January 2019
Volume 15 No.2
Un Periรณdico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
the puerto rican cultural project
Jazz Latino on Main Street
Un Periรณdico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Holyoke 2018
Un Periรณdico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periรณdico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Photo Credits: Giovanni Negrรณn
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Editiorial / Editorial
Terry Plum December 30, 1947 – December 10, 2018 The family of El Sol Latino wishes to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of our friend Stephen Haines Plum III, our dear Terry. Terry passed away December 10, 2018 in Holyoke. He is survived by his wife, Sydney, his son Trevor and daughter-in-law Brandy Vickers with their two children, Berit and Valen, and his daughter Hilary and her husband Zach Savich. Terry is also survived by his brother John E. Plum and wife Mimi Kim Plum and their two daughters Sabrina and Tamina. Terry leaves a sister, Nancy Plum, and a brother, Michael. Another brother, Robert, died in 2014. Terry cared deeply about others. He had a gentle spirit and a warm personality. Working with Terry was a pleasure and a privilege. He often made us laugh and was always willing to lend a helping hand. His genuine and trusted friendship and his
contents
commitment to his work at the Holyoke Public Library (HPL) will always be fondly remembered. Terry strongly believed in public service, serving on the Board of Directors and as President of the Holyoke Public Library. He led the public library renovation project in Holyoke, his primary residence for the last 18 years of his life. It was under Terry’s tenure as President of the HPL and the Board of Directors that the Puerto Rican Cultural Project was born as part of library’s outreach efforts. Terry was invested in reaching out to the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke and working with us to assist the Library in providing more diverse and inclusive multi cultural offerings to the community. For his efforts and commitment to this project we are forever grateful. Gracias Terry por tu amistad, tu liderazgo y tu compromiso en pro de un mejor Holyoke. Siempre te recordaremos con mucho cariño.
Cita del Mes/ Quote of the Month “We can either be governed by fear – fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of the people, tear kids away from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border – or we can be governed by our ambitions and our aspirations and our desire to make the most out of all of us. And that’s America at its best.” Beto O’Rourke • Town Hall in San Antonio, Texas • August 17, 2018
2 Editorial / Editorial Terry Plum
3 Portada / Front Page A Successful Jazz Latino on Main Street
4 Jazz Latino on Main Street Concert in Pictures Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink
5 The Population of Puerto Rico Keeps Shrinking 6 Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program at HCC 7 Broken island, costly bankruptcy
9 Opinión / Opinion Resolutions on Poverty and Socioeconomic Structures 10 Put Puerto Rico First 1 Política / Politics 1 Terry Plum 2 Ciencia / Science 1 Why you should be a scientist Educación / Education STCC among Top 75 Nursing Schools in New England 13 Springfield native José Delgado appointed to HCC Board of Trustees STCC Announces Late Registration for Spring Semester Enrollment 14 Alternative approaches needed to end racial disparities in school discipline 5 Música / Music 1 González and Ragazzi’s New Musical Production
Fotos del Mes/Photos of the Month
Surprise Duet @ Jazz Latino on Main Street Founded in 2004
n
Volume 15, No. 2 n January 2019
Editor Manuel Frau Ramos manuelfrau@gmail.com 413-320-3826 Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau Managing Editor Diosdado López 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.
Leanese Nicole & José Valentino Ruíz (Photo Credits: Giovanni Negrón)
El Sol Latino is published monthly by Coquí Media Group. El Sol Latino es publicado mensualmente por Coquí Media Group, P.O Box 572, Amherst, MA 01004-0572.
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
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A Successful Jazz Latino on Main Street by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS On December 1st, 2018 the Puerto Rican Cultural Project (PRCP) and the Holyoke Public Library, in collaboration with Gaddier Fine Arts Studio, hosted its 7th annual holiday concert - Jazz Latino on Main Street at the Holyoke War Memorial. The family event featured two outstanding Puerto Rican musicians - Dr. José Valentino Ruiz, and tenor Charlie Berríos - who showcased the rich Puerto Rican cultural musical heritage. The more than 300 people who attended the event enjoyed Berríos opening number in his powerful and lyrical voice. Trevin Bond, fellow educator and musician, provided the piano accompaniment. The musical program included nostalgic and beloved Puerto Rican songs as well as popular music with jazz rhythms. The diverse audience loved, among others, “Oye Como Va,” a number written by Latin jazz and mambo musician Tito Puente, “En mi Viejo San Juan,” a composition by Puerto Rican composer and singer Noel Estrada, and sang and danced to the popular “El Cuarto de Tula” a famous son cubano of Sergio González Siaba. Both Berríos and Valentino Ruiz offered first class performances that included audience participation. The highenergy concert brought the audience to their feet as they sang-along and danced to the rhythm of beloved and well-known Puerto Rican songs. It was the first time in the history of this event that the night ended with the audience requesting an encore.
José Valentino Ruíz plays that Batá drums (Photo Credits: Giovanni Negrón)
Tenor Charlie Berrios (Photo Credits: Giovanni Negrón)
Valentino Ruíz performed with a first class, local band under the musical direction of bass player Heshima Moja that included René González (drums), William Rodríguez (percussion), and Damion Curtis (piano). Also participating were invited artists Ahmed González (flute), Leanese Nicole (singer), and Latin Grammy winner musician Ben Gundersheimer, artistically known as Mr. G (guitar). Delmarina López provided the welcoming remarks, followed by the evening’s MCs Verónica Robles and Zydalis Bauer, both of WGBY Presencia.
Tenor Charlie Berríos, a native of Bayamón, Puerto Rico who in 1989 relocated to the city of Holyoke A graduate of the UMass Music Department, he is a teacher at the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School in Holyoke.
Berríos has appeared on stage with Buffalo Opera Unlimited, Pacific Opera of New York, Commonwealth Opera, and Boston Vocal Arts, among others. Valentino Ruíz is currently an Assistant Professor of music business, jazz, and production and applied lesson instructor of commercial bass and Music director and bass player Heshima Moja (Photo Credits: MFR) flute at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. He serves as Artist in Residence for Diaz Music Institute’s Caliente Big Band (regarded as one of the top high school jazz bands in the country) providing jazz improvisation, music business and production, and college-readiness skills for students.
Guitarist Mr. G and José Valentino Ruíz (Photo Credits: Giovanni Negrón)
The multi-talented musician, producer, and audio engineer is a two-time Latin Grammy nominated artist. He is a participator in a Parents’ Choice GOLD Winner album; a 49-time DownBeat® Music Award recipient; coproducer for a Global Music Awards® - GOLD Winner album, and a committed and passionate educator. Jazz Latino on Main Street was made possible thanks to the support of the UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center, Bay Path University, Univision, Gaddier Fine Arts Studio, El Sol Latino, WGBY Presencia, Easthampton Savings Bank, Holyoke Tax Service, MacDuffie School, United Bank, Holyoke Media, Fortuna Auto Sales, MIFA, Gateway City Arts, L&G Photo, Jay’s Bed and Breakfast, the City of Holyoke, the Holyoke Public Library, and Holyoke War Memorial. The Puerto Rican Cultural Project (PRCP) is an unincorporated association of volunteers whose mission is to help the Holyoke Public Library (HPL) to relate better to the diverse demographic groups in the Holyoke area, especially the Puerto Rican community. The group is mainly composed of Puerto Rican professionals from diverse backgrounds: journalism, public relations, marketing, education, and fine arts. The PRCP fulfills its mission by supporting the Holyoke Public Library’s outreach program efforts to promote the services and resources available to the Hispanic community. It sponsors events that highlight the importance of the rich culture and history of Puerto Ricans in Holyoke and the region. These educational and cultural programs aim to foster the interaction of all the residents of Holyoke and surrounding communities.
