to concentrate all of my efforts on the implementation of my dissertation project in Puerto Rico. Furthermore, funding from the UMass Graduate School and the ASH Foundation will be essential to cover my living and research expenses as I collect data on the island. This project has been my dream since I began my career as a speechlanguage pathologist and now as a researcher. Receiving support from both external institutions and UMass exceeds my expectations. I am immensely grateful.”
In her study, López González will gather key information about current early intervention practices and the perspectives on early intervention of caregivers and speech-language providers in Puerto Rico. Early intervention is crucial to improve academic and social outcomes for children at risk for language impairment. Intervening in the early stages of development is key to taking advantage of brain plasticity, which is more effective in early childhood.
Coaching caregivers to use language facilitation strategies with their children has been documented as an effective approach to support children’s communication development. Hence, caregivers play a critical role in their children’s language development and are known as children’s first language teachers.
However, the majority of this research has been conducted with white, non-Hispanic families, limiting equitable access to culturally and linguistically appropriate caregiver-implemented early language interventions for Latine children.
“We will gather key information about current early intervention practices used by speech-language providers and early interactions between caregivers and their children with language delays in Puerto Rico,” López González says. “This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the use of coaching practices by speechlanguage providers and the use of naturalistic language facilitation strategies by caregivers in Puerto Rico, with the ultimate goal of developing or adapting a caregiver-implemented early language intervention that could benefit this population.”
López González’s study will include three research aims: 1) to characterize the use of naturalistic language facilitation strategies by caregivers and the factors that influence the use of these strategies; 2) to examine the use of language facilitation strategies and coaching practices by speech-language providers, and identify the factors that influence the use of coaching practices; and 3) to describe the perspectives of speech-language providers and caregivers about caregiver-implemented early language interventions.
“Ultimately, the project will address the needs of underserved and historically marginalized families in Puerto Rico,” adds López González. “The significance of this research lies in its potential to serve as the initial step toward the adaptation and development of the first culturally and linguistically responsive caregiver-implemented early language intervention for families in Puerto Rico.”
ADA LÓPEZ GONZÁLEZ
Educación / Education
Multilingualism improves crucial cognitive functions in autistic children
by WILL HOUSTON | Media relations and outreach for UCLA Health Neurology and Neurosurgery
This article originally appeared on www.uclahealth.org.
LOS ANGELES, CA | UCLA HEALTH | January 3, 2025 – A new study from UCLA Health adds to the growing body of evidence on the cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages, finding that multilingualism not only enhances general cognitive abilities but also may help reduce certain symptoms and bolster control of daily thoughts and actions in children with and without autism.
UCLA Newsroom
The study, published in the journal Autism Research, found parents of autistic and non-autistic children in multilingual households reported their children had stronger overall executive function, including the ability to focus, understand other people’s perspectives, communication and reduced levels of repetitive behaviors, compared to children in monolingual households.
“It turns out that speaking multiple languages, whether or not you have a diagnosis of autism, is associated with better inhibition, better shifting or flexibility, and also better perspective-taking ability,” said study lead author Dr. Lucina Uddin, a UCLA Health Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences professor and director of the Brain Connectivity and Cognition Laboratory at The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.
Conducted initially at the University of Miami, the study recruited more than 100 autistic and non-autistic children ages 7 to 12 from both monolingual and multilingual households. Most of the multilingual households spoke Spanish and English at home. Parents were asked to score their child’s executive function skills, which are often affected by autism spectrum disorder. Skills assessed included:
• Inhibition: the ability to suppress doing something irrelevant or get distracted.
• Working memory: the ability to keep something in mind, such as remembering a phone number.
• Shifting: the ability to switch between two or more different tasks, such as playing with toys and cleaning up after.
Parents were also asked to score some of the core abilities affected by autism, such as the ability to understand different perspectives, social communication and repetitive behaviors.
Results from the survey found multilingualism is associated with better inhibition, shifting and perspective-taking skills in children both with and without autism.
“If you have to juggle two languages, you have to suppress one in order to use the other. That’s the idea, that inhibition might be bolstered by knowing two languages,” Uddin said.
