El Sol Latino | July 2018 | 14.8

July 2018

Volume 14 No. 8

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Puerto Rican Lives Matter Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

An American Tragedy Harvard Study: Hurricane María Killed Close to 4,645

2 Note of the editor. We solaridize with the Amnesty International – USA position on the policy of separating children from parents. Below their statement about this topic.

Policy Of Separating Children From Parents Is Nothing Short Of Torture

by AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - USA

to this new policy.

WASHINGTON, DC. June 18, 2018 - The sickening images of children cruelly separated from their parents and held in cages as a result of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ policy of ‘zero-tolerance’ will leave an indelible stain on the reputation of the USA, said Amnesty International today.

Amnesty International recently interviewed 17 asylum-seeking parents who were forcibly separated from their children, and all but three of them had entered the USA legally to request asylum.

“This is a spectacularly cruel policy, where frightened children are being ripped from their parent’s arms and taken to overflowing detention centers, which are effectively cages. This is nothing short of torture. The severe mental suffering that officials have intentionally inflicted on these families for coercive purposes, means that these acts meet the definitions of torture under both US and international law,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Americas Director.

“There is no question that President Trump administration’s policy of separating mothers and fathers from their children is designed to impose severe mental suffering on these families, in order to deter others from trying to seek safety in the USA. Many of these families come from countries experiencing generalized violence and grave human rights violations, including Honduras and El Salvador. This is a flagrant violation of the human rights of these parents and children and is also a violation of US obligations under refugee law.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the “zero-tolerance policy for criminal illegal entry” on 6 April 2018. Since the policy came into effect, more than 2,000 children have been separated from their parents or legal guardians at the US border. Children’s rights are violated in multiple ways: they are detained, they are separated from their parents or guardians, and they are exposed to unnecessary trauma that might affect their development.

Statistics obtained by news media suggest that thousands more migrant families may have been separated by the Trump administration even prior

“The claims of the Trump administration ring hollow. This cruel and unnecessary practice is being inflicted not only on families crossing irregularly, but also on those seeking protection at ports of entry. The majority of these families fled to the US to seek international protection from persecution and targeted violence in the Northern Triangle, where their governments are unwilling or unable to protect them,” said Guevara-Rosas.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen has denied a policy of separating families is in place, but her statement from January this year confirms that the intention all along has been to target families: “We’re looking at a variety of ways to enforce our laws to discourage parents from bringing their children here.” Her predecessor John Kelly, now Trump’s chief of staff, suggested the policy as early as March 2017 “in order to deter” families of migrants and asylum seekers from coming to the USA. “Make no mistake, these family separations are a crisis of the government’s own making. The U.S. government is playing a sick game with these families’ lives by playing politics with what is a serious and mounting refugee crisis. Just as we have seen with previous immigration reforms from this administration, authorities have chosen to target the very families seeking safety in the USA, adding to the trauma and pain they have already experienced,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas.

Amnesty International is calling on the administration to immediately put an end to this unnecessary, devastating and unlawful policy of forced separation, and to reunite those families that have already been separated as quickly as possible.

Cita del Mes/ Quote of the Month “The administration’s current family separation policy is an affront to the decency of the American people, and contrary to principles and values upon which our nation was founded. The administration has the power to rescind this policy. It should do so now.”

Senator John McCain, R-Arizona Twitter, 7:29 PM - Jun 18, 2018

contents

2 Editorial / Editorial Policy Of Separating Children From Parents Is Nothing Short Of Torture 3 Portada / Front Page Why Puerto Rico’s death toll from Hurricane María is so much higher than officials thought 4 Federal Food Aid Sent to Puerto Rico was Junk Food 5 Latino Organizations Decry the Federal Response to Puerto Rico after Hurricane María Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink 6 Nueva Esperanza, Inc. names Nelson Román Executive Director 7 Boricua Stories from MGM Springfield / Angel Rivera 9 Opinión / Opinion The betrayal of the poor 9 This is About Junot Diaz, But It’s More About Us 10 Poesía / Poetry Voices of Young Mothers of The Care Center 12 Educación / Education HCC, Holyoke Public Schools receive state grant, “Early College” program designation 13 Cultura / Culture 2nd Annual People’s Puerto Rican Flag Raising Ceremony 15 Parada Puertorriqueña del Oeste de Massachusetts

Founded in 2004 n Volume 14, No. 8 n July 2018 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.

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 July 2018

3

Why Puerto Rico’s death toll from Hurricane María is so much higher than officials thought

by ALEXIS R. SANTOS-LOZADA This is an updated version (May 31, 2018) of an article originally published in The Conversation on Jan. 3, 2018.

