El Sol Latino | March 2020 | 16.4

March 2020

Volume 16 No. 4

Un Peri贸dico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Yes, Puerto Ricans are American Citizens Un Peri贸dico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Peri贸dico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Peri贸dico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

2

Editorial / Editorial

Why Can’t Puerto Rico Vote for President?

Editor's Note: We reproduce this essay as we find that it complements the article by Professor Charles R. Venator-Santiago that is the main feature of this edition.

by THE PUERTO RICO REPORT, Inc • Originally posted puertoricoreport.com | October 30, 2017 If you live in Puerto Rico, you are probably a U.S. citizen. People born in Puerto Rico are citizens at birth, just as people born in States are.

As a resident of Puerto Rico, you are subject to the laws of the United States, you’ll contribute to the federal Medicare and Social Security programs out of every paycheck as well as income tax on wages earned in the States, and you can serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. You can travel to and from States without a passport, and you can legally live and work in any State.

As long as you live in Puerto Rico, though, you can’t vote in presidential elections.

You can vote in party primaries, either Democratic or Republican, but not in the actual presidential election.

Why can’t residents of Puerto Rico vote in presidential elections?

The answer is simple, but surprising. American citizens don’t actually elect the President of the United States. States do. Since Puerto Rico is not a State, Puerto Rico doesn’t get a vote.

U.S. citizens may think they’re voting for their president, but their votes actually go to choose a member of the Electoral College. The Electoral College elects the president.

Members of the Electoral College usually vote the way the majority of the people who elected them did, but in many States they don’t have to. Either way, they represent their State. Only States get to vote for president.

This is why the popular vote can be different from the Electoral College vote. When it is, the person

OT TINTNAT E H INK CALIE por MANUEL

FRAU RAMOS

elected by the Electoral College is President of the United States.

It doesn’t matter where you’re born.

A person born in Oregon but living in Puerto Rico can’t vote in presidential elections. Puerto Rico, since it is not a State, doesn’t get a voice in the choice of U.S. President.

A person born in Puerto Rico but living in Oregon can vote in presidential elections. Oregon is a State, and all States get a say in the choice of president.

It’s as simple as that.

Unfortunately, a territory also has very limited representation in Congress. Puerto Rico has one non-voting member of Congress, the Resident Commissioner. Puerto Rico has no senators.

As a state, Puerto Rico would have seven representatives in the legislature.

Naturally, Puerto Rico has less political power with either Congress or the White House than States do. The diaspora — the 5 million plus people of Puerto Rican heritage living in the States — often has more political influence than the territory of Puerto Rico does, because they have votes.

The Puerto Rico Report, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the mission of informing the general public of Puerto Rico’s status as a territory of the United States and the related implications of that status. By presenting official government documents and statements by influential individuals, we hope to create a library of historic material for all individuals who seek to learn more about Puerto Rico’s status as a territory.

The tale of Puerto Rican politics in two cities, Holyoke and Springfield, with the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Massachusetts.

In Springfield, two Puerto Rican candidates quickly announced they would seek the seat of State Representative José Tosado, who announced that he would not seek re-election. They are City Councilor Orlando Ramos and at-large School Committee member Denise Hurst.

In another legislative race, Councilor Adam Gómez has decided to challenge incumbent West Springfield Senator James Welch, who represents Hampden District.

In Holyoke, the Puerto Rican political scene seems to be quite different. It is surprising that in a city where more than 50 percent of its residents are Hispanics, mostly Puerto Ricans, no one has shown has stepped forward and shown interest in seeking Aaron Vega's State Representative seat for the Fifth Hampden District. Vega will not be seeking reelection in 2020.

Another political seat that will be available in Holyoke in 2021 wiil be the Office of Mayor. In July 2019, Alex Morse announced his run for Congress for the 1st Congressional District, currently occupied by Representative Richard Neal. So far no Puerto Rican has announced running for this important elected office.

contents

2 Editorial / Editorial Why Can’t Puerto Rico Vote for President?

Tinta Caliente / Editorial Portada / Hot Ink Yes, Puerto Ricans are American citizens Who is born a US citizen?

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is now accepting homeownership applications 7 CHD’s Family Outreach of Amherst Celebrates 30th Anniversary 9 Opinión / Opinion The Census Counts 10 Música / Music Join Pan Loco Steel Band at the Holyoke Public Library 2nd Romantic Spanish Guitar Concert 11 Educación / Education Springfield Drop-Out Rate Hits All-Time Low 12 Significant improvement in dropout and graduation rates in Holyoke Public Schools 13 Puerto Rico’s Earthquakes Have Put Thousands of Schoolchildren at Risk 14 STCC names coordinator of Academic Advising and Transfer Center 15 Ciencias / Science La neurociencia del amor: lo que pasa en tu cerebro cuando te enamoras

3

5 6

Founded in 2004

n

Volume 16, No. 4 n March 2020

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 March 2020

3

Yes, Puerto Ricans are American citizens by CHARLES R. VENATOR-SANTIAGO This article was originally published in The Conversation | February 4, 2020 More than a century after the United States acquired Puerto Rico, a 2017 Morning Consult poll conducted after the devastation of hurricane Maria revealed that only 54% of Americans knew Puerto Ricans were citizens.

To support this effort, they also created interpretations of the Constitution that would allow them to govern Puerto Rico and the other territories annexed during the Spanish-American War.

Today, being born in Puerto Rico is tantamount to being born in the United States. But it wasn’t always that way, and a lot of ambiguity still remains.

Contrary to what many people believe, the Jones Act of 1917, which Congress more than passed 100 years ago, was neither the first nor last citizenship statute for Puerto Ricans. Since 1898, Congress has debated more than 100 bills containing citizenship provisions for Puerto Rico and enacted 11 overlapping citizenship laws. Over time, these bills have conferred three different types of citizenship to people born in Puerto Rico.

Archival evidence I coordinate the Puerto Rico Citizenship Archives Project, which is part of an ongoing collaborative project to document and clarify the laws around citizenship for Puerto Ricans and the residents of other territories.

For the first time, we’re making available to the public all citizenship legislation debated in Congress between 1898 and today in a web-based archive.

These archives show that, while Congress enacted laws granting a nativeborn citizenship status to people born in Puerto Rico, U.S. law still describes Puerto Rico as an unincorporated territory that can be selectively treated as a foreign country in a constitutional sense.

This contradiction is at the heart of a range of discriminatory laws and policies used to govern Puerto Rico and the more than 3.1 million U.S. citizens living on the island.

The state of Puerto Rico Debates over the citizenship status of people born in Puerto Rico are usually centered a round the territorial status of Puerto Rico.

The United States annexed Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Between 1898 and 1901, U.S. academics, lawmakers and other government officials began to invent a new tradition of territorial expansionism. It enabled them to strategically annex territories throughout the world like Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, for military and economic purposes without binding Congress to grant them statehood.

U.S. warships under command of Rear Admiral Sampson bombarding San Juan, Puerto Rico May 12, 1898. Library of Congress

As the Supreme Court first established in Downes v. Bidwell in 1901, territories annexed after 1898 – those mostly inhabited by nonwhite populations or so-called “alien races” – would be ruled as “unincorporated territories,” or territories that were not meant to become states.

