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ties that bind A familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tradition of military service The meaning of patriotism By U.S. Rep Ed Pastor

Community rising By Catherine Anaya

July 2011

ARIZONA EDITION

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Journal of the American Latino Dream

Volume 7

{July 2011}

Issue 11

Constructive patriotism

Ties that bind

The word itself conjures images of red, white and blue, but patriotism encompasses a whole lot more

The Olivas family has made military service a proud tradition passed down through generations

42 7 8

From the editor Happy Fourth of July

¿Será posible?

Given the choice, what would you sacrifice: one of your five senses or your iPad?

12 LP journal One Arizona voter outreach; S.B. 1070 one year later; Palin scares off Hayworth?

14 Vibe Tucson touts Arizona art; Phoenix Boys Choir auditions; rocks in your coffee

19 Rincón del arte Monica Robles goes from painting to graphic design to photography

On the cover: Bobby Olivas in his “baby picture” – an early photo during his time in the service. Image courtesy of Bobby Olivas.

27 Movin’ up Artiles appointed to Obama’s advisory com-

47 Education Institute’s annual school and health fair; Latino new high schools to open this fall

33 Entrepreneur Omar Alvarez has brought Tortas Paquime to

54 Time out

mission; Roman heads up ASCPA; Lopez joins American Dream Academy

the Valley. Ay, Chihuahua!

Briefcase

Nominate a public servant: the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards

Health

Time to quit smoking: lung cancer is leading cause of cancer deaths among Latinos

Dancing is too much fun to be called exercise, yet the health benefits go beyond the physical

39 Career Actualizing your objectives takes more than

57 P.S.

45 Those who serve

58 My perspective

wishful thinking: visualize and believe!

Lawrence R. Rodriguez, Chief of Police, Tolleson Police Department

Mestizo nation

Luis De La Cruz, business law honors student, on overcoming adversity and fostering the American dream

Coming in August: fall arts preview

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¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

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July 2011 Publisher/CEO Ricardo Torres

America, the Beautiful

Executive Editor/COO Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D. Editor Rosa Cays Art Director Charles Sanderson Contributing Writers Catherine Anaya, Dan Cortez, Luis De La Cruz, Danielle Medrano, Tony Ornelas, Ed Pastor, Robrt L. Pela, Stella Pope Duarte, Georgann Yara Director of Sales and Marketing Carlos Jose Cuervo Advertising Account Executives Grace Alvarez and Barry Farber Special Events Nicholas Fierro Webmaster Jorge Quintero

www.latinopm.com 3877 N. 7th St., Ste. 200 Phoenix, Arizona 85014 602-277-0130 Advertising: sales@latinopm.com Editorial: editor@latinopm.com Design: art@latinopm.com

Subscriptions For home or office delivery, please send your name, address, phone number, and a check for $24 to Latino Perspectives Magazine at the address above. Subscriptions also available for credit-card purchase by calling 602-277-0130. Visit www.latinopm.com/digital for a free digital subscription. Latino Perspectives Magazine is published 12 times a year and is selectively distributed throughout Arizona. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Latino Perspectives Media, LLC, all rights reserved, and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.

By Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D.

It’s hot outside! The good news is that despite the heat advisories,

there’ll be no shortage of Fourth of July festivities this year. In Pima County, where fireworks have been temporarily banned due to safety concerns, and as fire crews contain the Wallow Fire, many scheduled firework shows will be replaced with patriotic laser light displays. Good thinking! This month, in celebration of our nation’s independence, we devote our cover story to four members of the Olivas family. In “Ties that Bind,” Georgann Yara shares the family’s military service tradition. Like many ASU grads in town, I’m fortunate to know one member of the Olivas family. Loui Olivas, or Dr. O as he’s fondly referred to, has an impressive résumé. After 29 years of military service, he’s a retired colonel and professor emeritus at ASU. Other admirable attributes of Dr. O include his steadfast support of education in our state and his service to our community. For patriots like Dr. O, community service is a natural extension of military service, as U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor notes in his guest contribution to this month’s issue (page 24): “When we care about our community and help lift one another, we are taking on a sense of responsibility for each other and working to improve our country.” Civilians, educators, businesspeople, volunteers – we all have a role to play in that dynamic. Catherine Anaya reminds us about that in her column. She underscores that despite the constant doom and gloom brought to us by the media, there’s lots of good in our community, as evidenced by the people who have stepped up and helped those affected by the Wallow Fire. Anaya and CBS 5 News are recognizing ordinary people who do extraordinary things by giving away $500 each week as part of their Pay It Forward stories. Read Anaya’s column in the Vibe section (page 17). While on the subject of giving credit where credit is due, go to the Briefcase section to read about the Center for the Future of Arizona call for nominations for the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards. Named after U.S. Rep Gabrielle Gifford’s congressional staffer who lost his life during the shooting in Tucson this past January, the awards recognize exceptional public service provided by non-elected public employees in the categories of leadership, innovation and civic engagement. The honorees will be recognized, fittingly, at the 66th National Conference on Citizenship to be held in Tempe in September. As you enjoy time with your friends and family this Fourth of July, grilling poolside or celebrating at a fireworks show, remember those who could use a helping hand. The Grace Lutheran Church Outreach Ministry launched its Annual Heat Respite Program and needs 500 cases of water this year. The program was launched the summer of 2005 after 21 people died of exposure in one week. Please visit graceinthecity.com/donations to make a donation or to learn more about ways in which you can help. We are all in this together. Happy Fourth!

www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡! ¿Será posible?

Facebook nation By Robrt L. Pela

I often feel like a real dunce. I’ll be

having a perfectly pleasant conversation with someone, and they’ll make a reference to, say, the Battle of Gettysburg, and I’ll be reminded that I never really paid attention to my lessons as a child. All through grade school and high school, I was an obsessive note passer. Bored with any class that didn’t involve reading or writing, I kept myself sane by scribbling nonsense onto scraps of paper, passing them to any school pal foolish enough to sit near me. All day. During every class. For 12 years. Teachers hated me for this. I’m aware today of the learning I’ve missed, but if I’m worried, it’s not so much that someone will discover I don’t know the difference between the Russo-Japanese War and the Trans-Siberian Railway, but rather that the distracted behavior I displayed as a bored teen is now commonplace, particularly among people who, in another 10 years, will be running our country. Maybe I’m being an old crank about this, but I’m not alone; there is global concern that the next generation of adults will be socially and intellectually stunted. According to a recent McCann Worldgroup study of 7,000 people in the U.S., Spain, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and the U.K., 53 percent of 16- to 22-year-olds claim they would rather give up their sense of smell than their laptops, smartphones or access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Relentless emailing and text messaging has already screwed up our interpersonal skills; but now, there’s proof that they’re wrecking our common sense, besides. We’re doomed!

Your thoughts? Tell us what you think. Send your thoughts to editor@latinopm.com 8

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

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Don’t get me wrong. I love the advantages and benefits that technology brings. Business is more efficient and communication has never been easier, and I no longer have to head for the library to do research for an article. I’ll even admit to a certain smugness about the fact that 30 years after I was obsessively passing notes – arguably an archaic form of social networking – today, everyone’s doing it via Facebook, Twitter, texting and email. But the difference is my note passing didn’t take the place of face-to-face interaction, and therefore had little chance of stunting my social graces. On the other hand, the four young women at the restaurant table next to mine one recent night were, as far as I’m concerned, on their way to becoming zombies. All four texted throughout their meal; I didn’t hear a single phrase uttered among them that wasn’t a reference to their text “conversations.” If I care, it’s because the world will very shortly be in the hands of these women and their peers, leaving me at the mercy of their clerkdom, service and, presumably, their inability to relate to me as I, in my dotage, sit across from them at the bank or auto dealership or – horrors! – the nursing home. What will the world be like in 50 years, when it’s run by people who grew up communicating nearly nonstop about minutiae, but rarely engaged in meaningful conversation with people in their presence? Will my 19-year-old niece, who recently admitted she texts with friends during boring lectures in her pre-med classes, one day be the ER doctor to whom I go

Latino Perspectives welcomes feedback from readers regarding published stories or topics of interest. Please include your name and phone number. Mail letters to Editor, Latino Perspectives, 3877 N. 7th St., Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85014. Or, e-mail letters to editor@latinopm.com.

with a ruptured spleen? Will her teenaged preoccupation with her Facebook friends have left her unsure of the difference between my spleen and my duodenum? At least the next generation of adults is well informed about news of the world. “The World Unplugged,” a study released in April by the University of Maryland’s International Center for Media and the Public Agenda, found that teens today are better informed about the world, because news follows them rather than the other way around. By reading the sidebar headlines posted to their email accounts, linked by friends on Facebook, or through Twitter, they are at least more aware of local and national news stories than their parents had been 20 years before, who sought out the day’s top stories via newspapers and the evening news. So maybe if my doctor niece isn’t sure where my spleen is located, she’ll at least be up on global warming and the country we’re bombing that week. But what about her bedside manner? During surgery, will she stop to answer a text from her kid about his latest soccer score? I live now in a world full of people who every half hour, text, check email, tweet or Facebook their every move. To be fair, I’m among them. I paused several times as I wrote this essay to read notes from friends about weekend plans. I’m not sure that I wouldn’t also choose social networking and my laptop over the wonderful scent of a fresh-mowed lawn. But here’s the difference, I guess: Even if I couldn’t smell you, I could look you in the eye while I’m talking to you.

Editorial mission statement Latino Perspectives creates community, cultivates cultural pride and provokes, challenges and connects Latinos who are defining, pursuing, and achieving the American Latino Dream.

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Conversation starters from the world around us

12 LP Journal

The power of the Hispanic vote; S.B. 1070, one year after; Palin an AZ senator?

14 Vibe

Arizona art in Tucson; Boys Choir auditions; rocktails in Taos, N.M.

19Rincón del arte

Monica Robles, visual artist

i say... It just seems like we have an epidemic of, ‘Blame it all on the illegal aliens, blame it all on the Mexicans.’ —Roberto Reveles, president of Somos America, on Sen. John McCain’s assertion that the Arizona wildfires were set by illegal immigrants

Click “like” if you’re ready to get to work, and join me in making Barack Obama a oneterm president.

Image courtesy of the artist

—GOP presidential hopeful Michelle Bachmann inviting voters to “like” her on Facebook

page

Ireland (2009) by Monica Robles, visual artist, photographer, graphic designer

We live in a democracy, and it’s a big and messy democracy. And it’s noisy and it’s contentious. But that’s what democracy is. —President Barack Obama at a DNC event last month

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¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

LP journal

etween b d e ter pril 22, 2011 s A i d n g a e ction rs r e e l e t o eral av n n e izo last g r A the 4,

7 D e m o crats

1 0, Source: Voter registration report compiled and issued by Arizona Secretary of State April 2011

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Can we credit Arizona’s registered voters stats on S.B. 1070, fishy politics or Democrat agendas going belly-up?

One Arizona crunches the vote numbers Last month, One Arizona, a nonpartisan coalition of ten nonprofit organizations throughout the state whose mission is to increase civic participation, released the results of its 2010 voter engagement program aimed at low-propensity Latino voters, or LPLVs. These voters were identified as those who voted in either the 2006 or 2008 general election, but not both, or registered too late to vote in the 2008 midterm election, but in time to vote for the 2010 midterm election. The coalition reached out to 234,845 LPLVs by phone, direct mail and door knocks over a five-month period. Among the campaign results: Out of all the LPLVs contacted, over 90,000 voted during the 2010 midterm election, 50,156 of which voted early by mail, a success rate of 38.4 percent. The LPLVs contacted in 2010 turned out at a rate 6

•

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

percent higher than all Latino voters in 2006 (2006 turnout based on census data). Increased turnout was highest among younger voters and women. Among 18- to 24year-olds contacted, turnout increased by 11 percent over all voters in these demographic groups in 2006 (2006 turnout based on census data.) The number of times voters were contacted increased the likelihood they would vote. The more types of contacts they received (e.g., phone, door knock, direct mail, email, media), the more likely they were to vote. Those contacted 9-17 times produced a success rate of 51 percent; 1-2 times, 34.51-percent success rate. And diversity in the types of contacts increased turnout: Those reached by phone, direct mail and a door knock turned out at a 55.4-percent rate. One Arizona’s efforts are admirable and its success encouraging. As the coalition has noted, one-third of the state’s population is Hispanic, yet prior to the campaign, 480,000 Hispanic registered

•

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voters represented 15 percent of Arizona’s electorate. However, there were another 300,000 Hispanics eligible to vote, but were not registered, underscoring the need for more voter registration and engagement efforts. How does this compare to national trends? In 2010, 16.3 percent of the nation’s population was Latino, but only 10.1 percent of eligible voters and fewer than 7 percent of voters were Latino, this according to the Pew Hispanic Center’s aptly entitled report, “The Latino Electorate in 2010: More Voters, More Non-Voters.” The report also notes that more than 6.6 million Latinos voted in last year’s election, a record for a midterm, representing 6.9 percent of all voters, up from 5.8 percent in 2006. Compounding the low Latino-voter turnout is the fact that nationally, 34.9 percent of the Latino population is under the age of 18, and 22.4 percent is of voting age, but not eligible to vote (not U.S. citizens).