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
Jazz Latino on Main Street Concert in Pictures by GIOVANNI NEGRON
William Rodríguez – percussion
Jaime Alvarez and Julita Rojas
Damion Curtis piano and Mr. G –guitar (photo by MFR)
Lucy Sánchez – United Bank
Surisadai Ramos - volunteer, Maria Pagán and Mayra Rivera – Holyoke Public Library
René González – drums Ahmed González - flute
Trevin Bond - piano
Delmarina López and Manuel Frau Ramos Puerto Ricans Cultural Project
Julita Rojas and José Valentino - (Photo by MFR)
Verónica Robles and Zydalis Bauner - MC & WGBY Presencia
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
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The Population of Puerto Rico Keeps Shrinking por MANUEL FRAU RAMOS A U.S. Census Bureau report, published on December 19, 2018, indicates the population of Puerto Rico was estimated on July 1, 2018 in 3,195,153 people. Comparing the 2018 population estimates with the last 2010 Census, when the official enumeration resulted in 3,725,789 residents, the new estimate points to a decrease in the last 10 years close to 14%. The report highlighted the impact of the hurricanes (Irma and María) in 2017 on the new total population estimates. The study found that the two naturals disaster that hit the island further fueled the declining trend of the size of the population in Puerto Rico. “The 2018 population estimates need a bit more about the repercussions of the hurricanes of last year 2017 on the demographic components of Puerto Rico. The combination of a natural increase of the negative population (more deaths than births), added to the propulsion of the already high net emigration, points to an impressive population loss of 3.9% in just one year. This presents us with an arduous scenario to assimilate in terms of the speed of decrease, as well as the direct repercussions that it entails in the local scenario. On the other hand, they charge more relevance of the operations of the next Decennial 2020 Census, so that this result in the best possible official enumeration, then you can confirm the drastic demographic changes estimated during the current decade, “said Alberto L. Velazquez Estrada, Statistics Project Manager of the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico (Instituto).
“This rate of emigration from Puerto Rico is unprecedented in Puerto Rican history,” said Dr. Edwin Meléndez. “It is an indication of stagnant conditions on the island, and the impatience of the population with the governmental response at all levels,” he added. “The trend of increased migration from the island to the United States was in place before the storm,” said Dr. Meléndez. “The hurricane, however, has magnified the dire circumstances on the island, accelerating the pace of that migration and pushing even more families to leave.” The report highlights in its conclusions that “The exodus of Puerto Rican residents has significant implications for both the island’s economy and for those families and individuals that have relocated stateside, for many of them for the first time under pressing circumstances. To the island the migration exodus reinforces a pattern of depopulation that has induced austerity and the decline in government services and employment, the closing of schools, increased poverty among the most disadvantaged such as families with children and the elderly, among other unfolding consequences of sudden population losses. Those that relocate have the challenge of finding jobs, housing, medical services, and schools.” According to CENTRO, Puerto Ricans continue to relocate primarily to the southern United States – particularly Florida – along with the northeast states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.
The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO- Hunter College CUNY) published another study about Puerto Rican migration last September 2018. The research, Puerto Rican Exodus: One Year Since Hurricane María, also highlighted that Puerto Ricans have continued to abandon the island in large numbers since hurricane María ravaged the island.
The Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico (Instituto) possesses in its inventory, accessible through www.estadisticas.pr, over 300 statistical products. In addition, he is a custodian and provides access to over 100 data sets or data sets through www.data.pr.gov and up to 40 tables and more than 6 thousand indicators through: www.indicadores
The authors of the research are Jennifer Hinojosa, and Dr. Edwin Meléndez, Director of CENTRO and Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning at Hunter College.
The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) is the nation’s leading university-based institution devoted to the interdisciplinary study of the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. Centro is dedicated to understanding, preserving and sharing the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. Centro invites Centro Voices contributors to make use of the extensive archival, bibliographic and research material preserved in its Library and Archives through: www.centropr.hunter.cuny.
CENTRO’s research study combined school enrollment data from Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) to estimate the emigration from Puerto Rico to the mainland. The research estimated that nearly 160,000 to 176,000 residents relocated to the United States since María hit Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017.
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OT TINTNAT E H INK CALIE
In Holyoke...
the administration of the Holyoke Public Schools S FRAU RAMO por MANUEL (HPS) recently announced that more than 20 bilingual school employees and educators had taken part in translation and interpretation certification workshops. The series of workshops were aimed at equipping the bilingual staff with the tools to be translators and interpreters at their schools. We enthusiastically applaud this valuable project. However, it is surprising that it has taken the HPS more than 20 years to address the issue.
The Voluntary Lau Compliance Plan document of March 16, 1995 of the Holyoke School Schools was developed as a comprehensive strategy designed to remedy the deficiencies outlined in the original administrative complaint filed in 1979. The original complaints alleged the denial of equal educational opportunities to black and Hispanic students with respect to their placement in special education programs. Among the tasks included in the Plan was the remediation of the lack of appropriate and accurate translations and interpretations provided to bilingual parents of children in Special Education. We hope that the efforts made at this time translate in improved services to bilingual parents. We also believe that these added responsibilities that fall on the shoulders of the bilingual staff of the HPS are appropriately recognized and remunerated.
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program at HCC HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | December 21, 2018. In Puerto Rico, before Hurricane Maria forced thousands to flee the devastated island, Maria Crespo Santos had been working as a medical technician in a pathology laboratory and blood bank.
“I like to work with people,” she said recently. “I like to work in the medical field.” The storm, however, had caused too much damage and, like so many others, she left. “It was horrible,” she said. “I don’t live in Puerto Rico; I survive in Puerto Rico.” Crespo Santos, 58, moved to western Massachusetts about a year ago. She now lives with her sister in Chicopee and works in retail, but thanks to a special Holyoke Community College ESOL program for Puerto Rican evacuees like her she is on the road back to a career in the medical field.