In Downes, the court was asked to rule on the constitutionality of a tariff on goods trafficked between the island of Puerto Rico and the mainland imposed by the Foraker Act, a territorial law enacted to govern Puerto Rico in 1900. Opponents of the tariff argued it violated the Uniformity Clause of the Constitution, which barred tariffs on goods trafficked within the United States.

A majority of the justices, however, concluded that Puerto Rico was not a part of the U.S. for the purposes of the Uniformity Clause and affirmed the tariff. In effect, the U.S. treated Puerto Rico as a foreign country. continued on page 4

Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month

Puerto Rico clasifica para Juegos Olímpicos 2020 Por primera vez en la historia, Puerto Rico tendrá una representación de baloncesto femenino en los Juegos Olímpicos. La Selección Nacional participará en los Juegos Olímpicos 2020 a celebrarse este verano en Tokio, Japón.

El equipo nacional femenino de baloncesto se convirtió en el quinto equipo en la historia de Puerto Rico en participar en unas Olimpiadas. Los equipos masculinos de béisbol y baloncesto, y los equipos femeninos de voleibol y sóftbol han participado en las Olimpiadas.

Crédito Federación de Baloncesto de Puerto Rico (FBPUR)

La Federación de Baloncesto de Puerto Rico (FBPUR) anunció que el equipo quedó compuesto por Jennifer O’Neill, Pamela Rosado, Dayshalee Salamán, Deanna Kuzmanic, Allison Gibson, Daneichka Canales, Jazmon Gwathmey, Isalys Quiñones, Sofía Roma, Sabrina Lozada, Tayra Meléndez y Yolanda Jones.

4

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino March 2020

Yes, Puerto Ricans are American citizens continued from page 3 A lingering question in this case was: How does the Constitution apply to unincorporated territories? Specifically, does the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment apply?

Derivative citizenship Notwithstanding, as my research shows, soon after, individual Puerto Ricans began acquiring a U.S. citizenship by way of naturalization.

Are Puerto Ricans constitutional citizens?

Supreme Court Justice Edward D. White partly addressed this question when he wrote a concurring opinion in Downes v. Bidwell, the opinion that has since defined the constitutional status of Puerto Rico. His opinion is regarded by scholars as the source of the doctrine on territorial incorporation. The doctrine contains three basic elements.

For example, Puerto Rican women who married U.S. citizens were automatically naturalized under the law of Coverture and their children acquired their father’s citizenship. Also, in 1906, Congress included a section in the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Act that waived the requirement to renounce an allegiance to a sovereign state, allowing Puerto Ricans to acquire a naturalized citizenship.

First, it recognizes a difference between incorporated territories – those meant to become states – and unincorporated territories.

In 1917, Congress passed the Jones Act, which included a collective naturalization provision. It enabled people living in Puerto Rico to choose between keeping their Puerto Rican or other citizenship, or acquiring a U.S. citizenship. Because the Jones Act did not change Puerto Rico’s territorial status, people subsequently born on the island were considered U.S. citizens by way of “jus sanguinis” (blood right), a derivative form of U.S. citizenship.

Second, White argued that only fundamental constitutional rights are guaranteed in unincorporated territories, not the full application of civil rights. The Court also affirmed the power of Congress to enact legislation extending or withholding constitutional provisions, including the right to citizenship, a civil right.

Third, unincorporated territories can be selectively governed as foreign locations in a constitutional sense. That means that so long as Congress is not violating the fundamental constitutional rights of Puerto Ricans, Congress can choose to treat Puerto Rico as a foreign country for legal purposes.

In other words, people born in Puerto Rico were born outside of the United States, but still considered U.S. citizens.

Because Puerto Rico can be a foreign location for constitutional purposes, birth in Puerto Rico, according to Downes, is tantamount to birth in a foreign country.

It wasn’t until 1940 that Congress enacted legislation conferring birthright, or “jus soli” (right of soil) citizenship on people born in Puerto Rico.

Whereas those born in Puerto Rico prior to 1940 could only acquire a naturalized citizenship if their parents were U.S. citizens, anyone born in Puerto Rico after 1940 acquired a U.S. citizenship as a direct result of being born on Puerto Rican soil.

The prevailing consensus to this day is in line with White’s interpretation of the status of Puerto Rico – that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment does not extend to Puerto Rico. Since the Downes ruling, for 119 years, Congress has governed Puerto Rico as a separate and unequal territory.

This legislation both amended and replaced the Jones Act. The Nationality Act of 1940 established that Puerto Rico was a part of the United States for citizenship purposes. Since January 13, 1941, according to Congress, birth in Puerto Rico amounts to birth in the United States for citizenship purposes.

The Foraker Act at the heart of the Downes case also imposed a Puerto Rican citizenship on people born in the island. People who were born in Spain and residing in Puerto Rico were allowed to retain their Spanish citizenship, acquire Puerto Rican citizenship or U.S. citizenship. However, island-born inhabitants were barred from retaining their Spanish citizenship, the citizenship that they acquired while Puerto Rico was a province of Spain, and from acquiring a U.S. citizenship.

Yet, despite the fact that Congress anchored the birthright citizenship legislation for Puerto Rico on the 14th Amendment, the prevailing consensus among scholars, lawmakers and policymakers is that Puerto Ricans are not entitled to a constitutional or 14th Amendment citizenship status.

But there was a big problem. At the time, people seeking to naturalize and become U.S. citizens were required to first renounce their allegiance to a sovereign state. For Puerto Rican citizens, this meant renouncing their allegiance to the U.S. in order to acquire U.S. citizenship. This contradiction effectively barred Puerto Ricans from acquiring U.S. citizenship, at least initially.

While Puerto Ricans are officially native-born U.S. citizens, the territory remains unincorporated or foreign for constitutional purposes. This contradiction has enabled the governance of Puerto Rico as a separate and unequal territory that belongs to, but is not a part of, the United States.

Historically, the Supreme Court has refused to establish what is the constitutional source of the citizenship extended to Puerto Rico and the other territories. In December 2019, a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Utah ruled that the 14th Amendment applied to American Samoa, a territory that still confers a non-citizen or nationality status on people born in this territory. Perhaps this case will motivate the Supreme Court to resolve this century-old debate.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on March 17, 2017.

A marketplace in Yauco, Puerto Rico, in 1900. Library of Congress

CHARLES R. VENATOR-SANTIAGO is an associate professor with a joint appointment to the Department of Political Sciences and El Instituto, University of Connecticut. He is a past President of the Puerto Rican Studies Association (PRSA)(2012-2014). He is the current Faculty Director for the University of Connecticut's Washington, D.C. Honors Congressional Internship Program. He coordinates the Puerto Rican Citizenship Archives Project, hosted by the University of Connecticut Scholars Collaborative: http://scholarscollaborative.org/PuertoRico

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino March 2020

5

Who is born a US citizen? by CAROL NACKENOFF and JULIE NOVKOV This article was originally published in The Conversation | January 15, 2020 A recent court ruling about faraway American Samoa may have profound implications for a conflict that’s been going on for nearly 200 years: who gets to be an American citizen.