Speaking multiple languages also positively affected some of the core symptoms of autism, resulting in improved communication, reduced repetitive behaviors and improved perspective-taking skills, Uddin said.
Uddin said there can be a concern among parents of autistic children that speaking multiple languages could contribute to delays in their child’s development relating to language learning. However, she said the evidence so far has suggested no negative impacts and possible long-term benefits.
“The big takeaway is we don’t see any negative effects of speaking multiple languages in the home,” Uddin said. “It’s actually beneficial to celebrate all the languages associated with your culture.”
From these findings, Uddin is expanding the study and addressing limitations. The new study will recruit about 150 children with autism and will include more executive function and language tests as well as brain imaging.
Libros / Books
The Bad Bunny Enigma -
Culture, Resistance, and
Uncertainty
edited by SHILLA R. MASERA, NELSON VARAS-DÍAZ & DANIEL NEVÁREZ ARAÚJO
Contributions by Sheilla R. Madera; Nelson Varas-Díaz; Daniel Nevárez Araújo; Stephen G. Adubato; Noel Allende-Goitía; Sarah Bruno; Ericka Collado; Dominique L. La Barrie; Olivia Maria Martins; Julia Mccabe; Yara Mekawi; Jorell Meléndez-Badillo; Dozandri Mendoza; Townsend Montilla; Ileana Pérez; William ‘Liam’ Puche Barraza; Adriam José Puche Barraza; Luis E. Rivera-Figueroa; Carlos Rivera Santana; Eunice Rojas; Omar Ruiz Vega; Aurora Santiago Ortiz; Madison Silverstein; Daniel J. Vázquez Sanabria And Elyse Veloria
This collection offers the first comprehensive analysis of Bad Bunny’s impact on music, culture, and politics. Exploring his gender-fluid style, Afro-Caribbean aesthetics, and critiques of colonialism, the book highlights his role in amplifying marginalized voices. With contributions from diverse scholars, it presents a balanced view of his influence on intersectional resistance. The chapters examine whether Bad Bunny represents a cultural shift or a fleeting moment, positioning him as a multifaceted figure in contemporary culture and activism.
Editorial Reviews
“Reading each chapter is to see Puerto Rico through one of the rhythms that has captivated and challenged more than one generation. You are invited to see its slang through the eyes of Boricuas, and from the perspective of a Latin America absorbed in the Bad Bunny effect. It’s a walk to be captivated by our identities
that are manifested in his music. It is to find how Bad Bunny denounces and expresses what he sees and experiences in the archipelago, and how other people perceive him. It is history, community and academia, dancing to our realities, al ritmo del reguetón.”-- Yarimar Rosa-Rodríguez, University of Puerto Rico
“This collection of essays examines from a multidisciplinary perspective the inherent complexities surrounding Bad Bunny as an unparalleled global phenomenon. Through deep analysis and anchored in a variety of theoretical frameworks, the book questions, contextualizes, and problematizes Bad Bunny as an enigmatic figure. It delves into the creative choices and political postures manifested throughout his career to provide a profound interpretation of Bad Bunny’s artistic expression, contemporary audiences, and the music industry.” -- Noraliz Ruiz, Independent Ethnomusicologist --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
About the Authors
Sheilla R. Madera is a professor at Florida International University. Nelson Varas-Díaz is a professor of global and sociocultural studies at Florida International University. Daniel Nevárez Araújo is an assistant professor of English at the University of Puerto Rico.
Making Never-Never Land - Race and Law in the Creation of Puerto Rico
BY MÓNICA A. JIMÉNEZ
• CHAPEL HILL, NC | THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS | June 4, 2024 | 190 pages
Description
Puerto Rico has been an “unincorporated territory” of the United States for over a century. For much of that time, the archipelago has been mostly invisible to US residents and neglected by the government. However, a series of crises in the first two decades of the twenty-first century, from outsized debt to climate fueled disasters, have led to massive protests and brought Puerto Rico greater visibility.
