February 2021
Volume 17 No. 3
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
“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman
contents
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OT TINTNAT E H INK CALIE por MANUEL
FRAU RAMOS
In Washington DC, … the Trump administration questioned SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico. Social security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are an essential part of the economic security of virtually all American citizens. SSI is an additional benefit, separate from Social Security, for low-income people who are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled.
2 Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink However, even though Puerto Rico is part of the United States, according to data from Social Security, there are over 380, 000 beneficiaries on the island who do not receive SSI. The Federal Government has determined that the residents of Puerto Rico are ineligible to receive these benefits. Last year, in June of 2020, the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston determined that excluding the residents of the island from SSI benefits was unconstitutional because it violates Fifth Amendment equalprotection guarantees. The Federal Justice Department, under Trump’s administration, questioned this legal decision, arguing it could deny SSI benefits to territories such as Puerto Rico that did not “enter” the United States “voluntarily” through “negotiation.” This seems to be another case of second-class citizenship for Puerto Ricans that reside on the island.
Cita del Mes/Quote of the Month “Recent weeks and months have taught us a painful lesson. There is truth and there are lies. Lies told for power and profit. Each of us has a duty and a responsibility as citizens, as Americans, especially as leaders ... to defend the truth and defeat the lies.” Joe Biden, 46th U. S. Presdent during his Inaugural Speech • January 20, 2021
3 Editorial / Editorial The Hill We Climb 4 Portada / Front Page Report analyzes 2020 election voting trends among Central Florida Latinos 5 UCLA Report Dispels Notion of Broad Latino Swing Toward President Trump 6 Edwin Meléndez bids farewell to Centro friends and colleagues 7 Carmen Yulín Cruz Joins Mount Holyoke College 8 T he Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Purchases Land for New Home 9 Libros/ Books Eddie Palmieri: La Historia del Sol Mayor 10 Cultura / Culture Clases Culturales en Bomba de Aquí Studio 11 Educación / Education Recinto de Río Piedras de la UPR obtiene Fondos de la Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Local College Presidents Receive National Recognition 12 Lessons Learned in STCC’s Fire Technology Program could Save a Life 13 Política / Politics Holyoke City Councilor Rebecca Lisi Launches Campaign For Mayor 14 S alud / Health De puerta en puerta para crear confianza en las vacunas contra covid en la Pequeña Habana 15 Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans
Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month
Debuta El Pulpo Corner en las Redes Sociales Founded in 2004
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Volume 17, No.32 n February 2021
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.
Editorial / Editorial
El Sol Latino February 2021
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Editor’s Note: As a way to honor and celebrate the changing political environment in our country, we are publishing the transcript of the poem written and recited by Amanda Gorman at the inauguration of Joe Biden in January 20, 2021
The Hill We Climb
That even as we grieved, we grew
We will not march back to what was
That even as we hurt, we hoped
but move to what shall be
That even as we tired, we tried
A country that is bruised but whole,
That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious
benevolent but bold,
Not because we will never again know defeat
fierce and free
The loss we carry,
but because we will never again sow division
We will not be turned around
a sea we must wade
Scripture tells us to envision
or interrupted by intimidation
We’ve braved the belly of the beast
that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
because we know our inaction and inertia
And no one shall make them afraid
Our blunders become their burdens
If we’re to live up to our own time
But one thing is certain:
Then victory won’t lie in the blade
If we merge mercy with might,
But in all the bridges we’ve made
and might with right,
That is the promised glade
then love becomes our legacy
The hill we climb
and change our children’s birthright
If only we dare
So let us leave behind a country
It’s because being American is more than a pride we inherit,
better than the one we were left with
When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace And the norms and notions of what just is Isn’t always just-ice And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it Somehow we do it Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken but simply unfinished We the successors of a country and a time Where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one And yes we are far from polished
it’s the past we step into and how we repair it We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it
will be the inheritance of the next generation
Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one We will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the west,
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy
we will rise from the windswept northeast
And this effort very nearly succeeded
We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states,
where our forefathers first realized revolution
far from pristine
But while democracy can be periodically delayed
but that doesn’t mean we are
it can never be permanently defeated
striving to form a union that is perfect
We will rebuild, reconcile and recover
In this truth
We are striving to forge a union with purpose
and every known nook of our nation and
in this faith we trust
To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and
every corner called our country,
For while we have our eyes on the future
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge,
history has its eyes on us
battered and beautiful
This is the era of just redemption
When day comes we step out of the shade,
We feared at its inception
aflame and unafraid
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs
The new dawn blooms as we free it
of such a terrifying hour
For there is always light,
but within it we found the power
if only we’re brave enough to see it
we must first put our differences aside
to author a new chapter
If only we’re brave enough to be it
We lay down our arms
To offer hope and laughter to ourselves
so we can reach out our arms
So while once we asked,
to one another
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
We seek harm to none and harmony for all
Now we assert
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
conditions of man And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us but what stands before us We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
we will rise from the sunbaked south
– Amanda Gorman
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino February 2021
Report analyzes 2020 election voting trends among Central Florida Latinos by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS
In the middle of January 2021, the Florida based organizations Alianza For Progress and Familias Presentes Movement published the report What Happened With Central Florida Latino Voters in 2020? The report explores the election voting trends (2012-2020) among Latino and Puerto Rican voters in the I-4 corridor (Interstate 4). Interstate 4 comprises a southwest to northeast route across the Florida peninsula that connects the booming metropolitan areas of Tampa-St. Petersburg, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Orlando and Daytona Beach. According to the report there are nearly 900,000 registered Puerto Rican voters in the state of Florida, more than 50 percent of them residing in the I-4 corridor. In recent years the I-4 corridor has become a very important political strategic region given the large number of undecided voters and a key important voting bloc hard to ignore in a large swing state. On November 4, 2016 Adam C. Smith, the former Political Editor for the Tampa Bay Times, wrote an article in Times analyzing the impact that the voters of this region would have in the presidential elections. The piece, titled “Florida’s I-4 corridor: Where presidents get picked”, highlighted the political importance of this region. The What Happened With Central Florida Latino Voters in 2020? report was prepared by Samuel Vilchez Santiago, an expert on Central Florida politics, analyzed the data of the 2020 general election from predominantly Latino and Puerto Rican precincts in Osceola, Orange, Hillsborough, Seminole, Polk, Volusia, and Pasco counties.
Major findings of the report:
1. “There was record-breaking voter turnout among Latino voters in Central Florida in the 2020 presidential election. During the 2020 presidential election, total voter turnout in the analyzed precincts was above 70% - a record breaking number that is congruent with statewide and national turnout trends. When compared to 2016, total turnout in these precincts increased from an averaged 69.5% to 70.5%.” 2. “Joe Biden earned a record number of votes from Central Florida Latinos. Joe Biden earned a record number of votes in almost every county we analyzed - all but Osceola. In fact, when compared to Clinton’s 2016 performance, Biden gained a total of 38,493 votes in these 144 predominantly Latino precincts in the I-4 corridor (9,040 in Seminole, 8,559 in Polk, 7,217 in Orange, 5,580 in Hillsborough, 4,363 in Volusia, and 4,296 in Pasco). “ “This is primarily a result of record turnout numbers among Latino and Puerto Rican voters, including demographic groups that are often deemed
as low- propensity voters such as Gen Z and Millennial Latinos. “ 3. “Puerto Ricans continue to be a reliably Democratic constituency. The higher the proportion of Puerto Rican voters in a given precinct, the higher the proportional support for Joe Biden was in the 2020 presidential election in that precinct. …. This is in line with the CBS News exit poll that showed Puerto Rican voters supported Joe Biden by a margin of 43% (71% - 28%). The Puerto Rican vote served as the backbone of Joe Biden’s majority support among Latino voters in Florida. “ 4. “Trump’s gains among Latino voters in Central Florida were limited. While Trump made proportional gains among Latinos in the I-4 corridor, these gains were limited to certain counties: Orange, Osceola, and Hillsborough.” 5. “The number of Puerto Rican elected officials in Florida continues to increase. As a result of their growing voter registration numbers, Puerto Ricans have made significant strides in local government representation - powered mainly by Democrats. In fact, between 2010 and 2020, the number of Puerto Rican elected officials in Florida rose from 6 to 26. This increase can be fully explained by the election of 21 new Democratic Puerto Rican elected officials in the last decade, rising from 1 in 2010 to 22 in 2020.” “From the election of Darren Soto as Florida’s first Puerto Rican Member of Congress in 2016 to the county-wide elections of Amy Mercado as Orange County Property Appraiser and Marcos López as Osceola County Sheriff in 2020, Puerto Rican voters have particularly become a growing force in local politics across Central Florida. “ Alianza for Progress is a Non-Profit Corporation based in Orlando, Florida. It was founded in 2018. Its mission is to create strategic alliances that allow for organizing, informing, and empowering the Puerto Rican community to develop leaders capable of bettering the quality of life of Latinxs in the state of Florida. Familias Presentes Movement is a Florida non-profit corporation organized in 2020. It seeks to empower Florida’s Latino families to utilize their political power in support of pro-student education policies at the local, state, and federal levels with the goal of creating new opportunities for Latino students. Samuel Vilchez Santiago is an expert on Central Florida politics, particularly focused on the performance and behavior of Latino voters. He has worked in local, state, and national political campaigns in the last four campaign cycles (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020). In 2018, Vilchez Santiago successfully managed Johanna López’s historic campaign to become the first Latina and Puerto Rican elected to the Orange County School Board.