Debates over who gets citizenship and what kind of citizenship they get have always been intertwined with race in American history, as we have learned through our individual research on the historical status of Native Americans and African Americans and the research we have done together on restricting Chinese immigration.

Nonetheless, even in the highly racialized political environment of the late 19th century, the U.S. Supreme Court endorsed an expansive view of birthright citizenship – the idea that people born in a country are automatically citizens of that nation. In an 1898 ruling, the court decreed that the children of immigrants were citizens, regardless of their parents’ ancestry.

That decision laid the groundwork for the 21st-century ruling that people born in the U.S. Pacific island territory of American Samoa are U.S. citizens.

If upheld on appeal, the ruling would overturn more than a century of federal policy, including congressional refusal to grant American Samoans citizenship status.

Dred Scott, around 1857, when he sued seeking freedom from slavery for himself, his wife and their two children. Wikimedia Commons

Legal and constitutional transformation After the Civil War, Congress explicitly rejected the Dred Scott decision, first by passing legislation reversing the ruling, and then by writing the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which specified that “[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

This broad language intentionally included more than just the people who had been freed from slavery at the end of the Civil War: Members of Congress discussed the potential inclusion of the children of other nonwhite groups, like Chinese immigrants and those identified as Gypsies.

Where is American Samoa?

American Samoa is a U.S. territory in the southern Pacific Ocean, with five main islands and two coral atolls.

The Congressional Record shows the House and Senate votes on the 14th Amendment.

Edward McPherson, Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States/Wikimedia Commons

Map: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND

The Congressional Record shows the House and Senate votes on the 14th Amendment. Edward McPherson, Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States/Wikimedia Commons

Citizenship by birth Federal laws govern some people’s citizenship – such as those who seek to be naturalized or people born overseas with at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen; the law says they, too, may claim U.S. citizenship. Similarly, children from other countries who are adopted by U.S. citizens become citizens themselves when the adoption is finalized.

Still barring some from citizenship However, this inclusive view of citizenship still had an area judges hadn’t made clear yet – the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” In 1884, the Supreme Court had to interpret those words when deciding the case of a Native American who wanted to be a citizen, had renounced his tribal membership and attempted to register to vote.

But most citizens of the U.S. are born, not made. Before the Civil War, the U.S. had generally followed the English practice of granting citizenship to children born in the country.

The justices ruled that even though John Elk had been born in the U.S., he was born on a reservation as a member of a Native American tribe and was therefore subject to the tribe’s jurisdiction at his birth – not that of the United States. He was, they ruled, not a citizen.

In 1857, though, the Supreme Court had decided the Dred Scott v.

Sandford case, with Chief Justice Roger Taney declaring that people of African descent living in the U.S. – whether free or enslaved, and regardless of where they were born – were not actually U.S. citizens.

In 1887, Congress did pass a law creating a path to citizenship for at least some Native Americans; it took until 1924 for all Native Americans born on U.S. soil to be recognized as citizens. continued on page 6

6

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino March 2020

Who is born a US citizen? continued from page 5 The text of the 14th Amendment also became an issue in the late 19th century, when Congress and the Supreme Court were deciding how to handle immigrants from China. An 1882 law had barred Chinese immigrants living in the U.S. from becoming naturalized citizens. A California circuit court, however, ruled in 1884 that these immigrants’ U.S.-born children were citizens.

In 1898, the Supreme Court took up the A U.S. immigration photo of Wong Kim Ark, taken in 1904. question in United U.S. National Archives States v. Wong Kim Ark, ultimately ruling that children born in the U.S. were, in the 14th Amendment’s terms, “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, so long as their parents were not serving in some official capacity as representatives of a foreign government.

Therefore, those children were U.S. citizens at birth.

The long reach of Wong Kim Ark Since the Wong Kim Ark ruling, birthright citizenship rules haven’t changed much – but they are no less contentious. In 1900 and 1904, leaders of several Pacific islands that make up what is now American Samoa signed treaties granting the U.S. full powers and authority to govern them. These agreements, however, did not grant American Samoans citizenship. A State Department policy designates them as “non-citizen nationals,” which means they can freely live and work in the U.S., but cannot vote in state and federal elections.

Efforts to grant American Samoans citizenship in the 1930s passed the Senate but failed in the House. In 2018, plaintiffs from American Samoa

sued, seeking to be regarded as full U.S. citizens. They asked a federal judge to decide whether they were covered by the 14th Amendment’s provision that they were born “within” the U.S., and therefore citizens.

The judge agreed they were, looking to the Wong Kim Ark ruling as clear guidance that the 14th Amendment follows the ancient rule of birthright citizenship.

Policymakers and the public remain deeply interested in John Fitisemanu, born in American Samoa, was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking formal U.S. who gets citizenship and how citizenship. John Fitisemanu/Twitter they get it. President Donald Trump is just the latest in a long line of politicians who have objected to the fact that Latin American immigrants who come to the U.S. without legal permission can have babies who are U.S. citizens. Nevertheless, the courts have continued to uphold the centuries-long history of birthright citizenship, dating back to before the Constitution itself and early American court rulings.

CAROL NACKENOFF. Richter Professor of Political Science, Swarthmore College. Nackenoff teaches American Politics, Constitutional Law, Environmental Politics, and Political Theory. Her interest in the Alger story and the American dream of success is also in evidence in several publications in law and political science journals revisiting Louis Hartz's Liberal Tradition in America and considering the liberal tradition in law.

JULIE NOVKOV. Professor of Political Science and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, University at Albany, State University of New York. Novkov's research and teaching are situated at the intersection of law, history, U.S. political development and subordinated identity. She is particularly interested in the way that the law defines and translates categories associated with identity, such as race and gender, and the ways that these categories transform and are transformed by legal discourse.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826.

Se Busca Asistente Social Bilingüe Family Outreach of Amherst está buscando un asistente social bilingüe, de alta energía, motivado, compasivo y confiable que quiera ayudar a las familias a cambiar sus vidas.

El asistente social brindará servicios a familias de bajos ingresos en Amherst y las comunidades vecinas y será responsable de brindar servicios a las familias que necesitan defensa y apoyo para problemas de salud mental, violencia doméstica, adicción, vivienda y habilidades para la vida.

El trabajador social trabajará con las familias que están en crisis para identificar la causa de su crisis y trabajará con ellos para tomar medidas para abordar y encontrar soluciones para resolver la crisis y estabilizar sus vidas.

Se requiere fluidez en español, conocimiento práctico de la justicia social y problemas de pobreza, comprensión de cómo el trauma afecta a padres e hijos, buenas habilidades de comunicación, conocimiento de recursos para familias de bajos ingresos y un vehículo confiable.

Contácto lreichsman@chd.org or llama 413-548-1270

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino March 2020

7

CHD’s Family Outreach of Amherst Celebrates 30th Anniversary SPRINGFIELD, MA | CENTER FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT | February 18, 2020— The Center for Human Development (CHD) Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA) program held a celebratory event to kick off their 30th year of working to support families in need in their community on Wednesday, February 5, at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.

one component that I’m most proud of is the practicality of it. This is a program where they actually do the work, they don’t just tell you where to go and hope you figure it out. It goes way beyond care coordination.”