María Crespo Santos, of Chicopee, and Yamilette Gonzalez Caceres, of Springfield, recently completed HCC’s Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program. (Photo Credit: HCC)
She was one of more than two dozen students recognized for completing the five-month, English for Speakers of Other Languages program. With her improved English skills, Crespo Santos has already been accepted into a medical assistant training program at HCC that begins in February. “It’s a pleasure and an honor to be part of this group,” she said at a Dec. 20 celebration that included a feast of traditional Puerto Rican food. “The teachers and advisers have a commitment to us, and I don’t quit. I have to follow my dreams. Follow my goals. I have challenges, but I try very hard.” The Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program started July 23 and concluded Dec. 20 with a recognition ceremony and feast at HCC’s Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center (PAFEC) in downtown Holyoke. The HCC division of Business and Community Services offered the free ESOL program specifically for residents of Puerto Rico who left the island after Hurricane Maria and relocated to western Massachusetts. Classes were held Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and funded through a National Dislocated Worker grant administered by the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board in partnership with the MassHire Holyoke and MassHire Springfield career centers. The program focused on much more than just English language skills, however. Students received lessons in computer literacy at the Gill Technology Center on the first floor of PAFEC, and they received job search and resume development support from advisers at HCC and counselors at the MassHire career centers. Community integration and civic engagement were also part of the curriculum, Dunkelberg said. Guest lecturers included state Rep. Aaron Vega and Holyoke mayor Alex Morse, who provided lessons on state and local government. Classes took field trips to the Holyoke Public Library, Nuestras Raices farm, and Springfield museums. “We wanted them to understand where they were culturally and talk about what that change means for them individually and also connect them to some of the organizations that are here that can offer services they might benefit from,” Dunkelberg said. The students came in with different levels of English language skills and they are heading in different directions, Dunkelberg said. Some have found jobs; others will continue to participate in HCC’s regular, free ESOL classes; some, like Crespo Santos, have enrolled in one of HCC’s workforce training programs. Many have expressed an interest in continuing their education as students at HCC. “I admire you so much for focusing on your next steps,” said President Christina Royal. “Our purpose at Holyoke Community College is to serve the community, and you are part of our community. Thanks for being part of this, and as you move on we hope you’ll think about the skills you need for the jobs you’re looking for and just know we are here to help.”
Students, faculty and staff from HCC’s Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program celebrate after completing classes on Dec. 20. (Photo Credit: HCC)
Maestro de Kindergarten de Lenguaje Dual en Español Comenzando en el Año Escolar 2019-2020
ARPS es un Distrito Dedicado a la Diversidad y Equidad
El Distrito de Escuelas Públicas de Amherst, que recientemente fue calificado como el Distrito Escolar N° 1 para enseñar en Massachusetts, actualmente está buscando candidatos para Maestro (a) de Kindergarten de español en la Escuela Elemental Fort River en nuestro nuevo Programa de Lenguaje Dual (50/50 español / inglés). Este es un puesto de año escolar a tiempo completo. WWW.SchoolSpring.com ID del Puesto: 3032130
Clasificado # 1 lugar para trabajar en Massachusetts por Niche.com
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
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Broken island, costly bankruptcy by LUIS J. VALENTÍN ORTIZ This piece originally appeared on periodismoinvestigativo.com | November 1, 2018 Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy has cost its people more than $225 million in a year, only in lawyers and financial consultants. The expense in restructuring professional services is projected to surpass $1.2 billion by 2023, including the budget of the island’s federally imposed Fiscal Control Board. I suggested to my editor lines such as these as possible leads for a series of stories over the billing in professional services as part of the Puerto Rico government’s bankruptcy process. I did not succeed. When talking about hundreds of millions of dollars, figures alone fall short in showing the magnitude of the matter. My editor explained it to me and I understood it along the way. This is more effective: There are lawyers and consultants working on the U.S. territory’s bankruptcy that bill in a month — sometimes in a week — what the average Puerto Rican family makes in a year, roughly $20,000. That’s called inequality. Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy executives often visit the island with all their expenses paid. From different cities in the U.S., they arrive at the Federal Court Building in Hato Rey in black SUVs, sometimes directly from the airport, when there is a hearing. You see them walking under the shiny Caribbean sun, with their rolling briefcases stumbling all along the sidewalks of Avenida Chardón.
What perhaps is often overlooked is the irony: A bankrupt jurisdiction, with a crippled economy and the highest level of poverty under the U.S. flag, has to foot this tab. That a lawyer who has billed almost $1 million at the expense of the Puerto Rico people, requests reimbursement of the $5 cancellation fee of an Uber ride or a movie charge while staying in a hotel. That when adding all the coffees and meals billed as part of the bankruptcy process, almost $500,000, the government pays the annual salary of at least 15 police officers. That the maximum reimbursement of $40 for each breakfast, lunch and dinner out of the office for these professionals, equals to what the majority of Puerto Ricans spend in food in two or more days. Add to this the constant warnings made by Brady Williamson, the fee examiner appointed by the court as part of Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy cases: overbilling, automatic rate increases, “misjudgments,” lack of details in the invoices, duplication of services, the latter often attributed to the dual representation of the government and the fiscal board. Each side has its own law firms, financial consulting firms and other advisers. They justify the expense with the occasions they disagree, but Williamson has repeatedly stated that efforts are being duplicated. Yet paychecks keep coming out. In his last report to the court issued in this week, the fee examiner reiterated that overbilling problems continue and warned that he will begin to raise objections over the invoices filed by restructuring professionals. So far, Williamson has not done so and has only forced reductions of around 2% of total billing. During a recent interview with the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI), I asked the board’s executive director, Natalie Jaresko, about the fact that multiple law firms and consulting companies are working on the same issues. She washed her hands of it. Jaresko said she would not comment on how the government and its use of lawyers and consultants. She further added that the board’s “independence” and the complexity of the matter calls for “different perspectives.” “All of this is going to be worth the money,” said Jaresko, with an optimism that reminds to the “Priceless” commercials of a credit card company.
Around a 1,000 people — lawyers, law clerks and financial consultants, among many others — working from more than 30 firms, work in Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy and their fees are paid by government coffers. Hundreds more advise, and invoice, from the sidelines, without being required to go through the evaluation of the court. It is a multimillion dollar operation that skims a bankrupt country that lives without expectations that things will recover soon. Of the more than $225 million that has been billed so far, 98% goes to U.S. firms. It is money that fails to flow into the local economy, beyond the coffee or the taxi paid while visiting Puerto Rico (both covered by the government as reimbursable expenses.) Puerto Rico’s Bankruptcy Executives illustrates who are the main players in the game, many of whom go from bankruptcy to bankruptcy, from restructuring to restructuring, seeing each other’s faces over and over again. In Puerto Rico, most of them operate behind the scenes. Some design and implement the fiscal plans and their “structural reforms.” Others litigate in court or sit at the negotiating table. Some analyze the numbers and come up with the projections. A few engineer the “solutions” to the island’s fiscal and economic crisis. Granted, the process is novel and complex, other creditors have their own group of deluxe lawyers and there is no precedent to what is being sought: restructuring in a “sustainable” manner, some $120 billion in public debt and unfunded pension obligations. It is by far the largest government bankruptcy in the history of the U.S. municipal bond market and its cost is more often compared to the corporate bankruptcies of Lehman Brothers and Enron, than to cities such as Detroit or Jefferson County, Alabama.