“If you don’t get away from those areas, you are going to die.” That statement concluded Puerto Rico Secretary of Public Safety Héctor Pesquera’s press conference before Hurricane María.

As of Dec. 29, the Department of Public Safety had certified 64 deaths due to Hurricane María. Pesquera was one of the fiercest protectors of that official death count.

However, estimates reported by CNN, The New York Times and others around the same time told a very different story. Now, a May 29 study estimates the total number of deaths at 4,645.

I was part of the team of demographers that last year developed the first estimates of excess deaths, with the objective of informing the public and policymakers. Our numbers, published in November, contrasted significantly with the original official figure. The most shocking results from our study suggested that deaths in September and October were 25 percent above historical patterns.

Determining the number of excess deaths after a natural disaster is not only a mathematical exercise. Undercounting deaths reduces the attention to the crisis Puerto Ricans live day by day. It can also delay international recovery efforts and the approval of policies to help those who need it the most.

Death counts for Hurricane Maria

How many people died in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria? The official count is at 64, but studies by other researchers and media outlets estimate many more.

Official count CNN (11/20/17) Santos and Howard study (11/21/17) Center for Investigative Journalism (12/7/17) New York Times (12/9/17) Significance (2/6/18) New England Journal of Medicine (5/29/18)

64 199 1,085 985 1,052 822 4,645

Destroyed communication satellite in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Dan Vineberg, CC BY

“Indirect deaths” may be associated with any unsafe or unhealthy conditions before, during and after a natural disaster.

For example, Hurricane María destroyed Puerto Rico’s power grid. So, someone whose life depended on a dialysis machine would no longer be able to use one. In official certificates, their death would be classified as kidney-related and not attributed to the hurricane – even though the death was accelerated by lack of resources required by the patient to stay alive.

The same would happen to someone whose life depended on respiratory aid. Their death would be classified as pulmonary-related.

Or, say a person feels chest pain and suspects a heart attack. Their immediate reaction might be to call 911. A working communications structure may be used to get help in time and save a life. But in the days following Hurricane María, only 25 percent of the cellphone towers were working. Communication was virtually impossible.

CNN estimates only include deaths until mid-October.

Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: Compiled by Alexis R. Santos-Lozada

Under the international system, a death resulting from these circumstances would be classified as a result of a cardiovascular condition and would not be attributed to the hurricane either.

Causes of death

Revising the death count

Our study compared preliminary data from the Department of Public Safety with historical patterns for the same months in the past decade. In other words, we compared the number of deaths in September and October last year with data from the same period of time in 2010 to 2016. This is how we concluded that deaths exceeded historical ranges by at least 1,000.

So why were so many deaths missing from the official count? My colleagues and I suspect it may come down to how deaths are recorded by government officials.

In Puerto Rico, deaths are recorded using international classifications. This system doesn’t capture all of the circumstances surrounding a death that happens following a natural disaster. The death may have been accelerated by some conditions – like difficulty communicating during the emergency.

Deaths associated with a particular natural disaster can be classified as direct or indirect deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, direct deaths are those “directly attributable to the forces of the disaster or by the direct consequences of these forces, such as structural collapse, flying debris or radiation exposure.”

Given that most estimates, including the most recently published figure, point toward a serious undercount, it’s imperative to address this issue once and for all.

I have a few ideas of how to move forward. Most importantly, researchers must be able to access data without interventions from the political establishment. So far, no government body at the local or federal level have shared updated counts with the public, and they are actively seeking to dismantle the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, which is the agency with the power to make them do it.

In light of the evidence, the Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló last year ordered a review of the causes of death for those who died after Hurricane María. They chose George Washington University to run this project. A preliminary report was supposed to be published by the end of May, but it will more likely be published during the summer.

Will the official count change? As of today it has not, but it most likely will.

The government is no longer updating the official count, which stands at 64, and they are likely to accept the count produced by the George Washington University team.

Following the impact of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and María, the CDC

continued on next page

4

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino July 2018

Federal Food Aid Sent to Puerto Rico was Junk Food WASHINGTON, DC. June 11, 2018 – Researchers at the Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University (GW) analyzed foods distributed in Puerto Rico as part of the federal disaster relief and recovery efforts after Hurricane María and determined much of the food aid failed to meet U.S. dietary guidelines for added sugars, sodium and saturated fats.

Milken Institute SPH Associate Professor Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, ScD, MPA, presented the new research at Nutrition 2018, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting in Boston.