Mónica A. Jiménez argues that to fully understand how and why Puerto Rico finds itself in this current moment of precarity, we must look to a larger history of US settler colonialism and racial exclusion in law. The federal policies and jurisprudence that created Puerto Rico exist within a larger pantheon of exclusionary, race-based laws and policies that have carved out “states of exception” for racial undesirables: Native Americans, African Americans, and the inhabitants of the insular territories. This legal regime has allowed the federal government plenary or complete power over these groups. Jiménez brings these histories together to demonstrate that despite
Puerto Rico’s unique position as a twenty-first-century colony, its path to that place was not exceptional.
Editorial Reviews
“Jiménez presents an insightful legal analysis of Puerto Rico and how the U.S. government treats it. Both scholars and general readers interested in learning more about Puerto Rico’s past and recent history will appreciate this work.”— Library Journal
A timely and important contribution to our understanding of the long colonial crisis in Puerto Rico under US rule. Taking seriously the injunction to study history from the margins, Jimenez uses Puerto Rico as a case study for the operation of US settler colonialism as a racial and legal project.”— Samuel Erman, University of Michigan
About the Authors
MÓNICA A. JIMÉNEZ is a poet and historian. Her research and writing explore the intersections of law, race, and empire in Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Jiménez has received fellowships in support of her work from the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly the Woodrow Wilson Foundation), the Ford Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School. In 2021, she was named an inaugural Letras Boricuas Fellow by the Flamboyan Arts Foundation. Her scholarly and creative writing has appeared or is forthcoming in WSQ: Women Studies Quarterly, Latino Studies, CENTRO: Journal, and sx salon, among others.
Radical Solidarity
Ruth Reynolds, Political Allyship, and the Battle for Puerto Rico’s Independence
By LISA G. MATERSON •Chapel Hill, NC | THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
Radical Solidarity tells the riveting story of Ruth Reynolds (1916–89), a white pacifist from South Dakota who became a stalwart ally of nationalist revolutionaries during Puerto Rico’s long struggle for independence. Reynolds dedicated her life to ending US control of the archipelago. She testified before Congress and the UN, organized fellow North Americans, investigated the brutal tactics used by the colonial state to quash independence sentiment, and was incarcerated as a political prisoner.
Lisa G. Materson introduces the concept of “radical solidarity” to describe Reynolds’s powerful model for globally engaged activism. Guided by her vision of allyship, Reynolds developed deep bonds with the Puerto Rican nationalist women with whom she was imprisoned, collaborated across ideological divides with revolutionary leaders, and established lasting relationships with civil rights lawyers, political exiles, and New Left activists. Her radical solidarity enabled her to remain a tireless champion for Puerto Rico’s independence through five decades of hope, disappointment, and political change. Her life reveals the price paid by those who supported an independent Puerto Rico and sheds light on the possibilities of working across differences in the face of US state-sanctioned violence and colonialism.
Editorial Reviews
Lisa Materson has drawn on an impressive array and quantity of resources that make for an extremely moving and inspiring read. It is an excellent and important project.”— Margaret Power, author of Solidarity across the Americas: The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and Anti-imperialism
“Materson’s discussion of Reynolds’s life helps us understand the complexities of solidarity activism&8239;as well as the ways that Puerto Ricans and their allies have fought for liberation from colonial rule. Well written and engaging, the book stands to make a major contribution to the field.” — Marisol LeBron, author of Policing Life and Death: Race, Violence, and Resistance in Puerto Rico
In this stunning biography of Ruth Reynolds, a lifelong pacifist with deep roots in the Midwest, Lisa Materson introduces us not only to one of the twentieth century ‘s most devoted, and unlikely, champions of Puerto Rican independence but also to the revelatory concept of radical solidarity. Neither political imprisonment nor the turn to violence on the part of some of her closest friends dislodged Reynolds’s commitment to exposing the colonial subjugation of Puerto Rico. Bringing a feminist lens to a lifetime of antiimperialist politics, Materson brilliantly offers Reynolds’s life as a master lesson in allyship while likewise bringing attention to a too-long-overlooked chapter of American empire.”— Lorena Oropeza, author of The King of Adobe: Reies Lopez Tijerina, Lost Prophet of the Chicano Movement
About the Author
LISA G. MATERSON is a professor of modern US women’s political history at the University of California at Davis. She documents the lives of women who challenged institutional power and abuse, often at great cost to themselves, in order assert the promises of US democracy. She is the author of Radical Solidarity: Ruth Reynolds, Political Allyship, and the Battle for Puerto Rico’s Independence (UNC Press, 2024) and For Freedom of Her Race: Black Women and Electoral Politics in Illinois, 1877-1932 (UNC Press, 2009). She is also co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of American Women’s and Gender History (Oxford, 2018) and the author of articles on women’s internationalism.