More recently, both the board and legislative leaders went after each other over how much it costs Puerto Rico residents to finance their operations. According to the island’s certified fiscal plan, the Legislature costs each resident about $34 annually, while the figure for the board’s budget and professionals working on Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy — including those retained by the elected government — hovers around $70. The cost of the island’s bankruptcy, moreover, goes beyond the fees of these lawyers and consultants. How much pensioners will lose in cuts to their benefits? How much it will cost public employees who leave the government? How much will each bondholder lose (or win)? How much in cuts to public services? How can we quantify the social impact of Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy? Beyond the estimates and political calculations given by one side or the other, it will take years before having any idea of how much this process may cost Puerto Ricans. Judging by how things are going, the cost of the island’s bankruptcy — with a public debt issued irresponsibly and potentially illegally, according to a board-commissioned report — is a bottomless pit. LUIS J. VALENTÍN ORTIZ began his journalistic experience in the weekly Caribbean Business. After obtaining his Juris Doctor in 2014, he began to cover issues related to the fiscal management of the government of Puerto Rico. For his coverage of this topic, in 2016 he won the “Laura Rivera Young Journalist of the Year” awarded by the Association of Journalists of Puerto Rico. In 2018 he began working for the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI,) where he currently continues his specialized coverage of Puerto Rico’s debt, the federal PROMESA law, the fiscal control board and the bankruptcy process facing the Island. CPI is a non-profit organization that promotes investigative journalism in Puerto Rico. Founded in 2007, it was the first non-profit group wholly dedicated to investigative journalism in the Caribbean. The CPI has done award-winning investigations, works for freedom of information in Puerto Rico, and trains young journalists.
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino January 2019
Hampshire Pine II Apartments Ahora Aceptando Aplicaciones Section 8 Vouchers Accepted
Favor de pasar por la oficina para buscar una aplicación. Estamos abiertos de 10:00am a 12:00pm & 1:00am a 4:00pm de lunes a jueves. Cerrado los viernes hasta nuevo aviso.
¡Venga y Aplique Hoy!
Apartamentos de Dos y Tres Cuartos Disponibles
con nevara y estufa Alfombra en la sala y dormitorios Lavandería Todas las utilidades incluídas (calefacción, agua caliente y electricidad) Cerca de supermercados y restaurantes Cerca de paradas de transportación pública y cerca de centros comerciales
¡¡¡NO HAY LISTA DE ESPERA!!! (Solamente en el edificio especificado.) Se aceptan aplicaciones en
63 Jackson Street, Suite 101, Holyoke, MA 01040
SI TIENE ALGUNA PREGUNTA FAVOR DE LLAMAR A LA OFICINA AL
532-9268
It is illegal to discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, ancestry, class, sex, sexual orientation, family status, disability, military/veteran status, source of income, or age. If you feel you have been discriminated against, you may call the 504 coordinator at 413-534-0955. All applications are subject to program requirements.
Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826.
Opinión / Opinion
El Sol Latino January 2019
9
Resolutions on Poverty and Socioeconomic Structures Christmas and Capitalism by MIGUEL ARCE and WALTER MULLIN The New Year is a time for resolutions. A New Year’s resolution is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere, in which an individual person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve his or her life. People make resolutions after reflecting on the past year. In making a resolution, the person usually knows that the change will be difficult but commits to making it happen. These resolutions provide direction for improvements. There is an opportunity to break a cycle that is not effective or meaningful. Positive changes result because of new resolutions. Although making resolutions is usually an activity undertaken by individuals for themselves, citizens and organizations who are concerned with social justice and equality for all might also make them for our communities.
Resolutions to improve life
So, most people like the idea of having a fresh start. There is no more perfect time for a fresh start than January 1, 2019. Therefore, be it resolved: That persons living in poverty be considered a protected class with all the rights and protections offered to those with adequate resources. Let’s set the bar high. This guest opinion is one in a series on living in poverty. DR. WALTER MULLIN (wmullin@springfieldcollege.edu), Professor of Social Work and MIGUEL ARCE (marce@ springfieldcollege.edu), Associate Professor of Social Work at Springfield College.
Needed changes and creating resolutions on poverty
The American Psychological Association, the American Teacher Federation, the Episcopal Church Executive Council, American Library Association and others have taken positions and made public resolutions on the gap in the United States between the poor and the rich which continues to increase. They advocate that poor individuals and families have basic needs met. Their resolutions seek to better understand the causes of poverty, to prevent and reduce the prevalence of poverty as well as to address the needs of low-income individuals. Through research, they seek to examine the causes and impact of poverty, its stigma and feelings associated with poverty. They advocate to resolve the social issues connected to life in poverty including substandard housing, unavailable health care, insufficient food, homelessness, inadequate child care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools and living in environmentally unhealthy neighborhoods. They, along with others, emphasize that as social inequality increases, there is a need for a collective response toward the poor. They build from the value that society should not perpetuate policies that promote poverty and social inequality. The opportunity for collective resolutions for individuals and families living in poverty is here. For 2019, new public resolutions might include: • Support public policies that encourage high quality educational access for all age groups from early childhood education to post-secondary higher education leading to self-sufficiency. • Support public policies that ensure adequate income, access to sufficient food and nutrition, and affordable and safe housing for poor people and all working families. • Support public policies that ensure affordable quality health insurance regardless of ability to pay. While concrete ideas are essential in protecting the lives of those in poverty, attention to the social discourse is essential. Perceptions of the poor and of welfare – by those not in those circumstances -- tend to reflect attitudes and stereotypes that attribute poverty to personal failings rather than socioeconomic structures and systems. The language used when speaking of people in poverty has the power to undermine the success of any social program intended to help. Terms such as “dependent”, “the truly needy” and “stagnation”, disenfranchise a whole population of people who live their daily lives hoping to do well in those lives. Strengths and competencies are often ignored by government officials when speaking about people in poverty. Public policy and anti-poverty programs continue to reflect stereotypes. Government programs, much like the New Year’s Day football, are tossed about without regard to the respect of those who might be impacted. Cutbacks in social programs are easier to make when casting the recipients of them in negative terms and missing that this approach further exacerbates the unacceptable living conditions of the poor.
Dr. Walter Mullin and Miguel Arce
¡Aviso Importante! Important Announcement! NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS FOR
NORTHEAST II APARTMENTS
Northeast II Apartments will no longer be accepting applications for the Rental Assistance Demonstration program (RAD) units. That waiting list will be closed until further notice. Management will continue to accept applications for the markets units. We will accept Housing Choice Vouchers for the markets units and any income qualified rental applications that meet the Low Income Housing Tax Credits limits.
NOTIFICACION PARA TODOS LOS APLICANTES DE
NORTHEAST II APARTMENTS
Northeast II Apartments ya no estará aceptando solicitudes para las unidades del programa de demostración de alquiler (RAD). La lista de espera estará cerrada hasta nuevo aviso. La gerencia continuará aceptando solicitudes para las unidades de mercado. Aceptaremos los Housing Choice Vouchers para las unidades de mercado y cualquier solicitud de alquiler que cualifique según los ingresos que cumplan con los Créditos Fiscales para viviendas de bajos ingresos.