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino February 2021
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UCLA Report Dispels Notion of Broad Latino Swing Toward President Trump LOS ANGELES, CA | UCLA LATINO POLICY AND POLITICS INITIATIVE | January 19, 2021- A report published January 19 by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (UCLA LPPI) determined that Latino voters were decisive in sending President-elect Joe Biden to the White House.
“The voters who helped put them in the White House will be expecting to see their needs reflected in federal policy, which is especially critical at a time when Latinos and Black communities are bearing the brunt of a devastating pandemic that requires urgent national action.”
The analysis of votes cast in 13 states is the most comprehensive look at how Latinos voted in the 2020 general election. In 12 of those states, Latinos supported Biden over President Donald Trump by a margin of at least 2 to 1. And in nine of the 13 — including the battleground states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — the margin was at least 3 to 1. Only in Florida was Biden’s margin among Latino voters less than 2 to 1.
The report also provides context for one of the prominent talking points that emerged in the immediate aftermath of the election. Many observers said that voting results in Miami–Dade County, Florida — where Trump got support from the majority of Latino voters — was evidence of a wider Latino swing toward Trump. Although the Miami–Dade result did help Trump win Florida, the UCLA report found that in all Florida counties outside of Miami– Dade, Latino voters favored Biden by a margin of 2 to 1. And in every other state analyzed in the study, Latinos voted for Biden by wide margins.
Nationwide, Latinos cast 16.6 million votes in 2020, an increase of 30.9% over the 2016 presidential election. By comparison, turnout was 15.9% greater among voters of all races. The states analyzed in the report — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin — are collectively home to about 80% of the nation’s Latino electorate. The authors write that Latinos played a key role in swinging election results in several battleground states. In Arizona, where Latinos represent 25.2% of all registered voters, the size and turnout of the Latino electorate helped Biden become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since Bill Clinton in 1996. And even in Wisconsin and Georgia — where Latinos make up less than 5% of registered voters — the Latino electorate helped tipped the results in favor of Biden, whose margin of victory was less than a single percentage point in each state. “As we approach the inauguration of the Biden–Harris administration, it’s important to remember the groups that helped secure their victory,” said Sonja Diaz, the founding director of the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative.
By looking at votes cast and demographic data at the precinct level, the report offers a more accurate analysis of the impact of Latino voters than other studies that have relied on exit polls, which do not capture enough Latino voters. “The report makes it clear that Latino voters are a swing electorate,” said Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, one of the report’s authors and the research director for the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative. “That means that future campaigns seeking to capture their vote must engage in meaningful outreach and engagement.”
Main Findings:
1. We estimate that 16.6 million Latino voters cast a ballot for the 2020 presidential election nationally. This represents a 30.9% increase, nearly double the nationwide 15.9% growth in ballots cast between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. This was the single largest 4-year increase in Latino vote ever. 2. Latino voters supported the Democratic candidate, Joseph R. Biden, by very wide margins across the country, and consistent with margins won by Obama in 2008 and 2012. o Latino voters supported Biden over Trump by a nearly 3 to 1 margin in the counties we analyzed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. o Latinos chose Biden over Trump with a 2 to 1 margin or larger in the counties we analyzed in Texas, Georgia, and Washington, and in Florida outside of Miami-Dade. 3. In Arizona, the size of the Latino electorate and their overwhelming support for Joe Biden flipped the state from Republican to Democrat for the first time since 1996. 4. In Georgia and Wisconsin, where the difference between the winning and the losing candidate was roughly 12,000 and 21,000 votes, Latino voters’ strong support for Biden and growth in votes cast helped tip the state in favor of the Democratic candidate. 5. In Florida, the Latino vote is diverse and unique from the rest of the nation. Latinos in Miami-Dade supported Trump by a 2 to 1 margin, but Latinos in the rest of the state preferred Biden with a 2 to 1 margin. Overall, a majority of Latinos in Florida voted for Biden, not Trump.
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino February 2021
Edwin Meléndez bids farewell to Centro friends and colleagues Dear friends and colleagues, I write you with mixed emotions. After extensive consideration, I have decided to step down as Director of the Center of Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) effective June 30, 2021. Apart from this, I have also requested a sabbatical leave for next academic year. I will devote my sabbatical to the understanding of disaster recovery in Puerto Rico, community planning and local participation, and supporting the critical initiatives and partnerships that Centro has championed in the island in recent years. Serving as Centro’s Director for almost thirteen years has been the most meaningful undertaking of my professional career. At times we have faced and continue to face serious challenges. But our achievements have always been rewarding and fulfilling. I am proud of and will leave satisfied with the progress that Centro has experienced during my tenure at the helm of this wonderful academic institution, growing our programs, staff, and budget; developing partnerships across the country to bolster historical preservation and our archives; and strengthening our outreach footing nationally to disseminate research and strengthen our community, and to support the solidarity movement with Puerto Rico. Among these achievements, rooted in the mandate of my appointment as Director, are: Research and Publications • Creating a post-doctoral full-time Research Associate program for strengthening the pipeline of the next generation of scholars in Puerto Rican Studies providing them with the opportunity to publish books and peer reviewed articles to continue on to academic careers. Since 2008, researchers participating in the program have published five books, four edited volumes, thirty-three articles in peer-reviewed outlets, eighteen book chapters, six major policy reports, among other contributions to generalized knowledge • Creating the Data Center as a repository of information on Puerto Ricans in the United States, as a producer of actionable knowledge such as Policy Briefs, Data Sheets and special topic Booklets that advance basic and applied research on the Puerto Rican community, and as a provider of data and statistical assistance services to advance research in priority areas. Since 2012, the Data Center has released more than twenty-five research briefs, more than twenty-five data sheets, dozens of population profiles for selected states, counties, metropolitan areas and cities, and more than twenty-five population maps. • Launching the RebuildPR and USA Web applications, making hundreds of layers of GIS data available to the public for community planning, public policy analysis, and demographic and sociological research stateside or island-based Puerto Ricans. • Establishing the Centro Research Exchange program benefiting over a hundred resident scholars, Master and Doctoral theses and dissertations, and post-doctoral and junior faculty fellows. • Entering in a partnership with the Inter-University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR) to sponsor the Mellon Fellowship Program to support six doctoral students in the humanities who were completing their dissertations with a $25,000 stipend and mentoring for completion of the dissertation.