S.B. 1070: one year later Senate Bill 1070 has just celebrated its first birthday. While there may not have been a cake with candles at the state Capitol, it’s likely, in certain political circles, that some real rejoicing took place over how little Arizona has been made to pay for this controversial, anti-illegal immigration law. Enacted into law on June 29 of last year, S.B. 1070 was immediately stalled by President Barack Obama’s administration, who sued Arizona and ordered an injunction preventing the bill from going into effect while the case was in litigation. While we waited, locals muttered and wept about how the law would maim our sunny state; about how our yet-again-tarnished reputation would stall the tide of people flocking to Arizona, thus destroying our economy. More selfish and myopic souls among us whispered illegal immigrants would run to Texas or Nevada, leaving us to

LP journal mow our own lawns and clean our own houses. But not so fast. According to results from the 2010 U.S. Census, Arizona is now the second-fastest growing state in the country (Nevada is first). And the J.P. Morgan Chase Economic Outlook Center at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business has released a statement saying that our population will increase by nearly two percent this year alone. But why? Is Arizona suddenly more popular because our stern position on illegal immigrants makes us more appealing to conservatives, who are congregating here? Or do people simply not care that we’ve taken an exclusionary stand against a minority group who’ve bolstered our state’s economy for decades? In a word, yes. Among the other revelations found in last year’s census is proof that people are fleeing their blue state homes for more moderate red states like Arizona, Idaho and Utah. And let’s not forget that, in general, more people support efforts to crack down on illegal immigration than those who resist it. A Rasmussen poll taken in 2010 found that more than half of all American voters think that local police should be empowered to randomly verify immigration status. And what about those running for the border? Even their exodus hasn’t harmed our census numbers. (It doesn’t hurt that our mild winters continue to attract new residents from all over

the country. Or that the high number of foreclosures in Arizona – Phoenix has the second highest foreclosure rate in the nation – are so attractive to real estate investors.) We should have seen it coming. “Rabble-rousers” and “crazed” conservatives alike overturned the proposed boycotts of Arizona by organizing “Arizona buycotts” designed to promote tourism to the state rather than away from it. And reports that S.B. 1070 has hurt the state’s economy have, from the beginning, neglected to mention that our economic downturn is linked to Arizona’s having been hit harder by the recession than most of the rest of the country, with twice as many job losses as most other states.

But the governor is going to make it all better. This past February, Gov. Jan Brewer signed the Arizona Competitiveness Package, an incentive program designed to promote bigger and better business conditions by reducing the corporate income tax rate. Previously, Arizona had the highest corporate income tax rate of any west coast state besides California. By 2014, we’ll offer the lowest corporate income tax other than Nevada, which has no corporate income tax. This will undoubtedly lure corporate giants to town. (Intel has hinted at a $5 billion center in the East Valley, presumably because of this new money-saving bill.) And so it goes: People

¡!

– conservative people, it would seem – are piling into our fair state, bringing their moderate support for our extremely straight-laced legislature with them.

You betcha! Pundits and anyone looking forward to watching former television news anchor J.D. Hayworth get trounced in another political election are certainly saddened by recent rumors that the beleaguered Hayworth has decided not to run for a Senate seat in the next election. It’s all Sarah Palin’s fault, apparently. News that the former Alaska governor was considering a run for the seat being vacated by Senator Jon Kyl heated up early last month when it was discovered that Palin had reportedly purchased a $1.7 million house in North Scottsdale – a confirmation, some are saying, that she’s planning to run. And so, it’s being whispered, Hayworth threw in the towel before things even got going. According to a new poll from the lefty-funded Public Policy Polling, if the Tea Party fave does run, there’s a darn good chance she’d win. Palin snagged a generous 35 percent of the PPP vote, just ahead of Congressman Jeff Flake, with a handsome 33 percent. Hayworth, on the other hand, netted a sorry 11 percent from those polled. Palin’s many detractors, who could be heard groaning en masse at news that she’d moved to Arizona, can at least thank her for keeping Hayworth’s dark horse from mucking up the next Senate race.

Yeah. That’s Sarah. Sarah “I’m an Arizonan now” Palin. www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

vibe

Tucson touts Arizona art

Fa-la-la-la-la

Looking for cool things to do around the state?

After a summer hiatus, the Phoenix Boys Choir will

Consider visiting the Tucson Museum of Art. Three new exhibits opened last month and run through the fall. The Arizona Biennial ‘11 runs through October 2. It includes works from 45 artists working in the state, like Dan Fogel, Oliver Hibert, Fotovitamina (photographers Rosanna Salonia and Matthew Yates) and Fausto Fernandez, who was featured in LPM in February. On view through September 18 are two exhibitions of work from the museum’s vault, Faces of Transformation: Mexican Masks from the Lazar Collection and The Legacy of Surrealism: Selections from the Permanent Collection. The museum is at 140 N. Main Avenue in historic downtown Tucson. Visit tucsonmuseumofart.org to learn more.

resume auditions on Saturday, August 20 and continue on September 10 and 24, October 15 and November 19. Auditions are for three levels: the Training, Cadet and Town Choirs. Boys 7-14 (must be 7 by September 15), with an unchanged, clear and pleasant singing voice and a good ear for music, are encouraged to audition. No experience required and no need to prepare audition material. The Phoenix Boys Choir was founded in 1947 and to this day, continues its mission to educate boys in the art of singing the finest music in the boy choir tradition and to develop character, discipline, leadership global awareness and a strong commitment to excellence. To schedule an audition or for more information, call 602-264-5328, ext. 21, or visit boyschoir.org.

Detail, Polaroid, by Dan Fogel. oil on canvas,courtesy of Tucson Museum of Art

Get more Vibe at www.latinopm.com

In the woo or in the know, rocktails are hot fair-trade, organic espresso. And now it’s gaining notoriety as the birthplace of “rocktails.” The new RockBar at the coffee shop allows patrons to mix and match natural stones to, purportedly, enhance a drink’s flavor and promote a specific effect. For $2.50, you can try getting your mojo back with an “Energy Rocktail,” which includes red jasper and aventurine. Feeling down? Add citrine to your tea to give it a sunny taste, or ocean jasper to foster joy. Got the grouchies? Add smoky quartz to your latte to remove negativity. Before you start looking for your grandma’s semiprecious jewelry collection to add to your limonada, remember the rocks are not edible or FDA approved. Ah, the Land of Enchantment!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

www.latinopm.com

images courtesy of Tucson museum of art; phoenix boys choir

Coffee Cats coffee shop in Taos, N.M., is known for its tasty

Vibe

¡!

Lola's Voicemail: image courtesy of Challenger space center

I’d rather be in the Nile than in denial Comadrita, Lola here.

Mural detail, Tour of the Universe by Robert McCall

Discover outer space Tired of the same ol’ outings? Head over to the Challenger Space Center Arizona. Its offerings are sure to please even the most persnickety member of your party. Whether it’s a two-hour simulated mission to outer space, a stargazing evening, a visit to the StarLab Planetarium or a rendezvous with a comet, the museum has something for everyone. Even toddlers can enjoy an interactive, high-tech exhibit that allows them to “catch” planets and learn interesting facts about the solar system. The center also offers corporate teambuilding activities ($500-1,200 per session) that re-create challenging scenarios like the Apollo 13 crisis. Yikes! If you are not the hands-on type, no hay problema. You can journey through the history of the NASA space program going back to the Skylab, the Apollo, Mercury and Gemini shuttles. Or take in the gigantic, sixstory mural entitled Tour of the Universe. Measuring in at 27,000 square feet and painted by renowned space artist Robert McCall, the mural is believed to be the largest in the state. It serves as a backdrop to a 10-foot-high model of the Atlantis Space Shuttle. The Challenger Space Center Arizona is open Monday through Saturday and is located at 21170 N. 83rd Avenue in Peoria. It’s one of 48 national centers serving as a living legacy to the astronauts who lost their lives in the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle. For hours, admission prices and more information, go to azchallenger.org.

Listen, I need to cancel our cafecito. I’m taking some much-needed time off and will go incomunicada for a while. I wish I could tell you I’ll be traveling to the Nile Valley in Egypt, or de fregado Napa Valley, but no. I’m taking time off to be home. Fully present at home, not just in and out as has become customary. I need to confront the ghosts that haunt me at night. You know, the ones living in the spare bedroom closets, the kitchen cabinets and drawers and pretty much every other storage space in mi casa. This, my dear, will be a major feat and is something I haven’t done in quite some time. I won’t even be back at the office until I confront the clutter head on and come out of the state of denial I’ve been living in for the past few years. You see, I was raised to believe I can do a-n-y-thing I set my mind to. The thing is, because I do believe this to be the case, I’m drowning in a sea of evidence left behind by my “I can do it” attitude. Exhibit A: 20-plus sticky notes reminding me of things to do throughout the house that have been in place for a while. They’re taped to different surfaces to prevent them from falling off, God forbid. You know, out of sight, out of mind. This is on top of the reminders I’ve set on my smartphone, plus the family calendar on the fridge, plus the DON’T FORGET sign by the door intended as a final, fool-proof reminder, mostly for my viejo, that is longer than our wedding vows. It says things like: MONDAY: Drop off stuff @ cleaners. Water play day for Kid A (pack snack, water shoes, swim trunks, towel, water bottle, sun block, cap & glasses) Karate day for Kid B (white karate shirt, shorts, tennis shoes).

TUESDAY: Pick up stuff from cleaners. Movie day for Kid A (wear camp t-shirt; water bottle). Book day for Kid B (take book, plus speech therapist will see her at camp – don’t forget speech folder. Leave at front desk with payment in envelope). WEDNESDAY: Water play day for Kid B and dance class (pack snack, water shoes, swim trunks, towel, water bottle, sun block, cap & glasses. Take dance bag, dance slippers and tutu). THURSDAY: Nada. FRIDAY: Show and share for both kids. Prepare payment for yard service, cleaning lady, pest control guy. SATURDAY: Swimming lessons for both kids (take goggles, cap, towels, water shoes, sun block and change of clothes). Exhibit B: The “new” exercise equipment I bought three months ago is still boxed and collecting dust. This, because I haven’t had time to exchange the “new” one-size-too-small workout shoes I bought five months ago. Exhibit C: The gadgetry and utensils in my kitchen I know I’ll never use. Like the two blenders and two food processors and two tortilla presses, and enough cookie sheets to set up a baked goods shop. The last time I made meatloaf was around Thanksgiving, and that’s all I’ve ever used the food processor for. Plus, even though I’m sure I can make tortillas, I’ve never made them in my life! Exhibit D: My skinny and my fat wardrobe. I’ll spare you the details. Wish me luck. And FYI, don’t get me any more Rosie the Riveter memorabilia. I know “I can do it.” Now I need the discipline to say, “If it doesn’t conduce to the greater good or to my personal realization, it doesn’t mean I have to.” Hasta pronto, I hope. www.latinopm.com

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Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

Pocho keen

Vibe

Like peachy keen, pero different Damn straight, Jack Even when it hits 115 degrees

A home for Max (or Shadow or Benji …) The Arizona Animal Welfare League

and Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (AAWL and SPCA) is hosting a oneday “Empty the Shelter” adoption event on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at its facility on 30 N. 40th Place in Phoenix. During the event, adoption fees will be $25 for dogs, $50 for puppies, $5 for cats, and $25 for kittens. All animals will be spayed or neutered, microchipped and up to date with vaccines. The state’s largest and oldest no-kill shelter, the AAWL and SPCA reports the Valley has the second-highest pet over-population problem in the country. It estimates that locally, approximately 100,000 animals enter area shelters every year, 42,000 of which are euthanized. Locally. Every year. The AAWL and SPCA rescues cats and dogs from other shelters where they would be euthanized, rehabilitates them and places them in new homes. Over the last three years, the organization has nearly doubled the number of animals it rescues. To keep up with the demand, it’s building a new facility at 40th street and Washington in Phoenix. You can help. Go to aawl.org or call 602-273-6852 to learn more about volunteering opportunities, how to donate or adopt a pet. 16

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outside, all some guys can think of is playing beisbol, going to ballparks throughout the Valley in mix-and-match uniforms, cheered on by family and vendors selling raspas y churros as they chase their new American dream of beisbol y apple empanadas. This reminds me of the hot summer of 2003, when Dusty Baker, then manager of the Chicago Cubs, said to reporters that black and Hispanic players are better suited to playing in the sun and heat than white players. Órale pues. Whatever your take on the political correctness of Dusty’s opinion, it does shed light on another controversial question: Are immigrants really taking away jobs in the sweltering heat that Americans would take otherwise? I’m not so sure. I’m not questioning the work ethic of Americans, which, for the most part, is strong, and for the most part, no longer includes backbreaking work in dizzying heat. Let’s get someone else to do that, por favor. What it really boils down to is a confirmation of the work ethic of someone who has little or no other choice than to make a living, however possible; someone who has likely risked his or her life just to get to their version of a field of dreams. You don’t need fancy research to show you the majority – if not 99.9 percent – of the workers braving extreme temperatures have brown skin, and it isn’t from a tanning salon. This phenomenon extends to work done indoors in kitchens, meatpacking facilities, poultry processing plants,

you name it – if it’s one of America’s undesirable jobs, especially those in the most exhaustive environments, then it’s likely an immigrant doing it. Yet, people like Russell Pearce continue to claim that Americans will take those jobs. Chale, Holmes! It’s a distorted reality. Just ask John Augustine, a farmer who recently spoke at the Arizona Immigration Solutions Conference hosted in part by The Real Arizona, a group that attempts to infuse practical dialogue in solving the immigration debacle. With his cowboy hat on the table in front of him, he spoke highly of the type of worker heavily relied upon to keep many American businesses alive, and lamented the industrious ones who don’t stick around longer than a few days. He doesn’t see the issue in terms of skin color, but rather as determined workers needed to keep his industry afloat. Completely unlike people like Pearce, who I believe initially started to use antiimmigrant sentiment to gain political favor and now really believes the bile he’s spewing, the farmer spoke words that are rooted in reality, not rhetoric. Come to think of it, I’d like to see Mr. Pearce pick lettuce in Yuma for a few hours. If he complains that he’s too old for that kind of work, then I invite him to get his son out there. Not gonna happen. About that Dusty Baker, the three-time National League Manager of the Year. He refused to apologize for his remarks. When asked why, he said, “I was just saying the facts, Jack.” Good for Dusty. And John Augustine.

Vibe

¡!