Goodwin also spoke of the adverse effects housing and life instability can have on the mental, behavioral and physical health of those affected, and addressed his contentment in being able to offer a multifaceted approach to serving those in need, not only in their wellness but also in the aspects of their life that will help them reach stability. He also spoke of FOA’s strong leadership and dedicated staff, and how that has been crucial to their ability to continue service.

The event celebrated the program’s many accomplishments throughout its history, its current impact on the community as the ‘safety net’ for struggling families in Amherst, and the program’s vision for the future. FOA Program FOA Program Director Laura Reichsman (L) with Center for Human Director Laura Reichsman and CHD President Development President and CEO Jim Goodwin at the 30th Anniversary Kickoff Event held at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. and CEO Jim Goodwin each gave remarks during the ceremony, both speaking on the “I see a great future for the program,” Goodwin growth and transformation of the program, as well as the positive impact added. “What Family Outreach has, and what Laura has tapped into, is a it continues to make in the lives of those it serves. During the event, FOA high draw of support from the people, who recognize that this is a valuable, also presented The Helen Mitchell Community Service Award to longtime valuable asset to the community. Helping people to level things out in their local partner Tony Maroulis, and read a citation presented to FOA by lives benefits everybody. You should all be proud of what you do.”

Massachusetts State Officials Representative Mindy Domb and Senator Jo Former Massachusetts State Representative for Hampshire County Ellen Comerford.

Story presented citation from Commonwealth of Massachusetts from both In her remarks Reichsman noted that celebrating 30 years of service to the Senator Jo Comerford and State Representative Mindy Domb, who preside community is complicated; while keeping in mind the stories of instability, over Hampshire County, offering congratulations to FOA “in recognition of violence and damaged lives, Reichsman instead moved to celebrate all 30 years of exceptional service to the Amherst community, delivering critical those they have worked to support and stabilize: the 200 families they services with profound respect, integrity and compassion.” helped avoid homelessness last year, the 150 immigrants they helped Reichsman and the FOA Board also presented The Helen Mitchell stabilize after they fled violence and persecution in their native country, Community Service Award to Tony Maroulis, who serves as the executive the parents struggling with addiction they helped become the parent their children need, the domestic violence victims they helped secure and rebuild director of external relations and university events at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, for his dedication not only to helping support their lives.

FOA and the families they serve, but for his longstanding commitment to “This isn’t just a job, this is a calling,” Reichsman said. “I am committed working consistently on making improvements to the Amherst community to helping anyone who wants to change their story do just that, and I am as a whole. This particular award is named after the individual who was deeply honored to be part of their journey.” instrumental in the success of the program in its early stages, and is awarded in recognition of one’s spirit of selfless dedication to improving the Reichsman also acknowledged the many people who have served on FOA’s quality of life for all members of the community. advisory board, and those supporters and staff alike who have worked both to support the families FOA serves and also to bolster FOA’s fundraising “This organization does such incredible work for families in need in our initiatives over the years, which effectively helps the program continue to area,” Maroulis said. “I think it’s important to note that our real community serve the community as it is completely supported by charitable giving. heroes are people like Laura and Francine [Rodriguez] and Iris [Rosa] who “One of the reasons for our 30 years of success is the amazing support of CHD,” Reichsman said. “FOA is a program of CHD; this means that while FOA is a fairly small program, we have the backing and support of hundreds of very talented people who support us through payroll, insurance, fiscal management and in many other ways, which allows us to focus on our central mission: helping struggling families.”

are in the trenches doing the work every day.”

Both Reichsman and Goodwin shared remarks on how FOA has evolved through the years, beginning when a shelter in the center of Amherst housing six mothers and their children closed in 1990, and the community banded together to support these original six in need. Now, FOA serves over 500 families each year, providing a number of critical services to individually address all issues struggling families may face—mental health, crisis intervention, advocacy and case management, immigration services and housing support—and offers resources to help launch families into years of stability and success.

“The best part of Amherst are its people,” Maroulis said. “As a community, we have an obligation to help out fellow residents, and we have to continue because we have a lot of work to do.”

“Family Outreach is a program that’s proud of what they do, who they serve and what they get done,” Goodwin said in his remarks. “Through the years it’s been a program that does wonderful, wonderful things, and

Maroulis spoke of his deep love for the town of Amherst, which began at a young age and has continued throughout his life. He spoke also of the myriad aspects of the town that make it a wonderful place to live, and also mentioned the existing need for support for families, and economic divide that exists for residents.

Lastly, Maroulis encouraged those who wish to support FOA in its mission to serve those in need to consider giving either their time or a donation to FOA to help be an active part of making a difference in the community.

Founded in 1972, Center for Human Development (CHD) is a nonprofit, CARF-accredited organization providing a broad range of high quality, community-oriented human services to 25,000 children, adolescents, adults, and families each year. The organization is dedicated to promoting, enhancing and protecting the dignity and welfare of people in need. www. chd.org

8

El Sol Latino March 2020

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is now accepting homeownership applications WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA | GREATER SPRINGFIELD HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | February 7, 2020 — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is accepting applications for its homeownership program, which will include the purchase of a new 3 bedroom home being built in Springfield, Mass. The application deadline is March 31, 2020.

money and materials, GSHFH is able to help qualifying families obtain a home of their own with an affordable mortgage. Habitat’s path to homeownership is an important and in-depth process, requiring hard work, time, and dedication. All of this helps ensure the long-term success of Habitat homeowners. In lieu of a down payment, Habitat partner families contribute “sweat equity”, or participation in building their own home and the homes of other Habitat partner families. On average, a Habitat home takes 18-24 months to build from start to finish.

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. In 32 years of service, the agency has helped over 100 local families with homeownership and home preservation solutions.

GSHFH will host two information sessions where potential applicants can learn about the program, the application process, the selection criteria, and how the program prepares participants for the various responsibilities of homeownership. All sessions are open to the public and do not require registration.

The information sessions are scheduled as follows: Feb. 13, 1:00 pm -3:30 pm March 14, 11:00am-2:00pm Brightwood Library Community Room GSHFH Office 359 Plainfield St. 268 Cold Spring Ave. Springfield, Mass.

West Springfield, Mass.

A Habitat home is not a gift. With volunteer labor and donations of both

Applications will be available online at habitatspringfield.org, at GSHFH’s administrative offices located at 268 Cold Spring Ave. in West Springfield, and at GSHFH’s ReStore located at 301 East Main St. in Westfield.

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

It's Tax Season… … And we can save you money!

W & E Accounting and Tax Services 236 Lyman St., Suite 201 / P.O. Box 1428 Holyoke, MA 01041

Call Today! 413-534-3475 • Expert Tax Service • E-Filing Available • Business and Personal Taxes • Accounting & Bookkeeping • Bilingual – Spanish & English

Open all year around

Opinión / Opinion The Census Counts by MIGUEL ARCE and WALTER MULLIN We all need to be counted! Our communities depend on it. Turning our beliefs about social justice into community actions is much more possible when we know how many of us live here. The 2020 census will give us that number. If the count is low or inaccurate, community support from the federal and state governments will also be lower than we need. We will lose out! Yes, the census counts. It is essential to the vitality of our community.