Mt. Holyoke Management, LLC
63 Jackson Street Suite: 101 - Holyoke MA 01010
532-9268
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Opinión / Opinion
El Sol Latino January 2019
Put Puerto Rico First
by SERGIO M. MARXUACH This piece originally appeared on The Center for a New Economy blog | November 28, 2018. During the past few months a narrative has taken hold, on both sides of the political spectrum, that Puerto Rico is “using federal disaster relief funds to pay bondholders”. This narrative is wrong and dangerously simplistic. The use of federal funds, appropriated by Congress and allocated by federal agencies, is subject to numerous laws, rules, and regulations. Specifically, in the case of FEMA and HUD, which administer the two largest sources of federal disaster relief funds, each has issued regulations governing the obligation and expenditure of those moneys. In addition, these agencies have internal audit and control procedures and eventually could be subject to ex-post audits by their respective Inspector Generals and the Government Accountability Office, and to Congressional oversight hearings as well. Therefore, those crafting this narrative either lack an understanding of the disaster recovery process or are simply misrepresenting the truth to score cheap political points. Unfortunately, cheap politics usually transform into expensive policy blunders. That being said, and given that money is fungible, it is true that: • Recovery funds will free up other Puerto Rican government funds that could be reprogrammed for other purposes (let’s call this the endowment effect) • The economic activity generated by recovery spending in Puerto Rico will increase tax revenues which could be used for any other purpose, including to increase bondholder payouts (let’s call this the income effect) In our view, too much effort has been devoted to finding a way to put a firewall between federal funds and debt service. This is a fool’s errand: although Congress can legislate that “no federal disaster relief funds can be used to pay bondholders”, there is no absolutely fail-safe way to prevent this given the fungibility of money. What is required, instead, is the political will to tell bondholders that they will have to accept a large haircut even though the fiscal numbers look fine. And reason the numbers look good is because of the endowment and income effects described above, not because the Puerto Rican economy is growing at a sustainable rate. Furthermore, the restructuring process designed under PROMESA didn’t anticipate these funds would ever be available to substitute for other Puerto Rico government funds. If a large surplus had been foreseen back in 2016, then Congress wouldn’t have legislated to allow for the restructuring of Puerto Rico’s debt. Revising the fiscal plan to include the effect of disaster recovery spending was a serious policy mistake. Puerto Rico is in a unique bankruptcy situation in the midst of a massive recovery effort after a natural disaster. In this context, the correct strategy should be to “Put Puerto Rico First” by planning and requiring that funds from both the endowment and income effects be plowed back into the Puerto Rico economy before paying off bondholders. Elements of a Puerto Rico First strategy would include the following: 1. Recalculating the available surplus in the fiscal plan, net of disaster recovery funds 2. Drafting a plan for investing the funds generated by the endowment and income effects on public good 3. Calculating bondholder haircuts based on the “available surplus” net of federal funds
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4. Developing and offering to bondholders a bond whose repayment is contingent on Puerto Rico’s economic growth or on achieving certain tax revenue targets In conclusion, at a time when the bad happens and the worse threatens, all of us who care about Puerto Rico have to be cautious about the language we use to further Puerto Rico’s cause. The island has few champions in Washington and certainly no shortage of detractors. It is imperative that all of us who care about the island do not undermine our cause by using ill-defined concepts and ideas and careless language. 12/14/18
El Sol Latino SERGIO M. MARXUACH is the Policy Director and General Counsel at the 1/4 page: 4.75”x 5.75” Center for a New Economy, a non-profit, non-partisan think tank. THE Email ads to: Manuel Frau Ramos: manuelfrau@gmail.com CENTER FOR2019 A NEW ECONOMY (CNE) is an independent, non-partisan Runs: January think-tank that advocates for the development of a new economy for Puerto Rico. Founded in 1998, CNE produces rigorous public policy research and analysis, and is one of the most credible and influential voices on Puerto Rico’s economy. As a think tank, we are guided by the following values: Independence, Impact and Intellectual Quality.
Política / Politics
El Sol Latino January 2019
11
What Aristotle can teach us about Trump’s rhetoric by ANTHONY F. ARRIGO This piece originally appeared on theconversationo.com | December 21, 2018 From Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats to Ronald Reagan’s reputation as the “great communicator” to Barack Obama’s soaring oratory to Donald Trump’s Twitter use, styles of presidential communication have varied over time.
ANTHONY F. ARRIGO
But what is similar across all presidents is their ability to create persuasive messages that resonate with large segments of the U.S. population.
Whatever your opinion about Donald Trump, he is highly effective at doing this. The question is why, and how does he do it? As someone who teaches rhetoric and communication, I am interested in how people connect with an audience and why a message resonates with one audience but falls flat with another. Whether intentional or not, Trump is using rhetorical strategies that have been around for more than 2,000 years.
What makes something persuasive?
There have been many definitions of rhetoric over the past two millennia, but at its most basic level it is the practice and study of persuasive communication. It was first developed in ancient Greece, and arose from the need for people to defend themselves in law courts – a brand new invention at the time. One of the world’s most influential thinkers in this regard was the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who lived from 384 to 322 B.C. Aristotle was a student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote about philosophy, poetry, music, biology, zoology, economics and other topics. He also famously wrote about rhetoric and came up with an elaborate and detailed system for understanding both what is persuasive and how to create persuasive messages. To Aristotle, there were three main elements that all work together to create a persuasive message: a person’s use of logic and reasoning, their credibility and their use of emotional appeals. Aristotle wished that everyone could be persuaded with detailed logical arguments – what he called “logos.” However, that approach is often tedious, and, frankly, Aristotle felt most people weren’t smart enough to understand them anyway. Facts, documents, reasoning, data and so forth are all important, but those alone won’t win the day. So, he claimed, we need two other things – and this is where Trump excels: credibility and emotion.
Trump: The credible leader
Aristotle argues that someone’s credibility – or “ethos” – is one of the elements that people find most persuasive.
Very often, politicians “evolve” or “pivot” from a position that has earned them intense loyalty from a small group to a position they think will resonate with a larger group in order to get more supporters. This works for some people. But that’s not Trump’s strategy. Instead, he goes all-in with his core supporters, establishing stronger bonds and identifying more closely with that group than someone with a more moderate message would. This also creates extremes on both sides: passionate supporters and intense detractors. President Trump the communicator, then, has a laser focus on one particular segment of the population. He doesn’t mind if you don’t agree with him because he’s not talking to you anyway. His strategy is to continue nurturing his credibility with core supporters.
Trump: The emotional leader
Peppering your credibility with emotional appeals – what Aristotle calls “pathos” – is particularly effective. As Aristotle once wrote, “The hearer always sympathizes with one who speaks emotionally, even though he really says nothing.” Anger, for example, is an emotion that a speaker can provoke in an audience by using real or perceived slights. In Book 2 of his “On Rhetoric,” Aristotle writes that anger is an “impulse, accompanied by pain, to a conspicuous revenge for a conspicuous slight.” He details how an audience will channel their “great resentment” and revel in the “pleasure” of their expectation of “revenge” against those who have wronged them. In another passage, he writes, “people who are afflicted by sickness or poverty or love or thirst or any other unsatisfied desires are prone to anger and easily roused: especially against those who slight their present distress.” Using slights to channel and rouse anger is a near daily strategy that Trump has used against the FBI, the news media, the Mueller investigation and other perceived enemies. Anger over the slighting of one’s “present distress” also helps explain why, for example, Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” comment was such a rallying cry for Republicans. They didn’t like being dissed.