Anaya says Community rising Photo by Lucas Jones; courtesy of Prana marketing

By Catherine Anaya

Fluvia Lacerda

¡Qué curvas! New York resident and model Fluvia

Lacerda is beautiful, curvaceous and exudes confidence. She was beaming last month as she was presented with the Plus Commercial Print Model of the Year award during Full Figured Fashion Week in New York City. The Brazilian-born belle is not shy about her contributions in breaking down the barriers of a thin-obsessed culture. “The fact that I won this award is a major deal ... I’m very passionate about my work, mostly because I feel that I represent the body image of many women,” says Lacerda. “I’m not only a healthy woman, but one who wears a size 18 and am confident about it.” Fluvia’s beauty and attitude are as refreshing as the story behind her success. She moved to the Big Apple to study English, not for fame and fortune. But opportunity came to her while riding on a crosstown bus. A magazine editor approached her, and in a movie-like like twist of fate, she began a fulfilling modeling career. See more of this voluptuous belleza at fluvialacerda.com.

As I write this, the Wallow Fire

is scorching its way through eastern Arizona on a fast track to becoming the worst wildfire in the state’s history. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes, with no guarantee they’ll have anything to ultimately return to. Thousands of firefighters from all over Arizona are using their expertise to battle the ferocious flames of the uncontrollable blaze many have simply dubbed “a monster.” Wicked winds are making this a tough, tragic, frustrating and often personal war with Mother Nature. The emotional stories and the incredible pictures of the raging flames my colleagues and I at CBS 5 News are bringing to viewers are almost surreal. But what stands out most to me among all of the smoke and flames is the spirit of optimism and community rising from the devastation. It’s a reminder of one of a list of reasons many of us make Arizona home: It’s a big state with a small-town feel. When times get tough, we step up to help our neighbors. We’re watching people open their homes to strangers displaced by the fire. We’re seeing firefighters leave their families for weeks on end to help their brothers and sisters in need. We’re watching volunteers help facilitate shelters while others take in pets or round up toiletries and food to help evacuees feel as comfortable as possible.

We’re often hammered by viewers aching for more positive news. I’m proud to say we’ve been able to provide it on a regular basis with our Thursday night Pay It Forward stories on CBS 5 News at ten. They epitomize what makes Arizonans so special: ordinary people doing extraordinary things that might otherwise fall under the radar. Each week we give $500 to a viewer who then has one hour to give the money away to someone in need. These pay-it-forward stories are some of the most emotional and inspiring snippets of the good that exists in our community. To nominate someone deserving of this, I encourage you to visit kpho.com and click on the Pay It Forward link. Under this idea of giving, I also encourage you to donate to the Grand Canyon Chapter of the American Red Cross. Each dollar goes toward the local disaster relief fund, providing financial resources to areas where it’s needed most. Right now, that includes the Wallow Fire. You can find a link to the website at kpho.com. As I write this, the Wallow Fire is growing and firefighters have not been able to contain it. But they tell us they have all the necessary resources to get it done and confidently tell us they will. If you’ve lived here long enough, you can’t help but have faith. We know better than anyone that “a monster” is no match for the spirit of Arizona.

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allstate oscar arnold As a home, I know it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Especially when what’s on the inside is everything you own. 9LU[PUN& .L[ JVU[LU[Z VUS` ÅVVK PUZ\YHUJL and protect everything you own. Because when you rent, I’m just not really a home without everything you put in me. So ask HIV\[ H JVU[LU[Z VUS` ÅVVK WVSPJ` [VKH` Whether you’re celebrating a new baby, marriage or retirement, I can help you with your changing insurance and financial needs.

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rincón del arte

¡!

On a path Monica Robles, visual artist

Born on March 4, 1978, Mexican-American

artist Monica Robles grew up in Somerton, Arizona. As a child, she taught herself to sketch by copying photos from her parents’ magazines. In high school, she threw herself into studying advanced math. It was while attending the University of Arizona that she returned to art, where she studied graphic design, painting and photography and graduated with a BFA in Graphic Arts in 2005.

Monica Robles

Artwork from Caution Series, 2009

Noteworthy: I had my first show in Tucson in 2003. I’ve shown at the Paper Heart Gallery, Produce Gallery and Kitchen Sink Studios, all in Phoenix, and at various smaller galleries throughout the Valley. While working at Wespac Construction, I designed an extensive festival media kit for the McDowell Mountain Music Festival that garnered the August 2008 Oddy Award as most innovative and unique media kit.

Artistic style: I go from painting to graphic design to photography – I usually like to mix them all together. I like to describe my work as vibrant and textured and full of life. I feel all my work has a different dimension to it no matter how you look at it!

Last show:

images courtesy of the artist

I just had an exhibit of my Collective Photo Art Series at Kitchen Sink Studios; it ended in May. This series contains images from different city streets. Through contextual photographs of building exteriors, montages of street art and other mixed-media work, I invite the viewer to reassess notions about texture and twodimensional art.

El futuro:

I want to continue on my path of art, design and photography, and have my name and work out there in the Latino community.

See more at ... www.monica-robles.com. Eastern State Penitentiary, 2010

Help us highlight the local arts Send information to editor@latinopm.com.

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One Va l their co ley family has untry a traditio made service n • By Ge to organn

Yara

ust like with many large, close-knit Latino families in Arizona, gatherings give extended family members an opportunity to catch up, talk about what’s going on in their lives and strengthen common bonds over stories about the past. In the case of the Olivas family, a special sense of camaraderie has developed for those with shared experiences in uniform. Their individual encounters with battle vary, as do their job descriptions. But the desire to fight for their country and be willing to pay the ultimate price, so loved ones and strangers alike can enjoy the privilege of freedom, is identical. About a dozen Olivas family members have military experience. Some have never come close to combat. One gave his life in Iraq five years ago. Another, fresh from a mission to the Middle East, beams with pride when talking about his son, who is already expressing an interest in being a pilot, just like his daddy, at the ripe young age of 6. Many Latinos have answered Uncle Sam’s call. Hispanic men and women account for about 11 percent of the military population, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center. In Arizona, 21 percent of Army recruits are Hispanic, ranking the state as having the sixth highest number of Hispanic recruits across the nation, according to the National Priorities Project, which analyzes the federal budget. 20

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Statistics indicate that, increasingly, more Latinos are signing up to fight for the country they call home. But for this particular Valley Latino family, serving their country is not just their duty; it has become tradition. What follows are the stories of four Olivas family members. Three are men spanning two generations – one who retired as both a high-ranking officer and esteemed college professor; one whose battle experience earned him a medal and successful career in the civilian world, and a pilot who has flown successful missions to the Middle East. The fourth family member is a mother, who lost her oldest son a few days before he was to return home from Iraq.

Although he never set foot on the battlefield, the Tempe resident credits his experiences in the military with creating the cornerstone for what would ultimately become a polished professional career in higher education. When the 29-year veteran retired as a tenured professor from the Department of Management in the W.P. Carey School of Business two years ago, it was a far cry from the fourth-generation Phoenician’s first foray onto the Arizona State University campus as a self-described “undisciplined freshman” prior to joining the military.

olonel, C e h T : i Lou guished distin sor profes

When retired Colonel Loui Olivas

decided to join the Arizona Air National Guard at the age of 19, it was a decision that not only put him in a position to serve his country, but it also put him in a position to better serve himself and his future.

Loui Olivas, Ph.D.

“There’s a sense of pride when you get to see extended family members in uniform,” he says. “You see their name tag and know that’s your last name, too.”

Bobby: Paratrotoper, medal recipien

Bobby Olivas, Loui’s older brother

Bobby Olivas as a young recruit, in a photo he likes to call his “baby picture.”

After his freshman year, Loui joined the guard and underwent months of training. While in training and in service, Loui learned he had to be mentally and physically prepared at all times. This meant keeping a well-groomed appearance and staying fit, even when he returned to ASU at the age of 20. The discipline he learned carried over into the classroom, where Loui buckled down, improved his work ethic and raised his grades – all amidst the era of free love, wild hair and what was deemed as harmless recreational drug use. “This was in the hippy movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s. I was the only freak who had no mustache, no long hair, no beard,” Loui recalls, chuckling. “They did random drug testing, so you didn’t do drugs, you stayed clean mentally and physically. Being in that uniform, representing yourself with a clean haircut, being well groomed and shoes always in top condition, transcended how I would dress in the academic setting. The military prepared me for my career. I came back and my grades improved.” Loui went on to earn his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees all from

ASU, all paid for by the military. Loui is proud to be one of the many Hispanics who have a long history of serving this country, dating back to the Revolutionary War. “From a cultural perspective, the tradition of serving your country and your family has always been at the forefront of our beliefs, so serving in the military is a natural extension of those beliefs. But once in the military, all ethnic lines are blurred. You are not Latino in the military … You are a fighter pilot or a green beret,” Loui says. “I’m very high on people entering the military, because of what it teaches you as a person. What the military does well, regardless of the branch, is it teaches you about discipline, responsibility and prepares you for life.” Being commissioned as an officer was one of the proudest moments in Loui’s personal history, as it meant he was given the responsibility of supervising others and managing them to succeed. He’s missed the camaraderie and excitement of the military ever since he retired in 1998. But he also feels the honor of being surrounded by family members who have served or are continuing to serve.

by two years, was 18 when he joined the Army. He was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division for three years. When he graduated from high school, Bobby and his friends visited a recruiter, who made joining the military sound appealing. They decided to pursue the airborne track when told it would earn them $55 a month more than the base earnings of $82 a month. “I was thinking, ‘I’m not a math major, but I know how to count beans. It sounds like a winner,’” Bobby recalls, in his candid and jovial demeanor. He knew about older family members who had military experience in the ‘40s and ‘50s, so Bobby was well aware of the benefits of a career in the service. In 1965, his training was put to use during the Dominican Republic uprising. Bobby and his crew were airlifted out of Fort Bragg, N.C., at 2 a.m. and landed on Dominican soil, where they would spend the next six months. While laying out communication lines, Bobby was the target of an attack. Although not hurt, he received the Army Commendation Medal for his service in battle. “Just like [my] first jump, I was not afraid, just cautious … In a military zone, everything you were trained for goes through your mind. I lucked out and didn’t get hurt,” says Bobby, who lives in Glendale. His training and experience in auto mechanics while in the military led to a 35year career with AiResearch, now known as Honeywell, during which he traveled and worked around the globe. In 1997, Bobby graduated alongside his son Ruben, www.latinopm.com

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Bobby Olivas, Tina Armijo and Ruben Olivas

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Nowadays, Bobby continues to support the 82nd Airborne Division and all veterans who are trying to adjust to life after service, whether they just returned home or are trying to cope with the longterm effects of Vietnam. “Uncle Sam does a great job of getting us ready, but they slack in preparing us for the civilian world. It’s tough. [Veterans are] coming out and they need support,” he says. Although swapping military stories doesn’t monopolize conversations at family events, Bobby acknowledges the instant bond that exists without a single word being spoken. “I’m proud of my brother and my son. We have that in common. We come from a

great [family] tree,” says Bobby, who feels that connection with those he has never met. “It’s awesome to know you have a bond with an 18-year-old serving somewhere in the world today, and the great heroes lying in the cemeteries.”

Tina: Proud mothe r

It was an early birthday surprise

Tina Armijo of Tolleson wishes she never got. In October 2006, Tina, the niece of Bobby and Loui, was looking forward to being reunited with her oldest son Santos, who was returning home from Iraq after serving as a specialist with the Army. Five days before he was scheduled to come home, Santos was killed by a remote-controlled bomb near the town of Taji. He was 22 years old. Tina got the call every mother dreads to receive, one day before her birthday. “It was devastating,” she says. Tina’s father was in the Army and Santos’s father was in the Marines, so when Santos told her he wanted to follow in the family tradition, she was proud. He had attended Glendale Community College for two years, but he wanted a military career that would allow him to serve his country, just as his elders had. When his tour was done, Santos hoped to join the SWAT team, settle down and start a family. In a matter of seconds, those dreams remained just that. “I’m proud of him. That was his wish,” says Tina. “I’m not happy with it, but his dream is my dream. Knowing what happened now, I’m still proud of him. I’m grateful, but it hurts. A large glass case full of the last items Santos had with him in the Middle East is what Tina has left of her heroic son. Coins, photos and other small pieces are among the articles that once may have seemed insignificant, but now are powerful reminders of the child Tina

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASU (LOUI OLIVAS), TINA ARMIJO AND BOBBY OLIVAS

a pilot with the Air National Guard, with a degree in social studies. In retirement, Bobby views his Army experiences as priceless. “Find your niche in life and go do it. How you got there is the most important part of what you are doing now. For me, that was my military training,” Bobby says. “My military experience helped me. For us mejicanos born and raised in Phoenix, most of your life you are used to beans and tortillas. In the military, we had a taste of other cultures, but we became family. There were ups and downs. There were days I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ But other days you got to see things you wouldn’t [normally] get to see. You get to see what the military family is all about. You become a family of one. In the Dominican Republic, I got that idea.”

lost in a battle far away. Among them is a DVD of his favorite comedy, “Nacho Libre,” which is Tina’s most cherished among the encased mementos. “We saw it in the theater … he was 6-3, but he was the loudest kid in there. He made other people laugh, because he was laughing so hard,” Tina recalls. “I have to pass this every time I leave my house. I picture him laughing.” She admits the pain has not gone away, but even if she could go back in time, Tina would not wish for another journey for her son. “Being part of a military family, I’m proud,” says Tina. “It’s because of them that we can do what we want to. I’m thankful we have our freedom.... Every mother should be proud, even if their son is no longer here. I’m proud to be part of a little group. I would not change anything.”

Ruben: model Pilot, role

When his son was 6, Bobby Olivas

recalls Ruben declaring his career choice. “He said, ‘Daddy, I’m going to be a pilot!’ I said, ‘Hey, mijo, that’s awesome!’” Bobby says. Now a major and pilot with the Air National Guard, Ruben Olivas, describes getting extra motivated after going to air shows with his father at the age of 10. After graduating from St. Mary’s High School, Ruben pursued his dream of flight via the military, which paid for his ASU tuition and degree in business management. Ruben remembered witnessing his tío Loui’s promotion ceremonies, a source of more inspiration. Being part of a military family gives Ruben an added sense of unity among relatives that share a history of service.