• Spearheading and supporting a sponsored research program that has recently produced numerous studies on the impact of the disaster on the diaspora and Puerto Rico, including the impact of the exodus on the greater Hartford area, local responses in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the impact of the storms on community organizations in the island, and local engagement in post-disaster reconstruction. • Expanding the publication of the CENTRO Journal to three times a year and the expansion of special topics issues, especially recently, to accommodate increase coverage of the economic and humanitarian crises in Puerto Rico. • Launching Centro Press in 2013, which currently has fifteen published titles, and more forthcoming. Historical Preservation • Celebrating Centro’s 40th Anniversary and the 100 Puerto Ricans campaign in 2013 with the goal of expanding archival collections to a national scope and broader fields of accomplishments, celebrating sixteen affinity events across the country where we honored our pioneers and significantly increased the number of collections and oral histories in our archives. • As part of the 100 Puerto Ricans Oral History Project, over 300 interviews have been conducted with prominent Puerto Ricans who have made significant contributions to their fields and in the Puerto Rican community. • Securing the acquisition of collection donations to the archives from high public recognition individuals and organizations, such as Herman Badillo, Tato Laviera, Miriam Colón, Jose Serrano, and the National Puerto Rican Coalition among many others. • Launching the Centro’s Digital Collections portal, providing access to over 8,000 digital objects from across 153 collections, and to over 500 interviews from across oral history projects in its holdings. • Creating a network of active oral historians in cities and states such as Orlando, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Holyoke, Connecticut, and New York City. • Overseeing the move of the Centro Library and Archives from the Upper East Side campus to East Harlem. Outreach and Education • Convening the Puerto Rican community in fourteen stateside and four island search conferences to discuss among thousands of stakeholders and attendees the economic, fiscal and unfolding humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, and engaging the community in a thorough discussion of the impacts of the crisis on the island and stateside Puerto Ricans in order to ground the Puerto Rico solidarity movement. • Launching the Puerto Rican Heritage Cultural Ambassadors Program in 2016 with the collaboration of ASPIRA, El Puente, Comité Noviembre and other cultural organizations to promote historical recovery and civic engagement. This free, self-paced, multimedia online program has enrolled over seven hundred participants to learn about Puerto Rican history and culture by using Centro’s online asynchronous, distance learning platform and onsite workshops. • Launching Puerto Rican Voices, a TV series premiered in 2015 and now in production of its 5th season, and broadcast in collaboration with our partners WIPR, CUNY TV, BronxNet, and others. It highlights the contributions of Puerto Ricans across the United States. In 2016, it received the Imagen Award for Best Local Informational Program. • Launching the Centro eJournal, a demonstration initiative under the auspices of the Library and Archives, that seeks to provide new digital continued on page 10
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino February 2021
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Carmen Yulín Cruz Joins Mount Holyoke College SOUTH HADLEY, MA | MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE | January 4, 2021 Carmen Yulín Cruz, most recently the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been appointed the Harriet L. Weissman and Paul M. Weissman Distinguished Fellow in Leadership at the Weissman Center for Leadership at Mount Holyoke College. Cruz holds the appointment through December 2021. The Fellowship is made possible by a generous grant from Harriet L. Weissman ’59.
for Colgate-Palmolive, Banco Popular and Scotiabank. She also worked at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. She returned to Puerto Rico in 1992, working as an adviser to a previous San Juan mayor, and was elected to the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in 2008. She ran for mayor of San Juan in 2012 against Jorge Santini, a 12-year incumbent who called her “esa señora,” or “that woman.” Cruz won the election and was re-elected in 2016. Cruz came to international prominence after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017, both for her impassioned pleas for help after the storm and for her stinging critiques of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as the White House and the United States federal government more broadly. Mount Holyoke and Cruz have worked together since 2018 when Cruz first visited the College. That visit resulted in a partnership between the College and San Juan, aimed at advancing girls and women in San Juan with a summer STEM camp for girls in San Juan, first piloted in 2018. In 2019, Cruz helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Weissman Center, and came bearing letters from the campers.
Carmen Yulín Cruz (right), the Harriet L. Weissman and Paul M. Weissman Distinguished Fellow in Leadership at Mount Holyoke College, joins Harriet Weissman ’59 in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Weissman Center for Leadership in 2019. (Credit – Mount College College)
“I am honored to have received this opportunity from the Weissman Center at Mount Holyoke College to share my experiences with other young women and students who are looking to find their platforms and their voices,” said Cruz. “Speaking truth to power comes with its challenges, but when it is done out of sheer conviction and profound respect for the lives of others, we understand that raising our voices in times of need is not a heroic act. On the contrary, it is a necessary choice that must be exercised with the utmost respect for those who have felt the lethal impact of inaction and discrimination. Mount Holyoke College is not only about an education, but more importantly, it is a place which instills in its students and faculty the very basic concept that by uplifting others to reach their fullest potential, we are all better off.” “I am so delighted that Carmen Yulín Cruz, former member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives and Mayor of San Juan, will be the Harriet L. Weissman and Paul M. Weissman Distinguished Fellow in Leadership in 2021,” said Mount Holyoke College President Sonya Stephens. “Yulín’s strong connection to Mount Holyoke is already established, and this new year-long engagement will enable many more members of our community to experience first-hand her political insight, powerful leadership and generosity of spirit. Yulín’s record of public service and advocacy, for the people and with the people, her courage, her human warmth, as well her demonstrated commitment to justice and support of immigration, disability rights and gender diversity, all contribute to a leadership style and record of achievement from which we have much to learn. It is truly an honor to welcome her back to the College.” Cruz was an honor student at the University High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who went on to receive degrees from Boston University and Carnegie Mellon University. She has worked as a human resources director
Cruz’s numerous recognitions and awards include the Antonio Villaraigosa Leadership Award from the Latino Leaders Network, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Humanitarian Award and the Puerto Rico Arts Alliance’s Felisa Rincón de Gautier Distinguished Woman Award. In 2018, she was named to Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. In the past two years, she has been awarded the Dolores Huerta Woman of Courage Medallion from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, and an award from The Blue Card, an organization that aids needy Holocaust survivors. “I am deeply honored and also thrilled that Mayor Cruz will be our Harriet L. Weissman and Paul M. Weissman Distinguished Fellow in Leadership at the Weissman Center and that she will be joining the Mount Holyoke community,” said Amy E. Martin, director of the Weissman Center for Leadership and Professor of English on the Emma B. Kennedy Foundation. “Yulín is an inspiring leader who shows us what it means to create transformative change when you are guided by bravery, bold vision, a fierce commitment to equity and social justice -- and most of all, love and compassion. Mount Holyoke will benefit in so many ways from her presence, her experience and brilliance and her commitment to helping our students and all of us find ways to engage in meaningful, bold work to change the world. In a time when we all need inspiration and hope, Yulín brings that with her.”
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino February 2021
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Purchases Land for New Home HATFIELD, MA | THE FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS | January 6, 2021 – The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has purchased 16.5 acres of vacant land at the Chicopee River Business Park in Chicopee for its future headquarters and warehouse. After many years of planning and searching, The Food Bank selected this property to uphold its commitment to serve as the region’s clearinghouse of emergency food to meet the need for food assistance for decades to come. Andrew Morehouse, Food Bank Executive Director, said “this property is located strategically at the intersection of three major highways. It will not only accommodate a larger warehouse to meet our growth needs for the long term, but it is also close to the largest population center of our region with the highest concentration of households at risk of hunger and/or food insecurity both historically and at this critical moment.” The Chicopee River Business Park “CRBP” is owned by Westmass Area Development Corporation. Jeff Daley President & CEO of Westmass said, “I am excited to see the development of the new Food Bank headquarters move forward. They are such an important part of our community and to have them centrally located to the population they serve, is a testament to their board of directors and management team. This will be such a great addition to our business park, and we look forward to their opening.” Daley added, “The Westmass Board of Directors and management team hope this exciting project will reinvigorate the importance of the Chicopee River Business Park and other land that is under Westmass control.” Westmass Chairman of the Board Antonio Dos Santos added, “we are excited to watch The Food Bank begin their project for such an important mission. We are confident they will grow and prosper with this new location.” During the current COVID-19 pandemic, The Food Bank has provided nutritious shelf-stable and perishable emergency food, including fresh and local vegetables, dairy, and frozen meats, to an all-time high of approximately 119,000 individuals monthly across all four counties of western Massachusetts – Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties. In the last twelve months, The Food Bank distributed the equivalent of approximately 12.4 million meals through a vast network of 165 independent local food pantries, meal sites, shelters and through its own 78 direct-to-patron Brown Bag: Food for Elders and Mobile Food Bank sites.