Trump’s language style
A speaker’s style of language is also important. Trump is very effective with this, too. Aristotle recommended that a speaker should first identify feelings that their audience already holds, and then use vivid language that resonates with that specific audience to intensify those emotions. Trump has repeatedly put this tactic to work, particularly at his rallies.
However, he also said credibility is not a universal trait or feature. For example, a degree from Princeton gives you credibility only to someone else who has heard of Princeton, understands its cultural cachet and respects what it represents. The Princeton degree itself doesn’t give you credibility; it’s the perception of the degree by someone else that’s important.
For example, Trump regularly invokes a familiar adversary, Hillary Clinton, at his rallies. By drawing on his audience’s known animosity toward her and encouraging them in the “lock her up” chant, calling for her to be jailed and describing her election night loss as “her funeral,” he is using an aggressive style of language that reflects and heightens the preexisting emotions of his audience.
Aristotle also said that an important feature of credibility is to appear to have the audience’s best interest in mind by sharing and affirming their desires and prejudices, and understanding and amplifying their cultural values. In politics, the person who does the best job of this will get your vote.
The downside is that the more he uses language that is strongly incompatible with other groups, the more they dislike him. But that seems to be something Trump embraces, which only gives him even more credibility with his supporters.
So when Trump states that climate change is a hoax or that the “news media is the enemy of the American people,” what makes that effective for certain audiences has nothing to do with the truthfulness of those statements.
Whether this approach is a smart electoral strategy in the future remains to be seen.
Instead, it’s because he’s channeling and then reflecting the values and grievances of his audience back to them. The closer he gets to hitting the sweet spot of that specific audience, the more they like him and find him credible.
ANTHONY F. ARRIGO is an Associate Professor, Writing Rhetoric and Communication, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He conducts interdisciplinary research that contributes to scholarship in rhetoric and communications studies, cultural and technology studies, and environmental studies. THE CONVERSATION US arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse – and recognition of the vital role that academic experts can play in the public arena. Independent and not-for-profit, it is part of a global network of newsrooms first launched in Australia in 2011. The Conversation began its US operations in 2014.
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Ciencia / Science
Why you should be a scientist by ANA PAMELA TORRES OCAMPO When I was 8 years old, I remember my dad handed me a National Geographic documentary videotape. The envelope for the videotape had the traditional yellow frame with a picture of a shark in it. You could very clearly see all the features of the face of the shark. I was intrigued, turned on the TV and watched it. The main point of the documentary was to show all the different kinds of sharks there are on the planet. While watching the documentary, one type of shark struck me as interesting: the great white shark. It is an exquisitely designed animal to survive in its environment and it’s usually portrayed as a dangerous killing machine. However, what I wanted to know how is it that somebody is actually in charge of discovering all of this information. Somebody had to observe and then ask the question; what is that thing swimming over there? How is it so dangerous? As I grew up, I knew I liked the sciences because unlike history or Spanish, it explained to me why or how. Why does that plant grow? or Why do our bodies need oxygen? Why is blood red? My curiosity kept growing and I eventually landed as a biology major in college without really knowing what to do after I graduated. Nonetheless, all of that changed when I started doing research in a laboratory that was interested in understanding the roles of various types of fungi in the environment and disease. I was fascinated as I learned that it was somebody’s job to just learn and expand knowledge in certain topics.
Educación / Education
El Sol Latino January 2019
STCC among Top 75 Nursing Schools in New England SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE | December 21, 2018 –Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has been named one of the top 75 nursing schools in New England. The research team at Nursing Schools Almanac conducted a detailed assessment of more than 3,000 schools nationwide, and only 15 percent made its list of the top nursing school in each geographical region. The New England rankings include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Nursing Schools Almanac evaluated each nursing school in the region on three dimensions: • The institution’s academic prestige and perceived value • The breadth and depth of nursing programs offered • Student success, particularly on the NCLEX national licensure exam STCC’s nursing program was ranked No. 70. According to Nursing Schools Almanac: “Springfield Technical Community College offers an (associate degree in nursing) program with a rigorous curriculum of classroom lecture, nursing skills laboratory, and patient simulation in the school’s nationally recognized SIMS Medical Center. Clinical rotations take place each semester in a variety of hospitals and healthcare agencies throughout Springfield and the Pioneer Valley region of Western Massachusetts.”
As I became used to being in the laboratory, the professor in charge, invited me to attend my first scientific conference. There were posters and talks throughout the day and I remember clearly a talk that was about how turtles that nested in Caribbean beaches were getting sick from a certain fungus and the scientist was studying the fungus so he could design a cure as this fungus was becoming a threat for the turtle population. His job was saving turtles! I found this astonishing! I kept doing research through my undergraduate studies and decided that I was going to be a scientist as I knew that I had found my place. I am currently getting a Ph.D. that will allow me to demonstrate that I can think independently and think critically. I am getting trained to use the most sophisticated tools we have to answer questions in molecular biology. I am learning constantly. I have to be meticulous and detail oriented. It is a tough profession. It has taken me away from my family but it has pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and keep trying. But I have gained so much. I get to keep asking questions and trying to figure out a way to answer them (which for me is the most fun part). Learning how to observe and pose questions is a great adventure. Before luckily finding research, I was unaware that being a scientist was even an option as a profession. I thought that being a lawyer, doctor or accountant were the options to choose from. But I fostered my curiosity and with a lot of hard work, I got to where I am today. It is a path full of ups and downs, but if you like answering questions and feel that the curiosity to know more is always there, cherish it. You might be the next generation of scientists that is going to contribute to understand our world a little better and help take care of it. ANA PAMELA TORRES OCAMPO (a.torres.ocampo@gmail.com) is a PhD student at the Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) Program - UMass Amherst.
STCC’s Director of Nursing Lisa Fugiel said, “The talented faculty and staff go the distance for our nursing students. Their commitment is a big part of our success as a program.” Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health & Patient Simulation, said, “Our nursing program is highly competitive. We challenge our students to do their very best. When they graduate, they are prepared to start their careers as registered nurses or transfer to a four-year institution to continue their education and pursue a bachelor’s degree.” Scott said the school offers students the opportunity to work on patient simulators in the SIMS Medical Center at STCC, a unique program in the region. This past fall, the School of Health & Patient Simulation started offering a new health science degree program that exposes students to a range of health care careers in an immersive and rich learning environment. Interested in applying to one of health programs for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 22? Call the Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or visit www.stcc. edu/ap
Educación / Education
El Sol Latino January 2019
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Springfield native José Delgado appointed to HCC Board of Trustees HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | November 28, 2018 – José M. Delgado, a Springfield native who has been active in local and state-wide government affairs for most of his professional career, has been appointed to the Holyoke Community College Board of Trustees by Gov. Charlie Baker. Delgado, 32, is director of Government Affairs for MGM Springfield and a former aide to Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno. “Despite my age, I’ve been out in the community for a while, particularly in Springfield,” Delgado said after his first HCC trustees meeting on Tues., Nov. 27. “It’s good to see some familiar faces on the board, but also some folks that I don’t know. It’s exciting to hear what’s going on at HCC. I’m honored to be part of it and looking forward to what’s to come.” Born and raised in Springfield, Delgado graduated from Central High School before going to Westfield State College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a minor in Business Management. Earlier this year he completed his master’s degree in Business Administration from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
pre-admissions advisor and recruitment coordinator for the University Without Walls at UMass. As a volunteer, Delgado has served as vice chair of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee and is a founding board member of Suit Up Springfield. In 2014, he was named one of the “40 Under Forty” by Business West magazine. He lives in Springfield with his wife, Danielle, and two young children, Jonah, 7, and Mia, 3.