Latinx Journalism Matters Support
Publishers of Color
The impact of COVID-19 has been especially devastating for communities of color. Now, more than ever, independent, local journalism needs your support. El Sol Latino is your local Latinx-owned, independent news source that brings to the front lines diverse Latino voices, perspectives, news and stories. SUPPORT EL SOL LATINO
CAROLINA
África en Cuba: Legados de la Diáspora
por LEIDA FERNÁNDEZ PRIETO & MARIAL IGLESIAS UTSET MADRID, ESPAÑA | EDICIONES DOCE CALLES |
Septiembre 2, 2024 | 360 páginas
Cerca de un millón de hombres, mujeres y niños africanos fueron arrancados de su tierra natal y forzados a desplazarse a Cuba donde fueron esclavizados. Este éxodo involuntario se extendió desde los inicios del siglo dieciséis hasta finales de la década de 1860 y constituyó el tráfico continuo de personas provenientes de África más largo y sostenido en toda la historia del mundo atlántico. El 88 por ciento de las víctimas arribó la isla tardíamente, entre 1790 y 1867, en plena era de las revoluciones, a contrapelo de las corrientes de expansión de la noción de los derechos humanos y del abolicionismo en el hemisferio. Varios miles de esos hombres y mujeres africanos, arrastrados a la esclavitud en la infancia, estaban vivos todavía a comienzos del siglo xx.
Los africanos trajeron consigo sus tradiciones culturales, sus prácticas políticas y sus conocimientos naturales. Y también sus enfermedades endémicas, sus anticuerpos y su ADN, dejando una impronta demográfica, económica, política, cultural y biológica, que perdura hasta hoy día en la isla. Sin embargo, el grueso de los estudios de los legados de la migración de africanos hacia Cuba se centra en la herencia cultural: la supervivencia de los idiomas, las religiones, las tradiciones orales, la cultura culinaria, danza y la música.
Autoras
LEIDA FERNÁNDEZ PRIETO - Científica Titular del Instituto de
Arte / Art
Historia del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Es especialista en la historia de la agricultura del Caribe hispano en la intersección con la historia de la ciencia y la tecnología, medioambiente y esclavitud, siglos XIX y XX. Ha dirigido y participado en más de quince proyectos nacionales e internacionales en Cuba, España y los Estados Unidos. Es autora de numerosos artículos y capítulos de libros y de Cuba Agrícola: mito y tradición, 1878-1920 y Espacio de poder, ciencia y agricultura en Cuba: el Círculo de Hacendados, 1878-1917. Desde 2023, es directora de la revista de historia de la ciencia y la medicina Asclepio y miembro del consejo de redacción de la Revista de Indias.
MARIAL
IGLESIAS UTSET - Profesora en la Universidad de La Habana entre 1985 y 2010. Desde el 2011 trabaja como investigadora invitada en el Centro Hutchins de la Universidad de Harvard. Es autora de Las metáforas del cambio en la vida cotidiana, Cuba, 1898-1902 (La Habana, 2002), y de A Cultural History of Cuba during the US Occupation, 1898-1902 (Chapel Hill, 2011), y también de numerosos artículos y capítulos de libros. Dirige el Grupo de Trabajo sobre Esclavitud Comparada en el Instituto de Estudios Afrolatinoamericanos de la Universidad de Harvard. Fue miembro del comité directivo de SlaveVoyages, (2020-2022). Es miembro correspondiente de la Academia de la Historia de Cuba.
MATRIA by Michelle Falcón Fontánez Exhibition at Wistariahurst
HOLYOKE, MA | WISTARIAHURST MUSEUM | December 30, 2024
– Women are at the forefront of creating lasting change in our communities but are often undervalued, overlooked, and ignored.