While The Food Bank has had to operate with insufficient warehouse space for several years, the current COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated its overcapacity. Before the pandemic, The Food Bank’s annual food distribution grew annually at an average of six percent. During the last ten months of the pandemic, its distribution has grown by 29 percent. At its current 30,000 square foot facility, The Food Bank has been forced to store food in the aisles and on refrigerated trailers parked permanently at loading docks, creating warehouse inefficiencies and delays for inbound and outbound food distribution. “Our warehouse staff has overcome tremendous obstacles to keep up with demand during the pandemic, working long hours and finding creative way to get the food out to those who need it,” said Shirley DelRio, Director of Food Operations. Given its limited freezer space, The Food Bank has stored frozen offsite thanks to in-kind support from Pioneer Cold in Chicopee and Lineage Logistics in Westfield. At times, The Food Bank even has had to turn away some large retail store donations. Food Bank Board President Erica Flores stated, “The Food Bank will announce in the coming months the formal launch of a multi-million capital campaign in support of this project to better serve our member food pantries and those in need of food assistance across Western Massachusetts.” The Food Bank is currently working with several individuals and local companies with expertise in commercial real estate development that has provided pro-bono support, including The Dennis Group and O’Connell Development. “We want to design and construct a building that will provide maximum storage capacity potential, that is energy efficient and utilizes green technology, and is adaptable and welcoming to the surrounding community,” said Morehouse. Ultimately, The Food Bank will sell its current property in Hatfield. Morehouse is quick to add, “We will maintain our presence in the upper valley with our two Food Bank Farms in Hadley and, of course, uphold our commitment to those in need of food assistance in all four counties of our region.” The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts believes that everyone has a right to healthy food regardless of their circumstances. Serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, The Food Bank leads the region’s emergency food network, distributing nutritious food to households with lower incomes.. For more information, visit foodbankwma.org.
Libros/ Books Eddie Palmieri: La Historia del Sol Mayor por LIVIA DAZA, EDUARDO • San, Borja Perú: MESA REDONDA EDITORIAL Diciembre 20, 2020 | 300 páginas Eddie Palmieri: La Historia del Sol Mayor, de Eduardo Livia Daza, es la novela biográfica de un genio en el piano, un transformador como músico y un rebelde sincero en ideas. Nacido en una familia de genes artísticos -hermano de Charlie Palmieri- desde muy joven se codeó con grandes como «Tito» Puente y asumió -desde aquella edad- la fusión como su camino. De los grandes jazzistas de la historia, el mejor pianista de salsa, siempre buscó trasmitir una descarga de arte. Palmieri brilla como el sol y giran alrededor de él -desde la Perfecta I- grandes planetas -Ismael Quintana, Barry Rogers y «Manny» Oquendo, entre otros- hasta estos días. Ni bien apareció, nunca dejó de trasmitir aquel calor que hace mover pies, cuerpo y alma. Eduardo Livia Daza nos presenta, con su magistral pluma, al pianista por entero. Los premios son muchos, las anécdotas también, así como la rebeldía, la enseñanza y la calidad. Solo les queda disfrutar, rememorar y aprender de un genio y de sus obras históricas: «Azúcar», «Vámonos Pa´l Monte», «Palo Pa´ Rumba», etc. Y no olvidemos que el sol sigue alumbrando.
El Sol Latino February 2021
Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates … continued from page 15 In Colorado, Black workers at Centura Health were 44% less likely to get the vaccine than their white counterparts. Latino workers were 22% less likely. The hospital system of more than 21,000 workers is developing messaging campaigns to reduce the gap. “To reach the people we really want to reach, we have to do things in a different way, we can’t just offer the vaccine,” said Dr. Ozzie Grenardo, a senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer at Centura. “We have to go deeper and provide more depth to the resources and who is delivering the message.” That takes time and personal connections. It takes people of all ethnicities within those communities, like Willy Nuyens. Nuyens, who identifies as Hispanic, has worked for Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center for 33 years. Working on the environmental services staff, he’s now cleaning covid patients’ rooms. (KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.) In Los Angeles County, 92% of health care workers and first responders who have died of covid were nonwhite. Nuyens has seen too many of his co-workers lose family to the disease. He jumped at the chance to get the vaccine but was surprised to hear only 20% of his 315-person department was doing the same. So he went to work persuading his co-workers, reassuring them that the vaccine would protect them and their families, not kill them. “I take two employees, encourage them and ask them to encourage another two each,” he said. So far, uptake in his department has more than doubled to 45%. He hopes it will be over 70% soon. KAISER HEALTH NEWS (KHN), an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, produced this story. California Healthline is a free, daily publication featuring health care news, opinion and original reporting, designed to meet the information needs of busy health care professionals, decision makers, media organizations and consumers.
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Cultura / Culture
El Sol Latino February 2021
Clases Culturales en Bomba de Aquí Studio El recién abierto Bomba de Aquí Studio ofreció su primera actividad cultural y educativa con un taller de construcción de máscaras de vejigantes. El exitoso taller fue dirigido por Noelia Ramos. El nuevo espacio cultural está ubicado en 216 W. State Street, Granby, MA. Abrió sus puertas el 7 de noviembre de 2020. Este es el nuevo proyecto de la reconocida folclorista puertorriqueña de Bomba y Plena, Brendaliz Cepeda. Para mas información, comuníquese por teléfono al (413) 750-8579, (413) 636-9997 o por correo electrónico bombadeaqui123@gmail. com
Edwin Meléndez bids farewell … continued from page 6 humanities resources to scholars to expand Centro’s digital exhibits of archival collections with a broader public engagement and innovative digital humanities projects. • Launching a documentary series celebrating pioneers of the Puerto Rican diaspora, including Frank Bonilla (56 min), Pura Belpré (53 min), Clemente Soto Vélez (48 min), Rafael Hernández (26 min), Tato Laviera (56 minutes), and Julia de Burgos (forthcoming). • In collaboration with other CUNY research institutes and communitybased organizations, we launched in 2017 the annual Summit on Latin@s in New York City (SoL-NYC) to foster the creation of an action agenda and the improvement of the conditions and standing of New York City’s Hispanic population. Organizational Capacity-Building • Conducting strategic planning during the first-one-hundred-days after my appointment in 2008 inclusive of close to one hundred stakeholders’ interviews, developing an in-depth organizational assessment, and executing an implementation plan. In 2012, a second engagement with stakeholders informed a strategic assessment in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary celebration, the 100 Puerto Rican campaign and a national outreach campaign to celebrate affinity events across the country, and the library move to East Harlem. • Over the last decade, building a digital infrastructure for the 21st century, beginning with the revamping of the website, investing significant resources in virtualized fast servers, modernizing computers and repositories for the library, the data center, media production and other core operations, and installing state of the art applications to make content more accessible and visible to the public. • Modernizing the Centro website now publishing over five thousand online pages to date and improving annual page views from slightly over a hundred thousand the first year of operations to half a million in 2019. • Installing new communication technologies, launching a program of social networking, and implementing communication strategies to reach broader
academic, policy, and community audiences. Our weekly newsletter, Centro Voices, is published using NationBuilder to reach over a 150,000 supporters and prospects, 26,000 email subscribers, and its content reach over 28,000 Facebook followers and is also distributed in Twitter and Instagram. To Centro colleagues, I have been honored to work with you, our talented staff, who are as responsible as I could ever be about conceptualizing and executing programs that embody our mission. You have dedicated your professional talents to develop and operate these programs. I am proud of what we accomplished together and confident that we have fulfilled the high expectations for Centro of our academic and community stakeholders I wish you the best of luck in the future. I will continue to watch your progress closely and with pride. I look forward to future collaborations and supporting your work and aspirations in any way I can. To you, my deepest appreciation for helping me fulfill the mandate of my appointment as Director. To Centro friends, supporters, and partners, I know you join me in celebrating the trajectory and body of work Centro has brought forth. I extend my sincerest gratitude to you for your interest, collaboration, and support throughout the years. Your enthusiastic engagement with us in our programs made them possible, and more importantly, will safeguard their future continuity. To all, I know you will continue to support Centro for years to come, to help us make a smooth and successful transition to new leadership, and, as important, to help Centro endure the serious and threatening challenges the present difficult times represent for all public academic institutions. It would be heartbreaking to see a deep but nevertheless temporary economic crisis undo more than a dozen years of growth and achievements on the eve of its 50th anniversary. With your support, Centro will remain as an undisputed and peerless public asset of the City University of New York, Hunter College, New York, and the Puerto Rican people. Farewell, with love, Edwin
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Educación / Education
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Recinto de Río Piedras de la UPR obtiene Fondos de la Andrew W. Mellon Foundation RÍO PIEDRAS, PR | UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO – RÍO PIEDRAS | 11 de enero de 2021 - En un logro que apuntala su compromiso con los estudios sobre afrodescendencia y racialidad, la Facultad de Estudios Generales del Recinto de Río Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico acaba de obtener una generosa subvención de $700,000 de parte de la Fundación Andrew W. Mellon.