“I feel extremely proud to carry that baton with other family members and have that U.S. flag on the side of [my] arm. Everyone who serves knows what it’s like to graduate from a boot camp or training school. It’s something in your background other than family blood,” Ruben says. An 18-year veteran of the guard, Ruben is one of 300 full-time guard members of 900 in Arizona. He is one of about a dozen pilots here. “There is a sense of pride, sense of duty. It’s not like the movies, or guys on TV. They’re doing it for real. I loved playing sports and being part of a team, and the military extended that passion for being part of the group,” Ruben says. “You’re flying with pilots you entrust your life to every day.” Ruben recently returned to his home in Mesa after a mission to Afghanistan in April, his fourth trip to the Middle East. His plane, a KC153, is mainly used as an air-refueling vehicle, but can also be outfitted to transport patients and become a makeshift hospital in the skies. His most recent mission required he pick up wounded soldiers and fly them to better hospitals in Germany. Although flying into a combat zone sounds frightening to civilians, Ruben finds relative peace in higher air. “As a pilot, you’re usually far away. You feel a threat, but not what the troops on the ground feel. Being in the sky, to me, you feel safe up there,” he says. When Ruben was told of his cousin Santos’ death, it emphasized the reality of what can happen during what usually starts out as a normal day on the job. “I was extremely sad. You see it all the time … there were a lot of soldiers killed by IEDs [improvised explosive devices], but you never think it would be someone in your family,” he says. “It didn’t scare me, but it makes you think. It’s really possible. It could happen to me … draped in a casket with a U.S. flag on it is definitely a possibility.” The steady increase in the number of Hispanics choosing the military as a career is likely with the growth in

Santos Armijo

the overall population, Ruben says. With more Latinos serving, more role models are being created for younger generations, showing them what they can do for their country and that an honorable career is within their grasp. Ruben says, “I think it would be inevitable, whether it’s because they see more role models or see it as a positive occupation or just for the love of country.” Ruben’s son has already expressed an interest in being a pilot. He is 7 years old, about the same age Ruben was when he told his father about his desire to take a seat in the cockpit. Ruben has already shown his son around the workplace. “He knows I have to travel a lot and he asks questions about where I’m going this time. He says things like, ‘Is there a beach there?’ ‘Bring me something back.’ He’s definitely interested in it. I guess I was the same way. Everything was all about airplanes,” Ruben says, as his voice cracks with emotion, pride and anticipation. “I know a lot of pilots who are third-, fourth-generation pilots … Hopefully this is the beginning of [many] generations of Olivas pilots.” www.latinopm.com

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Patriotism in America By U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor

ike a giant U.S. flag, patriotism is one of those words that Americans like to wrap themselves up in when we talk about our love for our country and its ideals. We hear the word whenever we pay tribute to veterans and when politicians campaign for office. While the word echoes through the halls of government every day, I wanted to take a closer look at the

Raymond Savedra

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meaning of patriotism as we once again celebrate America’s Independence Day. Patriots are defined as people who love and zealously support our country. Patriotism is often measured by military service to our country, making America’s military men and women some of our truest patriots. My office recently had the privilege of recognizing one of our

veterans who fought in the Korean War. Mr. Raymond Savedra, 82, a Phoenix resident, was 22 years old when he was drafted into the Army and spent two years overseas. He also served five years in the Army Reserve, but never had been presented with the five military medals he earned for his service. My office presented the medals on June 17 in front of his family and friends. We are grateful for Mr. Savedra’s service to our country and the patriotism he has shown by defending the ideals of our founding fathers. In addition to those who serve or have served in our military, I believe those who are in public service, such as government employees, also are proud American patriots. Public service employees in low-wage jobs often work tirelessly and demonstrate true dedication to serving others and our country. As a former Maricopa County Supervisor and now as a member of Congress, I can personally say that I have seen thousands of dedicated Americans, at all levels of government, who have chosen to serve out of a love of our country and our American way of life. I also like to think that most of my fellow Americans are patriots. While the word patriot has been connected recently to political movements, the true meaning of the word should not hold political connotations. Patriotism doesn’t belong to the right or the left. If our nation were attacked on its own soil, wouldn’t most of us fight to defend our country? If a levee were about to break and flood our Valley, wouldn’t we all come together to fill sandbags and build dams to avoid the destruction of our neighborhoods? Our country expects and demands that we come to its aid in time of need, and I believe most Americans would do so. Not only do we help when required, many times Americans volunteer their time and

energy to helping their neighbors and their communities. By serving each other, we serve our country patriotically. To be patriotic is to love the ideals on which our country was founded. But patriotism also calls for constructive and civil criticism of our government when we see it failing our fellow Americans. It is through civil discourse where we, as a country, can decide together what works for America and which is the best course to be taken. While there are many faces of patriotism, including total adherence to our government’s policies, we cannot deny that constructive patriotism gives birth to political involvement and associated behaviors. When we care about our community and help lift one another, we are taking on a sense of responsibility for each other and working to improve our country and make it strong. We are pursuing our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But I should caution that our patriotism should not give us a sense of superiority as Americans. Our nation’s sense of values and beliefs should never stop at our borders. As citizens of the world, our freedom does not free us of responsibility and respect for our fellow human beings. As a proud American patriot, I value the words in the Declaration of Independence that read, “All men are created equal.” All of us in the United States of America and the world are on this earth together, and I believe we all share the same dreams and hopes for our families. All mankind shares patriotic emotions for our respective fatherland and its flag. Patriotism bonds us more than it divides us. I hope you will take time to demonstrate your patriotism by recommitting yourself to improving our democracy.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Jack Ruffing pins a medal on Raymond Savedra, 60 years after Savedra served in the Korean War.

Five military medals Savedra received, clockwise from top left: Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp; Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars; National Defense Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award (center).

Edward Lopez “Ed” Pastor is the U.S. representative for Arizona’s 4th Congressional District, and has served since 1991. He also serves on the board of directors of Neighborhood Housing Services of America, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, National Job Corps Alumni Association, Kids Voting Arizona, and serves as honorary director to Timber Trails Children’s Project, Inc. www.latinopm.com

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Latino Perspectives Magazine

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With over �� years of steady growth, Wells Fargo stands strong as one of the nation’s leading banks. We offer you the convenience of more than �,�� stores and more than ��,�� Wells Fargo and Wachovia ATMs nationwide, as well as ﬁnancial options and resources designed to provide the strength and stability you need to reach your goals. We offer this and much more, because we know that our success depends on the success of each of our clients.

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2011-06-09 11:39:16

33 Entrepreneur

Omar Alvarez, owner of Tortas Paquime, brings a little Chihuahua to the Valley

35 Briefcase

Nominate a public servant for the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards

39Career

Danielle Medrano of Mindful Management on how to realize your goals

Movin’ Up

Photo by Arizona State University photographer Tom Story

ASU professor appointed to presidential commission

Alfredo Artiles, appointee to Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

Alfredo J. Artiles, professor of culture, society and education in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University, is among more than a dozen members appointed to the newly created President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The commission is tasked with advising President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to help improve academic excellence and opportunities for Hispanic students across the country.

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movin’ up

Artiles is a prolific writer and researcher in the field of special education and educational equality. He currently serves as vice president of the American Educational Research Association’s Division on the Social Contexts of Education and on editorial boards of nine national and international journals.

and as assistant principal for registration, instruction and student opportunities. Cordova replaces Stephen Ybarra, who retired after 10 years as principal. Claudio Coria, a graduate of the Teach for America program, has been named interim principal at Alhambra High School. Coria has worked as assistant principal at Central High School, as principal at Westwind Middle School in the Pendergast Elementary District and as assistant principal at Griffith Elementary School in the Balsz District.

ABC graduates 90 pros

Armando G. Roman

ASCPA elects new chair Armando G. Roman is the new chairelect of the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA). Roman is the founder and managing partner of the wealth management firm AXIOM Financial Advisory Group. He also serves on the board of Maricopa Integrated Health Systems and is the chairman of its audit committee.

Cordova, Coria move up in PUHSD Ricardo Cordova is the new principal at Carl Hayden High School, where he has served as assistant principal for the past four years. During his nine-year tenure with the Phoenix Union High School District, Cordova has served as dean of students

The Arts and Business Council of greater Phoenix graduated over 90 professionals from its Business on Board program, an intense five-month program that trains potential board members for leadership positions with nonprofit organizations. Among the graduates are Chris Alejandro, DeVry University; Claudia Andrade Franco, Keogh Health Foundation; Sergio Balcazar, Harris Bank; Miguel Berastegui, 33 North Architects; Wendy Cordero, Valley of the Sun United Way; Leslie Lindo, Sonoran Sustainable Building; Adrian Lopez, Arizona State University; Javier Rodriguez, SRP; Yvette Torres-Dickson, Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre and Paul Zazueta, AZA Media, LLC.

Lopez joins American Dream Academy Marcela Lopez has joined the American Dream Academy as program manager. Lopez is an

National for his leadership and advocacy in support of small businesses and business development in Phoenix. Cavazos received the award at the inaugural AMCA National luncheon and awards ceremony this past May at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.

Promise Arizona presents awards Marcela Lopez

ASU graduate and has been affiliated with the university since middle school, through her participation in ASU’s Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. The American Dream Academy is a program of ASU’s Center for Community Development and Civil Rights.

IAAP announces new leadership Last month, the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) held its 2011 Installation Banquet and 65th Anniversary Celebration. At the event, Dora Garcia was installed as vice president, Sandi Recio as treasurer and Patricia Estrada as secretary. IAAP is a professional association with nearly 600 chapters worldwide; it provides professional development opportunities for careerminded office professionals.

AMCA honors Cavazos Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos received an award from the Association of Minority Contractors of America (AMCA)

Movin’ Up Know someone who has been promoted, elected or honored? Send us the news of their achievements! Email movinup@latinopm.com 28

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¡ July 2011!

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Monsignor Antonio Sotelo, Dr. Warren Stewart Sr., and Neighborhood Ministries were recognized for their dedication to social justice and community service by Promise Arizona during a ceremony held last month at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Honored posthumously was Carolina “Curly” Rosales de Hernandez for her tenure as member of the El Mirage City Council, and for her dedication to the Head Start program at Catholic Charities, where she worked for 22 years.

Enriquez-Jones voting member of St. Joe’s IRB Tillie Enriquez-Jones is now a voting committee member of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Human Research at St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center. The IRB’s role is to ensure that human subjects enrolled in clinical research trials at the center are protected against undue risk, given informed consent to participate in the research, and to ensure that the rights, privacy, privileges and safety of research subjects are protected.

As a home, I know it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Especially when what’s on the inside is everything you own. 9LU[PUN& .L[ JVU[LU[Z VUS` ÅVVK PUZ\YHUJL and protect everything you own. Because when you rent, I’m just not really a home without everything you put in me. So ask HIV\[ H JVU[LU[Z VUS` ÅVVK WVSPJ` [VKH`

I can help you insure more for less. With multi-policy discounts, the more you insure with Allstate the less you pay. To see how much you can save on coverage for your car, home, boat, motorcycle and more, call me first.

DAVID MCMILLAN (480) 926-2056 1054 N GILBERT RD, SUITE 3. GILBERT, AZ 85234 davidmcmillan@allstate.com

DAVID MCMILLAN (480) 926-2056

HELPING TEEN DRIVERS

BECOME SAFE DRIVERS

Car crashes are the #1 killer of our nation’s teenagers. Each year, nearly 5,000 teens are killed in motor vehicle crashes and nearly 375,000 are injured. That’s why Allstate is committed to help keep them safe with tools, tips from experts, and information for parents of teen drivers to start that important conversation about teen driver safety. And talking with your teen about rules of the road may not necessarily be easy, but it is important. As a way to get started, check out Allstate’s exclusive Interactive Parent-Teen Driving Contract that outlines teen driver responsibilities and defines consequences you agree on together if they’re not met.

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws What more is being done? Graduated Driver Licensing laws are designed to help young drivers transition from novices and, gradually over time gain behindthe-wheel experience and driving skills within lower-risk conditions, to gain full driving privileges.

Research studies have shown that strong GDL laws can reduce crash rates among 16 year-old drivers by almost 40%4. Because GDL laws are not the same in every state, there is current legislation underway intended to change that. The Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act of 2009 (STANDUP Act) would establish minimum federal requirements for a national Graduated Driver Licensing law to be consistent nationally. To learn more about the STANDUP Act and voice your support here.

Safety First

More quick tips to keep in mind. If you’re buying a car for your teen, try to find one with a high safety rating. It can help keep your auto insurance premiums down, and increase your child’s safety on the road. Also, if you believe the Graduated Driver Licensing laws in your state aren’t strong enough, here are some suggested rules you might want to use with your teen: Discuss when, where, how, and with whom your teen is allowed to drive.

Limit the number of passengers in the car. Laughter, music, and cell phones can create serious distractions which increase with every additional passenger. Establish and enforce a curfew. Insist that your driver (and all passengers) wear seat belts at all times. They may not be cool, but seatbelts save lives. (And, in some states, it’s the law.) Create a no-cell zone. Talking on the phone is a dangerous distraction on the road for drivers of any age. Know the applicable laws in your county or state, as these are changing rapidly and fines can be significant. Consider limiting or supervising your teen’s driving privileges during accident high-risk times (such as Friday and Saturday nights). Set driving-area limits. If your teen wants to travel outside your town or city, require that he or she request your special permission. Prohibit driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Prohibit riding as a passenger with a driver who’s unfit to drive. Encourage your teen to call for a ride home if needed.

DAVID MCMILLAN (480) 926-2056

TALKING WITH AN AGENT

WHERE DO YOU START?

An Allstate agent is more than happy to speak with you about your unique insurance needs. It’s best to be prepared for the conversation, so we’ve compiled some frequently asked insurance questions that might help you.