Responding to the census is mandatory.

For some people completing the census is a difficult decision. The current divisive political discourse puts many people in a defensive stance where they cannot trust that the information collected will not ultimately be used against them. For them, completing the sense is an act of bravery!

Every ten years, the federal government is required to count the number of people who live in the United States. This now underway. In mid-March 2020, households will receive a census survey in the mail that is to be completed electronically. April 1 will be observed as “Census Day”. In May through July, the Census Bureau will begin visiting homes that have not responded to the 2020 request to make sure everyone is counted. In December 2020, the Census Bureau will report their findings to the President.

The data from the census is used to ensure that there is equal representation in Congress. There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives. These are evenly distributed by numbers of people across the country. In 2010, Massachusetts lost a representative because of a declining population. That meant that other states gained political representation and Massachusetts lost it.

El Sol Latino March 2020

9

The belief is that it is better not to complete it. Now several weeks later, there is a knock on the door and census taker asks if he can ask some questions. What will you do?

The 2010 census has been tainted by the Trump administration as they attempted to add a question about citizenship to the census, triggering anxiety in vulnerable communities. Some would say that the Trump administration’s goal was to undercount immigrants and minorities. Some suggest that the question had a discriminatory intent to undercount an estimated nine million Americans in 2020, around 8% of the population.

This would leave minority communities with large immigrant populations underrepresentation in Congress. Pairing that political move with the on-going maltreatment of refuges at the Mexican border, the deportation of people who are not citizens, the marginalization of people who live without resources and on-going racial injustice sends a message that blind trust is a risk.

For some people, completing the census is a not a simple decision. It takes the willingness to know the benefits and trust that the government will not misuse the information. The Census Bureau now must do its work of guaranteeing that the information it collects is protected. The law prevents the Bureau from sharing any personal information. This includes sharing information with law enforcement. Your information is “strictly confidential”.

The reality: avoiding the census will not help the individual or the community. In fact, the opposite is true. Strong communities need to ensure that all people have access to resources. When we have the best citizen count, we can make a community that values good representation and strong social policies. We all must be counted. The census counts!

In addition to political representation, census data is used to make decisions about the distribution of over $675 billion of federal funds to local communities to provide services and build the infrastructure such as streets improvements. Detailed populations information is also essential for emergency response in the wake of disasters. Businesses use data collected by the Census Bureau to decide where to build and create jobs. According to Mark Mather, Associate Vice President of the United States Programs for the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), “The 2020 Census data are critical because they will allow policymakers, businesses and others to see how America’s communities are changing to help them adapt to the challenges ahead” (Laun [PRB], 2020). The census is critically important for people who live without financial resources and whose lives are improved by a supportive connection to their communities.

Now, given all that, imagine living in suburbia with two adult parents and two, three or four children, all of whom spend parts of the day connected to their technology. The census arrives in the mail and that evening, one of the adults completes it on the computer and sends it on its way. Great. So easy.

Now, imagine the family living with limited resources. Only some in the family use technology. Maybe, everyone in the apartment is not related by blood. Maybe, there are more people in the apartment than are supposed to be there. Furthermore, what if one of the persons is an illegal immigrant?

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.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826.

10

Música / Music

El Sol Latino March 2020

Join Pan Loco Steel Band at the Holyoke Public Library Pan Loco Steel Band has been bringing the sweet sounds of the Caribbean to New England since 1991. Co-Founded by musicians Bob Lucas and Justin Petty, this authentic ensemble performs the sweet sounds of the Caribbean year-round at formal and informal venues including weddings, parties, corporate functions, boat cruises, college dances and festivals.

Now, Pan Loco Steel Band brings a special cultural enrichment program to Holyoke on April 29, 2020, from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Hoyoke Public Library.

This educational and entertaining event is approximately 75-90 minutes and is suitable for all ages!

description of how the instruments are made, and a discussion of their significance in Caribbean culture, followed by a concert featuring authentic Caribbean soca, calypso, reggae and pop tunes that will have the audience dancing in – or out of! – their seats.

Guests are encouraged to play along with percussion instruments. The repertoire is authentic and appropriate for all ages. When you hear this music, you’ll feel like you’re on a slow boat to Saint Thomas.

Bob Lucas majored in music education at the University of New Hampshire and started playing steel drums and drum set in 1989 with the Atlantic Clarion Steel Band. Bob traveled to Trinidad & Tobago in 1990, where he played with Phase Two Pan Groove and Jit Samaroo. He co-founded Pan Loco Steel Band with Justin Petty in 1991 and they have been playing at public and private functions all over New England ever since.

Justin Petty grew up in the city of Charlotte Amalie on the Island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands where he began playing music at an early age. In 1984, he joined the Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra. Justin earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music in 1993 and has a Master of Science Degree in Broadcast Administration/Television Management from Boston University.

Justin also writes for and directs several larger steel orchestras in New England including Branches Pan Groove Steel Orchestra, the Crystal Panjammers Youth Steel Band, and the Celestial Infernos Youth Steel Band of St. Cyprians Episcopal Church in Roxbury, MA. For more information, or to book Pan Loco Steel Band for an event or educational program, see www.panloco.com or email panlocosteelband@ gmail.com.

Justin Petty and Bob Lucas of Pan Loco Steel Band. PHOTO © Pan Loco Steel Band

Join Pan Loco Steel Band for a rousing evening of fun and education. The band will offer a historical overview of the steel drum (also called "pan"), a

Free and open to the public. For more information see http://www. holyokelibrary.org or call 413) 420-8101or email library@holyoke.org.

Holyoke Public Library 250 Chestnut Street - Holyoke, MA 01040

2nd Romantic Spanish Guitar Concert Holyoke Public Library

Wednesday • February 12, 2020 Orlando Zayas, Javi Cruz and Eliezer Torres at the Communty Room of the Holyoke Public Library

Orlando Zayas, Javi Cruz and Eliezer Torres

Educación / Education

El Sol Latino March 2020

Springfield Drop-Out Rate Hits All-Time Low SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS | February 14, 2020 – The district’s 2019 drop-out rate is 4.4 percent, representing a decrease of more than 50 percent over the last seven years.

“We’ve been working so hard to find remedies to help our most at-risk students stay in school and we are so pleased to have decreased the dropout rate from 10 percent in 2012 to 4.4 percent,” said Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick. “We want every single student to stay in school so we will keep working hard towards that goal.”

11

percent decline. The graduation rate has now increased 17.2 percentage points since 2012.

In recent history, the district’s drop out rate has never been lower, Warwick said.

“We know that even one drop out is one too many and the goal that continues to drive us is a 100 percent graduation rate,” said Warwick. “That’s what we are working towards daily.”

Warwick added that as reported by DESE at 78.8 percent, the district’s five-year graduation rate is at an all-time high, as is the district’s extended engagement rate of 83 percent.