Dra. Mara Elba Torres y Dra. Mayra Santos Febres (crédito Universidad de Puerto Rico Río Piedras)
Esta subvención por tres años -de enero 2021 a diciembre de 2023- estará destinada específicamente a los siguientes propósitos de crear un Programa de Estudios Afrodiaspóricos y Racialidad y desarrollar una concentración menor en la Facultad de Estudios Generales así como trabajar en el desarrollo de una concentración mayor. Se ofrecerán 15 créditos por semestre en estos estudios.
También dicha asignación apoyará la celebración del Tercer Congreso Internacional en Afrodescendencia en Puerto Rico en octubre del 2021. Además, ayudará la misma a impartir cursos que incluyan los estudios postcoloniales, racialización, humanidades públicas, cultura, arte, el continente africano y la afrodiáspora, entre otros. Asimismo, ampliar el campo de investigaciones necesarias para este programa: estadísticas, epistemologías, decolonialidad de saberes; promover intercambios entre universidades en y fuera de Puerto Rico y el acceso a estudios afrodiaspóricos en otras instituciones universitarias “Para nuestro recinto es un honor que una institución de la talla de la Fundación Andrew W. Mellon nos haya otorgado una subvención como
ésta, gesto que es un fiel testimonio del reconocimiento y prestigio que nuestra universidad tiene más allá de nuestros límites insulares”, dijo el doctor Luis A. Ferrao, rector del campus riopedrense de la UPR. “Nuestro más profundo agradecimiento a esta célebre entidad, con la certeza de que esos fondos tendrán los frutos esperados y aún más, para continuar con la impostergable misión de estudiar, reflexionar y difundir la vastedad del conocimiento que se fragua en el mundo de la diáspora afrocaribeña”. Por su parte el presidente de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Dr. Jorge Haddock, detalló la importancia de la subvención para la academia y su contribución social. “Como principal centro docente y científico de la isla, una de nuestras prioridades es forjar profesionales con una preparación integral y vanguardista que aporten a la creación de una sociedad más justa e igualitaria. Gracias a la Fundación Andrew W. Mellon se podrá gestar un proyecto de gran envergadura, en temas trascendentales para la sociedad actual como lo son la afrodescendencia y racialidad. Igual de importante, es que esta subvención permitirá desarrollar y apoyar investigaciones, aspecto fundamental para la cultura y las humanidades. Agradezco su confianza y apoyo a nuestra institución, y de igual manera, agradezco y destaco el compromiso, esmero y dedicación de los profesionales de primer orden que, desde el Recinto de Río Piedras han logrado esta importante subvención, mediante la cual confiamos desarrollen un proyecto modelo en Puerto Rico y a nivel global. Enhorabuena”, expresó el Dr. Haddock. La obtención de estos fondos fue posible gracias a la intensa labor de la profesora y escritora, Dra. Mayra Santos Febres; el decano de la Facultad de Estudios Generales, Dr. Carlos Sánchez y su equipo de trabajo; la Dra. María Elba Torres, directora del Instituto Interdisciplinario y Multicultural (INIM); el Dr. Carlos González, decano del Decanato de Estudios Graduados e Investigación (DEGI) y sus colaboradoras, las señoras Ana Feliciano y Mercedes Monagas.
Local College Presidents Receive National Recognition HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | January 26, 2021 The presidents of Holyoke Community College, Greenfield Community College and, Elms College have been recognized for outstanding leadership in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the education technology company Cengage. HCC president Christina Royal, GCC president Yves Salomon-Fernández, and Our Lady of the Elms president Harry E. Dumay were among 13 college presidents nationwide to receive the AAC&U-Cengage Inclusion Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes college and university presidents whose outstanding leadership to advance liberal education has resulted in reduced equity gaps, improved inclusion and belonging for minoritized students, and reformed hiring practices to promote greater diversity. The recipients were announced Fri., Jan. 22, at the AAC&U Presidents’ Trust Symposium, part of the AAC&U Virtual Annual Meeting. The Presidents’ Trust Symposium brings together higher education leaders from all institutional types to explore the most pressing issues facing colleges and universities and to share strategies for success. “AAC&U is proud to recognize and support these exceptional leaders in their efforts to advance equity and quality as hallmarks of a liberal education across a diverse range of campuses and student populations,” said AAC&U president Lynn Pasquerella. The AAC&U-Cengage Inclusion Scholarship recognizes higher education leaders who support and advance quality, equity, and student success in undergraduate education. This includes improving degree completion or transfer for students from underrepresented groups; closing equity gaps in student success; improving diversity in hiring practices and creating more equitable hiring policies; and increasing the sense of belonging, well-being, and inclusion among students from historically underserved populations (e.g., racial and ethnic minorities, religious minorities, and LGBTQIA students).
HCC President Christina Royal, pictured recently at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, is one of 13 college presidents nationwide to be honored for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion on their campuses. “We are so excited to be able to support these amazing higher ed leaders who are making a real difference by reducing inequities and increasing access to education,” said Fernando Bleichmar, executive vice president and general manager for U.S. Higher Education at Cengage. “At Cengage, we believe learning transforms lives, and the work of these leaders is so critical in giving students the opportunity to better their lives and in creating an educated, informed, and just society.” In recognition of their accomplishments, the AAC&U-Cengage Inclusion Scholarship recipients will each receive a one-year, complimentary AAC&U campus membership and a one-year complimentary membership in the AAC&U Presidents’ Trust, a diverse network of chief executive officers who are committed to advancing the vision, values, and practices that connect liberal education with the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, a global workforce, and thriving communities. The Trust provides members with access to dedicated resources and events as well as exclusive opportunities to promote their thought leadership. “Growing up as a first-generation, low-income, multi-racial college student, I understand some of the challenges today’s students face and the importance of having an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive,” said Royal, who is also being honored this week (Thursday, Jan. 28) as one of the 2020 Women of Impact by BusinessWest magazine. “These are very important issues to me personally and professionally, as well as to our college community, and I’m honored to receive this recognition on behalf of HCC.”
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Educación / Education
El Sol Latino February 2021
Lessons Learned in STCC’s Fire Technology Program could Save a Life SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE | January 19, 2021 – Springfield Technical Community College student Dominic “Dom” Grilli is a full-time firefighter in Springfield’s station 4 on Carew Street. Still, he’s working on his associate degree in STCC’s Fire Protection and Safety Technology program at night.
His STCC classes, taught by people with deep firefighting expertise, have so far introduced him to firefighting history, the concepts of fire service and, importantly, building construction technology and fire behavior. These classes helped him better understand what can happen in a building fire, phenomena like backdraft, flash overs and the fire triangle.
Though he’s been through the state’s 10-week firefighter training academy, Grilli believes the two-year program will increase his skill levels as well as his earning potential. The Springfield department, like many others, offers educational incentive pay for its firefighting crews.
This understanding gave him an advantage when he was at the training academy.
Grilli, 26, who lives in the Sixteen Acres section of Springfield, actually graduated from STCC with a criminal justice degree in 2015. But when he went on to Western New England University for his bachelor’s in criminal justice, he realized the field was not for him.