“Our preliminary results suggest that the federal food aid sent to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria often contained chips, candy and other foods low on nutritional value,” Colón-Ramos said. “Food aid is supposed to follow national dietary guidelines, but in this case the federal response seems to have fallen short.” via Twitter @sujeilugo

Consuming high levels of sodium, saturated fats and added sugars can increase the risk of health problems including obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Puerto Ricans are already at high risk for obesity and suffer in large numbers from Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

The researchers photographed 10 consecutive days of food aid slated to be distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. Using the photos, they analyzed the nutritional information of 107 unique food items. The analysis revealed that close to 10 percent of those were low-nutritional value foods such as chips and candy.

Even when excluding candy and chips, people receiving federal food aid would not be able to follow federal dietary guidelines without exceeding the recommended daily limit for sodium, added sugars or saturated fats, the researchers concluded.

“A diet high in salt, added sugars and saturated fats can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. In addition, such foods can make it harder for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar,” Colón-Ramos added.

Shelf-stable nutritious foods that meet dietary guidelines can and should be provided to places that lack refrigeration or power, according to ColónRamos. The researchers did find items that were low-sodium and low-sugar, but these were only a small percentage of the food aid delivered.

“Communities recovering from loss often need better nutrition to protect their health,” Colón-Ramos said. “We hope these findings lead to healthier food distributions for recovering communities in the future.”

Why Puerto Rico’s death toll from Hurricane María is so much higher than officials thought continued from previous page

published guidelines that state and territorial governments should follow to determine if a death is related or not to a specific event. Following these guidelines could provide the government of Puerto Rico with a more realistic death count. It remains to be seen if the new count will follow this protocol.

What deaths should be counted?

An accurate death count could be used to inform policies, supplement requests for aid, and inform local governments as they prepare for future natural disasters. That’s particularly important for Puerto Rico, where extreme weather events may become more likely as climate change worsens.

Hurricane María was the first storm to destroy the power grid in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is now entering hurricane season again, and experts predict it will be an active one.

Minimized figures could weaken efforts to provide relief to communities affected by the hurricane. Given that Puerto Rico does not hold political power in Congress, and that the only representative does not vote, it’s crucial to convey the reality to all elected officials, so that their votes align with the necessities of those who are still in Puerto Rico.

Alexis R. Santos Lozada - Assistant Teaching Professor in Sociology, Pennsylvania State University- is an applied demographer and population health scientist whose research examines policy implications of demographic transformations in the United States and the international community. His current work focuses in the refinement of population estimates and projections, health inequalities and demographic consequences of Hurricane María for the population of Puerto Rico.

A broken power grid in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Dan Vineberg, CC BY

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino July 2018

5

Latino Organizations Decry the Federal Response to Puerto Rico after Hurricane María WASHINGTON, DC. June 5, 2018 – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 46 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, decries the blatant disregard for human life in the wake of Hurricane María. As the true cost of the storm, measured in lives lost, becomes apparent through a study recently published by Harvard University, it is clear that the death toll is far greater than was previously acknowledged. More than 4,600 deaths resulted, not from the Hurricane itself, but from a lack of care and consideration and a level of neglect by the current administration unparalleled in modern time.

Attempts to conceal the true impact of the storm on the residents and infrastructure of Puerto Rico, and the abject failure of the federal response, offer no comfort to the people of Puerto Rico. For these many months their voices, American voices, have been drowned out by false claims of success in the aftermath of the storm. The evidence of grossly inadequate access to life saving healthcare, electricity and clean-up from the storm afforded to the residents of Puerto Rico must be highlighted, and we must hold the administration accountable.

NHLA calls out the Trump Administration for its failed response to Hurricane María and its unwillingness to treat these American families with the respect and life saving care that they deserve. Hurricane Maria was the largest natural disaster in Puerto Rico’s history and we demand that this administration respond to its citizens in Puerto Rico accordingly. As we salute the resiliency of the Puerto Ricans, NHLA urges Latino leaders and others throughout the country to speak with one voice to condemn the Administration’s response to the storm and its continued efforts to deny the resources required to reclaim the island from the effects of the storm and the human failures that followed. No amount of funds can make up for the inattention to the cries of Puerto Ricans for help, resulting in so many thousands of lives lost, but as we enter a new hurricane season while still reeling from Maria, we must commit today to stronger preparation and

OT TINTNAT E H INK

In HolyokeSpringfield...

some Puerto Rican leaders call for the por MANU unity of the Boricua diaspora in the region.