José Delgado (Photo Credit: HCC)
“I’m a first-generation college student and not too different from many of the students here at HCC,” he said. “My mom didn’t make it to high school. My dad graduated high school and that was about it. So higher ed, education in general, is important to me because I’ve seen what it did in my life. I’m a kid who grew up on public assistance, was able to break that cycle, and I’m looking forward to doing the same thing here at HCC in terms of motivating students – whatever I can do to help.” Since graduating from Westfield State in 2008, Delgado has also worked as a program coordinator for the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce, a field operations supervisor for the U.S. Census Bureau, and a
HCC trustee Evan Plotkin, left, and HCC president Christina Royal, after Delgado’s first board meeting on Nov. 27, 2018. (Photo Credit: HCC)
STCC Announces Late Registration for Spring Semester Enrollment SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE | December 13, 2018 –Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will hold Spring Semester Late Registration Week Jan. 14-18. Classes begin Jan. 22. Late Registration Week is a time when prospective students may apply to a program, meet with an advisor, select and register for courses, pay their bill and receive their schedule in one easy visit, said Dean of Admissions Louisa Davis-Freeman. Many programs are still accepting applicants. “We will help anyone get ready for spring semester during Late Registration Week, but we encourage prospective students to talk to us as soon as possible,” Davis-Freeman said. “If you’re planning to enroll, you can contact us now. You don’t need to wait until Late Registration is underway.” The college is expanding hours of operation for most enrollment offices beginning Jan. 2. The new hours are Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Expanded hours will be in effect during and after Late Registration Week.
“To be accepted into a program please bring your official high school transcript(s) or GED or HiSET certification with you. In order to be considered eligible for financial aid, you must be enrolled in a degree-granting or eligible certificate program,” Davis-Freeman said. “New for spring semester is our Health Science Associate Degree program offering affordable pathways to a health care career,” Davis-Freeman said. “In addition to receiving professional health care certifications such as sterile processing or emergency medical technician, students will be prepared to apply to STCC’s competitive health care programs, apply to another institution’s health care programs or transfer to a 4-year college’s or university’s health science program to prepare for a graduate program.” The college will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 21. For more information about beginning spring semester classes on Jan. 22, call the Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333, email admissions@stcc.edu or apply online at stcc.edu/apply.
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Educación / Education
El Sol Latino January 2019
Alternative approaches needed to end racial disparities in school discipline by JONATHAN F. ZAFF, Ph.D.
This piece originally appeared on theconversationo.com | December 19, 2018 Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wants to get rid of an Obama-era policy that sought to end racial disparities in school suspensions and expulsions. Statistics show those disparities mean black students are four times more likely to be suspended than white students and two-thirds of black males will be suspended at some point during their K-12 careers. Even if DeVos does scrap the policy that sought to end racial disparities, schools can still end the disparities on their own. To do that, schools must first rethink the way they carry out school discipline. Instead of kicking students out, schools can take a positive youth development approach. The young people and school leaders who spoke with my team and me at the Boston University-based Center for Promise recently for “Disciplined and Disconnected,” called for the same approach. I study ways to create conditions children and adolescents need to thrive academically and socially, and as employees and citizens. The Center for Promise, which I head, is a research center for America’s Promise Alliance, a nonprofit that convenes people and organizations to help young people thrive. Just as prior research has shown, the young people we spoke with stressed the need for school teachers and staff to get to know them and the reasons behind their behaviors. As one student in our study said, “All you got to do is to get suspended one time and you’re labeled. I see it, like they follow the same kids around, like everybody knows, ‘Hey, those are the bad kids…‘ Every time something happen, they either go to them or they [c]ome to me and [my friend] and be like, ‘You know what happened?’” School leaders spoke about the need to change the cultural norms in schools from punitive to positive. As one school administrator in our study stated, “For us, it’s about keeping kids in school, keeping kids connected. Because we all know the research: the more connected a kid is, the better they do.” Bias in school discipline That kind of change, however, is less likely if a school safety commission headed by DeVos has its way. The commission wants to scrap the Obamaera guidance that asked schools to keep track of racial disparities in school discipline. Without such guidance to raise awareness of how exclusionary discipline is implemented, research suggests that schools will disproportionately punish students of color. The school safety commission headed by DeVos was formed in response to the Parkland school shooting. There is no data to suggest that students of color are more likely to perpetrate school shootings, especially mass school shootings. Still, the commission seems to believe getting rid of the Obamaera policy memo meant to reduce racial disparities in school suspensions and expulsions will somehow reduce school violence, which is its primary charge. At first blush, this seems to make little sense, but here’s how their thinking goes: Earlier this year, conservative leaders called for Secretary DeVos to rescind the Obama-era memo. They argued that it has made schools less safe by keeping dangerous students in school. But experience and research shows that kids with problematic behavior
don’t have to be removed from school to keep schools safe. Instead, there are very promising and proven alternatives that can lead to safer schools, improved behaviors for individual students, and more positive school climates. My research shows the key is to make sure these alternatives are implemented with the right support for teachers and school administrators. Exclusionary disciplinary practices – that is, suspensions and expulsions – on the other hand, can create divisions between students and teachers. They also place educational attainment further out of reach for students of color and students with disabilities, who are suspended more frequently than other students. Indeed, the consequences of being suspended extend far beyond missing a few days of school. A 2014 study from the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University found that a single suspension doubles the odds that a student would drop out of school. Alternatives to kicking kids out Fortunately, more schools have begun to implement practices that may actually improve student behavior without removing students from the classroom. These are practices that could begin to give teachers hope that there are effective tools to maintain productive learning environments, even amid recent district-wide bans on suspensions, such as in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. In these districts, teachers are pushing back against these bans because they are not being given enough professional development and school resources to effectively implement effective, alternative practices. Armed with the right tools, proper training, and school administration buy-in, schools can confidently begin to move away from using the blunt instrument of suspension in favor of practices that engage all students in safe, supportive and healthy learning environments. At their core, these practices help schools rethink discipline by rethinking young people: from problems to be remediated to assets to be supported. Punishment is not seen as separate from the rest of the learning environment, but as part of the overall school climate. Two illustrative examples are restorative practices and the Building Assets, Reducing Risks program, or BARR. Restorative justice Restorative practices, often referred to as restorative justice, involves getting school teachers, staff and students together to identify and understand the harm done. These approaches are meant to resolve the impacts of the behavior on other students and the broader school through appropriate reparations or reconciliations. They also involve the repair of any relationships that have been disrupted. California, Colorado, Pennsylvania and individual districts throughout the country have implemented restorative practices.