“Once you get to the fire academy, they actually put rubber to the road and they actually put things on fire,” he said. He credits STCC with preparing him not only for the academy but what he encounters working on a fire truck in Springfield. “It’s a great program, some of the information you learn could save your life one day,” he said. Grillo acknowledges that his first weeks on the job were scary as he waited to be called out to fires. His STCC training is serving him in good stead in high-adrenaline situations. During his first year on the job as a probationary firefighter, he is working closely with his captain, instructed to never leave his side at a fire. “I trust him and the other guys with my life, and I hope they trust me with theirs,” he said. “That’s the confidence boost you need to get over those initial fears.” Fire Commissioner Bernard J. “BJ” Calvi, who earned an associate degree from STCC, recommends the Fire Protection and Safety Program at the college as a way of advancing in a career.
STCC student Dominic Grilli receives his pin during a ceremony in October 2020 (photo courtesy of City of Springfield).
“Being a police officer just isn’t my personality,” he said. “Growing up, things change, goals change.”
“The degree provides not only an opportunity to get a pay raise, but will make you stand out as a candidate for promotion,” Calvi said. “If you want to advance through the ranks of the fire department, all the way up to fire chief, the degree can help get you there. STCC’s program opens doors for firefighters and also is a good value. My degree from STCC paved the way for me not only to further my education but to also become Fire Commissioner.”
A competitive high school hockey player who worked at a public skating rink after high school, Grillo also continued playing hockey after high school. It was at the rink that he met Julian “Skip” Tenczar, who has worked at STCC in a variety of positions for 40 years and has been involved with the fire science program for many years.
Tenczar said the program is particularly strong because of the caliber of its instructors, who include people with long, distinguished careers in firefighting, including Peter Buonome who served as fire chief at Bradley International Airport for many years. Others include Enfield Connecticut Fire Chief Edward Richards and Laurence Brandoli, retired from the Springfield fire department who is now a nationally recognized fire investigator.
Naturally, the two talked about the program. For Grillo, something clicked. He decided firefighting was a career that appealed to him, an interest he attributes, surprisingly, to his hockey career.
“The teachers are real world, they’ve been active firefighters,” he said. “They’ve been in leadership roles in the firefighting community.”
“Firefighting is kind of like a team sport – we work as a team at all times,” he said. Meanwhile, Grillo realized that he had friends in the Springfield Fire Department. “I look up to those guys,” he said. So, after leaving WNEU, he set about pursuing a firefighting career, taking three classes at STCC while he continued working at the rink. Eventually, he landed a job last fall with the Springfield department, which sent him to the state training academy where he earned Fire 1 and 2 certification, hazardous materials and first responders certifications. And now, even though he works full time on a fire truck, he’s looking forward to earning his associate degree. Why? “The big one – not to be that guy – is the money,” he said. “Obviously, that’s the big one.” But there are other reasons, he said. First and foremost, safety and professionalism. “I’m a big fan of learning on the job, but there are some things you can’t learn until you have the foundation,” he said.
Tenczar says the program is suitable both for those new to the field and firefighters already advanced in their careers. In addition to the pay boost of an associate degree, it offers courses on advanced fire investigation and leadership skills that help people move up in the ranks. Because the instructors understand about the job’s unique demands, such as rotating shifts, they are flexible, which is helpful for working firefighters. For people right out of high school, the program offers a glimpse into a possible career as well as a good foundation for that career. “Having these classes is a huge advantage,” he said. “They have knowledge going in that can be helpful once at the academy.” Meanwhile, working as a firefighter in the city where he grew up, Grillo looks forward to earning a second associate degree at his alma mater in his chosen career. It’s work he loves for many reasons. No two days are the same. That’s a big plus. But there are many others. “You get the opportunity every day to help somebody,” said Grillo. “That’s the motivator.” Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
Política / Politics
El Sol Latino February 2021
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Holyoke City Councilor Rebecca Lisi Launches Campaign For Mayor HOLYOKE, MA | PRESS RELEASE | January 11, 2021 – Rebecca Lisi, Holyoke city councilor-at-large, today launched a bid for mayor at the steps of the Holyoke Public Library. Along with her husband Damian and son Lucien, Lisi spoke about historic preservation, economic development, COVID recovery, civic participation, open government, municipal services, and financial best practices. Speaking to a small group of supporters, she delivered her speech in English and Spanish. This was a COVID-safe event following all mask and distance protocols required by the Governor and public health officials. “I promise to help build a bridge from our past to our future; one that honors our historic buildings and assets while bringing in new designs and innovative technologies,” said Lisi. “I promise to help build a bridge between “old” and “new” Holyoke; one that connects families who have lived in Holyoke for generations, to those who love Holyoke enough to make it their home for the first time.”
means for stabilizing the city’s tax base. As mayor I will: Work closely with the Office of Planning and Economic Development to make sure we are marketing the city, expanding indoor grow operations, and bringing small shops and restaurants back to the urban core. COVID Recovery What I’ve done: I sponsored a 2019 ballot initiative to gauge the feasibility of a residential fiber optic network that will help Holyoke maintain its competitive edge in attracting new businesses and residents to the city. As mayor I will: Work in close partnership with Holyoke Gas and Electric to ensure we have the natural gas capacity and municipal fiber capabilities that Holyoke needs in order to grow and improve access to education, healthcare, and employment. Civic Participation What I’ve done: I helped found c.r.u.s.h. which was responsible for a brief spurt of broad civic volunteerism that led to the canals being lit for the holidays, a winter carnival, and serval years of the Great Holyoke Block Party, among other city events and forums.
Lisi has served on the Holyoke City Council since 2008. She is a doctoral candidate in Political Science at the Rebecca Lisi University of Massachusetts Amherst, ABD. Lisi lives in As mayor I will: Fund the creation of Neighborhood Associations where the Smith’s Ferry neighborhood with her husband, Damian, and their son, neighbors get to meet each other, learn about the issues in their Lucien. neighborhoods, and find ways to work together on common, shared goals. Lisi mayoral announcement bulleted platform Open Government As Mayor, my priority will be helping our city build bridges that connect us. Holyoke’s ‘power to grow’ rests in each and every single one of us. My job as What I’ve done: I have always used my web and social media platforms as a means to educate and inform the public about the issues and decisions the mayor will be to develop opportunities that let YOUR talents, YOUR visions, City Council was involved in. and YOUR passions create a bridge to our collective tomorrow. As mayor I will: Ensure transparent government decision-making and that I promise to help build a bridge from our past to our future; one that honors City Hall and the Mayor’s office are accessible to the public. our historic buildings and assets while bringing in new designs and innovative technologies. I promise to help build a bridge between “old” and “new” Holyoke; one that connects families who have lived in Holyoke for generations, to those who love Holyoke enough to make it their home for the first time. And I promise to help build bridges between the government and the people; one that ensures that government decisions are reflective of the diversity of our city.
Municipal Services What I’ve done: I have supported the implementation of the 2015 Salary and Compensation Study in order to attract and retain talented and productive employees with competitive salaries. As mayor I will: Establish a capital stabilization account and capital investment plan that will get us back on track with predictable purchases and maintenance of our service vehicle fleets, equipment, and building conditions.
Behind me is the Holyoke Public Library. It stands as a testament to the ways that past and present, old and new, public and private can combine to create innovative historic preservation and renovation projects that speak to Holyoke’s legacy as the first planned industrial city.
Financial Best Practices What I’ve done: In 2019 I sought professional guidance on how to improve the City’s credit rating. I also support the Department of Revenue and Local Services recommendation to create a Finance Director position to oversee the financial management of the City in a non-politicized manner.
Historic Preservation What I’ve done: I was out front fighting for the green renovation of the Lyman Terrace, the preservation of Mater Dolorosa church, and the adaptive re-use of our historic mills for revenue- generating marijuana manufacturing.
As mayor I will: Continue to work through the 2007 and 2015 DOR/DLS reports on to adopt a series of policies that will serve as financial best practices that will improve our financial standing and avoid falling into state receivership.