It is not the first time that this idea has been promoted. In the past, a few people tried to unite the Boricua leadership of Holyoke and Springfield to have them work together in the best interest of the community at large. They also tried to unite the Puerto Rican leadership within each city. The various attempts to achieve this unity were not very successful due, in part, to personal interests taking precendence over the interests of the comunnity at large.

CALIEEL FRAU RAMOS

En Holyoke-Springfield… algunos lideres puertorriqueños hacen un llamado a la unidad de la diáspora Boricua en la región. No es la primera vez que se ha promovido esta idea. En el pasado, se ha intentado que el liderato Boricua de Holyoke y Springfield trabaje junto en pro del mejor interés de la comunidad at large. También se ha tratado de unir al liderato puertorriqueño dentro de cada ciudad. Los varios intentos por lograr este unidad no fueron muy exitosos debido, en parte, a que los intereses personales tomaron precedencia sobre los intereses del bien de la comunidad.

response. Our neighbors in Puerto Rico deserve no less.

“Delay, ineffectiveness, and implicit bias that treats communities differently have real and dire consequences,” said Thomas A. Saenz, Chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and President and General Counsel of MALDEF. “All of the current and former residents of Puerto Rico had the right to expect better, and our national commitment must be to do better by them, now and in the future.”

“When history looks back at the Trump administration’s response to Hurricane Maria it will judge the president and his officials more harshly than any administration in the history of America’s fraught relationship with Puerto Rico. We are outraged that Trump twiddled his thumbs while his fellow Americans were dying by the thousands, and that officials in Puerto Rico were complicit in helping the president downplay the impact of this tragedy. The response to this injustice must come through the ballot box, we must ensure that millions of Puerto Ricans-American citizens- use their vote to demand accountability, leadership, and the resources Puerto Rico needs to address its ongoing humanitarian crisis,” said José Calderón, President, Hispanic Federation, Co-Chair, NHLA Puerto Rico Working Group.

“The death of thousands of Puerto Ricans – the exact number of which is still unknown, could potentially be much higher – was not directly caused by the hurricane, but rather by the tremendous incompetence and negligence of government in the months following. Local government officials decided to politicize relief efforts, noting that the federal government had provided all the aid requested, while communities across the island were left abandoned and without access to fundamental services and goods, evidently critical for survival. Our thoughts are with the millions of Puerto Ricans on the island and in the diaspora who continued to be affected by the hurricane in its aftermath, including forced displacement, the imposition of austerity that continues to cut critical public services, and the denial of FEMA of compensation for damages to belongings and housing structures,” said Juan Cartagena, President and General Counsel at LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Co-Chair, NHLA Puerto Rico Working Group.

Foto del Mes/ Photo of the Month

El Sol Latino Front Page from April 2007 On March 6th, 2007 a chaotic undomentad immigrant raid went down in New Bedford, when more than 300 federal agents descended upon Michael Bianco, Inc., a leather goods plant in the city.

The sweep triggered a confused, sad and painful picture. About 100 young children, including babies, were stranded at schools or with baby sitters, caretakers and others after their parents, mostly women, were rounded up by federal authorities. Several days went by before all the children were properly identified and placed in proper care.

As quoted in The Boston Globe (in 2007), Carolyn Newberger, a wellknown child psychologist in the area of neglected and abused children, points out that the abrupt separation of mothers and children precipitated by this raid “is child neglect by any definition I know.”

Child neglect and abuse by the US Government, in 2007 and in 2018, was and is cruel, unacceptable, heartless, and against American values.

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino July 2018 LAS CLASES COMIENZAN EL 4 DE SEPTIEMBRE

6

Nueva Esperanza, Inc. names Nelson Román Executive Director HOLYOKE, MA. June 1, 2018 — Nueva Esperanza Inc. (NEI) board of directors named Nelson Rafael Román executive director of Nueva Esperanza’s community, property and cultural development corporation.

First appointed interim director in June of 2017, Román previously worked at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen & Pantry in Chicopee Mass. Prior to that, he was associate director of operations at the LightHouse Personalized Education for Teens Center in Holyoke. Nelson’s story of overcoming obstacles of homelessness, poverty, HIV, and discrimination as an openly gay male have all given him a rich context into the work he is now leading at Nueva Esperanza.

Román is currently on the Board of Advisers for the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change and Leadership, the Co-Chair of the Puerto Nelson Rafael Román - Executive Rican Cultural District Council of Holyoke, Director of Nueva Esperanza and the Puerto Rican/Afro Caribbean Cultural Center of Holyoke. In addition, Nelson has served as the Ward 2 City Council representative since 2016. Business West included Román in its 40 Under Forty class of 2017, and El Mundo Boston included Román in its Latino 30 Under 30 for 2017.