Teachers can still remove students from classrooms for dangerous behaviors when using restorative justice. However, the removal is not a punishment, but rather a first step in understanding the reasons for the behavior and helping the student understand the impact of their behavior on themselves and others.
Significant focus is placed on how the student brought back to class after the issues have been resolved. Studies have found that restorative justice leads to improved student-teacher relationships, improved student behavior, and a reduction in suspensions, particularly for students of color. In Denver, for instance, where restorative justice had been introduced in 2003, suspension rates for black students fell from 17.61 percent in the 2006-2007 school year to 10.42 percent six years later. Since disciplinary alternatives are part of the learning experience, the impacts should go beyond suspension rates and should consider the
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Música / Music
El Sol Latino January 2019
15
González and Ragazzi’s New Musical Production After more than three decades, José González y Claudio Ragazzi announce the release of their new musical production, “Fantasía del Sur”. With a new musical group, “The González-Ragazzi Project,” the well-known guitarists interpret a wide array of latin rhythms that incorporate jazz elements, Latin American folklore, flamenco, and Caribbean and Brazilina rhythms.
studied Rock and Funk. René began an early apprenticeship on Timbales, Bongos, Tumbadoras, and Latin percussion. René studied straight-ahead jazz, and big band jazz. He has performed with numerous groups, and has recorded timbales, tumbadoras, bongos, drums, and electric bass on numerous records spanning various styles and bands.
The new music group is made up of José González – Guitar / Cuatro; Claudio Ragazzi – Guitar / Cuatro; Ahmed González – Flute / Guitar / Percussion; and René González - Percussion / Bass. The quartet had its first concert with The Connecticut Guitar Society in Hartford, CT on April 2018. Their debut was a success, performing in front of a full house and receiving their first standing ovation. The Society’s website described them as, “The most eclectic Caribbean musical ensemble touring today; equally versatile in Latin, classical and jazz idioms. This musical family unit (father and sons) brings a unique and unmatched versatility and energy to any concert stage.” Composer and guitarist Claudio Ragazzi won a Grammy in 2018 for Best Latin Jazz Album (with the Pablo Ziegler Trio). He has written award winning music for film and television, scored hundreds of projects and has performed with some of today’s most respected musicians around the world. Claudio attended Berklee College of Music where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, a winner of the prestigious Duke Ellington Master’s Award and the Boston Music Awards. José González, Puerto Rican guitarist, composer and virtuoso cuatro player, is a top performer of contemporary Latin music. His original compositions feature “el cuatro,” Puerto Rico’s national instrument. José has selfproduced recordings that have become bestsellers. His music has been featured on televison, as well as on four “Putumayo World Music” CDs, the Bose Corp. “World Music”CD and the PBS “Visions of Puerto Rico” TV special. He has performed on stage alongside top Latin artists and musicians. Ahmed González Ahmed has been a flutist for over 15 years, focusing on Latin-American musical styles, classical music, and American Jazz. Ahmed has a strong flute foundation in many styles, making him a versatile performer, recording in numerous records, and performing with 6 well-known bands in the Western MA and Hartford, CT area. Ahmed has a solo album, Flute Soul. René González Rene is a multi-percussionist, focusing on Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican music styles. He began his studies on drums with his father at the age of six, and
at https://www.facebook.com/ El-Sol-Latino-280862535259910
Alternative approaches needed to end racial disparities learning environment for all students in a school. In Denver, students attending schools that have done a good job implementing restorative practices show improved rates of attendance and courses passed.A more proactive approach, the Building Assets, Reducing Risks, or BARR program, focuses on building relationships between students and teachers that include mutual trust, respect and understanding of their respective lives — not on creating punitive policies. Developed at one high school outside Minneapolis, BARR is currently in 84 schools throughout the country. BARR programs create structured activities for students and teachers to build positive relationships and set aside time for teachers to reflect on their students. BARR programs also call for continuous data collection on student strengths – such as motivation, empathy and social competence – and challenges faced by students – such as homelessness, learning differences and food instability.
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Results from a set of rigorous studies show BARR positively impacted on academic proficiency, credits earned and courses completed. JONATHAN F. ZAFF is executive director of the Center for Promise and a research associate professor in Applied Human Development the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. His research focuses primarily on understanding how to create the conditions within which all children and youth thrive academically, socially, vocationally, and civically. THE CONVERSATION US arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse – and recognition of the vital role that academic experts can play in the public arena. Independent and not-for-profit, it is part of a global network of newsrooms first launched in Australia in 2011. The Conversation began its US operations in 2014.
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El Sol Latino January 2019
Fine Arts Center ¡Eventos de Primavera!
CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH
Jueves, Febrero 14, 7:30 pm | Bowker Auditorium
Disfrute de jazz, baile y mucho más en el UMass Fine Arts Center
Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah ha tenido una carrera relámpago que lo ha llevado a la vanguardia del jazz, el hip-hop, y el pop. Con raíces en las tradiciones de New Orleans, su ciudad natal, Scott es ampliamente reconocido como uno de los pioneros del “Stretch Music,” una forma musical con raíces en el jazz, la cual intenta “stretch” (extender) las convenciones rítmicas, melódicas y harmónicas del jazz para abarcar muchas otras formas musicales, lenguajes y culturas. Extienda su definición de jazz con este quinteto el Día de San Valentín. Auspician:
Magic Triangle’s 30th Anniversary Celebration
JANE BUNNETT & MAQUEQUE
Jueves, Marzo 28, 8 pm | Bowker Auditorium
Jane Bunnett ha dedicado gran parte de su vida profesional a la música de Cuba. Su proyecto más reciente, Maqueque, “el espíritu de una jovencita”, combina la talentosa soprano saxofonista y flautista con jóvenes cubanas que son de las mas hábiles musicalmente. “Si se presentan cerca de su pueblo, vaya a verlas,” escribe Jon Garelick. Auspician:
BALLET HISPÁNICO
Jueves, Abril 18, 7:30 pm | Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
Con impresionantes bailarines e intrépida coreografía, el Ballet Hispánico fusiona el baile Latino con técnicas clásicas y contemporáneas creando un nuevo estilo de baile. Para esta presentación, el Ballet Hispánico trae un programa con una coreografía completamente Latina con piezas que exploran símbolos icónicos mexicanos, la circularidad de la condición humana y la pasión del baile flamenco. “Los miembros de Ballet Hispánico son 12 de los bailarines más musicales y técnicamente hábiles que usted encontrará en la esfera contemporánea.” –The Washington Post.
Charla antes de la presentación, a las 6:15 pm, en el vestíbulo del FAC Auspician:
Boletos: Llamar 413-545-2511 o 800-999-UMAS o en línea al fineartscenter.com