What Type of Residence Do You Live In?

Home, Condominium, Townhome, Rental or Manufactured Home. The differences between these types of residences are considerable. Each has its own policy type, requirements and more.

When Was Your Home Built? Typically, a home is less expensive to insure when it is newer. As a home ages, the insurance rates increase. A brand new home is usually the least expensive to insure. However, no matter how old your home is, you can generally get an additional discount for buying a home that is “new to you,” which will phase out over 5 years. Ask if that is available in your area.

What is Your Home Made Of?

It’s the “Three Little Pigs” principle and why they ended up in the brick house. The wolf wasn’t able to blow the brick house down. In addition, wood is an easier target for fire. Not that we all should live in brick homes, but this tale helps illustrate why what your property is made of matters.

Where is Your Home Located?

Your location (from your residence to your community) carries a history of events that may have caused home and property losses in the past. These statistics help insurance carriers usually determine premiums appropriate to the area’s risk.

Does Your Home Have an “Historic” Designation?

If your home is listed on the National Registry of Historic Homes, The National Register of Historic Places or any other locally designated Historical Society, a landmark

status may be a factor in how your home should be insured. This is certainly important information to share with your agent.

How Far are You From Fire Protection?

The closer the better. Take a drive to the nearest fire station, or map it using Google Maps or MapQuest. Note the mileage. Count your steps to the nearest fire hydrant and multiply by three to roughly estimate the distance in feet.

Have You Had Any Recent Losses or Claims?

Be prepared to talk about the number and nature of losses you may have experienced in the last five years.

DAVID MCMILLAN (480) 926-2056 1054 N GILBERT RD, SUITE 3 GILBERT, AZ 85234 davidmcmillan@allstate.com

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entrepreneur

!Ay, Chihuahua! Omar Alvarez, owner, Tortas Paquime

Business buzz: Tortas Paquime was founded in 2002, and offers authentic Mexican cuisine, tasty fruit juices, delectable desserts and mouth-watering frozen treats. All foods are prepared in-house with only the finest ingredients. Patrons receive quick and friendly service from devoted wait staff and enjoy their meals in a spotless and vibrant environment. The quality and authentic taste of the food as well as the service are consistent at each of Tortas Paquime’s four locations.

A good entrepreneur must ...

have the ability to understand and fulfill customers’ needs, talent to generate and follow through on great ideas, and the capacity to maintain a great deal of faith and courage.

Historic figures you’d like to meet: Jesus and Albert Einstein. Best advice: My parents always say, “It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it right, and it is honest work.” Another piece of advice that I follow is “If you do what you love and love what you do, you will be successful.”

Why did you start your own business? My desire to become an entrepreneur and my love of the sandwiches at a particular torta shop back home in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, prompted me to go into the restaurant business. It was actually my mom who gave me the idea to bring these delicious sandwiches to the United States. We decided that Phoenix was an ideal location, because there was a real need in the community for an eatery that specialized in authentic and unique Mexican cuisine.

Best thing about owning a business: I have the freedom to use my

creativity to build a business that encompasses my vision. I also have control over the growth of my business as well as the ability to manage my own time.

Biggest challenge:

Making the most effective decisions and maintaining focus.

Tortas Paquime 4344 W. Indian School Road (and 3 other locations) Phoenix, AZ 85031 623-764-6365 www.tortaspaquime.com

If I had a second chance … I would not do anything differently, because I believe that all decisions – good or bad – are part of the “school of life.” Without them, I would not be the business owner that I am today.

Suggest an entrepreneur

Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.

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Latino Perspectives Magazine

Full Page AD for Max?

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In praise of public service Awards created to honor non-elected public servants The senseless killing of 14 people in Tucson last

January still lingers in the minds of many Arizonans. One of those who tragically lost his life was Gabe Zimmerman, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional staffer and director of community outreach. Zimmerman had organized the Congress on Your Corner event that tragic Saturday. A Tucson native, Zimmerman was known for his true desire to help others. He worked as a field organizer for Giffords during her first congressional campaign in 2006. He became constituent services director when Giffords took office and eventually took on outreach duties, which put him in charge of logistics for all of Giffords’ public district events. Gabe Zimmerman was the consummate public servant, a man who did the work and more, simply because he wanted to help others. In honor of him, the Center for the Future of Arizona has created the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards program, a statewide competition created to honor nonelected professional public servants who serve as the critical link between citizens and the people elected to represent them. Arizona’s political reputation is not at its shiniest, with the endless news coverage of a handful of ruthless legislators and other elected officials, and contention among Arizonans around issues such as illegal immigration. Despite these headline grabbers, the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards offer the chance to acknowledge the dedication of well-meaning, professional public servants at all levels of the state’s government. Recognition in three categories define the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards: Leadership – The long-term achievements and efforts of public servants who have displayed and sustained leadership contributions throughout their careers, with a minimum of 20 years of public service; Innovation – The achievements and efforts of public servants who have developed and contributed to implementing significant ideas and innovations that benefit Arizona citizens; Civic engagement – The achievements and efforts of public servants who have materially helped inform,

Gabe Zimmerman

engage and connect citizens in ways to encourage their active participation in 21st-century democracy and community building. All Arizonans who have direct knowledge of an outstanding public servant are invited and encouraged to nominate him or her in one of the above categories. The first honorees of the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards will be honored at the 2011 National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) in Phoenix, September 22-23, the first time in the organization’s history that their national conference will be held somewhere other than Washington, D.C. The conference, whose focus this year is “America’s Social Compact in Action,” will be the ultimate venue to commend three Arizonans who epitomize the best in public service: civic leaders, expert panelists and keynote speakers from around the country will be in attendance. To learn more or to nominate an individual for the www.latinopm.com

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Latino Perspectives Magazine

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briefcase

Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards, visit thearizonawewant.org and download a nomination form. The deadline is July 22, 11:59 p.m.

SRP increase rebates for energy efficiency Own a business? Want to lower your electric bills and decrease your carbon footprint (i.e., do your part for the environment)? Salt River Project (SRP) is offering more than $11 million in energyefficiency rebates for businesses of all sizes, an increase of nearly 40 percent from 2010. Swap out that old air conditioner in the warehouse or replace that ancient refrigerator in the break room, and SRP’s PowerWise Business Solutions program will pay up to $300,000 a year for energy-efficient upgrades. The program covers major systems like ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), lighting and heating, and compressed-air and refrigeration equipment. Businesses can even propose custom projects. SRP has collaborated with a select group of skilled contractors, vendors and engineering firms to ensure customers will get the maximum benefit by implementing energy-efficiency measures. For more information about SRP rebates and energy-saving tips for businesses, visit savewithsrpbiz.com. Rebates are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To be sure of eligibility for a rebate, contact SRP before initiating any project.

It takes $250K to raise Junior

Back in 1960, the Department of Agriculture released its first report on Expenditures on Children by Families. The report indicated that at the time (about 50 years ago), a middle-income family could have expected to spend $25,230 ($185,856 in 2010 dollars) to raise a child through age 17. Break it down and it equals about $1,500 per year to raise Junior during The Beatles heyday. Today, a middle-income family with a child born in 2010 can expect to spend about $226,920 ($286,860 with inflation

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¡ July 2011!

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considered) for food, shelter and other necessities to raise that child over the next 17 years – or a few hundred bucks over $13,000 per year. And this doesn’t count the pregnancy, related hospital bills or a college education. Back in the ‘60s, the biggest worries for parents were housing and health care. Today, expenses for transportation and childcare enter the mix. Courts and state governments use the report to determine child support guidelines and foster care payments. The report is based on data from the federal government’s Consumer Expenditure Survey, the most comprehensive source of information available on household expenditures. And as would be expected, the higher the family income, the higher child-rearing costs, according to a report by the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. A family earning less than $57,600 per year can expect to spend a total of $163,440 (in 2010 dollars) on a child from birth through high school, whereas a family earning more than $99,730 can expect to spend $377,040. Luckily (or not), the cost per child decreases as the family has more children, as bedrooms are shared, clothing and toys can be handed down to younger children, food can be purchased in larger and more economical quantities, and private schools or child care centers may offer sibling discounts. Read the full report at cnpp.usda.gov.

briefcase Health insurance not so assuring According to a recent University of Arizona study published online by the American Journal of Public Health, being insured does not alleviate the odds of accruing medical debt when taking age, income and health status into account. It’s a weird catch-22: Arizona families can’t afford to pay their medical bills and health insurance isn’t protecting them from this predicament. The fallout is that families are not getting needed medical attention, spinning the problem into a more dire scenario. Patricia M. Herman directed the study; she’s a research scientist at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. The bottom line: Medical debt is a separate and better predictor of whether people will delay or forego needed medical care than their insurance status. And it’s a problem for both the insured and uninsured. Factors assessed included insurance coverage, health status, behaviors and social and environmental issues. The study analyzed data from more than 2,300 cases included in the Arizona Health Survey, a 2008 comprehensive survey of 4,200 Arizona households conducted prior to the peak of the nation’s recent financial recession and high unemployment. To eliminate the Medicare factor, the study focused on adults age 18 to 64. What Herman’s analysis determined is that continual health insurance coverage is a key aspect of both debt problems and getting medical care. Her assessment? That health insurance should be portable, universally available or both, so that families do not experience coverage gaps. She goes on to say that there is a serious need to reduce large out-of-pocket costs to insured patients to reduce medical debt. Michele Walsh of the University of Arizona Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Jill Rissi of the

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Portland State University Hatfield School of Government co-authored the study, funded by St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, a Phoenix-based public foundation focused on Arizona health policy and strengthbased community development. To read the full report, go to http:// ajph.aphapublications.org.

Habitat for Humanity opens ReStore Goodyear has a new shopping destination for great home improvement deals: ReStore, Habitat for Humanity’s 19,000square-foot hub for new and almostnew discounted appliances, building materials, furniture, and other items sold at well below the retail price. Not only do customers get a great deal, their purchases also contribute to the efforts of Habitat for Humanity, a nationwide organization that builds and renovates homes for low-income families. Corporate stores, contractors and individuals have donated much of the new and gently used merchandise. According to folks at Habitat for Humanity, all of the ReStores keep about 200,000 pounds a month out of landfills. The Goodyear ReStore is located at 13735 W. Auto Drive, near the northwest corner of 137th Avenue and Van Buren Street. It’s the fourth location in metro Phoenix opened by the nonprofit organization, which has built or renovated about 800 homes throughout the Valley. For the past year, the three other stores have been collecting inventory to stock the Goodyear location for its “quiet” grand opening on June 23, but will eventually rely on Southwest Valley businesses and residents to donate the merchandise. A formal grand opening is planned for September. For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit habitat.org.

Follow your heart and your mind. Discover a rewarding career as a State Farm agent. Help others in your community while building a business that will last. Imagine what you can build if you put your mind to it. ®

BECOME A STATE FARM AGENT.

Learn more:

Join us on Thursday, May 19th at the West Valley State Farm Agency Field Office from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm to learn more about how you can become a State Farm agent. The office is located at 9051 W. Kelton Ln., Suite 12 Peoria, AZ, 85382. To RSVP, or for more information, please contact Chris Cruz at (602)319-7508, or Chris.cruz.gukv@statefarm.com. statefarm.com/careers

Send us your briefcase items

Have a business story idea? Email us at editor@latinopm.com.

State Farm, Bloomington, IL An Equal Opportunity Employer

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Ask the pros... Valerie Wynia

APS Program Manager Solutions for Business Program 400 N. 5th Street Phoenix, AZ 85004 Office: (602) 250-3249

Does the APS Solutions for Business Program have incentives for small businesses?

Yes. Express Solutions helps small businesses lower energy use and save money quickly with rebates for lighting and refrigeration projects. To learn more, call (866) 277-5605.

Knowlege is power: Build trust and share your wisdom with the community right

Q: A:

Does APS offer any lowinterest financing on projects?

Yes. APS, through National Bank of Arizona, offers lowinterest rates on projects that qualify for rebates from the Solutions for Business Program. To learn more, call Peter Eberle (602) 2125507 or Lara Krecic at (866) 277-5605.

here in Ask the Pros. Contact a sales rep today! Call 6025-277-0130 ext. 25

The suggestions and opinions of the advertisers on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of Latino Perspectives Magazine

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Ready, set, goal! Actualizing your objectives By Danielle Medrano

Choose a goal. Any goal. It can be one you’ve

wanted to accomplish for years, or one that’s recently entered your mind. Write it down in the present tense as if it’s already happened. For example, if my goal were a promotion at work, I would write: “I’m the VP of Communications for company XYZ.” Now repeat this goal out loud. And once you do, rate your believability of that statement on a scale of 0-10, with 0 meaning, “I don’t believe it at all,” and 10 meaning, “I’m surprised it hasn’t already happened.” No matter what your number is, even if it’s a zero, this is valuable information to have and can help you take the next steps to actually accomplishing your objective.

There are two powerful forces that are either working for you, or against you in relation to accomplishing anything in your life. These forces are your beliefs and habits. When you do something repeatedly, to the point you no longer have to think about it, this action becomes a habit. Do you remember the first time you learned how to drive? It might have been a stick shift or automatic, but it was difficult nonetheless. Both hands on the wheel, trying to keep an eye on the road, the rear view mirror, the speedometer, then braking, accelerating, turning, and oh, don’t forget – trying to keep some semblance of cool. It was a lot of information to manage, but now after years of doing it, we only require a tiny fraction of the focus we needed when we first learned to drive. It becomes second nature to us, so to apply the same amount of concentration would not only be unnecessary, it would also be exhausting. Because the habit of driving has become so ingrained in our minds, we can listen to the radio, talk on the phone and drive at the same time. And just like our actions, our repeated thoughts, too, become habitual. And those repeated thoughts turn into beliefs. Do you want to know if your beliefs and habits are aligned with your goals? Take a look at your results.