“We are excited and humbled to have Nelson as our new executive director,” said Mildred Lefebvre, chair of Nueva Esperanza’s personnel committee. “He brings great credibility and deep community connections that are needed to help take Nueva Esperanza to the next level.” In one year, Román has increased Nueva Esperanza’s budget, filed all back taxes and has assisted the agency in becoming 501 C 3 pending status again with the Internal Revenue Services, he has worked in collaboration the City of Holyoke to demo the abandoned and most dangerous building in the City at 405 Main Street, and has begun programming/services that have assisted Nueva in seeing over 2,300 families during the past year. Nelson also led Nueva in the recovery efforts of Puerto Rico.

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“I am humbled and grateful to the Board of Directors for selecting me as the latest steward in a long line of legendary individuals who have led this amazing organization. I would be re-missed if I didn’t thank the community and all of the men but more importantly the strong women who have helped build Nueva Esperanza to what it is today,” Román said. “Furthermore, Nueva is forever indebted to Mr. Stephen Huntley, and Valley Opportunity Council Inc. for serving as our fiscal agent and partner in the rebuilding and rebirth of the renovated and now stronger Nueva Esperanza.”

Nueva Esperanza, Inc. was originally founded in 1982 by the residents of many landlord-neglected apartment buildings in South Holyoke, one of four neighborhoods in what was once the industrial heart of the city.

The founders mobilized residents, collaboratively assisted by three other social organizations, and on their behalf secured the needed financing to rehabilitate the properties in order to provide safe and affordable housing. With great success, the organization incorporated as a community development corporation (CDC) and expanded its mission to include social and community services for all the neighborhood residents.

Today, Nueva Esperanza, Inc. is regarded as a pioneer for community-based programs in Holyoke that celebrate and highlight the Puerto Rican/Afro Caribbean Culture. Nueva is rooted in its new Mission and Vision that will help it rise again from the ashes to a place of developing the community as a whole.

EN LÍNEA Y EN EL CAMPUS

“Nelson’s leadership, passion, superb business acumen, strong operational skills, fundraising talents, team-building focus, and dedication to building the strong, powerful and vibrant Puerto Rican/Afro Caribbean Community of Holyoke will only strengthen our institution and the City of Holyoke as whole,” said Irene Feliciano-Sims, Board President.

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6/19/18 El Sol Latino 1/4 page: 4.75” x 5.75”

Opinión / Opinion

El Sol Latino July 2018

7

Boricua Stories from MGM Springfield / Angel Rivera El Sol Latino interviewed Angel Rivera who became one of the first casino table games dealers hired in February 2018 for the new MGM Springfield. Rivera became of one of its first teachers at the new MCCTI Gaming School.

1. Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

2. What high school did you graduate from?

I graduated from the Springfield Adult Education Center.

3. What did you do after high school?

I decided to move to Atlantic City New Jersey, to precede a career in the casino industry.

4. When did you become interested in the Casino Industry and why did you choose table games dealer?

As I work in the casino restaurant, I found more interest in the casino table games. After much research in the table games, I felt that I was ready for a career change.

5. How long did you work at New Jersey Casino?

I worked in Atlantic City Casinos for 15 years.

6. What was your job with Springfield Public Schools?

I worked at the Springfield Public Schools in Safety and Security.

7. What made you support MGM versus other casinos?

What made me support MGM was because they are well known in the casino industry all over the world. I felt that it was a great opportunity for me to work for them. I also felt that it would be a great opportunity for our community to grow and help those in search for a better career. Also, having the casino closer to home really benefits me as well.

8. What specific advantages do you bring to the table as a multi cultural professional bilingual?

I feel that being bilingual I have an advantage to better communicate with others in two different languages.

Angel Rivera

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El Sol Latino July 2018

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5/16/18 El Sol Latino 1/8 page: 4.75” x 2.75” Manuel Frau Ramos: manuelfrau@gmail.com Runs: June 2018

Veanos@www.issuu.com/elsollatino Bills to: Terri Tansil-Woods, STCC Human Resources Dept.

Opinión / Opinion

El Sol Latino July 2018

9

The betrayal of the poor by MIGUEL ARCE and WALTER MULLIN and housing are moral obligation of society. Liz Theoharis, another co-leader in the new Poor People’s Campaign, sees the campaign as fighting for the heart and soul of this county. Together, these leaders assert that this campaign is not neutral and that silence is not an option. They state that economic and social justice cannot be resolved without putting poor people second.