Warwick made his comments following the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) release of 2019 graduation and drop-out data statewide.

“Quite honestly, we know that for some students it takes more than four years to successfully matriculate high school. The good news is that we are seeing more of those students persevere to the finish line,” he said.

Warwick also pointed out the continuing graduation rate progress of the High School of Science and Technology, Central High School and Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy. The High School of Science and Technology is now at 85.6 percent graduation rate, Central is at 89.6 percent and Putnam is at 91.5 percent. In 2012, they were at 39.9 percent, 74.6 percent and 71 percent, respectively.

According to information released late yesterday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the 2019 state graduation rate increased by 0.1 percentage points and the state dropout rate decreased by the same amount. The state’s new graduation rate is 88 percent and its dropout rate is 1.8 percent.

Since 2012, Springfield Public Schools has narrowed the graduation gap between the district and the state by 50 percent and has closed the drop out gap by 65 percent.

The drop out rates at those schools also dropped significantly, according to data released by DESE. The High School of Science and Technology experienced a drop from 11.6 percent in 2012 to 3.9 percent in 2019; Central High School’s dropout rate decreased from 7.7 percent to 2.3 percent for the same time period and Putnam went from 5.1 percent to 2.3 percent.

Overall, Springfield Public Schools’ work to ensure more students graduate translates to 363 fewer students dropping out in 2019 compared to 2012, a 54

Warwick continues to credit initiatives such as identifying students at risk for dropping out early and providing the necessary academic and social/emotional supports; the expansion of alternative and flexible pathways to graduation, such as on-line credit recovery courses for in reaching more students and keeping them in school.

The addition of graduation coaches, ninth and tenth grade academies and a ninth-grade transition course at every high school; as well offering free night and summer school courses are other contributing factors, he said.

Culture & Conversation 89.3 FM C O U N T Y 91.9 FM C O U N T Y HAMPSHIRE

HAMPDEN

98.9 FM 89.5 FM 91.7 FM C O U N T Y 640 AM NORTHERN BERKSHIRES

SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES

TERTULIA WITH HOST

RAQUEL OBREGON SUNDAYS, 8 – 10 P.M.

NEPR.net

FRANKLIN

NEPR News Network NEPR.net NEPR News Network NEPR News Network

DOWNSIZE THE "SM" WHEN THE USING LOGO ON OVERSIZED APPLICATIONS SUCH OUTDOOR ADVERTISING AND LARGE EXHIBIT DISPLAYS

DOWNSIZE THE "SM" WHEN THE USING LOGO ON OVERSIZED APPLICATIONS SUCH OUTDOOR ADVERTISING AND LARGE EXHIBIT DISPLAYS

News, Talk and Culture from

NEPR News Network

Amherst / Springfield / Hartford North Adams Great Barrington Lee Pittsfield / Lenox Williamstown

WFCR 88.5 101.1 98.7 98.3 106.1 96.3

FM FM FM FM FM FM

12

Educación / Education

El Sol Latino March 2020

Significant improvement in dropout and graduation rates in Holyoke Public Schools HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS | February 14, 2020 – The Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) has seen a significant improvement in its dropout and graduation rates according to recently published information from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The district’s 2019 dropout rate has fallen to 3.6 percent, nearly half of what it was in 2015 (7.6 percent), and the graduation rate has increased to 72.2 percent, an improvement of over ten percentage points since 2015 (62 percent).

Community College, Westfield State University, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst) has almost doubled in five years and success associated with these offerings has nearly tripled. The demographics of who is taking these courses increasingly matches the demographics of our school, which reflects a huge turnaround. (See graphs below). Additionally, the high school also has 120 students participating in co-ops, internships, PRESS RELEASE GRAPHS and practicums, a ten-fold increase over recent years.

“I am immensely proud of the efforts of countless staff, students and their families to relentlessly commit to remaining in school and crossing the stage to receive their diploma at graduation,” stated Receiver/Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike, Jr. “Nearly a decade ago, almost 10 percent of our high school students dropped out of school and less than 50 percent of high school students graduated from high school. While the improvement is significant, we cannot be satisfied until all of our students graduate from high school truly prepared to excel in higher education or a career path of their choice.”

The graduation rates for English Learners (EL), Latinx, and students with disabilities have especially improved as follows: • EL 35.1% (2015) – 51.4% (2019) • Latinx 55.6% (2015) – 51.4% (2019) • Students with disabilities 32.1% (2015) – 51.4% (2019) As part of the district’s turnaround efforts, the Holyoke Public Schools has embarked on a strategic, innovative High School Redesign initiative that includes strategies for improving the instruction and services offered, and providing students with the skills and tools they need to be successful now, and later in college and their careers.

“I’m extremely proud of the students we have here, all of them,” stated Student Success Coach Juan Maldonado. “We meet them where they are at. I graduated from Holyoke High and I’m originally from Holyoke, so when I look at the students, and I work with the students, it reminds me of me when I was in the seat at Holyoke High, trying to get my diploma, working so hard. I had so many people supporting me and pushing me, so I see myself in them when I am working with our students.”

A pathway for every student

Holyoke Public Schools attributes the improved dropout and graduation rates to the hard work and dedication of our students and the commitment of our school and district staff who have worked to: • expand student options programming such as credit recovery, dual enrollment, Saturday School, Opportunity Academy, Newcomer Program; • establish student support teams to identify students at risk of dropping out and provide them with appropriately personalized supports; • build positive relationships with students, families, and community stakeholders • increase access to intervention and tutoring programs for students that have fallen behind.

According to Holyoke High School (HHS) Student Aleq Rodríguez, “It (Opportunity Academy) got me to change my life. Without this program I’d be out on the streets, I wouldn’t be in school.”

Jack Shea, HHS North Campus senior, shared, “I have had spectacular teachers during my time at HPS. And some of them I have to thank for where I am today. Going to Harvard has been an aspiration for the past few years, and I believe I made it because my parents taught me to strive for the best and because my friends and community at HHS have always been supportive.”

Holyoke High School students receive an in-depth, well-rounded, MassCorealigned education that is designed to prepare them for college, career, and community leadership. The district has expanded choices for students through innovative programs, community initiatives and university partnerships that help students develop a wide range of skills and interests and explore college and career options. Participation in advanced placement, and early college and dual enrollment offerings with Holyoke

A pathway for every student

For more about the progress that is taking place in the Holyoke Public Schools, please view our listing of the top district accomplishments since 2015.

Educación / Education

El Sol Latino March 2020

13

Puerto Rico’s Earthquakes Have Put Thousands of Schoolchildren at Risk by LAURA JIMENEZ This article was created by the Center for American Progres.org | February 10, 2020 *This column contains a correction.

On January 7, an earthquake badly damaged Escuela Agripina Seda, a 250-student middle school in southwestern Puerto Rico. The earthquake hit at 4:00 in the morning, just hours before classes were due to resume following the Christmas break. Since December, more than 500 earthquakes, including one that registered 6.4 in magnitude, have rocked the island, which is still recovering from the occurrence of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

In the wake of a magnitude-5.9 earthquake that caused further damage along Puerto Rico’s southern coast on January 11, Education Secretary Eligio Hernández Pérez closed all of the U.S. territory’s schools, saying that they would remain closed until a safety inspection of all buildings and grounds was completed. Hernández Pérez noted that up to 95 percent of Puerto Rico’s public schools were not up to current earthquake building codes, despite the island’s location close to where two tectonic plates meet.