As mayor I will: Find aggressive legal strategies to hold absentee landlords accountable.
For more information on Lisi and her campaign for mayor, Holyokers are encouraged to visit her website at votelisi.com or her Facebook page at facebook.com/votelisi.
Economic Development What I’ve done: I spearheaded the process of downtown revitalization as a
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Salud / Health
El Sol Latino February 2021
De puerta en puerta para crear confianza en las vacunas contra covid en la Pequeña Habana por VERÓNICA ZARAGOVIA, WLRN | KAISER HEALTH NEWS | 21 de enero de 2021 La Pequeña Habana es un barrio de Miami que, hasta la pandemia, era conocido por su activa vida en las calles, a lo largo de la Calle Ocho, en donde hay locales de música en vivo, ventanitas que sirven café cubano y un parque histórico donde los hombres se reúnen a jugar dominó.
“Nuestra misión es que todas estas personas se hagan la prueba, independientemente de si tienen un síntoma o no, para que podamos disminuir el nivel de personas que contraen covid-19”, dijo Mendes. Según los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC), las personas infectadas pero presintomáticas o asintomáticas representan más del 50% de las transmisiones. Las subvenciones relacionadas con el coronavirus de la Health Foundation of South Florida han oscilado entre $35,000 y $160,000; otros beneficiarios incluyen el capítulo del sur de Florida de la Asociación Médica Nacional, el Centro Campesino y el YMCA del sur de Florida. La fundación se está enfocando en vecindarios de bajos ingresos donde algunos residentes podrían no tener acceso a un automóvil o no poder pagar una prueba de coronavirus en una farmacia. Su enfoque incluye áreas residenciales cerca de los sitios de trabajo agrícola. En el condado de Miami-Dade, está trabajando directamente con las autoridades para aumentar las pruebas. En el vecino condado de Broward, está colaborando con las autoridades de vivienda pública para llevar más pruebas a las viviendas.
Alejandro Díaz saluda a un gato el 23 de octubre en un complejo de apartamentos en el vecindario de La Pequeña Habana, en Miami. Es un trabajador de alcance comunitario con Healthy Little Havana, que va de puerta en puerta para hablar con las personas sobre la importancia de hacerse la prueba de covid. (Verónica Zaragovia/WLRN)
Pero durante la pandemia, un grupo llamado Healthy Little Havana se está concentrando en esta área con una tarea muy específica: persuadir a los residentes para que se hagan una prueba de coronavirus.
Calmar los miedos, ofrecer opciones en español Lleva mucho tiempo ir de puerta en puerta, pero vale la pena: los residentes responden cuando los equipos hablan su idioma y establecen una conexión personal. Gloria Carvajal, residente de la Pequeña Habana, dijo al grupo de extensión que se sentía ansiosa por saber si la prueba de PCR es dolorosa.
La organización sin fines de lucro tiene mucha experiencia en divulgación. Ayudó con el censo de 2020 y, a causa de la pandemia, hizo la mayor parte de ese trabajo por teléfono. Pero Líderes comunitarios dicen que este nuevo desafío necesita un enfoque cara a cara.
“¿Qué hay de ese aguja?”, preguntó Carvajal, riendo nerviosamente.
Los trabajadores del grupo han salido casi a diario por las tranquilas calles residenciales, para persuadir a la mayor cantidad posible de personas de que se hagan la prueba de covid-19. En una tarde reciente, un grupo de tres —Elvis Mendes, María Elena González y Alejandro Díaz— tocó todas las puertas de un edificio de dos pisos.
Otro esfuerzo de alcance está ocurriendo en Faith Community Baptist Church en Miami. La iglesia organizó un día de pruebas gratuitas en octubre, con la ayuda de la fundación.
Mucha gente aquí trabaja en la industria de servicios, en comercios minoristas o en la construcción; la mayoría de ellos no están en casa cuando los visitantes llegan. Lisette Mejía respondió, con un bebé en brazos y flanqueada por dos niños pequeños. “No todo el mundo tiene acceso fácil a Internet o a la posibilidad de buscar citas”, respondió Mejía a la de por qué no se había hecho una prueba. Agregó que tampoco ha tenido ningún síntoma. El equipo de Healthy Little Havana le dio algunas mascarillas de algodón y le informó sobre las pruebas planificadas para ese fin de semana en una escuela primaria que se encuentra a poca distancia caminando. Le explicaron que las personas pueden no tener síntomas pero aún tener el virus.
González intervino para asegurarle que no es tan mala: “He tomado el test muchas veces, porque obviamente estamos en público y tenemos que hacernos la prueba”.
“Nos conoces. Sabes quiénes somos”, dijo el pastor Richard Dunn II. “Sabes que no permitiremos que nadie haga nada para lastimarte”. Dunn habló recientemente en la cercana Liberty City, un barrio históricamente negro, en un servicio conmemorativo al aire libre para los residentes de raza negra que han muerto a causa de covid. Para transmitir la magnitud de las pérdidas de la comunidad, se colocaron cientos de lápidas de plástico blanco detrás del podio. Llenaron un campo entero en el parque. “Miles y miles han muerto, y por eso le estamos diciendo al Señor aquí hoy que no vamos a permitir que sus muertes sean en vano”, dijo Dunn.
Las pruebas siguen siendo demasiado difíciles.
Dunn también está ayudando con un esfuerzo para generar confianza en las vacunas covid entre los residentes de raza negra, al participar en reuniones en línea durante las cuales los miembros de la iglesia pueden escuchar directamente a los expertos médicos de su propia raza. El mensaje de las reuniones es que las vacunas son seguras y vitales.
La organización sin fines de lucro es una de varias que reciben fondos de la Health Foundation of South Florida. La fundación está gastando $1.5 millones en estos esfuerzos de divulgación, en parte para ayudar a que las pruebas de coronavirus sean lo más accesibles y convenientes posible.
“Se han cobrado más de 300,000 vidas en los Estados Unidos de América”, dijo Dunn al final de la reunión. “Y creo que no hacer nada sería más una tragedia que al menos intentar hacer algo para prevenirlo y detener la propagación del coronavirus”.
Varias razones sociales y económicas hacen que sea difícil para algunos residentes de Miami hacerse la prueba o recibir tratamiento, o aislarse si están enfermos de covid. Un gran problema es que muchas personas dicen que no pueden permitirse quedarse en casa cuando están enfermas.
Las iglesias desempeñarán un papel importante en los esfuerzos de divulgación en curso, y Dunn está comprometido a hacer su parte. Sabe que el covid es una enfermedad grave y extremadamente contagiosa; el verano pasado, él mismo lo contrajo.
“Tienen que pagar la renta, los gastos escolares, la comida”, dijo Mendes.
Esta historia es parte de una alianza de noticias que incluye a WLRN, NPR y Kaiser Health News.
Esta parte de Miami es el hogar de muchos cubanos exiliados, así como de personas de toda América Latina. Algunos carecen de seguro médico, otros son inmigrantes indocumentados. Mendes y su equipo intentan hacer correr la voz entre los residentes sobre programas como Ready Responders, un grupo de paramédicos que ahora tiene fondos de la fundación para realizar pruebas gratuitas de coronavirus en el hogar en áreas como ésta, independientemente del estatus migratorio de la persona.
KAISER HEALTH NEWS (KHN), es un programa independiente de la Kaiser Family Foundation, produjo esta historia. California Healthline es una publicación gratuita que publica noticias, opiniones e informes originales sobre salud, diseñada para satisfacer las necesidades de información de los profesionales de la salud, personas que toman decisiones, los medios de comunicación y los consumidores.
Salud / Health
El Sol Latino February 2021
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Black Americans Are Getting Vaccinated at Lower Rates Than White Americans by HANNAH RECHT and LAUREN WEBER | KAISER HEALTH NEWS | January 17, 2021 Black Americans are receiving covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans in the first weeks of the chaotic rollout, according to a new KHN analysis. About 3% of Americans have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine so far. But in 16 states that have released data by race, white residents are being vaccinated at significantly higher rates than Black residents, according to the analysis — in many cases two to three times higher.