Dr. Walter Mullin and Miguel Arce

On May, 13, 2018, a reinvigorated Poor People’s Campaign was launched to undertake 40 days of coordinated action intended to confront the reality that poor people in the United States are subject to unrelenting, unjust treatment. The plan, beginning on Mother’s Day and lasting to the summer solstice, June 21st, was to undertake coordinated action by demonstrating at statehouses across the county, exposing the connections among “four evils”: poverty, institutional racism, a war economy and ecological devastation. More than just undertaking political action, however, the Poor People’s Campaign is grounded in morality.

The goal of the newly revived Poor People’s Campaign is to make the reality of these injustices clear. The campaign has defined several fundamental rights for all people. Each of these rights is based on specific facts. Each begins with a question that frames the issues. For example: • Did you know that while the U.S. economy has grown 18-fold in the past 50 years, wealth inequality has expanded, the costs of living have increased, and social programs have been restructured and cut dramatically?

• Did you know that there are fewer voting rights in 2018 than there were 50 years ago when the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were passed?

• Did you know that 13.8 million United States households cannot afford water?

• Did you know that currently 53 cents of every federal discretionary dollar goes to military spending and only 15 cents is spent on anti-poverty programs?

These questions are more than just simple questions. They are obviously statements of fact. Knowing the answer leads to the natural conclusion that in a civilized society, people living in poverty have rights which must be honored. The campaign states this as follows: The truth is that millions of poor people in the United States today are poor because the wealth and resources of our country have been flowing to a small number of people….Every person in the United States has the right to dignified jobs and living wages, housing, education, health care, welfare, and the right to organize for the realization of these rights.

The issue of poverty demands an immediate and critical response. In 1968, fifty years ago, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. launched the first “poor people’s campaign”. He sought to challenge the three evils of racism, poverty and militarism. According to Washington Post (12/7/17), fifty years later, there are 95 million poor or low-income Americans. Nearly 60 million people work for less than $15 an hour—60 million are not given a living wage. Nearly 30 million children currently live at or below twice the federal poverty line.

A current co-leader of the Poor People’s Campaign, Reverend Ken Barbar, states clearly that silence is not an option. Grounding the campaign in morality, he challenges people to speak about this reality. Feeding, clothing

How does this connection between poverty, militarism, racism and environmental destruction work? The numbers of people who live in poverty or near-poverty are staggering. When examined as a number, however, it is possible to pass over them and not allow the impact to take its effect.

While it is clear that the government must develop an agenda to address poverty, this can only be tackled by managing other social problems that contribute to it. At the time that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. initiated the first poor people’s campaign, he frequently spoke about the military expenditures being spent in Viet Nam. His point was that the federal government was choosing to emphasize military endeavors over confronting addressing poverty. This still continues today. The Poor People’s Campaign has highlighted that the United States is spending more on weapons than on the provision of services to end poverty. The military is being built on the suffering of the poor. Despite the recently closing of hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States currently has 200,000 military personnel deployed overseas in 177 countries. Even before the $54 billion budget increase proposed in fiscal year 2018, the United States spends more on defense than the next seven countries’ defense spending combined. The federal government is more interested in confronting situations that exist in other parts of the world than in addressing this major social problem that exists.

The evidence is clear that systemic racism plays a role. The issues constantly raised around access to voting always occur in poor communities. Without national up-to-date policies on early voting, sameday registration and other contemporary voting practices, some states keep antiquated laws that prohibit people in poverty from voting. Gerrymandering and redistricting often are done by manipulating geographical areas that have racially diverse communities and, if left intact, would be more likely to support a strong anti-poverty government agenda.

Finally, with regard to environmental devastation, the recent crisis in Flint, Michigan around its water supply serves as an example of the burden that communities with large numbers of residents in poverty carry. After switching to an unsafe source of water, residents in poor neighborhoods were left with unsafe water. At first, they were left to purchase expensive bottles of water. Dangerous chemical plants tend to be situated near neighborhoods with people in poverty.

All people have the right to lives with resources that support them. All people have the right to worthy, creative dreams. What happens to a dream differed? Langston Hughes wrote about a dream differed in his poem “Harlem”. His poetry is applicable today.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore— And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

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.

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Poesía / Poetry

El Sol Latino July 2018

Voices of Young Mothers of The Care Center by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS The Care Center, an educational resource center for young women who are pregnant and parenting, celebrated the release of Nautilus II, a journal of students’ writing and art, at a reading on Friday, June 22nd at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA. Some of the authors included in this book recited a selection of their poems in either English or Spanish.