The school closures deal yet another blow to the education of Puerto Rico’s schoolchildren. According to a recent analysis, these students missed an average of 78 days of school in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. It remains to be seen how many school days students will miss due to the earthquakes.

Puerto Rico’s students cannot afford to miss any more school. When math results from the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—the United States’ report card on the progress of its public schools—were released, Puerto Rico was the poorest performer in a group that also included all 50 states and Washington, D.C.* The island received an average score of 190 for fourth-grade students, a full 49 points below Louisiana, the U.S. state ranked last, which scored a 239.

Dates to reopen some schools and resume classes have been announced, but other schools remain closed indefinitely. And while the education secretary has deemed 20 percent of the island’s schools safe to open, the Puerto Rican media has cast doubt on the adequacy of the structural reviews of school buildings.

In 2017, as part of its response to Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) identified structural damages to the island’s public schools. When then-Secretary of Education Julia Keleher pushed to delay reopening schools, there was a clamor among teacher unions to reopen as soon as possible.

To facilitate and provide transparency for the school infrastructure review process after Hurricane Maria, PRDE leadership published the findings from each of the school inspections. PRDE also created a program to allow schools to “certify” their mitigation efforts. In consultation with the school community, school directors certified that their schools were safe and ready to reopen.

Additionally, PRDE worked in collaboration with the Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to evaluate all 1,110 public schools in Puerto Rico to catalog the damage and determine the total funding needed to make schools safe. Many people are aware that FEMA’s housing help in response to both Hurricane Maria and the earthquakes was slow in arriving—plagued by bureaucratic delays and regulations that failed to take into account the hundreds of thousands of people who had no clear title to their properties. Less widely publicized, however, are the delays and capricious policy decisions that FEMA has advanced with respect to Puerto Rico’s schools.

FEMA estimated the necessary funding to be $22 million per high-priority school—those most severely damaged by the hurricane. This estimate included seismic retrofitting and bringing the buildings up to code. However, FEMA—in violation of its own policies—drastically reduced its estimate to $4 million per high-priority school by removing the seismic retrofitting option and bringing the buildings up to code only in the context of repairs. ThenSecretary Keleher raised public objections to the decision to reduce funding.

The reconstruction of Puerto Rico’s public schools; its right to equal school funding; and students’ right to be educated in a safe, high-quality learning environment must become and remain a topic of daily discourse—in Washington and on the island—until the work has been completed. Just as importantly, it is imperative that lawmakers recognize the urgency of reconstructing public schools in Puerto Rico, as well as advocate strongly for full funding and the flexibility to design solutions that fit Puerto Rico’s unique context. Prior to Hurricane Maria, approximately half of Puerto Rico’s students attended private schools, a testament to the dismal quality of its public schools. After the hurricane, thousands of students left the island.

With a dwindling student population, the number of public schools needed in Puerto Rico is a valid and vital debate to have. It is abundantly clear that Puerto Rico’s people and their concerns can no longer be forgotten or ignored.

There is no downplaying the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria, yet it also created a rare opportunity to rebuild Puerto Rico’s school system and create a new footprint that would be consistent with its population size, address long-standing construction issues, and serve as a hub for other community services, such as health care services. PRDE leadership, elected officials, the business community, community leaders, and families should share responsibility for providing answers to these questions and being part of the solution.

It’s too painful to imagine the loss of life had students been in their classrooms at Escuela Agripina Seda when the earthquake hit. It is impossible to know just how many other schools are equally at risk of collapsing when another earthquake or natural disaster strikes school buildings that have been deemed safe without proper retrofitting. But it should not take a natural disaster to shine a spotlight on Puerto Rico’s public schools. The PRDE and political leadership in Puerto Rico have a responsibility to the public to make progress in the reconstruction of public schools. To ignore this responsibility would be the equivalent of taking discriminatory action against the island’s youth and perpetuating the existence of a failed public education system. * Correction, February 21, 2020: This column has been updated to clarify that the NAEP data are from 2017.

LAURA JIMENEZ is the director of standards and accountability on the K-12 Education Policy team at the Center for American Progress. The CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS (CAP) is a public policy research and advocacy organization which presents a liberal viewpoint on economic and social issues. It has its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Cita del Mes/ Quote of the Month "Territory belonging to the United States, as I think Puerto Rico and the Philippine Archipelago do, becomes a part of the United States in the international sense, while not being a part of the United States in the constitutional sense.”

Senator John C. Spooner (R-WI), arguing in defense of the Foraker Act of 1900

14

Educación / Education

El Sol Latino March 2020

STCC names coordinator of Academic Advising and Transfer Center SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE | February 4, 2020 – Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) announces the appointment of Kiyota Garcia as coordinator of the Academic Advising and Transfer Center, effective Jan. 27.

In 2010, Garcia started working in the Academic Advising and Transfer Center, which provides continuous support to strengthen, nurture, empower and educate students in making informed decisions that will guide their educational experience.

Her background in psychology has been helpful in her approach to working with students, said Jessica Hill, interim vice president of student affairs.

“She has been a tremendous resource to faculty in addressing any questions or concerns about academic advising processes. Overall, Dr. Garcia is an integral part of the Student Affairs division and works very hard to meet the needs of STCC students, faculty and staff,” Hill said.

Garcia lives in Springfield with her husband and children.

“It is an honor and privilege to be chosen to lead such an important and essential department at STCC,” Garcia said. “As the hub of the campus, the Academic Advising and Transfer Center serves a large student body and holds a critical role in student success. I look forward to leading the amazing team we have to reach new heights."

Garcia holds a doctor of education in educational psychology from American International College, a master’s in clinical psychology from American International College and a bachelor’s in psychology from Bay Path University.

Garcia will continue to work on advising initiatives that support the success of STCC students with a focus on retention and completion.

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College - Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, liberal arts, and STEM fields continue to provide the most affordable options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of about 7,000 day, evening, weekend, and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.

OPEN HOUSE! Martes, 10 de marzo Puede visitarnos entre 4pm–7pm Building 19, Entrada del Welcome Center Snow date Marzo 24, 4pm–7pm

E ST O E S ST CC Admisiones (413) 755-3333 stcc.edu Si necesita adaptaciones para participar plenamente en este evento, comuníquese con la Oficina de Servicios para Discapacitados de STCC al (413) 755-4785 con al menos dos semanas de anticipación.

¡Obtenga aceptación inmediata para el otoño de 2020!

Traiga su transcripción oficial de la Escuela Superior o GED o HiSET.