Public health messaging has been slow to stop the spread of misinformation about the vaccine on social media. The choice of name for the vaccine development, “Operation Warp Speed,” didn’t help; it left many feeling this was all done too fast. Benjamin noted that while the nonprofit Ad Council has raised over $37 million for a marketing blitz to encourage Americans to get vaccinated, a government ad campaign from the Health and Human Services Department never materialized after being decried as too political during an election year. “We were late to start the planning process,” Benjamin said. “We should have started this in April and May.”
In the most dramatic case, 1.2% of white Pennsylvanians had been vaccinated as of Jan. 14, compared with 0.3% of Black Pennsylvanians.
And experts are clear: It shouldn’t merely be ads of famous athletes or celebrities getting the shots.
The vast majority of the initial round of vaccines has gone to health care workers and staffers on the front lines of the pandemic — a workforce that’s typically racially diverse made up of physicians, hospital cafeteria workers, nurses and janitorial staffers.
“We have to dig deep, go the old-fashioned way with flyers, with neighbors talking to neighbors, with pastors talking to their church members,” Roberts said.
If the rollout were reaching people of all races equally, the shares of people vaccinated whose race is known should loosely align with the demographics of health care workers. But in every state, Black Americans were significantly underrepresented among people vaccinated so far.
Mississippi state Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said that the shift announced Tuesday by the Trump administration to reward states that distribute vaccines quickly with more shots makes the rollout a “Darwinian process.”
Access issues and mistrust rooted in structural racism appear to be the major factors leaving Black health care workers behind in the quest to vaccinate the nation. The unbalanced uptake among what might seem like a relatively easy-to-vaccinate workforce doesn’t bode well for the rest of the country’s dispersed population. Black, Hispanic and Native Americans are dying from covid at nearly three times the rate of white Americans, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis. And non-Hispanic Black and Asian health care workers are more likely to contract covid and to die from it than white workers. (Hispanics can represent any race or combination of races.) “My concern now is if we don’t vaccinate the population that’s highest-risk, we’re going to see even more disproportional deaths in Black and brown communities,” said Dr. Fola May, a UCLA physician and health equity researcher. “It breaks my heart.” Dr. Taison Bell, a University of Virginia Health System physician who serves on its vaccination distribution committee, stressed that the hesitancy among some Blacks about getting vaccinated is not monolithic. Nurses he spoke with were concerned it could damage their fertility, while a Black co-worker asked him about the safety of the Moderna vaccine since it was the company’s first such product on the market. Some floated conspiracy theories, while other Black co-workers just wanted to talk to someone they trust like Bell, who is also Black. But access issues persist, even in hospital systems. Bell was horrified to discover that members of environmental services — the janitorial staff — did not have access to hospital email. The vaccine registration information sent out to the hospital staff was not reaching them. “That’s what structural racism looks like,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “Those groups were seen and not heard — nobody thought about it.” UVA Health spokesperson Eric Swenson said some of the janitorial crew were among the first to get vaccines and officials took additional steps to reach those not typically on email. He said more than 50% of the environmental services team has been vaccinated so far. A Failure of Federal Response As the public health commissioner of Columbus, Ohio, and a Black physician, Dr. Mysheika Roberts has a test for any new doctor she sees for care: She makes a point of not telling them she’s a physician. Then she sees if she’s talked down to or treated with dignity. That’s the level of mistrust she says public health officials must overcome to vaccinate Black Americans — one that’s rooted in generations of mistreatment and the legacy of the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study and Henrietta Lacks’ experience. A high-profile Black religious group, the Nation of Islam, for example, is urging its members via its website not to get vaccinated because of what Minister Louis Farrakhan calls the “treacherous history of experimentation.” The group, classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is well known for spreading conspiracy theories.
Speed vs. Equity
Dobbs worries Black populations who may need more time for outreach will be left behind. Only 18% of those vaccinated in Mississippi so far are Black, in a state that’s 38% Black. It might be faster to administer 100 vaccinations in a drive-thru location than in a rural clinic, but that doesn’t ensure equitable access, Dobbs said. “Those with time, computer systems and transportation are going to get vaccines more than other folks — that’s just the reality of it,” Dobbs said. In Washington, D.C, a digital divide is already evident, said Dr. Jessica Boyd, the chief medical officer of Unity Health Care, which runs several community health centers. After the city opened vaccine appointments to those 65 and older, slots were gone in a day. And Boyd’s staffers couldn’t get eligible patients into the system that fast. Most of those patients don’t have easy access to the internet or need technical assistance. “If we’re going to solve the issues of inequity, we need to think differently,” Boyd said. Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the limited supply of vaccine must also be considered. “We are missing the boat on equity,” he said. “If we don’t step back and address that, it’s going to get worse.” While Plescia is heartened by President-elect Joe Biden’s vow to administer 100 million doses in 100 days, he worries the Biden administration could fall into the same trap. And the lack of public data makes it difficult to spot such racial inequities in real time. Fifteen states provided race data publicly, Missouri did so upon request, and eight other states declined or did not respond. Several do not report vaccination numbers separately for Native Americans and other groups, and some are missing race data for many of those vaccinated. The CDC plans to add race and ethnicity data to its public dashboard, but CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said it could not give a timeline for when. Historical Hesitation One-third of Black adults in the U.S. said they don’t plan to get vaccinated, citing the newness of the vaccine and fears about safety as the top deterrents, according to a December poll from KFF. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) Half of them said they were concerned about getting covid from the vaccine itself, which is not possible. Experts say this kind of misinformation is a growing problem. Inaccurate conspiracy theories that the vaccines contain government tracking chips have gained ground on social media. Just over half of Black Americans who plan to get the vaccine said they’d wait to see how well it’s working in others before getting it themselves, compared with 36% of white Americans. That hesitation can even be found in the health care workforce. “We shouldn’t make the assumption that just because someone works in health care that they somehow will have better information or better understanding,” Bell said.
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El Sol Latino February 2021
Fine Arts Center
PRIMAVERA 2021 - EVENTOS VIRTUALES
EN ADICIÓN… Noche
Virtual Gratis de Manualidades con Kristina Wong Miércoles, Febrero 24 | 7:00 p.m. EST Conozca y cosa con voluntarios de Kristina. Principiantes y otros artesanos son bienvenidos.
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
Miércoles, Febrero 17 | 7:00 p.m. EST, $ Uno de los grupos artísticos mas prolíficos de África del Sur estará presentando sus mas queridas canciones de amor y unidad, y hablando sobre su legado y su fuente de inspiración.
KRISTINA WONG, SWEATSHOP OVERLORD
Lunes, Marzo 1, 2021 | 7 p.m. EST, $ En su mas reciente presentación, nacida de la pandemia del COVID-19, Kristina Wong detalla cómo pasó de ser una artista sin trabajo a convertirse en dueña de una imperio de mascarillas faciales en solamente 10 días.
UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
MIRROR MIRROR:
THE PRINTS OF ALISON SAAR de las Colecciones de Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation Febrero a Abril 2021
ARTES VISUALES EN LÍNEA AUGUSTA SAVAGE GALLERY
HAMPDEN GALLERY
FEATURING THE WORK FROM ANCHOR HOUSE OF ARTISTS Febrero 9 a Marzo 9, 2021 Presentando el trabajo de mujeres conectadas con el Anchor House of Artists de Northampton, proyectando sus experiencias en un mundo claustrofóbico.
Co-Curadoras Linda Griggs y M. Charlene Stevens February 1 a May 14, 2021 Los curadores M. Charlene Stevens y Linda Griggs ambos abordan el arte reflexionando en temas de actualidad.
POV: OUT OF BODY
CURRENT | UNDERCURRENT Alison Saar, Coup de Grâce, edition 6/16, 2012, Lithograph, 19 1/4 x 25 in.
WE ARE FOR FREEDOMS
Curatorial Fellowship Exhibition: Artifacts at the End of a Decade Febrero a Abril 2021
Pintura de Mary Dunn
Our house by Christina Marsh The UMass Fine Arts Center is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with major funding from the federal CARES Act from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Where will the Children Play
Para boletos llamar al: 413-545-2511 ó al 800-999-UMAS ó en línea fineartscenter.com