MATRIA is a photo series that uplifts the stories of five Puerto Rican women that have made significant contributions in Holyoke. These leaders have dedicated themselves to making positive changes in our community through activism, preserving history, fighting for accessible education, connecting community members with resources, and engaging in volunteer work.
The community leaders featured in this project include: Gladys Lebrón-Martínez, María Salgado-Cartagena, Marisela Alvarado, Marisol Fontánez Cuadrado, and Yamaris Rivera. After its debut at Wistariahurst, Matria will move in Spring 2025 to Holyoke’s Puerto Rican Cultural District on Main Street, inviting an even broader audience to witness and celebrate these women’s journeys.
You can view MATRIA by Michelle Falcón Fontánez on Mondays (10am-2pm) and Tuesdays (4:30pm-6:30pm) from January 13th through March 25th, 2025. We encourage to join us in celebrating the stories of these amazing community members in Holyoke, with admission being free and open to the public.
Wistariahurst is an educational and cultural center owned and operated by the City of Holyoke and supported by the Wistariahurst Foundation. It is dedicated to preserving Holyoke’s history and
inspiring an appreciation of history and culture through educational programs, exhibits, and special events. Built in 1874, Wistariahurst is the former home of William Skinner, a prominent silk manufacturer, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, Wistariahurst offers a wide variety of public programs and events including: workshops, concerts, lectures and demonstrations and serves the community through educational programs, community partnerships, history projects, and outreach activities. More information is available at www.Wistariahurst.org.
Música / Music
Celebrated local singer-songwriter brings love to the stage this Valentine’s Day
Westfield, MA, January 20, 2025 - Westfield-based singer, musician, and producer Isabel Marcheselli will host a Valentine’s Day concert at Lang Auditorium at The Westfield Athenaeum on February 6 at 6:30 p.m. Suggested admission for the show is $10.
The evening will include an eclectic mix of romantic piano music, soulful indie pop, and lively jazz music. Audiences will experience Marcheselli’s arrangement of the Spanish Romance, Handel’s “Passacaglia,” and music from the iconic repertory of American composer Philip Glass. Some of Marcheselli’s original work will be performed as well, including her pop love song “Dot to Dot” and “Your Eyes.”
Marcheselli will be accompanied by her husband Gino, a western Massachusetts native, and her drummer who will also serve as backup singer.
“I’ve written many love songs, and I have been dreaming of doing a
concert like this for my local community for a long time,” Marcheselli says. In between melodies, she plans to read poetry, including some of her poetry from Heart’s Eye, a collection of poems and songs first published over ten years ago.
Recently, Marcheselli broke into the film industry when her original song, “Wander,” became a movie soundtrack for the ending and opening credits of the SONY award-winning film In Cod We Trust, directed by Seonghoon Eric Park and Raphael Edwards. A movie that portrays the joys and struggles of fishermen in Gloucester, this multi-award winning documentary was also an official selection at the 39th Boston Film Festival.
Marcheselli has released one album and three singles to date, including her pop piano album, Isabel and The Whispers. In 2021 and 2023, she received generous grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in recognition of her work as a musical artist and educator.
The daughter of South American immigrants, Marcheselli grew up in New York and received her musical education at the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, Mannes School of Music, and Hunter College. She has also studied under illustrious pianists Xiayin Wang and Josh Wright.
Later this winter on March 27th, Marcheselli is slated to perform a concert to help usher in the springtime at the Springfield City Library. To learn more, visit her official website at https://isabelmarcheselli.com/.
Las artes en UMass
Viernes, 7 de febrero
Endea Owens y The Cookout
Jazz de alta energía
Jueves, 13 de febrero
Limón Dance Company
Sábado, 22 de febrero
El Poder y la Gloria con Fleur Barron y Kunal Lahiry
Viernes, 28 de febrero
Kristina Wong: #FoodBankInfluencer
¡Primera presentación completa!
EXPOSICIONES DE ARTES VISUALES
Convención Desplegada de Jason Wolfe
Galería Augusta Savage, inauguración el 7 de febrero
¿Hay algo mal? Dibujos de Laylah Ali
Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo, inauguración el 14 de febrero