The writing and the visual art is selected by a team of student editors who work in conjunction with staff editors Liza Birnbaum (Poetry Director) and Dan Battat (Art Editor). Students edit work, write supporting materials, and collaborate with designer Craig Malone to bring the volume together every year. This edition is Volumen16, Spring 2018.

The Care Center, established in 1986, has become an oasis of hope and opportunity for success for thousands of young people in the region,

mostly residents of Holyoke by creating an environment where success is possible. It has worked with thousands of teen mothers and their families as the women continue their education and move toward greater self-awareness and economic stability.

The Care Center’s approach has led to regional and national recognition as a model of effective programming for young families. In 2012 The Care Center was selected as one of twelve in the country to receive the Presidential Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award – the highest honor a program like this can receive.

Nautilus II ‘is available at the Care Center at 247 Cabot St. Holyoke MA (413-532-2900) and at Odyssey Bookshop at 9 College Street, South Hadley. (413-534-7307).

continued on next page

Poems from Nautilus II Untitled

by SEYDA HERÁNDEZ

I am from Honduras where you take the religions seriously and we respect us mothers, I am from a country where there is violence everywhere, I am from a very poor country with little humility and that is why it is poor, I am from a country where you leave your house alive but no one knows if you will return with your life.

Seyda Hernandez was born in Honduras. She lives with her son. She hopes to become a counselor in jails, and she is proud of her son, because he is the best thing that hapenned in her life and her motivation.

The Care Center staff and students

Poesía / Poetry

El Sol Latino July 2018

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Voices of Young Mothers of The Care Center continued from previous page Madre por FAVIOLA NADAL Paso el tiempo y solo basto unos instantes para sentir tu corazón latiendo dentro de mi. Madre, palabra que muchos no saben lo que significa, lo que muchos ven como cosas que pasan.

Madre es el respirar de la vida, el ser de tu existir, madre es tener aliento para luchar, fortaleza para perseguir tus sueños.

Ser madre es lo mas hermoso de la vida. Bendición tal vez, error nunca. ¿Que si tuvo que pasar? Jamás. Madre es la palabra que me llena de esa felicidad y que le hacía falta a mi ser.

Tu eres mi pedacito de cielo, mi suspirar, mi despertar, mi yo puedo, tu eres lo que no esperaba pero no me abandonaste.

Eres la luz de mi camino. Gracias por la palabra madre.

Faviola Nadal was born in Puerto Rico. She came to mainland US when she was 17. She is a mother of a beautiful five month old girl, and is now 19, and feels proud to be a mother. She studies to give the best life to her daughter. She is one of the editors of Nautilus II.

Liza Birnbaum, Poetry Editor, and editors of Nautilus II - Lei-Daysha Delgado, Juliana Padilla, Likiki Akola, Faviola Nadal

Ana Rodríguez, The Care Center’s Director of Education

Desde Puerto Rico para el mundo— "la primera y única emisora de tv con licencia para la historia"

at https://www.facebook.com/ El-Sol-Latino-280862535259910

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Educación / Education

El Sol Latino July 2018

HCC, Holyoke Public Schools receive state grant, “Early College” program designation HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College and Holyoke Public Schools have been awarded a $131,600 state grant to establish a new program to help high school students get an early start on their college educations.

never envisioned college for themselves can find success in college coursework, see themselves as college students, and start on the path toward earning a degree,” Tastad said.

The HCC-HPS program was one of only five such partnerships – and the only one outside the greater Boston area – to receive an official “Early College” designation from the state.

The first cohort of nearly 80 Holyoke High School freshmen visited the HCC campus in May for an acceptance day and barbecue lunch. They will begin their Early College classes as sophomores in September, earning both high school and college credits.

The Early College Program will enable participating Holyoke students to earn a minimum of 12 college credits before they graduate from high school. Beginning in their sophomore years, students enrolled in the program will complete college courses in fields of study that align with academic majors at HCC and transfer pathways to four-year colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

There is no cost to participating students.

Like other dual enrollment classes, the Early College courses will be taught by HCC faculty at Holyoke High School or on the HCC campus.

“HCC already has a robust dual enrollment partnership with Holyoke Public Schools along with approximately 20 other area high schools,” said Renee Tastad, HCC dean of Enrollment Management and College Access Programs. “This Early College Program kicks the preparation and support up a notch.”

The Early College program is designed for 100 students each academic year, beginning in the sophomore year. At full capacity, in fall 2020, up to 300 students in grades 10-12 will be part of the program, Tastad said.