Photo Courtesy of the writer

Why you may feel stuck

Danielle Medrano

The science of success Our brain is a mass of neural pathways, and every new action we take creates a new neural pathway. When we repeat the action, that specific pathway is strengthened, just like training our muscles. This is how we form habits and how we’re able to perform tasks without “thinking,” tasks as simple as brushing your teeth and as complex as driving a car. Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, says that 95 to 99 percent of our daily behavior is www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

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career

automatically caused by our beliefs and habits. Sit with that for a moment. That means, every day, almost everything you think, feel and do is programmed. It doesn’t require concentration and focus. It’s habitual. The ability to automate certain behaviors served our ancestors well when they needed to keep an eye out for danger or hunt down dinner. In today’s world, it allows us to multitask and get things done on a daily basis without over-expending energy, like tying our shoes. The only problem is, this automatic button programs our thoughts in more important areas of our lives and determines what we believe to be true American Family Insurance believes thatabout money, health and relationships.

Find Find success success Find success within Find success within within our within our family. family. our family. our family. American Family believes that when you bringInsurance your creativity, energy

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but interestingly, their personalities are very different. The conscious mind is the creative one; the one that understands words, comes up with brilliant ideas and detailed plans, but only its friend the subconscious will allow those ideas to be executed if it believes it’s possible. Our subconscious mind will only do what it’s been instructed to do, not by the conscious mind’s current directives, but by the sum of all of its life experiences. And by the way, it has stored all of your experiences since the day you were born in the form of images, including the repeated messages you received about money, health and relationships. Who or what are these influences that programmed your mind? Parents, friends,

Determine at least one action you can take every day to get you closer to your goal, and hold yourself accountable to taking that step.

Josh Pelligreen Josh Pelligreen Jpelligr@amfam.com Jpelligr@amfam.com Office: (602) 225-3740 Office: (602) 225-3740 Ext. 58007 Ext. 58007 Cell:Web (602) 377-3691 Superuser Cell:Web (602) 377-3691 Superuser

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We’ve all picked a goal before, maybe even mapped out a detailed plan to get there, only to have our desire run out of gas a few days or weeks into the journey. Need I mention weight loss or New Year’s resolutions? We can do all of the right things behaviorally – purchase a gym membership, follow the latest trend in dieting, buy mounds of lettuce – but our decision to change comes from our conscious mind, and our beliefs and habits are stored in our subconscious. In an arm-wrestling match between these two, the subconscious will win every time. Think of the conscious and subconscious mind as an interdependent couple. They interact with each other all day long. One can’t live without the other,

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teachers, coaches, nana, the media and so on. The subconscious doesn’t take into consideration what’s good for you, or not. It uses no reasoning, no logic. That’s the trait of the conscious friend. The conscious can desire and plan all it wants. If you don’t believe you could ever become rich, it will be a long climb uphill to reach your destination if it is to be wealthy, whatever your definition of wealth may be. Therefore, your first task to achieving your goals is to influence your subconscious mind. As Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, aptly said, “The reason man may become the master of his own destiny is because he has the power to influence his own subconscious mind.”

career Hard habit to break … or is it? Many years ago, NASA experimented in their training of astronauts and equipped a group with goggles that literally turned their world 180 degrees upside down. For 24 hours a day, these astronauts wore convex goggles in preparation for a weightless environment. On day 26, something unexpected happened: The vision of one astronaut turned right side up! His brain adapted to the new input; new neural pathways were formed and strengthened. Days later, the rest of the astronauts followed suit. In subsequent trials, the goggles were removed for short periods of time within the 30-day experiment. When this happened, it took twice as long for the brain to adjust and turn the astronauts’ vision right side up. What does this mean for you? Back to your goal. If your level of believability was lower than you would like, you haven’t kept your goal at the forefront of your mind – in other words, the neural pathways in your brain haven’t been trained strongly enough. You may have begun charging toward your goal con ganas, but if you took off the goggles before the neural pathways in your brain could be hardwired, your efforts were for not.

Where you are, where you want to be

You must set goals. If you’re someone that wants to get the best out of life, goal setting will never end for you. So, give your brain specific targets for every major area of your life. The more detail you can add to each goal the better.

Write down your goals and keep them at the forefront of your mind – in your calendar, in your phone, on your computer, anywhere you’d like, just not in the cajón where you’ll forget about them. Remember, you must saturate your subconscious mind with messages; build and strengthen new neural

¡!

Oportunidad en la era digital

pathways so your brain can adapt to the new information.

Visualize. Don’t think you’re a visual person? Let’s see about that. Think of what the outside of your dream home looks like. Have it pictured? Perfect, that’s all you need: five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening of imagining yourself already having accomplished your goal. But don’t just limit your visualizing to pictures. Recruit your other senses in the process and have a conversation with someone in front of your dream home; smell breakfast cooking, taste coffee in your kitchen and feel the cool breeze on your face on your balcony. Your five senses are the only language your subconscious knows.

Be aware of your thoughts, and when a negative thought enters your mind, affirm the opposite. As silly as it sounds at first (hence, why you need to do it), using this tool can have a significant effect on the actions you choose to take toward your goal.

Speaking of actions, determine at least one action you can take every day to get you closer to your goal, and hold yourself accountable to taking that step. You can also program these mini goals into your calendar every Sunday evening in preparation for the workweek.

Uncover beliefs that are no longer serving you. If it’s a feeling of not good enough, not smart enough, not anything enough, ask yourself, “When did I decide that was true? Who taught me that?” Often looking at those early years with a new perspective is enough to change a negative belief and stop it in its tracks.

Oportunidad en la era digital How do you become among the most reliable and trusted providers of communication and entertainment services in America? By connecting people with nearly endless opportunities to learn, grow, share and succeed. With Cox Communications, there’s no shortage of possibilities for our customers or our employees. Add your talents to the team that’s advancing communications into the Digital Age. Establish a career connection with a real, and rewarding, future with one of the industry’s most respected and exceptional employers. To learn more about Cox Communications, or to apply for open positions, visit us online. Crece con nosotros.

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Danielle Medrano is CEO and founder of Phoenix-based Mindful Management, “the leaders in training individuals and organizations to operate at their highest level.” Read her blog at mindfulmanagement.com.

EOE www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

THE HISPANIC COLLEGE FUND INVITES YOU TO ATTEND OUR REGIONAL HYI’s for more information email: laranda@hispanicfund.org or call 214.766.0245

HISPANIC YOUTH INSTITUTE COMING TO ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY!

SMU: DALLAS HYI JUNE 15th - 18th UNM: NEW MEXICO HYI JUNE 27th - July 1st ASU: ARIZONA HYI JULY 12th - 16th

“We need more pathways like HYI for Latinos to get to college ...” - Honorable Hector Balderas, Auditor State of New Mexico & National Association of Latino Elected Ofﬁcials (NALEO) Treasurer

Raul Magdaleno

HYI touches down in Dallas and across the southwestern region... ~ Raul Garduno of Social Security Administration said it best, “when one of us makes it, we all make it!” The Dallas HYI together with the employee volunteers from Social Security Administration have been officially entered into the Congressional Record, effective June, 2011. In late June, New Mexico launched its 4th Annual HYI, with Hon. Hector Balderas, State Auditor of New Mexico, as 2011 Honorary Chair.

90%

of HYI-ers go on to college!

The 2011 Arizona HYI, directed by Marco Hidalgo, will again welcome Manny Mora as Honorary Chair along with the new team of “2011 Padrinos” Raul Aguirre, Ricardo Torres, and Hon. Tony Banegas.

HYI is a national program with local success...that beginas a full pipeline of programs helping students graduate from college, become professionals and give back to the community. To date, approximately 90% of HYI graduates have gone on to enroll in college.

HYI offers an excellent ROI for your company...Find out more at www.hispanicyouth.org

A SPECIAL THANK YOU FROM HCF! LYDIA ARANDA CORPORATE & FOUNDATION RELATIONS

We Did It!

from left to right (Lydia Aranda, Fatima Hasan Ali Esmeralda Sanchez,

~ Raul Garduno)

“HYI-ers, you are our future...” Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson BANK OF AMERICA NASA NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER NATIONAL HAAC ENLACE LAMBDA THETA PHI LATIN FRATERNITY INC.

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89%

OF HYI-ERS GO ONTO COLLEGE!

NNSA MANNY MORA VIRGINIA PESQUEIRA, Ph.D. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ACHIEVING A COLLEGE EDUCATION (ACE) BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF EAST VALLEY CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

RAISE A BUD RAISE MONEY FOR MILITARY MILITA T RY FA TA F FAMILIES MILIES

This summer, Budweiser will donate up to $2,000,000 to Folds of Honor, including a donation for every Budweiser sold.* The Folds of Honor Foundation provides education scholarships for the dependants of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving. So just by enjoying a Budweiser with friends, you’re helping the families of our military heroes that protect our great nation. Budweiser, Proudly Serving, Those Who Serve. *Maximum donation of $2,000,000 includes $100 for every home run hit in select professional baseball games, 5¢/case of Budweiser sold, 5/26 – 7/10, and $46,500 for Dave Winfield’s 465 career home runs. For details, visit facebook.com/Budweiser

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With time comes wisdom Lawrence R. Rodriguez, Chief of Police, Tolleson Police Department Years of service: Almost 38 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 26 years with the Tempe Police Department beginning on September 10, 1973, with assignments in patrol, investigations, community relations, traffic, crime prevention, and ultimately back to patrol, where I retired in December 1999. I continued my career serving as chief of police with the Tolleson Police Department beginning on December 10, 1999 to the present time.

Honors: The most significant honor continues to be

michelle roles photography

serving as the chief of police in my hometown. After all, this is where I learned the family and social values that shaped my character and helped forge my successful career.

Duties: As the chief law enforcement officer in the city of Tolleson, I establish the direction and mission of the entire police department and lead the department personnel toward accomplishing our goals and objectives that will provide the best possible law enforcement services to our community and visitors.

Personal: Married to Francine 62 years. 1996 graduate, Arizona State University. I have three children: Laura, Victoria and Adam.

Proudest moment: Having my parents present to witness as I took the oath of office to serve as the police chief for their city.

Philosophy: Doing something yourself and learning from getting your hands dirty is the best way to gain experience in anything you may do.

Balancing service and family: This is perhaps the biggest obstacle facing anyone in their career

field. Make sure to refocus the same enthusiasm toward life as you do your career, and make quality time to enjoy your spouse, your kids, your family â&#x20AC;Ś your life. Keep in mind, you will not always have your career, but you will always have your family.

Greatest satisfaction of serving: Knowing that I have always done the right thing for the right reason.

Next professional goal: Continuing to find ways to improve how we can deliver service in the most efficient manner.

In closing: Remember that serving is a privilege that is bestowed upon those who understand the importance of doing something for a greater good.

Nominate a candidate

Help us acknowledge those who serve. Men and women currently in the military or a first responder. Send your info to editor@latinopm.com. www.latinopm.com

ÂĄ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

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¡Muchas mochilas! City of Phoenix – Latino Institute helps kids get ready for school

While parents and their families are enjoying

summer break, the City of Phoenix – Latino Institute is busy planning the Annual Back to School and Health Fair, which, in only 10 years, has grown from 1,000 attendees to 10,000. It started with a small group of community partners and now has close to 200 agencies, organizations and an array of other community groups participating in this worthy event. The main draw is the pile of backpacks given to the first 1,000 children in kindergarten to 8th grade, but it’s certainly not the only one. Over 50 programs will be represented, offering vital information related to education, lifestyle, finance and the community for students and parents alike. And although it is taking place in Phoenix, “This is a fair … for all communities within Phoenix and beyond,” says Carmela Ramirez of the Latino Institute and Phoenix Center for the Arts. “It’s free and produced with the community in mind. Bring the family!” The event will be held at Desert Sky Mall at 75th Avenue and Thomas Road on Saturday, July 16, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Health services were added in the last five years, so families can get health screenings including mammograms, prostate exams, optical and dental screenings, HIV testing, pregnancy testing and free immunizations. And to keep things interesting for parents and children alike, entertainment, a free light lunch and fun activities are planned for all ages. V1 Salon is doing their part to support the community and offering free haircuts at the event. Panel members from specialty areas such as parks services, law, immigration, voting, health, school issues and other areas of concern will be participating in a plenary session at the end of the fair and will open up discussions important to attendees and their communities. The mission of the Latino Institute is “to enhance the quality of life for all communities through a

collective effort that recognizes the richness of the Latino culture, its contributions to society and its challenges for the future.” Note all communities and “collective effort.” For more information or to participate in the 10th Annual Back to School and Health Fair, visit http://phoenix. gov/phxlatin or contact Carmela Ramirez at 602-4953791 or via email at carmela.ramirez@phoenix.gov.

Nature fest in Sierra Vista Southwest Wings is the longest-running nature festival in the state, and will continue to be, as long as the Monument Fire doesn’t have its way. Scheduled to run from Wednesday, August 3 to Saturday, August 6, Southwest Wings is an educational celebration of the diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects in the unique high deserts known www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

Design

future your own

as the Sky Islands, 70,000 square miles that include southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Southwest Wings is held in Sierra Vista, Arizona, near some of the most famous birding spots in the country. Educational highlights of the festival will include mostly free lectures about Mexican birds, trogon, butterflies, dragonflies, ornithology, hummingbirds, bats, bugs, snakes and owls. Some excursions include overnight stays in the Chiricahuas; Becky Orozco will talk about the myths and history of the Chiricahua Apache and Geronimo, and the history of la frontera on August 6. Tap into plenty more information about featured speakers, nearby lodging, local info and registration at swwings.org.