Aprenda sobre: • • • • • • •

Grados Asociados y Programas de Certificados Atletismo Clases de HiSET & ELL Ayuda Económica Entrenamiento sin crédito y certificaciones Aprendizaje en línea Oportunidades de Transferencia

2/10/20 El Sol Latino 1/4 page: 4.75” x 5.75” Manuel Frau Ramos: manuelfrau@gmail.com Due: 5 days prior to the run month Runs: March 2020

Ciencias / Science

El Sol Latino March 2020

15

La neurociencia del amor: lo que pasa en tu cerebro cuando te enamoras por JESSICA CABALLERO-FELICIANO El amor romántico no es solamente para los enamorados en el mes de febrero, también se siente en los demás meses del año y es por eso que escribiré acerca de este sentimiento durante el mes de marzo. A través de la historia, el amor ha sido un sentimiento prevaleciente en la mayoría de las culturas y civilizaciones. Ha sido estudiado extensamente, inclusive con modelos animales que demuestran formar lazos a largo plazo con una pareja.

El amor, al igual que el sexo, son sentimientos y sensaciones placenteras que se complementan y correlacionan. Evolutivamente se ha demostrado que nuestro cerebro busca experiencias placenteras y nuestra meta primordial es la conservación de la especie. Por lo tanto, el sexo lleva a la reproducción de la especie y el amor es un mecanismo para mejor cuidar de la cría. Se puede decir y debatir mucho acerca de la experiencia del amor y del sexo, sin embargo, no hay duda de que neurobiológicamente hay tres neurotransmisores principales: dopamina, oxitocina, y vasopresina.

La dopamina es un neurotransmisor asociado a sensaciones de placer. Un estudio reclutó a 17 participantes y grabó la actividad cerebral de los participantes usando resonancia magnética funcional (fMRI). A los participantes del estudio se les enseñó diferentes fotos, entre ellas fotos de personas desconocidas, personas conocidas, y fotos Crédito - trainyourbrain.ch de la persona a quien habían identificado como su enamorado/a. Se encontró que cuando se les presentaba la foto de su pareja romántica, las áreas del cerebro que mayormente se activaban era el ventral tegmental área, el striatum, y el nucleus accumbens (Aron et al., 2005). Estas áreas contienen una alta concentración de dopamina y forman parte de lo que se conoce como el circuito de recompensa. La activación de estas áreas y el aumento de dopamina se asocia de igual manera cuando una persona toma drogas o tiene sexo. Los neurotransmisores oxitocina y vasopresina están relacionados a sentimientos de unión y cariño, no necesariamente romántico, sino familiar y amistad. Estas hormonas aumentan durante un orgasmo, parto, y cuando una madre amamanta a su cría. Un modelo animal que ha sido estudiado extensamente para este tema son los Prairie Voles (topos de pradera; Lee & Beery, 2019). ¿Has escuchado el dicho “el amor es ciego”? Pues este dicho tiene algo de verdad… Ya sabemos que áreas relacionadas al amor son el ventral tegmental área, striatum y el nucleus accumbens ya que hay un aumento de actividad en éstas áreas cuando tu pareja se acerca. Pero hay otras áreas que disminuyen actividad cerebral, como la corteza frontal. La corteza frontal es el área de nuestro cerebro que se encarga de funciones ejecutivas, lógica, tomar decisiones utilizando nuestro juicio, etc. En la mayoría de los casos, nada de esto se toma en consideración cuando se está enamorado, por consiguiente, los enamorados “se ciegan” y el amor no sigue una lógica.

Otra área del cerebro que disminuye actividad cuando estás con tu pareja es la amígdala. La amígdala es un área del cerebro asociada al miedo, que nos ayuda a asociar y distinguir amenazas. Es por esto que las personas se sienten seguros cuando su pareja los abraza ya que se disminuye el sentimiento de miedo y aumenta el sentimiento de vulnerabilidad.

Por último, otras áreas donde se disminuye la actividad cerebral son la corteza prefrontal, la corteza temporal, y el cruce parieto-temporal. Este circuito se encarga de la “Teoría del Cerebro” (Theory of Mind). Esta teoría

busca explicar la capacidad que tenemos de entender las emociones de otras personas y atribuirles razones a los sentimientos ajenos. También explica la distinción de otras personas de uno mismo. Sin embargo, los enamorados pueden llegar al punto de decir que se sienten como “uno”.

Por lo que se cree que el disminuir la actividad en estas áreas facilita el acercamiento y la unidad.

Por ultimo, el órgano donde mas sentimos el amor es en el corazón. El corazón no se encuentra en el cerebro, pero si tiene nervios que son estimulados por señales que recibe del corazón. Los científicos se han preguntado por mucho tiempo el por qué sentimos el amor (y otras emociones) en nuestro corazón. Lamentablemente, aún no se tiene una respuesta clara a esta pregunta. Lo que sí se cree es que el anterior cingulate cortex tiene algo que ver (Emery & Coan, 2009). El anterior cingulate cortex es un área del cerebro que regula nuestra reacción a situaciones emocionales. Esta área del cerebro estimula al nervio vago, el cual viaja del tallo cerebral hasta el pecho y el abdomen. Por alguna razón, cuando estamos en situaciones emocionales, el anterior cingulate cortex envía señales a nuestro corazón y estómago para que experimentemos las “maripositas en el estómago” y que “nuestro corazón esté lleno”.

En fin, ahora cuando le vayas a decir a tu pareja la clásica frase “te amo con todo mi corazón”, puedes ser un poco más creativo/a y decirle que también lo/a amas con todo tu cerebro – específicamente el ventral tegmental área, striatum y el nucleus accumbens.

JESSICA CABALLERO-FELICIANO (jcaballerof@umass.edu) es estudiante en el Neuroscience & Behavior Graduate Program -UMass Amherst.

16

El Sol Latino March 2020

Fine Arts Center

Temporada 2019 -2020 CIRQUE FLIP FABRIQUE: BLIZZARD Miércoles, Marzo 18, 7:30 pm Fine Arts Center Concert Hall

Con algunos de los mas emocionantes artistas de circo hoy en día, Cirque Flip Fabrique lleva a la audiencia en un viaje alocado, divertido, poético y tierno y los invita a perderse en un momento de maravilla invernal.

Sponsored by / Auspiciado por

Magic Triangle

ROMÁN DÍAZ RUMBA ENSEMBLE Jueves, Marzo 26, 7:30 pm | UMass Old Chapel

El compositor y maestro percusionista Román Díaz es considerado como un “archivo viviente” de la música afrocubana. Su grupo brinda una profunda e inolvidable experiencia cultural con un sonido profundo y amplio que se nutre de la tradición y de todas las estaciones a través del viaje evolucionario de la música afro-cubana.

Sponsored by / Auspiciado por

SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE Miércoles, Abril 1, 7:30 pm Fine Arts Center Concert Hall

El SFJAZZ Collective concluye su gira nacional y la celebración del 50 aniversario de dos álbumes de 1969: In A Silent Way, considerado como el trabajo mas influyente de Miles Davis, y Stand de Sly and The Family Stone, una mezcla de funk y rock que ha sido denominada como "culturalmente, históricamente, o estéticamente significativa" por la Librería del Congreso.

Sponsored by / Auspiciado por

Para boletos llamar al: 413-545-2511 ó al 800-999-UMAS ó en línea fineartscenter.com