Sophomore students will take their first college courses at Holyoke High School. In their junior and senior years they will take courses on the main HCC campus on Homestead Avenue.

“In our experience, with proper challenge and support, students who

The Early College curriculum was created jointly by faculty and staff from both HCC and HPS working over the past year.

“We are very proud of the faculty and staff at these high schools and colleges for taking on the hard work to create early college programs so students will benefit from challenging course work that will prepare them for success in high school and college, as well as reduce their overall cost of obtaining a degree,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in announcing the Early College designations.

According to studies, dual enrollment courses and early college programs boost college completion rates for low-income students, minorities and first-generation college goers.

“Many young people need an opportunity to see themselves in college so they can know it is possible for them,” said Carlos Santiago, Mass. commissioner of Higher Education. “By giving high school students, particularly those who will be the first in their families to attend, the chance to succeed in college-level courses before they earn a high school diploma, we give them the confidence to know that a college degree is within their reach.”

Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massasoit Community College in Brockton, and Salem State University in Salem also received Early College designations to work with public high schools in their communities.

Publish your bilingual ad in

El Sol Latino!

Call us today at (413) 320-3826 Holyoke High School students Ernice Colon and Jasmin Rodriguez confer on an assignment in a college-level, dual enrollment Spanish class HCC ran at Holyoke High School in 2016.

Cultura / Culture

El Sol Latino July 2018

2nd Annual People’s Puerto Rican Flag Raising Ceremony The 2nd annual ceremony was held on June 20, 2018 at the Carlos Vega Park on Hamilton Street, in the Holyoke Puerto Rican Cultural District. Two women, and a Puerto Rican women grassroots organization were honored that afternoon - María Pagán, Director of the Holyoke Public Library, Ileana Cintrón, Chief of Family and Community Engagement of the Holyoke Public Schools, and Mujeres a la Vanguardia. Gladys Lebrón Martínez, Holyoke City Councilor, was recognized and named Holyoke Mayor for a Day.

Mujeres de la Bomba

Maria Pagán, Director of the Holyoke Public Library

Ileana Cintrón, Chief of Family and Community Engagement of the Holyoke Public Schools

María Pérez, fundadora y presidenta de Mujeres a la Vanguardia

Gladys Lebrón Martínez, Alex Morse, Mayor of Holyoke, Nelson Román, Executive Director of Nueva Esperanza, and Jossie Valentín, Holyoke City Councilor

Maria Pagán, Director of the Holyoke Public Library

Honorees and performers

Ileana Cintrón, Chief of Family and Community Engagement of the Holyoke Public Schools

María Pérez, fundadora y presidenta de Mujeres a la Vanguardia

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Cultura / Culture

El Sol Latino July 2018

2nd Annual People’s Puerto Rican Flag Raising Ceremony continued

Gladys Lebrón Martínez, Alex Morse, Mayor of Holyoke, Nelson Román, Executive Director of Nueva Esperanza, and Jossie Valentín, Holyoke City Councilor

Honorees and performers

¿Sabía que hay opciones de tratamiento efectivas contra la disfunción eréctil y las pérdidas de orina?

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7. DiMeo PJ. Psychosocial and relationship issues in men with erectile dysfunction. Urol Nurs. 2006 Dec; 26(6): 442-453.

12. Hunskaar S, Sandvik H. One hundred and fifty men with urinary incontinence. III. Psychosoical consequences. Scand J Prim Health Care. 1993 Sep;11(3):193-6.

Boston Scientific Corporation copatrocina a este seminario para pacientes y a los materiales educativos complementarios.

Precaución: las leyes federales de EE. UU. sólo permiten la venta de este dispositivo a médicos o bajo prescripción facultativa. ©2018 Boston Scientific Corporation o sus afiliadas. Todos los derechos reservados. MH-527502-AA APR 2018

Mujeres de la Bomba

Cultura / Culture Parada Puertorriqueña del Oeste de Massachusetts Holyoke – 3 de junio de 2018 Diosdado López – Presidente de la Familia Hispana, Inc., Carlos González - Maestro de Ceremonias, Yamaris RiveraMadrina, Victora Sanabria, Carlitos Colón – Invitado de Honor, Ana Jaramillo y Juan Carvajal - Invitados de Honor, Jesús Manuel Pereira –Padrino, Jay Breines - Director Ejecutivo del Holyoke Health Center.

Ausente de la foto - Miguel Estremera - Gran Mariscal

El Sol Latino July 2018

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El Sol Latino July 2018

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