ASU launches middle school for gifted students

www.phoenixcollege.edu 48

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

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Applications for as many as 40 students entering seventh grade are now being accepted for the Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy – the first school in Arizona for gifted students opening this August. The Young Scholars Academy will offer a ground-breaking, accelerated high-tech curriculum that will allow exceptional students to earn a high school diploma and up to 45 ASU credits by the end of the equivalent of their junior year in a traditional high school setting. The school is funded in part through a gift to ASU from Gary K. Herberger and Jeanne Herberger. Kimberly Lansdowne is the executive director, who stated at a celebratory gathering in April that “it is just as appropriate for us to provide specialized programming for academically talented young people as for athletically talented young people.” The ratio of students to teachers at the academy will be approximately ten to one, with the educational programming moving at a rapid pace. The first year

covers the equivalent of seventh and eighth grades; the second year covers ninth and tenth grade curricula, and the third year is the equivalent of the junior and senior years of high school. Students will take appropriate advanced placement assessments. The cost of ASU tuition, fees and books is covered through the Young Scholars Academy’s $7,500 annual tuition cost. Scholarships are available for students whose families demonstrate financial need. The Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy is a private school operated under the auspices of University Public Schools, Inc., a nonprofit organization that works in collaboration with ASU to increase student achievement through innovation in K-12 schools. For more information on the Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, go to http://herbergeracademy.asu.edu.

Stella takes on the bad guys Latino Perspectives Magazine columnist and award-winning autora Stella Pope Duarte will be teaching the intricacies of juicy character development in a writing workshop on Friday, August 12 at Changing Hands Book Store called Villains and Vixens: Writing the Dark Side. Good and evil exist side by side in our daily lives – we all know that. And in any good book, a character’s “flaws, mistakes, secrets and sins” are what make readers want to keep turning the pages. In this workshop, Pope Duarte will focus on characters you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley, but who you have to get to know intimately to make them believable. What will your villain stoop to? How will you control him – or her? The proof is in the writing! Villains and Vixens: Writing the Dark Side is a two-hour workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Register online at the Changing Hands Bookstore website at changinghands.com, or register by phone

New high school, free laptops Pima Prevention Partnership, a Tucson and Phoenix-based nonprofit, has added a public high school located in the Phoenix Union High School District: Arizona Collegiate High School. The 20,000-square-foot campus will open on August 8, and invites students and their families to check it out at one of several open houses scheduled between now and the first day of school. Arizona Collegiate High School offers a tuition-free, quality education to prepare students for college or a career. Free laptops are added incentives for students to have nearly perfect attendance (95 percent) and pass all of their classes. The charter school will also offer free web design classes and sports programs for its students. The community is invited to attend an open house and see the high-tech school that, regardless of a student’s academic history, will provide meaningful, handson learning to move students into college or a career of their choice. Different Arizona colleges will also be represented at each open house, where guests can enjoy a carne asada barbecue and free haircuts. Open houses are scheduled for Tuesday, July 12, Thursday, July 28 and Tuesday, August 2, and tentatively August 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. Space is limited, so the time to enroll is now. The Arizona Collegiate High School campus is located at 3161 N. 33rd Avenue in Phoenix, north of Thomas Road. To learn more, visit achseagles.us.

And one for the girls Girls in metro Phoenix in grades 9-12 will now have an option to attend the first all-girls public charter high school in the Valley, thanks to Florence Crittenton.

One of Arizona’s oldest nonprofit organizations, Florence Crittenton has provided services to girls and young women in the metro Phoenix area for 115 years. The organization is opening the Girls Leadership Academy of Arizona (GLAA) for its first semester this fall. The GLAA 20,000-square-foot campus is located at 715 W. Mariposa Street in Phoenix. Students will have access to a café, medical office, and basketball court and fitness center. More importantly, they will have access to teachers with four-year degrees from an accredited college as well as an Arizona teaching certification. The My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so school will ensure that every girl has My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so equitable access to the highest level of My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so academic and social supports. GLAA My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so will offer college preparatory courses My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so so students can earn college credit for some classes while also earning high school credits. They will participate in a My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. curriculum that is designed specifically My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. for and made relevant to girls. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. Studies have found that singleMy friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. gender education increases high My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. academic achievement, higher selfconfidence and in the case of minority students, increased college enrollment. Autism is getting The GLAA curriculum utilizes Girl closer to home. Meets World, a research-based and highly effective tool for leadership that Autism is getting closer to ho Today 1 in 110 children is used in Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership is diagnosed. Academy for Girls in South Africa. It Today, 1 in 110 children is diag involves decision-making skills, conflict Early canmake makea lifetime of d Early diagnosis diagnosis can resolution and how to become personallyAutism is getting closer to home. a lifetime of difference. empowered. Each student will have a teacher/mentor, and participate in a Today, 1 in 110 children is diagnosed. weekly advisory program and a variety Earlyofdiagnosis can make a lifetime difference. Learn the atat autismspea Learn theofsigns signs community service projects. autismspeaks.org GLAA has also created strategic partnerships with the ASU W.P. CareyLearn the signs at autismspeaks.org School of Business, Teach for America, AZ Quest for Kids, Junior Achievement of Arizona, YWCA of Phoenix, Mi Familia My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so Vota and the Arts Coalition. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so To learn more about GLAA, visit My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so glaaz.org or to enroll, contact Jennifer My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so Miller, director of school and community My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s so engagement, at jmiller@flocrit.org or 602-288-4552.

My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism. My friend’s uncle’s second cousin’s son has autism.

at 480-730-1142. Cost: $25.00. Space is limited, so register early. Changing Hands Bookstore is located at 6428 S. McClintock Drive, on the southwest corner of Guadalupe and McClintock in Tempe.

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¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

NO ONEâ&#x20AC;Ś IS IMMUNE TO CANCER

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Don’t go it alone It takes more than ganas to quit smoking By Tony Ornelas

The National Latino Council on Alcohol and

Tobacco Prevention tell us that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Latinos in the United States. Statistics show that smoking often is the root of most forms of lung cancer. That makes quitting especially critical for Hispanics. Yet culturally, addiction among some Hispanic patients is perceived as a bad habit that can be overcome if one just “puts his mind to it” or applies what is referred to as ganas. While a noble state of mind, the fact is that when it comes to nicotine addiction, it is nearly impossible to quit without help. Nicotine addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition. Fewer than five percent of smokers who try to quit on their own achieve abstinence for six to 12 months. The highly addictive nature of commercial tobacco guarantees that the smoker will make as many as seven attempts to quit before achieving success. Intervention from a healthcare professional can go a long way in affirming that addiction to tobacco is, in fact, a chronic condition. A doctor, nurse or nurse practitioner has the power to make a long-lasting impact on patients, as they are in positions of influence and are in tune with the health impacts of smoking as well as on the cutting edge of treatment options. These professionals know that helping patients who smoke make a permanent change requires the right combination of counseling support and access to services, including FDA-approved, over-the-counter and prescribed medications. They can provide linguistically appropriate counseling services and multiple treatments per year, if necessary. It’s been proven that access to services and support, in conjunction with appropriate therapies and prescription smoking-cessation medications, delivers the greatest results for smokers attempting to quit. Nurses observe the emotional and human toll that diseases like lung cancer have on our society.

Such experiences should inspire every healthcare professional to educate their patients and the community at large about the addictive nature of tobacco and help them understand it is a chronic condition that must be addressed. As the single leading cause of preventable disease and preventable death in the United States that contributes to more than 400,000 deaths annually, it is a topic that demands our attention.

Strategies for quitting Making the decision to quit is the first step toward a smoke-free life. Set a “quit date” and try to stick to it. Prior to the big day, the U.S. Surgeon General’s office suggests that you throw away all cigarettes, ashtrays and other smoking-related articles – don’t buy anymore. Keeping the act of smoking out of sight will help keep it out of mind. Just as visual cues can trigger the desire to smoke, they also can be excellent tools for achieving success. Make a list of your personal reasons for quitting, including pictures of people you love – your child, husband, wife, you! Place the list someplace where you will see it every day. Look at it! Read the written reasons out loud every day. Now is the time to “toot your own horn” and make an announcement about your important decision to quit. Tell everyone that will listen that you are quitting, but start with your closest circle, people you see every day. Share the news with your family, friends and coworkers. When www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

“Cancer Treatment Centers of America® gave me a team that stood beside me and was ready to fight. They restored my hope.”

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Don’t Let Anyone Tell You There’s Nothing More That Can Be Done. When Beth realized there was nothing more that could be done, she turned to Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), where we have been fighting complex and advanced cancer for decades. Beth’s team of CTCA cancer experts worked with her to create a comprehensive and tailored treatment plan that combined leading-edge oncologic medical treatments with naturopathic medicine, nutrition, rehabilitation, psychological counseling, spiritual support and pain management. We are different. At CTCA, we never give up. Call now to speak with one of our Oncology Information Specialists and learn how we fight cancer like no one else.

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you tell them that you have decided to quit smoking, enlist them as allies by asking them to help you stick to your promise. Because smoking is embedded into your daily routine, it is necessary to alter how tasks, large and small, are achieved. This means doing things in a new way. For example, if driving to work in the morning and lighting up go hand in hand, make a plan to chew on gum or hard candy to help overcome the craving during that particular task. Any flavor will do, but cinnamon gum and cinnamon sticks are popular choices to eliminate cravings. If vacant hands become a problem, try holding a marble or a stress ball during your commute. Making a “quit” attempt also means changing your immediate environment. Stay active and invest in inexpensive new hobbies. Something as simple as solving jigsaw puzzles helps keep hands busy and cravings at bay. Go to places where smoking or chewing is prohibited. If your friends or family smoke, ask them to abstain when they are around you. Quitting will be a journey and will require short-term and long-term strategies. Here are a few ideas to follow three to six months into your plan to quit:

Where to seek help

stress management techniques •Try such as yoga, tai chi, running or self-

The health benefits of putting down cigarettes or chewing tobacco begin within minutes of quitting. Studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have shown the following results: 20 minutes after quitting — The heart rate drops; the temperature of hands and feet increases to normal and blood pressure decreases. 12 hours after quitting — The carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal; the oxygen level in blood increases to normal. 24 hours after quitting — The chance of heart attack decreases. 48 hours after quitting — Nerve endings start to regrow, and the ability to smell and taste begin improving. Within 7 days of quitting — Blood pressure and pulse lower; sense of taste and smell both increasingly improve; energy level increases; blood circulation improves and lung capacity increases.

hypnosis.

• if you have a setback or two. an exciting vacation with all the •Plan money you are saving by not buying

Keep your determination to quit – even

cigarettes.

enough sleep, 6-8 hours. •Get Participate in activities with • nonsmokers. •Take your journey one day at a time. Here’s a short and easy list to remember, the four D’s of Quitting from the U.S. Surgeon General: 1. Delay (2-3 minutes) 2. Drink a glass of water 3. Deep breathing

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

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4. Distraction

Arizona residents are only a phone call away from help. The Arizona Smokers’ Helpline (ASHLine) 1-800-55-66-222 is staffed by counselors who speak English and Spanish and are experienced with helping people quit smoking. Many of the counselors are former smokers themselves, making their guidance invaluable. This free statewide program provides phone counselors on a daily basis as well as access to lowcost medication or free gum, patches and lozenges. ASHLine takes a personalized approach with every tobacco user. They understand how hard it is to quit. Many people who call ASHLine have tried to quit before. ASHLine’s goal is to help them quit for good. While some people might say they have been successful “going cold turkey,” the majority of people have greater success with quitting when they have a support system in place, like ASHLine. ASHLine offers free telephone and online coaching services via WebQuit at ASHLine.org.

Health benefits begin in minutes

90 days after quitting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lungs begin to clean and self-repair and can make an 85 to 90 percent recovery. 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Heart attack risk begins to drop; lung functions improve; walking becomes easier and circulation improves. 1 year after quitting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a normal smoker and the risk of heart attack is cut in half. 10 years after quitting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mouth, throat and esophagus cancer risks are halved, and the risk of ulcer decreases. 15 years after quitting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked, and the risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.Â With long-term abstinence, former smokers are likely to enjoy favorable psychological changes such as enhanced self-esteem and an increased sense of self-control. Â

How employers can help On average, a smoker spends between five minutes and 30 minutes per day away from their work area for a smoke break and is absent two to four more days per year than nonsmokers. Lost productivity plus excess medical expenditures per smoker have been calculated to cost employers approximately $3,400 per smoker, per year. While death and disease are the ultimate costs of smoking, it is also an economic burden on companies. In Arizona, the American Lung Association (ALA) published a report that sheds light on this. The annual direct costs to the economy attributable to smoking were in excess of $5 billion. This includes workplace productivity losses of $1.2 billion, premature death losses of $1.9 billion and direct medical expenditures of $1.8 billion. The same report reveals that while the average retail price of a pack of cigarettes in Arizona is $6.38, the combined medical costs and work productivity losses attributable to each pack of cigarettes sold

is approximately $26.57 per pack. Helping employees overcome nicotine addiction is financially sound and the right thing to do. The ALA report shows that for every dollar invested in a smoking cessation program, the reaped savings are nearly double that amount, as high as $2.51, depending on the type of intervention provided. With this type of a return, it makes financial sense for employers to invest in cessation programs. And a healthy, more productive workforce fuels business. Research shows that the most successful and effective cessation programs include access to counseling and access to all FDA-approved, over-thecounter and prescription medications. Additionally, there should be support for multiple quitting attempts, as it takes most smokers as many as seven times to finally kick the habit. Another tool to encourage smokers to quit is eliminating copayments or reducing copay amounts for smoking cessation agents. The State of Arizona has experienced great success by offering cessation benefits, funded by tobacco tax revenues, to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most economically vulnerable populations: beneficiaries of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). This likely plays a major role in the the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s declining smoking rate, which stands at 16 percent compared to the national rate of 21 percent. Knowing the highly addictive nature of cigarettes and knowing whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at stake from an emotional and economic standpoint, companies can help their employees who smoke by starting a cessation program that will help them take the first step to being permanently smoke-free. Quitting smoking is a journey that will take commitment, perserverance and support. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go it alone.

Tony Ornelas is the president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Valle del Sol Chapter.

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ÂĄ July 2011!

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YOU CAN CHANGE A LIFE. REALLY.

¡Vamos a bailar! Dance – the most fun you can have staying fit By Rosa Cays

You’ve heard of zumba, right? The

BE A HERO! BUILDING FUTURES MENTORING PROGRAM Our Building Futures Mentoring Program is one of our most rewarding services, and we are in desperͲ ate need of mentor volunteers. We have so many great kids, ages 6 to 18, who are at risk due to low selfͲesteem, social isolation, family problems, etc., Ͳ who just need a friend, a role model. A person who can spend a little time sharing interests, listening and ultimately raising a child’s selfͲconfidence and outlook on life. You would be amazed at what an afternoon at the ball game or a trip to the park can do for a child in need of adult companionship and guidance. Give us a call or email and we’ll explain how our program works, and how you can change a life. Really.

To learn how to become a Mentor, contact the following directors in your area: Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee Kate Clarno 602Ͳ212Ͳ6179 kclarno@vosymca.org Mesa Susan Long 602Ͳ212Ͳ6186 slong@vosymca.org Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale Barb Harp 602Ͳ212Ͳ6289 bharp@vosymca.org Central Phoenix, South Mountain, Chris Town Marta Grissom 602Ͳ212Ͳ6187 mgrissom@vosymca.org Maryvale, Glendale, Southwest Valley Jessica Mena 602Ͳ212Ͳ6192 jmena@vosymca.org Regional Director Robert Neese 602Ͳ212Ͳ6071 rneese@vosymca.org

Youth Development Healthy Living Social Responsibility

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ July 2011!

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fortuitous “fitness party” where people of all ages and all cultures dance to infectious, Grammy Award-winning Latin music? Here’s the quick FYI: About 15 years ago, Columbian aerobics instructor Alberto “Beto” Perez forgot his music for class. He quickly improvised, grabbed a few salsa and merengue cassette tapes out of his car– and voilá, zumba was born. Now zumba is a multi-million-dollar fitness program offered in gyms and studios around the globe. I took my first zumba class not long ago. I can dance a decent salsa, so I figured I wouldn’t have too much trouble following the quick steps and speedy caderas. It didn’t matter if I could follow or not; I could have been clog dancing or doing crazy José Limón moves for all I or anyone else cared. The outcome was this: an exhilarating hour of exercise for my heart, lungs and overall musculature (dancers have the best piernas, ¿qué no?) and a liberating workout for my mind and spirit. I have tried everything from Jazzercise and Pilates to boot camps and Buns of Steel, and can tell you that the zumba class was the most fun I’ve ever had exercising. Period. I walked out of class feeling happy, clear-headed and yes, sexy. Dancing is a truly holistic way to keep fit and youthful. Because it’s a low-impact form of exercise, if you must call it that, it strengthens bones and muscles without strain on the joints; improves balance and posture; increases stamina and flexibility; eases mental stress and tension, and staves off diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis and depression. To sweeten the pot even more, dancing builds confidence and provides a fun way to be social and meet new people. Better than bingo, I say.

Zumba, cumbia, samba! Anita Ponce has been dancing ever since she could walk, with encouragement from her abuelitos, who were known at family gatherings and social events for their dancing skills. She says zumba has definitely put her in better shape; it’s even boosted her self-esteem. Now she teaches zumba fitness classes at the South Mountain YMCA. She’s seen the classes steadily grow since their inception. “Zumba has been very well received,” says Anita. “[They’re] the most popular classes at the Y.” Teenagers on up to senior citizens in their 60s attend her zumba classes. Anita enjoys being a role model and inspiring people to get fit through dance. She says if you love to dance, you’re halfway there. “You don’t even need to be a good dancer,” she confirms. “Just move your body to the music and you will soon see that exercise does not have to be boring.” Music is a key, motivating factor in any fitness program, and that’s one thing zumba has going for it: high-energy Latin-inspired beats, including salsa, hip-hop and reggaeton. That is, if you like that sort of music. (My mom would dig a little cumbia, but forget the hip-hop.) Other forms of dance are good for you, too: ballroom dancing, for instance. A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people who ballroom danced a minimum of two times a week were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other dementia as they aged. The tango, samba, foxtrot and waltz engage the mind, body and spirit all at once, firing off brain chemicals that encourage nerve cells to grow. And any dancing that requires remembering steps and sequences stimulates the brain and improves memory skills. More fun than crossword puzzles, I say.

Case in point: Becky’s ballroom blitz Her remarkable physical, mental and spiritual well-being are attributed to having danced for most of her life. But you wouldn’t guess by looking at her that it’s been 70-plus years of dancing. In a large nutshell: Becky Arnold started learning tap at the tender age of 3 years. She learned modern dance in high school and choreographed school assemblies with the jazz swing band. After graduating, she took her newfound typing and shorthand skills and worked in offices, taking ballet classes in her free time. On a whim, she applied to San Francisco State College, where she was accepted and began her studies of modern dance, and where she met her future husband Mac, also a dancer. The couple married and moved to the East Coast in 1959. Mac got a real job as an engineer and Becky auditioned for Broadway shows and danced in summer stock musicals. With a wry smile, she likes to joke that she’s “been undressed in every dance theatre in New York.” In 1966, Becky met post-modern contemporary dance artist and choreographer Yvonne Rainier at a Merce Cunningham technique class. Rainer invited Becky to join her dance troupe, which she did for the next five years, touring the U.S. and dancing right through her pregnancy. “Yvonne radicalized me,” says Becky. In 1972, Mac and Becky moved to Massachusetts, where Becky began doing her own choreography in Boston on an NEA grant. She and Mac picked up on the disco craze when it hit and were featured on a TV program, showing off their disco dance moves. And when it was time for Mac to retire, a swing dance club in Phoenix brought them to the Valley in 1995. The active couple kept on dancing until Mac died in 2008. Today Becky is an avid tango dancer. She competes in tango and international standard ballroom dance with Helmut Salas, a Peruvian dance instructor. Becky has traveled to Buenos Aires to dance in milongas, famous dance halls established

Healthy Employee is a Happy and more Productive Employee! A

Contact the YMCA Corporate Wellness Team to add Wellness to your Employee Benefits

Phone: 602.404.9622 Email: corporatewellness@vosymca.org Website: www.valleyYMCA.org

Becky Arnold dancing with Helmut Salas

strictly for tango. She’s tangoed in San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, and this month, she’ll be going to Vancouver, B.C., with plans to eventually tango in New York and Miami. This chronicle of Becky’s dancing life is to make a point: The woman has more spunk and sparkle than women half her age. At almost 75 years old, she’s got a twinkle in her eye, a well-postured spring in her step (despite having both hips replaced), and loads of energy, or what Becky calls her “gift.” But what she loves most about dance is not the physical – it’s the “mental stimulation of dance,” says Becky. “The brain is challenged to do atypical movement. It transforms you.” She says it’s never too late to start dancing, nor do you have to be proficient. She sees one woman out dancing who is 100 years old. “We are meant to move,” says Becky. “And if it lights your fire in any way … it’s exhilarating!” So move. Get exhilarated. Tango, zumba, square dance or tap, whatever lights your fire. Besides, isn’t it more appealing to dance than to plod away on a treadmill? That’s what I thought.

A YMCA Membership is the Valley’s BEST VALUE for Health, Fitness & Life Enrichment Programs

FREE Health Assessments . FREE Fitness Classes including Zumba, Body Pump, and Yoga . FREE Water Fitness Classes . FREE Amazing Kids and Teen Center while you work out for Family Memberships . FREE Senior Programs Reduced Rates on Swim Lessons, Youth Sports, Summer Day Camp, After School Programs . Priority Registration for all YMCA Programs . Access to computerized Fitness Software. The YMCA has something for everyone: kids, teens, adults, & families. Come visit and let us show you why a YMCA membership is your best choice! Youth Development Healthy Living Social Responsibility

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P.S.

Stella Pope Duarte

Mestizo nation By Stella Pope Duarte

As the conquistadores made their

way in 1519 into what would one day become Mexico, they were adamant about several things: the need to conquer, seek gold, and spread Christianity to “pagan” peoples. In the process of plundering, pillaging and eradicating the “barbaric” world, as many Spaniards described it, they also created a new race of people: los mestizos – half European and half Indian. The conquistadores’ virility and proof of manhood, influenced by the Moors who had settled in Spain, found free reign in their sexual relationships with Indian women. Women were often presented to them as “gifts” or as pawns in political negotiations; however, the easiest and most common way for the Spaniards to possess the Indian women was by force. Rape was something widely accepted by the Spanish government and the Church, and it was not uncommon for priests to father several children, and continue serving as priests. Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the Father of Mexican Independence, also a priest, fathered two children, and was eventually excommunicated, not for disobeying the vow of chastity, but for his leadership in winning independence for Mexico. Spanish owners of haciendas had their pick of women, and reserved the right to have sexual intercourse with a young

woman on the eve of her wedding day. The song La Borrachita is a sad song of a young woman who leaves her groom-tobe to fulfill her obligations to her criollo master. The first generation of mestizos born to the original conquistadores were accepted into white society because of the elite positions of their fathers. They mixed easily with the criollos, the whiteskinned Europeans, and usually married Europeans. The half-Indian, half-Spanish children of illegitimate unions came to bear the name mestizos, which is a Yucatecan word referring to a traditional costume consisting of two main garments, one white and one dark. Those born with darker skin where described as Indians and became part of the lower class, forced to live as subjects of the lighter-skinned ruling class. Thus was born the caste system that to this day exists in Mexico. Mestizos evolved into several mixedbloods such as, African, Arab and Chinese, always taking the lowest jobs, living in ghettos and suffering discrimination at all levels of society. After Mexico attained its independence from Spain in 1821, mestizo men were allowed to become craftsmen, clerks and have positions of authority. Some joined the military and distinguished themselves in Mexico’s numerous revolutions. Others became bandits, such as the famous Pancho Villa. Perhaps the best-known mestizo artists born in Mexico were Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Mestizos developed the ability to survive brutality, contempt, and endure slavery and discrimination, rising again and again, increasing in numbers, and winning political power. Over the years, mestizos have developed into the backbone of America’s economic system, enlisting in the military, working in mines, agriculture, and serving in industries that helped build up American cities from coast to coast. The pleasureloving criollo, whose sense of superiority and entitlement led to the conquest of subordinate classes and established a new nation, in combination with the mystical, fatalistic spirit of the Indian, have forged a population that America today refuses to recognize at many levels. The words Chicano and Latino permeate our culture, and the protection of our borders has been seen as one way to stop the exchange of peoples, which has been ongoing for centuries. In this climate, the mestizo nation in America, now in the millions, faces its greatest challenge, which, in true mestizo fashion, will be just one more obstacle to overcome.

Stella Pope Duarte was born and raised in South Phoenix. She began her writing career in 1995 after she had a dream in which her deceased father told her that her destiny was to become a writer. Her work has won awards and honors nationwide. www.latinopm.com

¡ July 2011!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

my perspective on: overcoming adversity

Fostering the American dream

More perspectives

Send us your perspective on whatever moves you. Email editor@latinopm.com.

By Luis De La Cruz Like many children who grow up in foster care, I’ve encountered many adversities that I don’t believe were because of any deficiencies on my part, but rather, because of the circumstances into which I was born. I migrated with my parents and two siblings from Mexico in search of the American Luis De La Cruz dream at the age of seven. Shortly thereafter, my mother abandoned her three boys, leaving my father to raise my brothers and me. During this time my father was often unemployed. Shelter was always temporary, and going to bed hungry was common. A big part of my life was spent going from one living room to the next of people who graciously offered temporary housing to a man with his three teenagers. Adding to the existing hardships, at the end of my sophomore year in high school, my father was deported and would never come back. Subsequently, my older brother dropped out of high school and left. My 12year-old brother and I remained together. It was difficult when my father was with us; it was even tougher when he was gone. I worked part time after high school to pay rent so that we could live in my uncle’s garage. At the age of 16, I was not only responsible for myself, but also had a 12 year-old brother who would look up to me for stability, support and an opportunity for a better future. While I tried my hardest, it was only enough to be able to live from hand to mouth. A year and a half passed, and Child Protective Services discovered we were without proper adult care. I was told that we would most likely end up in separate group homes because my uncle was unwilling to become our foster parent. The circumstances at the time framed an uncertain future. I didn’t want to lose the last member of my family; my dreams seemed to fade away. To make a very long story short, the Nelson family, the people who were my employers for two years, made the commitment that my uncle was unwilling to make and much more. Today, my little brother remains in the same loving and caring home and will be a junior at McClintock High 58

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¡ July 2011!

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School. He thoroughly enjoys being a part of his high school tennis and swimming team, and is putting to good use the tennis racquet he purchased with a grant from the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation. As for me, I will be a junior attending Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University majoring in business law. I have studied abroad in China, visited Europe and this summer I am living in Washington, D.C., and interning, for the second time, as a member of Congressman Ed Pastor’s staff. Most importantly, even though I aged out of the system at 18, I remain a part of the Nelson family. The truth is that I was fortunate to have found care and support during the most difficult times of my life because amazing people were placed in my path. Unfortunately, this is not true for most of the children in foster care. On average, they go through three different placements. Frequent moves in and out of the homes of strangers can be profoundly scary and unsettling. I know it was for me, even though I had my father and two brothers by my side. So I can only imagine what it feels like for those who don’t have family. While the stories, backgrounds and dreams of children in foster care may diverge, we all have something in common: We yearn for stability, love and support. The unyielding love from our foster parents, the steadfast support of individuals who mentor and care for us, and organizations like Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation will help guide and support us as we embark on journeys toward achieving our goals and making our dreams a reality.

Luis DelaCruz is a scholarship recipient of the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting self-esteem and enriching the lives of children in foster care by funding activities, education and scholarships to provide them with quality experiences while they live through very difficult circumstances. He is also being profiled in “Green Card Stories” by Saundra Amrhein, a book that will attempt to humanize the immigration issue by telling the stories of 50 immigrants from different parts of the globe. The book is scheduled to come out in November.

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